The team wants to assess his defensive awareness in order to determine if he can finally move back to his natural position after playing the first two seasons of his career as a left winger. The 20-year-old forward has recorded 22 goals and 36 assists for 58 points in 113 games (0.51 PPG) in the NHL. The move is logical for Chucky's optimal development as he has been able to learn the ropes during his first two seasons in the league.
The Dallas Stars took the same decision when they acquired talented forward Tyler Seguin from the Boston Bruins. The Bruins, who were very deep at center, used to play Seguin as a right winger instead of his natural position. The outcome was phenomenal as Seguin finished last season with 84 points in 80 games playing alongside Jamie Benn on the team's first line.
While the Canadiens appear to be set down the middle with David Desharnais, Tomas Plekanec, Lars Eller, Manny Malhotra and Michael Bournival as the team's first five centers, The Habs could simply decide to trade of the above-mentioned pivots or simply move one of them to the wing.
The smaller Desharnais wouldn't have to play against big centermen and this would allow him to focus his game on the offense, where he is the more creative, efficient and able to help the team. The move would also allow head coach Michel Therrien to split DD and Brendan Gallagher and put them on two different lines, thus splitting the team's two smaller forwards.
Potential line combos with Galchenyuk at center:
Pacioretty-Galchenyuk-Desharnais
Sekac-Plekanec-Parenteau
Bourque-Eller-Gallagher
Prust-Malhotra-Weise
Extras: Moen, Bournival
Another possibility is that the team will trade of the centers during training camp or early in the season to make room for Chucky, especially with the logjam the Bleu, Blanc, Rouge currently has at forward. The odd man out could very well be Lars Eller, who is signed to an affordable contract, and still has plenty of value on the trade market. Trading Eller would also allow Therrien to play Galchenyuk on the team's third line and isolate him against weaker opposition to facilitate his transition at center.
Ask Ryan Nugent-Hopkins how hard it is for a young player to graduate as the team's first pivot at a very young age. While RNH is producing well offensively, he is struggling mightily on the face-off circle and needs to improve in defensive game to be considered a top center in the NHL. Galchenyuk took only 15 face-offs last season, going 5 for 15, or 33%, which is far from being good, so he will need to improve dramatically this aspect of his game to be able to play as a pivot on a regular basis with Montreal in 2014-15.
Do you agree with the decision to move Galchenyuk back to his natural position?
Should the Canadiens trade Desharnais or Eller, or simply move them to the wing?
8 comments:
Very intriguing line combinations with Desharnais playing RW. Sekac would also get to play his natural LW position. But I don't like the suggestion of trading Eller, nor do I think there's any real chance of that happening.
I've personally been an advocate fr moving Desharnais to the wing for years. I see Desharnais as a poor man's St.Louis. People forget that St.Louis was a center that was converted to the wing.
Allow him to focus on the offensive side of the puck and not exert his energy in defensive battles. I truly think that it can work out.
Habs fans cAN BE STUPID, Why would anyone want Desharnais at RW, We already have a smurf there in Gallagher..Question, with Columbus having trouble signing Ryan Johansen, If I were Marc Bergevin, I ask what it would take to play for the Habs..If Galchenyuk is at center, we can give them Desharnais or Eller, PLUS I would also ask them about Kerby Rychel, who I was praying Timmins would select (of course he didnt) Habs are maybe one Big trade away from being dangeous.
Why would you want Desharnais at RW, We already have a smurf there in Gallagher, you Habs fans make no sense..And losing Vanek makes things worse..I trade Eller or Desharnais ANYTIME. PS Marc B tried to trade Plekanec over the summer, according to HIO site and Habfans.com THERE WERE NO TAKERS. Which Proves Montreal fans and the team over value their players.
@Guy the reason you have smaller wingers and not is called logic. The most important on the ice next to a goaltender is the center. Why? Play starts in the faceoff circle with them, in the defensive coverage they are responsible for battles below the goal line and presence in the slot. On the attack they are usually the ones who carry the puck through the neutral zone and must use their vision to find open wingers or D men. The position requires size, strength, usually the best vision on the ice.
Desharnais has the ability to produce offensively but lacks in all other aspects of the game which is why he is not an ideal fit as a center. So the options are trade him where he has little value or move him to another position.
As for Plekanec he has alot more value than DD in trade. When HIO say they tried to trade him, did they mention what the asking price was? I doubt they were trading him for the sake of trading him. Likely wanted a hefty return which is why he was not dealt.
Don't believe everything you read. Isn't Brodeur signing here, isn't Penner coming to camp on a tryout?
Insiders are wrong more often then they are right.
I think now is the time to move Chuckie to the centre role and get on with it. DD is the one that needs to come out of the centre logjam to fit him in. You either have Eller has the pivot between Pax and Gallagher and Chuckie running the 3rd line this year.
Suggestion..Does anyone recall the game Lars Eller scored 4 goals?/?
I say why not put him at right wing , he has played there before and its a spot we need some help with..You still have Galchenyuk, Desharnais , Plekanec and Malholtra down the middle.
Habs player Desharnais need to be trade bait , he gets crushed in the playoffs. Too small.
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