I answered no, it's a team game. And in case of an injury we'd have a lot of money and cap space to spend on a replacement.
However, I do agree with premise of the question in that Plekanec is possibly the most important skater for this season. In my mind, for the first time Plekanec is the clear #1C on the team.
Nup I like the chance that have Eller or DD to get some good ice time with our top 6....Keep an eye on DD AND pacioretty these 2 will step up big time this season il they play together
Plekanec is the most important forward. The team was able to survive the decimation at the the blueline last year thanks to some veteran depth, a rookie sensation, and a shrewd trade, but the centre position looks alot more bleak.
It is absolutely imperative that plekanec does not suffer a long term injury this season.
we are not done if we can have price for full season, and this guy is made of steal.Has he ever been injuried ?
*steel
i don't think so. and he always plays hockey. always. the man never takes a break. habs management had to force him to not play roller-hockey earlier this summer.
there's loving to play hockey, and there's plekanec...
No, because we still have Price, Markov, Subban, Cammalleri, Gionta, Pacioretty, Cole, AK etc...
Hockey is still a team sport. When one player goes down, others step up.
Brodeur went down couple of years ago (played 31 games) and the Devils won the division that year.
Crosby missed the second half of last season, Pens still managed to get 51 pts in that 2nd half... and in those 41 games, Malkin missed 34 of them. Pens ended the season with 106 pts, 4th in the conference.
So that just proves that a team will adjust itself when they lose a key player to win games. It has always been like that. Rarely a team collapse completely after losing an important player.
I still have my doubts about Eller, as great as his potential is, it's not realized yet. He had 17 points last season, and while I'm sure he can have more this season, I still have doubts about him as #2 Center.
DD is great, but again, he has not proven he can be a legit top 2 center.
Not only that but Pleks is a key part of our PP, PK and well 5 on 5 too.
So if he goes down, like say Markov last season, well it would definately jeopardize the season.
The way I see it, at least we have TWO guys who *might* be able to take that spot..
Over the last two seasons no team has missed more man games than the Habs yet we still made the playoffs.
There is a reason for this..........Jacques Martin!
Systems coaches like Martin, Lemaire, Bylsma and Julien are very adept at hiding weaknesses through rigid systems. They may not produce exciting hockey but they do produce wins.
Talk about jinxing things. And no we would not be done, a season is long and often if a big name gets injured someone unexpected steps up to make up the difference.
Gomez has only one season in his career where he didn't have top 6 production. If Plekanec go down he can definitely eat the tough minutes and we need a guy like Eller or Desharnais to step their offensive production. But if this happen and if it's a long term injury I would to see the Habs adding another winger to play alonside of Desharnais/Eller.
Would all our chances of winning the cup be gone without Plekanec? I don't think we have the best shot anyways, if all goes well health wise we have a serious shot because chances are when you're healthy you're one of the few teams that are. But if Plek goes down I don't see us as a contender missing Plek, therefore yes I feel we're done in so far as winning the cup if Plek goes down. In so far as making the playoffs, anything is possible. I just don't see us winning the cup without a healthy Plek. People underestimate what he brings to the team.
He's a mini-Kesler in terms of offense and defense, he is no Kesler but a solid poor mans version of, maybe with different/less intangibles. You can't put a price on a guy who is even a poor mans Kesler, let alone Kesler himself. Where would the Canucks a stacked team have gone without him? Well we aren't as stacked so I figure the affect Plekanec being injured would have on us would be even worse.
Almost any team in the league will suffer greatly at the loss of their number one center... There are only a couple of teams that could truely replace the player with another first line talent. I don't see what the fuss is, most other teams would be in the same boat as us under the same scenario. Lets just hope it doesn't happen to us.
I don't think it would be as bad as some might think, but the playoff hopes would rely on the Habs defensive efforts. In the end, unless they got another player via trade, without Pleks I could see them battling for 8th down the stretch.
Would all our chances of winning the cup be gone without Plekanec? I don't think we have the best shot anyways, if all goes well health wise we have a serious shot because chances are when you're healthy you're one of the few teams that are. But if Plek goes down I don't see us as a contender missing Plek, therefore yes I feel we're done in so far as winning the cup if Plek goes down. In so far as making the playoffs, anything is possible. I just don't see us winning the cup without a healthy Plek. People underestimate what he brings to the team.
He's a mini-Kesler in terms of offense and defense, he is no Kesler but a solid poor mans version of, maybe with different/less intangibles. You can't put a price on a guy who is even a poor mans Kesler, let alone Kesler himself. Where would the Canucks a stacked team have gone without him? Well we aren't as stacked so I figure the affect Plekanec being injured would have on us would be even worse.
The OP didn't ask about the cup but merely the playoffs, so that is why I was saying we could survive without him. But you are right, we would have no shot at a cup without him. Your also right in your Kessler lite analysis. Which is why I really want us to get a 3rd line centre like Vancouver did. Look at how Kessler's numbers jumped when he had someone else eating those hard minutes. Then you still have Kessler / Pleks getting secondary PK duties.
I simply have way too much confidence in Eller and Desharnais to thin like that. I think both could be 60 + point players NEXT SEASON if they were to spend the whole 82 games on a line with Cammalleri and Cole.
Some guys around here are as bad as the History Channel, with the "life after people stuff"
