exactly... indications on him are all positive, including/especially the attitude/deamanor he shows away from the ice. He's serious about getting better.
Really hope that either Bourque finds his "best" game, or Bergie's able to add a decent offensively creative player to put on Eller's line. Armstrong, Moen or Prust give the 3rd line a nice dose of physical play and compete-level, adding a guy that can complement Eller a bit better offensively has got to be a focus.
I don't know how good Eller is at using his linemates though...I often wonder about him moving to the wing, because he could possibly be a great winger on Galchenyuk's line. But then why do you move a guy like him to the wing? Why not just get a solid playmaking winger?
I think it's indisputable that over a three year period plekanec has been the team leader and MVP . He suffers from A disease called Sakukoivuitus . It happens when people look to you to exceed your capabilities because those around you come up short on theirs .
At least this time it didn't take 10 years to get Koivu good wingers.
I just hope most of us can agree that no center should be traded right now unless the plan is to tank from day one. In which case trading Plekanec especially would speed up the process as it would make every other forward worse without his ability to absorb all matchups.
Put it this way - if Plekanec is on his way out, we better be getting severely overpaid for him. Otherwise, it's a stupid move.
I would trade anyone if I was getting severely overpaid for them though - including Gorges, Plekanec, and Desharnais (my favourites) as well as Price, Pacioretty, and Subban (cornerstones of the franchise).
I'd add that I don't doubt for a second that DD could over the course of the next 1-3 years make enough of a jump in his game as to make himself invaluable in a top-6 role on any team... I just lean more to Eller as being the better long-term fit -assuming both make the most of their potential.
If Gally is the real deal, and can play solid/effective top-6 minutes in 2-3 years, having a Gally-Eller-Pleks trio down the middle could be fantastic. All three play very good two-way hockey and can play in all situations, Gally/Eller having large enough frames to take up space and impose themselves physically.
but until Gally forces that issue, it's a bonus to have two young guys like DD & Eller who have the potential for significant growth in their games (and are already at great price/impact value).
That bold part is exactly what I've been thinking about.
Put it this way - if Plekanec is on his way out, we better be getting severely overpaid for him. Otherwise, it's a stupid move.
I would trade anyone if I was getting severely overpaid for them though - including Gorges, Plekanec, and Desharnais (my favourites) as well as Price, Pacioretty, and Subban (cornerstones of the franchise).
Then again, you can package him for a top-6 winger in the caliber of a Bobby Ryan, etc.
I wouldn't mind a packafe around Plekanec and Ryan.
I would do it straight up let alone adding pieces. Ryan is a crybaby, there is a reason he's always on the trade block. Pretty good production but not a guy you win with, and that production would drop by losing Perry and Getlaf.
Then again, you can package him for a top-6 winger in the caliber of a Bobby Ryan, etc.
It's a bad move to move Plekanec for an established commodity. Ryan is over-valued, and not only Plekanec, but other players of his ilk, are generally undervalued.
I think the only way to get fair value for Pleky would be a prospect + 1st.
so I originally didn't believe that Plecks would or could be on his way out ... but then watching That's Hockey and hearing Dreger state that what Anaheim is looking for to trade Bobby Ryan is a second line centre + +, I get the feeling that we just might see a trade actually happen.
Plecks is one of the absolute best second line centres out there and it wouldn't shock me to find out the ducks want him. Bobby Ryan looked good with Max Pacs at the worlds.. so I could see this coming together
my best guess would be that the deal would look like
Plecks, one of the mobile D's .. and given the latest news about Diaz I could see it being him, a higher prospect.. probably the likes of either Gallagher or Kristo. I could see them being more interested in Kristo for certain reasons but at the same time due to the Schultz thing I could see them Wanting Gallagher. But that whole situation was due to Schultz wanting to play in Canada.. kristo is american, and I think would like to play in Anaheim just fine lol
so lets say Plecks, Diaz, Kristo for Ryan... do you do it?
.. or who do you see going in the deal along with Plecks?
I think Ryan is a great player but why trade our best forward for him when we can get Semin without giving away anything more then Molson's beer money????
Pleks is the kind of player that Bergevin covets. Strong two way player, very solid offensive upside. You win championships with these type of players.
Think 2012 LA Kings Justin Williams
2011 Bruins Patrice Bergeron
2010 Black Hawks David Bolland
2009 Penguins Jordan Staal
2008 Red Wings Johan Franzen.
Pleks isn't going anywhere. He is way more valuable than DD and Eller ainec. People love to under rate Pleks on HF. He's also known for having a great year after a down year. Pleks would likely be a PPG on an offensive minded team and people would be screaming at Bergy if he ever traded him.
Which is why he won't be trading him. Pleks is only 29, he's got a solid 5 years of averaging 60 points a season while playing hard defensive minutes.
If I am Habs management, there is no way i trade Plekanec unless a player that can step into the lineup immediately and score goals is coming back.
With that said...I feel like there might be a trade to be made with Plekanec and Paul Stastny as the centerpieces. I may be way off base with this thought...but it seems like Stastny is no longer untouchable what with the emergence of Duchene and O'Reilly, and Plekanec may actually be a better fit with the Avalanche than Stastny is.
My guess is that it would take Plekanec + Defensive prospect/player going their way, with Stastny + lesser offensive prospect/draft pick coming back the other way, but i think there's upside for both teams there.
Upside for Avalanche:
- Get a premiere defensive forward who can still chip in points and play on just about any line
- allow Duchene and O'Reilly to settle into their roles and emerge as offensive threats by having a defensively responsible centerman behind them
- save 1.6m in cap space and have him locked up for an additional 2 years
- presumably add a young dman who can help shore up the back end.
Upside for the Habs:
- Get an offensive threat at center. Younger and with some significant upside of his own.
- Allow for better defined roles on the team up the middle with Eller and Desharnais falling into their appropriate roster slots (3rd and 2nd line centres respectively). Granted that doesn't matter much in the real world but its a calming thought to have players playing in the roles they should be.
- Help ease the transition for Gally, and if Stastny resigns (and Gally pans out) can potentially form a nice 1-2 punch on the top two lines at center
I hate making trade proposals/suggestions on HF normally, but this one just seems like its either a) a really good fit for both teams or b) a case where someone needs to tell me to pull my head out of my ***
Either way i get closure...and that's what counts!
IMO the Habs shouldn't get rid of Plekanec because they don't have anyone who can step in and play just as well. Eller isn't ready and Galchenyuk certainly isn't. Desharnais is no way Plekanec's equal as a two-way player.
Pleks is the kind of player that Bergevin covets. Strong two way player, very solid offensive upside. You win championships with these type of players.
Think 2012 LA Kings Justin Williams
2011 Bruins Patrice Bergeron
2010 Black Hawks David Bolland
2009 Penguins Jordan Staal
2008 Red Wings Johan Franzen.
Pleks isn't going anywhere. He is way more valuable than DD and Eller ainec. People love to under rate Pleks on HF. He's also known for having a great year after a down year. Pleks would likely be a PPG on an offensive minded team and people would be screaming at Bergy if he ever traded him.
Which is why he won't be trading him. Pleks is only 29, he's got a solid 5 years of averaging 60 points a season while playing hard defensive minutes.
Justin Williams has no business being on that list. The Kings have 2 guys like that, in Richards and Kopitar. Kopitar is one of the best centers in the league and Richards isn't all that far behind. Both very well renowned for their 2 way play.
Justin Williams is a middling player...had 2 big playoff runs playing on Eric Staals wing and Kopitars' wing.
If I am Habs management, there is no way i trade Plekanec unless a player that can step into the lineup immediately and score goals is coming back.
With that said...I feel like there might be a trade to be made with Plekanec and Paul Stastny as the centerpieces. I may be way off base with this thought...but it seems like Stastny is no longer untouchable what with the emergence of Duchene and O'Reilly, and Plekanec may actually be a better fit with the Avalanche than Stastny is.
My guess is that it would take Plekanec + Defensive prospect/player going their way, with Stastny + lesser offensive prospect/draft pick coming back the other way, but i think there's upside for both teams there.
Upside for Avalanche:
- Get a premiere defensive forward who can still chip in points and play on just about any line
- allow Duchene and O'Reilly to settle into their roles and emerge as offensive threats by having a defensively responsible centerman behind them
- save 1.6m in cap space and have him locked up for an additional 2 years
- presumably add a young dman who can help shore up the back end.
Upside for the Habs:
- Get an offensive threat at center. Younger and with some significant upside of his own.
- Allow for better defined roles on the team up the middle with Eller and Desharnais falling into their appropriate roster slots (3rd and 2nd line centres respectively). Granted that doesn't matter much in the real world but its a calming thought to have players playing in the roles they should be.
- Help ease the transition for Gally, and if Stastny resigns (and Gally pans out) can potentially form a nice 1-2 punch on the top two lines at center
I hate making trade proposals/suggestions on HF normally, but this one just seems like its either a) a really good fit for both teams or b) a case where someone needs to tell me to pull my head out of my ***
Either way i get closure...and that's what counts!
If Colorado wanted either Diaz, Weber and a 2nd I'd make the trade in a heartbeat and I wouldn't need anything else coming back. Getting the centre situation settled long-term allows the team to focus on filling out the roster which is a lot more important than people think.
This has been discussed before and I liked it then but I like it a lot more since we traded AK and Cammalleri.
Justin Williams has no business being on that list. The Kings have 2 guys like that, in Richards and Kopitar. Kopitar is one of the best centers in the league and Richards isn't all that far behind. Both very well renowned for their 2 way play.
Justin Williams is a middling player...had 2 big playoff runs playing on Eric Staals wing and Kopitars' wing.
Had a good point other than that!
I was trying to purposely pick not the best Centre / defensive forward on the team, why I picked Justin Williams. He is what you want in the playoffs though. 2 big playoffs runs is one away from Claude Lemieux.
Pleks is the kind of player that Bergevin covets. Strong two way player, very solid offensive upside. You win championships with these type of players.
Think 2012 LA Kings Justin Williams
2011 Bruins Patrice Bergeron
2010 Black Hawks David Bolland
2009 Penguins Jordan Staal
2008 Red Wings Johan Franzen.
Pleks isn't going anywhere. He is way more valuable than DD and Eller ainec. People love to under rate Pleks on HF. He's also known for having a great year after a down year. Pleks would likely be a PPG on an offensive minded team and people would be screaming at Bergy if he ever traded him.
Which is why he won't be trading him. Pleks is only 29, he's got a solid 5 years of averaging 60 points a season while playing hard defensive minutes.
All the guys you listed there are taller and much grittier then softie Plekanec. Terrible comparison. Plus none of them add a -20 season last year like Plekanec did. Dude your overating Plekanec by a lot.
I was trying to purposely pick not the best Centre / defensive forward on the team, why I picked Justin Williams. He is what you want in the playoffs though. 2 big playoffs runs is one away from Claude Lemieux.
Then why did you pick Patrice Bergeron from the Bruins?
All the guys you listed there are taller and much grittier then softie Plekanec. Terrible comparison. Plus none of them add a -20 season last year like Plekanec did. Dude your overating Plekanec by a lot.
And Bergeron put up a -28 season once upon a time not that Pleks was -20 either last year, not that it really makes a difference, just uninformed as usual.
Point is, one bad year +/- statistically means nothing but we all know your distaste for Pleks is motivated by other reasons.
All the guys you listed there are taller and much grittier then softie Plekanec. Terrible comparison. Plus none of them add a -20 season last year like Plekanec did. Dude your overating Plekanec by a lot.
Plus minus as an indicator for the guy who played on the 28th place team, and played in a shutdown role with weak wingers all season?
Plus minus as an indicator for the guy who played on the 28th place team, and played in a shutdown role with weak wingers all season?
What the hell man
Please don't quote him, especially when he's saying the same exact thing that was shot down in the middle of the season, to the point where he resorted to the "He's not Quebecois, and therefore expendable to the fans" card as his only alternative.
Year 1:
Eller: SEL 14 GP 0-2-2
Plekanec: Czech Elite 48GP 7-16-23
Year 2:
Eller: SEL: 48 GP 12-17-29
Pleks: AHL 77 GP 19-27-46
Year 3:
Eller AHL 70 GP - 18-39-57
Pleks AHL 74 gp - 23-43-66
Year 4:
Eller NHL: 77 7-10-17
Pleks AHL: 80 29-35-64
Year 5:
Eller NHL: 79 16-12-28
Pleks NHL: 67 9-20-29
Whoever said Pleks was vastly ahead of Eller at the same age is completely wrong.
If Eller follows similar progression to Pleks, expect a 40-50 point campaign.
