Speculation: Could Alex Galchenyuk be the Habs leading scorer THIS year?

[Habaddict]

We need a new management, FFS.

Someone who believes in his kids, someone who believes in performance. Not someone that sticks with his idea and never adjusts.

Galchenyuk was brought to the NHL at 18.
Gallagher made the team earlier than most expected, and was soon
used on the second line.
Emelin was used on the first pairing, almost from day one.
Daiz often played more than 20 min., until he was injured.
Tinordi, Beaulieu, and Pateryn, played while Kaberle and Weber
were healthy scratches. In Tinordi's case this was also true in
the play-offs.
And the fact that Eller went from healthy scratch in the second game,
to an increacing role as the season wore on, seemed to indicate
exactly the sort adjustment you're referring to.
I don't recall who was available in the games Dumont played, so I
shouldn't really include him.

 

[Habz2006]

I think Pacioretty will lead in goals (I'm hoping for at least 35), but Gallagher could be second.

Yeah definitely the logical choice would be Patches and I am not saying he will have a bad year but I think Gallagher will have a better year and turn out to be our 30 goal man ... that of course if he stays healthy. I actually think both of them will hit 30.

 

[Bob b smith]

By virtue of playing as a Center, he automatically becomes our #1 Center. They can keep the charade going by giving more ice-time and better linemates to the others, they'll still be outscored. The Anointed Centers have no clothes....

Even-Strength last season (Prorated to 48 games for Brière)

Galchenyuk: 26 pts, 11:16 mins/game
DD: 21 pts, 13:27 mins/game
Plex: 18 pts, 14:08 mins/game
Brière: 14 pts, 13:09 mins/game (10 pts in 34 games)

 

[Brainiac]

With Briere coming in, they will give him all the opportunities on the PP. It's always been like that, we know it.

Our PP guys will be DD, Briere, Gionta, Pacioretty, Plekanec, Bourque etc. So Galchenyuk will have to wait.

Hopefully, he still manages to squeeze in and do better than one of our vets, thus forcing MT's hand. That could happen, but I don't entertain any illusions in that regard.

 

[Habz2006]

With Briere coming in, they will give him all the opportunities on the PP. It's always been like that, we know it.

Our PP guys will be DD, Briere, Gionta, Pacioretty, Plekanec, Bourque etc. So Galchenyuk will have to wait.

Hopefully, he still manages to squeeze in and do better than one of our vets, thus forcing MT's hand. That could happen, but I don't entertain any illusions in that regard.

I don't fully agree with you here ... I think MT puts Galchenyuk and Gallagher on the PP before Bourque....

 

[Mathradio]

Galchenyuk could have a better season? Likely.

Leading scorer? Less likely.

 

[Brainiac]

I don't fully agree with you here ... I think MT puts Galchenyuk and Gallagher on the PP before Bourque....

Maybe you are right. Last year, it was 2:43min/game for Bourque, 2:21 for Gally (more in the later part of the season, obviously) and about 1min for Galchenyuk.

On the other hand, it is true that Briere will likely take Ryder's PP TOI (not necessarily his spot).

MB and MT did decide to keep the Gallys last year, so we have to give our management the benefit of doubt there. Let's see what happens this year. To me, it's clear that some of our vets HAVE to deliver if they wants quality ice time. Otherwise, this TOI would best be used on our developing players.

 

[Dada]

Don't think so, unless MICHEL starts giving him a ******** amount of time on the PP unit....

 

[Kents polished head]

With Briere coming in, they will give him all the opportunities on the PP. It's always been like that, we know it.

Our PP guys will be DD, Briere, Gionta, Pacioretty, Plekanec, Bourque etc. So Galchenyuk will have to wait.

Hopefully, he still manages to squeeze in and do better than one of our vets, thus forcing MT's hand. That could happen, but I don't entertain any illusions in that regard.

I'd think long and hard before guaranteeing PP spots to Desharnais, Pacioretty and Gionta. They were given those spots last season and in the past... Pacioretty is as poor a PP player as you can find, Gionta has absolutely no tool in his shed more than 5 feet away from the net, and Desharnais has to play better this year.

I would play:

Bourque - Plekanec - Galchenyuk
Markov - Subban

and

Pacioretty - Desharnais - Gallagher
Briere - Subban

If Pacioretty doesn't start doing something, you get him out, put Desharnais on the wing and put Eller at C.

 

[odishabs]

no. I expect 45-50 points TOPS!

 

[Mike Hasselhoffman]

I'd think long and hard before guaranteeing PP spots to Desharnais, Pacioretty and Gionta. They were given those spots last season and in the past... Pacioretty is as poor a PP player as you can find, Gionta has absolutely no tool in his shed more than 5 feet away from the net, and Desharnais has to play better this year.

I would play:

Bourque - Plekanec - Galchenyuk
Markov - Subban

and

Pacioretty - Desharnais - Gallagher
Briere - Subban

If Pacioretty doesn't start doing something, you get him out, put Desharnais on the wing and put Eller at C.

So, Subban plays on both units?

 

[FireBurningBin]

I wouldn't be surprised if he gets the ice time

 

[Myron Gaines*]

So, Subban plays on both units?

Everywhere Subban. The more Subban the better.

 

[Video Coach]

I don't think so yet. It's possible, but probably only if we've got a bunch of 50-60 pt guys.

I think it'll be a couple of years before he's hitting 70+ pts. Keep in mind he's still 19 and even though he's already up, he didn't get a lot of minutes last year. Clearly Therrien was sheltering his minutes and I would expect the same sort of thing. Last year was 10-13 mins, maybe this year he gets 15ish mins and some PP time.

I think 45-55 pts is a reasonable expectation for next season.

 

[CGG]

I don't know why everyone assumes the coach is a complete idiot. Yes, he brought Galchy along slowly last year, but that's what you do with rookies. He got more ice time as the season went on and was far more productive. Next year he'll get even more ice time. Therrien will want to keep his job. He only has a contract through next season. Therefore he'll play the players who will best help the team win. Simple.

Even strength points, regular season + playoffs:

1. Galchenyuk 28
2. Pacioretty 27
3. Eller 25
4. Gallagher 25
5. Desharnais 22
6. Plekanec 19

Galchenyuk is already our top points producer at even strength. He beat everyone, with limited time.

I don't think it's a question of "if" he'll get more ice time, he will. This much is obvious. Galchenyuk and Eller were by far our best forwards by the end of the season (add Gallagher to the list) and his ice time went up dramatically towards the end of the season and in the playoffs.

Galch got 1:03 average PP time during the regular season, 1:53 a game in the playoffs. So already Therien is giving him more PP time. It's not too much of a step up from 1:53 a game to a normal amount, like 2:30 a game.

And the solution to the "too many centres!!" problem is that Galchenyuk will of course play left wing, beside Eller, on what will basically be our # 1 line. Briere won't cut into Galchenyuk's time, at even strength or on the PP.

He will lead the team in points next season, book it.

 

[Kriss E]

Pacioretty-Galchenyuk-Gallagher

Yikes!

I'd prefer a more skilled guy along side those two than Gallagher.

MaxPac-Gally-?
?-Eller-Galla

 

[onemorecup*]

Hi,

I know there's not a lot of chances to see that happening next season, but COULD he still make it with the right ice time and teammates?

We often talk about Chuckie being an elite player and future franchise cen... and blablabla... so that means he should be able to play more 17 minutes per game at 19/20 years old.

Assuming Desharnais sucks, Eller is injured and Pleckanec plays well with Bourque and Briere, I'm sure Galchenyuk would be the heart and soul of a line with Pacioretty & Gallagher.

I would easily see this:

Pacioretty: 35 goals, 30 assists, 65 pts
Galchenyuk: 25 goals, 45 assists, 70 pts
Gallagher: 25 goals, 25 assists, 50 pts

Galchenyuk played over 100 games in 2012-2013, but most of those games were as a 3rd line winger.
He will be able to play 90 ish games (with playoffs ) on a 2nd line in 2013-14.

Keep in mind, we are talking about a player potentialy drafted first overall and remember before the start of the 2013 season, most of us were believing Pacioretty-Desharnais-Cole would still be our first line.

70 is not out of line , as long as the DD midget gets out of the way

 

[onemorecup*]

With Briere coming in, they will give him all the opportunities on the PP. It's always been like that, we know it.

Our PP guys will be DD, Briere, Gionta, Pacioretty, Plekanec, Bourque etc. So Galchenyuk will have to wait.

Hopefully, he still manages to squeeze in and do better than one of our vets, thus forcing MT's hand. That could happen, but I don't entertain any illusions in that regard.

wait for what ? he is SO far ahead of all of them that is a joke he has to play second fiddle to midgets

 

[feds91]

didn't Seguin lead Bruins in scoring as a 19 year old? i guess it's possible.

 

[Phil Parent]

A great thing about Chucky is that he's not really Russian and won't skip town any time soon.

But I don't think he'll end the year as leading scorer. He might hold the lead for a couple games if he goes on a hot streak, though.

 

[Mrb1p]

I'd prefer a more skilled guy along side those two than Gallagher.

MaxPac-Gally-?
?-Eller-Galla

A more skilled player? Are you implying Gallagher is limited in skill? Come on... I've read dumb things here, but this is tops.

 

[Mrb1p]

Galchenyuk was brought to the NHL at 18.
Gallagher made the team earlier than most expected, and was soon
used on the second line.
Emelin was used on the first pairing, almost from day one.
Daiz often played more than 20 min., until he was injured.
Tinordi, Beaulieu, and Pateryn, played while Kaberle and Weber
were healthy scratches. In Tinordi's case this was also true in
the play-offs.
And the fact that Eller went from healthy scratch in the second game,
to an increacing role as the season wore on, seemed to indicate
exactly the sort adjustment you're referring to.
I don't recall who was available in the games Dumont played, so I
shouldn't really include him.

Why didn't Eller/Chucky get PP time over the abbyssimal DD/Gio ?

Why didn't Emelin get PP time over the even more abbyssimal duo of Bouillon/Gorges ?

 

[GlassesJacketShirt]

It's possible. Not too long ago, a kid named Tyler Seguin lead the Clode-coached Bruins in scoring as a 19 year old. Several Boston fans have likely forgotten that already, of course, but I remember.

Bold Prediction Time: Galchenyuk leads Montreal's forwards in scoring next year.

 

[MXD]

I'd be tempted to say no.

But then again, Galchenyuk totally disappeared for a +-10 game stretch last season, and still finished 6th amongst forwards, while playing less per game than any of them and having a total icetime inferior to everyone of them, except 1 (Brandon Gallagher).

And he was only 18.

Without his disappearing stretch, hecould have finished 2nd amongst forwards, behind only Pacioretty.

 

[Year 101]

Keep in mind Galchenyuk played against most teams 3rd lines last year, even with the reduced ice time and non pp factor, although he did get some near the end he played against bottom pairing d/forwards. I think he can be a big point producer, and take a leap forward but I don't think he'll lead. I think people undervalue patches. He was on pace for 73 points last year, year before scores 35 goals. He's our best player at the moment and will continue to be, IMHO.
He got a lot of pp time and played with wing with Krejci or Bergeron with either Marchand or Lucic on the wing, it's a different situation here. As we tend to mix sizes. But as much as I like the Gally - Eller - chucky line, he won't lead.