500 or so people live in Centreville. A cafe, a ladies dress shop, a Home Hardware. Kids in the town take part each fall in something called a "potato break" where young people have the opportunity to punt school in favor of helping in the potato harvest. I'd love to give my kids that kind of option, bet they'd appreciate school a helluva lot more. :-)
--
The newest resident of Centreville is Taylor Hall. Tom Renney mentioned at the entry draft (right after Hall was selected) that Hall would get a look in the middle. The draft moments are here and include Steve Tambellini's words "I'm extremely excited (long pause) to select (longer pause) from the Windsor Spitfires (roar from fans and then Rexall) Taylor Hall." The best moment of the 2010-11 season for the Oilers.
--
This has been done in the past, and successfully. Mark Messier arrived as a LW but spent the heart of his HOF career in the middle. The best part of the attempt is that it is taking place early and Hall does have some experience at center. Later career attempts in Edmonton (most recently Anson Carter, Ryan Smyth and Fernando Pisani) are usually less successful.
--
I'm fine with the attempt. If the Oilers are going to try this then let's have at it and see what the kid can do; if he struggles, put him back at LW. If he plays well, keep him there and draft Landeskog or Larsson this summer. Taylor Hall is the franchise, the cornerstone; all things will revolve around him. Plus, if he can make it there then the club can move Magnus Pääjärvi onto a skill line half a season early. It also gives the club a chance to see if Hall can find chemistry with Hemsky and or Penner before the deadline.
--
If I were a cynical fellow (and I am not, ask anyone) then the thought might occur that this is well timed based on a likely losing streak heading into the All-Star break. The Oilers are facing some damn good hockey teams over the next while and "Hall at center" gives the fanbase something more to talk about aside from the fact that the entire season is sponsored by the letter "L" and the number "30."
--
The recent mid-season Central Scouting ratings are the important ones. From here on out it's better to pay attention to Redline and Bob McKenzie, but this list is the one the NHL teams follow and cross check for omissions. Interesting that Couturier seems to be falling, and if the Oiler draft 3rd and get the big man at C I'll be a happy man.
--
Taylor Chorney was recalled today, one or other of the veterans has an injury. Chorney has some problems but one has to be impressed with how well he's played this season in the AHL. I have to say that after years of watching kids fall flat after being sent down it's really encouraging to see Chorney stand and deliver. I ranked Chorney as the 16th best prospect in the system here and looked at his possible recall here during the reasonable expectations series.
Try Hall at centre?
ReplyDeleteSitting with 33 points halfway through the season; with core players injured...
There will probably never be a better time...
The one that makes sense to try at center is Eberle, dishing off passes to Hall and Paajarvi and coming in late to take advantage of the havoc. He reads the ice offensively very well.
ReplyDeleteNow Hemsky can skate with Hall but who carries the puck? Probably a better fit would be Paajarvi on his off wing where he is better than on Left as he breaks to the middle.
Eberle is another small forward, though. Hall being able to play C means that the club begins to build with size and skill up the middle.
ReplyDeleteMPS might be an option too, although I don't know if he's ever played C.
Weird. For years I lived in (and blogged from) a house just a few km from where this pic was taken. It is indeed a beautiful place. The kids I coached there were fine, upstanding young men.
ReplyDeleteAlso, potato break is mandatory for the entire district and virtually no kids spend it picking potatoes.
I think Marty Brodeur and Ilya Kovulchuk will ensure this season is sponsored by the number 29.
ReplyDeleteAt least somebody is thinking ahead. No doubt they are underwhelmed with the internal options at C.
I think MPS might be a long term option at C. He will be big and strong. He is great at getting back and likely could handle the coverage in his own zone. He has the speed to still get up the ice and support the forecheck. I certainly wouldn't put him there this year though.
//It also gives the club a chance to see if Hall can find chemistry with Hemsky and or Penner before the deadline. //
ReplyDeleteDon't you have that backwards?
As you said, "Taylor Hall is the franchise."
Shouldn't it be...
It gives the club a chance to see if Hemsky and/or Penner can find chemistry with Hall before the deadline.
The responsibility is NOT Hall's.
Yeah, this is a good time to try out 4 at pivot and if he can hang then that opens up a lot of possibilities among them the fact that if he really takes to the role then we have 4-10-89 down the middle.
ReplyDeleteThen we need just one centre going forward instead of two as long as the guy we pick up is a PK/FO ace.
A nice sensible and forward thinking move by the org.
I wonder how much input MBS had in this move. Again if he told Tambo that he really likes some wingers in the upcoming draft might they possibly look to fill a large gap from within to draft the BPA at the draft instead of trying to fill a immediate need at the table?
ReplyDeleteI know I am pulling stuff out of thin air but I would feel a lot better if I knew that MBS has more input into the future direction of the team.
Also this decision has come hot on the heels of the creation of the internal ranking list by MBS etc. Maybe they really dont like Couturier as much as we might hope? The timing just seems to be perfect.
ReplyDeleteYeah, Hall at C balances out the forwards alot.
ReplyDeleteWing: Hemsky, Penner, Eberle, MPS,
Center: Hall, Horcoff, Gagner
Taylor said playing with Hemsky was "tricky". Code for "WTF is with this guy"?? Nobody knows where the puck is going including Hemsky and that was a polite way of saying he'd prefer not to play with him. Another chapter in this organizations constant habit of putting players in a position to fail.
ReplyDeleteSounds like an interesting experiment... Obviously if it pans out, then Hall really is Messier 2.0 which would go a long way to resolving our lack of depth down the middle.
ReplyDeleteHall's 7/15 on faceoffs which is too small of a sample to say much, but might suggest some hope at winning draws at a respectable percentage.
Taylor said playing with Hemsky was "tricky". Code for "WTF is with this guy"?? Nobody knows where the puck is going including Hemsky and that was a polite way of saying he'd prefer not to play with him. Another chapter in this organizations constant habit of putting players in a position to fail.
ReplyDeleteCertainly, all evidence suggests that the worst place to put someone on the Oilers' forward corps is on a line with Hemsky and Penner.
Renney! Stop setting Taylor Hall up to fail!
erm, I'm not sure how with his two linemates out injured that putting Hall with the best forward on the team is putting him in a position to fail
ReplyDeletewho else should he be playing with - Brule? Stortini?
anyhow an interesting move and if it works then it really opens up some more possibilities
if Hall can play centre then suddenly the depth chart is three deep and Lander can come in and play on the fourth line next year
then Landeskog comes into play as well, I mean he really has to be anyway I think but for the Oilers if they sign Hemsky and Penner then you have those two, Hall, Eberle and Paajarvi on the wings and they might feel that they need to go after SC or RHN
If Hall can play centre well then suddenly the need for a pivot disappears.
haha looks like I am the only one who is opposed to the whole Hall to center idea. I dont think we should try him at center just yet. Maybe next season. But I guess this does help the evaluation whether he is a viable option for center even in future.
ReplyDeleteBeen hoping for this since they drafted him. Seems a natural for a kid who likes to drive the net so much. Let's hope the 'Messier' experiment works.
ReplyDeleteOn another topic, the Auburn Tigers should win the BCS Championship tonight if for no other reason than the Oregon Ducks wore the gaudiest uniforms in the history of college football.
Remember when sports unis had class and weren't glorified superhero costumes?
Were it not for injuries, this move doesn't happen - it's probably too early in his career. Messier wasn't moved to center until late in his 5th season, remember.
ReplyDeleteAm I the only guy hoping they draft Adam Larsson?
I'm kind of hoping for Larsson as well.
ReplyDeleteblackadder: They did tinker with Messier earlier, as early as 79-80. Peter Gzowski's book (which is about the following season but contains elements from both seasons) details Messier getting some time at C.
ReplyDeleteForty games is enough to master the wing. He was clearly dominating his opponents. What the hell, move him to center.
ReplyDeleteHall has not succeeded at wing yet. He's unlikely to pass as an NHL center.
This is mere 'busy work' and unlikely to provide any real information.
We will be asking the same question in the future when we try him at center after he's put on 15 pounds. Can he play center now?
Effing nonsense.
I'm all for size up the middle, I love size up the middle. I want a center that reads the ice and is creative with the wingers. The problem is that Hemsky dawdles up the ice and he carries the puck.
ReplyDeleteI know Eberle is small but he is so smart with the puck that I sure would like to see if he could handle it. This motoring up ice one on three drives me insane.
That is why I want Paarjarvi on RW, the two of them flying up ice and up tempo passes, crossing at the Blue line turning D inside out. To be totally obvious, Messier/Anderson.
no, you're right. I think I remember him playing center with Don Murdoch and Peter Driscoll in 1980. The Oilers had two set lines that year, and I think Messier was moved all over the place for most of the year.
ReplyDeleteHis NHL career really took off when he was put on LW with Anderson and Matti Hagman part way through 81, and he never saw center again until late in 84.
I still think Hall is better off staying on LW for this year as he learns the NHL game - he should be focusing on how his skill set best fits into the NHL rather than trying to learn the responsibilities of a position as challenging as center.
But then again, if I actually knew as much as I think I do I'd be managing an NHL team right now and not commenting on a blog.
Sorry, OT, but Wolski for Rozsival?
ReplyDeleteFor once Sather gets the better end of a deal.
Not sure what Maloney was thinking other than getting a 5M cap hit for next year to get to the cap floor while only paying him 3M.
Too bad Souray's contract wan't structured like that. Wolski for Souray sounds ok by me right now.
Thank you Deano
ReplyDeleteI am with you on this one. Though he has not dominated as LW. His production has been considering he is a rookie and all.
However sometime a switch to center has helped certain players temporarily. Plus he is with Penner. That guy is superhuman and I feel safe about other forwards when they play with him. It is an interesting move and I am certainly apprehensive about it. I dont share the same enthusiasm that LT does.
The problem is that Hemsky dawdles up the ice and he carries the puck.
ReplyDeleteWhat? I honestly wonder if people watch the games anymore. Hemsky certainly does dawdle up the ice.
What? I honestly wonder if people watch the games anymore.
ReplyDeleteWhy do you hate statistics?
Duh. I meant does NOT dawdle. I guess that was a Freudian slip. My subconscious thinks Hemsky is out for a Sunday stroll every game.
ReplyDelete@ SkOilerfan
ReplyDeleteI dont think Maloney really lost this one. Wolski was relegated to about 12 mins a night and was not really producing. So Maloney probably argued in his head whether his coach can get most out of Wolski as 3.8 million salary or Rozisval at 3 million. Given their state, I dont think that they made a mistake there. Of course Wolski is young and all but he is that one dimensional forward which doesnt really mesh with the culture in the desert.
That said, I picked up Wolski in my fantasy pool. Guy should see some time with Gaborik!
Thought I saw I site that tracked dawdles. IIRC 83 had a fairly high dwdl/60 but on this team his Rel dwdl was near the bottom...
ReplyDeleteHemsky is a very good skater but totally predictable. He will go up ice, cross the Blue line and look to dish off. Maybe with Hall he'll be more creative.
ReplyDeleteI'd kill for a give and go, a drop pass, something. How about a set play, linemates that talk to each other on the bench, something that brings the people to their feet.
Lowetide, you could have put another photo of a fine lookin lady from the 70s up but you opted for a nice pic of NB. On behalf of Tourism NB, I would like to thank you for the plug and now everyone make sure to come here and spend lots of your hard earned money. The potatoes are not like Stompin Tom's spuds from the bright red mud but they are tasty. :)
ReplyDelete//Too bad Souray's contract wan't structured like that. Wolski for Souray sounds ok by me right now.//
ReplyDeleteIt is, but not to the same degree.
Today's argument: Hemsky is hard to play with.
ReplyDeleteYesterday's argument: Horcoff is a bum, the only reason he ever hit 70 points was because Hemsky was carrying him.
Makes sense to me!
I'm all for size up the middle, I love size up the middle.
ReplyDeleteThat's what she said :)
If Hemsky is willing to adjust his game and mentor Hall it could be brilliant. Penner comes in late and covers high. Then takes a couple of guys to the net creating open ice. This would certainly give the team options that they don't have and center is critical for any team. The thing is that they would need at least ten games as a trial.
ReplyDeleteSorry about the double post. Help.
ReplyDeleteI guess it was worth repeating.
Is it possible that Taylor Hall will learn to play with Hemsky? I mean, you know, he's been in the NHL for 40 games and isn't able to read Hemsky or know what he'll do next.
ReplyDeleteBut he's a smart guy, he'll adjust as will Hemsky.
Let me ask a question: how many people have had trouble playing with Hemsky over the years? How many articles in the EJ or SUN that went "the Oilers brought in Herbert Hamalavich hoping he'd have some chemistry with Hemsky. But after 50 games and no goals they sent him away."
How many people have had a terrible time with Hemsky. 1? 10? 25?
I'd be interested in knowing which Oilers had their 5x5/60 number negatively impacted when they played with Hemsky. I'd be interested in knowing that player's name. Or both of them.
Hemsky can definitely do a lot to help Hall's transition to this position. Will be interesting to see how he changes his style of play (if at all).
ReplyDeleteBloody lovely how injuries just gut this club. Horcoff and Eberle on the sidelines really throws a spanner in the works of a young team trying to find some consistency.
Bos8
ReplyDeleteI think you can delete your comments and hence get rid of double posts yourself.
Bos8: I deleted one of them. So don't delete the other! :-)
ReplyDelete//Let me ask a question: how many people have had trouble playing with Hemsky over the years?//
ReplyDeleteIn the last 4 seasons...
Penner (at least according to MacT)
Smyth (Lowe and MacT traded him because they thought he wasn't good enough for the money he was asking)
Erik Cole
Alex Kotalik
Jarrett Stoll
Raffi Torres
Sam Gagner
Alex Cogliano
Robert Nilsson
Patrick O'Sullivan
godot: Do you have any evidence of Hemsky being the problem? I'm especially interested in how you're going to tie Smyth's trade to Hemsky being difficult to play with.
ReplyDeleteSo does that make Horcoff the greatest player in the history of the game? He must be a genius or something.
ReplyDeleteIn the last 4 seasons...
ReplyDeletePenner (at least according to MacT)
Smyth (Lowe and MacT traded him because they thought he wasn't good enough for the money he was asking)
Erik Cole
Alex Kotalik
Jarrett Stoll
Raffi Torres
Sam Gagner
Alex Cogliano
Robert Nilsson
Patrick O'Sullivan
By what metric have those players had difficulty playing with Hemsky? I'd like to see some WOWYs, because that list looks suspect.
That's not me saying that you're wrong, just that you haven't convinced me that you're right.
C'mon, let's not have facts get in the way of a good meme.
ReplyDeleteHemsky is a bum. Go with it.
@ Steve Smith
ReplyDeleteWe need coach or Bruce here. They are almost robots when it comes to Wowy.
I too am interested to find out. I too believe that while Hemsky is an exceptional player, he is somewhat difficult to play with. especially players who too like to carry the puck in.
That said Hemsky is not a problem on this roster.
Also I can understand about Erik Cole. Guy was an established RW and there was no need to switch him to LW when we had Penner playing there and Hemsky doing very well with him.
ReplyDeleteIf I am not wrong, Erik Cole did much better when he was put with Gagner and back to his original position-RW
Losing Erik Cole and getting POS was a major downgrade which was not apparent at that time. Cole had a great takeaway to giveaway ratio. And we have missed his kind.
I think we just moved from "Hemsky is too unpredictable to play with" to "Hemsky is too predictable" in this thread.
ReplyDeletegodot - really this turning every thread into beating the drum on getting rid of Hemsky is starting to get really tiresome. We get it - you want the Oilers to trade him as soon as possible. He's a rotten player. He's part of the problem. He's turning a team of go go superstars into a bunch of slugs. He's terrible in the room. A coach killer. Etc etc etc.
ReplyDeleteHall played a fair bit of centre with the spitfires so it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise. Really one wonders why it wasn't tinkered with in training camp. It's not like the organization is historically shy on breaking in centres at that position.
ReplyDeleteIf 4 can play down the middle then I guess 10 becomes the third line centre for next year.
ReplyDeleteLet's say we Don't have to move 27 or 83 for a D - and we likely should - then it looks like this:
LW: 27-?-?
RW: 14-91
C: 4-10-89
So we're looking for two LW's and RW for our top nine unless some of the kids can step in.
Hopefully, Hemsky sees a guy like Hall as someone he can trust and stops trying to do it all himself.
ReplyDeleteCan't blame him when he had guys like Horcoff flubbing two or three one timers a game.
If there's a better example of what's wrong with having the instigator penalty in the game than what happened in Boston tonight, I can't think of it. Matt Cooke (a cheapshot artist who would fit in nicely with Claude Lemieux and Ulf Samuelsson) knocks Savard out with a dirty hit last season and jeopardizes the guy's career. Cooke plays his first game of the season in Boston and cheaspshots 2 Bruins and not a single Bruin goes after this shithead. I love watching hockey but having a douche running around intentionally hurting people seems much worse than having guys fight but the rules actually protect the guy who takes liberties and runs away.
ReplyDeleteI think people are misreading Hall's comments.
ReplyDeleteEvery great player is difficult to play with. Part of their skill set is the ability to think at high tempo, to see opportunites that the play by the numbers boys don't. But they also improve all players playing with them. By that metric alone Hemsky qualifies as a great player. Horcoff should pay Hemsky a percentage of his salary. There I've said it.
I love watching hockey but having a douche running around intentionally hurting people seems much worse than having guys fight but the rules actually protect the guy who takes liberties and runs away.
ReplyDeleteThat's hockey these days. Thing is people are getting behind removing enforcers and fighting from the game but it's too bad they don't take the Cormiers, Downies, and Cookes with them.
In the last 4 seasons...
ReplyDeletePenner (at least according to MacT)
Smyth (Lowe and MacT traded him because they thought he wasn't good enough for the money he was asking)
Erik Cole
Alex Kotalik
I don't know what the numbers say,
But mine eyes tell me Kotalik was very good with Hemsky [and Horcoff].
He liked playing here too.
Smyth?
When did he have trouble with the Bad Czech?
I seem to remember some numer crinchers singing the praises of the Penner-Horcoff-Hemsky trio.
I wonder if Crosby sees any hypocrisy in his comments about blind side hits having no part in the game? He didn't exactly use his bully pulpit when teammate Matt Cooke destroyed Savard last season and didn't receive so much as a 2 minute minor but he's certainly a lot more opinionated that he is the guy suffering from post concussion symptoms. I like Crosby (more after I watched 24/7) but you can't have it both ways.
ReplyDeleteI'm obviously attempting to threadjack this away from the whole "Hemsky is the problem here and he's difficult to play with" topic. He's our best offensive player since Doug Weight was in his prime in the Copper and Blue and he's a joy to watch. He exciting to watch on almost every shift and although he isn't perfect or a Superstar, he's definitely not the reason this team hasn't sniffed the playoffs since George W. was in office.
ReplyDeleteI personally thought Smyth was fine with Hemsky. I would put him in the Horcoff category. And Penner is now fine with Hemsky, although it detracts from Penner's own game.
ReplyDeleteAnd "problem" is the wrong word.
Hemsky's style of play is idiosyncratic. It is a square peg vs. round peg argument, IMHO. When the Oiler pegs were non-descript (Smyth, Horcoff, Stoll, Torres, etc.), it didn't matter that Hemsky was a square peg amidst non-descript pegs.
But we have a bunch of distinctly round pegs now. Penner, Hall, Eberle, Gagner, Paajarvi, Omark. Hemsky doens't share the puck enough (particularly give-and-go) for most round peg type above average hockey players. They essentially have to learn how to play hockey differently than they've played their entire lives. It is like trying to learn a foreign language as an adult.
So what wasn't an issue before, Hemsky's uniqueness, MIGHT be an issue now. And one has to decide whether it is an issue or not before the big new contracts are given out to Hemsky (and/or Penner for that matter.)
As I said in another thread. What are the possible Black Swans that could derail or imperil the rebuild? Any big contract to the wrong player is such a Black Swan.
SumOil,
ReplyDeleteI've always thought Rozsival's contract was untradeable (5M cap hit). That's why I'm surprised at the return for him.
Yes Wolski isn't knocking it out of the park, and I didn't realize his cap hit was 3.8M! So it's not as bad for Maloney as I first thought.
//Every great player is difficult to play with.//
ReplyDeleteNope. Gretzky and Lemieux could play with anybody and made nobodies look great. Ask Dave Lumley or Rob Brown or Blair McDonald.
why not run with two power lines once everyone is healthy. Penner seems to make every line he is on better, so run him with the kids.
ReplyDeletePenner-Hall-Eberle
MPS-Horcoff-Hemsky
you can then shelter the Gagner line and hopefully get some toughness out of the 4th line. It also allows you to move Cogs and Brule, especially with Lander here next year.
C: Hall, Horcoff, Gagner, Lander, O'marra
LW: Penner, MPS, Hamilton, Reddox,
RW: Hemsky, Eberle, Omark, Jones, Stortini
Funny how if Hall works out at centre, then it becomes a thing of strength and not a glaring weakness.
@ Godot. I dont think there any any blackswan contracts currently on the roster. Almost all questionable contracts will be completed by the time it is to resign the kids.
ReplyDeleteEven Horc's contract wont be a problem given the fact that cap keeps increasing
Wait, we're talking about Ales Hemsky, right? Not some other Hemsky or Humsky or Kjemski that now plays for the Oilers that I don't know about?
ReplyDeleteThe Hemsky I know tends to help anyone he plays with and is usually the best player on the ice.
Hall at center sounds fun. He still looks kind of awkward physically so it should be interesting to see how he does taking draws. I'm not sure how many games you give him to acclimate. Half the season on wing and half at center? Was that the plan all along?
//I dont think there any any blackswan contracts currently on the roster.//
ReplyDeleteThe issue isn't "currently". The potential black swans are Hemsky's and/or Penner's next contract.
So you want to be absolutely sure they are the right guys going forward.
Belichek ruthlessly and unsentimentally dumps star players when they become too expensive or don't fit the plan going forward.
Sentiment should not be part of the decision.
It all becomes moot if Hall can play effectively with Hemsky without impacting Hall's development.
My hypothesis is that it isn't going to work. I hope I am wrong
godot10 said...
ReplyDeleteI personally thought Smyth was fine with Hemsky. I would put him in the Horcoff category. And Penner is now fine with Hemsky, although it detracts from Penner's own game.
So all the Oiler forwards since the lockout that have been any fucking good at all have had no problem playing with Hemsky. Newsflash - no one has a problem. Anybody else you're thinking of wasn't/isn't that good in the first place.
This includes Hall. He's a kid so saying stupid shit is to be expected, but he really has no business talking about a veteran teammate that way. I hope Hall isn't choosing to learn his lessons like Cogs, Gagner, or Nilsson - this game has a way of humbling young men.
It is a square peg vs. round peg argument, IMHO. When the Oiler pegs were non-descript (Smyth, Horcoff, Stoll, Torres, etc.), it didn't matter that Hemsky was a square peg amidst non-descript pegs.
Non-descript pegs? This is freaking nonsense.
Maybe you should try to back up this argument one more time.
Nope. Gretzky and Lemieux could play with anybody and made nobodies look great.
ReplyDeleteYep, Hemsky has certainly done the same. The Defense rests.
My hypothesis is that it isn't going to work. I hope I am wrong
ReplyDelete-------------------------
And this way I'm right whatever happens.
You were doing so good and then went wishy washy
Hall at centre? If the Oilers start dicking around like this, they are not going to make the playoffs this year.
ReplyDeleteLet me ask a question: how many people have had trouble playing with Hemsky over the years?
ReplyDeleteQuinn saw so much talent in Jacques that he put him on the first line and JF was on his way to being the next Lucic before Hemsky ruined his career.
Seriously though, I don't think Hesmky is the easiest guy in the world to play with. He doesn't play north-south stay in his lane hockey. That's fine. Players that play with him learn his tendencies and do just fine. I don't see it as any kind of issue.
"Eberle is another small forward, though. Hall being able to play C means that the club begins to build with size and skill up the middle."
ReplyDeleteWhat does this even mean? Nobody has ever explained this assumption, it's just assumed to be true. I understand why you'd want big, strong forwards in general, for the cycle game down low, the forecheck, in front of the net, etc, but those jobs could be done equally well by any forward - C, LW, RW. I think the most important things for a centre are offensive awareness, vision, reading the play quickly, (aka Jordan Eberle, as Bos8 pointed out), since centres tend to be playmakers and collect more assists. 'Power forwards', who drive the puck to the net and work down low, tend to be wingers.
Yes, the forward group needs more size in general, but I don't see why size up the middle is a specific priority. I'd rather have a smart player who can really skate and play a 2-way game in the middle, since they have the most defensive responsibility and should typically need to be the first forward back. (i.e Cogliano, if he had a different brain).
The broader point here is that bigger is not better; better is better. All other things being equal, I'll take a 6'2 over 5'11, but there's only so many guys who are 6'2 with great hands, skating ability, and on-ice awareness. If you can get a Getzlaf, Staal, or Thornton, great, but you can be great without being big.
Just for fun, here's a list of centres who are <=6',200 lbs:
Plekanec
Giroux
Briere
Roy
Krejci
Zetterberg
Savard
McDonald
S.Koivu
Pavelski
Ribeiro
Weiss
Datsyuk
M.Richards
Duchene
Crosby
-------
Pretty nice group. Any of those 16 guys would easily be our top-line centre. I think Crosby, Datsyuk, and Richards do just fine with their sub-6-foot frame.
Let's say we Don't have to move 27 or 83 for a D - and we likely should - then it looks like this:
ReplyDeleteLW: 27-?-?
RW: 14-91
C: 4-10-89
So we're looking for two LW's and RW for our top nine unless some of the kids can step in.
Is Hemsky hurt, or did you move him to D?
"Steve Smith" said: Is Hemsky hurt, or did you move him to D?
ReplyDeleteHemsky is in goal.
Hemsky is in goal.
ReplyDeleteNo wonder he's tough to play with!
He's tricky like that.
ReplyDeleteMy only concern with Hall playing centre is if he gets hit crossing the blueline ala Eric Lindros. One of the concerns predraft is his tendency to take hits as he's looking down - certainly along the boards area. I guess as long as Scott Stevens stays retired hopefully he should be ok.
ReplyDelete