Kovalev Says He Is Ready To Play Center

Fatherhab · Senior Member

Kovalev Says He Is Ready To Play Center

habscsi · Member

There you go!!! When your most talented player who sometimes lacks motivation says he wants the responsibility of being a 2nd line centre then I say you put him in the fire!!!!Hes a veteren player with experience of this position on a cup winning team .So come on CARBO get a one on one commitment to the system hed play at centre from him and then give him our best two wingers not on the 1st or 3rd lines and let plecks centre the fourth and then we see how the next 8-10 games go

After that we're 20 games in and if we are still in mix of 4-9 place then we look to the trade routes to see who else is searching or rebuilding.

AB Habman · Guru

I have a real problem with Kovy offering to play center. It's as if he's saying, I'm not the problem on the second line, it's Plecs. So by putting Plecs at wing, that'll cure the problem. Give me a break! They all have to take responsiblity and I think Plecs at center is better than having Kovy there. Plecs defensive game is far superior than Kovy.

But hey, if you're going to talk the talk, let's see you walk the walk. It includes back checking and defending against the opposed center!

Caper_hab_fan · Veteran Member

I don't think the point of this story is Pleks moving to the wing, its Pleks moving off the line all together

macneil · Guru

AB Habman wrote:

I have a real problem with Kovy offering to play center. It's as if he's saying, I'm not the problem on the second line, it's Plecs. So by putting Plecs at wing, that'll cure the problem. Give me a break! They all have to take responsiblity and I think Plecs at center is better than having Kovy there. Plecs defensive game is far superior than Kovy.

But hey, if you're going to talk the talk, let's see you walk the walk. It includes back checking and defending against the opposed center!

i dont see it as him saying plecs is the problem , he saying that he can play center and if the coaches want him to play center he has the ability to do so . he does say whatever is best for the team in the article . if we did put him at center we would need to put 2 responsible winger with him , maybe johnson and perez . they are working their asses off with bonk and can put the puck in the net . sammy stays with pleck and get lats on the other wing , bonk gets murry and begin , our shutdown line from last year . they played well together .

AB Habman · Guru

OK guys, I'm probably misinterpreting it. I read the column and why out of nowhere is he saying he could play center? Why not say... I can play harder for a full 60 minutes if that's what it takes to help our line?

plouf · Guru

macneil wrote:

AB Habman wrote:

I have a real problem with Kovy offering to play center. It's as if he's saying, I'm not the problem on the second line, it's Plecs. So by putting Plecs at wing, that'll cure the problem. Give me a break! They all have to take responsiblity and I think Plecs at center is better than having Kovy there. Plecs defensive game is far superior than Kovy.

But hey, if you're going to talk the talk, let's see you walk the walk. It includes back checking and defending against the opposed center!

i dont see it as him saying plecs is the problem , he saying that he can play center and if the coaches want him to play center he has the ability to do so . he does say whatever is best for the team in the article . if we did put him at center we would need to put 2 responsible winger with him , maybe johnson and perez . they are working their asses off with bonk and can put the puck in the net . sammy stays with pleck and get lats on the other wing , bonk gets murry and begin , our shutdown line from last year . they played well together .

Maybe he is putting the responsibility on Pleks, which is unfair, but at the same time it might be a good move and a sign Kovy is thinking about the team positively and recognizing that his line doesn't have much chemistry right now.

Also, I like your line suggestions a lot macneil.

Desi · Senior Member

I sincerely believe that Kovy wants to win, and that he'll do anything he can to help this team -- including playing center if he's asked. But saying you'll do anything to help is a far cry from actually doing it.

In my limited understanding of the game of hockey, it seems to me that aside from the goaltender, the center is the most important position. Not only does he have to take faceoffs, screen shots and fight it out in front of the net, set up plays and be the offensive quarterback, and direct the flow of the game deep in the offensive zone (as in, behind the net - Gretzky's old office), he also has to play a key defensive role where backchecking and forechecking and acting as a third defenseman in front of our net are so important to stifling the other team's offensive output.

If Kovy can produce one 10-second highlight from anytime during the past 18 months when he successfully backchecked or forechecked, then I would say go ahead and give him a try at center. But I doubt such a rare artifact exists.

I greatly admire what Kovy can do with the puck and appreciate his desire to be a team player. But I don't see him playing this position for this team.

Les Canadiens sont la

AB Habman · Guru

Desi wrote:

I sincerely believe that Kovy wants to win, and that he'll do anything he can to help this team -- including playing center if he's asked. But saying you'll do anything to help is a far cry from actually doing it.

In my limited understanding of the game of hockey, it seems to me that aside from the goaltender, the center is the most important position. Not only does he have to take faceoffs, screen shots and fight it out in front of the net, set up plays and be the offensive quarterback, and direct the flow of the game deep in the offensive zone (as in, behind the net - Gretzky's old office), he also has to play a key defensive role where backchecking and forechecking and acting as a third defenseman in front of our net are so important to stifling the other team's offensive output.

If Kovy can produce one 10-second highlight from anytime during the past 18 months when he successfully backchecked or forechecked, then I would say go ahead and give him a try at center. But I doubt such a rare artifact exists.

I greatly admire what Kovy can do with the puck and appreciate his desire to be a team player. But I don't see him playing this position for this team.

Les Canadiens sont la

Well said!

MC Girl · Guru

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuOnPqxe0mQ

AB Habman · Guru

MC Girl wrote:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuOnPqxe0mQ

MC, are these clips prove that you think he should play center????

MC Girl · Guru

AB Habman wrote:

MC Girl wrote:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuOnPqxe0mQ

MC, are these clips prove that you think he should play center????

Nope... these are clips to show what a great asset he is to the team. I doubt you even watched the whole thing.

& FYI ~ I think he should play centre once or twice... give him a chance to prove something before people say he can't accomplish it. Who knows... he might kick a$$ as a centre.

ScottishHAB · Veteran Member

Maybe he needs the new challenge- give it a go!

AB Habman · Guru

ScottishHAB wrote:

Maybe he needs the new challenge- give it a go!

I'm in! Lets see him back up his words. If it works and he can play both sides of the puck, I'll be the first to congratulate him.

Ando · Guru

Fatherhab wrote:

Kovalev says he is ready to play center.

Kudos to Alexei for having the jewels to step-up...but all And-o ever expected was 60 honest minutes from the guy every night!!!

(...and the board should note that this is 100% proof positive that the lack of a decent centreman IS being talked about in the Habs dressing room...and by the top tier players!!!)

JohnM · Guru

You mean lack of a decent second line centerman.

AB Habman · Guru

JohnM wrote:

You mean lack of a decent second line centerman.

Johnny, we already have a decent number two.

JohnM · Guru

AB Habman wrote:

Johnny, we already have a decent number two.

No Pleks isn't cutting it remember...

AB Habman · Guru

JohnM wrote:

AB Habman wrote:

Johnny, we already have a decent number two.

No Pleks isn't cutting it remember...

Umh...witty guy

Muller93 · Guru

McGirl,

This is pretty funny.

MC Girl · Guru

Muller93 wrote:

McGirl,

This is pretty funny.

lol... Thanks

I hate those nasty little broken image X's ... LOL

habscsi · Member

Just to stir the pot a little, watch MC Girl's video and see if you notice who the predominant player on the ice during Kovys goals and nice setups he made!! Ando should recognize him he has a big C on the front of his Jersey(#11 i think it is).

Last year their line was good witH KKZ to start the year. Then when Zeds just tanked Ryder filled in and they still produced.Then the big move putting Ribs and Kovy together and Koivu with Higgs and Ryder to produce more balance, well we know who benifited more from that with 18 second half goals.

So we can see that most of our offence revolves around a Koivu line!!SO........

Kovy Koivu Ryder

Sammy Higgs Perez

Lats Bonk Johnson

Begin Pleks Murry(or downy or kosi)

Thats how id break em up if we dont put Kovy at centre. I seriously think Bonk and Johnson contain most of what makes that 3rd line tick as long as their oter winger has good speed so Lats and Perez could be rotated here as could Lats and Begin accoring to where Lats game is at the time(2,3or4).

Bottom line is Kovy will produce with Koivu AND if Higgs is for REAL(which i think he is at both ends) he can more than centre this line into some adaquate production.He's where id look for my #2 centre until a Juicy trade or Prospect develops!

Fatherhab · Senior Member

I Like those lines, plus it keeps Bonk and Johnson together which is a bonus. Just seems to me that Bonk is playing with more desire now.

plouf · Guru

What is with this desire to muck around with what's working?

Why switch the 1st line when it's clear they are clicking? And (reading other people's suggestions) why break up Bonk-Johnson when they are clearly clicking too?

Hockey100 · Veteran Member

Hey Kovalev, next time you utter those words "I'm ready to play center" keep the word "centre" out of it, and start with that.

salted_one · Veteran Member

Hockey100 wrote:

Hey Kovalev, next time you utter those words "I'm ready to play center" keep the word "centre" out of it, and start with that.

im sure everyone can agree with that after his little blow up in boston. lets hope he gets his head out of his rectum tomorow night against the leafs