{"id":15403,"date":"2017-09-01T14:44:25","date_gmt":"2017-09-01T18:44:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/?p=15403"},"modified":"2017-09-01T15:03:10","modified_gmt":"2017-09-01T19:03:10","slug":"montreal-canadiens-watch-2017-18-alex-galchenyuk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2017\/09\/01\/montreal-canadiens-watch-2017-18-alex-galchenyuk\/","title":{"rendered":"Montreal Canadiens to Watch in 2017-18: Alex Galchenyuk"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Despite reported efforts to <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2017\/06\/22\/nhl-rumours-alex-galchenyuk-jordan-eberle-alexander-radulov-and-more\/\" target=\"_self\">trade<\/a> <strong><a  target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/g\/galchal01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&#038;utm_source=direct&#038;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Alex  Galchenyuk<\/a><\/strong> last year, Galchenyuk starts the 2017-18 season with a new three-year <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2017\/07\/05\/alex-galchenyuk-resigns-montreal-canadiens\/\" target=\"_self\">contract.<\/a>\u00a0Questions remain about what position he will play; his role is on the team; and whether he can build on his success from two years ago. Indeed, there is no guarantee that <strong><a  target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/b\/bergema01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&#038;utm_source=direct&#038;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Marc  Bergevin<\/a><\/strong> will not still package him as part of a deal for a more established center. Many fans would be livid. Galchenyuk remains the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/nhl-teams\/canadiens\/\" target=\"_self\">Montreal Canadiens<\/a> best offensive threat and scored 17 mostly magnificent goals last year despite being injured.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Alex Galchenyuk&#039;s All Goals from the 2016-2017 NHL Season\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/fGyPYZD-rMA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h1>Canadiens to Watch in 2017-18: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/g\/galchal01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Alex Galchenyuk<\/a><\/h1>\n<p>Galchenyuk is a\u00a0riddle,\u00a0wrapped\u00a0in a\u00a0mystery, inside an\u00a0enigma. He was Marc  Bergevin&#8217;s first pick as general manager, and explicitly drafted as the number one center the Canadiens <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=c6I61nqa76k\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">had been looking for<\/a>. Unfortunately, his player development has been <a href=\"http:\/\/thehockeywriters.com\/the-montreal-canadiens-player-development-needs-to-improve\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">uneven at best<\/a>. Unlike <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/2017\/08\/30\/habs-to-watch-artturi-lehkonen\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Artturi Lehkonen <\/a><\/strong>who spent some time in Sweden before coming to the NHL, Galchenyuk made the roster mere months after being drafted. Under <strong>Michel Therrien<\/strong>, he had few regular line mates, had to adjust to widely inconsistent ice time, and spent three years on the wing before being put <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/montreal\/galchenyuk-ready-to-move-from-wing-to-centre-bergevin-says-1.3223637\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">back in the middle.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Last year, Galchenyuk started at the center position, was moved to the wing, and then put back at center during the playoffs. In a bizarre post-season press conference, Bergevin went out of his way to suggest he was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.habseyesontheprize.com\/latest-news\/2017\/4\/24\/15412680\/highlights-from-marc-bergevin-claude-juliens-end-of-year-press-conference-galchenyuk-win\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">disappointed<\/a> by Galchenyuk&#8217;s performance.<\/p>\n<h3>Better at Center<\/h3>\n<p>During the 2015-2016 season, Galchenyuk started on the wing, moved to center in February, took over on the Habs top line, and finished with 30 goals and 26 assists. Last fall, he roared out of the gates with 23 points in the first 24 games of the season. At center, he scored, he set up, and he smiled. Then he got injured and lost his mojo. Whatever his defensive liabilities, the Habs are better when he plays <a href=\"https:\/\/www.habseyesontheprize.com\/2017\/3\/25\/15021786\/alex-galchenyuk-centre-wing-lines-opinion-max-pacioretty-alex-radulov-andrew-shaw-lehkonen-gallagher\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">center<\/a>. According to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tsn.ca\/radio\/montreal-690\/dumont-stats-say-galchenyuk-should-stay-at-centre-1.704020\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Marc Dumont<\/a>, the stats are clear. Overall, when he plays center, he scores more points, the Habs score more goals, and create more scoring chances.<\/p>\n<p>Just as with the <strong><a  target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/d\/drouijo01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&#038;utm_source=direct&#038;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jonathan  Drouin<\/a><\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/2017\/08\/31\/habs-to-watch-in-2017-jonathan-drouin\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">experiment<\/a>, the question is whether Galchenyuk can produce offensively at center while maintaining the defensive responsibilities required at that position. Will Julien will let these young players learn the position, and accept the inevitable up and downs that result?<\/p>\n<h3>Facing the Faceoff Problem<\/h3>\n<p>The biggest challenge for Galchenyuk playing center is faceoffs. Since 2012, he has never topped 48% in the faceoff dot during the regular season or in the playoffs. Last year it was a measly <a href=\"http:\/\/puckbase.com\/stats\/faceoff-percentage\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">42.7%.<\/a>\u00a0Eric Engels <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/EricEngels\/status\/837704605660217346\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">reported<\/a> in March that <strong><a  target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/o\/ottst01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&#038;utm_source=direct&#038;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Steve  Ott<\/a><\/strong> was helping to teach Galchenyuk how to win more faceoffs. Unfortunately his 2016-17 playoff faceoff win percentage was even worse than his performance in the regular season. A look at his <a href=\"http:\/\/puckbase.com\/stats\/player-faceoff-splits?player=alex-galchenyuk\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">faceoff splits<\/a> raises more questions than it answers. It appears he wins 10% fewer faceoffs in the defensive zone, a stat that is sure to give <a  target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/j\/juliecl01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&#038;utm_source=direct&#038;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Claude  Julien<\/a> indigestion. Since Ott could not get through to Galchenyuk, maybe the great one can help.<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=YdyiOsHqM38<\/p>\n<p>If Galchenyuk can improve on his faceoff win percentage, especially in the defensive zone, he should be playing center. Galchenyuk can build on his past success with spark plug <strong><a  target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/g\/gallabr01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&#038;utm_source=direct&#038;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Brendan  Gallagher<\/a><\/strong> on the right and speedy <strong><a  target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/b\/byronpa01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&#038;utm_source=direct&#038;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Paul  Byron<\/a><\/strong> on the left.<\/p>\n<h3>Alex  Galchenyuk 2017\/18 Projections<\/h3>\n<p>28 Goals,\u00a037 Assists, 65 Points<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Main Photo:\u00a0MONTREAL, QC &#8211; MARCH 29: Alex  Galchenyuk #27 of the Montreal Canadiens skates the puck during the warmup prior to the NHL game against the Detroit Red Wings at the Bell Centre on March 29, 2016 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Detroit Red Wings 4-3. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Despite reported efforts to trade Alex Galchenyuk last year, Galchenyuk starts the 2017-18 season with a new three-year contract.\u00a0Questions remain about what position he will play; his role is on the team; and whether he can build on his success from two years ago. Indeed, there is no guarantee that Marc Bergevin will not still [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2253,"featured_media":6433,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7,2],"tags":[265,201,266,585,264,353,261,152,882,1307],"class_list":["post-15403","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-canadiens","category-featured","tag-alex-galchenyuk","tag-artturi-lehkonen","tag-brendan-gallagher","tag-jonathan-drouin","tag-marc-bergevin","tag-max-pacioretty","tag-michel-therrien","tag-montreal-canadiens","tag-paul-byron","tag-steve-ott"],"modified_by":"Ben Kerr","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15403","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2253"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15403"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15403\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6433"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15403"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15403"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15403"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}