Can David Desharnais Be An Effective Third Line Center For Montreal Canadiens?
With the Montreal Canadiens shifting their lineup dramatically at practice yesterday, a lot of attention was paid to Alex Galchenyuk finally getting promoted to first line center duties for the Habs. Though it will be fun to watch how Galchenyuk performs on a line with Max Pacioretty and Brendan Gallgher, it will be just as interesting to see how David Desharnais fairs on the third line.
Desharnais has long been the de facto center ice man for Pacioretty since the pair were both skating with the Hamilton Bulldogs in the American Hockey League. He is an gifted playmaking center, but Habs fans have become visibly frustrated with his lack of scoring touch.
Dec 6, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Montreal Canadiens center David Desharnais (51) with the puck while defended by Dallas Stars left wing Jamie Benn (14) in the first period at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Desharnais twice reaches his career high in goals with 16 in 2011-12 and again last season. In 2011-12 he had a career high of 60 points, and followed that up with 52 last season. Those numbers are not bad, but also not great for a team’s top line center who gets frequent power play ice time.
This season however, Desharnais’ goal scoring woes have been far worse than his career average. In 19 games this season, the Habs top pivot has just two goals and 15 points, not nearly enough for someone who is centering the best offensive players on the team, and receiving the lion’s share of ice time with the man advantage.
Couple the fact that the Habs first line center is on pace for five goals this season with the fact he is just 5’8” and not exactly known for his great defensive zone play, and the Canadiens had a huge problem at the top of their roster all season.
The 20 year old Galchenyuk gets a chance to fill that void starting tonight, but I will also be keeping a close eye on how Desharnais looks as a third line center. He will be between Michael Bournival who makes his return from a shoulder injury after missing the Habs last 15 games, and P.A. Parenteau who has 11 points in 29 games.
Nov 29, 2014; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Buffalo Sabres goalie Jhonas Enroth (1) makes a save against Montreal Canadiens center David Desharnais (51) during the second period at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports
While Bournival and Parenteau represent an offensive step down from Pacioretty and Gallagher, it is not like Desharnais is centering a pair of minor leaguers tonight. None of the three are known as goal scorers, but all of them are capable offensive players who can create offense when the puck is on their stick.
A third line in the NHL is traditionally thought of as a shutdown defensive trio, but many teams have recently changed to more of a top three offensive lines, with a fourth line capable of shutting things down.
The Habs setup tonight certainly looks capable of creating offensive from three different lines, with a fourth trio of Brandon Prust, Manny Malhotra and Dale Weise whose main goal will be to throw their weight around and cause havoc for the Vancouver Canucks.
Desharnais had clearly shown in the past he is not a capable first line center. It has been assumed by fans that he will not fit well anywhere else in the lineup, but it will be interesting to see how he plays tonight with a couple of speedy linemates on the third line.
Perhaps the easier minutes will bring out his offensive game that we have seen in the past, but has not been on display much this season.
He may have to step his game up, because when Lars Eller returns from injury, it may be Desharnais who gets moved out of the center position, as Galchenyuk has all the talent to force the Canadiens to keep him in the middle of the ice now that they are giving him a real chance.