Montreal Canadiens: E-G-S Line Bring Up the C Word

Eller – Galchenyuk – Semin

May 14, 2015; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens forward

Alex Galchenyuk

(27) faces the media during a press conference at the Bell Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

The C word? Chemistry. In hockey, it can be a fleeting thing. It can last a day, a week, a month, or a season. Very rarely is it something that is depended on season after season, but whenever it’s working, it’s a magical thing.

From Guy Lafleur and Steve Shutt to Wayne Gretzky and Jari Kurri, there are countless examples of pairings that made things look easy and seamless when in fact they were extremely difficult and masterfully done. Sometimes, chemistry can be learned, taking time to be perfected. Other times, it just seems to happen from the beginning.

TSN’s interview with Galchenyuk on growing chemistry with Semin, Eller

From the time this line was announced I had a feeling things may be different than expected for all three players in 2015-16. The praise they have for Alexander Semin‘s shot, the respect they have for his talents, and the faith in his abilities they’re showing so early on has to be encouraging for the recently struggling winger.

Lars Eller and Alex Galchenyuk brought up great points when examining their line:

Great Skaters – All three players are outstanding skaters who can get to open spots on the ice, making them hard to defend against. Add in their size, all are over 6’1″ and 210 lbs, and they should be able to move some bodies around as well. Speed, size, and skill? That’s a potent combination.

Ability to Pass and Finish – They have great shots, with Semin being a force on RW but also having Galchenyuk and Eller capable of putting the puck away when the opportunity presents itself. The skill level of this group when it comes to passing is impressive and could lead to a potent group on the Power Play.

Skill and Creativity – Hopefully these guys will be able to use their creative skills to maximize their impact offensively. Not only does this help make them less predictable as a line, but it bring us to the next point.

Ability to have Fun, Excitement – Both Galchenyuk and Eller bring up the fact that they’re having fun playing with Semin and see the potential in the line. I know that fun isn’t exactly Michel Therrien’s favourite word, but I do remember his putting Plekanec and Pacioretty back together when the latter said he thought it would be fun to get back with Plek. I think this relates to positive energy, something the Habs can benefit from. The fact that they’re excited to play together has to mean something, particularly for a team that is looking for steady scoring from another line than their top line.

Defensively Responsible – Eller brought this one up and the fact that he knows the responsibilities of a C, something that will help him assist Galchenyuk in filling the role. To me, his presence on the line allows both Semin and Galchenyuk the ability to open it up a bit more than they otherwise could.

The EGS line will be delivering a lot of excitement to begin the season and there’s no doubting that the potential is there for them to become a force this season. I wouldn’t even be surprised to find them outscoring the Pacioretty, Plekanec and Gallagher line, that’s how much talent they have.

Still, there’s no guarantee that they’ll remain together this season if things don’t kick off with some success. Michel Therrien hasn’t exactly been the most patient coach when it comes to keeping lines together and isn’t shy about breaking things up when he deems it appropriate.

Time will tell just how successful this line becomes. One thing’s for certain so far, it’s the biggest news in Habs camp and will likely continue to be so until the first month of the season is in the books.

It’s about time some new chemistry is built within the forward corps of the Habs and these guys are feeding off of it as much as they can. Top line, second line, it doesn’t really matter. What this means if things work out is that the Habs may finally have two dependable scoring lines, something they could have used last season.

Chemistry. Cherish it while it lasts, because it’s fleeting and hard to come by!

Here’s one of many Galchenyuk videos available on You tube showing off his summer workouts:

He’s put in the work, now it’s time for the payoff.

Next: Habs Camp: Eller Plays LW with Galchenyuk at C

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