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#14 Tomas Plekanec 2007-08


jl-1

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Pleks and Kostitsyn played together in Hamilton? I thought Kostitsyn came to North America the season after Plekanec was promoted to the Habs.

They played together during the lockout year, although I doubt they played on a line together, Kostitsyn was very raw at th time and was adjusting to North America.

However, practicing together and being around each other for that year no doubt helped.

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Nice testimony

The Habs are giving their top prospects plenty of time to simmer and soak up seasoning. That was the tasty approach they took with Tomas Plekanec, giving the Czech import three full seasons to learn how to play the game in the American Hockey League with the Hamilton Bulldogs before handing him an NHL job in 2005-06.

Two years later, the Habs may now have one of the game's best young centers, and easily one of its best-kept secrets.

His Q rating isn't likely to change any time soon. Despite possessing plenty of flash, Plekanec isn't the sort of player who will generate headlines outside of Montreal. He doesn't possess the natural gifts to become a first-line center, or the media savvy to draw attention to his accomplishments. But he's exactly the sort of player who can be invaluable in returning the Habs to glory.

Not that he was ever considered a sure thing. The 71st overall choice in the 2001 draft, Plekanec arrived in North America a year later to little fanfare. Despite an eighth-place finish the previous season, the Habs resisted any thought of rushing his development and sent him to Hamilton to apprentice under Doug Jarvis.

"It's about putting a player in a situation where he has the best chance to succeed," Montreal GM Bob Gainey has said about the team's philosophy.

Although Plekanec blossomed quickly with Jarvis, who was a crafty center in his day, the Habs remained committed to the long-term approach. Plekanec's defensive game was already fairly sound, so he was asked to work on his offense. After scoring 19 goals as an AHL rookie, he steadily improved to 23, and then 29 -- a total made more impressive when you consider the AHL was stocked with young NHLers during the 2004-05 lockout. Gainey certainly noticed, and after three long years, Plekanec earned the call.

The key to his success then, as now, is speed. He changes gears effortlessly and has a world-class top end, a skill he displayed repeatedly in Thursday night's goal-and assist effort in Montreal's 2-1 win over the Bruins. But beyond that, the little things define Plekanec as a player worth watching.

"He finds ways to make you notice him," an Eastern Conference scout said. "He may have been Montreal's best player against Carolina in the playoffs two years ago. He's not that big (5-10, 196), but he really battles out there. The first thing you notice is his attention to his own zone, but he's really tricky with the puck, and he excels at finding open space. And he's good at making the most of his wingers, but he doesn't need to rely on them to create offense."

After Thursday night's performance, Plekanec had five goals and 13 points in 15 games, tied for second on the team. That puts him on pace for a career-high 65 points -- a solid output for a second-line center, as well as a step up that suggests an even better future.

"Three years riding the buses can seem like an eternity," the scout said. "But guys who are going through it can look at a kid like Plekanec. He's proof there's light at the end of the tunnel."

And proof to NHL teams that patience can be rewarded.

Source: SI.com

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Guest swansee

I agree that Pleks is the league's best kept secret and have been saying that for a long time.....he showed his talent and incredible heart here in Hamilton for a long time before he was given the chance in Montreal. The best part is that he will get even better!!!! The article is inaccurate in praising the Habs admin and ignoring Pleks' work ethic and natural talent which dates to his days at home and in Hamilton.....#1 "The Habs are giving their top prospects plenty of time to simmer and soak up seasoning. That was the tasty approach they took with Tomas Plekanec" ,Montreal allowed him time to season???? they were FORCED into it by the lock-out, in 02-03 he was a rookie who started with limited play and worked his way into the lineup by Playoff time. Then they brought him up for an NHL look-see in 03-04 (we already had promoted Ryder who was older) and based on that and his AHL play he almost certainly would have been with the 04-05 Habs. As soon as the strike ended he WAS up....#2 "Plekanec blossomed quickly with Jarvis" - Plekanec was a dominant player in the 02-03 Calder Cup Finals and frequently won the "hardest working Bulldog" and star of the game awards that season...that was under Julien and Geoff Ward......Jarvis was a terrible head coach who forced the Bulldogs to play a defensive style game that did not suit players like Plekanec, Higgins, Pereshogin etc and we were terrible until late in the season when Jarvis allowed those players to play their natural style when we actually started to (surprise) win......I don't exactly see Montreal as a patient team......look at Latendresse, or Price (it might workin his case).....we had to be patient with Kostitsyn but that was only because he was terrible for two season with Hamilton and did not adapt well to North America..........the same goes for Hainsey.....too bad we weren't more patient with Beauchemin we would really have a defense to talk about.....Nice article but he gives Carbo, Jarvis and Gainey too much credit. In the meantime he is correct in saying that players like Plekanec could bring us back to the glory years

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Guest overlords

Can someone please tell me how that was a penalty today? To me, it looked as if Pleks got interfered with by 1.5 people (one of them was kinda just boxing him into the next guy) and then hit redden who had the puck RIGHT next to him. That's a bad miscall expecially in such a low scoring game, could have effectively changed the outcome.

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Guest swansee
dont forget the source of the publication ;) coming from SI i'm satisfied that they even thought of talking about him

anyhow, i dont know what pleki had in his green drink today but whoahhh, that bodycheck was something else! :o

You're right about that....it is a step that an American publication gives a positive article on the Habs.....as for the physicality....he always takes a pounding and never backs down.....he is tough as well as talented.

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Can someone please tell me how that was a penalty today? To me, it looked as if Pleks got interfered with by 1.5 people (one of them was kinda just boxing him into the next guy) and then hit redden who had the puck RIGHT next to him. That's a bad miscall expecially in such a low scoring game, could have effectively changed the outcome.

That was about as "hometown call" as it gets.

Kudos to Plekanec anyway for leaning into Redden. It shows a little bit of a mean streak you sometimes don't expect from a player like that. redden clearly shoved both hands in his face while he was coming down the ice and Plekanec didn't back down. Good job.

As for the penalty call, It's sadly pretty much what NHL refereeing has gotten us used to by now.

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Guest fansince1975

How is that people / media are surprised when Pleks goes down the ice with a lot of speed?

He is one of the fastest players in the NHL. A few years ago he WON the fastest skater competition at the AHL all-star game.

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Guest silversnake

i wish they would have shown the whole highlight. The great moves behind the net to slow and conserve the puck from Streit to leave it to a bursting Plekanec who went coast to coast and left it right on the stick of Alex kovalev who ripped it top shelf. One of the best goals this season

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Guest Gumper-73

Where art thou Mike Ribiero lovers who say that he is better then Pleks now? Come on, I've been waiting for you! This guy rocks, and he makes Kovy happy too,

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Guest 1970 Habs
Where art thou Mike Ribiero lovers who say that he is better then Pleks now? Come on, I've been waiting for you! This guy rocks, and he makes Kovy happy too,

I love Plekanec but I really liked Ribiero too and I am loath to compare the two.

Besides they play two different styles of game

It is too bad attitudes played a major role in trading him.

However Plekanec has really come into his own the past 12 months. He has a great all round package.

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How is that people / media are surprised when Pleks goes down the ice with a lot of speed?

He is one of the fastest players in the NHL. A few years ago he WON the fastest skater competition at the AHL all-star game.

In my case it's not as much surprised as mesmerized each time , my favorite player of 20 years ago was mats naslund, speed speed speed and speed again, just love it :)

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Where art thou Mike Ribiero lovers who say that he is better then Pleks now? Come on, I've been waiting for you! This guy rocks, and he makes Kovy happy too,

I don't think people are really comparing the two. More along the lines of just praising Ribs play down in Dallas.

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Guest shamrun

The man is soo good, even Blake has to recognize

''They've got some skilled guys over there,'' Blake said. ''(Tomas) Plekanec, he's a difference-maker out there. I remember him a little last year, but he's definitely stepped up and he's making a lot of plays and playing with some confidence.''

source

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The man is soo good, even Blake has to recognize

''They've got some skilled guys over there,'' Blake said. ''(Tomas) Plekanec, he's a difference-maker out there. I remember him a little last year, but he's definitely stepped up and he's making a lot of plays and playing with some confidence.''

source

Thanks for that. Praise from peers is often the one that has the most value, great stuff :)

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