- Jack Todd of the Montreal Gazette: The Canadiens will give Alex Galchenyuk a shot at center, but Todd wouldn’t be surprised if he’s back on the wing by the end of October. Until Galchenyuk is able to show that he can handle playing down the middle, people should put the “trade Plekanec” talk on hold. Tomas Plekanec will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the seasonn.
- Kevin Allen of the USA Today: Lightning coach Jon Cooper said that Steven Stamkos will likely play some left wing this season, possibly starting the season there.
“We had success with him on the wing in the playoffs, but by no means I’m I saying that is his position,” Cooper said.
Cooper has talked to Stamkos about it. “He has been a natural center, so it was an adjustment for him,” Cooper said. “But he’s not one of those guys who walks in and says, ‘OK, I will try this for two games. Stammer gets it. If it is best for the team, he will do it.”
Stamkos is a natural center and is more comfortable there.
- Jonas Siegel of TSN: The Maple Leafs early plan is move William Nylander and Mitch Marner back to their natural positions – center.
“We wait and see,” Mark Hunter, the Leafs director of player personnel, said on the subject of shifting both back to the middle, “see how the season goes, what your matchups are and who you’re playing against and how they’re doing down low because it takes a lot of responsibility for the centreman.”
Only recently have the two been playing on the wing. Nylander met with Mike Babcock this summer and expressed his desire to play center. The Leafs asked Marner where he wanted to play, and he chose center, though he thinks he’ll start his NHL career on the wing.
“My first couple seasons, if I play in the NHL this year or next year, I think I’m probably going to play wing for the start and then develop back into a centreman, try and get a little stronger on the draws and stuff like that,” Marner said.