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Kent Hughes may Have Acquired a Better Center Than Nick Suzuki by Going After Young Kirby Dach Last Summer, According to David Ettedgui
BY ELLIOT BEN JACOB SEPTEMBER 15, 2023 (6:15 PM)
But one might ask, is the Canadiens' number 14 among the best center players in the NHL?
Initially, we would tend to say no, because his tally of 66 points in 2022-2023 placed him 74th among the league's top scorers, but without the injury sustained by Cole Caufield last January, Suzuki would certainly have scored more points.
However, as reported by the site Habsolumentfan.com, one expert does not see Suzuki as the number one center with the CH in a few years.
During the discussion on the podcast The Sick Podcasts with Tony Marinaro, David Ettedgui sees rather a certain Kirby Dach as the future center player on the Canadiens' first line.
Here are his explanations:
He is the whole package. You need to have a big guy at center on your first unit. You win the Stanley Cup with big center players. You need one to win the Cup.
I'm not saying Dach is going to score more points in a season than Suzuki, but he is your big guy who is going to put up 60 to 75 points per season, play the tough minutes, be a presence, complement two very talented wingers.
I'm not saying Dach is going to score more points in a season than Suzuki, but he is your big guy who is going to put up 60 to 75 points per season, play the tough minutes, be a presence, complement two very talented wingers.
Obviously, Suzuki will have a say in the Canadiens' upcoming successes, but the potential of number 77 is very much present and in two years, he could surpass Suzuki according to Ettedgui.
He is 21 years old. In two years, we will see the real Kirby Dach. I believe he will then be their first center player.
Quite interesting remarks which are not necessarily a disapproval of Nick Suzuki, because between you and me, if Kirby Dach reaches his full potential in Montreal, the Canadiens will not be in a bad position with Suzuki and Dach as the first two center players.
The future will tell us if the Canadiens will reach the promised land
WHICH ONE WOULD YOU DRAFT IF THESE PLAYERS ARE AVAILABLE WITH THE 5TH OVERALL PICK? JUNE 7 1878 ANSWERS | ||
REINBACHER | 94 | 5 % |
MICHKOV | 1570 | 83.6 % |
DVORSKY | 75 | 4 % |
LEONARD OR BENSON | 139 | 7.4 % |
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GP | G | A | PTS | |||||
1- CONNOR MCDAVID | 82 | 64 | 89 | 153 | ||||
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