The only things Habs fans might agree on is their mutual love of the Montreal Canadiens. Start talking about the general manager, the coach, or how to fix the power play and everyone has a different opinion.

Start talking about Habs players and anything from a constructive debate to an all out brawl could follow. With this in mind I will give you my opinion on the three most overrated and the three most underrated players on the Montreal Canadiens. Hope you enjoy!

Underrated #3

David Desharnais: Everyone’s favourite whipping boy comes in as player #3. If anyone read my previous blog on DD, they already know that I am a fan of his play. If you listened to radio call-in shows or local watering hole chatter you would think DD was the sole reason (OK with the help of the coach) that the Habs have not hoisted Cup #25. However, at a modest $3.5 million cap hit, Desharnais has put up 100 points in the last two seasons and is a plus-33. On a team that is not known for their goal scoring this is a very solid effort for a player at this cap hit.

Overrated #3

Alex Galchenyuk: Overrated does not always mean bad. Alex Galchenyuk is a very talented player. Galchenyuk is probably the most talented player on the team, outside of the big three (Price, Patch, Subban). However, some Habs fans think this 21 year old should be playing 20 minutes per game, first unit power play time and centering the first line. Galchenyuk has had three solid years, especially given his age (27, 31 and 46 points). The one thing I would ask Habs fans is just to slow down. His time will come. Habs fans are so starved for the next forward superstar that they forget that this is a process and each year MT gives Galchenyuk a little more. His time is not here yet, but it is coming very soon.

Underrated #2

Dale Weise: Now that a few Habs fans have fallen off their chair and are hopefully okay, let’s looks at Dale Weise. First of all he was written off by John Tortorella, which we have now learned says more about Torts than DW. With a $1.025 million cap hit, his 29 points last season make him the best value on the team. He also played on every line, he kills penalties, and he is not afraid to drop the gloves to support one of his teammates. Dale is best suited as a bottom six forward, but if he can repeat his 2014-2015 campaign he will definitely win more fans over.

Overrated #2

Nathan Beaulieu: Nathan Beaulieu is a very solid young player and for spurts last seasons definitely showed he has the potential to be a top four defenceman. Habs fans, as is the case with Galchenyuk, think Beaulieu should be playing on the first pairing with Subban. However with 9 points in 64 games last year, Beaulieu will have to step up his offensive performance if he hopes to take this role. Beaulieu is also very inconsistent, and as much as Habs fans and myself see potential in Beaulieu, potential is for the AHL and consistency is for the NHL. If Beaulieu wants to stay in the NHL full time he will have to put up more than 1 goal, which was two less than the less talented Alexei Emelin.

Underrated #1

My favourite tweet (follow me on Twitter @scottobrien99) is one I have used many times. “If anyone thinks we should trade Tomas Plekanec then you just don’t understand hockey.” Tomas Plekanec is a very good hockey player. He is smart, talented and is very good at every aspect of the game. Of the six centres we have on the team right now, Plekanec is the most valuable to the team. He is isn’t flashy, but game after game, year after year you look back and see he has solid numbers. For the 2014-2015 season, he finished with 26 goals and 34 assists and was a plus-8. These are very solid numbers, but when you think that he is going up against the other teams’ best lines it is all the more impressive. He has been the Habs’ number one penalty killer for years and is regarded as one of the smartest players in the league. So why the hate on TP? His best qualities are the intangibles. He has done everything so well for so long that he is taken for granted. He will be a player like Saku Koivu who, once gone, will be truly be appreciated for what he brought to the Habs.

Overrated #1

Lars Eller: Lars, Lars, Lars. Where do I start? Habs fans love you and I don’t know why. MB signed you to an extension and I have no idea why? In the past you used to start out on the 3rd or 4th line and work your way up because you earned it. Some Habs fans are complaining that Lars Eller has not received a fair shot at showing what he can do and the answer is simple. He has not earned it. Lars has shown signs of being a solid NHL player, but to be honest I am not sure what Lars is.

He has 53 points in the last two seasons combined and is a minus-21. So Eller has not shown the offensive consistency or the defensive reliability to deserve more ice time. Lars is great for four games and then terrible for eight. Good for six and bad for four. He has to start strong this year and prove himself over 82 games, not just in the playoffs (which he only had 3 points in 12 games this year) before he will get any added playing time or power play action. Sorry fans, this is an NHL thing and not a MT thing. You earn your ice time, it is not given to you.

That is my list. Please let me know what you think!