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WSBD
posted by Mike Boone at 10h26 EST on Jun 28
Know what?
I wouldn't break the bank for Mike Komisarek.
He's a great guy and a terrific leader. But Kmo was not the same player – physically and, perhaps, psychologically – after the Milan Lucic mugging. Whether it was because he was hurt or gun-shy, Komisarek didn't hit as hard. And if he's not hitting, Komo – whose offensive game is extremely limited – isn't worth $4 million, let alone the $6 million that some fool may sign him for on Tuesday.
The Canadiens already have almost $12 million tied up in Andrei Markov and Roman Hamrlik through the next two seasons. Josh Gorges and Ryan O'Byrne are also signed through 2010-'11.
There's help on the way. Yannick Weber will be on the team this season. P.K. Subban will be in Hamilton, and Ryan McDonagh is considered a blue-chipper.
I would have loved to see the Canadiens sign Alexei Yemelin. Maybe some day.
Bring back Mathieu Schneider? Great on the PP, but too old to play regular minutes. Schneider would be a good tutor, however, for Weber.
Mathieu Dandenault?
Breezer?
A reasonably-priced FA? (That's an oxymoron)
• • •
To the surprise of no one – least of all opposing general managers – Gainey says the Canadiens' priority is a centre with size.
The Vincent Lecavalier rumours refuse to die. But if that deal were to happen, I thought it would be at the draft.
And Renaud Lavoie of RDS reports today that a trade was in the works in the minutes leading up to the first round Friday night. Lavoie says Len Barrie, the wackier of Tampa Bay's two nutzoid owners, put the kibosh on a Lecavalier deal.
Vinny's no-trade clause kicks in on Wednesday. He will make $10 million per for the next seven years, then $8.5 in 2016-'17. The Lightning simply can't afford him.
In my dreams, I see Lecavalier centring Alex Tanguay and Alex Kovalev or the Brothers K. He would instantly become the marquee homeboy the team has lacked since Guy Lafleur.
Again, had John Tavares fallen to Tampa Bay at number two, Lecavalier might have been dealt on Friday night. But that didn't happen, and so the week begins with mystery hanging in the air.
If not Vinny, who?
The Sedins, coming off contracts that paid them $3.375 million? Could you get them both for a little bit more than what Lecavalier will be making?
Nik Antropov?
I hesitate to type the name because it might make my laptop explode: Mats Sundin?
• • •
With the draft over, no acquisitions and an answer from Komisarek likely imminent, Gainey has to decide what to do about Saku Koivu, Alex Kovalev, Alex Tanguay and Robert Lang.
I don't know what to think about Saku.
I love the guy. He is heroic in every sense of the word. There were flashes of brilliance, toward the end of the season, that suggested the Captain would be effective cenring Kovy and Tanguay.
But there are a lot of miles on that engine. Let's be honest: at this stage of his career, Saku Koivu is a second- or, more likely, third-line centre on a contending hockey team.
Koivu made $4.75 million last season. What would you offer him to come back? And for how long?
Kovalev made $4.5 million. A Russian newspaper had a story – probably planted by Kovy, through his pal Gennady Boguslavsky – that the Canadiens will re-sign him for three years.
Maybe. If the value of the deal is $10 million.
The tough number to calculate is Tanguay. He made $5.25 million and has indicated he would look harder at term, rather than purely money, in weighing offers.
I'm a Tanguay fan. He was hurt last season, but there were tantalizing flashes of offensive brilliance.
Tanguay has great vision and creativity in the opffensive zone. He and Andrei Markov are the best passers on the team.
I think Tanguay can play with Kovalev, which is not easy. Give them a stud centre and watch out!
So I'd like to see Tanguay back – not least because the Canadiens paid dearly for him: their first-round draft choice a year ago and a second-rounder that Trevor Timmins really would have liked to have on Saturday.
• • •
I love Robert Lang.
Very smart hockey player. A force on the PP. Excellent in the room, where his perenially sunny disposition is a delight for teammates and the media.
But he made $4 million and will be 39 in December. Coming off an Achilles ...
I dunno. $2 million for one year?
• • •
The RFAs: Christopher Higgins, Tomas Plekanec and Guillame Latendresse
There were nights, down the stretch and during those pathetic playoffs, when Chris Higgins was the best Canadien on the ice.
Great skater, smart, tenacious, uses his body strategically. Brilliant on the PK.
But will Higgins ever score in the NHL? And will he want to stay in Montreal – where the relentless fan and media scrutiny seemed to be getting under his skin last season? And how would Higgins be affected by the departure of his Long Island homey, Komisarek?
I believe in Higgins and would sign him for four or five years at a reasonable number.
Of course, that's contingent on whether another team makes an offer. I can't see anyone making Chris Higgins this year's Tomas Vanek, but still ...
Then there's Ms. Plekanec.
Pleky, Pleky, Pleky ... what are we gonna do with you, laddie?
So much ability, but on too many nights, softer than a sneaker full of wet cow flop.
Can he rekindle the magic with Kovy and AK46? Or centre the brothers?
I'd bring Pleks back. He made $1.6 million and is worth maybe $3.75 million over two years.
Gui! made $850,000 and will get a decent raise. He's got great chemisty with Max Lapierre, and Gui! showed signs of becoming the physical player he ought to be at 6'2", 230.
Heck, Gui! is only 22. A work in progress – and I think there's a nice upside. He was making an entry-level $850,000, and as a homeboy with a homegirl partner and one-year-old child, he'll sign long-term if that's what Bob offers.
• • •
Max Pacioretty will be on the team this season. So will Matt D'Agostini, who lost his scoring touch down the stretch but played solid, physical D and will develop nicely under Jacques Martin.
Kyle Chipchura? He's 23. The clock is ticking, and I think it will hit midnight soon.
• • •
So, a busy couple days for Gainey leading up to a lively Canada Day.
Please post lots of Comments telling Bob how to do his job, and I'll be back live-blogging off TSN on July 1.
• • •
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Bob should pick up Bertuzzi. More grit than the whole team had last year in one guy and cheap. Montreal would love this guy instantly...
good luck bob
cheers
Bertuzzi is shot. No more retreads
And, what do you do with Laraque? Send him home to persue his vegitarian interests?
nothing against BLG... but he never was a goal scorer... and didnt fight too much last season (who would be dumb enough to try?)
but i dont need to tell you this! lol
Two words: Francois Beauchemin!
Breaking News: The musical director at the Bell Center has chosen the following to be played during Habs power plays throughout the 2009-10 season:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUFWaauGPCs
So the clock is ticking and the cubboards are bare right now. The "trade" didn't happen. So next is Gainey's target of the 5 UFAs he wants. He has less than 2 days to lock up Komi, Kovy, Koivu, Tanguay and to a lesser extent Schnieder. Those first 4 are long gone if it doesn't happen before July 1st. Then what? Your not going to get any top UFAs here on July 1st with no players on the roster with who's contracted right now.
I would not say the 4 you mentioned are toast. do you think other teams are going to pay them as much as us, something tells me no. those 4 players will look around for other offers and then realize they will make more money with the CH. then again i could be wrong and maybe they all go.
Mr.h - Your on the right path and i think that Saku will be plucked (maybe Buffalo, Anaheim, San Jose, Minny, laffs etc.)
Great stuff Mike, but don't be surprised if we continue to develop and promote from within. Also Bob will not spend all his cap on free agents. He will wait until the trade dead line and even then will not spend if the team is only hitting 500. We are back building from our drafted developing players, and only picking up a player or two to fill holes along the way if the price is right.
We are looking at least 3 years until we can compete with the top 4 teams in the league. There will be no 6 or 7 million dollar players on this team for the next few years. We will be entertaining this year but a long way from the cup.
Ian. if i paid 550m for the Canadiens ..i would want the executive team to do whatever is possible to right the ship and another re-build which is what ur suggesting should not be an option. ..just saying this does not sound good but were all speculating right.
That won't fly at all here. People have waited the 5 years for his rebuild. Now it's time to do something. Otherwise, Gainey's days here are numbered. Do we really want a boofest every game because that is what it's going to turn into this season. The fans have no patience left, it will get ugly fast.
I don't know about that. Why should things get ugly now? The team has with few exceptions been pretty pathetic since the '93 Cup win.
Just thinking aloud here. I think the numbers on this could potentially work under the Cap
Tanguay - Sedin - Sedin
AK - Plek - (maxpac/SK/D'ags)
Higgy - Lapierre - Latendresse
Stewart - Metro - Laraque
Markov - Komi
Hamer - O.B
Georges - Beauchemin
Price - Halak
no need for two passers on the same line...put higgy or AK on the sedin's line.
- Pride + Envy = Second Place
Is Ben Maxwell anywhere close to making the jump? He seems to be a bigger bodied center in our system.
I sure hope so because half the fan base is!
if it wasn't for last season's injury problems and his rough time with Iron MIke in Calgary, Tanguay could've been in that group... Last year he made $5.25... he cares more about length than $$$... I think it's a no-brainer to re-sign him.
Chris - Tanguay is not a player you build around as he needs elite players to perform at his best so you can call him a fit player. If Bob gets the right nucleus and has enough bread left all the better with him aboard.
yes...6.5 -7.5m range.
they fail to mention that all of those players have reached 95+ points at least once during the last 3 years except the sedins
sedins will not make 7.5 million.
- Pride + Envy = Second Place
I think an interesting situation to watch will be Calgary. If they sign Jbo, they may have to dump Jokinen, then we can pick him up on the cheap. He also only has one year left on his contract, so it would be a try out of sorts. If it doesn't look like he is working out, which would also mean that we probably wont be looking like good cup contenters, we move him at the deadline.
I like the twins as well. They are both proven 70 + point men, who have had 2 80+ point years in 2 of the past three years. They will move as a package which will limit other teams joining a bidding war. We should be able to put together the best offer, hopefully at a 3-5 year term with a combined cap hit of around 12 mil.
I think if Plek would have been used to bring in a top center, Koivu would have been resigned for centerman #2, however I think he walks now.
Higgy has to stay, as you said he looked like one of our best down the stretch last year. As far as scoring goes, he may never get 40, but has put up 20 plus a few seasons. He will slot in as a 2nd/3rd line player, with lots of intangebles, and as a #1 PK guy. I'd like to see him locked up for 3-5 years.
I think Bobby should maybe try and look to move Hammer to a team that lost in the Pronger trades. We got hammer as a FA. I would wait to think about moving him though untill we got another D or two signed here, hopefully Franky B from the Ducks. I have always liked him, and usually pick him up in a trade in my video game hockey :)
So many things to contemplate as we head into the FA days.
http://tsn.ca/columnists/darren_dreger/?id=283179
sedins are being made available?
let's sign them!
people have to admit that if the opportunity comes to sign both sedins...or re-sign kovalev...the sedins are no doubt the better option. more consistent scoring, and younger.
- Pride + Envy = Second Place
Keep the cap hit between 12-13 mil for 5 years and I think that is a good move.
I think players need to be re-evaluated at certain points in their careers. 18, 23, 28, 33, 35 are years where you should aim to have contracts come up for guys so you can see how their career is progressing.
Just so you all know, Exit716 fails to see the obvious improvement of this team since Gainey took over...some of you feel the same way too. I can only assume you were not fans, or maybe not following the team BEFORE he took over. He's a small taste:
77 points
4 out of 5 years out of the playoffs
Hamilton was completely VOID of talent
Just to name a few.
Go Habs Go!! "I can't hear what Jeremy (Roenick) is saying because my Stanley Cup rings are in my ears" - Patrick Roy
Or how about trying out Higgins as second line C? In a Martin system, it might just work out.
From Hell's Heart I Slap At Thee!!
I think we'll try for Hossa again. Great two-way player that would fit well in a Martin system.
How about starting totally fresh with the Sedins and Hossa as line number 1. Either Pleks or Lang with the Kost Bros as line 2. Then use the plethora of 3rd/4th line guys we have to make those two other lines up. That will still leave money to bring in a couple of very decent d-men. If we have money left over and the Kost Bros are not trusted, then bring in some help on the second line or resign Tanguay or Kovy.
Would this win the Cup? No idea but I think it would be an upgrade over what we had last year.
From Hell's Heart I Slap At Thee!!
The guy I have no idea what to do with is Pleks. We have Laps as the C on the third line and likely Metro on the fourth. Does Pleks get one last shot at being a second line C? He totally disappears for lengthy periods of time and I'm thinking his great play of two years ago may very well have been due to Kovy alone.
Part of me thinks I've seen enough of him and part of me thinks maybe a Jacques Martin system might get him going. I think I would start him off as the second line C and then upgrade through a trade if he plays the role of the anchor again.
Gainey may actually be hoping to get someone to bite with an offer sheet. If this happens, Pleks is gone.
From Hell's Heart I Slap At Thee!!
Boone, your love affair with Nik Antropov has got to end. He is a second string centre at best with a career high 59 points. Size isn't everything (see O'Byrne, Ryan).
I know. You're hearing the voice of desperation here, bro. The team has to get bigger at centre, and the pickings are slim. Jokinen?
The team needs a big centre and a first line centre. If Bob signs Antropov, we would still be in our never-ending search for our first line centre (perhaps Henrik Sedin)? But really, are we going to be a cup-contender this season? Doubtful...and signing Antropov is not going to change that. Probably the best strategy is wait until something becomes available (of course, that is not what anyone in Montreal wants to hear). And once that player is found, lock him up with a longer-than-Bob-is-willing-to-sign-for-deal. Personally, I do not think the team would be much better with Antropov. And while it would be OK to sign Antropov with a view to him being in a supporting role down the road, it makes much more sense to find your number 1 centre, and then fill in the gaps in the supporting cast. In my view, Antropov is a trade-deadline day player, NOT a long-term free-agency signing.
I suppose Antropov would be (slightly) better than Laps in the No. 1 Centre role. But really, the CH would be better to resign Koivu and wallow in our own mediocrity rather than somebody else's (Antropov will forever be the product of the Laffs).
antropov can play both center and wing,i feel he is more effective as a winger instead of a center. I think antropov is a good player,he just should not have been a first round pick which puts much higher expectations on him. He also scored all of his goals from the slot and is very strong on the boards.
I would really like to see Gregory stewart next year. If Komi walks so be it. His play this past season was not good. bad give aways and he shied away from hitting. If last season didn't happen I would have offered him a long term deal front loaded.
as for UFAs --kick the tires on cammelari, Oduya out of NJ would be a good pick up,
If July 1st comes and Gainey has not signed any of our UFA lets not get upset at him. Remember, this group of players mailed in the season in mid February. When you are outshot 45-22 every game and are losing to teams like Atlanta, Tampa Bay and Toronto, then you have quit on your team. Sure Carbo was part of the problem but any player with pride would still show up to play. So if we have a complete overhaul this summer, lets see what type of new team Bob can put together.
Of the entire group of UFA's I only want to see Kovalev come back... He too, however, is guilty of not showing up on too many nights last year. The judgement is still out on Martin but I think he will be a better coach than Carbo (not hard really) in every aspect. He may not be a Stanley Cup material but I don't think he is the kind of coach that will make his decision based on personal likes or disliked for the players.
Still lots of time before October so we'll see. I just don't fine any reason for optimism at this time.
Well, i will wait and see but am not optimistic. If by July 10th, he hasn't signed any of our top UFAs and hasn't aquired anyone new besides some 3rd and 4th line journeymen and he comes up with the "it's an oppurtunity for our youth", then it's time for him to be removed. A GM in the cap era needs to be part salesman, part deal maker, part risk taker. This team currently as of this writing in unsellable to any UFA including our current guys. The prospects are in the tank. Obviously a trade that got the big D man or Center would of at least given the current players a glimmer of hope that some help was on the way and could have been a strong selling point for potential UFAs. Instead, nothing's been acomplished and this team looks and smells like a turd right now.
Why does everyone think they can buy a cup through trades and free agency? Since the lockout not one cup has gone to the team that signs all their players in free agency! Carolina had a bunch of home grown talent in cam ward and eric staal that led the way. Anaheim had some trades and free agency but what brought the team together was getzlaf, perry and penner. Detroit barely made any trades or went through free agency! And pittsburgh won because of crosby, malkin, staal and fleury no other reason. So why do people think when gainey doesnt make that big move its a bad thing? Some players took steps back because they were pushed back with gainey trying to do to much! He brough in tanguay and lang and pushed back our youth! I rather let our youth grow and lead our team then try and buy free agents and make ridiculous trades! The team that finished first was good because they had chemistry and this past season had none! So in my opinion bringing in those other big names might only screw up the team more! Im not saying dont sign any new players just the right amount!
I would like to see tanguay back . Then let the rest of the forwards mesh. We have the young talent let them carry us like the youth in chicago carried them! Ak46 has the potential to be a 40-50 goal scorer with a quick release and a hell of a shot. Sergei has crazy vision and good hockey sense but theyre young and still need time. Look at the sedins they didnt break into the nhl gettin 80 pts a season so calm down! Pleks had a bad season and still scored 20 goals! Ok hes not the most physical player but he and the kostitsyn can do magic when theyre on their game together and wud give other teams head aches! As for the big center let higgins play he can play center and he struggled a lil offensively this past season but can find the back of the net and has size and grit and has tremendous heart! Let the youth movement take us with some experience.
That won't prevent Gainey from trying to polish that turd!
Watch out my friend. Your blunt analysis may have you labelled as a "peckerwad" by some posters.
If so, welcome to the club.
Well, his use of "turd" was a bit over the top.
How can you be optimistic? There is nothing aside from the usual Carey Price yada, yada, yada to hang your hopes on. The curveball will be if some other GM sends an offer sheet to Higgins, Lats or Pleks. Now, that would be at the least entertaining.
I can be optimistic because ive heard all this hate before! Ive heard this team has no chance to even make the playoffs and that it will be a long season. I heard it from every journalist and analyst in the business only to see a young team take 1st in the east. They had a bad season last year no1 is doubting that and im not promising 1st in the east but things arent as bad as everyone makes them out to be. Everyone sees the kostitsyns as done but well see big things from andrei this season. Pleks and sergei will rebound as well and carey will be back in form with a new goalie coach. We could use some improvement but i think we shud let the youth run with it and a couple of players with experience not kovy since i think he has only has a negative impact on the players with his play when he wants to! Bring tanguay back and maybe add a forward. Then stack our d with francois beauchemin and mattias ohlund. After all defence wins championships. I think adding to the back end would help us alot more than adding up front. We have players who can score just give them confidence and they can shine and grow into stars.
...Second; it unnecessarily is a major unwanted upward pressure on an already difficult cap budget ...that commonsense should indicate it will at some point come back to bite his own AZZ
...it would take quite a Jack-*** of a GM to try it today ...having observed the Penner ...and other offers causing resentment and distorted values for mid-value players
Habitant means PASSIONATE HOCKEY http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=423049The one problem that Gainey does have is that every agent on the planet knows that he has cap money to burn. As a result, any UFA that he can coax to or keep in Montreal will cost him perhaps $1MM more that a competing GM would have to pony up.
Taxes are just one of the problems Gainey has in trying to attract and sign UFAs. An even-bigger issue is that UFAs just don't want to play there for love or, indeed, money. Given the squad that he has in hand right now, do you really think that Gainey is the one that has the upper hand in a game of "balls" with an agent?
Do you mean the squad that finished 3rd overall in 2007/08 or the team this past year that was decimated by injuries, misbehaviour by certain immature players and every other thing that could go wrong?
Detroit's Ken Holland stated today that they're not optimistic about signing Hossa. He offered him 4 million per year on a long-term deal because he has to sign 3 other players and doesn't have room under the cap for Hossa. If you remember a conversation we had recently, this is the exact scenario that was bound to happen to a lot of teams. I'd say Gainey and crew have put themselves in a pretty good position with their strategy. We'll find out what happens in the next couple of weeks.
Offer sheets are unlikely but it would be interesting to see BG's reaction. If we go by the last 5 years, i doubt he would match the offer sheets. He would just let them go and stock up on more youth and picks which is fine, it's the part of the job he has been great at and you can't knock him in that department, but what's the point if you don't lock up your homegrown talent and just let them leave when they reach UFA time.
It would be fun to watch the reaction if Higgins were given a sheet by the Leafs, or better yet, by the Isles after they signed Komisarek.
My esteemed enforcer you are assuming that rival GMs value Habs assets as highly as the Habs braintrust.
Not at all. If I'm Burke, I might send an offer sheet to all three of them just to break Gainey's balls. Just think about what Kevin Lowe did to the Sabres. He forced them to give Vanik stupid money. BB might just to that with Higgins for kicks.
1) LW is a position we're actually really deep at. If they offer Higgins a contract, we'd just replace him with Pacioretty.
2) The only thing Burke loves more than himself is his reputation. After the production he made after The Penner Signing, there's no way he could ever justify making an offer to another team's middling RFA (Nik Backstrom he ain't) and still keep his cred as a "straight shooter".
The joke would be on Burke if he offered to pay Higgins, Plek or Guillaume 5 million a year on an offer sheet. Gainey would think Burke is more of an idiot than he was at the draft when he was trying to get Gainey to say something interesting into his mike.
So, you sort of agree that the RFAs from last year's team pretty much aren't worth "jack" either?
Higgins @ $4MM per five years. Two years better than Ryder got. My guess is that Gainey would pay up. The Isles ink Komisarek and I would offer a similar sheet.
Gainey wouldn't match the offer and he would pick up at least a 1st,2nd and 3rd round draft choice from T.O. as compensation. You're not much on strategy, are you Chris?
Given where the Leafs are apt to finish the next few seasons, he will get them back fairly quickly. Also, given the odds on any draft pick panning out, it's worth a roll of the dice.
I don't see how Burke gets back draft picks that he's lost. Gainey would get a top 10, top 30 and a top 60 pick.
Something tells me Burke is no fan of the Grande Mute. There little exchange on Friday was priceless. Burke came off like a jerk, but you could tell the silent one rubs him the wrong way.
I was out. Have the Habs snagged Vinny yet or are we back to Plan "B," Mats Sundin?
Your joking right? There is a BS story on RDS about one of the crackpot TB owners nixxing a last second deal for Vinny friday night, but i don't believe it. I doubt they got to the point where any offers were made or it would have come out from the siv known as the tampa braintrust. I don't think there is a Plan A, B, C or D. I think it's more along the lines of throw out offers and see what sticks. If nothing sticks, Plan Z is to wait for the teams to run into cap trouble and pick up the leftovers right before the season starts.
No! I heard that Gainey is holding back on signing The Breezer until Vinny is done because he needs all the loose change he can find.
I don't think it's a coincidence that the only player offered a contract is also the only player likely to be offered more money on the open market (Komisarek)
What it boils down to is that there are precious few teams who would be willing to pay our veteran UFAs more than we are. Can you really see another team offering Kovalev more than $4.5? Or Tanguay more than $5? I honestly can't even see Minnesota outbidding us for Koivu (they have to pony up at least another $4m for their D). If he goes there it's for sentimental reasons and not the money, which we can't compete with.
The remaining UFAs aren't exactly tier 1 players are they? I can't foresee a bidding war for Kostopolous or Dandenault. and Brisebois, Lang and Schneider are all at the stage of their careers where retirement seems like a reasonable option.
Our RFAs aren't really the type to be offered sheets, (I personally think that Plekanec could end up being the steal of the off-season - heck in his worst season ever he still potted 20 goals..and I would be shocked if he signed for more than $2.25m)
Basically it looks like the plan is push hard for Komisarek and let the KKT line know what the ballpark is on their offers...if they want to look for better, then by all means go ahead...but be warned that we'll be using that money to pursue other FAs while you're testing the waters.
(Either that or the sky is falling and Bob Gainey is the dumbest man to ever have assembled a perennial Stanley Cup Contender in Dallas ;)
Good thinking,
Unfortunately though, Philly paid a very high price for Stevens, and in effect set the bar very high for the rest of the free agents,
Wait and see tactic might backfire.
On a good note, every day that passes by and we don't sign #4, we're much better of.
I can't wait for July 1st to come by and make it even harder.
As good player as #4 is, there's no justification for the price (considering the length of the term) and the return we have to send back to acquire him, it will be a suicide.
I much rather have last year's team then get #4 for the sake of getting that elluded big center who happens to be a local boy.
Don't get me wrong, he is a very good player, but not one who is worth $10,000,000/year and signed till age of 40.
I have a feeling that Komisarek's summer of free agency is going to look a lot like Souray's. Remember how he remained unsigned until almost the end of the summer and was only signed by Edmonton when they got desperate? If he doesn't take Montreal's offer then I wouldn't be surprised at all if he ends up waiting through a loooong July not knowing where he's playing.
(that is, if he insists he's worth more than $5m, like his agent seems to be implying he is)
great post
3 days and we'll see.
- Pride + Envy = Second Place
Regarding 10 free agents too many: maybe BG knows that a little exposure to free agency will drive down the price of some of his guys. Maybe he knows that they are stars in their own mind and in the Montreal bubble. After the offers don't come rolling in next week, some of them may look at the hand that has been feeding them in a new light. Look at the reality check Heatly might be getting. The feeding frenzy for free agents does not have to happen every year. Some of the managers (ex: Sutter in Calgary) have said that they are not interested.
That said, the Penguins did not get burnt on the Hossa deal like some had projected.
wf - There's a 4 million dollar bonus on July 1 for Mr.Heatley , that may keep teams away till after Wednesday , thats a reality check. Actually i don't think any of our top UFAs' are worried about bucks so much but they would like to be treated properly (exception Komo if you consider him a top UFA).
sutter said he was not interested and then bought the rights to JBO.he was getting an earlier start on July 1, 09. don't kid ur self. that may be all the flames do but he did participate.
We'll see how Bob will fare with UFA, but me thinks it will be a waiting game for Bob, as some players will not get the money they imagine getting making Bob's offers all the more interesting. Most probably a week after all the major stars get picked up. At that point we'll be all that's left.
Sad but true...
_________________________ Scream for me Montreal.....
On a draft note, it appears that Alexander Avtsin plans on coming to North America next year: http://www.russianprospects.com/public/profile.php?player_id=750
That is good news. Now, let's hope Maxim Trunev intends to do the same.
http://www.fromtherink.com/2009/6/28/928312/the-declining-influence-of-r...
James Mirtle has an interesting column on the waning influence of Russia and Central Europe. He contends that the only Russians drafted were ones that gave very strong indications that they plan on playing in the NHL and not the KHL. It's pretty interesting...
cheers!
All this abundant cap space and Bob couldn't give Emelin a decent one way deal to get him over here.
What a total clown.
I think the issue is that he can't. I think under the CBA this contract has to be two-way.
Or am I crazy?
Whether Gainey has to sign Yemelin to a one or two-way contract is irrelevant(99% sure he doesn't). He's never played in North America, can't speak English and it's not possible to know if he would adapt to living here. Therefore, Gainey would not sign him to a one-way contract and tie his hands by being unable to send him to Hamilton for obvious reasons.
And no, you're not crazy in the slightest. But you certainly don't have to look far to find crazy tonight.
Then if it has to be two way then the kid stays with the big team. He couldn't possibly be worse than anyone else on the blueline.
Gee let me see, $850,000 entry level 3 year contract as per the cba or somewhere between 3 to 3.5 million tax free to stay in russia? Tough decision isn't it?
So why do you waste draft picks on Russians then? Is the organization stupid?
The universe isn't so cut-and-dried.
Some russian kids want to play here- the trick is to identify those kids and draft them. Late. Just in case. Which is what we did.
http://www.fromtherink.com/2009/6/28/928312/the-declining-influence-of-r...
The entire league has cut back in recent years, going from a high of 14% of all draft picks in 2000 to 3% last year to 1.8% (i believe) this year.
See, pretty much every team in the league has had similar situations as Montreal, but since you don't bother to read about the NHL, only hanging around here long enough to piss and moan about the woe that is Montreal, you wouldn't know that ;)
there was no khl in 2004. plus, if emelin had gotten his feet wet in hamilton a year or two ago, he would be 20 times more likely to stay in north america.
No doubt, Gainey's job and probably Boivin's are on the line. If nothing has transpired by July 10th, the new owners will have to liquidate the management team when they officially take over. The biggest problem is Gainey's lack of foresight or vision in attracting top players. While he has done a fine job as an administrator and cleaned up the mess left before him by putting in a proper scouting team and building a stocked farm system, it takes established stars to make the leap forward when you always mired in the mid pack. By failing to lock down our top UFAs when the iron was hot (when the team was winning in october, before injuries and misery set in) he showed any potential UFAs on the market he has no plan and no commitment to putting a winner on the ice. Add to that failing to get help at the trade deadline and seemingly failing to get a trade done prior to to July 1st, i don't see why any UFA would be willing to come here at market rate. You need to show them you have a plan. There is no plan, and no willingness to do what needs to be done to correct the problem. Any player now on July 1st will say to himself what kind of situation am i getting into here? Your top 5 players are UFA and not resigned. You didn't even offer them a deal untill the last minute, so either they aren't that good or you don't appreciate your star players. You haven't made any moves to help your team and now you expect me to join a team without knowing who will be playing there? No star players will be willing to do so. On top of that Gainey now says wait until October. What's in October? When the castoffs of other teams are cut to make cap room. It's a total failure.
What an optimist!!!
October 2008: Yay, the team is playing well. Let's sign a couple of UFA's to 5 year extensions at more than their market value because we're on such a high. I'm sure it will have absolutely no adverse effects on the UFA's that we don't negotiate with. They'll still feel wanted and play their hearts out for us right?
April 2009: Wow, this is the WORST Habs team EVER. I'm glad none of these guys are locked up long-term. We can really re-build and look towards the future. We need more size, more grit, more of everything we don't have and less of everything we do have.
June 2009: ZOMG IT'S BEEN 1 DAY SINCE THE DRAFT!!! WTF IS BG DOING??? THIS TEAM IS IN SHAMBLES!!!!!!!! I LIKE TO OVERREACT USING HINDSIGHT TO POINT OUT EVERYTHING THAT'S WRONG WITH BOB GAINEY AND THE CANADIENS!!!
It's team policy not to negotiate with UFA's during the regular season. Get over it. Bob Gainey is very respected in the hockey world for a reason, just as you are merely a poster on Habs Inside/Out for a reason. If you're unhappy with how the team is being run, go cheer for someone else. You won't be missed.
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Koivu for Prime Minister :)
Yeah I agree. Who would negotiate during the season with pending free agents. What a stupid concept. Quick, Gainey should go tell Ken Holland that the Red Wings policy is totally stupid.
Gainey is out of his element in Montreal. He needs to go.
If Gainey is so respected in the hockey world how come he hasn't landed one single significant free agent during his tenure?
I can't wait to see your reaction and the excuses that follow later this week when Tanguay, Koivu, Komisarek and Kovalev end up elsewhere and Bob has to scramble to find the replacements.
But hey you said it's a great and astute policy. I guess that's why the Habs always lose out in free agency during Gainey's tensure as GM.
He will be lucky to survive the season once the Molsons come in.
They didn't spend $500 million for a glorified AHL club, which is what Bobby has positioned this team to be.
Geoff Molson knows all about the Habs. He won't tolerate a failure like that.