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Gainey decoded
posted by Mike Boone at 21h31 EST on Jun 19
I think Gainey will make a run at Olli Jokinen tomorrow. I can see him offering Florida the Canadiens' first-round pick plus an established
player (Christopher Higgins?) plus a prospect (Ryan McDonagh?).
That's a steep price – and it may not be enough. I'd pay it because I love Jokinen and I think he'd be great on this team.
I
think Plan B is Mats Sundin. He'd be as good a fit as Jokinen and, as a
UFA, Sundin wouldn't cost the Canadiens any players. But I see him
staying in Toronto or going to Detroit.
Gainey cited "$6 or $7
million" as his UFA budget. That won't put the Canadiens in the Marian
Hossa sweepstakes – and I'm fine with that.
• • •
Gainey
met today with Andrei Kostitsyn's agent, Don Meehan for what he
described as a "solid discussion.". They'll meet again tomorrow.
I see AK46 signed by the middle of next week. No idea what it will cost the Canadiens. You gotta figure north of $2 million, no?
• • •
As
best I can divine from nhlnumbers.com, which is fairly authoritative,
Canadiens have 17 players under contract for 2008-'09 with a cap total
of $37.319 million and a bous cushion of $1.55 million.
This
means they've got about $17 million to spend. Part of that will be used
to re-sign RFAs: Andrei K, Josh Gorges, Ryan O'Byrne and – I hope –
Jaroslav Halak.
That should leave what, about $8 million to $10 million?
Jokinen is signed for two more seasons at $5.25 million and $5.5 million – ridiculously affordable.
Sundin made $5.5 million this season in Toronto. He'll get a two-year deal from someone willing to pay at least $6 million.
Money-wise, Canadiens are in the hunt.
* * *
Gainey didn't come right out and say so, but he hinted strongly they're going to let Mark Streit walk.
I'm not too upset. Streit had a great season points-wise, but most of his production was on the power play.
Will losing him cripple the PP?
If Canadiens adjusted to the loss of Sheldon Souray, they'll figure out how to get by without Mark Streit.
I can see Sergei K playing the right point on the first wave of the PP.
Streit is versatile. But his versatility translates to decent third- or fourth-line forward who prefers playing defence, where he's a soft number 5 or 6 D-man.
• • •
Gainey said the Canadiens won't buy out Mathieu Dandenault. They'll either trade him or keep him.
• • •
Fearless prediction: If Nicolas Deschamps – whom Pierre McGuire, in his TSN mock draft tonight, had the Canadiens taking – is gone at 25, Gainey will trade the pick for an extra second-rounder.
* * *
Hey, wouldn't it be crazy if the Penguins cooked up a blockbuster Evgeni Malkin trade?
Stranger things have happened.
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Its interesting and a little bit amusing to read all the comments from yesterday and earlier today about what BG will or will not do. No Jokinen trade. Nobody saw the Tanguay trade coming. And for a late first round pick this year and a second round pick next year. Bob has done well.
CBC.ca is reporting that Fletcher gave Montreal permission to talk to Sundin.
Hey, moser's back.
although a bit behind the times ;)
Story of my life...
Here are my 2 cents...
Did anyone expect Gainey to reveal anything at the press conference... The answer: No... He never says anything of value to the public. I don,t blame him... Look at what happened at the deadline when he said he was looking for an impact player.. Everyone was going nuts over it and then were dissapointed when we didn't trade our youth for a rent a player... I for one am happy he did not make a trade...
As for him signing someone big... Like any other GM he will try. We don't know what happens behind closed doors... Many scenario's can happen and we don't know them all.. He has built this team so far... Let's look at the team he built..
1. Highest scoring team in NHL.
2. Highest powerplay.
3. Finished first in Division and Conference.
4. 7 players with more then 50 points this year. (Tops in NHL).
To me... For a team that was supposed to barely make the playoffs, they didn't look too bad... Just let the man do his job and see where he takes us.
In conclusion, I rather have a GM that doesn't move, then have one that does a boneheaded trade (i.e. Patrick Roy trade). I think our team has what it takes... Just give them time...
Players win games, teams win championships.
- Bill Taylor
Completeley agreed but there are also GM's who also make GREAT trades...No offense intended to Gainey...
"If I wanted to hear from an ass, I would fart..."
Yes, but their are also GM's that are in a better position to make "GREAT" trades.
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whether through,
1) a string of horrible years of being bottom dwellers which gives you:
a)An aboundance of talent for the a very affordable price. (ie Pitts with 6 top 5 draft picks over a 7yr period)
b)Also allows you to trade away vetrans to aquire draft picks.
c) Aquiring draft picks allows you to trade those picks for better positioning in the draft or for a roster player from someone seeking your picks (ie St. Louis the past couple of years).
2)few years down the road, coming into better years where a GM can't afford to keep all their young talent which still gives you:
a)an abundance of talent to be able to trade for picks or new young talent.
Gainey inherited a team that did not have a lot of valuable prospects for trading or even many years with top picks in the draft with seasons full of mediocre results. We are only now expereincing the fruit of his drafts and most of his darftees are the reason why we have a good club. Trading them, for an expensive vetran may hamper us from watching our prospects develop into star players(is TO laffs). Once our pool of draftees mature and if we stay the coarse sort of speak, opportunies and trades will open up for us.
That is true.. but I truly believe that Gainey builds a team and doesn't trade cause he trusts his choices. He is building this team exactly the same way he did the Dallas Stars..
When he needed to make a trade, he made it. He git Nieuendyk and Hull (Sorry for spelling). So when ush comes to shove he will get what he needs..
We must also remember Montreal is a very different market then Dallas... There are variables...
Players win games, teams win championships.
- Bill Taylor
Word. He gave up Iginla to do it. He'll pull the trigger when the moment is right and he's not afraid to pay a good price.
i don't think anything will go right for the habs on draft day...while still rebuilding, is it smart to trade away young pieces that have yet to maximize their potential??
Deschamps will probably be selected before the 25th pick since it seems like scouts like him a lot.
The only thing I think Gainey will pull off is convincing our RFAs that they're not worth as much as they think...lapierre signed for 1.375m for 2 years...less than we predicted...meaning o'byrne will sign for much less than a million (half a season and nothing spectacular means no big pay day) and that leaves Halak, Kostitsyn, and gorges and I think gorges realizes he has to make a million or less to stay on the team (we have plenty of prospects with much more potential than gorges) and Halak will probably make a strong case on his strong play to make between 1.5-2million...the only player that will be hard to negotiate is kostitsyn...considering all the numbers around, some people want him to stay for a paltry 2.5 million a year...he was offered 4 million from russia and jeff carter signed for 5 million a year with similar stats to kostitsyn. I'm guessing Gainey can still pull off something like 4-4.5 million a year for long term and i'd consider that a steal considering andrei's potential (and keeping sergei on board too).
As much as I'd love to see Jokinen in a Habs uniform, the proposed Higgins, McDonagh, 1st rounder (Stefanovich/Deschamps/Nemisz) trade strikes me as the type of move that we might regret for years to come. If nothing else, it would have to be a trade and sign type deal. If we trade for Jokinen then I feel Grabovski has to part of the transaction as he would have no spot to get any icetime in Montreal.
The Original 24 Cups
I could not agree more. This would, in my opinion, be an unmitigated disaster for the Habs. I understand that you have to trade quality to get quality. But I just don't think Jokinen is going to put the Habs over the top. Besides, the big problem with that trade is that it doesn't explain where Jokinen is going to play. I think the more likely trade-bait in a deal for Jokinen is Plekanec, not Higgins. While I agree that Plekanec is more valuable to the Habs on the ice than Koivu, he is also more valuable to a rebuilding Florida team. Finding enough minutes for Koivu, Plekanec and Jokinen would be VERY difficult.
Good points. I could see Grabovski or Chipchura + Fisher or O-Byrne + 1st round pick used to land a Joikinen-type player.
I'd go with Sundin - I wouldn't trade Higgins. Right, last season for him wasn't as great as we expected. But still he had the best point total of his career. In a long term, we would be going to regret this trade.
I don't know helpful this is in the discussion of whether or not BG will trade McDonaugh, but on NHL Network today, there was a replay of the 2007 draft with a focus on the Blues. BG called the Blues' GM apparently asking if the Blues would be willing to part with their 9th pick overall. The Blues declined because they already had a deal in the works with the Sharks (which was eventually executed).
The point - if BG was trying to get to 9th overall, was there someone else that he was interested in and he "settled" for McDonaugh. If so, he may be more willing to part with McDonaugh, a guy he may not have coveted. (Or, did he try to move up to ensure that he picked McDonaugh? - less likely, in my opinion).
The fact that BG called the Blues indicates that he can be aggressive and does seek out deals, even though he seems to be so conservative. I'm with Boone - I believe BG will make a big splash tomorrow, but I'm not holding my breath - I've been too disappointed in the past to expect anything major.
In Bob and Timmons We Trust.
I heard after the draft that Gainey indeed did try to move up to get McDonaugh. He was supposedly the guy they were after the whole time. It may have been Pierre McGuire who passed on this info, if I can recall.
"I think Gainey will make a run at Olli Jokinen tomorrow. I can see him offering Florida the Canadiens' first-round pick plus an established
player (Christopher Higgins?) plus a prospect (Ryan McDonagh?)."
I'd rather take my chances with Sundin as a UFA, as much as I too would love to see Jokinen with the Habs. Besides, you can't (or shouldn't?) trade Higgy, you'd break Komisarek's heart, and that will be a guy you want to keep happy for as long as possible...
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"Obviously it would be great, but they don't really hang conference titles in this rink. They raise Stanley Cup banners." - Carey Price
I'm surprised that Gainey said that if they can't trade Dandenault, then he stays. If he stays will he be up front again or go back to D?
You'd think Dandenault would want to be traded seeing as how much he sat out and will probably be sitting more again this season coming up with all the young guns making their way up the ranks. He's not getting any younger.
You gotta think guys like Chipchura, Stewart, etc are ready for a full time spot...
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"Obviously it would be great, but they don't really hang conference titles in this rink. They raise Stanley Cup banners." - Carey Price
Stewart has what... 10 minutes of career NHL ice time? I wouldn't call that "ready for a full time spot".
He'll have to earn his way on to this team with an exceptional training camp.
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Exactly, I'd like to see Chipchura and Stewart get a spot up front rather than Dandenault. I've got nothing against him but I'd like to see the new guys.
gmd & von - I totally agree. We have to make room for our young players. Dandy could certainly stay if he didn't mind being the pressbox sub but he's not going to go for that and I understand his position. I can't see him playing defense, those days are over. He's a 4th line forward now. If need be, we could always let him go for future considerations. We owe him that much. We would also free up his cap space.
The Original 24 Cups
I am very disheartened to hear that Gainey may trade a large part of the team's current and future core to land this guy. This trade, if it ever happened, would rank right beside the Roy and Chelios trades.
Joiken's current stats are on par with those of Higgins. Factor in our number 1 choice and McDoungh and we have been robbed. I have seen McDough and this guy is future all star. I guarantee that we as fans will regret the day that Gainey makes this trades.
mjames
Can't be too high on him if you're calling him "McDough."
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Go Habs Go!
Mark my words, the Habs will draft Greg Nemisz.
not a chance
Well from what I have heard Gainey will surprise..if he can.He wants to make changes .....Who's next. He is ready to deal....tomorrow will tell.Kostitsyn,Higgins.Almost traded them at the trade deadline.
I'd say the Higgins, McDonagh and a pick package would be enough to land Jokinen. I actually think that is a pretty steep price to pay, but I could handle it. I just don't know how keen Gainey is on moving McDonagh.
I can forsee a scenerio happening something like this. Gary Bettman will go to the podium after the 24th pick and announce that there has been a trade. Habs fans will temporarily go into a frenzy of excitement thinking they landed a big fish, only to see Gainey make Boone's fearless prediction a reality.