The Montreal Canadiens did not play a single hockey game in June.
The team was idle in May.
And in late April.
Despite the Canadiens' early and ignominious playoff exit, Habs Inside/Out had a good spring.
The numbers don't lie. Google Analytics credits the web site with 1,237,783 page views in June – an 85 per cent increase over the 668,327 views in June, '08.
Woo hoo! Bonus cheques all around for Stubbs, Boone, Hickey and Mio.
And imagine site traffic if the Canadiens ever made a deep playoff run.
Woo hoo! Bonus Depends and walkers for Stubbs et al.
im really surprised tanguay hasnt gone anywhere
I'm not real happy about out "new" look , especially withKoivu leaving .. however What's done is done ... We need a captain and a couple of assistants .. Who ????
NOBODY ON THIS TEAM CAN REPLACE WHAT SAKU has given this organization since his playing time here. He deserves to come back and finish his career in a HABS JERSEY. C'mon all you Habs fans from Montreal.....get behind SAKU and start making noise in the streets "WE WANT SAKU BACK". Start getting the word out for peatsakes. I bet he will come back for less money as a #2 Centre. I BELIEVE!!!!! SAKU!!!! SAKU!!!!! MAKE SOME NOISE ON THE STREETS AND GET ON THE AIRWAVE AND SHOW YOUR DISPLEASURE IN BG NOT SIGNING SAKU FOR 2 MORE YEARS. GO HABS GO!!!! CAN YOU DIG IT!!!! CAN YOU DIG IT!!!
You must be on crack. There is not one fan in Montreal that I've spoken to that wants Koivu back. I mean, nobody's saying "good riddance" but everyone accepts that the team is in a metamorphosis. There is a new coach, new owners and soon there will be a new captain. The king is dead, long live the king! Put away your sentimentality and dry your hankies. If this is too hard to bear I recommend you watch curling.
No dawdling; let's do this.
Peace Out
_____________________________________________________
Lord Bugs Potter, esq. Vicount of Vernersvurgh, Duke of Dickleberger and Follower Extraordinaire of The St.Flannel.
I don't want to give you false hope Bugsy but I heard a rumour that Kovy wont sign with the Habs until Koivu signs with another team, and that BG and AK27 are just waiting for when the time is right.
Its a RUMOUR, not based in fact, and you never heard it from me!
YES !!! RISE UP !!!!
SAKU !!! SAKU !!! SAKU!!!
Jean Béliveau was the 1st Habs player I enjoyed watching growing up. He was my idol. Then came along Guy LeFleur when I was in my late teens. He was by far the my favorite hockey player of all time in a Habs jersey. The way Guy was treated when they tried to make him play defensive hockey was pointless. Guy could only make the plays when he got on the ice and he made things happen like it was magic. The management destroyed Guy and force him into early retirement. That was one of many mistakes the franchises has made over the years. Now it has come to the heart and soul of the team for years IMHO, Saku Koivu. I wish him nothing but the best and I hope the organization brings him back for a farewell ovation when he retires in the NHL. Its only fitting to give this man for what he has done in this wonderful city of Montreal. I know he is feeling bad right now and wish he had won a CUP as Captain. But that never materialized for him and he to is now pushed out the door searching for a new team. Saku should have retired as a Habs and finished his career in a city that he gave all he could for being the only franchise player the organization ever had under his regime. Good luck Saku!! Time to move on and start over. God bless!!
Whoa! I´m suprised that anyone of you montrealers even remember him.. I´m happy he can retire in the place where he is appreciated. I feel a little bitter because he was our guy.
Go, Habs GO!
... SAKU ... Rangers, Devils and Ducks in Fight for Saku as the Wild put on Hold ..... http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/wildblog/ .............. New Jersey is one team hot after Koivu, as well as the New York Rangers, who now that they traded Scott Gomez, really doesn’t have a center to get the puck to Marian Gaborik. Anaheim likes him, too.
NO KOIVU TO RANGERS!
i was preparing to laugh at the rangers for all their "great mves" but not being able to move the puck around
- thanks for everything, saku koivu.
Sorry, I had intended this as a reply to "twocents" post and "habsgod" reply to him further down on this page:
Yesterday RDS was quoting Gainey saying that BG had already made an offer to Kovalev (probably the 2 years/8.8 mil one that was reported briefly elsewhere) but Kovy either had not bothered to answer or tried to dicker and in the meantime Cammaleri accepted BG's offer. In Gainey's words he had to act right away not to lose both players. Obviously at that particular time, he was convinced that Kovy didn't want to sign the 4.4 mil per offer.
Hence it was adios to Kovy. From what I can gather BG along w/Martin's opinion, didn't want to extend offers to Tanguay, Lang at all and Koivu was possibly a plan B (if he couldn't trade for Gomez).
Despite the fact that most fans did like them, IMHO, their collective display of play/effort last season plus their age bracket did not really made them indispensable.
Time to move on and bid them good luck.
Ali B.
What is going on with the majority of the fans on this site???Some of you snivel bout Koivu and Kovy way too much,heck you can see them on other teams this year....You know why they are gone don't you?you all seen last years terrible results....quite simply put they and the rest of them played their way off the team! Remember this is about winning ,not sucking!So put your worlds smallest violins away,get some tissue and GET REAL......AND DON'T START WITH THE EXCUSES(LIKE THE ONE NO ONE WANTS TOO PLAY HERE,LOL)
Koivu had a very rich history with the Habs and commands respect from punks like you. Nobody has to be happy that he is gone. Same goes for Kovalev. We don't have to be happy they are gone. Stop being such a jerk.
Dude ..seriously,life is way too short and precious to give the dumping of Lang,Kovy, Saku,TTB,Dandy,Cube and Tang any more time.It's like the Ryder deal,blah blah blah. If you want to stay with the world famous Montreal Canadiens you have to man up and do your part...... Now as for past services from all former Hab members ,thanks and good luck.....ta da see simple:)
With Saku its personal. We are a class act team and we should look at the person when it comes to Saku when we look at what he has been through. If he wants to stay for 2-3 mill we should keepn him!
Agreed! I cannot believe he wasn't given an offer at all. I think it should have been Saku's decision. Offer him what you are willing to pay him and if he wants to go elsewhere, so be it. But to got give him the option to stay with the only club he's ever known, its just sad!
__________________________________________________________________________ "This kid is going to win a Stanley Cup one day and hopefully I'll be with him when that happens" - Saku Koivu
Koivu's contract is over and he doesn't fit into the new coaches plans. Get over it!
Get over it? It's rude SOB's like you that piss me off! I have EVERY right to feel sad that Koivu is not coming back, so shut your trap if all you're going to say is "Get over it"
__________________________________________________________________________ "This kid is going to win a Stanley Cup one day and hopefully I'll be with him when that happens" - Saku Koivu
You know for a fool who took the time to poke fun at the new regime with your avatar - you sure are trying to sell us on bringing back "Papa Smurf" at least the 3 new guys are YOUNG.
;-)
& yeah GET OVER IT... Koivu ain't coming back, there are FAR more people that would want Kovalev back.
& I Agree... IF one of them should return it is Kovalev or Tanguay. Koivu needs to move on.
Kovy isn't coming back, nor does he deserve to, GET OVER IT!
__________________________________________________________________________ "This kid is going to win a Stanley Cup one day and hopefully I'll be with him when that happens" - Saku Koivu
I've never attepted one of these, but I was feeling frisky, so here goes...
Left Centre Right
(6.000) Cammalleri (7.357) Gomez (5.000) Gionta
(3.250) A. Kostitsyn (2.000) Lang (4.500) Kovalev
(0.875) Pacioretty (0.688) Lapierre (1.000) Latendresse
(1.500) Laraque (1.000) Metropolit (0.650) D’Agostini
(0.650) Stewart**
Add: Kovalev, Lang. Lang gets the "injury discount"; he should be motivated to prove his worth, and adds size and smarts and veteran presence up the middle. Kovy is, well... Kovy.
Stewart, D’Agostini and Latendresse with raises. Give them one year deals and let them prove that they should be part of next year's plan.
Goodbye to: S. Kostitsyn, T. Plekanec. Trade 'em for picks; the important thing is to open up some cap space.
D
(5.750) Markov
(3.833) Spacek
(5.500) Hamrlik
(1.100) Georges
(2.250) Gill
(0.875) Weber
(0.942) O'Byrne**
Weber should make his presence felt this year. O'Byrne gets one last shot to prove that he belongs, too.
Forwards: 34.470
Blueline: 20.250
Goal: 2.975
Bonus Cushion (Price, Weber) - 1.613
__________________________________
TOTAL CAP HIT 56.082
Chuck, after Kovy pulling his stunt yesterday, I simply do not want him here anymore, under any circumstance. I hope he is forced to sign for less than what Gainey offered. He has been extended far too many chances and after his professions of wanting to stay here for the rest of his career, his spurning of a very reasonable offer is nothing short of spitting on the CH. Sorry to be this harsh about it but, that's how I feel. I say use the money to sign Beauchemin or sit on it and pick up a cap clearance deal in September. At this point bringing Kovy back is like cleaning your car and leaving a big bird turd on the hood. Bob's gone this far, re-signing Kovy would be a step backwards.
...Oh, I am not ready to ditch S.Kost, I think he is still malleable. An upgrade on Pleks would be great.
I heard a rumour that Kovy wont sign with the Habs until Koivu signs with another team, and that BG and AK27 are just waiting for when the time is right.
Eric - Kovy's agent was an angel in all of this, the advisor.
Bryan, I am sure his agent was hoping to increase the size of his cut, but had Kovy told him, "If Bob offers anything over 4 millin for more than year, I sign", it would not have mattered what the agent thought. He would be signed. Kovy is not some pimpled face kid, his agent works for him and if he isn't good at listening then Kovy should be adult enough to find one who is. I'm not letting him pass the buck on this one. He wants to know to what else is out there, then he pays the consequences for his curiosity.
twocents what stunt are you talking about? what did kovalev do? can you please tell me?
I'm willing to give Kovy the benefit of the doubt (for now) mainly because we don't really know what's going on behind closed doors, or if Bob would still be interested in doing business with him, etc. If it turns out that the worst was indeed true, I guess that you could go with a A.Kos - Lang - S.Kos second line, though I'd prefer Kovy's talent there.
I wouldn't want to lose Sergei, either; unfortnately for him I think that Pacioretty is about to jump him on the depth chart which with a Kovy in the lineup could very well make him a candidate to free some cap space and generate a pick or some more depth in the minors. It's either that or let him languish in the AHL.
All back room shenanigans aside, this was just an exercise in trying to ice the strongest (semi-realistic!) team possible, and make it fit under the cap.
Don't know if doable or what the long-term consequences would be (I don't like giving up on SKots), but THERE's a team that you could believe in.
I do think slot in bigger and more reliable center for Pleks and POOF! you've got two lines. I believe in both the Kostitsyns, and think they'll surprise. (Think Higgins will pot 25 and be a PK monster in NYR, too, but that's another story. . . and think Komisarek is way overrated)
IMO, for Higgins to pot 25 or more, he would have to play on their first line. I have a difficult time to believe that'll be so. We shall see what happens. Re Komisarek, you are right, he was and is one trick pony and way overrated.
Ali B.
i don't like how people want to give up on young talent so quickly.
It's not about wanting to give up on young talent, but at some point you've got to decide wich of the youngsters will be with you long-term. Unfortunately you can't keep everyone. Pacioretty or Sergei? I know which one I'd take. Pleks goes not because I don't like him as a player, but because the team is better with Lang at centre, and you could get Lang for about the same price.
There would still be lots of young talent: Pacioretty, Weber, D'Agostini, Stewart, Lapierre, Latendresse, Georges, Price, O'Byrne... but balanced with a veteran presence on both forward and D.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Btgj_iJibXA
One of the comments: "Nichlas the torpedo Torp" LMAO
Nice. Leaves his feet. Typical dirty euro check ;) But I like it.
Has anyone heard anything on Koivu and Kovy? Are any teams interested in them?
__________________________________________________________________________ "This kid is going to win a Stanley Cup one day and hopefully I'll be with him when that happens" - Saku Koivu
LA was interested in Kovy yesterday.
Wild and Ducks intereted in Koivu. Possibly Montreal.
Thank-you. I've been a little worried that I haven't heard anything. If they can't play for the Habs, I at least want the option of watching both of them play elsewhere. As an added bonus, I don't hate any of the three clubs you mensioned.
__________________________________________________________________________ "This kid is going to win a Stanley Cup one day and hopefully I'll be with him when that happens" - Saku Koivu
I have heard from friends of mine that root for the Leafs that they don't come on HIO for the hockey discussions, but for the life changing ads that are posted in the upper right-hand corner. This one evidently is their current favorite:
http://www.aralifestyle.com/article.aspx?UserFeedGuid=2299c748-7ce1-4826...
LOL
Heh, so I just spent some time wading through Pension Plan Puppets...they mostly seem to think Komisarek was a terrible signing and that they have no one who can score, especially on D. That being said, they all seem to be taking solace in their off-season of discontent by calling Gainey looney.
Far be it from me to rub things in....but shall we consider Burke's brilliance this off-season?
1) Tried to get Tavares...FAIL
2) Tried to trade Kaberle, his only offensive Dman, for Kessel yet somehow failed to properly enumerate what the trade actually entailed thus killing it...FAIL
3) Tried to sign the Sedins...FAIL
4) Tried to sign Ohlund...FAIL
5) Tried to sign Cammalleri...FAIL
6) Tried to sign Neil...FAIL
7) Traded their only other D man with any offense (Kubina) for tough guy (Exelby) in an obvious salary dump when he already had $12m in cap space anyways...FAIL
8) Signing Colton Orr to a $4m/4yr contract when he already has 5 players just like Orr...FAIL
9) Signed a defensive defenceman with absolutely zero offensive game (and who could very well be damaged goods) to a contract worth $4.5m/yr AND includes a NMC...FAIL
10) Re-signed Grabovski, a streaky douchebag whom is hated by his own teamates for almost $3/yr...FAIL
11) Pinning all his goalie hopes on Gustavsson, a Swede who's never played a minute in the NHL and isn't giving them an answer during this crucial period as his mother just died...(potential) FAIL.
Am I forgetting anything? :D
Yes you are. You're forgetting his successes.
Attempting to be the most obnoxious shmuck in the NHL......MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
As much as I hate to say it, what the Leafs are doing will probably eventully pan out. Creae a tough as nuts teams that cant score and will get scored on but wont be pushed around. Come in last or close to for 2-3 years and soak up the high picks. Bring them into the fold as time goes on, and start slowly sorting/discarding out muscle and boneheads. Use some othe teams discarded players you picked up who happenned to get better to trade up. Keep at the plan, and a winning team will come. Insert UFA's who like to play with the young talent. That's essentially his winning formula and it has worked.
67) last time the toronto maple leafs won the cup...fail
- thanks for everything, saku koivu.
Makes Bob look like a genius.
so...any chance that swedish guy bob signed before any of this craziness happen will make the NHL?
- thanks for everything, saku koivu.
Mikael Johansson?
yea that guy...is he our zetterberg?
- thanks for everything, saku koivu.
If ya like em 5'9 :P
is he that small?
- thanks for everything, saku koivu.
Apparently. At 5'10 we can use Dany Masse, 110pts in 68gp 44g 66a with Les Voltigeurs de Drummondville. Oh, and a +41. Johansson is a Detroit 9th round pick! We're feeding on the scraps hoping for a Zetterberg! Imagine...Lol.
Can someone please name THREE more OVER-PAID players in the league than Gomez, so I can at least feel this wasn't the worst deal of the year? Please???
~ Listen to the smart dog - he knows his poop!
Daniel Briére 08/09 salary $10 mil: GP 29 25 pts
Brad Richards 08/09 salary $7.8 mil GP 56 48 pts
Ed Jovanovski 08/09 salary $6.5 mil GP 82 36pts
Paul Kariya 08/09 salary $6 mil. GP 11 15 pts.
There, feel better? Now stop scratching that itch and go get the flea powder.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Beliveau is the best that ever was.
Yeah, but on a point-per-game basis these are ALL better, some WAY better. Injuries happen.
~ Listen to the smart dog - he knows his poop!
gionta and cam are goal scorers and without gomez, they wouldn't be here! worth it i say!
yes
If you just look at the Gomez deal, it is OVER-PAID. But if you look at the whole picture, we need a new line and Gomez is an assist-specialist centerman, who can make his linemate better. I would rather have one productive line than a good winger.
mike komisarek
- thanks for everything, saku koivu.
lol
~ Listen to the smart dog - he knows his poop!
Marian Goborik - Rangers -$7.5 million
Chris Drury- Rangers- $7.05 million
Thomas Vanek - Buffalo - $7.14 million
But I'm still pissed about Gomez and our new line up of smurfs.
i'd pay thomas vanek 7.14$ million. elite goal scorer imho
You asked for three, my favourites:
Paul Stastny $6M
Brad Richards $7.8M
Wade Redden $6.5M
You can go on with this. The positive is that these (stupid) salaries will ultimately shut down 4 teams in the USA and hopefully relocate a few into Canada: Hamilton, Quebec and Winnipeg.
source: www.nhlnumbers.com
--I will die a delirious fan and never apologize for it!--
Peace Out
_____________________________________________________
Lord Bugs Potter, esq. Vicount of Vernersvurgh, Duke of Dickleberger and Follower Extraordinaire of The St.Flannel.
Laraque, Laraque and Laraque!
Brian Campbell, Jeff Finger, Wade Redden, Michal Roszival, Danny Briere to name a few.
Feelin' sentimental:
My best memory of Saku, besides the amazing ovation during his comeback, was when I had won a pair of hockey tickets from a raffle we had in my peewee hockey team. This was in 1999, I believe. The Habs were playing against the Rangers and the game had finished in a 2-2 tie (remember ties?). Koivu had literally DEMOLISHED Sandy McCarthy for getting cute with one of our players. This was behind the play aswell. McCarthy was a BIG dude. He got absolutely crunched by Koivu.
Later on, my dad, who's always been a saavy man, took me to the side of the "Molson Center". This really ordinary gray door with no handle was there, it swung open and we snuck in. We were in the garage. We met all the Habs and got some autographs. Surprisingly, Jose Theodore, although TINY, was a pretty cool guy ;). Anyways, I wanted nothing to do with the Rangers fan lineup (seemed to be a lot more people there). I wanted to see Saku cause he was my favorite player. I had been disappointed before when meeting one of my idols, long story. So I was kind of nervous. All the players pretty much signed my hockey cards and took off since they were leaving in the morning. Some stuck around to talk, Theodore included. I felt tall. Still beside the point. When Saku drew closer I was gettin really riled up. When he got to us, my dad was talking pretty casually with him while I stood there and stared. I just froze. My dad didn't say anything but Koivu himself started talking to me. He asked me where I played, how I was doing and if I enjoyed hockey, which I just seemed able to answer calmly. He had this perfect way of making you feel comfortable...as in not awkward. I could imagine how guys in the room would have felt meeting him for the first time. Very easy to talk to. We had a good five to ten minute chat with the man. He was even more than I had expected him to be.
I grew up in a financially struggling family. Hockey tickets were not something we could afford. That was the only game I had ever been to until I started working myself. I'm sure though, that even had I seen 100 games to this day, none would be as exciting and as fulfilling as that one. That was all thanks to Saku Koivu.
I truly wish him the best and am extremely saddened that he is leaving. It's kind of sinking in and it's difficult to swallow. Hockey is a tradition in my household as it probably is for all of you here at HI/O. We may not agree on a lot of things, but we all have that same common ground. That and we love our Habs. As a person who watched Saku carry this team on his shoulders throughout my childhood, it's like saying goodbye to those years. It's like letting go of one of those final pieces of childhood I had left. He truly made me want to better myself at hockey and many of my other endeavours.
I am extremely greatful and feel priviledged to have been able to call Saku Koivu our captain for all these years. He will truly...TRULY be missed.
Great story, great post.
~ Listen to the smart dog - he knows his poop!
My captain has always been Le Gros Bill, Jean Beliveau. He used to walk down Dorchester (when his office was at the Forum) during lunch hour. I used to see him a couple times a week, especially when the weather was good. For me, he has always represented the CH and set the standard for captain of the Canadiens.
I have no doubt that if Saku was as big as his heart he would have led this team to a championship, but, unfortunately, poor management early in his career crippled the Habs for his tenure as captain. His return from cancer will always remain a highlight. The 07/08 team was the first he'd played on that had a chance to do something and we all saw what happened. His time with the team has come and gone and there won't be too much to remember about it save that it was a decade of frustration. I can only imagine how he feels about it as he signs with a new team.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Beliveau is the best that ever was.
For you crabvader....
The End of The Koivu Era: A Look Back At A Proud Habs Warrior's Greatest Moment
Thank you very much, great read. :)
Thanks for sharing that, crabvader. Saku is one of kind, it has indeed been a privilege to have called him our captain for as long as we have.
Really wonderful post. Thank you for taking the time to write it and express such a moving message; I wish that Saku could read it.
I'm still working my way up to telling my six year old son that he's gone. Haven't done it yet.
took the words right out of me mouth.
i am only 20 so for me koivu is the only captain that i have really known and has always been around.
it's a shame he is leaving but i wish him all the best
--- we need a kovalev
Nicely said.
I visit the site regularly (usally at least 3 times a day). Glad to see the website doing well, it's hard to get Canadiens coverage this thorough.
ps.
if you guys are getting a bonus you should spread the around to the ones who make this site a hit :)
Anybody interested in listening to some bull**** go onto tsn.ca and watch the OTR interview with Lansberg and Komisarek. I can't help but believe that the dressing room in 2008/09 was full of ****heads, counting the day to July 1st and the pay-day courtesy of a franchise that turns regular guys into superstars just b/c they wear the sweater of a historical dynasty.
Say what you will, this team needed exactly what Bob did: pillage.
Next steps s/b trading away some more losers: Pleks and the Kostitsyn sisters. Please bring in players who want to be here, favour a Quebecois (which I am not) when the talent is even. I'm tired of Team Europe - it doesn't work.
--I will die a delirious fan and never apologize for it!--
Right on, dude. Don't entirely agree about the europe comment, but bang on regarding the no-hearts like K brothers, Pleks et co. This team needs balls.
you know..alot of people say the K bro's have no heart but i dont think thats the case (especialy with Sergei).
i just think that they had no clue what to do on the ice because carbo epically failed as a coach
--- we need a kovalev
agreed. he's a kid, and he had a great season two years ago. he's got great potential, as does andrei. give them a chance - they're top line players and we need them.
I listened to that and lost some respect for Komo. When asked if he "signed for the money" he skirted the issue and mentioned something about there were some offers from non hockey markets. Then mentioned that he liked the direction the Leafs were going and what Burkes vision was. The best part was when he then admitted that he never even spoke to Burke....so how could he agree with his vision !!!
A superfiscial player all about "me" and the money. Good ridence. I think Bob going behind the bench gave him a perfect view of just who the guys were in the room..hence why most of them are gone.
Ask yourself this..........if these guys ( Tanguay, Kovalev etc) were so awesome, why are they still not signed. The most saught after guys go the first day, and ususually the first two days for sure.
"I'm tired of Team Europe - it doesn't work"
Tell that to Detroit :P
Detroit is Team Sweden, not Team Europe. I believe that if you are going down that path then stick to a country, for example while Koivu was here we should have been all over Finish players and not ruin chemistry with Russians, Slovaks, Checks etc. It's about team dynamics and we saw how nasty it can get with divisions.
Washington "gets it" and they have built with Russians around Ovy. My idea.
--I will die a delirious fan and never apologize for it!--
Well, as far as I'm concerned, Sweden is in Europe :P
I've heard of silly posts and I'm sorry but this one is one of them. A team is a team. Period! Try making that comment in any other sport and see if it makes sense to you. Some teams have good chemistry and some don't. That's it that's all. Please, none of this conspiracy theory nonsense. Now let's get back to supporting our team.
pssst...Ovechkin's Centre is Swedish (Backstrom)
They brought in Federov to get OVY's head on straight, Semin is there as was Kozlov and take a look at their prospects: 3 FWDs and 3 DMen from Russia PLUS their new #1 goalie Varlamov. Their second round pick was Russian as well this year. I'll bet this team will have five/six Russians on the roster once they gel into a Cup Contender (which seems soon).
link: http://capitals.nhl.com/team/app?service=page&page=TeamPlayers&type=rost...
--I will die a delirious fan and never apologize for it!--
If Saku wants a concrete shot at Cup contention, I would suggest he join Anaheim.
saku + finnish flash
make it happen bob murray!
- thanks for everything, saku koivu.
If I were San Jose I would sign Koivu and unload Marleau. Saku is perfect at #2, always was. He had the misfortune of brutal mgt that couldn't find that #1
--I will die a delirious fan and never apologize for it!--
Just for Ian (and anyone else who wanted to know): players signed for sure and their cap hits
CENTERS
Scott Gomez (7.357), Maxim Lapierre (0.658), Glen Metropolit (1.000)
RIGHT WING
Brian Gionta (5.000), Mike Camalleri (natural center but plays wing) (6.00), Georges Laraque (1.500)
LEFT WING
Andrei Kostitsyn (3.25), Sergei Kostitsyn (0.817)
DEFENSE (LEFT-HANDED SHOT)
Andrei Markov (5.750), Jaroslav Spacek (3.833), Roman Hamrlik (5.500), Hal Gill (2.250), Josh Gorges (1.100)
DEFENSE (RIGHT-HANDED SHOT)
Ryan O'Byrne (0.942)
GOALIES
Carey Price (2.200), Jaroslav Halak (0.775)
TOTAL CAP HIT: 47.961
SALARY CAP FOR THIS YEAR: 56.8
AVAILABLE CAP: 8.839 Million
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGiUCY8DCPk
I'll miss this little guy more than anyone. Saku, you are and always will be the heart and soul of this team for years to come.