Moen signs three-year Habs deal

I think the smart teams will have Montreal figured out.  Just block Montreal based on its lefties!  What is with this push to have almost an entire team that shoots left?

Pacioretty - Gomez - Gionta

A. Kostitsyn - Plekanec - Cammalleri (Jacko said he also plays RW)

Latendresse - Lapierre - Moen (can play his off-wing to crush bodies)

Stewart - Metropolit - Laraque

Markov - Spacek

Hamrlik - Mara

Gill - Gorges 

Weber or Subban

Price (living in Jacko's house where he'll die of boredom or focus on his game)

Sergei Kostitsyn -- rotting in the KHL... and somewhere on the West Island, carbo would be smiling

Now THAT's a lineup I can be happy about!

“All hockey players are bilingual. They know English and profanity.” Gordie Howe

I like his size and character, but he's been a minus player every year, and that's playing with good teams in Anaheim and SJ.  I hope his work ethic rubs off on others.

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If a man speaks in a forest where no woman can hear him, is he still wrong?

Grit and character are crucial and I've definitely been on board the "out with the old, in with the new" movement, but it's truly hilarious how the signing of a third-line plugger and a No. 5 d-man have nitwits completely flip-flopping from their "sky is falling and Gainey must go" stances.

If Carey Price doesn't return to franchise goalie form, we won't be "difficult" to play against. Even with last year's group, we were rolling along just fine until Price got injured/horny/boozed up/shat himself/insert own rumour here.

Tne key to any of this is, gulp, a 21-year-old kid. I hope they make sure the young fella lives with a veteran and his family. I still firmly believe he can be an elite 'tender.

But if he doesn't turn it around, Gainey's a goner, even if he signs a few more grinders that make everyone moist.

Moen's minus 52 in 3.5 seasons in San Jose and Anaheim? Playing 3rd-line minutes?  Yikes!

Guys please, I am loving these recent acquisitions. They really add a much needed component to our team. However these statements that guys like Cammalleri and Gionta wouldn't have signed without Gomez is ludicrous. It's not like they signed at a bargain price just to play for Gomez. Gainey did something that he's not often done in past free agencies. He did something he HAD to do with all our UFA's. He overpaid! Not many teams are going to hang around in a 5M bidding war for Gionta. Same for Cammalleri. They were very good signings. I am glad he signed them. I understand that in free agency you have to overpay. But really, Gomez is not the source. He might have been an enticement. But I really believe that even without him, they would still sign that their current contracts to play with Plekanec!

Guess no chance for Tom the Bomb to get resigned with Moen on board, I'll welcome him, but damn if i won't miss seeing Tom work his *** off out there and try valiantly to win fights he lost the second he dropped the gloves.

I like these signings, back-end improvement and a new grinder to work on the 3rd and 4th lines.

- Captain Koivu Forever

Wow, 360 degree turn for the HABS, now who cares where Komi went (I'd like to see him fight again hahahaha)...

Alot of debating on whether the Gomez signing had any affect on the recent signings, I say yes (even though I was opposed to his cap hit). He is a leader, he does have skill, and he plays hard. BUt that is not all...

IMO, I think the coaching change (complete system for once) with The Martin Era (I still call it that, I think it will stick for a while, if you know what I mean), the paying for players (Gomez), made alot of other talent realize that Gainey is "changing" the face of the Montréal Canadiens, and they wanted to be a part of it, who wouldn't?

Excited for the season to start? Absolutely!

GO HABS GO!

Damn, the future's so bright i just put on my shades!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am a former supporter of Bob Gainey. I have not comment on these recent moves . I am still trying to understand and justify how any hockey person in his right mind would pay $8mm a year for a 15 goal scorer for five plus years. This deal will hamstring this franchise for years to come. I dare anyone who considers himself a knowledgeable hockey fan to make a convincing argument for this deal.

mjames

Gulp........I like the signing but his +/- stats scare the living hell out of me! 

"We will win the Cup one day only with a mature Carey Price in the nets"

Excellent moves today.  Next step:  trade away PLEKS, KOST. SISTERS

--I will die a delirious fan and never apologize for it!--

I love this signing...you doubters ought to be ashamed!

XXIV...and counting

The Habs got a helluva lot more ugly  in a good way. The critics and many of you on this site have bashed Gainey since July 1, but I have noticed that you have coattailed into a corner today. Gainey has rebuilt the Habs in a smart way. Big D, three or four small speedy forwards, who are not like some ( Pleks) who will actually get their noses dirty. Then he added some size and toughness, with folks that can actually play. Yes the Lord. Brian Burke went out and got the goons, but the Habs got toughness, speed and some that can chip in with the odd goal. Moen is a perfect Hab.Tough, solid in the corners and can score 10-12 goals a year. He will be perfect to ride shotgun with Gomez and Gionta. You throw in Stewart and BGL and no team is going to intimidate the Habs. And for Moen, we finally have a tough Western Canadian boy!!!! Then we can throw gill and Mara into the mix and there will be no Philly flu for this team!!!

I awit Pierre Mcquire's response. And i also want to hear from Michael Farber, and the rest who have burnt Gainey at the stake over the past few weeks.

Two great signings both cap friendly..best part lost nothing

Picture of two perfect things clashing

Do anybody know how much salary per year is Patrick Marleau making? How long is he signed for with SJ?

Where is all the "Gomez is the worst trade ever" talk.  I would love to hear Pierre "know nothing" McGuire now ???

I have said all along right from the moment the trade was made, that Gomez was the bait needed to attract top UFA's this year.  He is a very good center, but is respected around the league, and was every bit a lure to other UFA's as he was our first line center.  And voila, look what happens...we attract top UFA's.

I wish the casual fans would keep their uninformed comments to themselves before they know of the FULL plan.

This is a great signing that almost guarantees either a big trade or Pacs starts the year in Hamilton with only injuries dictating his call up.

In one day we got bigger and tougher in so many ways. This team will not be pushed around any longer.

BGL, Stewart, Gill, Mara, Moen.

Who are you people??? Where is all the Gainey bashing. Where is the 'this is a terrible mistake'? I don't get it. YOUR HAPPY??????????????  OK WHAT IS GOING ON? Someones playing a trick on me... Is the world ending?

Check this out - I saw this on HockeyBoards today - watch to the end of the fight. Moen sure is one tough SOB

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQaE0TuXCXI&feature=player_embedded

I don't think Plekanec is going anywhere though - I think Gainey would move D'Agostini and Chipchura before he gives up on Plek's. He's fast, defensively responsible, and has scored 20 goals three years in a row. He has value, and he works hard AND doesn't have a bullsh*t ego problem.

wow...I'm soon to be at a loss for words....possibly nothing to complain about!!!!

I rally'd for a fighter, then came Larock, I yelled for more grit, specifically North American GRIT and it has arrived big time... I begged to bring up the YOuth Movement because I didn't like the effort or grit from the centennial roster, and we got a peak at them (Pax,D'ags,Stewy) ...folks, we have one hellofateam here!!!

NAG:GIONTA,CAM,GOMEZ,MOEN,GILL,LAPS,LATS,METRO,PAX,STEWY,D'AGS,LAROC,HAMMR,GORGES,OBRYNE

non-NAG:KOSTYs,PLEK,MARK,SPACEK

fantastic!!!!!!

I would say that it's not just Pleks gone.  If you look at the contracts for next year, it would appear that the salaries committed to next year are around $56.1.  Keep in mind that this is including the raise that is mandated by the NHL and NHLPA for our rfa's(but not Plekanec), and Bob Gainey signing Moen to a deal that pays around $1.2m/season.  There is no money left to sign Tomas Plekanec.  You also have to factor in that we now have these left handed defensemen.  Markov, Hamrlik, Gorges, Mara, Gill & Spacek.  There is no way that they are all staying, Bob Gainey is too smart to ice a dcorps with 6 left handed shots, he knows that if you do that the opposition will run a rw lock and you'll never get out of your own end due to the inability to breakout of both sides of your zone.  So......who's overpaid?  It's obvious that Roman Hamrlik's salary is less than desirable and factor in that there are a few teams out there looking for solid blueliners, Columbus, Dallas, Chicago, San Jose.  Sure, they have good players like Vermette, Richards, Bolland & Marleau but if anything like that is to happen we'll need to send more salary than just Hamrlik, it would have to include Maxwell or Chipchura,  there isn't a lot of depth in the organization at the wing, adding Moen takes a bit of pressure off of Max Pac and puts a bit more on SK but I know there is another deal in the making because there's no money left for a second line centre right now.  A TRADE IS LOOMING!!!! 

Interesting. I hope he replaces Tenderness.

I love how BG said, "i think we're done" or something to that effect and then pulls out 2 good character type signings that others may have been drooling to get. I said it before and I'll say it again, the Gomez trade the day before UFA day was genious to start attract others. The players who signed wanted to come here. It's a long season but no one can make fun of our grit and any longer. Gainey knew he had to change the character of this team and his has succeded. I wonder if he is done yet? Pleks is the last of the "girls"...hmmm.

FYI 3 years / $4.5 million.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=4320058

bg...wow. did something happen to him this month. jekyll and hyde or what. a great character player. a player no one likes to play against, tough all over the ice, plays both ends very effectively. i remember him playing against the sens and what mean son of a bitch.

i like this  meaner, faster , tougher team to play against.

what ya saying pierre mcguire.

And yet another thing -- people were asking about Captaincy: well, we just got two of them today. A propos my post last week about K-bros & a real old-style captain, if either of the Kostits do thing one that threatens team performance & harmony (listen to Mara on the audio clip on this) -- in fact, if they even look like impairing Gomez's performance -- he will meet them in a quiet corridor and scare them white.

Oh, I love this.

Bob Gainey.  Where have you been for the last 5 years?  Like Rip Van Winkle, you woke up on July the first and with a wad of cash bought us a real hockey team. Any one still questioning whether we make the playoffs?  LOL.  Here's to hoping we compete against Saku for the cup next year so that even if we loose, we will not be disappointed.

This is really impressive. Where are we at on salary cap? What / who have we got left to spend / sign?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bmAiuaRKow

better then Komi

Well Bob Gainey's actions speak much LOUDER than his words.

While we enjoyed TK's enthusiastic play and MK's "physicality" Moen and Mara will make opponents moan-pun intended-to a significant degree. Mara's one year, injuries and O'Byrn's humongous challenge to elevate his game this year, should only damper temprarily PK's, Weber's and Carle's intensity. If they want to, and we know they do, play in Montreal in the next 6 to 12 months, there is room for them.

Moen brings, I believe, more durability (bigger and stronger than TK) and productivity than TK. Here's some context:

while Moen's +/- is nothing to write home about and his TOI season average over the past 5 years is between 6 and 12 min, the kicker is how well he's played in the playoffs, ex. in 2006-2007 he  had 12 points (7 goals and  5 assists) and averaged 21 min, year before 20 min and year after 25. Very impressive performance.

Anybody who calculates well should compare salaries:

Gill + Mara + Spacek vs Komisarek + Beauchemin

1.5 + 1.9 approx + 3.8 vs 4.5 + 3.8

7.3 for Montreal vs 8.3 for Toronto

differential of 1+ player and 1 million in favor of Habs

Markov, Hamrlick and Gill will become UFAs after the 2010-11 season; Spacek will become UFA after 2011-12 season; Mara UFA after 2009-10; O'Byrn and Gorges become RFAs after the 2010-11 season

Gainey has good wiggle room each of the next three years. With PK, Carle and Weber vying for a spot within the next 6 to 12 months, with O'Byrn have a last ditch opportunity to perform up to expectations, and Mara with a one-year contract, there is potentially room for 2 Ds by next season. In the meantime, the D looks quite good, a lot better than many fans and pundits alike thought up until this morning.

Gainey has modified his philosophy: talent is NOT enough. Size matters also. He may be spending a lot in a short time but he has rebuilt the Habs like Holmgren did with the Flyers two years ago. The difference being though that the Flyers went from last to playoff contention and the Habs from 8th to whatever Bob's facelift of the Habs will take us.

I am encouraged by Bob Gainey's intiatives. I didn't believe he could move faster than a bolt of lightning and leap over tall buildings, BUT he appears to have done so.

This team could very well be competitive. Imagine, had BG signed MK at his asking price and Beauchemin at his, I don't believe he could have done the job he has done. Maybe this is what I meant to say, in an earlier post, that Bob Gainey was schizoid and bi-polar: i.e. slow to resign his plethora of UFAs and fast on the trigger to sign the new ones.

Could be that he had a game-plan all along.

Georges

so -- hmm another good signing -- well done Bob i complimented you twice in one day !! ....... maybe just maybe ......... na who am i kidding ..... we are looking better then last year.

i will still and always miss Kovy and Saku ......

but time to change ...... Bob .... you are now ok in my eyes

your loyal fairweather fan fuhgawz

Poor poor Guy... sitting at home watching Bob put together a team that he could work with.