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Gauthier in, Gainey steps down as Habs GM
posted by Mike Boone at 19h05 EST on Feb 8
Pierre Gauthier, Bob Gainey's successor, says the Canadiens have talked to Tomas Plekanec's agent, Rick Curran, and a "process" is underway to keep Plekanec in blue-blanc-rouge.
"I think Tomas would like to stay with the Montreal Canadiens," Gauthier told a jam-packed afternoon press conference at the Bell Centre.
"The process will continue. We're interested in keeping Tomas."
Gauthier also sees goaltending as one one of the club's strengths.
"We have two strong young goaltenders who give us a chance to win every night," the new GM said. "We believe we can go forward with them, and they give us our best chance to get into the playoffs."
It is worth noting, however, that when Gauthier was general manager of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, he publicly stated the team would not trade Paul Kariya or Teemu Selanne – and then did.
When asked about the Canadiens' salary commitments for next season – $45 million for 14 players, excluding Plekanec, Carey Price and Jaro Halak – Gauthier said the team had a "manageable" salary cap situation.
Gauthier's first move was something less than a blockbuster:
The Canadiens announced Brock Trotter and Ryan White would be returning to Hamilton, with Tom Pyatt called up to the big club.
Gainey said he had decided to resign as general manager after a "long and difficult period of reflection." With his contract due to expire in June, Gainey approached Pierre Boivin during the Christmas holiday period, telling the Canadiens' president he was not interested in staying on "for four, five or rix years."
"Given the choice between staying too long and leaving early, I prefer to leave a little bit too early," Gainey said. "I did my best. Now iyt's time to pass the torch."
Gauthier, a native Montrealer who will be 57 in May, joined the Canadiens as director of pro scouting a month after Gainey became general manager in June, 2003. Gauthier added the title of assistant general manager three years later.
During the press conference, Gauthier and Gainey repeatedly cited their close collaboration in making the Canadiens' hockey decisions. Gainey referred to Gauthier as "a colleague and a friend."
Gainey will stay on as special advisor to his successor.
"I'm leaving the team I love in good hands," Gainey said.
"Dans ma coeur pour toujours, je suis Canadien," the Hall of Famer added.
Gainey said he was "extremely pleased" with the players and the future of the Canadiens. The general manager is "convinced this can be a playoff team" – words that echoed Gainey's vote of confidence imn the team Guy Carbonneau was coaching a year ago.
Asked to assess the highs and lows of his tenure, Gainey said he was happiest to see a new generation of fans, citing the "youth, enthusiasm, joy and passion of people hoping for the same experience their parents and grandparents had."
Boivin was at pains to debunk rumours that Geoff Molson was at odds with Gainey's decisions and taking a more active role in the hockey operations of the club. Boivin characterized suggestions of owner interference as "absolutely not true."
After 25 minutes of introductory remarks and q&a, Gainey left the podium to Boivin and Gauthier.
The new general manager said his goal would be to elevate the Canadiens to the "top tier" of teams that focus on how far they'll advance in the playoffs, as opposed to whether or not they'll qualify for the postseason.
"I like our team," Gauthier said, adding he was "very comfortable" with Jacques Martin and his coaching staff.
Gauthier talked about Gainey's transformation of the club: 11 new players from nine different teams over the last 12 months, most of the others with the team for less than two years.
It takes trime, Gauthier said, to develop identity, chemistry and internal leadership.
With some wondering how widely the Canadiens had cast their net – citing Detroit assistant general manager Jim Nill as an outstanding candidate – Boivin underscored the importance of language as a job criterion.
"You bet it's important," the team president said. "French is the language spoken by 2/3, 3/4 of our fans and clients. It's a matter of respect and sensitivity to the reality of Quebec."
Gauthier has experience as president, general manager and director of pro and amateur scouting for the Ottawa and Anaheim organizations. He is a vegetarian who's the wrong person to ask about nutrition, unless you have an hour to spare.
Gainey was the team's 15th general manager. He succeeded Andree Savard on June 2, 2003.
The Canadiens made the playoffs in four of five seasons under Gainey's stewardship. The advanced to the second round twice.
The team finished atop the Eastern Conference in 2007-'08, beat Boston in the opening round and were eliminated by Phildaelphia.
Under Gainey, the Canadiens were 241-176-46-7 in 470 regular-season games.
A Hallof Famer, Gainey saw his number raised to the Bell Centre rafters on Feb. 23, 2008.
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"Pierre Gauthier, Bob Gainey's successor, says the Canadiens have talked to Tomas Plekanec's agent, Rick Curran, and a "process" is underway to keep Plekanec in blue-blanc-rouge"
There was an interview with Pleks this morning on CJAD and when asked about negotiations for his contract he said there was just one phone call to his agent but no real negotiations. Does this sound like a process is underway?
I believe Pierre Gauthier is a lateral move at best, certainly not an upgrade. Furthermore, I think Gainey relied heavily on his staff to formulate his decisions. There is nothing wrong with this of course - if the people around you are making great choices.
Lastly, maybe someone needs to explain to Pierre Boivin that when it comes to hockey in Quebec the one language everyone understands is winning.
It was time for a change. My fear is that Gauthier will not be an upgrade. Read more at:
http://www.habsaddict.com/2010/02/bob-gaineys-tenure-was-full-of-mistakes.html
"With some wondering how widely the Canadiens had cast their net – citing Detroit assistant general manager Jim Nill as an outstanding candidate – Boivin underscored the importance of language as a job criterion.
"You bet it's important," the team president said. "French is the language spoken by 2/3, 3/4 of our fans and clients. It's a matter of respect and sensitivity to the reality of Quebec.""
Exactly why the Canadiens won't win the cup anytime soon.
How much French did Scotty Bowman and Toe Blake speak?
'Nough said.
Winning is more important than language and until this organization can get over that, we are always going to have a severe handicap.
_________________________________
"Obviously it would be great, but they don't really hang conference titles in this rink. They raise Stanley Cup banners." - Carey Price
Great Post von.........I would like to wipe the smiles off the faces of Boivin & Gauthier as they shake hands looks like the are saying GOOD RIDDENCE TO BAD RUBBISH We now have 3 FRENCHMEN at the HEAD There will never be another ENGLISH HEAD for the Habs also they will hire just French players even if they cannot play just so long as they are FRENCH. No wonder there is so much hatered between the French & the English maybe they have forgottern who the owners are!!!!!!!!!!!!ENGLISH!!!!!MOLSON also remember you guys at the top there are quite a few secons class citizens [ENGLISH} who fill those seats to GOOD LUCK TO YOU BOB & THANKS FOR TRYING TO DO SOMETHING WITH A TEAM THAT YOU WERE DEALT WITH REMEMBER NO won IS PERFECT><<<<<<<<OF FRENCHMEN LET'S SEE HOW YOU WILL DO<<THAT WILL BE NOTHING I EXPECT GO HABS GO!!!!!!!!
The more I see that picture of Boivin smiling, the more I see the devil in disguise.
"We will win the Cup one day only with ? in the nets "
Exactly. However, Bob took a gamble getting Gill thinking Gill would stand up for the Gomer, but no, no one sticks up for the overpaid underachieving loudmouth.....ok that also speaks about Price, but also the Gomer.
Can we just bolster our blue line and be done with it? Damn.
http://habsbros.blogspot.com/2010/02/gainey-blows-superbowl-call-last-st...
Radically yet unassumingly your
L.B. Potter, esq. Vice-Chairman of the Horde of Butterers at Flannelcom's Accountability Office and Senior Exponent of Relative Theory at Habsbros Investigative Services: http://habsbros.blogspot.com/
Bob, you deserve more respect that some people are giving you on this site. Perhaps you can get a slightly less stressful job, like defusing IEDs in Irag.
__________________________________________________________________________
Mike - If you need a drive, just ask.
Richard R
If Sather had kept Gomez the Rangers would probably be higher up in the standings than they are now.
And six are from the Eastern Conference.
Ottawa, Philadelphia, Buffalo, Carolina, New Jersey and our Canadiens.
Richard R
Hmm, where did I put my Illudium Q-36 Explosive Space Modulator?
An interesting statistic for Bob the failure as he's being called today. Only 11 teams in the last five years have made it to the second round of the playoffs twice.
Surely you must realize that for arrogant and entitled Habs fans being in the top 30% is nowhere near good enough.
----- "Come on, let's keep a little optimism here." -- Han Solo, Return of the Jedi
What the F is Boivin so happy about on this picture? I hate him mug... and Gauthier's too.
Think about that during your tai-chi session, would you?
And find zen. Thanks.
Radically yet unassumingly your
L.B. Potter, esq. Vice-Chairman of the Horde of Butterers at Flannelcom's Accountability Office and Senior Exponent of Relative Theory at Habsbros Investigative Services: http://habsbros.blogspot.com/
Dontchehs think that maybe that could be a good idea?
Radically yet unassumingly your
L.B. Potter, esq. Vice-Chairman of the Horde of Butterers at Flannelcom's Accountability Office and Senior Exponent of Relative Theory at Habsbros Investigative Services: http://habsbros.blogspot.com/
Nah, let's get right to it.. I'm pretty sure the wood for the crucifix was measured and cut yesterday.
What a joke!
I feel the need to mention something here. I keep hearing about 7.3 million and 5 million for 2 second line players.
Gomez and Gionta are not 2nd line players. Gomez averaged more ice time than any other center on his team in 2006-2007, 2007-2008, 2008-2009, and the same ice time in 2005-2006... Gionta had the most ice time of any other winger in 2005-2006, 2006-2007,and the same ice time in 2007-2008.
Even this season Gomez and Gionta average more ice time than any other forward other than Plekanec who is still 2nd behind Gionta...
There may be other teams, but only ONE Club De Hockey...
For some people all the can look at is how much money a player is paid compared to how many goals they score.
It's a MAB MAB world.
Plecks isn't signed yet, Gauthier has every intention of keeping both goalies and he cap is "manageable"
Let's see how much of all this rings true after trading deadline or July 1.
In Ottawa Gauthier threw a fit about goalie controversy and how he didn't want one after the back-up got 1st star thus inciting controversy. This Halak vs Price must be giving him an aneurysm.
A year from now people will be begging that Gainey was back in the fold. Mark my words.
Richard R
Opinions are like A--Holes -- Every body has one & they're not all pretty ! -- I feel your opinion is little more than internet garbage, but I totally defend your right to hold & express it -- Unfortunate you could / can not reciprocate !
I didn't know that Voltaire was a hockey fan too.
How noble of you to defend opinions not like yours, though. Thanks, Boo.
Radically yet unassumingly your
L.B. Potter, esq. Vice-Chairman of the Horde of Butterers at Flannelcom's Accountability Office and Senior Exponent of Relative Theory at Habsbros Investigative Services: http://habsbros.blogspot.com/
Richard R
Dino Ciccarelli was one tough hombre. Who's blocking the opposition goalie's view on the power play for the Habs?
The Invisible Man?
For those who say this team is in cap trouble, I'd like to point out that there's only $23 million committed to the roster for 2011-2012.
i also see an easy way to clear 5.5 mil from next year's roster. I think Hammer still has value as an asset, and could be moved this year, freeing up considerable cap space and also freeing up some space on D for either weber or subban to try cracking the line-up.
we might be able to get a high pick (2nd rounder?) and/or a young Dman in exchange.
It would leave us with a core of 5 signed Dmen for next year. Markov, o'byrne, spacek, gill, gorges
Roman has an NTC and they need him for the playoff run this year. He's been surprisingly good in my opinion. I still wouldn't mind seeing him go in the off-season.
I'm pretty sure his No trade clause has eased on some of the restrictions. He probably can name 6 teams he WOULD be willing to go to or something.
(reposted from Mike's 'The Gainey Era')
...aside from the fact You conveniently omitted 'sports writer hacks' from Your list ...I think You covered the premise and issues appropriately Mike
...a more passionate and engrossed Fan of Our Team I could not imagine, was Myself for much of My Life ...
...over those years, I left Montreal and Quebec 4 times for varied other destinations in this big ol' World of Ours ...and returned ...The Habs always came with Me, no matter where I was heading
...but somewhere post-1996, I left Montreal (Quebec) for the final time, with a self-acceptance I would not return to live ...and I found Myself further 'indifferent' to My Habs, which were for Me an essential part of My love of My former 'home'
...to make a long-story shorter, it was Bob Gainey returning that revived My emotional connection to My Habs, reminding Myself emotionally WHY this Hockey Team represented in-part My own identity
...did I not become perplexed with many of Bob's decisions, and frustrated by My Habs being essentially still a rather mediocre Hockey Team ...YES ...absolutely
...yet, as A Fan, of both Bob Gainey and The Habs, My energy in ranting in this zoo We call HabsInsideOut was always hopeful (stupid as it sounds) that Bob would 'hear' Me and I with Others can influence His decision
...at no time, in My own rantings and opinions did I ever mention I had no longer 'faith' in Bob Gainey to be the Face of Our Team
...for most other things in Life, I am a generally a rational Real-world Person, balanced with a tendency to think with My Heart when appropriate
...regarding My Habs thinking with My Heart was/is My tendency ...same with Bob Gainey ...as I believe(d) I would rather lose with Bob Gainey than win without Bob Gainey
...after sleeping on it last night ...waking-up and looking at the soul-less mugs of Boivin and Gauthier ...and understanding how much the Earth has shifted this morning ...and listening to some of the mean idiocy of a fair proportion of other Habs' fans ...I am worried whether My indifference may soon return
Habitant means PASSIONATE HOCKEY
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=423049
Big diff, here boys, the Molsons have always kept their fingers in the Habs pie, they are not exactly Mark Cubans or Jerry Joneses of the world, they are a hockey dynasty family! The Molsons and the stanley cup are one and the same tradition we enjoy as fans. Shame on you smiler for crapping on our tradition.
Huh???
And Julian Lennon is the spawn of a rock 'n' roll demigod, what's your point?
Whatever moderator felt it necessary to delete a debate about Bob Gainey's alleged failure with this club, can I please have an explanation. During the entire conversation, there was nothing offensive, racial nor was their any profanity. Perhaps if some of the people blindly attacking Bob Gainey had read that conversation, they would've woken up.
Yeah, I was in the middle of typing a rebuttal and BAM! everything disappeared!!!
I'm interested in what people think Pierre Gauthier's first order of business will be in the off-season. The goalies, or a contract extension for Andrei Markov?
The Canadiens are stuck in a "no win" situation. 43 million cap on 12 players leaves no room to do any major deals,unless Scott Gomez's contract at 8 million a year is traded.Would You take Gomez and his 8 goals for 8 million??? How did Glen Sather GM of the Rangers sucker Bob into trading and unloading the contract of Gomez(which allowed Sather to get Gaborik and his current 30 plus goals).
My next question is
1) Why was Pierre Maguire not interviewed for the job?
2) What has Gauthier accomplished?As cheif scout ,he bears responsibility for our terrible draft choices.
In truth i see NO CHANGE in the front office.
We need new blood from top to bottom.
nuff said
Gerry ... how are you bud ? I have heard you on the radio ... funny thing is I have heard you at 3am .. and at 8 am ... you dont sleep much I gather? Kinda like me. I knew it was you at 3 am because you were talking fast-muscle twitch and goaltenders .. and I knew it was you at 8 am you were talking francophone vs anglophone .. things you were talking about here.
you make some .. hmm .. interesting points ... you are actually very well spoken .. although, you seemed a little excited, and Elliot Price had to reel you in a bit this am ...
my question ... why do you freak out so much here tho ?
You're italic bold keys overheating?
How will folks know your posts are more important than everyone else's now?
Radically yet unassumingly your
L.B. Potter, esq. Vice-Chairman of the Horde of Butterers at Flannelcom's Accountability Office and Senior Exponent of Relative Theory at Habsbros Investigative Services: http://habsbros.blogspot.com/
no bugs Boone deleted his account, then felt bad and let him start a new one but without the italics option, but forgot to remove the bold option as well and did not restrict his nuff said signature.
"The Future Belongs to Those Who Believe in the Beauty of Their Dreams." Eleanor Roosevelt
Call me crazy but I'd rather have Scott Gomez than Marian Gaborik. Where are the Rangers with Gabby and all his goals??? STRUGGLING to make the playoffs. Gomez has a pedigree as a competitor and leader not to mention speed & skill born from a team that keeps breeding winning (Devils). Gaborik is one hit away from being "out for the season" again.
Pierre McGuire couldn't even get the GM job in Minnesota.
Pierre Gauthier had a huge hand in building perennial contenders in Ottawa and Anaheim.
1. Maguire spends too much time talking and not enough time listening.
2. Gauthier has twice been a general manager, not a long track record(5-6 years), but experience nontheless.
Reversing Bob Gainey's work puts this organization back to where it was when he got here, did you enjoy the team then?
I think Gainey did a very good job considering the competing pressures that a GM in a hockey market like Montreal must face. The people who are complaining about the lack of return on the team's UFA's are the same people who would have complained ad naseum had the Habs not made the playoffs in those years. Bashers of Gainey should keep in mind that the verdict on this year's version of the team isn't out yet.
If the Molsons, and us, really want this franchise to return to it's former staure on the ice, the Molsons will signal this by putting a hockey man at the top of the org. chart, right below the owner. So long as a marketing man like Boivin has authority over the hockey personnel, the on ice product will suffer.
Look at all the most successful franchises and that is what you will find. Detroit, New Jersey, Colorado, Pittsburgh, Carolina. It is essential that hockey decision are primary for a franchise to achieve on ice success. This is not a slag against Boivin, it's just the reality of today's NHL. The challenge of creating on ice success has become more and more complex.
If there is a legitimate competitor on the ice, the marketing and ticket sales become much easier.
I read a very interesting article online. By Scott Burnside on Espn regarding Bob Gainey. The point was fair. As much as I loved Gainey, and I think he did a very good job, he failed. In Montreal making the playoffs is simply not enough. We finished first in the East and became a legitimate contender, however the team assembled did not have what it took to go thru the playoffs. In the end its correct. Will Gauthier be better I don't know. Time will tell.
It says Gainey had a deal in place for Hedberg and Marian Hossa in 2008. Interesting. It also mentions the lacavalier deal that Len Barrie wouldn't agree to. So if these two things are in fact correct or at least the Hossa one, The Gainey made in my mind a very good third option in Gomez, Gionta, and Cammalleri.
I think we have stayed competitive in the playoffs despite a huge amount injuries. And these moves made this possible. Once Lang went down last season where were we? I think we have a great upgrade from that and the only dowside is Gomez's salary. Anyone who thinks it wasnt a package deal is naive. Regardless of how you look at it. A move for Gomez, Gio, and Cammalleri is great. We have a line that can score 200 points a season, for 18 million for the next 4 years. We have Pouliot, AK, and Pleks that can score the same if not more for ideally 10 million, for the next 3-4 years. So anyone who says Gainey has crippled this team salary wise isnt looking at every other team in the NHL. I am saddened by his departure but he has left us in a better spot than when he came in, and we are on our way up.
Anyone who says we were not affected by injuries this season is to put it MILDLY naive... Give us a few more wins, and a few more ties, that we could have EASILY had with a healthy team in only a few select games and we would be currently in the top 5 in the East. Thats only 1-2 players away from being a contender.
However I must say in regards to the ESPN article. Burnside said Halak would become a UFA at the end of this season and he is wrong about that, so there is no telling how accurate he is on Hossa or Lacavalier...
There may be other teams, but only ONE Club De Hockey...
JB ... you know I havent been his biggest supporter. IMO , his failure was not in not winning the cup .. it was in putting us in a position where evey year was a struggle to get into the playoffs, and not having a legit chance at winning the cup.
I beleive he tried ... he tried hard, but I dont think he was prepard for the new NHL. Its not a knock against him.
This is the best thing that can happen to this team.
First off, you cant spell 'believe'... so I dont know what to say...
Seriously though, you make a good point. A well put argument, even though I disagree, I -beleive- we were a contender during the drive for 25... But it fell down pretty fast. So i cant argue too much.
But I must say if Gainey leaving is the best thing for this team, why does it not bother you he was replaced by his right hand man who was responsible for our draft picks, and will basically move in much of the same direction as Gainey. Nothing new here, maybe a slight angle change...
There may be other teams, but only ONE Club De Hockey...
JB ... dont fall into the trap .. dont start picking on stupidities like typo's, because I flipped the "ie" in believe cause I typed too fast .. you seem to be a smart guy ... dont become like the others
I never said anything about PG .. i think they will give him a chance ... I have no opinion good or bad of him. Again, let me re-iterate, I really liked BG ... when they hired him I was on cloud 9 ... but, it didnt work for whatever reason. It doesnt bother me because BG was the boss .. BG sets the direction and the assistant offers support and input, but the direction is set by the man above. If PG does many of the same silly moves, he wont last long, and I wont support him. You can see a clear change in direction ... we are negotiating with Pleks ... it wouldnt have happened with BG. Imagine TP leaving for nothing.
I am convinced that the Molson's( and I said it as soon as they bought the team ... I said it would be BGs last season here ) will have a set of beliefs of how to run the team ... we'll see what happens, but, I am patient, as long as we are moving forward.
We stopped moving forward with BG.
I was making a quip about the posters who pick on typo's. But anyways, How can you say in his 10 minutes of being the GM that PG is negotiating with TP? If there was any negotiating done it was done under BG rule. He already said he wasnt going to wait till after the season. He said he wouldnt stick to this so called rule of his, which for the life of me i cannot ever remember hearing him say. I think it was fiction.
Point is if there was contact done, it would have included BG as he was the GM up until yesterday... BG had been gone for less than 24 hours. And they have been negotiating behind his back the whole time??? They have had a puppet regime up until yesterday? Makes no sense to me. BG, PG, anyone else would have signed him before the season ends...
The Molson's never got involved before in player management decisions, why would they now?
There may be other teams, but only ONE Club De Hockey...
I am into discussion and debate .. i am not into the keyboard Peacocking.
Let me ask you this ... how many contracts has BG negotiated during the season in his 7 years ?
I belIEve they made the point yesterday, Dec 27th BG essentially stepped down ... 2 weeks later ( mid Jan ) PG was given the post ... 1 week ago ( beg Feb ) they started talking to TP. These are their words, not mine.
I dont know how much they were involved in the past, but its clear these guys want to win. Its different Molson's in different times.
Gainey gave us good hockey, fast hockey, exciting hockey, too bad the players were so small that it was only good hockey early in the year, fast hockey later in the year when the forwards would cough up the puck, exciting hockey cause we'd watch our defense crumble, this is the legacy of Bob Gainey, his experiment to see if small hockey players could skate fast enough to win, and built it around Carey Price. Two big mistakes that did not pan out. Too bad Bob Gainey, any other hockey club and you'd have a stanley cup contender, too bad Pittsburgh beat you to it, there are only so many small fast good players out there, and the Habs tried to net as many as they could and it didn't work.
Too bad Gautheir is there to keep this horrible experiment going, wonder how long he'll last once the Molson boys figure it out.
I'm so sick of this "small hockey player" BS. Henri Richard was small, Dino Ciccarelli was small, Theoren Fleury, hell Wayne Gretzky (6') was small compared to what everyone suddenly thinks the prototypical hockey forward should be!
Any team in the league would want Mike Cammalleri!
There's nothing wrong with skilled smaller players -- but you need a balance -- not a team full of them!!
"Size Matters Not" Yoda
We have a team full of them??? Other than Cammalleri (5'9") and Gionta (5'7"), we have decent size. They just don't play big when needed.
Nunacanadien, do you realize that your posts are among he worst on this site. No one actually thinks you have a brain in your head, and we are pretty much laughing at you?
Do you really think that The Molson boys dont know exactly what is going on, and like 4 million other people in the Montreal area have a better idea than you of what will work?
When Carey Price is a superstar Goaltender and is among the names of Roy, Brodeur, and Dryden what will you say?
Do you understand that it hasnt even been a full season of this so called experiment, and that you cannot say it does not pan out until a decent interval has been reached. If you could simply buy a bunch of players and win the Cup, dont you think Hossa would have won a Stanley Cup by now???
Do you know its spelled Gauthier, and not Gautheir???
By the way, my favorite is the fact you have NEVER EVER backed anything you said up, and have yet to reply to a post calling you out... Its cause you blow your load quickly and have nothing left huh??? Or is it cause you cant put together a lame argument let alone a decent one...
Well done Joey! That Gomez contract might look pretty good with a Conn Smythe trophy attached to it. Wait, that was a mistake, so many people here are literal. IF the habs win the cub with Gomez as a #1 or #2 centreman, that contract won't be such a big issue, neither will Price if he's along for the haul.
Actually my analysis of the trades early in the year panned out, Gomez and Gionta are not scoring a lot of goals, even Red Fisher wondered what the f*ck this was about, why tie up the cap space on 20 goal a year superstars? How is that going to net you a cup? Then I wondered why the team was still small in size, all you have to do is look at the average size of the Habs both in height and weight, and watch them as they wither when they play teams like the Rangers, or insert any western hockey team, sure they had a great night against the canucks. But honestly throughout the rest of the year, when the points count, the small size of the habs does not help.
I'm sorry but if you say that Gionta doesn't deserve $5 million/year the way he's played this year you're crazy. Let's recap SOME of his goals.
game #2 @ Buffalo--o.t. winner
thursday @ Boston--shootout winner
saturday v. Pittsburgh---two huge goals that turn out to be the difference in the game.
Only three examples and this is a team game but I have seen Brian Gionta score a meaningless goal this year and it seems that everytime he puts one in the net his size has nothing to do with it, his heart does. In the crease just about everytime.
How many Hab fans here thought (when the trade was announced on the eve of July 1st) "cool! Scott Gomez is a Hab!!!"???
How many thought "what the hell, his contract is too much! Boo Gainey!!!"?
If you answered the first one, you are a Canadiens fan and a hockey fan. If you answered the second option, you are a closet accountant that spends too much reading into the business side of hockey and buying into whatever any given hockey writer says.
I wish contracts weren't disclosed, it's ruining the fun of rooting for teams.
I thought .. "what the hell, his contract is too much! "
I guess you are a better fan. Let me ask you a question .. how many games do you go to a year ? You must go to plenty right.
Six or seven... mostly in Buffalo and Columbus. Some in Toronto.
Exactly. I look at it like this. Gomez has 2 Cups, And averages enough assists each season to get into the top ten of all time... Look into it, he is on pace with players like Messier, Francis, Bourque, Coffey and company. Right behind Gretz... AND Hossa jumped around trying to get a quick Cup, and got him nowhere... He finally made a smart move in Chi-town for a ridiculous contract, but no one seems to have a problem with that. Cause its immediately pleasing... But when he is averaging 5.2 million at 42 we will see how great that works out...
There may be other teams, but only ONE Club De Hockey...
Excuse me, Gomez only scores 16 to 20 goals a year. Gomez was lucky to be on a team that took advantage of his play, Montreal lacks the support for Gomez, lacking the size to support Gomez, where is the enforcer to stick up for Gomez? No one. Where is the evidence that shows that Gomez was worth what he was finally paid for? I don't see it. Anyone? Any takers?
Looks to me like Ryan O'Byrne has been doing some protecting.
HOLY MOSES, a reply. I stunned. I dont know what to say.
Ok now I do. Wait for more than 60 games of a season that was played by missing at least 2 top players every game... We have support for him. But we have always been injured. Its only been 60 games. Besides. Cammalleri scores the goals, and Gomez makes the assists.
You know, not every player is measured by the amount of goals they score. He has the same amount of assists as Semin, Zajac, and Datsyuk. Similar to Pronger who isnt making that much less, and he is on a team that isnt scoring like Washington or Detroit.
You need to get over this 16-20 goal obsession you have. Besides his career average for goals is 18 per season... BUT HIS ASSIST AVERAGE IS 51. Mostly on a defensive minded team...
There may be other teams, but only ONE Club De Hockey...
Why is it that people who support or even chose not to bash the moves Bob Gainey's made have facts and evidence to support their opinions but the people who chose to chastise and ridicule the PERSON and the moves he made never anything to back it up except to say, it's expensive.
Excuse me, Gomez only scores 16 to 20 goals a year. Gomez was lucky to be on a team that took advantage of his play, Montreal lacks the support for Gomez, lacking the size to support Gomez, where is the enforcer to stick up for Gomez? No one. Where is the evidence that shows that Gomez was worth what he was finally paid for? I don't see it. Anyone? Any takers?
I'll pay $2 million more for Gomez or Koivu's $5.25(what he had here)
sorry buds...you need to accept reality....in a non salary cap world that might have been the case but in a cap world salaries are VERY important.....I think maybe your fandom needs to evolve with the game. I'm sure you would be elated if we went and got Wade Redden and Chris Drury too...because yu'd say "cool, they are Habs"? ......sorry but you are no more a fan than any of us who choose to acknowledge the very real implications of a salary cap world...I am afraid the game is passing fans by too.......the cap and how it is managed are everything now.....accept it or accept mediocrity....even tanking can;t be done without careful cap planning....
Come on! Redden and Drury are nowhere NEAR the player Scott Gomez is. I can just imagine the outcry now if, as a lot of you cried about Gainey not getting, Daniel Briere chose the Habs and the $7 million a year... or if Vinny and his $10 million per year got dealt here.... these guys ain't exactly lighting things up in the NHL now, are they???
First of all you clearly don't even understand the salary cap as you repeatedly throw 10 million out there for Vinny lecavelier's hit is 7.7 per season against the cap and that is all that should matter to us as fans ...gomez is 7.3......I was against the Vinny trade but I would have understood it as it would have addressed a glaring need in montreal for years in a lack of size and skill combined up the middle.....VInny has 55 points in 57 games.....he is three points behind our team leader in pleks with 3 games less played. We made the vinny trade but didn't get VInny.....and Gomez is nowhere near the player Vinny is. Briere? not going there...his salary is also horrid and he is in the same grouping as Gomez as an extremely bad contract for a a decent player.
I'm not saying that I'm anymore a fan than anyone else. I just don't want to judge a trade until at least a couple of seasons after it's been completed. Ryan McDonaugh(sorry about the spelling) may never play in the NHL. Gomez could be a huge part of the future. I'm not saying that he will. I'm not saying he'll have an 80 point season. I would just rather wait before crucifying our former GM for a trade.
That trade also hurt people on a sentimental level, it spelled the end for our captain and essentially fgot us a similar but more exp3ensive player and frankly between the two I would still opt for Koivu but that's not the point. The other fact is that all everyone preaches si build within, groom our own, blah, blah, blah...well we traded three of these guys we were grooming our selves. The salary basically meant immediately that a second liner or good third liner would not be playing simply because of his salary. Add in the optimism as we were in a favourable situation with cap room...I think we panicked when in fact cap room is a strength...it was an unprecedented situation and I think it was misread. We weren't going to be serious contenders this year so why lock up so much of our cap....and ofr so long. Add in that we "changed direction" but not really as we have a very similar lineup only with guys we have no atttachment too and you can see where this is a really piss poor decision. I am not a Bob basher...I realize he has tried several things to improve us and that in some cases he has...nobody is perfect but I have believed from day one that there were some overspending blunders during the fenzy taht would come back to haunt us. It is a difficult league to win in and you need astute planning, gfabulous scouting both pro and amateur, great cap management, a ton of *** luck and horseshoes up your asses to stay injury free, a solid goaltender, a correct mix of attitudes and veteran/youth,etc....in other words IT IS INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT.....that is conceded by most (I realize there are also blind bashers)......but that move was a voluntary move that was extremely limiting and it was a mistake because even if our youth does grow to be successful we will likely be forced to watch some of them walk because of these contracts......kind of goes against everything an organization should value and isn;t even able to be offset with a deadline deal or legit cup run where that stuff is more acceptable.
What about this? Maybe Bob really really though Gomez would pan out in Montreal and that Laraques would be there to stick up for Gomez, and Moen and Gill, but not so far, we got rid of Laraques, and Moen and Gill are up to their own dirty tricks they don't care if Gomez is basically murdered, or Gionta for that matter. The only person on the Habs that sticks up for Gomez and Gionta is Gorges, this is like having your little kid sister as your body guard. Honestly. No wonder the Molson boys wondered about what the heck Gainey was thinking....
OF course he thought he would pan out in Montreal....and of course he thought Laraques woulbe better...I don't have issues with Moen and Gill ...oh boy...I think we can probably credit our new GM for that one and all of these for that matter as he is our pro scout. OF the 3 I consider mistakes....BGL is the understandable one...who could havepredicted he would pull what he did...that one is not BOb's fault IMO ...that one is all BGL IMO....he oucld have, should have,etc...but he chose to instead become an activist who plays hockey instead of a hockey player who is also an activist..not BG's fault other than the no trade part. Gomez though? what in the world has he ever done to think it would pan out to the tune of 7.3 million, plus several assets...he is not a kid with upside or potential...he is what he is ..a 60 point type guy who will score 15 goals and get about 45 assists ...he has other strengths and also weaknesses....we knew what we were getting and we ahd toknow how overpaid he was? why didn;t he? Gill...see Gomez...I can understand Gill too though as much as it pains me sometimes watching him lumer around I do see his leadership value, pk value,etc...but we already have too much in our back end with aging guys and adding Spacek, to Hammer and Gill...it is just too much...the extra years aret he troublesome part as we have some guys who could be learning on the fly right now who wouldn;t be much of a step back....I think I would have preferred to keep Jay Leach and let one of these other guys go to be honest...he was serviceable...as a bottom pair or fill in guy.
Look before this goes on, I want to say that I was at the Bell(Molson) for Saku's return after his fight with cancer and I'm not ashamed to admit that I had a couple of tears when he stepped onto the ice. That being said, his leadership wasn't strong enough to keep the kids out of trouble and he had to go. This team needed new leadership and a new direction, and that couldn't include him. He was overpaid in my opinion. I'm not willing to say a trade was bad this early, that's all I'm saying. If Gomez wins the Conn Smythe next year and the Habs win the Cup will you hate that trade and that contract?
Well then lets go out and trade for Jason Blake....then we'll wait a couple years and if he wins the Conn Smythe then it will be ok...but the chances are about the same.....Gomez has never done anything to indicate he is an elite player. He is a great all around player but this is a cap world...cap world..cap world. People have to understand that I would be the first one to go out and sign Scott Gomez at 4.5 million a year for 5 years as a free agent...but at 7.3, giving up 3 home groomed guys to boot...I can't ever endorse that. It was a panic move because the Vinny deal fell through. I think Gomez can be a great player but having him means we can't have someone else.....and this will be the case for 5 years.....Gionta is similar...I consider them to be the same value to the club...why does Gomez get 2.3 extra per season?
They aren't home groomed in the case of McDonaugh and Valentenko and we're very deep in defensive prospects. Again, if you want to judge a trade before 65 games have been completed you're more than welcome to, I won't and there's nothing wrong with that. Just keep in mind that you can't fairly call it a mistake yet. In 4 years if nothing's improved, I'll be right there with you.
aren;t home groomed? we drafted them both...I don't mean Canadian...I mean Canadien .....
They were drafted but not groomed
Valentenko was groomed in Hamilton......Mcd still a prospect but because he is us college that is the majority of their grooming usually
I didn't realize that playing 60 games with Hamilton was "groomed" and I didn't know that the team had paid employees working for U.S. colleges. I'm really out of the loop here.
nah...you're quite loopy...lol...you're playing the semantics game now with wording and I refuse to play those games for too long....they traded too much...everyone but about 6 diehards on here agrees....Gomez is a 15 goal guy.....and a 60 point guy.....at his contract he wasn't worth Higgins alone and I mean that even at Higgins' current stats ...in order for us to take that contract they shuould have had to throw a player or two in...and they probably would have done it in a heartbeat is the sad thing.