Plus ça change ...

Bryan McCabe! yeah we should give him $20 million for 2 years. Naslund is another Koivu but not as good. We need size. We need Gui! with hands that aren't made of stone. If Avery signs here I'll eat my hat. Marleau has a no-trade clause, and i'd be surprised if he was willing to waive it in the first few days he has it... and for who? it's not worth it to give up Higgins and Lapierre for Marleau... If he was a free agent, sure. But we don't have a lot to trade, especially now that we lost Ryder and Streit. The Bulldog guys (Grabovski, d'Agostini, Stewart, Locke) don't have a lot of trade value, not if we're looking to sign an "impact player". Maybe Sundin will want a Cup more than a few more million dollars, and maybe Bob knows something we don't, but if you ask me (and I realize no one has), we should all be getting used to the look of the team now, because I don't think it's going to change much. Start counting days until training camp!

There's an old saying where I'm from. #$%^ them! Now let's get on with building our team without overpriced questionable talent.

Tough luck but I don't expect to see any significant acquisitions in the free agent market this summer probably 5th Dman and 3rd line forward at most for depth purposes. Without looking at training camp and assuming we do sign our RFAs, the lines would likely appear to be: AKosts Pleks Kovy Tangy Koivu SKosts Higgs Laps Lats Begin Chips Kosto Stewart? D'Agostino? Grabs* Markov Komi OB* Hammer Cube Gorges* Dandy Price Halak* PP units AKosts Pleks Kovy, Markov SKosts Higgs Koivu Lats, Tangy Hammer Not bad really. Although one or two key injuries on D or forward lines could send us crashing down. Even without Streit I think we our a better team overall. We probably won't have the #1 PP anymore but I think we'll make up for it in even strength offense. Not sure if you'd really be able to trade Begin or Dandy. Grabs if signed could be traded but not for much really. If nothing happens in the summer, I have no worries even if other teams in the East get better, a trade might come up during the season that could benefit us.

ryder gone to boston..4m per year for 3 years

The craziness continues. Boston signed Ryder for 3 years at 4 mill per year.

That 7 million is all we really have to offer. Its definitely not a question of spending money for this organization, and it never really was. Now we finally have a management team that is holding itself accountable, and making the right moves, unlike some other franchises in the NHL. We still have 3 players to sign (all important to this years team), let the rest of the GM's overpay for the talent that's out there, and we'll pick the best player that's left over after all is said and done. By the way, this was only day 1, this could last all summer. lemur out

Well, can't say I'm surprised that Gainey stayed out of this lunacy. Of the "top" free agents that I would have gone after if I were G.M. (for what incredibly little its worth) Sundin remains available. Rolston and Streit were signed by other teams...I don't think Rolston was ever coming to a Canadian team, and Streit cashed in on a career year (a la Sheldon Souray) and I wish him the best in New York. Montreal has far too many defence prospects kicking around to be offering contracts of long enough term, so Redden, Campbell and Roszival were never real possibilities. Stuart decided to stay in Detroit, and who can blame him. For those of you who are whining about the lack of action by Gainey, please check out the salary structure of the Detroit Red Wings this past season: when you get past Lidstrom at $7.6 million and Rafalski at $6.0 million, nobody else made more than $3.5 million (http://static.fantasysports.ca/NHLSalaryData/globe/team-Det-eff.html). Their free agent signings last summer were Brian Rafalski, Dallas Drake and Dominik Hasek. Two summers ago, it was Dominik Hasek, Greg Johnson and Danny Markov. Let's look at another "model" NHL franchise, the Anaheim Ducks. In 2006, they signed Ian Moran and Travis Green (and also acquired Pronger by trade). In 2007, they signed Todd Bertuzzi, Matt Schneider and Shane Hnidy. Both teams got where they were from building a strong talent base and tweaking it as necessary. Gainey has built a strong core, and is now starting to tweak the lineup. In 2006, he signed Sergei Samsonov (while also acquiring Niinimaa and Johnson by trade). In 2007, he signed Kostopolous, Hamrlik, Smolinski and Brisebois, all of whom contributed to a great regular season and first-round playoff win, all the while providing crucial mentorship to our core of young players. This year, Alex Tanguay has already been added and I wouldn't be suprised to see a couple of depth players also added. With the addition of Tanguay, I would be a bit surprised to see Montreal make a run at Hossa. Gainey's moves are not always right (see Samsonov, Sergei and Niinimaa, Janne) but I hardly think he is gun-shy. He just realized that the teams with the biggest splash on July 1 don't always win the Cup. In fact, they almost never do. But as Gainey leads the Canadiens back to being a contender and a classy organization, Montreal will once again become a desirable destination.

look at this logically....Gainey has kept his money because he is going to sign Sundin, thats why he didn't go to plan B,C,D etc... he is still on PLAN A!..thats why Sundin is not signed YET. If Sundin was going somewhere else, Gainey would have made a move today.

The bottom line for today's "free agent frenzy" seems to be overpaying. I hear the Canadiens are going in another direction vis a vis Sundin. Isn't it time for us to up the ante and join the fray to acquire an impact player? Heck, we have the BEST market in hockey. I can't fathom that it's a matter of dollars and cents (aside from the cap). It's time to stop acting so nebbish and holding on to that 7 mil a year offer because it just ain't going to cut it in this day's market. C'mon George, loosen those purse strings. Sundin, Hossa...still available!

I haven't posted on yet today.. Here is my evaluation of the da so far... One word says it all... Overpayed.. Huet, Campbell, Sundin.. and many more.. Is there anything wrong with a building a team from within.. It worked for us for years and we have the talent to go real far with the talent we have... As for the Canadiens.. I do not blame Bob for not signing any UFA yet... He offered something very reasonable and I thought high for Sundin.. I hope that he doesn't give contracts and are unreasonable.. In my honest opinion I believe Sergei K. will center spomeone this year. He has great vision of the ice and he is tough enough to work both ends of the ice... So I truly believe he will be a centre in training this year, and he will do great... Players win games, teams win championships. - Bill Taylor

After picking up Cole, Edmonton doesn't seem to have the cap room to sign Hossa.

I vote Habsfan09 and FORDTOUGH off the island. Damn, that only works on tv.

I hope this recent turn of FA non-signings doesn't necessarily guarantee another year of Breezby in Montreal.

I think Mr Gainey has done very well to keep his head. For the amount of money being thrown about what is everybody getting? The best of what is available. It is the players who do not seem available that the Habs need. The ones who can make a difference and lift a team to the next level.

Seeing all of the ludicrous signings makes me appreciate Gainey so much more. The only sensible signing I seen today was Brain Rolston. Maybe Brian Campbell, but that's a lot of money. Wade Redden at 6.5 million? Wow, he has 2 horrible years and gets rewarded with the same overpaid contract. Unbelievable. Mike Commodore makes Sheldon Souray look like Bobby Orr. Ridiculous signing. Do these GM's even watch hockey? Wouldn't they have seen how horrible Mike Commodore was for Ottawa last year? And then we have Jeff Finger. I cannot wait to hear Cliff Fletcher's explanation for this one. Just when I thought the Leafs were cleaning house and rebuilding, they sign an almost 30 year old who has under 100 NHL games under his belt, for 3.5 million a year. He would have been lucky to get 1.5 anywheres else. Unbelievable. For the first July 1st in years, I'm happy the Habs and Gainey were quiet.

People!!! Montreal will not land any STARS. They were luckey to land Tanguay........

I just came back and I can't believe the contracts I'm seeing handed out. What were the Blackhawks thinking with Huet? And if Redden is worth that much moolah, imagine how much Komi will want. _____________________________________________________ Remember February 19th: The Comeback

Oh crap! Good luck Mark!

If that "FOOL" Gainey would have controlled his "PET" Carbonneu with the whole Ryder mess, Ryder would have been here next year a better player.

New York Islanders sign defenceman Mark Streit to a five-year contract worth $20.5 million Dagnabit... Hate to see him go.

So long Streit. Won't miss the poor defensive play but might miss the shot, depending on what happens from now till september.

SPORTSNET HAS STREIT TO ISLANDERS FOR 5 YRS AT 20.5 MILLION

apparently streit may take a 5 year deal with the islanders. It was posted as an e4 on hockeybuzz, which normally doesn't mean much but i've been following the site (among others) all day and he has been pretty accurate.

I said it this morning. Gainey comes up empty handed, and the French media begins pointing fingers. And here we are, 8:00PM, no big signing, and morons on CKAC are already starting. I'm not upset. There is still some talent out there, but if we don't get anyone, fine... James Duthie said it, 75% of signings go bad, especially for us in recent years. Remember these names? Donald Audette, Mariusz Czerkawski, Sergei Samsonov? Ouch!!! Who cares... If we get through all of this with our current squad and an upgrade from Tanguay, then I'd say we are doing just fine. If we could agree on terms with Streit, then even better. Worst case scenario - we keep our millions, wait to see who actually plays well this season, and make a big move midseason. We are in good shape In Bob I trust!

I am not dissapointed at all..in fact after seeing sheer lunacy of the Huet, Redden, Finger and Co. contracts I am Relieved Bob did not went wacko. I trust him and he trusts our boys. We will be just fine!

Or we could have paid Huet 6 million... Give Gainey a chance to land someone without giving up the farm. He has proven to be one step ahead already...

Sundin, Hossa, and perhaps Jagr....the same 3 or 4 teams are mentioned as being at the forefront with offers for their services. Those teams are: New York, Detroit, and Montreal, with the odd one here and there for one of the three, but not all three. So, it seems reasonable to me that if indeed Gainey has targeted one of these three, then he has a good chance of landing one of the three. I don't think there is a team out there who can take on two of those contracts. I don't pretend to guess who Gainey has targeted beyond Sundin, but only go by the reports on TV. Those who want to jump all over Gainey for "doing nothing" would fare no better if they were in his shoes. Should not one of these players, or any other "significant" player (in the minds of the all-knowledgeable fans) end up in Montreal, we are still one very good team that will be better this fall.