I asked Canadiens head coach Jacques Martin yesterday whether, should his team tonight or Thursday clinch a playoff berth, he would choose to strategically rest a few key players Saturday vs. the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have long been eliminated from the postseason and will bring a rugged game to the Bell Centre.
Martin replied that he believed the playoff race will go right to the end, suggesting that even if the Habs punch their playoff ticket in the next few days, his team will be playing for its playoff seeding. For that purpose, he’ll want his best team on the ice.
Furthermore, there is this to consider, based on technicalities within the NHL’s Collective Bargaining Agreement and confirmed today by the Canadiens:
• Teams are allowed four callups from their farm system from the
passage of the NHL trade deadline until such time as their farm team
finishes play in their season. Which may be awhile in the case of the
excellent AHL Hamilton Bulldogs. To date, the Canadiens have recalled
Tom Pyatt once and Ben Maxwell twice, using three of those four callups.
This is why Maxwell has remained with the Canadiens; sending him back
down will burn the Canadiens’ final callup.
• A team may be
allowed, on a case-by-case basis, to make an emergency callup from the
farm in case of injury or other extraordinary circumstance. But herein
lies the issue of Georges Laraque, who remains on the Canadiens’ 23-man
roster. Whether or not Laraque is in game shape or would be used – not
going to happen – he remains available to the team in the eyes of the
CBA. So an emergency callup of a forward from the farm will not take
place.
• Finally, there’s the issue of the salary cap. Even if the
Canadiens had all four callups still available, or if they wanted to call up a dozen Bulldogs if the ‘Dogs are eliminated from their playoffs first, those moves would be a
hit on an already tight salary cap.
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Tell’em, Fabby! Tell’em GOOD.
Ridiculously overhyped, call me
L.Bugs Potter, esq. Assistant-Director of St-Habbie’s Hospital for the Blind, Head Physician of Neuroflannelogy Unit, and Occupational Therapist in Habsbros Emergency Ward: http://habsbros.blogspot.com/
I hope I’m not to be considered one of these “people” you’re referrin to, Richie.
I’m not sayin he’s not ready or not mature enough; I think he’s absolutely fantastic and may even relegate Markov to 2nd fiddle within 2 years. Two years. My opinion.
What is SAYIN is: We ALREADY have SEVEN guys for SIX spots we’re ALREADY payin MORE money to who’re are DOIN the job.
We’re winnin. We’re in 6th. Lookin good.
PK can wait his damn turn like everybody else. And when HIS turn comes, I reckon this won’t be an issue anymore. … Especially if we keep winnin. Right?
No one is injured; no one is playin like a clown; PK can wait his damn turn.
Ridiculously overhyped, call me
L.Bugs Potter, esq. Assistant-Director of St-Habbie’s Hospital for the Blind, Head Physician of Neuroflannelogy Unit, and Occupational Therapist in Habsbros Emergency Ward: http://habsbros.blogspot.com/
And this would be the
“L.Bugs Potter,esq. Occupational Therapist in Habsbros Emergency Ward”
setting you straight !!
Ok, fine, who do wanna take out?
To who are you going to say “You, sit down; the kid is going for you.”? Who?
You’ve got 7 possibilities out’ve 6 spots and I’ve got a retort for all of’em.
So who?
Ridiculously overhyped, call me
L.Bugs Potter, esq. Assistant-Director of St-Habbie’s Hospital for the Blind, Head Physician of Neuroflannelogy Unit, and Occupational Therapist in Habsbros Emergency Ward: http://habsbros.blogspot.com/
I agree he should be playing…reasons people are giving ie: not ready, not mature are absurd…look at Myers and Karlsson….wow have they regressed…bullshit they are helping their teams just as PK should be helping ours..Love the Habs..never understand management.
Forgive the subtlety; I’ll be more blunt:
We’re winnin. We’re in 6th. We don’t NEED Soobie. Let’m continue his development. To bring him in means to take one out. NO ONE needs to be taken of our blueline after 79 games for what PK can bring for 3.
Now, if someone gets hurt, different story. If someone suddenly becomes useless, different story. Cross that bridge when we get there.
Clear enough for ya now, mate? Or am I not answering the question YOU obviously want to hear, which is “PK!, PK!, PK!” to the point that any opinion expressed to the contrary means “I’m not answering you question”?
Ridiculously overhyped, call me
L.Bugs Potter, esq. Assistant-Director of St-Habbie’s Hospital for the Blind, Head Physician of Neuroflannelogy Unit, and Occupational Therapist in Habsbros Emergency Ward: http://habsbros.blogspot.com/
“all we can do is wait til next year when we’ll see’m MORE than enough.”
Not a believer big guy ?
which guy are youcalling Alf? JM?
*sighs* even when Laraque ISN’T playing, he causes problems hahaha
I believe the salary cap in completely insignificant come playoff time.
Crosby has a brother? When did we get him? Ohhhhhhhhhh you’re trying to be funny… well you didn’t succeed nor did you answer my question.
Try again… other than “you think we don’t need him’, is there an actual reason why we can’t use him now?
Let him take the bulldogs to the cup and we can send Alf packing over the summer
If the Bulldogs are eliminated before the Canadiens, the Habs could in theory call up the entire roster. There is, however, the not insignificant matter of the salary cap…
Dave Stubbs
Habs Inside/Out
Sports Columnist/Feature Writer, Montreal Gazette
• On Twitter: twitter.com/habsinsideout1
It was the fans at the Bell Centre that embarrass Burke at the draft and he was all up in arms about it when he went to the stage he got boooooed. He was on TSN after saying wait till Toronto has the draft the Montreal GM will get it 10 times more then I did here.
Does this prevent us from calling up Guy Boucher?
The torch be yours to hold it high!
Bulldogs may run the table and win the cup, It will be the Habs sending back players to help the Bulldogs in the playoffs
How did BG embarrass Burke?
Thanks for the clarification Mr. Stubbs. I had been wondering about this for awhile. One question though. You mention the Habs “are allowed four callups from their farm system from the
passage of the NHL trade deadline until such time as their farm team
finishes play in their season”.
What happens after the Bulldogs finish their playoff run? Do all restrictions go away?
Assuming it’s a nothing-game, I would love to see BGL suit up against the Leafs, just unload on everybody. Who cares?
You can’t help but wonder if BGL gets picked up next year by an Eastern team will he give up his pacifist approach and beat the s— out of one or two of our players as his form of revenge? Seems to me we had that happen a number of years ago with someone else.
Sat night’s game worries me or two reasons…1) we may have to win and 2) Burke wants to prove something for being embarrased by BG which may result in injuries to us.
Geez I hope we clinch tonight. I hope my favorite three smaller players get their little legs a pumping and score a few rather than getting multiple shots but no points.
Use’m for what?
Shutouts and A HALF?
We sure could use Crosby too but we’re doin fine without’m. No injuries necessitate PK’s call-up and barring that, all we can do is wait til next year when we’ll see’m MORE than enough.
Patience.
Ridiculously overhyped, call me
L.Bugs Potter, esq. Assistant-Director of St-Habbie’s Hospital for the Blind, Head Physician of Neuroflannelogy Unit, and Occupational Therapist in Habsbros Emergency Ward: http://habsbros.blogspot.com/
Makes me wonder if we asked Gainey/Gauthier to switch his focus from small forwards and defense to big realistic forwards and defense whether we could get a contender in five years.
what bout calling up pk? is that plausible? cuz we could use him.
One thing that does not get mentioned very much is how well Pierre Groulx is doing.
Price is definitely a better goalie then he was last year and is working harder then he has since arriving in Montreal, and Halak’s game has greatly improved this year.
At the beginning of the year Halak was like a giant rubber band, but his rebound control has really improved throughout the year.
Kudos to Pierre Groulx. Also kudo’s to Bob Gainey and JM for picking him when everyone was blasting them for not hiring Mr. put on the biggest equipment you can find and butterfly only Francois Allaire. Don’t get me wrong, Allaire is a great goalie coach, but his style does not suit Price or Halak.
From the globe and mail (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/globe-on-hockey/the-nhls-top-defensive-forwards/article1524026/) The article worked it out that Scott Gomez is the league’s 3rd best defensive forward and Gionta is 5th and Pleks is 7th. Scotty G. is a very good 2 way forward who I feel will come up big in the playoffs. Can’t say enough about Gionta and Pleks too. Go Habs Go.
Oh, I’m expecting a lot.
Starting next year. Maybe even this year if someone goes down.
Ridiculously overhyped, call me
L.Bugs Potter, esq. Assistant-Director of St-Habbie’s Hospital for the Blind, Head Physician of Neuroflannelogy Unit, and Occupational Therapist in Habsbros Emergency Ward: http://habsbros.blogspot.com/
No clue.
My question Leo, is in regards to context of your quote that I presented. It doesn’t sound like you are expecting much next year from the kid. I was reminded of the young Chelios that we had (years and years ago) during PK’s two games up. Mind you , two games does not a career make.
When do they have to lock in their roster for the playoffs? Or do they ever have to? That would be a limiting factor if they have to have their active roster named before the playoffs start, but I’m not sure if it is the case.
Bingo
HAL GILL!!!!!!!!!!!!! That couldn’t be a serious question right?
BGL cares!! He doesn’t unload on anyone these days. It’s not part of his new “Panzi Code”. He’s completely useless when it comes to hockey now.
He’s been my visual for months now…although I’ve caught a some flak from people for not being “Canadian” enough or not being a fan of the team because there is no Habs jersey in my profile pic.
Can’t make everybody happy! They should just be thankful I don’t have my Devil’s Advocate up there…that one just sets my mood as soon as I start posting. I figure it is much better to try to live up to the example of a perennial Lady Byng Trophy candidate than a devilish lawyer!
Your account was showing up without an avatar for a while in mid-season on my computer. I had a hard time finding your posts. Or, at least it took more work.
Yep.
Good to see Mats back as your virtual visual, Chris.
Makes sifting less time consuming.
Eric, wouldn’t that be “profiling” ?
Call it what you will, Frank. I don’t work for a government agency. ;o)
Yeah! There is way too much PC crap already…
So that explains why Maxwell is still with the team…
As for resting the players, we won’t have that luxury. Winning that final game of the season could mean playing Buffalo in the 1st round instead of Washington, or even worse for us, New Jersey.
Joizey doesn’t scare me anymore. Bring ‘em on. I think we’re ready to go to war with anyone right now.
Trumpet sound………..”CHARGE” !
Habs, OLE !
Okay, so we’d be screwed if we lost another forward type-thing? That’s why we need that last call-up, just in case?
“love cannot drown truth, Nefertiti”
Seem like it. From beyond the grave, “The Code” reaches out with neferious power…
Is BGL on the books for next year? Or can we buy out his 1.5 Mil and get the Cap space back?
Oh! and here’s to doing our part to clinch tonight on Long Island! Lets hope we see all 4 lines show up tonight and take some pressure off Jaro… not that it matters for him.
GO HABS GO!
“If we knew what we were doing, it wouldn’t be called research” -Albert Einstein GO HABS GO!!!
I believe if we buy him out this summer, which is the earliest opportunity, we would save 1 million on next year’s cap, but we would have to carry a 500K cap hit in 2011-2012 too.
How is the Cap an issue? If a farmhand gets called up his minimal salary is pro-rated at 1/82 or 1/41 (if he plays two games).
The salaries are actually based on the number of days (not games) that the player is on the active roster. A full season is considered (this year) to be 193 days. So any player called up would contribute 1/193 of their salary per day on the active roster.
So despite only playing 13 of the 82 games (15.8%), Ben Maxwell’s salary is counting 53/193 (27.5%) of its total towards the cap.
On the other hand, P.K. Subban was a bargain, giving the Habs 2 of 82 (2.4%) games for 3 days out of 193 (1.6%) of his full cap hit.
In case there’s anyone here who didn’t realize that Allan Walsh is a d!ck… well, he is.
Here’s his April Fool’s day twitter post: http://twitter.com/walsha/status/11438697558
So are the Habs playing tonite or tomorrow night?
tonight
i heard the salary cap will be 57m next year..fyi.
I heard $57.7M, and increase of $.9M
Oh, does Brodeur no longer play for them?
In that case, I ain’t scared either.
Ridiculously overhyped, call me
L.Bugs Potter, esq. Assistant-Director of St-Habbie’s Hospital for the Blind, Head Physician of Neuroflannelogy Unit, and Occupational Therapist in Habsbros Emergency Ward: http://habsbros.blogspot.com/
Can’t wait to BGL is no longer an issue for the Habs. The 1 mil we’ll save in cap space when we buy him out will be the best thing he’ll have done for the team since he got here