Petteri Nokelainen
Mitchell Layton, NHLI via Getty Images
He wasn’t extended a qualifying offer, but that hasn’t stopped the Canadiens from re-signing centreman Petteri Nokelainen to a one-year contract.
RDS’s Renaud Lavoie reports tonight that Nokelainen signs a one-way deal $575,000. Defenceman Brendon Nash, meanwhile, signs a two-way contract for the same sum.
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I am seriously considering committing HIO suicide (deliberately getting myself banned) to protest the signing of Nokialainin
Who thinks I should do it and who will miss me?????
*I NEED FEEDBACK PEOPLE!!!!!!*
Having cocktails on a Terrasse in Mtl and some guy just said we signed Moener?! “Play that Funky Music White Boy!!!Hola
I can’t believe it but I feel this is the logical move. Nokelainen is the best option the Habs have since Darche declined to sign the 2-way 1yr contract.
Congrats on Petteri for choosing to stay here.
The Nash signing is a bit weird. Hmm, seems to something is going on at these contract offers.
Other than that, hopefully Subban will have a deal set in stone and that this will solidify him as a top-4 Dman. Good Luck as well to Price for whatever the future will come.
Don’t ask why, but for some reason I was half-watching the NBA draft last night and it was the strangest thing… teams would be trading guys they just drafted for other draft picks or players that were drafted after. Just plain weird.
_______________________________
Opinions are like kittens, I’m giving them away.
The NBA works their draft system a bit differently that the other 3 big leagues in North America. Commissioner David Stern, I must say though, handles this organization better than the current NHL commissioner, Gary ‘Buttman’ Bettman.
In case you missed Stubbs’s article on Brisebois’s return, it’s worth a read.
http://www.faceoff.com/hockey/teams/montreal-canadiens/Patrice+Brisebois+raring/6849424/story.html
I’ve always had a ton of respect for Brisebois, and the boobirds make my blood boil. You want to boo a guy who doesn’t put in the effort, that’s fine. But to boo a guy who gives 100% of his effort, pride and guts every night, just because his skills are declining and he’s put in an impossible situation by his team, is just reprehensible.
I never booed him. I may have face-palmed a couple times a game, though
And not just late in his career, if anything I liked him better then!
Full Breezer 4 Life
unless there’s a surprise in the air. we’ll end up pretty much with the same team as we had last year. I have a feeling if they can get everyone back healthy that’s the route they’ll take hoping 2012-2013 there will be less injuries they won’t have to bring in any money grabbers that’s testing the free market and give up our good draft picks in return. they’re be one or two new faces in the lineup if they can get them cheap that can maybe help us make the playoffs maybe some help out of training camp if not we’ll be in line for another good draft pick.
There are some major differences:
1) Markov will start the season. I one-legged Markov is better than Campoli, Kaberle, Diaz, or any of the other sub-par defensemen they tried to fill his void with.
2) Gionta will be healthy and will play those minutes they were begin chewed up by Bourque, AK, and the like. He will also provide Pleks with a steady line mate, something that was sorely lacking last season.
3) Subban, Eller, and White are all a year older, a year wiser, and more mature. Look for improvement in all their game.
“There’s genius everywhere, but until they turn pro, it’s like popcorn in the pan. Some pop… some don’t.”
- Jerry Maguire
Agree with all your points, and would this:
4) Therrien is not Martin. Not saying he’s better, but the team will play a different style, hopefully one more suited to the roster.
Full Breezer 4 Life
Don’t do it Carey.
If he wants to win a Cup he best leave Montreal behind!
Are you one of ‘em Halakites that ppl. despise?
I know we are for he most part by nature a short sighted bunch on here as fans…but let’s look ahead for a moment. In the last year and a bit we have acquired, Palushaj, Geoffrion, Holland, Bournival who all may or may not be NHL players. We have our own picks in Kristo, Gallagher, Leblanc, beaulieu and Tinordi all getting closer. We had a bumper crop or so it seems int he is years draft…with 4 players who it can be said 2 are first rounders and 2 are 2nd rounders at worst from a prospect status. We also have next years first pick AND THREE 2013 2nd round picks. Perhaps Bergevin and crew are being more conservative…because we can be.
The future is bright and perhaps it is in our best interest to not commit to anyone other than mentoring types for this year. If the coaching/managing/underachieving is in fact as big of a role player in last years turmoil…so be it…maybe we take a gamble with some of those picks at the deadline…if not we sell again…either way this team can do no wrong…UNLESS they go make a poor long term commitment to a less than deserving player. Maybe the “let the contracts play out” from Brisebois was a little more true than people thought.
The sad thing when thinking about this is the reality of what the team would look like had it got decent return on even some of the UFA’s it let walk in recent years and the kids that we got little for. PG did do one thing right that BG did not…he got something for UFA’s and it will help Bergevin look like a genius in a couple of years…with basically 10 second round prospects over a 3 year period…it is inevitable that 3 or more will be solid NHLers.
We do owe that to PG…Gill, AK and Cammi…got us picks, prospects and aided in the fall in the standings….which led to the opportunites to select the players we did…maybe PG was getting it…too little too late and people skills aside…he does get an assist in any future rewards re those deals
I look at Geoffrion and I don’t know what the Habs did offer him (probably a lower contract). Other posters say he’s slow but in the paint he’s in the right place at the right time. Good hockey sense. Not the fastest but right time right place= goals. Honestly don’t know what to do with him.
Mr. Biter
No Guts No Glory
Shouldnt have kept him.
For those in love with Danny Kristo’s potential and are excited at the idea of him joining the Habs…..
He has turned down the offer to play professional hockey for two consecutive years now. He’s setting himself up for a poor man’s version of what Justin Schultz is going through right now.
As soon as the school year starts, the Habs will only get a one month window to negotiate with him. What agent would advise their client to sign an entry level deal with the Habs when he could just go to the UFA market a month later?
It’s time to ask this kid which team he wants to play for and make a trade happen.
I don’t care if you use him as a prospect in a package to get your team an excellent player, if you flip him for another second round pick or trade him for somebody else’s prospect. But he must be signed or traded by September.
I agree and even more I dont see much downside in trading Kristo regardless of his intentions. If another team sees value in him and is ready to make a deal that benefits HABS, I say go for it.
I am not optimistic about Kristo’s NHL impact.
He has 109 points in 115 College games with UND. It looks like he’s going to be an excellent pro.
Would be interesting to revisit our posts in the future. I’ll let you set the time limit… how far ahead would you like to wait before we say who was right or wrong… just for fun. Also define ‘excellent’ just so we can quantify ‘success’ as you see it.
40 point player within four years.
Tom I could not agree with you more, but that train left. I wouldn’t give you a bag of pucks for him now knowing what his intentions are. I’ll just sign him when he is UFA.
I am pissed about this, but it happens. This guy is a real talent and he had no intentions of ever playing for the Habs.
The only chance we have is if his buddy Louis Leblanc gets in his ear often in between now and September.
Maybe he’s getting “cold feet”:
http://www.valleynewslive.com/Global/story.asp?S=13949042
“There’s genius everywhere, but until they turn pro, it’s like popcorn in the pan. Some pop… some don’t.”
- Jerry Maguire
A booty call is a booty call and as any hockey player knows, your head is only useful as a place to put your helmet on.
That is a possiblity..but he is a very good prospect and should only need one year in Hamilton. He fiinished somewhere around 20 in the nation in scoring….i ran out of time the otehr day as I was writing a post but I was around 11 or 12 and only one forward was the same birth year among the leaders…all were older ahead of hi…this despite his horrible start to the season. He will definitely see NHL action…what he makes of his career is up to him….but he is a legit talent.
Tom – He only gets to be a UFA in terms of the team he chooses. He will still have to sign an entry level contract just like he would have with Montreal. The difference being that’s one year less.
Ryan McDonagh also turned down the offer to play professional hockey for two consecutive years but the Rangers really didn’t have a big problem convincing him to forego his senior year and we’ll never know if the Canadiens would have had a problem either.
Some guys just don’t feel ready to make the jump, either physically or mentally. Some guys feel like they have unfinished business and want to win a championship. Some guys want the chance to lead a team, which doesn’t often happen until their junior or senior year.
Whatever the reasons, the list of solid NHL prospects that sign with their team after their four-year NCAA career ends is far, far longer than the list of solid NHL prospects that pass on signing and become free agents.
Dan Boyle, Brian Gionta, Martin St. Louis, Kevin Bieksa and Jordan Leopold are all examples of good NHL players that finished highly successful four year careers in the NCAA and signed with the team that held their rights (note that Leopold’s rights were traded from Buffalo to Calgary after his second season).
Chris Kunitz, Andy McDonald are examples of current NHL players that were never drafted but played out their four year NCAA careers.
I also hope that Danny Kristo’s ties with Louis Leblanc count for something, and that we sign UND goalie Aaron Dell to a free agent contract.
http://relentlessineptitude.blogspot.ca/2012/05/will-danny-kristo-spurn-canadiens-like.html
Technical point: Martin St-Louis was never drafted, he was signed as a free agent by Calgary. TSN’s draft expert and talent evaluator Craig Button released him when he was the Flames’ GM.
Random post:
I get the feeling Eller is going to surprise a lot of people this year. At 6’2″, he, in addition to Gally will become the two big centre men we’ve been waiting for!
Eller with 25 goals this year, that’s my predication.
Carry on.
He will benefit from having a complete summer workout as well, as last year he was re-habbing an injury, IIRC.
25 goals for him will depend alot on his TOI and if he can get some PP and better wingers.
exactly, and after watching DD break out this past season, he’s probably put a lot of pressure on himself to have a break out season of his own. I suspect he’s training hard this off season.
Most likely yes, but unless one of DD and Pleks is moved, I don’t see him getting alot more ice or PP time. His role would need to change for him to have a realistic chance at 25 goals.
I’m fine with him being on the third for this season, give him some stable/decent wingers and have him continue to build his game.
in order to score 25 goals, Eller would need to be on the power play, all season, and get a lot of time on the 1st unit.
that’s quite unlikely as it stands now.
Desharnais has earned his minutes centering our best line last year.
Plekanec is paid like a veteran and treated like a veteran.
I happen to agree that Eller is much better then we think he is.
But until the Habs open some ice for him, there’s no way he will score 25 as the 3rd line center.
Eller is a center and I really resist the notion of moving him to the wing…except on the PP. Put him out as Left wing with Plekanec and Gionta on the 2nd PP unit.
“Et le but!”
He won’t suprise me … I won’t say he is heading for Toews numbers but comparisons to the early trajectory of Ollie Jokkinen are not far off.
He won’t get the opportunities to score 25 goals unless an injury occurs.
I get the feeling he will get a lot more PP time this year. If I recall correctly, near the end of last season he was finally starting to get his chance and he looked good out there.
I dont know the stats.. but I like the optimism and expression of potential as it relates to size down the middle.
It won’t surprise me man…I think Eller is the real deal, still love we got him for Halak (we had a franchise goalie) and will slowley be given more opportunities to show he is the big two way center we always wanted. I think it’s time to find suiters for Plakanecs and put that money to better use. Not that I don’t like him, but he can’t live up to that contract with a negative +/- and only 50 pts a year every year but one. Eller will be a much better Plekanecs, and now we have our scoring center. Let’s look ahead and start puting our financial resources to better use.
Just MO…
That only happens if Eller is the number two centre with lots of PP time. 25 goals is a lot in today’s NHL.
I see him continuing as the third-line centre (and this assumes Gomez is gone). He actually put up good points for a third-line guy last year (16 goals, 28 points) and is going into his 3rd season having just turned 23.
If he is the third-line centre, I would say 20 goals would be awesome. If he gets moved to the wing – where he is less useful I think – he could do better on the second line with Pleks, but I prefer him at C, with say Moen and Leblanc.
Full Breezer 4 Life
Obviously he’s not had the luxury of stable line mates throughout his time in Montreal. He’s also been moved to the wing on too many occasions. If he starts the year as our 3rd line center and can remain there the season with some stable line mates I will be happy, as he will finally have the opportunity to reach his potential.
I have no hard feelings towards Schultz and feel he is within his rights to explore the UFA market …BUT…it would be funny to see someone sign and trade him.
To Anaheim?
Now that is funny. And it could be done, legally. Unless his agent had the foresight to include a no trade (is that possible on a 1st contract) or a provision precluding a move to Anaheim.
When we note what Islanders offered re the draft, it would have been a ploy for Anageim to approach them with something like this.
Which of the following moves would everyone be most pleased with?
a) Sign Tootoo to a 2 yr/3.6m deal…….1.8 per
b) Trade a 2nd rd pick and Kristo for Steve Ott
c) SIgn Parenteau to a 4 yr/ 14m deal…………..3.5 per
d) Sign Souray to a 2yr/ 4.5 m deal………..2.25 per
e) Trade Eller, Gallagher and Collberg for P Kane.
None… if you could get Tootoo for less good..
Agree with none of the above.
I realize the money and trade value is not attractive to the habs side of things but in reality this is what our GM is confronted with to make these kinda moves.
B then A, followed by F which is signing Bryan Allen to a 3 yr. deal
a) no
b) yes
c) no
d) yes
e) too much, I’d love to have Kane but that is a lot to give up…
NOT a huge fan of Kane myself but you have to think that if we are to trade for a top 6 winger then Eller will have to be included in the deal.
I choose B!
I am pleased with all except souray.
although “e)” sounds unrealistic and dreamy
I love B, and A and C work for me. But we need to do better than Souray (much as I like the guy), and I’d wager that Eller, Gallagher and Collberg in their primes will together have a much greater impact than Patrick Kane.
Is it only me? How many others had hoped that from a UFA management standpoint we would have signed Price Subban and Moen by now ( or at least 1 of them) so that we could have gone into the weekend with a firmer game-plan. The game plan must be very fluid for it would have to factor in those players one way or another.
Price & Subban are easy, assume no more than $11M for the two, they will absolutely be here next year. Moen, maybe they have offered him something and he wants to wait a few days to see what comes in or maybe they have an alternative already picked out. I do not think that the UFA plan will be much impacted.
I think my main point i sbeing missed.
If they were signed, Bergevin’s gameplan for July 1 would have been clearer… dont you think.
I am not sure they are easy. I mean if they were and you could do it and firm up your cap situation prior to July 1, wouldnt they have done it.
Simple difference in opinion between the club and players on $$$. Truth be told, they have no real leverege yet. Price, yes a little, Subban absolutley not – nothing.
So Bergavin is letting them fester. I’m pretty sure he is capable of multi tasking/delagating and does not need these guys signed to turn his attention to July 1 and FA…
the only one that concerns me is Moen.
there’s zero concern regarding Price and Subban
neither is a UFA.
neither is going anywhere.
when Subban and Paccioretty have “A’s” on their jerseys, Galchenyuk is scoring big points with the big club, Price is Price but even better, and Josh Gorges is the Captain,
the Habs will win their 25th Cup.
that is not too far off.
I like your cyrstal ball Ed, it speaks well. We shall enjoy that 25th Cup my friend!
Absolutely!!
Bournival will be captain.
IN the future… yes.
of Hamilton.
Unless Bergevin is in a chase for a big name i hope he stays quiet cause the only sure thing about the deadline is that most of the players will be overpaid. That`s the basic goal for the free agents, to test the market and raise the ante.
I am not in favor either to get Latendresse back. We wanted and needed to turn the page and look forward . Furthermore, Latendresse will do better almost anywhere but in Montreal and i think he deserves a chance to prove himself.
I do not expect a big day on sunday, minor deals here and there but much less exciting than draft day. Although i would like it differently, the past years have shown us that it is lots of talk for little action.
A few morning thoughts:
If Price does sign for 6 years at a cap hit of $6.5 million, some will complain that he’s making more than Quick. But he won’t be. Factor in the taxes (combined USA Fed/California vs. combined Canada Fed/Quebec) and my calculations suggest Price would be making less than Quick in terms of take-home. That is no doubt factored into the “actual” salary.
The Habs have to sign Diaz. He proved he can play competently, if unspectacularly, at the NHL level, and you don’t throw away an NHL player unless you have to. He’s not a good fit on this team, not as a 3rd-pairing guy with Kaberle, but he probably is being signed for depth/as a 7th D-man, or as a backup plan in case MB can’t come up with anyone better. EDIT: and a competent d-man is always decent trade-bait, especially one who is young and cheap.
If Brodeur joined the Habs he’d be the immediate number one. That’s why the Habs wouldn’t want him. They already have a number one.
Because the Habs are so weak at LW, Moen has more value to them than to most other teams. He’ll play 14-15 minutes a game with the Habs, maybe 10-12 with anyone else. They will have to give him a nice raise, but the situation is good for both him and the team, and the Habs really need his grit.
July 1st is Sunday: when is KONOPKA coming to Mtl? JK/lol
Full Breezer 4 Life
Also, it’s been said that Quick’s deal is frontloaded, so that factors in as well.
I agree with all the rest.
what do you think of Weber, considering your stance on Diaz?
Weber is the same deal. I actually think he might be more attractive to other teams, because of his shot. He has to be resigned or its a wasted investment.
However, neither fits in very well on the Habs right now, and with the defensive prospects the Habs are developing, they don’t look to fit in the future either. But with Timmins at the table, I’d rather get a 3rd rounder for them than nothing! And for this year, we need one or the other for depth.
Full Breezer 4 Life
Isnt Price part of the first nations? As such, his tax bracket is completely different from non first nations living in Canada.
THat is a very interesting question you pose.
I believe you have to live on a “reserve” to be tax exempt, but I may be wrong.
I’ve had a colleague that was part of the first nation, well his mother was, and he was granted tax exemptions even with not living on a reserve. At least that’s what he told us.
No it is not.
He does not work on a reserve …
Ed below is correct on this matter. I actually have two adopted siblings who are registered First Nations. They pay tax on everything (income, GST) because they don’t live on a reserve or earn income on one.
http://www.yukoncollege.yk.ca/blogs/fni/common_myths_about_first_nations_2_tax_exemptions
Full Breezer 4 Life
Regarding Diaz, don’t be suprised to see him paired with Markov. Think of a poorer team’s Lidstom and Rafalsk, playing 2nd defence minutes.
why no HIO at dev camp? this is the most exciting dev camp since HIO started with several top players around…
budget cuts I presume.
I’d be happy to sign Lattendresse too………. sign him to a two way contract that is. Wouldn’t it be nice if he had to earn his ice-time in the future???
j.p. murray
Global BC reporting this morning that Canucks – Schneider have agreed in principle to 3 years @ $12M.
ALWAYS Habs -
D Mex
yup. Was done yesterday
I for one hope MB does very little on July 1 or at least waits until the dust settles to pick up a few scraps for the 3/4th line. Given a very thin free agent list why bother and lets see what happens in the fall. The team has new management and iam getting a sense they might want to see what the team plays like with healthy bodies and a new direction on the ice. On the other hand I love surprises. Happy July 1, 12 HIO.
i’m very pleased with the progress of management since mb took the helm. his open friendly style will open the doors again for ufa’s to come to mtl.
on another note, i’m hopeful for Nash to crack the line-up. He’s big and smart and was +22 in Hamilton. If not Nash, then another big guy or 2 is needed. I do hope only one of weber and diaz sticks – both are simply too small to play the position.
am looking forward to a an injury-free and successful season for our boys.
cheers to all
I like Nash as well but after missing a full season he will need some more time in the AHL this year in my opinion
“Like Canadian Hip hop..check us out http://www.groovecontrolmusic.com“
Would like to see Nash get a long(er) look at camp this year : pro experience and size that Weber and Diaz cannot bring to the back end.
ALWAYS Habs -
D Mex
It is summer time, and that means Konopka Time! So my sources tell me Washington and specifically Adam Oates are in talks with the great Zenon about a 2 year contract.
wouldn’t that be illegal as he is still under contract with Ottawa until Sunday?
Technically yes, but i think it happens more than we think.
I am sure it does. Why wouldn’t Ottawa want to resign him I wonder
Why didn’t the Islanders want to resign Konopka before he went to Ottawa? He seems to have a short time span with any pro team he has joined.
Talk about throwing a rock into the pond while a man is trolling. Where is Jim to explain fishing etiquette?
Hey Frank, do you think you will be able to attend Summit this year?
Thinking about it. Have our corporate AGM in October, but don’t have dates yet.
Just got back in. Heading to post office soon to mail money to Ian. Hope you can make it Frank. Would love to meet you.
My rule of fishing is if you dont like it, throw it back in.
———————————–
So Jim, if you were fishing with me I am assuming you throw me in as well eh?
I don’t think it does happen more than we think, this is a league who took away a 1st round pick from a yeam who gave out a contract that the league didn’t like. I think gms can get sued for doing this.
Who are your sources? or are they secret? Did they actually tell you or did you read it off of twitter like from Hockey Insiderr or something?
I am not going to provide names, but it is very good friend of Z and his family.
Funny, I asked him myself and he said this was all made up
Knop Knop!
Who is there?
Z
Z who?
Z answer to your Knomdrum with your 4th line.
Sorry about your loss yesterday,Gerry.
I didn’t realize Roberto Luongo was tending goal for the German team.
LOL, I don’t think the keeper was to blame, very poor defending on a few plays and complete lack of finish at other end.
Klose should have started the game, has so much more overall sense of the game than Gomez. Schweinsteigers ankle was not good and he looked it yesterday. Dissappointing no doubt, the Italians always know how to win big games, must give them all the credit on this one.
you sir, are a gentleman in both victory and defeat.
I raise my glass to you Burly.
(yah, I’m drinking already)
On my way to starting bud, CHeers!
Actually have seen a write up from BBC Sports showing Germany had more shots, time of ball possession and chances. There must have been problems with their Fenwick.
I told you already HabFab they started Gomez not Klose, completely screwed up their Corsi and Fenwick!!!
That’s why Klose looked so small. I thought it was the Rum.
Mr. Biter
No Guts No Glory
Potential suitors for Brodeur: Chicago, Toronto, San Jose, Boston, maybe Vancouver if they don’t bring back a goalie in the Luongo trade, possibly Tampa Bay, and…wait for it…Montreal.
Why not add a legend who grew up watching and cheering for the Habs to mentor Price as a backup for a year? Marty has nothing left to prove, why not fulfill a childhood dream? The only thing getting in the way would be a) finding a taker for Budaj, and b) Marty’s ego, which is likely the bigger factor given he plans to hit the market to stick it to the Devils. He probably wants to prove himself further…likely as a starter.
I still say we should kick the tires.
I doubt Marty wants to take on a backup role, and I’m not so sure if it would work out with Price either.
Price seems to have a good relation with Budaj, whom was better last season than alot thought he was.
And with Price raking in a cap hit between 6 and 6.5, adding Marty’s cap hit would make our cap really goalie heavy.
Marty is not looking for a backup role.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
Pat Brisson, is that you?
I would think that Marty is looking for a contending team, lots of coin and a two year contract if he can get it.
Gillis must be having a shitfit. Of course if Brodeur leaves Jersey, then it opens up another door for Vancouver.
Steve, it would be hard to fathom New Jersey taking on Luongo’s contract with Kovalchuks contract already there. But stranger things have happened. Also I wonder if Luongo would accept a trade to Jersey.
Add in the financial situation in New Jersey, it seems unlikely they would want to add another financial anchor to their roster.
Agreed. On the other hand, they have nobody waiting in the wings. Their best option might be to chase Bernier.
As for what Luongo will accept, I can see Vancouver waiting it out a bit. Eventually he is going to have to widen his list of options if he really wants to get out of Vancouver.
I doubt we’ll actually sign him. But I think we should kick the tires to see what his intentions are.
Good Lord no! I’d much prefer Mr.nice guy Flanders Budaj as our back-up next year. He knows his role and does it well.
What do you guys think of the possibility of signing Latendresse? He wants to play in Montreal. I don’t think that he’d cost more than 2 mil a season.
Mr. Whiz
…where did you read he wants to play in Montreal?
He said he wants to play in the East as he has a 4 year old son in Montreal as per RDS.
Yeah, well I want to play in Montreal too.
If he likes playing here so much, she should have tried just that his first time here.
Pass.
Again with Lats! This idea has been popping up in threads the last few days. Lats has played 20-odd games in the last 2 years due to injury. For a team decimated by injury last year, I can’t see the logic in adding Lats.
Why must the same names Lats, AK, Higgins etc keep coming back on this website. Why would we want them back if their current teams don’t want these superstars?
Mr. Biter
No Guts No Glory
Moen, Nokkia, White. A great fourth line.
Moen and Nokkia are also valuable situational players. Moen can sub on the third line and kill penalties. Nokkia is the best face off artist on the team, and has some skill, though he has never had a chance to prove it.
I haven’t heard of anything on Moen negotiations at all. I think he may be leaving
“Like Canadian Hip hop..check us out http://www.groovecontrolmusic.com“
You have to wonder. Most Hab fans have Moen penciled in but in this market why wouldn’t Moen test the waters? Not much competition on LW as far as UFAs go.
I think he will test the market. He could get a nice raise I am sure.
We could use him in the bottom six unless MB has something he is working on
Moen gets more top 6 icetime in Montreal than he will anywhere else most likely. Maybe those days are over now, but Montreal has treated him well. Do you think he’d get a significant raise as a UFA? Someone might give him $2M, but no one would give him $3M… wait, maybe if Toronto buys out Colby Armstrong they won’t be able to help themselves…
I could see him getting 2.75 to 3 mill on the FA market. There are not a ton of options with his experience and grit. He competes hard every game, defends his team and is awesome on the PK.
Toronto would be a potential suitor but there are a few options. The habs can’t afford to lose grit unless they are planning on replacing it
“Like Canadian Hip hop..check us out http://www.groovecontrolmusic.com“
before moen was injured he was skating better then he had in years.
a few of his goals were of the breakaway variety, and he explained that he added to his speed in the off season.
if moen is healthy, and there’s no where I have read otherwise, he is going to be an excellent 3rd line player next year.
his 9 goals in only 48 games was no fluke.
I believe he will contribute 15 + goals somewhere next season, which is good production for a guy who plays zero pp time, 3rd line minutes, and is excellent defensively.
I also get the feeling that Moen is a very good team player and a hard working Pro.
the habs are “working on” signing him, and I believe they will get it done.
this is not the time to walk away from Moen for 250 or 500 k.
we need players like him, and Bergevin knows it.
I hope you are right Ed
“Like Canadian Hip hop..check us out http://www.groovecontrolmusic.com“
MiB has made offers to Moen. I expect that at the age of 30, he would want a 2-3 year deal but I suspect MiB would only offer a 1 year deal.
I wouldn’t be against a 3 year deal. 30 isn’t that old. I think Moen has at least another 5 seasons left in him for sure
terrible 4th line…want another year of getting punked by every team who feels like it? Moen can skate 3rd line..White I’m fine with but Staubby or similar should be included…I know everyone here wants Prust – and so do I but he’ll be highly covered and likely expensive..
Note on Magnus Nygren: Apparently offered a 2yr deal by the Habs
http://www.vf.se/sport/ishockey/%E2%80%9Dnygga%E2%80%9D-nobbar-montrealflytt
[I don't know how legit these claims are since the newspaper is reporting on it for the purposes of Farjestads off season persepctive]
“Montreal wanted him to come over. But according to VF sources, Magnus Nygren turned down the opportunity to move across the Atlantic and will be staying with Farjestad next season. Christopher Nilstorp (G) has yet to make a decision.
VF Sports revealed earlier this week that Montreal, which drafted the 21 year old in the 4th round last year, offered him a two year contract and wanted him to come over already this upcoming season.
The Canadian club thought it would be best for Nygren to play on the smaller N.A. rinks and continue his development there. VF Sports has failed to reach Magnus Nygren since Farjestad is at a team building retreat in Sälen.
But according to our [VF] sources Magnus does not feel completely ready to go to North America right now, after a winter he earlier descibed to VF Sports as ‘a season I, in the future, I will not remember as one of my best”
[The rest of the article discusses Farjestad's depth on D - the caption to the picture on the article describes him as a PP specialist]
This was confirmed by some of the local reporters about a month ago. Nygren needs to sign with the Habs by June 1st next year or we lose his rights.
Go Habs Go!
NHL Free Agency and Trade Analysis now.
Team By Team Prospect Reports coming soon
http://lastwordonsports.com/
He didn’t have a good year and not one of my favorite Timmins moves.
In a year-end interview, Clément Jodoin mentioned him among the other D rookies as a player who was likely to join the Bulldogs this season.
Anyone else hoping we sign Brodeur to split next season with Price? I think Brodeur still has about to 20-40 games in him and I’d rather have him working with Price in place of Budaj.
I think Price can be awesome for us next year, but I don’t want to see him play 70 games again. I’d rather he play 40-60 and have the former “Best Goalie in the World” backing him up.
I guess you don’t have a problem with 11 to 12 million of the teams salary going to 2 goaltenders next year. I also have no interest in going through another goalie debate for half a season on this site again, the spring of 2010 was enough for me.
“They don’t hang Conference Championship Banners from the rafters here”
Carey Price
To many Gilders on goalies.
Mr. Biter
No Guts No Glory
Do not forget stamp and a self addressed envelope with your money order friends.
Friday morning food for thought on the relative importance of goalies…
I’ve been thinking about this for a while now. Quick, an elite goalie, stopped 92.7% of shots on goal last season, managing 5th in the league. The 30th ranked goalie in SV% last year was Curtis Sanford, who’s considered a fringe NHLer having stopped just 91.1% of SOGs.
A goalie is going to face something in the area of 30 shots per game. So doing the math (admittedly not my strong suit), a guy like Sanford allowed goals on 8.9% of shots (about 2.67 GA a game), and someone like Quick allowed goals on 7.3% of shots (2.19 goals per game). That’s a difference of less than half a goal per game, and a bit less than a goal every two games.
I’m not saying that difference is insignificant — just that it may be less significant than a lot of people think. And it bears noting that a strong defensive defenceman who routinely prevents a half a goal per game (or more) never gets anywhere near the $7M side of the salary spectrum.
A bit more math: if a team can decrease its shots against from 30 per game to 27, say, even a goalie with Sanford’s lowly .911 SV% would post a respectable 2.40 GAA, good enough for 15th place in the league last year and good enough to win most games. (Brodeur posted a 2.41 last year, Fleury/Thomas 2.36, Rinne 2.39).
All this to say, it bears wondering if we’re better off for the money with a lights-out defensive core and a so-so goalie (think Chicago’s Cup team) than the opposite situation (think ours from last year). Rather than pay millions more each year for a goalie with one extra SV% point, would teams be better served investing that money in a couple of rock-solid Gorges-types D-men who can decrease the number of shots the goalies have to stop?
So you thinking the Leafs model then, so-so to crap goalie with big hulking Komisarek in front
Well, replace Komi with Keith/Seabrook and the Monster with someone like Niemi/Anderson/Enroth, btu you get the idea.
I responded to Lopaz’s post earlier and think it can go either way. Any goalie will have great stats depending on the teams style of play….and if the team doesn;t give up too many quality shots. The days of weak goals are all but gone….what is today considerd a weak goal used to be considered a great shot from a sniper. I think the idea of spending this much ona goalie relaly depends on the team, its cap postion moving forward (ie hhow many other long term large contracts), style of play, character, etc. But over 6 seasons it is all but inevitable that Price will have one or two that are not so great…and that may be an issue if there is another goalie beating down the door by then…ie Vancouver.
I like PRice enough to not make a big deal if he does get that money…especially with the cap goingup and Montreal being a cap team, the fact hat we have many big contracts coming off the books soon and the age of the core guys moving forward giving the team some flexibility.
There are too many other factors for it to be that simple…like you mention shots..quality comes into play there as well…tough call on Price and cash. The Montreal taxes alone diff is roughly 10-15 percent it appears realtively to market value in most cases…so that is about 600k – 900 k right there, the rpessure cooker, it;s his 3rd contract and prime years,etc,etc.
You don’t necessarily have good goaltending just because your goalie has a high save percentage. It depends on how the team plays. If a NHL goalie these days can see the shot it is generally stopped.
Likewise if that puck is bouncing around like a pinball you have 6-5 games and everyone says the goaltending is sub-par.
A good goalie is a horse. Consistent, comes back from a bad game, and able to go 62-72 games then at least 16 straight in the playoffs.
A good goalie on a perimeter team is going to lose more games than he wins. The NHL isn’t a perimeter league. The talent level is just too high when 220 pound D-men can skate backwards as fast as 5″9″ sparkplugs.
This has been my general opinion about goaltenders for quite some time now. I just don’t see all that many goaltenders in the NHL who couldn’t be interchanged with a lesser light so long as the team in front of them is relatively strong.
The best example of this was perhaps the 2008-09 New Jersey Devils. In 2007-08, Martin Brodeur won his fourth Vezina Trophy. But in early November of the following season, Brodeur suffered his first major injury (a torn distal biceps tendon) that sidelined him for 16 weeks, forcing the Devils to run with journeymen backup goaltenders Scott Clemmensen and Kevin Weekes to shoulder to load.
Comparing their stats in that season:
Clemmensen – 40 GP, 25-13-1, 2.39 GAA, 0.917 SV%, 2 SO
Brodeur – 31 GP, 19-9-3, 2.41 GAA, 0.916 SV%, 5 SO
Weekes – 16 GP, 7-5-0, 2.42 GAA, 0.920 SV%, 0 SO
Nobody in their right mind would argue that Clemmensen or Weekes were better goaltenders than Brodeur. But they did pretty much the exact same job with the same team in front of them as the All-World Martin Brodeur.
We see this happen frequently. The comparable statistics of Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott in St. Louis this season are often cited on this website, but there are tons of recent cases of two goalies on good teams with similar stats or taking turns being the best goaltender on the team:
- Cory Schneider and Roberto Luongo in 2011-12
- Tuukka Rask and Tim Thomas from 2008-09 to 2011-12
- Evgeni Nabokov and Vesa Toskala from 2003-04 to 2006-07
- Carey Price and Jaroslav Halak in 2008-09 and 2009-10
- Chris Osgood and whoever he was partnered with in Detroit over much of his career
- Marty Turco and Mike Smith in 2006-07 and 2007-08
etc.
This isn’t a new phenomenon. Patrick Roy was always the money goalie in the playoffs, but in 1986-87 and 1987-88, he and Brian Hayward split the Montreal Canadiens’ goaltending duties with difference in team results. From 1983-84 to 1986-87, Andy Moog and Grant Fuhr waged a private battle to be the #1 goaltender for the mighty Edmonton Oilers. Fuhr always seemed to get the nod in the playoffs despite Moog routinely putting up better numbers (often in more games) during the regular season. This battle only ended when Moog was dealt to the Bruins, where Moog started a new platoon with Reggie Lemelin.
I absolutely think that you can get by in the modern NHL with an adequate goaltender so long as you have a strong team everywhere else. An elite goaltender has not carried a mediocre team to a Stanley Cup since Martin Brodeur did so in 2002-03. We have seen some outstanding goalie performances in recent years help weaker teams to the Finals (Kiprusoff in 2003-04, Roloson in 2005-06) but equally common are strong teams with mediocre goaltenders (Detroit in 2007-08, Chicago in 2009-10) winning the Stanley Cup.
As you point out, the gap between a top-5 starting goaltender in today’s NHL and a top-25 starting goaltender is almost miniscule. And of them can get ridiculously hot and carry their team thorugh the playoffs.
The big difference seems to come at contract negotiation time. Give too much money to your goaltender and you might have less to create that truly dominant team that you need to win Stanley Cups. Give too much money to your goaltender and you create a situation where you expect your goalie to play 65-75 games per season, a workload that I have yet to be convinced pays any true dividends.
Solid post.
Thanks for a really good read, Chris. I know there are lots of intangibles that a goalie brings to a team, that skaters may play more offensively in front of a goalie they trust to make big saves, etc., but increasingly I can’t help feeling that the crease isn’t the most effective place to spend $7M a year.
For what it’s worth, here’s a list of the last few Cup-winning goaltenders and their salaries the year they won:
2012 – Quick: $1.8M
2011 – Thomas: $6M
2010 – Niemi: $827k
2009 – Fleury: $3.5M
2008 – Osgood (Can’t find it, but <$2M)
and Thomas came off a Vez and was in year one of that deal…2 years in the cotnract looks pretty awful but fortunately htey have Rask….
Star goalies do more for a team than save pucks. They become marketing faces of their franchise, and sell boatloads of merchandise.
___________________________________________________
Being a Hab fan is like buying real estate: only over the long-haul will you appreciate the true value of your investment.
Absolutely and even more so when they play for he Habs.
Definitely — but for argument’s sake, so do star forwards and defencemen who make the same money but may contribute as much or even more to the on-ice success of the team.
I have a bad feeling MB will do nothing and remind me of PG.
when you snooze you lose!
Mr. Stubbs tweets that contract negotiations are progressing nicely between the Habs and Diaz/Emelin.
Good news.
And that Subban contract talks will likely get serious starting next week (presumably after Price is locked up).
All good news, really look forward to watching Emelin in his 2nd season on small rink. Undoubtedly having Markov around the room should help the big fellow as well. Now onto more pressing matters, will Emelin have that belly with him at training camp again that everyone overreacted to?
Watch the hit highlights on the Canadiens website and 95% of the hits are Subban and Emelin.
I underestimated how physical Emelin actually was/is
“Like Canadian Hip hop..check us out http://www.groovecontrolmusic.com“
Emelin might be a bit chubby for a pro hockey player, but it did not seem to hinder him much, granted if losing some weight would improve his speed and agility it would be for the best.
I think the main thing for him will be to adapt to the longer season, and hopefully he will work on this during the off season.
He certainly faded the second half but it is a long season
“Like Canadian Hip hop..check us out http://www.groovecontrolmusic.com“
Agree Kooch,
but he faded after Malone sucker punched him. After the Tampa
his hits went down dramatically. He needs to be paired with a big mean d-man for protection as since he can’t really defend himself (due to KHL facial injury) after laying out clean but mean hits while rile opponents.
The Malone sucker I agree I think might have scared him a bit. When you toss out so many big hits you will eventually have to answer the bell. that is why we need a player like Staubitz to be on the roster in my opinion.
That was Staubitz first game I believe if I am not correct. If he is back next year Malone will be having to defend himself I would imagine
I agree Kooch that’s why we need Staubitz and it was his first game as a Hab (who also grabbed Malone’s arm to cause less damage from the bench) and after sitting his 2 and 10 laid a lcking on a Tampa tough guy wanna be. Yes Malone will have to be on the look out next if Staubitz (who actually wants to stay in Montreal) is re-signed.
Mr. Biter
No Guts No Glory
serious next week???? they must be following PG’s schedule… sign a minor contract, take 5 days off, then come back to work.
….where does Diaz fit on this team on D unless it is a 2 way deal?
Emelin we need and Diaz is capable but not with our current line up.
Markov – Emelin
Gorges-Subban
Kabrele- Diaz?????
Duplicate post. ignore
yes I believe so because he was trying to make the team and because of injuries he did. He doesn’t look out of place in the NHL I just don’ t know where he fits. We also still have Weber and St Denis. They are all very similar. I actually like St Denis the most
“Like Canadian Hip hop..check us out http://www.groovecontrolmusic.com“
Diaz has the skills to play in NHL. I think the signing gives depth and perhaps trade material. His contract was 2 way last year, so perhaps it will be again.
Diaz was a bright light for the team last season, and I would be loathe to give up on him so early. Don’t forget…last year was his first season on NHL sized ice, as was also the case for Alexei Emelin.
At 26 years old, Diaz is a nice insurance policy should one of Markov or Kaberle get hurt (provided Kaberle isn’t traded outright). Partner Diaz with a smart, stay-at-home defenceman and he’s a valuable contributor. Heck, I’d even consider giving Sheldon Souray an offer and see if he has any interest in coming back to Montreal for a couple of seasons to tide us over while we wait for the youngsters. As a third-pairing defenceman, Souray could actually be quite good and he could play some PP minutes as well.
So what pairings do you see though?
We have Gorges, PK, Markov, Kabby under contract and soon Diaz and Emelin, Weber and St Denis in the Hammer
“Like Canadian Hip hop..check us out http://www.groovecontrolmusic.com“
I think they are going to trade Weber to give him a chance to develop and pursue his career. Really doesn’t seem to have a future in Montreal, but I think he can be a good player in the right environment.
As to pairings, not really sure. It will depend on what they do with Kaberle, whether they keep him or whether they deal him or buy him out.
2 for 1 deal. That sounds cap-friendly.
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Opinions are like kittens, I’m giving them away.
Sources close to the situation saying that Price and the Canadiens are very close to signing a 6 year $39M deal!
That would be 6.5 per season.
This is from Montreal hockey talk
Maybe the cap hit is that high because they have a no rodeo clause? :p
LOL probably.
I would think that is about what he will get. Big Head McKenzie was saying it will be more money than quick but less term.
Yup and Bobby Mack is one source I trust.
I see Price in 5-5.5 mil range but it’s better to give him upwards of 6 mil than Gomer. After all, Price too has very nice hair.
LOL. Nice hair is always rewarded
“Like Canadian Hip hop..check us out http://www.groovecontrolmusic.com“
“Le Baron” has very nice hair too,but I suspect it isn’t his.
Six years? Big mistake. Looks like the ghosts of PG and BG are still lurking about on this one. So be it. Maybe Price will prove me wrong this year. I hope so. You better hope so too.
Richard R
Price is an oyster. Unfortunately not all oysters produce pearls.
Lots of posts on Nokie,but does anybody have a book on this lad Nash? What’s he like?Hola!
He’s one of our top AHL defencemen, but missed the vast majority, if not all of last season due to surgery (shoulder, I believe). He’s had some callups to the Show. It’ll be interesting to see how he does this year.
He is a smooth skater and has good hockey sense. I think he could make the show but will need another AHL season
Too bad he was hurt last year, he could of been the 3rd pairing dman this year I think otherwise.
Agreed.
If indeed MB does some trade talk with Chicago I would like to see if he could get Viktor Stalberg. LW with great speed, last year of contract 875K then UFA.
Kane to Montreal instead of VS.
I can only imagine Kane enjoying the nightlife of Montreal though.
a potent mix…
That would fine with me. Stalberg Eller LeBlanc might work.
Richard R
Price is an oyster. Unfortunately not all oysters produce pearls.
For anybody that missed Tom’s link below:
Day 2: Habs’ Development Camp Live
Cory Sarich is off the market, signing a 2-yr deal to stay in Calgary. And for those in the “we need an enforcer” camp, Cam Janssen has re-signed in Jersey.
If Cam Janssen doesn’t develop dementia the textbooks have to be rewritten.
That guy isn’t an enforcer so much as a punching bag.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
NEWS FLASH
2012 HIO Fan Summit Game Tickets. As many as you want! But act now!
Oct. 27th against Koivu and his Ducks.
Total Summit Weekend Itinerary to follow.
I have been given as many tickets as we need for a very short time limit. But I must pay for them ASAP.
So this is the procedure to follow! Two prices, the first 56 seats are together.
And the rest will be scattered.
Two levels of seats, two prices. $90 and $110. (U.S. & Canadian.)
This includes game ticket, Hall of Fame Tour ticket and one ticket for the draw at the Montreal Canadiens Children’s charity Foundation Raffle.
Now, all orders must come to me in the form of a money order (only, not a check) with a self addressed envelope and stamp so I can mail your tickets back to you. We only have a short window for this deal so get your money orders to me ASAP. Cut off date for this deal, is coming up soon.!
Everyone is welcome, but we ask that you attend the Pre Game dinner and Charity Raffle.
Send to Ian Cobb
63 Village Dr.
Belleville Ontario, Canada.
K8P 4K2
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Montreal-Canadiens-We-Are-Fans-Summit/197390760316125
Ian, I have never been to the Summit before. Are all welcome to come?
Depends…are you a Habs fan?
***Subbang Baby!!!***
Damn skippy
Kooch get your money order to Ian and you are in my friend.
This year, I ask everyone to attend the pre game dinner across the street from the Bell Center. The whole weekend is walking distance between events.
Thx Burly. FYI – There is a hockey day in Brantford In August where pat hickey will be playing. I think they just confirmed that Adam Henrique will be playing as well
“Like Canadian Hip hop..check us out http://www.groovecontrolmusic.com“
All are welcome but tickets go first to those who have previously attended. Once they are gone, then Ian will allot tickets to first timers.
People should note that there is a major change this year to the Summit – each ticket sold will include a $20 raffle ticket for the charity fundraiser. People who want to attend the dinner but are not buying game tickets directly through Ian must also agree to buy a $20 raffle ticket. This also goes for anyone attending the raffle but not the actual game.
There will also be additional raffle tickets on sale at the dinner.
ARE YOU GOING UP..
Yes, indeed.
did we not see the ducks before?
Ticket selection is better when you watch a second tier team, not to mention the Koivu factor. Good travel weather is also a major consideration. I would expect that any future Summits will always be before the snow flies.
We have never done the Summit either. Wife is a ’94 McGill grad so we may have to make the trek from PEI. Also it will be great to see hometown friend Gerard Gallant behind the bench!
Ian, Sara and I are in. Money order soon to follow.
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Being a Hab fan is like buying real estate: only over the long-haul will you appreciate the true value of your investment.
Ian – Could I please get tickets beside Chuck’s wife, Sara. I don’t really care where he sits.
BTW Chuck, I have my tickets for Backbeat, Leonard Cohen and Neil Young.
I was fortunate enough to sit beside her last year, but Chuck insisted on being inbetween us.
Damn right. I know how you work.
___________________________________________________
Being a Hab fan is like buying real estate: only over the long-haul will you appreciate the true value of your investment.
A tad early in the season considering the labour unrest, no?
What’s plan B?
Ozmodiar – That point was taken into consideration but if there’s a lockout of any substantial amount of time there is a good chance that a totally new or modified schedule will be made up by the NHL.
People booking flights from out of town might want to consider this point. As well, the hotel will probably want the first night as non-refundable.
If that were to be the case, I’d like to think that everyone would still want to get together to share some fun. Heck, maybe the Habs would let us use the ice if they’re not needing it.
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Being a Hab fan is like buying real estate: only over the long-haul will you appreciate the true value of your investment.
Tim and I are in – money order will be sent posthaste.
Money orders for 2 will be sent shortly.
***Subbang Baby!!!***
Jazz Fest and hot weather. They go together like peanut butter and jam, Oreos and milk, PK and Josh.
Anybody else heading here let me know.
***Subbang Baby!!!***
I’m probably coming up tomorrow afternoon.
Sounds like a good weekend Punkster, enjoy yourself. Wish the drive were a bit closer.
You would probably slice it anyways
***Subbang Baby!!!***
Its a fade man, come on I got rid of the slice!
Well, I found it! It was just laying there waiting for me to rediscover it.
***Subbang Baby!!!***
It’s none of my business, but since it’s up on the interweb:
I’ve got to congratulate you two on a great exchange. It provided me with some much need LOLs.
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Opinions are like kittens, I’m giving them away.
Wow. Apparently Brodeur is going to hit the open market as a UFA. He’s even hired Pat Brisson to represent him.
The Leafs will sign him lol
Brodeur will play one season for them, retire, then the Leafs will ‘honour’ his number with a banner in the ACC.
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Being a Hab fan is like buying real estate: only over the long-haul will you appreciate the true value of your investment.
I could see it. Worst part is he would still stand on his head against montreal. I was hoping he would win the cup and retire
“Like Canadian Hip hop..check us out http://www.groovecontrolmusic.com“
THAT’S UNHEARD OF!
To the stirring announcement by that fake gravely voiced guy at the ACC. No announcer could be more annoying than that.
***Subbang Baby!!!***
Andy Frost, also a DJ on Q107. I agree, he is almost as annoying as the Boston announcer – “Wooooooo!!!!!”
Also count him among their Hall of Famers.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Burke tries to, but it would take alot of money to get Brodeur to go to Toronto methinks. Maybe the flyers will sign him….
On ice practice has started.
I think all the talk about Steve Ott coming to Montreal might just be wishful thinking. He is not a 4th line centre – he plays on the 3rd line and sometimes even subs on the 2nd. If he plays centre for Montreal that means one of DD, Pleks or Eller is going to the wing. Not to mention that Ott is going to command more than a Weber, 4th round pick and a Dave Stubbs bowtie trade offer.
If Ott gets traded, it’s going to be to a contender who will want his two year contract and can afford his 3M cap hit.
Ott is quite capable of playing the wing. Having him and Bourque as interchangeable second and third line LWs would be fine with me.
For sure, but most of the talk on HI/O was utilizing him as a centre.
I wonder what posters would realistically be willing to give up for him in a trade?
Underestimating the Stubbs bowtie, i see.
Moen has dabbled in 2nd line duties as well, yet some have him pegged for the 4th line (I do below, although i think 3rd line is more likely).
Anywho, you say the 3M cap hit might be a sticking point, but also say McClement is still a possibility. How much do you suppose McClement will command on the open market?
Unreliable internet grumblings have him turning down 2.5 * 3 from the Avs.
If that’s what he’s asking for then he can forget it. Same goes for Souray.
How good is Justin Schultz? Well, let’s just say that it’s too bad he’s not coming to Montreal. There is no doubt that he would have been a top ten pick in this year’s entry draft.
http://nhlnumbers.com/2012/6/28/is-justin-schultz-worth-the-hype?tw_p=twt
Damien Cox on Schultz
with MB connections to the hawks. how about prying Oduya and Frolik? both more than reasonable deals with 2-3 years left on both. 3.3 and 2.3 respectively.
I really liked the Frolik rumors last year. lets start the chants
In a perfect world, we get Parise
WFB
i guess the cap just went up. but all that means is that competition for him will be even more fierce.
the guy just went to the cup final. i think he wants to win.
really chances of us getting him are slim. then again what do i know haha
im interested in backstrom too. especially if doubters make him super cheap. even if its just a bait move. sign him (1-2)pad his stats and then trade him at the deadline to a contender
I wouldn’t mind either guy and Frolik is a little intriguing, but he’s also a RW and we have plenty of those. I know some wingers can switch sides, but some are also a lot less effective when away from their natural position.
- Honestly yours
Twitter: @de_benny
One of the benefits of a higher cap floor – more suitors for Scott Gomez.
http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2012/06/28/currently-below-cap-floor-a-handful-of-teams-will-be-forced-to-open-their-wallets/
If Bergevin decides to buyout Gomez then you can take it as a sign that he’s going to be a crappy GM.
No team will take Gomez. It will never happen.
Gomez has become a running joke. He’s become bigger than just a player not living up to his contract. The Gomez contract and trade is regarded by some as the worst trade in history.
Any GM who would take Gomez would be ridiculed to no end, and no GM in the league is going to do that to themselves.
He’s an underperforming asset. He’ll either be traded to an organization who needs cap floor and maybe believes they can turn him around or he’ll start the season here. Either way he won’t be sent to Hamilton and he won’t be bought out unless they new CBA has a ludicrously advantageous one time buyout clause.
***Subbang Baby!!!***
One of the benefits of a highter cap floor – more suitors for Scott Gomez.
http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2012/06/28/currently-below-cap-floor-a-handful-of-teams-will-be-forced-to-open-their-wallets/
If Bergevin decides to buyout Gomez then you can take it as a sign that he’s going to be a crappy GM.
Steve, I think a deal can be done especially if we are prepared to take back some salary.
Frank – These teams would be trading for Gomez because they need his cap space. The Habs would basically be giving him away or taking on a low end prospect or pick.
Let’s say you’re one of the teams that was listed in the article. You get 14.6M of cap space for 10M of real salary over two years. You also get a guy who can centre one of your 2nd or 3rd lines. He might even find his game playing in a new environment on a low profile team. You also get to flip him for a pick during the 2014 trade deadline when some team will take him as playoff insurance. After all, he is a gritty player who has fabulous leadership qualities. He has won two Cups and is so magnetic a player that star UFAs lined up to come to Montreal. Not to mention that his Corsi and Fenwick numbers are off the frackin’ charts!
HIO explosion in 3…..2……1……
I didn’t realize his Corsi and Fenwick numbers were that good… now “WTF does that have to do with the price of gomez in a salary cap”.
My point was similar to the one Mike D makes below. Those teams struggling to make salary cap basement are also big money losers.
With a name like Gomez, Phoenix sells to their market.
I’m not opposed to taking back some salary, but I AM concerned about taking back a lot of term. If we have to take back an underachieving 3-4mil player, I hope that player isn’t signed for more than 2 seasons since that’s when Gomez’s contract runs out.
That said, I think that if Gomer were traded, it would be to a team who is trying to reach the floor and likes the idea of ‘cap hit is bigger than salary’. Hopefully we won’t have to take anything bad back. Maybe that’s just wishful thinking…
- Honestly yours
Twitter: @de_benny
What will Price sign for? Here’s Bob McKenzie’s take on the subject.
Bob McKenzie: “I don’t think there’s any question that Carey Price is next up on the tee. The Montreal Canadiens have been talking to Price for some time about a new deal and it looks like it’s getting closer. It’s interesting that Quick’s deal was 10 years with a cap hit between $5.5 and $6 million per year. When Price’s deal gets done with the Canadiens, I would expect that the term will be a lot less, in the neighbourhood of 6-7 years, but the cap hit will likely be more than Quick’s, maybe $6 to $6.5 million per year. I’m sure this is something that Price and the Canadiens both want to get taken care of as soon as possible. Some say it’s hours away, some say a day, it might be a week but I don’t anticipate a problem and it will get done.”
Price’s last negotiations kept some Habs fan on the edge of their seat untill close to the pre-season, I hope it gets done soon. I was thinking/hoping it would be something around a 5.8 millions cap hit, but +/- 6 is not all that much more.
My gut tells me that Price and his agent are going to squeeze every nickle out of the Habs that they can.
Hab fans might want to park their sentiment toward Price and Subban – these guys are going for full market value, if not more.
Well there’s a price to pay for young star players in key roles on the team, and while I would have liked something around 5.8, 6.5 is not all that much more.
Such a deal would make Price the face of the Habs, and will definitely bring alot more scrutiny on him, I’m glad he cooled off his attitude and seems more zen nowadays.
Jesus Price Superstar.
Richard R
Price is an oyster. Unfortunately not all oysters produce pearls.
It’s nickel.
I did that just for you to see if you were paying attention.
Agents don’t do that. Do they?
Habs salaries have to compensate for Quebec taxes. Wizniewski’s contract in Columbus would have had to pay him another million per year just to net out the same amount in Montreal. Doesn’t explain Wideman’s contract in Calgary though. What the hell is that about?
I love the Flames and how they operate. They should have started a total rebuild two years ago by shipping out Kipper and Iginla. Instead they keep applying band-aids like Jokinen, Tanguay and now Wideman. Wideman can move the puck and help out on the PP. He can’t skate (that well) and he can’t defend in his own end. Five years is a long time.
In two years, Edmonton will be the new phoenix on the rise. It’s gonna get real ugly in Calgary.
The signing of Nokelainen shouldn’t necessarily mean that the Habs will not go out and sign a 4th line pivot like Jay McClement. With Darche gone, Nokelainen would fit as the perfect 13th forward. Can play centre and RW, win faceoffs and shoots from the right side. Not to mention he comes in at the league minimum and is able to sit in the pressbox without whining or making paper airplanes.
This is much better than giving up a draft pick in November when we are in crisis mode and there’s no one down in Hamilton to step up. Not to mention that one of the benefits of being a bottom feeder is you can sign players like this and then maybe flip them at the trade deadline. It’s a great way to use up one year cap space. Montreal can fill out the line-up with lower end players while our prospects develop in the system. The team can then deal these older players off to contenders for more picks in February.
That’s where the Habs are at right now and I’m quite happy to go through next season with that kind of outlook.
Not a bad idea. And somebody floated the idea last month that it’s very conceivable that Bergevin understands what the dynamic has been like recently and has decided it would be unfair to do a roster evaluation under last season’s circumstances.
Maybe with a more communicative atmosphere players will show more or less.
Nokelainen was a first round pick, he is only 26, and has already been bought out once. He also went back to Europe, only to come back to the NHL again. For such a young guy he’s had alot of varied experience in the league. It’s a good depth signing.
It’s also one of the first 4th line C in recent years that the Habs have kept after trading assets for.
People forget that Carriere is the only hockey guy left from last year. TT was focused on the scouting and coaching staff plus management all turned over. MiB can still fill needs via a weak UFA market plus as most maintain, our team was not as bad as it stood in the standings.
PS forgot the goaltender coach but doesn’t affect my comment.
Nice way to look at it, Steve. You sound a lot more positive than you did last night!
I’m cautiously optimistic, Jane.
I’m fully behind the Bergevin regime but let’s wait and see how things unfold. He’s looked after all the easy stuff, now the tough part of the rebuild begins.
Gomez could be the greatest guy in the world, he could be mother Theresa on skates for all i know.
Even if he is terrific with young players and agrees to play mentor to the prospects, if sent to the AHL he is a problem. That’s why he will not play in Hamilton.
A 7.3m player playing in the AHL.
For players like Gallagher, Tinordi, Beaulieu, Holland this we will be there first pro season, and first year officially playing in the Habs organization. Not a good idea to have Gomez there. Not a good impression for the Habs to make.
How is he a problem in Hamilton if he’s a good mentor again?
You don’t have the black sheep of the organization mentoring your top prospects. It’s as simple as that.
It’s not a way to create a successful culture.
I’m sorry but I don’t think you’re speaking from a logical place. In what way would a $7.7 million dollar player being demoted because of poor play be a bad example for kids?
How would a good teammate be a problem for them?
Freudian I’m sure, but all I see is lice!
I can’t put it any simpler or clearer than I already have.
If you want to show the prospects in Hamilton what the Canadiens are about, you don’t put Gomez in their face for them to see everyday.
Any clearer? You haven’t provided a single reason to support your statement.
I’ll just move along and save your fingers and my mind the exhaustion.
hes so bad its embarrassing, he scored 1 goal in over a year. 1 goal = 7.7 MILLION $$$$. He’s being kept in Mtl for this long because its embarrassing to have a 7.7 million dollar man play for your ahl affiliate with guys who earn every penny of their 500,000$ salary. its a culture thing. breeds bad seeds and in a farm situation you need to show that hard work and dedication are to be rewarded. with a spot or a tryout with the big club. gomez lives their dream. would that make you happy? put yourself in their shoes. i dont think so.
Their goal isn’t to be AHL players. It’s rare that AHL players make $500k per season by the way.
And in addition, Gomez being there serves as a cautionary tale to those kids.
I don’t see how his being there is a negative influence on kids who are trying to make it to the NHL. If anything, his being there shows them how to avoid being put in career limbo.
A cautionary tale!? Are you serious?
A mentor to show what not to do.
I can’t tell if you’re trolling, mentally handicap, or the biggest idiot ever.
I’m going to assume mentally handicap.
Apparently the ability to compartmentalize isn’t something you have a firm grasp on.
But have a great day!
I don’t buy that Gomez would be a cancer, granted it’s not based on knowing him, but his colleagues always stuck by him, and the guy has a good sense of humour as well.
Also Mother Theresa preached suffering, I don’t see Gomez as the punishing kind !
It would be like if a company had a group of young promising geniuses, and sent the manager that they have the most problems with to train them.
Not a good way to teach those young guys about the company.
I don’t see it that way at all, Gomez would not manage anyone, if anything he would be on the same footing as the kids, riding the bus, eating his chicken on his lap etc… Besides with alex Henry gone, they need some veteran presence in Hamilton, might as well be Gomez.
You have no clue what you are talking about! How is he a problem? It would hurt his chances of ever getting back to the NHL if he doesn’t tow the line so he wouldn’t and there is no talk from players that he is anything less than a great team mate.
It makes more sense to put him in Hamilton if he isn’t traded than to take the cap hit of his buyout for the next 4 years
Habfan17
Abe Hefter of CJAD will be streaming the development camp. Link already provided via his twitter account.
http://www.cjad.com/Blog/HabsNews/blogentry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10399469
Zamboni is doing the ice LIVE!
This development camp brought to you by……….FRANK.
re LOPAZ POST: my have things changed around here.
it was just 3 Cups ago that Chicago was winning with a goalie who they didn’t even bother keeping after their Cup run.
now that tim tomas and Jon Quick have played lights out and lead their teams to the Cup these past 2 seasons,
everyone is ready to pay top goalies 6 and 7 million per season!!
I’ll give you my feeling..why is it now ok to pay a goalie big bucks?
I am still not convinced it is the right thing to do giving any goalie a 6 year deal at 6 million…even Ward and Fleury have had let down seasons. The Kings won with Quick making 1.8…meant they had 4 million more to spend to help the rest of the lineup…I am still not sold on the idea a goalie is as important today as the disparity between top and bottom goalies IMO is not what it sued to be…it is still notable..but not what it used to be. A goalei has to be hot at the right time…butt…while this is true I am not overly concerned if the Habs do offer PRice around 6 per season….because for one the salary cap has jumped nearly 11 million since the season after the Hawks win.
That 6 million is more like 5 at that time. Factor in the Montreal premium and it is more like a 4-4.5 contract was then. Price is also a whole 2 year contract more mature and has shown to be an above average starter. The fact Carey has demonstrated an ability to handle the unique pressure, the fact he is homegrown and wants to stay, and where the Habs are in their growth cycle….I think it makes sense an can be justified either way…one could easily make a case it is risky as well…..but I am more ok with it now than I would have been back then.
I still think a team can win with the Hawks model and the KIngs won with Quick…BUT THEY WON WITH QUICK AT 1.8……the Canes won with Ward making less, the Pens won with Fleury making less….those big contracts were signed after their wins or at least their finals trips….and none have won since…just something to think about. Thomas and the BRuins are the exception of that group but he came off a Vezina..hard to not give him top dollar.
Not sure what to think of this. He had some injury problems last yr so maybe he can bounce back and be a decent 4th line / extra PK guy.
Part of me wonders if MB is going to take this yr to evaluate the talent we have, collect another high pick and than start trying to compete for playoffs/cup. I hope not.
Another yr of Eller playing with complete waste of linemates isn’t helping his development.
Lets get a top 6 LW, another top 9 winger and 1 physical dman
Some guys I wouldn’t mind seeing signed
-AK (won’t happen but great with Eller)
-Mueller (injuries but nice skillset and a bigger body)
-Parenteau (I wouldn’t mind also, we’re going to have injuries in our top 6 so depth cant hurt, pretty good playmaker with grit)
-Latendresse.. (short term deal only probly be better than bourque)
-D.Moore (another former hab but a great 4th line C for White n Moen, can step up for injuries good faceoff man)
If Price gets 6.5 I’ll be pissed lol
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Eller is a beauty – @J_Perez22
In terms of best fits/needs for Gomez and/or Kaberle, the list of potential destinations is pretty short:
For Kaberle, perhaps the best fit is a team like Dallas. They don’t have too many offensive D, and they need to take on salary to reach the cap floor. I would happily give Kaberle and a mid round pick to get Steve Ott out of Dallas. Heck, I’d throw in Gomez too. Other takers for Kaberle could include Anaheim, and possibly Edmonton if they lose out on the Schultz sweepstakes.
For Gomez, there have to be some teams out there who would find hit his cap hit vs actual salary attractive. Maybe the Islanders? Maybe St. Louis? Winnipeg? The shaky ownership situations in NJ or Phoenix? What about Florida if they can’t get Luongo?
In all likelihood, I think Kaberle will start the year in Montreal, and Gomez will start the year in Hamilton.
Dallas wanted a 1st round pick for Ott at the deadline last year and considering that Buffalo got that for Gaustad it wouldn’t surprise me if they held firm on that.
Kristo and Kaberle sounds pretty good to me.
Ott is not worth a first rounder….not by any stretch. I like ott but lets be realistic on his skill set
It isn’t me asking for the first round pick. But when you want to determine his value keep in mind he hits often and like a mac truck, fights, wins faceoffs, contributes offensively, is very good defensively and is an agitator.
That’s a hard player to put a value on.
I agree he is useful don’t get me wrong Tom. I just think with the current state of the Canadiens roster it would not be wise to give up a first rounder for ott. It is a little too steep
I would never give a first round pick for him. But I would make a competitive offer.
I would love to have Ott on this roster. The next week is going to be interesting
any team wanting PK would have to give me at minimum a 1st and 3rd round pick.
What if that team finishes high in the standings…..on most occasions cup winners have had at least one type of d that is like pk…..one of the foundations for building a cup winner is a pk type d ..why people cannot see this with such a vast history of cup winners is beyond me….
I threw that out there because some people seem to think PK is not wanted in Montreal or he doesn’t want to stay in montreal. just going on comments from the pass. myself he’d be the last one I would trade. best D_man we have.
I would not take that, considering the Habs position on D right now, dealing Subban for picks just sets the team back for another couple teams. So unless Bergevin is going for an Oilers style rebuild, I don’t see Subban traded for a 1 first and 3rd round pick.
Or when they call Bergevin he could just tell them PK is not available and hang up the phone.
We can only hope, nice avatar. How is the head today?
Ryan White getting signed is good news ….works his ass off every game…. heart …. Ryan White plays the way I want every Habs player to play. With purpose,edge and pride. I love that scrappy hard working s.o.b., great signing …….
WFB
Nokelainen is going to be back…damn.
This is a good thing.
The reason why you should like this is that to play fighters regularly they need somebody capable defensively with them up the middle. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to see Moen and Price signed today.
Moen – Nokelainen – White
I know you want a true heavyweight but that fourth line is one that can fight and play well enough defensively to eat up minutes.
And they still could sign a heavyweight to play against certain teams, by sitting Noke, while having White play center.
Proud Pricebot since 2006/2007
Nokie’s a C/RW, just like someone else who was just signed. A little competition/support/back-up for Ryan White, perhaps.
I think this is more likely.
Moen – XXX – White/Nokie
Take Darche over Noke any day. That guy is a plug.
WFB
They’re both plugs.
Nokie’s cheaper, younger, and can play C.
Darche? no waaay…
noki is more useful to the habs on the ice…He wins draws, works hard, has some speed and can throw the mitts once in a while…Darche was useful off the ice, thats it. Sure, he had an inspirational shift once every 12 games last year, but really did nothing for us.
I think we’ll see LL and Noki interchanging throught the season…
Moen–Noki/LL–White
saucer
bring staubitz in to warm the bench and drop the knuckles and that’s a pretty solid fourth line. i wouldnt push them around haha
I was not happy about this, but it’s one year for close to league minimum.
He barely got a raise, can win faceoffs and he is decent in the aspects of a 4th line center.
As many have already said, he could be an insurance policy, the 13th forward.
Maybe he’ll pick it up a bit this year. He had a couple feisty games last season and can actually play the game. I was just surprised to see him back. It could be worse…we could have a defenseman playing on the 4th line again.
Given the estimated cap ceiling of roughly 70million this year, have the league said what the estimated cap floor will be?
$54 million.
Big trouble for some teams. Specifically St. Louis. Phoenix too. They have 18 players under contract with only $38 million and change spent.
Thanks Tom, that is quite the number, coming out of the lockout wasn’t 54Million nearly the cap ceiling at the time?
39 was the original ceiling, 23 the original floor
Go Habs Go!
NHL Free Agency and Trade Analysis now.
Team By Team Prospect Reports coming soon
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Thanks, amazing how fast it has jumped so high since then.
The immediate huge jump after the first season shows that Forbes was right and the Levitt report that said owners were losing so much money pre-lockout was fudged.
Go Habs Go!
NHL Free Agency and Trade Analysis now.
Team By Team Prospect Reports coming soon
http://lastwordonsports.com/
And it’s often forgotten that the league took about a 250% cut on their television contract because ESPN lowballed them coming out of the lockout as opposed to the previous deal.
No offense but people are so forgetful sometimes. In 2004 the Canadian dollar was worth about 75 cents American. Now its worth almost $1US. Right there is a 33% increase in revenue for every Canadian team. Add to that the fact that not all the Can teams were attendance machines like now. Calgary didn’t sell out every game until after the lockout. Same with Ottawa, I think. In the early 2000s pundits in Alberta were talking about when, not if, the Oilers would be forced to move. The cap was brought in because NYR were spending $70 million while Florida was spending $10 million. That’s why there is a floor as well as a ceiling.
I thought it was lower. Closer to $40 million.
I think the max cap coming out of the lockout was about 39 million. Makes you wonder why there was even a lockout.
Send St Louis Gomez and Kaberle. Pronto.
Richard R
Price is an oyster. Unfortunately not all oysters produce pearls.
Signings and such:
So Quick signs for 10 years @ $58m
TSN saying Price is close to signign for 6-7 years @ around $6m/year.
Gill back to Nashville for 2 years @ $2m/year.
Good stuff for Gill, Price is looking at what most people expected, and Quick’s contract looks a bit long to me.
-edit- Oh, and Guidoune going to test Free Agency. Nice from a guy who couldn’t keep fit enough to play for the Wild. Wants to come back to the East to be closer to his family. Eugghhhh…
—Hope Springs Eternal—
A 6 year term looks better than 10 to me. Just seems to me so much can happen to a player that 10 years seems ridiculous.
Gill was poor last year. He couldn’t really keep up.
At $2M for 2 years it isn’t a great deal, but Nashville is completely f**ked anyway. Suter and Weber are leaving and they have given away too many picks for marginal players.
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Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
its a great deal for gill to ride off into the sunset on. practically robbed em, but he deserves it. such a good guy
What about Erskine in Washington? One more year at $1.5 mill .He’s big,tough as nails,responsable in own end and a standup guy. Don’t expect lotsa points from him but he hasn’t had a minus season in years.
We need a guy who can play 20 minutes per game. Erskine isn’t that. We have enough bottom pairing D.
Go Habs Go!
NHL Free Agency and Trade Analysis now.
Team By Team Prospect Reports coming soon
http://lastwordonsports.com/
my have things changed around here.
it was just 3 Cups ago that Chicago was winning with a goalie who they didn’t even bother keeping after their Cup run.
now that tim tomas and john quick have played lights out and lead their teams to the Cup these past 2 seasons,
everyone is ready to pay top goalies 6 and 7 million per season!!
what happened to the HIO “intelligentsia”,
who fought tooth and nail, with statistics and back up numbers to prove those statistics, arguing that any team can win a Cup with a “hot” goalie, and therefore,
paying big money at the goalie position was a waste of Cap space???
you remember the discussions right?
Price should get about 1.5 million because he sat on the bench and watched 18 of 19 playoff games for the brilliant Jacques Martin.
The next season Price plays lights out – one of the top 5 goalies in the world – our MVP, and arguably one of the MVP candidates in the league,
and the goalie detractors start to pull on the reigns of their bandwagon.
Tomas wins every important award.
Quick follows suit.
virtually every excellent young goalie is either signed or about to be signed to HUGE contracts.
Where are the goalie bashers today??
3 seasons ago Bob Mckenzie said on TSN that goalies are so important to their teams’ success the game of hockey could be changed to the game of “Goalie”.
Price will be paid what he deserves as one of the best young goalies in the world.
and the days of winging it with a nobody in net are long behind us.
the goalie bashers have all left the building.
We had a discussion not long ago about the potential of Bergevin setting up a Red Wings like pay scale with Price at the top.
This really wouldn’t surprise me. Price gets his aav of $6 – $6.5 million and anyone else who wants to remain with the team takes less.
what happened to the notion he wouldn’t get Rinne money? this is pretty much in the same ballpark. It’ll be a ton more too considering the endorsement deals that will be thrown at him in this market over the same period.
If Price gets the rumoured deal, it will be a surprise. Having said that, I can understand why management would give it to him.
Call it a financial reward for not being a bad guy through last season and the Halak stuff.
I agree with what you’re saying here Tom and while I hope for a smaller cap hit for Carey, I wouldn’t be upset at the rumoured 6.5mil deal that’s being floated around.
That said, I think the team did give him more than he ‘deserved’ on his last contract when it was signed. Don’t get me wrong, his play over the past 2 years was worth the money he got, but when that contract was SIGNED, Halak had beat him out for the starting job and then we shipped him out of town and gave Carey the keys with a larger salary than was deserved at that point.
I was kind of hoping Carey might reciprocate a little and maybe take a small hometown discount. Again, I’m not against him getting 6.5mil, but was hoping he may take less so we could have a bit more money to build a contender with over the next few years.
- Honestly yours
Twitter: @de_benny
Great post.
We are fortunate to have Price, given age and experience already it provides a good base for the rebuild we are in Ed.
yes. we are fortunate to have Price.
Just want to add that great defense helps goalies a hole lot. LA blocked more shots that quick made saves in the playoffs. Keep in mind montreal played a rather tight defensive system this year; no doubt price covered up a bunch of mistakes made by our team but for the most part price was a solid goalie this year playing behind a defensive minded system; biggest issue was the team couldn’t score for him.
The idea of signing for 6.5m for 6 or 7 years is crazy for me. Especially after having a an average year. When he gets the big deal i really expect him to play like a mvp all the time. he better get used to the fact that now he’s getting paid like a top 5 goalie, his numbers better match up as well.
I don’t think there were any goalie bashers per se, just Price bashers.
One thing about Chicago’s cup win is that Niemi was actually quite good, and he was probably their best player in the 4 game sweep of the Sharks.
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Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.