Price’s deal will earn him $39 million – six equal cap hits of $6.5 million – and take him to the age of 30 … when a goaltender usually enters his prime.
(Seem like a lot of scratch? Warren Buffett made $192.5 million ON MONDAY)
Price made $2.75 million last season.
Price will make a bit more than Cam Ward and Ryan Miller, less than Henrik Lundqvist and Pekka Rinne.
Bergevin said he had spent Monday finalizing the details of Price’s contract. He described Price as “one of the best young goaltenders in the league” and a cornerstone of the Canadiens’ future success.
The GM says he still “window-shopping” for potential additions to the team.
“We’re looking,” Bergevin said. “My goal is to improve the team in all aspects.”
• The Canadiens webs site has a collection of Price’s best saves
• The classy Mathieu Darche on Twitter: Félicitations @CP0031! Congrats @CP0031! Awesome guy! Great teammate! #franchiseplayer
• Sports Illustrated’s Michael Farber on Twitter: Thought Price would be Vezina material in 11-12. If he gets some D help, still think he has that kind of season in him.
The official announcement:
Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin announced Monday the signing of goaltender Carey Price to a six-year contract (2012-13 to 2017-18). As per club policy, financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Price, 24, completed his fifth season with the Canadiens in the NHL in 2011-12. In 65 games, the 6’03’’, 221 lbs goaltender maintained a record of 26 wins, 28 losses and 11 overtime/shootout losses. He recorded four shutouts with a 2.43 goals against average. Price stopped 1,754 of the 1,914 shots he faced for a .916 save percentage.
Since 2007-08, Price displays a 124-104-35 record in 271 regular season games. He ranks tied for 11th in team’s history with 16 shutouts. He shows a 2.56 goals against average and a .916 save percentage.
Price was the Molson Cup recipient for the months of October, November, December and February, to earn the honours for the 2011-12 season. The netminder took part in his third All-Star Game, held last January in Ottawa.
A native of Anahim Lake, British Columbia, Price was the Canadiens’ first pick (first round, fifth overall) at the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.
Loading ...
@ Chuck and Hobie
Can’t see Tinordi playing more than maybe two games (just for a look-see) with the Habs this year. He’s 20 years old and hasn’t played a game of pro hockey. He’s a behemoth, not a prodigy: very doubtful that his game is ready for the best league in the world yet.
I would bet he doesn’t make the Habs as a full-time regular until the 2014-2015 regular season, and that’s not a knock, I just think he’s kind of a giant “diamond in the rough” who is going to need time to refine his game.
Full Breezer 4 Life
Lots of buzz about what Marc Bergevin meant when asked about Scott Gomez yesterday and he replied: “Scott Gomez is a member of the Montréal Canadiens.” There was a rush to read entrails from the moment he said it, and it endures to this day. Some now proclaim it augurs he will be traded, others that he’ll be kept as a third or fourth line centre because Tomas Plekanec will be dealt instead.
There aren’t many options with regard to Mr. Gomez. Let’s examine them all.
Plan A: The Buyout
The window to formally buy out Scott Gomez’s contract, as any other NHL player, passed, as the time period when it is allowed under the Collective Bargaining Agreement runs from June 15 to June 30. So this option is off the table, and as Bob McKenzie for one explained, would have been grounds for dismissal if exercised. The buyout for his contract calls for him to be paid 2/3 of his salary, but the team would be saddled with cap hits of $3.5M. $4.5 M, $1.7M and $1.7M in the next four years.
The payoff would have been that the Canadiens would have saved over $3M in cash, which is no small potatoes, but isn’t the primary consideration in Montréal and for a rich team, especially with the declarations made by team owner Geoff Molson when he introduced his new General Manager in May, that being a consistent Cup-contending team was the objective of the organization.
Another upside of a buyout would have been the end of the saga, a team moving forward without the constant distraction, but that benefit was seen to be less significant than the deterrent.
The downside of cashing in on these benefits is that the opportunity cost would have been much greater. The cap hits would have prevented the team from adding or retaining players who would be significant pieces on a winning team. The $3 million savings would have been negated by the potential of lost playoff revenue, merchandise sales, and lower ratings for TV partners.
Plan B: Trade Scott Gomez. Anywhere. For Anything.
It has been argued since we acquired Scott Gomez that he might become a valuable commodity in the last two years of the contract, since he might help a revenue-poor team reach the salary cap ‘floor’, which is the least amount a team must spend on player salaries in a season.
Due to the peculiarities of the salary cap system enshrined in the CBA, the total amount of money paid over the lifetime of the contract is averaged out equally over the years it runs, independent of the annual amount actually paid out to the player. In Mr. Gomez’s case, and in many others, the contract is ‘front-loaded’, and pays the player more of the total amount in the first few years of the contract, and a lower amount at the end of the contract.
Scott Gomez is due to receive $5.5M and $4.5M in the next two seasons, but his averaged salary cap hit will be $7.3M. So if a poor team obtained him, they could save almost two million dollars in actual dollars this season, while still technically reaching the salary cap floor, and almost three million the next.
This saving is significant, but ignores the reality that Scott Gomez is outrageously overpaid even if his actual salary were halved. Looking at his wage for next season is instructive. A GM could have gone on the inflated free agency market on Sunday and bought his team an Adam Burish and Bryan Allen for that amount. Even a poor team is better off spending that much money on significant players instead of a technical dodge like Scott Gomez, since they can recoup that investment with playoff revenue if they ice a winning team. Mr. Gomez isn’t likely to contribute anything to a winning team at this point in his career.
Plan C: The New CBA contract amnesty
It is hoped and prayed for by some fans that the new Collective Agreement will include a contract buyout amnesty as it did when the previous one was struck. This amnesty was written in because teams had to toe a new line they didn’t have to before, and many were way, way above the new salary cap of $39 million when play was due to begin in 2005. It allowed for these suddenly delinquent teams to get back in line and march under the new constraints.
There is scant hope that this will occur with the new CBA. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has the support of most owners, and especially the hawkish owners of the poor teams. He is expected to try to extract even more concessions from the players, and reduce further the amount of money paid out to labour.
Allowing an amnesty flies in the face of this ideology, philosophically and practically. Allowing teams like the Canadiens to get out from under the contract of Scott Gomez will only enable them to dive back into the market and sign another player to a massive contract, and provide inflationary pressure to salaries as more teams bid for a limited number of players.
This off-season, Ryan Suter and Zach Parisé are both attracting lots of offers from anxious teams. Let’s imagine if the Canadiens were part of the bidding. Let’s also imagine if the Flyers could get out from the Ilya Bryzgalov deal, and the Canucks from Roberto Luongo’s contract. That would be three more teams bidding on Zach Parisé, and the dollars and years would creep ever upward. Only one team will be successful in signing Mr. Parisé, and the pent-up demand might then spill over onto questionable players like Alex Semin and Jaromir Jagr.
Gary Bettman and the low-revenue teams have nothing to gain from enacting a contract amnesty this fall. It will only create more bidders and greater demand for players, and generate indiscipline. If anything, Mr. Bettman will want to clamp down on escape clauses like these. Which brings us to…
Plan D: Sending Scott Gomez down to the AHL
The only practical solution to the Scott Gomez contract, short of him retiring, is for him to spend the next two seasons in the AHL, where his contract will not count against the Canadiens salary mass. Sure, they’ll have to pay him the full $5.5M and $4.5M he is owed over the next two seasons, but they’ll have $7.3M more in cap room both seasons, which they can invest in acquiring players through trade or free agency.
Whether he spends these next two seasons with the Hamilton Bulldogs is debatable. The team may not want a frustrated veteran poisoning the dressing room atmosphere, although Mr. Gomez is known to be a popular teammate and ‘good in the room’. Also, it may not want the icetime that should go to players like Louis Leblanc, Michaël Bournival and Joonas Nattinen to be squandered on a player the organization has written off its future plans. Mr. Gomez may end up being loaned to an AHL team with no NHL parent club. More likely, he will be allowed to seek a contract in Europe and play there for a better lifestyle than riding buses in Peoria.
For a revenue rich team like the Canadiens, and considering the stated intent of ownership and the management team, sending him down to the minors is an eminently feasible and preferable way to deal with the salary cap hit.
Unfortunately for the Canadiens, there is talk that this loophole will be closed with the next CBA. Mr. Bettman will want to keep profligate teams in salary-cap-jail, where they have to sit out the auctions on July 1, rather than see a team like the Rangers send down Wade Redden and dive right back into free agency with the caproom it created, and inflame the bidding wars further.
The current CBA expires on September 15, the owners will probably lock out the players then, training camps will be suspended, and there will not be an opportunity to send a veteran like Scott Gomez to Hamilton. Players on entry-level contracts might, but Mr. Gomez would be locked out, and subject to the new strictures of the CBA upon resumption of league activities, and we may end up being stuck with him for two more seasons, dependent on how negotiations go.
Plan E: Scott Gomez spends next season in Montréal
If the loopholes are closed, there is a significant likelihood that Scott Gomez spends next season in Montréal, especially if it is abbreviated by a work stoppage. He would attend training camp and fight for a job, and the Canadiens might be less inclined to send him to the AHL if his cap hit still counted. We might see him used as a thirteenth forward pitching in when injuries strike, or as a second-wave contributor on the power play.
Which brings us back to what Marc Bergevin meant when he said Mr. Gomez was a member of the team. It is no surprise that he answered questions thus. None of the plans outlined above are time-sensitive, all he can do is wait to see how the new Collective Agreement shakes out, and then make a decision.
Until then, he’s not likely to demean the player with any rash announcements or projections as to what he may do, since if there’s one thing we know about Marc Bergevin is that he’s a classy guy with high emotional intelligence and people smarts. He’ll treat the player with respect and won’t engage in any bashing or bull sessions. Geoff Molson set the tone on how he wants the team to handle its players when he repaired the relationship with former Canadiens Mike Cammalleri and Jaroslav Spacek. We shouldn’t expect anything less from Marc Bergevin or anyone else on the team in dealing with Scott Gomez or anyone else for that matter.
———————————————————————–
June 22: Alex Galchenyuk [x]
June 23:
Stefan Matteau, Mike Matheson, Martin Frk, Brandon WhitneyJune
2429: Travis Moen [x]June
2627:Mathieu DarcheJune 26: Ryan White
June 30: Alexei Emelin
July 1:
P.A. Parenteau, Taylor PyattJuly 3:
Shane O’BrienJuly
52: Carey Price [x]July 9: P.K. Subban
http://relentlessineptitude.blogspot.com/
An excellent analysis, as always.
I like the way the team is shaping up off the ice — producing an on-ice product will prove much more challenging — but if ever an opening develops in Canadiens’ managerial ranks, the team would do well to hire you. Certainly in the communications department.
A few other posters to this site who regularly provide analytical pieces would merit the same sort of consideration.
Ummm, probably not. I’d just get drunk during games and swear at Scott Gomez from the owner’s box. Tomas Kaberle I might lurk around the dressing room exit with a sock full of nickles and a duffle bag. I’d assail Réjean Houle like George Costanza did to George Steinbrenner during his ‘opposite’ phase.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiwtXHPwGPE&feature=related
Now I really want you to get this job!
—
#OperationGomezTirePump
#OperationSubbanDeflatedSalaryExpectations
Tweet it, talk about it. Let’s get rid of Gomez and sign Subban for cheap!
Go Habs Go!
I guess what you’re saying is that the most likely scenario has Gomez as a roster player for the Montreal Canadiens this season. It’s definitely possible, but I think the Hamilton demotion will be more attractive than you suggest.
This team has an entirely new coaching staff (minus goalie coach) and management team (minus Carriere). Gomez at this point is better than only Nokelainen among the Habs’ centres. And Gomez lacks the style of game to play with Prust and White, IMO, on the fourth line.
Will Bergevin really leave him in the press box as an injury fill-in? Molson has shown no reluctance to spend money on this team: he completely revamped the management structure and created new positions there and in scouting. If Bergevin goes to him and says swallow five million for the next two years and we can get a much better player, I think he would go for it.
It won’t be the owners looking to end the AHL demotion route. If anyone, it would be the players, but I can’t see it being a priority. Look, teams have to be able to send unproductive regulars to the minors, no matter their salary. The NHLPA already has waivers as a way of protecting the players in this case, and that’s all I can reasonably see them ever having.
If Gomez makes it past camp, it will be because one of the other centres is traded/injured and not replaced.
Full Breezer 4 Life
I hope you’re right Bill, and if the AHL escape clause is maintained then that’s the way Mr. Gomez is headed. I’m pessimistic that it will because some credible analysts on CBC and TSN have talked about how small market teams are angry that the Rangers can send Wade Redden to the minors and then raid their rosters for more free agents.
I could see a threshold or trigger that would make a player AHL-proof besides conditioning assignments, or at least prevent his salary from escaping the cap. Things like years of service or the midpoint of NHL salaries could be used as that trigger.
Plan F – He is placed on waivers and claimed by a team trying to reach the cap floor.
I don’t see Gomez being a huge problem. As long as we don’t buy him out, Bergevin should be able to get rid of him by the season opener.
Long time reader – first time poster.
Re: Gomez… excellent analysis M. Errant
However, I am of the opinion that, as we appear to be stuck with him, that Gomer has a limited role to play. What is forgotten here is his relationship to Captain Gionta. I can’t see a person with the aforementioned emotional intelligence of M. Bergevin discounting the blow to the captain’s morale with the relegation of his old NJ buddy to the AHL (as well the kids need time to play).
As such, I suspect we might see the Gomer centering the 4th line and doing duty on the penalty kill – with some occasional PP time. He can still pass the puck and still skate well. If insulated by some larger bodies, he might surprise opponents with a hint of offense.
Granted this is a far from ideal situation however the mark of excellence is earned not when dealing from a position of strength.
Anyways – I have a thick skin so have at it boys
So Jagr signs with Dallas. I believe Bob Gainey called him a thoroughbred..or he likes to go to the racetrack..or something like that.
Oh, a wise guy eh? whoop whoop whoop, nyuk nyuk nyuk!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaHLlGtOZbg
LOL!
No soup for you today!
Curly was the master. It still holds up today over 40 years later.
40 years later? That short was from the early 1940′s..which is some 70 years ago.
Some comedy IS timeless.
“Soitenly!”, but they made a come back in the late 60′s and were permanently done in 1970 when Larry had a (edit) STROKE. Some 42 years ago. “Nyaaaaaahhhhhhh!”
Larry had a “storke”?
I didn’t even realize he was pregnant.
NYUK! NYUK! NYUK!
Dammit! I should have saved the wise guy line!
Chowderhead!
:p
Perdiction: Prust kicks the stuffing out of Marchand next year
Just double-checking, not even for GOMEZ, straight-up?
Full Breezer 4 Life
We don’t train our players in fisticuffs at our prospect development camp…no wonder we didn’t make the play-offs. Check out Berkie…
http://watch.tsn.ca/nhl/clip713993#clip713993
If I was drafted by the leafs I’d want to punch them in the face too.
Yeah, let the prospects take each other out! Weaken from within…
Send all the players to a gym in Pointe St Charles.
Richard R
Price is an oyster. Unfortunately not all oysters produce pearls.
My name is Mavid..and I am a Pricebot…
“I’ve gotta be me” Sammy Davis Jr
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbLlCxK0pHY
Okay, so MB got the Habs some grit and sandpaper.
Where are the goalscorers? Still an Unfinished Symphony.
Richard R
Price is an oyster. Unfortunately not all oysters produce pearls.
Worked out okay for that Franz Schubert fellow….
But the Ninth Symphony was twice as good.
Richard R
Price is an oyster. Unfortunately not all oysters produce pearls.
I don’t know…
Guess I just prefer my B minor over C major….
The pessimist’s have gained a % point in the poll.
Surprised that many wanted Jagr
To be fair, a 3rd option should have available: too early to tell.
—
#OperationGomezTirePump
#OperationSubbanDeflatedSalaryExpectations
Tweet it, talk about it. Let’s get rid of Gomez and sign Subban for cheap!
Go Habs Go!
We still need to sign Eller…min 1.5 or 2 million + Subban and if Gomez stays we are looking at our lineup for next year.
So the Rangers sign Pyatt who is basically the same player as Prust, except 4″ taller. They also save a mil a year as well as two years on a deal for a bottom six forward.
Maybe, just maybe, Sather is really starting to get it.
How do you figure Pyatt and Prust are basically the same player? Pyatt has 50 PIMs over the last two years combined. Prust has over 300. They’re not the same at all. Pyatt is not a tough guy.
Not even close, Pyatt doesn’t hit or fight, and is a slow skater for the NHL. Prust can actually skate well.
With all due respect, I don’t think Pyatt plays with anywhere near the same “Grit” that Prust plays with. That said, Pyatt is probably a better skater. End of day we paid Prust for the “intangible” he brings. We probably overpaid, but as someone said earlier, Moen most likely signed for reasonable number based on a Prust type player arriving. Also, if Armstrong has good year we got him really cheap.
I am more than okay with the Prust signing. I am also greatly relieved we didn’t pay Jagr 4.5 million to be a mentor at the Montreal Casino this winter.
Prust is a better fighter then Pyatt
MB will likely go with Bourque on 2nd line. Character-wise, there aren’t many top 6 wingers who will score that are worth giving up assets for. Other than Shane Doan, who else would be worth it?
*Listen to my instrumental tribute entitled “Habs at War” at http://petertoliasmusic.site11.com/Music_Site/OtherOriginalMusic.html
I carefully share this sentiment. I do believe the new team can bring Bourque back to form.
—
#OperationGomezTirePump
#OperationSubbanDeflatedSalaryExpectations
Tweet it, talk about it. Let’s get rid of Gomez and sign Subban for cheap!
Go Habs Go!
id like to see a trade with edmonton to aquire paajarvi i believe diaz for paajarvi is a great deal for both teams as both teams have prospect depth at opposite positions
I like Shane roan what a warrior!
I don’t think I could say it better…
BWildeCTV – My answer to every #habs trade Q: They have 2 types of assets – lousy ones & young ones. 1st type no one wants. 2nd type shouldn’t give up.
Poiint well taken. Why can’t we accept it as fans and move on?
Except for the Robinson hiccup, things have gone well this summer. Lots of small, but important, steps.
Not entirely true. Plekanec, Gionta, Cole, Markov, and Gorges are examples of veteran assets that would be desirable to other teams. When Wilde says “lousy assets” I think he means Gomez, basically.
Full Breezer 4 Life
See my comment to Cal, BW updated his types to include veteran core.
So, Price, Subban, Pleks, Markov, Cole, Pac, Eller, Emelin, Gionta, Moen and now Prust, Boullion, and Armstrong are lousy? The louse is Brian Wilde and his bs “reporting.”
Be nice, he has since up-dated to include a third category…veteran core. You must have been talking to him
If we’re serious about rebuilding, I’d trade Pleks to Dallas so he can play with his mate Jagr. In return, I ask for their 1st rounder next year.
Jagr and Pleks play together and it goes well until Christmas. In Jan, JJ gets injured and Pleks goes into a depression… they finish near the bottom, we win the lottery and pick up Seth Jones. In two years we win the cup.
Dare to dream…
They just traded away Ott for Derek Roy… I don’t think they’re looking for a small #1 C.. but maybe another countryman who’s a powerplay specialist and plays with a tiny stick.
a tiny stick eh, that’s pretty low man.
“I don’t wanna see Maurice tonight, I want the rocket!”
Brilliant.
If you can get Dallas to buy that, then your next move should be to pick up Crosby for PK, Gomez and a 2nd rounder.
Much as I like Pleks and respect his game, I doubt he would return much more than a second rounder and a role player at this point.
Remembering the Dynasty Days…..
Hope the fish are bitin’, Andy, at your new fishing hole.
RIP
Don Knotts. Peter Falk. And now Andy Griffith. I hope Angela Lansbury catches the killer before it’s too late.
For her!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7g9WjcGdxuM
I believe Gomer Pyle is the #1 suspect.
Yes Bill I’ll pray for you too.
is it me, or is there a good fit trading with the Ducks?
not sure of the whole package, but the core of it would be:
Bobby Ryan to Montreal
Plekanec and Diaz to Anaheim
I think Plekanec would be a great fit there as a 2nd center behind Getzlaf,
and Diaz as well, as a right handed shot, mobile, offensive type d-man, with some youth to complement Cam Fowler.
Thought they were also looking for a 1st rounder or was that Nash?
I also believe the Oilers to be a great trading partner for the Habs.
Just sayin’. But I could live with seeing Subban go, if it meant landing Yakupov. Call me crazy, but he already has chemistry with Gally.
—
#OperationGomezTirePump
#OperationSubbanDeflatedSalaryExpectations
Tweet it, talk about it. Let’s get rid of Gomez and sign Subban for cheap!
Go Habs Go!
Hemsky will be their offer but nyet for PK.
U are crazy
Yak and Yuk would be fine with me.
Richard R
Price is an oyster. Unfortunately not all oysters produce pearls.
Okay. You are crazy if you think Edmonton will trade Yakupov before the season starts.
Ed – No way. Diaz has little if any trade value. He was a 24 year old sign on. 29 other teams couldn’t be bothered.
Pleks is a 2nd line centre who is a really good guy. He doesn’t have size, is older than Ryan and can never score 35 goals in his wildest dreams.
Goals count much more than assists and PK duty.
Now Steve, there were at least five teams bidding for his services. He was last year’s European Special!!
I agree that there needs to be more to the package.
I would not do it if it meant giving up Subban, cuz that creates a big hole for us and is too risky with Markov’s situation still uncertain.
I think Plekanec would be very valuable to the Ducks.
He’s a 5 million dollar, 2nd line centreman who plays in all 3 situations, 5 on 5, pp, and pk.
He can produce 50-60 points and instantly gives them production on a 2nd line, pushing Saku back to 3rd line duties.
We need to do something with our d-men, cuz no way we can carry Kaberle, Diaz and Weber.
Diaz is expendable and there are people in the hockey world who like him.
Don’t forget Diaz made an All Star appearance!!
Goals do count, but the Ducks have run their course with Ryan.
He is done there.
Someone is going to get Bobby Ryan before the season starts.
Why not us?
Plekanec would definitely have value to the Ducks. I think they would maybe want Diaz for now and an excellent prospect – like Beaulieu or Tinordi – for Ryan.
Jeff Carter was traded to Columbus for Voracek and a couple of draft picks (including a first rounder). He was traded to LA for Johnson and a first. Ryan will fetch something comparable.
Full Breezer 4 Life
Saku has re-signed and got a raise. He is #2 center and special teams guy. I would love Bobby Ryan, but ducks needed veteran d and ashort of sending them Markov we dont have anyone.
Ducks signed Souray and Allen, so they got their veteran D-men.
But what about “mobility”?
All they have under 30 years old and mobile is Fowler.
I think they could use a 25 year old, right handed shooting, offensive, mobile d-man.
Rather than embarrassing Gomez by sending him to Hamilton is working a deal with a KHL or European team a realistic option?
Why can’t he just retire!
Molson, retire Gomez’s number.
When he leaves the Bell after the retiring, bring down the banner and replace it with Muller’s and Koivu’s 11.
—
#OperationGomezTirePump
#OperationSubbanDeflatedSalaryExpectations
Tweet it, talk about it. Let’s get rid of Gomez and sign Subban for cheap!
Go Habs Go!
Gomez can’t be sent to Europe under the CBA because he has no background that could make the connection viable.
Well Gomez is from Alaska and Sarah Palin said she can see Russia from there. There’s that loophole.
———————————————————————-
“Them summer days, those summer days” – Sly Stone
Hot fun in the Summertime
And Russia once owned Alaska…
Houston, we have a loophole!
———————————————————————-
“Them summer days, those summer days” – Sly Stone
Hot fun in the Summertime
Quick, someone call Bergevin.
—
#OperationGomezTirePump
#OperationSubbanDeflatedSalaryExpectations
Tweet it, talk about it. Let’s get rid of Gomez and sign Subban for cheap!
Go Habs Go!
VHab will not be amused, but in the context of this discussion, this is one of the funnier comments I’ve seen on this site
Full Breezer 4 Life
So is Jaromir Jagr still going to train here all summer because he loves it here so much?
I guess he signed with Dallas because it’s so much like Pittsburgh, the only place he can call home.
http://relentlessineptitude.blogspot.ca/2012/07/jaromir-jagr-with-canadiens-deuxieme.html
———————————————————————–
June 22: Alex Galchenyuk [x]
June 23:
Stefan Matteau, Mike Matheson, Martin Frk, Brandon WhitneyJune
2429: Travis Moen [x]June
2627:Mathieu DarcheJune 26: Ryan White
June 30: Alexei Emelin
July 1:
P.A. Parenteau, Taylor PyattJuly 3:
Shane O’BrienJuly
52: Carey Price [x]July 9: P.K. Subban
http://relentlessineptitude.blogspot.com/
Wow did Dallas overpay for this guy!
A stupid, hopeless deal from a stupid hopeless team. Enjoy the money JJ.
Jagr has always been about the Money IMHO. Yes he has cups and is a great hockey player but both years he won cups there was another really good hockey player there named Mario.
I am not knocking his skill cause he is an elite player but I am just a little dissapointed that two years in a row he played the same game trying to get more cash.
I think he has made enough already…
Jagr has turned into a hockey whore. Sad but true.
Dallas has about as much chance of winning the Cup next year as the Habs do. He’s going there strictly for the coin.
If there was a NHL team in Stouffville, he would sign on for 5.5M and never give a shit.
100% agree. I could understand it if he didn’t make the money early in his career but he has. Oh well, at least he isn’t a hab
“Like Canadian Hip hop..check us out http://www.groovecontrolmusic.com“
problem is he’s a poker whore…and obviously no good at it.
I’ll pray for HabFab and getting rid of Gomez too…lots of praying
I may need some praying too, sorry for not being a gentleman… HabFab made me feel guilty & stuff
—
#OperationGomezTirePump
#OperationSubbanDeflatedSalaryExpectations
Tweet it, talk about it. Let’s get rid of Gomez and sign Subban for cheap!
Go Habs Go!
HabFab…..I can’t believe you said it either. Lol
Pray for me….
Sorry, all our prayers are devoted to exorsising the Gomez demon from the Bell Center
—
#OperationGomezTirePump
#OperationSubbanDeflatedSalaryExpectations
Tweet it, talk about it. Let’s get rid of Gomez and sign Subban for cheap!
Go Habs Go!
…You’re headin’ for eternal damnation Frank
…hope You enjoy the ride
…because ‘the ride’ will be a Hell of a lot of Fun
Habitant means PASSIONATE HOCKEY
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=423049
What, with Semin and his slapping hands ? Umm…..
—
#OperationGomezTirePump
#OperationSubbanDeflatedSalaryExpectations
Tweet it, talk about it. Let’s get rid of Gomez and sign Subban for cheap!
Go Habs Go!
I was once asked by one of my elders “Didn’t I want to go to heaven”.
and 
to those that can’t take a joke!
My reply was “Is so in so going? yes And this person? yes And that person? yes”
“Well then I definitely don’t want to go, would rather be with my friends!”
… >-)
Habitant means PASSIONATE HOCKEY
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=423049
Now if Dallas can talk Modeno out of retirement, then with Whitney and Jagr they could have the Centenarian Line (120+ years old).
NOTE: only half original stuff. Love it or hate it…
If Gainey laces em up, I quit watching Hockey!
—
#OperationGomezTirePump
#OperationSubbanDeflatedSalaryExpectations
Tweet it, talk about it. Let’s get rid of Gomez and sign Subban for cheap!
Go Habs Go!
that will be an “experienced” line with Whitney and Jagr already
“Like Canadian Hip hop..check us out http://www.groovecontrolmusic.com“
Yes we can only play Semin in the third period.
It would be messy!!!
Yikes, can’t believe I said that…
Hail Mary, full of grace
etc,etc
LMFAO, I skipped over one earlier. Something about his tweets..
—
#OperationGomezTirePump
#OperationSubbanDeflatedSalaryExpectations
Tweet it, talk about it. Let’s get rid of Gomez and sign Subban for cheap!
Go Habs Go!
Shhh! You are talking to a lady.
Bad enough that I’m being a horse’s rear end
Uh oh! I’m going to hell with ya buddy, meet you in front of the ACC.
—
#OperationGomezTirePump
#OperationSubbanDeflatedSalaryExpectations
Tweet it, talk about it. Let’s get rid of Gomez and sign Subban for cheap!
Go Habs Go!
Semin….had to say it
We don’t need him in the third periods. Now do we ?
Anyone think the Habs should take a chance with Semin. I mean this guy is Kovalev 2.0. Kovy was loved in MTL, maybe Semin as well? The other good news if the Habs did sign him is it would put to rest the Gomez talk because he would definitely be traded or in Hamilton. Semin anyone?
If Montreal signs Semin, I’m moving over to the Pension Plan Puppets and becoming a laff fan.
Sale has been approved, they are now officially the “Communication Break Down”
Won’t happen. He is exactly the type of player the new management are staying away from. They are going for character guys who are consistent Semin is none of the above
“Like Canadian Hip hop..check us out http://www.groovecontrolmusic.com“
Caps fans hate Semin the way we hate gomez.
And to all the dreamers out there. When the 3 RFA’s are signed, we have our 23 man roster and no money left…just saying!!
I don’t know about that.
First I don’t think both of Weber and Diaz will be here, one will be traded.
Secondly, I don’t think Gomez will be here. Yes Bergevin said we won’t buy him out. But that is the smart move, as we don’t need the buyout cap hits. He was also not convincing that he will be on the team saying Gomez would have to earn a spot in training camp. Not the usual thing you say about a 10+ year veteran.
Go Habs Go!
NHL Free Agency and Trade Analysis now.
Team By Team Prospect Reports coming soon
http://lastwordonsports.com/
Every one in every job should have to earn their spot every year.
‘Gimme’s are for dirty commies and liberals.
- Speculation Ben, hence dreamers since none of us actually know.
- Let me go on record as saying I hope to blazes, this is not our team come October.
- I also don’t believe Hamilton will be used for Gomez.
- So now Bergevin has to find some dancing partners…but how much is too much?
Dallas was stupid enough to give Jägr his 4.5 million
I’m so glad we passed on Jagr – he would have cost us 5M. I also don’t ever remember him playing LW.
Rene Bourque it is!!!
Dave_Stubbs – And Casino de Montréal lowers its flags to half-staff #jagr #Habs 20 minutes ago
reportebly Jagr to Dallas, too bad mtl
with old timer ray whitney, lets see how these cowboys fair
At the price he got, it means he was asking for 5 million from the Habs. I say thanks Bob Gainey! Dodged a bullet.
—
#OperationGomezTirePump
#OperationSubbanDeflatedSalaryExpectations
Tweet it, talk about it. Let’s get rid of Gomez and sign Subban for cheap!
Go Habs Go!
I think Plekenecs days in MTL are numbered
I do agree with this, I would not be surprised… If it meant elite talent returning, to see Pleks traded.
How’s Jamie Benn for Plekanec sound ?
—
#OperationGomezTirePump
#OperationSubbanDeflatedSalaryExpectations
Tweet it, talk about it. Let’s get rid of Gomez and sign Subban for cheap!
Go Habs Go!
4.5 mill way way to expensive!
———————————————————————-
What does the Commissioner of the NHL do?
In short, a league commissioner is the action man for the Board of Governors.
They tell him what they want done and he works to make it happen through his subordinates while making sure that individual franchises play by the rules.
******** Translated if you haven’t won the Stanley Cup in 40 years your NHL team is becoming irrelevant in a sports mad city long behind MLB, NFL and NBA teams, you just tell the commissioner(who you gave a new contract at 7 plus million per) to make it happen and the rules are bent sufficiently to action the command.
Dallas overpaid. Jagr is too old for this long season and playoffs. The playoffs is where you need players. How effective was he the last quarter of the season and playoffs….not very
“Like Canadian Hip hop..check us out http://www.groovecontrolmusic.com“
Taylor Pyatt just signed with NYR for 3.1 mill over 2 years.
Would have been a good fit considering he’s big and mobile, kills penalties.
Main drawback are the Pyatt family hands of stone.
———————————————————————-
What does the Commissioner of the NHL do?
In short, a league commissioner is the action man for the Board of Governors.
They tell him what they want done and he works to make it happen through his subordinates while making sure that individual franchises play by the rules.
******** Translated if you haven’t won the Stanley Cup in 40 years your NHL team is becoming irrelevant in a sports mad city long behind MLB, NFL and NBA teams, you just tell the commissioner(who you gave a new contract at 7 plus million per) to make it happen and the rules are bent sufficiently to action the command.
I think after re-signing Moen, and adding Prust and Armstrong, our quota for bottom six wingers, with good size who kill penalties has been met.
Time to go for a top 6 forward.
Go Habs Go!
NHL Free Agency and Trade Analysis now.
Team By Team Prospect Reports coming soon
http://lastwordonsports.com/
Jagr to the Stars – $4.5 ml one season
I wouldn’t have minded that.
Go Habs Go!
NHL Free Agency and Trade Analysis now.
Team By Team Prospect Reports coming soon
http://lastwordonsports.com/
Uhm, 4.5million represents half the current available cap space, that is earmarked for Subban, Diaz, Weber… And one more “cheap” UFA no ?
I get why MB implied Jagr’s camp was asking for far too much.
—
#OperationGomezTirePump
#OperationSubbanDeflatedSalaryExpectations
Tweet it, talk about it. Let’s get rid of Gomez and sign Subban for cheap!
Go Habs Go!
You assume Gomez is in Montreal based on that Cap space (and Louis Leblanc too).
Both in Hamilton means there is about 8 million more in space.
Go Habs Go!
NHL Free Agency and Trade Analysis now.
Team By Team Prospect Reports coming soon
http://lastwordonsports.com/
Detroit is apparently offering Suter a $90 ml – 13 year deal.
That’s insane I hope the CBA outlaws long terms like that.
Why? If an owner wants to be stupid, its his own fault.
Why do we keep having to put handcuffs on the owners to save them from themselves?
No one holds a gun to Mike Illitch’s head and demands he give out this contract…. why should it be different from any other business where you pay for the bad deals you make?
The owners already got a guarantee that players will never make more than 57% of league revenues, why do they need more help to not screw up.
These guys are billionaire businessmen in their other businesses, but in hockey they need to be limited as to what decisions they can make (on advice of supposed hockey experts).
Go Habs Go!
NHL Free Agency and Trade Analysis now.
Team By Team Prospect Reports coming soon
http://lastwordonsports.com/
The problem with owners who make stupid decisions is that they create problems for other owners who aren’t stupid, or as stupid. They’re the ones that need protection from inflated salaries and outlandish terms that heavily influence if not drive the market value of players.
But if the owners want to sign players to long-term contracts, go right ahead. What do the fans care, it’s not as if we’re paying for their salaries.
A league made up of stupid owners doesn’t deserve to survive. Increased revenues, however, suggest the industry is doing well. The game — not so much.
What happened to the Red Wing’s philosophy of being fiscally responsible and conservative?
What philosophy?
The Wings were at the front of the line when the long term contract craze started, see Franzen and Zetterberg.
Go Habs Go!
NHL Free Agency and Trade Analysis now.
Team By Team Prospect Reports coming soon
http://lastwordonsports.com/
The Habs unveil this years slogan…be nice!
http://canadiens.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=636573
OMFG! If that band has a song the Habs use for the goal song I may have to mute all telecasts.
—
#OperationGomezTirePump
#OperationSubbanDeflatedSalaryExpectations
Tweet it, talk about it. Let’s get rid of Gomez and sign Subban for cheap!
Go Habs Go!
Nice try but that’s not the slogan. That the headline for a magazine article on Therrien returning.
If it were the slogan, it would be the most brutally honest slogan ever. The Habs finished in dead last in the East. There IS only one direction they can go…
Well…
Technically, they didn’t finish dead last in the entire NHL. Sadly theres room for improvement towards our Nathan MacKinnon dreams.
—
#OperationGomezTirePump
#OperationSubbanDeflatedSalaryExpectations
Tweet it, talk about it. Let’s get rid of Gomez and sign Subban for cheap!
Go Habs Go!
I got your mail to-day Jim.
Should be: Nowhere to go but up.
Gomez to Bean town for Malcolm Subban……….in my f’n dreams,lol
Methinks you just had something rather potent.
—
#OperationGomezTirePump
#OperationSubbanDeflatedSalaryExpectations
Tweet it, talk about it. Let’s get rid of Gomez and sign Subban for cheap!
Go Habs Go!
We really want the 3rd Subban, Jordin, he is better than the other two my friend.! Draft year next year from the Belleville Bulls.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Montreal-Canadiens-We-Are-Fans-Summit/197390760316125
I bet Jordan goes top 3.
—
#OperationGomezTirePump
#OperationSubbanDeflatedSalaryExpectations
Tweet it, talk about it. Let’s get rid of Gomez and sign Subban for cheap!
Go Habs Go!
Jordan’s gonna need a growth spurt or his 5’9″ height will be held against him on draft day IMO. Teams want height, no matter how talented he is.
Go Habs Go!
NHL Free Agency and Trade Analysis now.
Team By Team Prospect Reports coming soon
http://lastwordonsports.com/
absolutely true commandant.
Let’s start tanking!
————————
“Can we lose the parade float?…..Thank you!”
-This Old House, GMC commercial-
Jeez! You even beat HH, earliest reference to tanking in a “season” goes to: Habs_4_ever, honorable mention goes to HH for having his first post pre-written, but not posted on time. Apparently trouble with his fax machine (WTF?!?)
—
#OperationGomezTirePump
#OperationSubbanDeflatedSalaryExpectations
Tweet it, talk about it. Let’s get rid of Gomez and sign Subban for cheap!
Go Habs Go!
He went that a way…
Tank #2 comin’ right up!
Richard R
Price is an oyster. Unfortunately not all oysters produce pearls.
Trade the Swiss Cheese and Kaberle for John Erskine! You will like him! Hola!
kaberle for a 7th round pick next year! anything!! Trade Gomez and Weber to make it easier to swallow to a team struggling to reach the cap floor for a 3rd round pick(basically for Weber), which becomes a 2nd round pick if Gomez hits 20 goals and 40 points.
Habfan17
frontenac, you and me buddy, we have been saying this for months, I just don’t think anyone is listening. lol.
DONT FORGET ME!!!!!!
Our 6th annual 2012 HIO Fan Summit is, Oct 27th weekend.
All game tickets are available from me for a very short time period. Act now so as not to miss out on our annual great HIO fan weekend.!
ITINERARY & LOCATIONS
We are staying at the Novotel hotel, discount rates at 866-861-6112 Tell them you are with HIO to get your discount.
We will all meet and greet at Hurley’s pub Friday eve. on Crescent St.
Some of us will be having supper there, and name tags will be given out.
Everyone is welcome to join us. Ware you team colors! and enjoy the evening.
Saturday morning, breakfast is at Chez Cora’s at 8 or 8:30am. 1240 Drummond St.
You can order a la cart and everyone gets 15% discount off your bill.
After breakfast we walk over to the Bell Center for the Hall of Fame Tour
.
At 3pm the Montreal Canadiens Children’s Foundation charity raffle at the Baton Rouge restaurant 1050 Mountain St.
Each person is asked to bring one gift item to donate for the charity raffle, so everyone gets a gift to go home with. After this years fund raiser, we will have donated over $10,000.
Then our Baton Rouge restaurant pre game dinner. With special guests.
After that we walk across the street to the Duck’s and Hab’s game.
After the game the 2nd floor of Hurley’s pub is reserved for us again, to celebrate the win. Anyone may join us, just identify yourself as a HIO member.
Please be generous with your charity raffle gifts and your purchase of raffle tickets. It is a way for the HIO community to give back to less fortunate kids.
Come and enjoy talking hockey and meeting your wonderful HIO community at this years Summit.
See ya there.
Ian Cobb
HIO Fan Summit Organizer (613-968-9807) if you need anything.
For Summit tickets, News, Pictures and comments
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Montreal-Canadiens-We-Are-Fans-Summit/197390760316125
Still some notables available and a bit of cap room left. Still need to sign PK though and have to get ready to sign Pacioretty next year. I would guess that Bergevin has one ufa left in him. Fehr, Barker, Hannan, Carle, Semin (preferably not), Foster, Mueller, Moore, Winnik, Wolski, Brule……
My preference is another Dman, or two if Kaberle can or will be moved.
my weekly Habs analysis:
http://thehockeybeat.blogspot.ca/2012/06/normal-0-false-false-false-en-ca-ja-x.html#more
Forgotten amidst the free agent signings and RFA signings is the fact that the NHL’s buyout period ended on June 30. That means, of the options available to MB, buying out Gomez won’t be one of them.
Though, the Bulldogs could use some veteran leadership.
He’d already stated he wasn’t going to buy him out.
Which was the right move. What he didn’t say was whether he would be playing for Montreal or Hamilton next season
What,you don’t like Don Rickles? He’s genius!!
Regarding the Warren Buffet link: I clicked on it and found out that he needs that $192 M he made on Monday because on Thursday last week he was down…wait for it…$700 Million!
Anyone else feel very, very small?
“man, I love winnin’; you know, it’s like better than losin’?”-
Ebby Calvin “Nuke” Laloosh
I like the idea of PK by committee, give Pleks a chance to focus on offence, still needs a winger
I’m bummed that we missed out on Allen. Seems that he signed a pretty reasonable contract with Anaheim for $3.5M cap hit over 3 years. Pretty affordable. If he’d have gotten a crazy contract from some team, I could understand backing away from him but he would have been a good fit. I like Frankie B. but we need more than that at this point.
We still need another 30 or 40 goals from somewhere so I’m hoping that MB can land Kane. Any Kane. Just get me somebody named Kane.
Yeah i was a little shocked Allen went for such a reasonable amount. I’d have to believe Montreal made some sort of offer? He would have been perfect. Maybe Allen isn’t a fan of playing/living in Montreal and said no thanks?
Here’s the thing with UFAs, they don’t always go to the highest bidder. We don’t know why Allen went to California, or if he would have even considered an offer at 3.6 or 3.7 per season from us (for example).
I would have liked him too, but just because he signed for that with Anaheim doesn’t mean we were an option at similar money. We might have had to blow them out of the water to get him to consider Montreal. Its possible, we don’t know.
Go Habs Go!
NHL Free Agency and Trade Analysis now.
Team By Team Prospect Reports coming soon
http://lastwordonsports.com/
Based on the tax rate in Mtl, he may have wanted a lot more. It is too bad though!
Habfan17
Which Kane would be best able to fit in with the Habs?
Richard R
Price is an oyster. Unfortunately not all oysters produce pearls.
Well I think Pat is the better player by a mile. They both come with some baggage and you’ll have to give up something good (plex, Gio ++) to get Pat for sure. So, I guess it depends on the cost. Either would be a BIG improvement for the top 6. With Galchenyuk on the way, it really makes you think.
Agree that Patrick is the better Kane out there. Do MB and MT want him, though? I’d certainly take him if the price isn’t too ridiculous.
Richard R
Price is an oyster. Unfortunately not all oysters produce pearls.
Wondering if Marc Bergeron is done for the summer with Free agency?
Or is he waiting to hear if his offer to Parise will be accepted?
Is he in the running for Parise at all and if not is he looking past the Parise decision and putting a trade package togther to get Bobby Ryan?
I have to believe that Marc Bergeronis still working some angles to improve the team for 2012/13 ad beyond…because what he has done so far in free agency doesn’t cut it.
Syure, the Habs are a tougher team to play against…but how does that improve our goal scoring? He may have added a few goals with Armstrong and a few more with Prust, but seriously what the Habs needed was some depth like these guyts on the 3/4th lines and some top end scoring inour top 6 forwards…so far the bottom 6 look OKAY, but the top 6 still look like the same old tired, limp group.
Some think the forwards and team will be re-energized and take off under a new coaching system and leadership with Therrion…who knows…if a guy couldn’t hit the back of the net last year or the year before, I don’t think the flood gates will miraculously bust open for him this season.
With so many contracts signed, there isn’t room for too many if any young talent making this team in September…but that’s OK too…let them learn in Hamilton for a season or two.
I sure hope Mr Bergeron is still working a trade angle for the team to improve with all signed and unsigned RFA players available to make a big and bold trade.
Marc Bergevin
ALWAYS Habs -
D Mex
Was just listening to team 990 and Mcguire was asked what Anahiem wanted for Ryan. A blue chip prospect, a good roster player and a 1st rounder. The roster player wouldn’t be Pleks either it would prob be Subban or Patches. No thanks he’s not worth that much IMO.
Hi Peter, are you making the trek from B.C. to this years Summit?
Going to be a whole new look for sure!
Bergevin, not Bergeron.
Richard R
Price is an oyster. Unfortunately not all oysters produce pearls.
Gut feel tells me that once Chicago signs Parise (or if) as rumours currently indicate then they will let Patrick Kane go. I am just hoping if Patrick goes anywhere it is to Mtl. We may have to give up a defenceman to get him and likely it would be someone whom most fans see as being a young asset like Subban.
I highly doubt that Bergevin wants his first big trade to be a potential franchise defenceman for a head case! I don’t think too many teams would give up much or be interested in Kane right now.
Habfan17
Once Montreal signs Parise ! you mean. Don’t think for a minute we are out of the running.
Uhm, the Habs are not in the running for Parise.
It would be Gomez redux, we’re not discussing Crosby level talent. The fact that a team will actually pay that much, is astonishing, we do not want this.
Consider in 6 years. When Gally signs his first BIG salary, add that to Price being resigned. Plus existing contracts for Tinordi, Beaulieu, Gallagher, Subban, etc. and you want to add Parise for 10-13 years ?
No thank you, next question.
—
#OperationGomezTirePump
#OperationSubbanDeflatedSalaryExpectations
Tweet it, talk about it. Let’s get rid of Gomez and sign Subban for cheap!
Go Habs Go!
Trading Subban for Kane would be Houle stupid.
I have created a new deep stat. I call it Suck Possession. Basically the formula is as follows: (a player’s) Corsi + Fenwick/Points Total = Suck Possession. Let’s just say that Gomez is a master at Suck Possession.
K, now sell suck possession as being a good thing to
The Islanders
And the Phoenix Coyotes
—
#OperationGomezTirePump
#OperationSubbanDeflatedSalaryExpectations
Tweet it, talk about it. Let’s get rid of Gomez and sign Subban for cheap!
Go Habs Go!
Just for you because I CARE, to help you set this up;
http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/2012/7/3/3135492/statistics-that-may-surprise-you-or-not
Are you guys talking about that Tom lad with the attitude?I like the guy! He’s pretty smart and funny too. Kinda reminds me of Don Rickles. C”mon back Tom, I got your back Amigo!
The only thing I can see coming out of this. if we get kane from winnipeg they take Pleks. we would have 3-young centers in our quest for a stanley cup down the road….
I thought Kane was a left wing, and I would trade Pleks for Kane, he would be perfect for the second line with Eller and Gionta.
Habfan17
as far as I know the Kane in Winnipeg is a center and the one in Chicago is a Right Winger. not sure which one Bergervin is interested in.
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/players/bio/?id=7278
Evander Kane is listed as a LW.
What do the Kaberle critics think of him being paired with Frankie? I side with Commandant et al in the thinking that Kaberle is a useful piece if used in the right situation…..but is Frankie the right D partner? He’s not dynamite defensively but more than adequate, but is that enough to make Kaberle look good?
I’d rather see Kaberle with Gorges personally. He’s better defensively than the cube I can see Bouillon with Pk and Markov with Emelin. That’s just my opinion who knows what Therrien will do
That would make the 3rd pairing the highest paid pairing at about $8 million
I think you have to try Kaberle and Bouillion, but its not ideal for the reasons you mention, as well as the fact that Kaberle and Bouillion both play on the LH side.
I would rather see Kaberle and Emelin…. and us have another real top 4 defenceman. But I don’t think that is possible at this point given the number of D we have.
As for the Kids…. I don’t think any of the three is ready this year to play more than a few games as a callup. Don’t rush Tinordi, 6’7″ defencemen take time to develop.
I expect Tinordi to have a difficult adjustment period when he starts in Hamilton, but to be excellent down there by Christmas… and then a similar period of adjustment when he gets to the NHL. The increased speed at each level, he’ll need time to adjust to.
Go Habs Go!
NHL Free Agency and Trade Analysis now.
Team By Team Prospect Reports coming soon
http://lastwordonsports.com/
I would rather NOT see Kaberle playing with the habs.
I’m fine with him playing in Hamilton.
Your pairings provide balance and an element of offense in each duo, but I’m a bit snagged on Markov with Emelin.
If, as some suspect, Emelin will be targeted more this season, the guy I see as best suited to cover his 6 is Cube.
Assuming 22 and 26 skate together, this would leave Markov with Subban – could be potent, but I’m not sure about chemistry there after Markov’s shoulder shrug to reporters late last season.
What’s Paul Mara up to these days ? …
ALWAYS Habs -
D Mex
I love the idea of Markov with Subban that would be deadly.
I like Markov and subban together on PP but separate at ES. At ES you could spend 75% of the game with one of these two on the ice. If Kaberle is the third pair, you have a puck mover on every pairing and really bring offence from your defence
Go Habs Go!
NHL Free Agency and Trade Analysis now.
Team By Team Prospect Reports coming soon
http://lastwordonsports.com/
Puts all the ‘ offensive ‘ eggs in one basket, tho.
We really need another banger for the back end – it would open up a few more options. At least one Weber or Diaz has got to go IMO.
ALWAYS Habs -
D Mex
I was hoping for a defensive banger on the back end as well but I don’t think there are any of those left to sign.
Maybe via trade. The way Emelin plays, he’ll need someone to watch his back as we move forward.
ALWAYS Habs -
D Mex
Huge NO to Mara coming back. I’ll take Kaberle over Mara any day.
I’m a firm believer that in each pairing you need a balance of offense-minded & defense-minded. Markov, Subban & Kaberle should all be on seperate pairings at ES. Then you figure out who to pair with them. Emelin will likely learn the most & benefit most from playing with Markov. Is there a better partner for Subban than Gorges? That leaves a partner for Kaberle. I absolutely love what Frankie brings, but I’m not sure he can cover for Kaberle well enough to make the 3rd pairing a dependable matchup.
One thing that has crossed my mind is that Tinordi might have a shot at playing this year. The guy is 6″7 and 220lbs. Captain of the OHL Champion London Knights.
He’ll be 21-years-old in February.
I think he plays and Bouillon was signed as insurance.
Bouillon didn’t sign to sit. But yeah, I think that Tinordi should get a close look in training camp.
___________________________________________________
Being a Hab fan is like buying real estate: only over the long-haul will you appreciate the true value of your investment.
We already ruined Pursesnatcher O’Byrne….let’s take our time with Tinordi
I was just listening to the guys on team 1200, and they say Kaberle was done 4 years ago, He doesn’t train hard and he does not respond to coaches who push. Their words, not mine. They say he isn’t interested in getting in “peak” condition and just tunes out hard ass coaches like Therrien. If this is true, best thing to do is take whatever a team will give if they need to reach the cap floor. The Habs have enough offensive defencemen now. I don’t think there is a “right” situation to use him in.
Habfan17
I’m not saying i’m for any of this, but how about this for a what if?:
What if Bergevin is really contemplating this Kane trade and it involves Plecky, as TomNickle hinted at?
Would it possibly make sense to keep Gomez in this scenario, as it would allow for some insurance if Eller and DD are not ready to take the top two spots and Galchenyuk is returned to Sarnia? Is that one possible scenario where keeping Gomez makes good sense? And then if it turns out Eller and DD ARE ready, or Gally surprises and makes the team, Gomer could be moved. Who woulda thunk? Gomez could be a 7 million dollar insurance plan!!
Just something that crossed my mind
The Montreal Canadiens: sporting the best AND worst fans since 1909!
Not sure if it makes sense to keep Gomez in any scenario….but I do think with the acquisition of Prust he’d be more willing to trade our top penalty killing forward. Maybe that was the signing he needed to make before progressing with trade talks.
Armstrong is also a notable PK guy, along with Moen. It would seem that the expendability (is that a word?) of Pleks is growing somewhat. I’d rather see LL play centre instead of Gomez.
“man, I love winnin’; you know, it’s like better than losin’?”-
Ebby Calvin “Nuke” Laloosh
Prust is Plekanec’s replacement? Not bloody likely.
Richard R
Price is an oyster. Unfortunately not all oysters produce pearls.
not offensively, but on the PK yes. If you trade Pleks for an offensive guy like Pat Kane how can you say we haven’t gotten better in all facets of the game?
Alternatively, maybe the trade between the Blackhawks and Canadiens includes Gomez but the league has refused to okay the deal until Chicago’s management has passed a sanity test.
Gomez, the 7 miilion dollar bust for Kane, the, I can’t get my head out of this fog, head case. Kane does not fit the character mold that Bergevin is trying to build. He is a me first, party hardy player. Very selfish and unprofessiona. Do people really think the Habs should trade for this guy?
Habfan17
That is Patrick Kane not Evander Kane, him I would trade Pleks for!
Habfan17
Not funny but didn’t Bowman have a brain tumor?
Lots of talk today about Gomez — boy, talk about beating a dead end to death — and I feel compelled to join in on the action (before the lightning knocks out Internet access).
Believe it or not, Gomez still might be of service to the Canadiens; consider the following facts:
STRENGTHS
– he’s still a decent skater
– he still can make plays
– he does have experience killing penalties
WEAKNESSES (condensed version)
– he avoids high traffic areas
– his forays into opponent’s end are predictable
– he’s not a muscle guy
The solution is to turn his weaknesses into a strength and make the most of the strengths he already has. Not as hard as it sounds.
We all know Gomez’s favourite move is carry the puck over the blueline, stop and then send a pass across the middle that gets intercepted. From now on, the pass becomes a soft dump-in into the corner and he stays where he is, while a more robust player from the Canadiens’ defensive corps — Subban, Emelin or now Bouillon — pursues the puck into the corner, in full flight, and separates it from the opposing defenceman, or, at the very least, creates havoc and ultimately a scoring opportunity.
Gomez, temporarily, then, becomes the de facto defenceman — another Kaberle, Diaz or Weber, if you will — and he is sufficiently fleet of foot and wise enough as a seasoned penalty killer, to nullify a counter-thrust.
He can also prove effective in setting up plays from the point, without having to shoot very often, such that another weakness becomes yet another strength.
And should it become necessary to shoot, well, it doesn’t have to be very hard, just on the net and capable of being deflected; after all, booming shots that miss the net serve little purpose (right, PK?).
Of course, when play is in the Canadiens’ end, Gomez will revert to the centre’s position, which defensively involves … well, Therrien will have to refresh his memory when training camp opens.
So there you have it, Gomez for the defence when the team is on the offence.
If only jacko had listened to you last year, we would have another cup. Some people just can’t stand strangers waiting outside their shower to take pictures.
I wasn’t there to take pictures — that was incidental to the task on hand, which was to give him some darn good advice.
I still believe he could have shown some common decency by hearing me out instead of throwing me out.
No doubt in my mind! He would have a Cup, job and be a hero. I believe your downfall was taking a camera instead of a notepad…way too technical for jocko IMO.
Honest, the camera seemed the simplest way to show him pics of the diagrams I had made of the plays I had devised. Could I help it that, in my nervousness, I began taking pics — and video — instead? (I don’t know why YouTube took it down. Sure, the Little Mermaid shower curtain might have been embarrassing but I think for that reason the clip showed a side of Jacques few of us had ever seen.)
Yes but it was the rest of him that none wanted to see
POST OF THE YEAR!
Seriously guys, thanks for that. Nothing will beat that this year.
Now who’s being the ginormous suck up ?
Post of the year, and suck up of the year.. All in one post, impressive!
—
Go Habs Go!
But you gotta admit, it’s pretty damn funny! I’m still laughing!
I was looking at the free agents and noticed Colin White’s name – he used to be one tough SOB but I don’t think he fights as much since the eye injury a few years ago. At 34 he may also be a step slower. Is he worth a shot as a stay at home d-man for $1M for 1 year until the kids are ready?
Here are the real-time stats for give-aways for the Habs last season. Gomez had 14 give-aways, equal to the number of take-aways. The real culprit and the player who set the Habs back early in the season was PK Subban. How many games early on did he cough up the puck only to lead to a late goal against. Too many for my liking. 86 give-aways versus 26 take-aways means a whole lot of losses when they are coming from your top minutes D-man.
Gomez sucks but Subban needs to improve this aspect of his game considerably otherwise he is a liability.
Here’s an interesting fact. The player with the best take-away to give-away ratio was DD.
Dude Youre fishing with a post like this – subban a liability because of some giveaways? There’s a lot more to his game than that, and you know it.
I see what Dave is doing, the opposite of OperationGomezTirePump. We should call this one, OperationSubbanDeflatedSalaryExpectations.
—
Go Habs Go!
This aspect of his game is a serious blight. Mind you the Habs were a coughing up the puck machine last season but Subban stood out as being the biggest liability as far as puck possession is concerned. If he can turn those numbers around that alone puts the Habs in the play-offs.
EDIT: And Bill J sees right through my ploy!!!
LOL
—
Go Habs Go!
Brown-noser!
LMFAO!
—
Go Habs Go!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=so8NQficzZg&feature=related
Montreal’s scorekeepers have been notoriously liberal with handing out giveaways, which is another factor. They are easing off (they were absolutely brutal 3 or 4 seasons ago!), but there are still many scorekeepers that are far less harsh than Montreal’s in that department.
Disagree. That’s a very telling statistic. Too many giveaways No Good.
Richard R
Price is an oyster. Unfortunately not all oysters produce pearls.
In Pk’s defense he played into December with a bad back. He wasn’t hitting and was trying to avoid getting hit as much as he could so was getting rid of the puck fast.
Is it possible to drill down into the stats to find out how many times each player had possession of the puck, as well as the total amount of time? The disparity might not seem as great if the figures show Gomez’s 14 giveaways occurred during 100 instances he held the puck, whereas PK’s 86 occurred during 1,000 instances (which isn’t that far-fetched, given the number of games Gomez missed, and the amount of TOI per game Subban registered). The ratio then becomes a giveaway every 7.2 times Gomez has the puck vs 11.6 times for Subban.
But I could be way off base …
This is a discussion for Eyes on the prize, and they do this sort of thing quite well. But then you have to put up with all the egos. It’s a trade off
You’re asking too much.
Besides, when I look at HH’s chart, Markov has the best average.
I GA all year….OK, so it’s only 13 games…still.
See, I can do my own math!
Since nothing else seems to work…sigh
Suck up!
All this talk about Gomez and takeaways and giveaways would become moot if he were just to go away.
In 2007-08, Andrei Markov had 92 giveaways and 60 takeaways.
In 2008-09, Andrei Markov had 103 giveaways and 60 takeaways.
Basically, if you are trying to make plays, there is always a risk of the other team stealing the puck. Both Markov and Subban are paid to take those risks because they generally do more good than harm for their team.
I definitely agree that Subban can trim that total down a bit, but if it comes down too much it is because he is not doing what makes him such an effective player.
Subban will get better at takeaways as he matures and learns to pick his spots a bit more. Learning the tendencies of the league’s forwards, which will also come with experience, is another key to getting more takeaways.
If I were Gomez, I’d be nervous about fall camp. All these young centres are trying to prove something and unless G-Love has a huge camp and proves he’s no.1, he’s going to the Hammer. DD is going to bring it, and pleks/eller/LL all want to earn top spots too.
Yeah when Gally looks better then Gomez (and the intent is to return Gally to Windsor) – I can’t wait to see MB squirm when a reporter asks him why Gomez is still on the NHL roster while Gally returns to the OHL.
—
Go Habs Go!
Hopefully he plays with nerves ! The ball is in his court , i`m sure he understands. Must be frustrating not to be up to the challenge but as much as getting his expensive deal was business so too is the decision to keep him or not. Stricktly business.
I’m finding it a little amusing that Zach Parise and Ryan Suter are drawing some flak for “taking so long” to make up their minds about where they want to play.
Why should they care? There is nothing in the universe stopping the teams that think they have a shot at either guy from going out and signing their Plan B options (thereby taking those Plan B options off the table for the other teams in the derby).
Let’s say you are New Jersey…odds are, you aren’t getting Parise. So take the money and sign 2 of the Plan B free agents. Now Parise has one less team to worry about, and those teams suddenly have to up the ante because now they are well and truly all-in for his services.
Supposedly, five teams are in the running for Parise, which means that four aren’t getting him. Is Parise THAT much better that you wouldn’t roll the dice on a couple of the lesser lights? Because if you stay all-in, you risk coming out with nothing. That isn’t the player’s fault, because they are simply doing what is best for their own careers and families, as pretty much most of us would do given the same opportunity.
If a management team chooses to let itself be strung along so long that they come out with nothing, that is solely on that management team. I’d laugh my rear end off if both Parise and Suter took a month to make a decision. If such a thing caught on, we would never again have to contend with the wretched and completely over-the-top “Free Agent Frenzy” media coverage.
They are well within their right to do what they want. However, wouldn’t it be nice if they knew who was interested in them before free agency began? I like the way the nba does it, where there is a window where players can talk to teams but can’t sign for awhile. I think that’s the way the nba does it, anyway.
And with that right that players have nowadays to jack up salaries to ridiculous levels-when will it end?-thousands of hardcore fans in the USA and Canada will no longer to be able to afford the occasional night out at the hockey rink to cheer their team in person because the tickets will be too expensive and one hotdog and a beer will cost you about $25 dollars. Before taxes and a tip. They are all being overpaid. And you, the fans, are paying for their insatiable greed. Worse, egging them on and cheering them when they succeed. What a bunch of maroons.
Richard R
Price is an oyster. Unfortunately not all oysters produce pearls.
You don’t like it, vote with your wallet. It is rather simple.
Players get 57% of league revenues. If the revenues go down, so do the salaries.
And… Come on… You watch tsn (or check your phone for updates) all day on July 1, just like the rest of us
Actually, I honestly have never paid attention on July 1 as I’m usually away from computer and television access for much of the day. I usually check in quickly in the evening to see who was signed, but that was about it.
And this year was the first time I’ve ever actually followed the draft for any length of time. It was interesting to see people’s comments…everybody on here was so positive, it was actually catching!
If I was NHL Commissioner, I would definitely implement that teams and players could discuss terms before the signing window. But I’d be an unpopular Commissioner because my first move, even before the above, would be to abolish the entry draft. With a hard salary cap, guaranteed contracts and a limit to the number of contracts each team can have on the books, there really is no need for an entry draft. I think it would make July 1 even more interesting if teams were able/forced to look at both unrestricted free agents and top 18 year old prospects when trying to fill out their rosters.
And I am all for giving people the option of choosing where they live and work. We could avoid situations like Pronger in Edmonton or Lindros in Quebec City. We could also contract the Islanders and Columbus, because nobody in their right mind would join either team if they had a choice.
“my first move….. would be to abolish the entry draft”
I’d be intrigued to see how you could structure July 1st, now draft-RFA-UFA day. IMO, it would be Chaos! Imagine having teams sitting in the same draft environment (or not), setting a strategy that would be undone by a prior selection / signing / trade. And what of the UFAs who, again, would chose not to sign right away? How does any team who had his rights yesterday work around that? I’m not necessarily arguing your point, but really trying to figure out how you would go about it.
Would be cool.
Timmins and the scouts of his choosing go out to make entry level contract offers.
Bergevin can handle the UFA’s
Dudley the RFA’s
We certainly have a very capable staff for this type of madness, we’d fleece the entire continent of talent!
I like!
—
Go Habs Go!
Teams still manage to deal with their UFA/RFA’s as it is while also looking at all the undrafted players.
The reality is that most of the kids aren’t coming anywhere close to the NHL or AHL this season so they wouldn’t really be on anybody’s priority list.
In this past draft, you can pretty much rule out all the Europeans that were drafted, as none of them sound like they are coming to the NHL next season, or perhaps even next season.
Of the CHL players, how many of them would be realistic shots to be signed this summer? Yakupov is an obvious one, and Grigorenko has an outside shot. Murray was obviously touted on his ability to make the jump right away, but as for the rest…I’ll be surprised if more than three first round picks play in the NHL this coming season.
What it would do is relieve some of these kids of the pressures of where they were drafted and just let them focus on their own development.
Most importantly for me, it would reward teams who are adept at player management and scouting.
Chris, you must be a closet laff fan. As that is the only way they would ever have a hope in hell of being a good team.
Oh believe me, I don’t have any blue in my blood whatsoever.
I just hate the draft and all it represents. The only reason something like that could ever be tolerated in society is because the players make so much money and we therefore shouldn’t or can’t feel sorry for them.
But if I’m John Tavares, I’m pretty bummed out that I am committed to the NY Islanders until I am 25 years old. I am also playing a 3/4 speed and avoiding any risk of a serious injury before that time so that I can get the heck out of there as soon as my UFA status hits.
Rick Nash was silly and signed a long-term deal with a franchise almost as clueless as the Islanders. And now he desperately wants out himself.
That last paragraph about the Islanders and the Blue Jackets was nasty. But probably true.
Richard R
Price is an oyster. Unfortunately not all oysters produce pearls.
to add, more and more teams lock up their young talent prior to their big ufa years.
To all you idiots defending Gomez.. Comparing his giveaway numbers to Plekanec… At least Pleks puts up points, Gomez on the other hand is like a deadweight on our team. He helps us with nothing, last 2 years, no defensive upside, no offensive upside, he was just plain garbage, so enough defending him, we have to move forward, we have to improve.. I understand it would be unclassy for us to drop him to the minors last year or 2 years ago, but enough is enough, it happened with Redden it can happen with Gomez just as easy. There is really no point in having a 7 million contract on the 4th line, instead we can throw money at Doan or Semin, at least they can be a plus on our team. Bergevin isnt an idiot though and I am sure he will do the right thing with Gomez.
Maybe you should read the entire thread before calling people idiots. Reading educates
—
Go Habs Go!
i know a lot of idiots who can read…
well clearly a guy with a user-name “badbalance” has his own issues to deal with. But had he read the thread, he would have seen the Tire Pumping directed at Gomez had ulterior motives.
—
Go Habs Go!
I you want to be taken seriously i suggest that you think about coming back here since we are all idiots. I am sure that you have better things to do or people to see…
I don’t know what you are referring to when you say posters are defending Gomez, but you should get your information correct when you post it. The cap hit for Gomez is $7.3 million, his actual salary this season is $5.5 million and next year drops to $4.5 million.
Habfan17
How embarrassing for you.
Great way to start a debate.
Now, now…no need to be calling idiots names like that.
***Subbang Baby!!!***
1000 x
Suck up but then you should be
HA! I agree you’re sucking up after having discovered Punkster to be a MOD.
—
Go Habs Go!
What am I thinking?
The part that stings the most is that I am an idiot and he pegged me right away
SHHHH! That is like sweating, you never let the other guy see or hear…
What are you? The Right Guard Guy?
Did Chicago sign Zach Parise?
See we have a new poll and a bunch of optimistic fans. Good stuff and that this is now G-love Central…please don’t try to merge that with our old name.
Not that there is anything wrong with that….
A witches’ brew Frank! Sounds pretty toxic. Careful….
Anyone hear anymore rumours about who habs might also get? been a quiet day so far…..
If you want Habs rumors, you just have to follow all the “insiders” on twitter, they have tons of Habs rumors. Of course, none of them are true and they are all frauds, but it is entertaining.
I would assume another assistant coach or management personal will be hired very shortly. It has been 2 days since the hiring of JJ Daignault so they are over due for another hire. Perhaps Vladimir Malakhov as assistant defence coach to JJ Daignault.
He’s too busy skiing on two broken legs.
—
Go Habs Go!
I am really really worried about TomNickle guys. Where did he go. I wonder if he is now raising Kane at EOTP with AB because I haven’t heard from him in days.
Maybe the Chicago mob got him…
Why couldn’t Alfie or DorvalTony come up with the Kane rumour. Damnit!
—
Go Habs Go!
Perhaps the Monteal cab drivers took him out. Maybe his source wasn’t impressed that he revealed the big Splash trade MB was cooking up. I wonder if his disappearance has anything to do with MB press conference being delayed numerous times yesterday. Whatever the case may be, it is bizarre, one of the weirdest, wildest things I have seen in years on HIO.
Listen to you Bill – did I bruise your poor ego with my posts.
Get over it – you seem more immature than my 5 year old. Grow up!
LOL – nah – but if you’re that tense that a little jab hurts your feelings. I’m S… No wait, I don’t care…
—
Go Habs Go!
Clearly your skin is not thick enough and your poor ego was bruised otherwise you would not have made the remark.
Nah – I simply do not understand someone who is a Habs fan dumping on the franchise player.
You can cite all kinds of stats about wins & losses. I guess the Cap hit is not a worry then is it ? Since Carey Price IS the Montreal Canadiens, and no one (including horrible coaching) is responsible for the stats you cite.
Go argue another point, enough evidence has been presented to you to clearly see the error in your opinion (yes people can have opinions, and they can ALSO be wrong sometimes)
If you choose to ignore FACTS and REALITY. Go on about your business, I just wish you would do it elsewhere…. So those of us who wish to speak freely about the team and its talent without having to teach supposed Hab fans what is valuable in Carey Price.
Trash Gomez… I don’t care, we all agree on that (if you really feel the need to trash a player) but to trash Price is plain dumb, because anyone with a bit of Hockey IQ understands why you are monumentally wrong.
—
Go Habs Go!
Price is NOT the Canadiens. Certainly not with the 30 something best GAA/Save % in the league. Those stats are a reflection of the goaltender, not coaching. If anything, JM defensive style coaching might have helped Price’s stats. He got there all on his own.
You might like for him to become THE Canadiens, but he ain’t there yet. As for dumping, actually it is expressing an opinion – no matter how popular/unpopular, I’d like to think that it is what makes it interesting. BTW, there is much I like about our team – PK, DD, Cole, Max Pac.
We’ll agree to disagree on this one.
I’m on your side, alfieturcotte. Stand up for your rights.
Richard R
Price is an oyster. Unfortunately not all oysters produce pearls.
All I can is find Jimmy Hoffa and you’ll find Tom Nickle.
Kidding folks… just kidding!
I think I ticked him off last week when I assumed his identity and told everyone that they’re all wrong, and don’t bother arguing about it because you won’t win!
He replied “ouch” and I haven’t seen him since.
I think you might be on to something. Mind you, you were on to something with that pretty funny post to begin with.
He will be alright, we will see him again.
He has grown into a Dime and spread his wings my friend. Be back soon enough!
Good work on the Summit Ian. WHo are the guest speakers this year.
That’s why he will be back soon, from his vacation in time.
Not sure yet, but if I get the fella that I talked to last week, your all in for a fantastic surprise.
For Summit tickets, News, Pictures and comments
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Montreal-Canadiens-We-Are-Fans-Summit/197390760316125
a contract killer who you hired to take care of a 7Million $ anchor ?
—
Go Habs Go!
Bertrand Raymond??????
OMG two for the price of one!!! The contract killer will ALSO take out Bertrand Raymond!!!
OMG!!!!! How does one register for this event, will a steel cage be involved ?
—
Go Habs Go!
Eklund is reporting that you have Guy Lafleur lined up Ian. But its only an E3 until he can confirm with another source.
Once you have been to HIO Ian, there is no where else to go to spread your wings. This is the mecca of all websites. I just hope he hasn’t suddenly joined a Sens chatsite (which was the rumour about you a couple of days ago so it is good to see you haven’t left).
I filed a missing person report on HI/O’s behalf this morning. The Police said they would get back to me shortly, will keep all of you posted.
So chances are Gomez will be at training camp, this will be the first time Therrien and MB get a full look at our star center. So what “if” he looks good on the ice (from a skating perspective) and what “if” Therrien has a game plan for this roster that benefits him. There is nothing bad in that, he either is then making himself tradeable or he is helping the team win games.
If indeed he has lost it, as many believe, then it would seem only sensible that MB will send him to Hamilton. Remember, this is MB’s decision as he made it clear that player personel is MB’s job and it is MT’s job to allocate icetime accordingly.
This isn’t about whether or not Gomez deserves another chance or not, because we have entirely new Mgmt and Coaching. The salary is guaranteed, it would be ignorant of MB and MT to not see for themselves what choice should be made.
I still think there’s a 50/50 chance that Gomez will be abducted by aliens prior to the start of training camp.
We have read a lot of wishful thinking everywhere mentioning the options the Habs had for the Gomez file. The medias and the fans have been going around in circles about him and act as if it is a done deal and do not include him in the lineup.Never have we heard the Habs themselves talk about it in so many words. In fact Bergevin said the same thing Therrien did the day he was hired. Gomez is still a Habs.
I am mentioning this cause all those who want him gone or demoted will have a surprise at the begining of the season cause he will have a new chance to earn a spot on the team and would not be surprized that he succeeds in doing so.
Of course it also implies an uneasy moment when he is announced to the crowd on day 1 at the Bell center …
The way i see it , if we are lucky and if Gomez scores a few goals here and there, he will be traded after all star break to a team that can use a player that once was promising.
One thing is for sure ,do not expect the Habs to throw their money down the drain.
“One thing is for sure ,do not expect the Habs to throw their money down the drain.”
No, Gomez is doing that for them.
It could happen that they maximize his skill, and make him useful. We don’t want to mortgage the future for Nash or Ryan. We don’t want to pay Parise 100 million. Unless we can land Jagr, the market for someone who can score is getting pretty thin. There is a chance, we just don’t have anyone better to spend/waste money on. I don’t see this being a Stanley Cup year, but the year after when our number one center is ready (galchenyuk) … watch out!
I look for Gomer to have a great year. His speed is still intimidating and he reads the ice well. Stupid Martin wanted him to be totally defensive and it screwed his game up. We have better people in place now to ascertain how to use his skill better.
I would love to agree, Ian.
Unfortunately, last year I said “he can’t be any worse than last year”… d’oh!
Agreed, there is nothing pressing with Gomez since buying him out makes no sense what so ever. The decision on Gomez will only be taken during camp or at the latest at the end of camp. Then they will decide if it is a one-way ticket to Hamilton or he starts the season in Montreal, those are the only 2 options. Unless of course another GM is drunk enough to trade for him.
Edit: Forgot one more option, a new CBA could have a one time get out of jail card.
Bergevin has said he won’t buy him out. Since hs actual salary for the last 2 years is significantly lower than the cap hit, there may be some teams that are stuck to reach the cap floor that would take him. It might take a throw in like Weber to get it done. Since no one knows if the cap will change with the new CBA, I doubt we will know anything until the new CBA is in place. If they negotiate to lower the cap floor, it would change things and some teams may not need to take on a “cap” contract
Habfan17
Good point, I would be surprised if the new regime did not take a look at Gomez in training camp. The only downside to waiting until training camp is that his salary cannot be spent elsewhere. Maybe it’s a blessing in disguise, stopping the Habs from over-spending in free agency.
All this talk of changing poster identities…
I have now assumed the identity of sixteen different people (including Zep, Punkster, Hard Habits, Boone, Stubbs….etc. etc..).
So I went to see my shrink, and the meds he gave me are wonderful!
Now I’m only myself and my regular five voices I’ve listened to since I can remember.
and you came back here to read Timo loving Gomez. Back to the shrink you go!
—
Go Habs Go!
LMFAO!!!
I crossed over into you one day but you were fixing the toilet…logged out before you asked for help!
That damned plumbing! LOL!
Craig Button tweeted this an hour ago, was shocked to read it.
CraigJButton: More Alexander Semin facts: +92 past 4 seasons. Only 4 players have a better +/-: Chara (108) Burrows (107) H. Sedin (106) D. Sedin (104)
Gomez should stick to soccer.He had a pretty good Europe Cup as I recall.
Omg no! Imagine how great he would look next to Tavares with the Islanders. They love big contracts there too!
—
Go Habs Go!
I live in Cali so imagine the great hockey info I get out here!
THere are other posters living out there that have extremely close ties to the NHL and all the goings on. Rumours abound he may be a bigger fan of the Ducks or Kings though.
Speaking of Gomer. I am a little disappointed we don’t get all these updates about how much he’s working out and getting into yet another best shape of his career.
I heard that after Bergevin’s interview yesterday he went home and did 30 push-ups.
He was later seen buying himself one of those neck wraps for long drives. Just covering the bases I guess.
————————————-
Listen to the Smart Dog. He knows his poop!
Hey,I do 30 pushups every day at home.
But my salary is slightly short of $7.1m/annum.
Well done Timo, I know how hard that must have been.
Operation GomezTirePump is in full effect.
—
Go Habs Go!
Timo – Word on the street is that Prust, Armstrong and Boullion came here as UFAs so they could play with Gomez. Just like Cammy and Gionta.
@Twilight, I cannot wait to buy you a nice big frosty beer at the Summit! I am honoured that you would believe I could possibly be a secret mod.
Once you meet me in person, you will discover that it is simply inconceivable, of course that means you will see me at the bar!
Cheers Twi!
Speaking of that. The other day when this place was going wonky. I logged in and it was another poster I was logged in as. He was a mod!
———————————————————————-
“Them summer days, those summer days” – Sly Stone
Hot fun in the Summertime
Thankfully this place does have some mature posters who have been given special powers. Humans like you and I zep can only dream of such power on a daily basis!
Nah, too much power brings too much stress. I’d prefer if there was an ignore button.
———————————————————————-
“Them summer days, those summer days” – Sly Stone
Hot fun in the Summertime
Well, I did like the Mod Squad. Does that count?
———————————————————————-
“Them summer days, those summer days” – Sly Stone
Hot fun in the Summertime
Ouch Zep I really hope you mean the original version.
—
Go Habs Go!
@Bill
The TV series of course. Link, Julie and Pete.
Not that crap they churned out as a movie
———————————————————————-
“Them summer days, those summer days” – Sly Stone
Hot fun in the Summertime
The Mod Squad? That reminds me of a late 60s episode of Dragnet that I watched last year. There was a guy stoned on LSD and when they showed his face he looked like a typical hockey fan all painted up, ready for the big game.
Richard R
Price is an oyster. Unfortunately not all oysters produce pearls.
Playing humble today, are we Gerry?
No super-powers….yeah….OK.
Is that why there was a caped crusader flying over Burlington this past weekend? And I suppose you know nothing about that, right?
That was the Lancaster Bomber flying over Burlington over the weekend, love seeing that bird in the air!
Burly I’ll buy you a tall frosty one. But I only buy good beers. No Molson, Keith’s, labatt, moosehead crap.
You’re a beaut