illWill

Yeah I'm not quite understanding why some are hesitant to resign him at market value. 5 mill for a few years is quite reasonable. We all know what he brings to the table. He is playing exceptionally well and has transitioned seamlessly onto the team.

I DVR'd the game. I'm not quite sure how I can help you out though.

There is too much awesome in that video. I am devastated that I got called into work tonight and can't watch the game.

I think there is no question he will try to resign Ryder. We just have to hope that his agent will be seeking a reasonable contract.

I wish we had more where I lived. The number of Bruin fans have sky rocketed after hometown player Adam McQuaid brought the cup back. I'm also seeing a lot more Leaf fans popping up lately.

It can be a very hateful existence at times. I would say that 30% of people are Habs fans here, 30% Leafs, 30% Bruins and 10% miscellaneous. Constant trash talking everywhere.

Great post. Except that you forgot to mention the other thing P.K has against him....he is a Hab! Generally those who are not a fan will despise anything that is blue , blanc et rouge. I find it hard to get non-Hab fan friends to even admit that P.K is good, let alone a Norris trophy candidate.

I agree with most here. A depth move on defense or forward will likely be the only thing done, if anything at all. Picking up a Jagr or somebody sounds great, but where does he fit in?

It bugs me when people describe a team like this and expect them to become automatically better next year. How can you improve on first/second in the Eastern Conference?? There are too many variables to hedge your bets in any particular year. This team is one of the best teams in the league today as it stands now. "A terrible waste going for it"?? There are plenty of other teams that are already set now and for the future as well. There is no magic time frame for us to become a favorite. Ask the 2012, 8th seed L.A Kings if they should have waited to make moves to make a run.

Okay, now do one for every other team in the league. You can't just single out one team and say they are better, therefore they should have better results. You aren't comparing them to anything.

This I really don't understand the thought process behind "waiting till we're ready" to go for it all. Currently we have a team that has played exceptionally well ALL season except for a handful of games. Until they show us that they can't string together wins, there's no reason to believe that they cannot go deep in the playoffs. I am all for trading a part of the future for a better shot right now. Who knows what the future holds....this year might be our best shot for years to come.

I was at this game and I was lucky to see first hand how talented and better Subban is than everybody. Every time he had the puck you could feel the electricity in the building. He deserves more credit for his hockey I.Q than he is given credit for. I didn't know his ability to read the play was so good. Yes he makes mistakes but he also makes great plays by taking chances. I don't know about everyone else, but I want a guy on my team who makes things happen. Even by missing the big hit on that play, he still had teammates behind him. Buffalo wasn't going to score because of the missed hit. But if he made the hit.....wow that would have been fun. It is definitely an edge if your opposition is worried about getting decked at the blue line, ask Scott Stevens.

As long as they get at least 13 points in the next 18 games, I have it locked up. Not too bad after my second place finish in the contest last year. I'm also liking my Subban prediction so far.

Certainly O'Byrne is only an insurance depth player that offers something we are lacking and trading Weber is of no consequence. And being able to obtain a first-ballot hall of fame player, despite being old, is indisputably a great move for a young team with a shot. Trading a fringe prospect in Holland doesn't break the bank moving forward. One of the main reasons successful teams stockpile prospects is to use them in trades to improve the team, for whenever that may be. If we are in the top 5 in the East, our time is now to take a chance. What are you waiting for?

But back to the thread title, if I were to make any moves at the deadline, I would try to get Jagr. I'd offer Holland and or a pick and see what happens. Or even an O'Byrne for Weber and or a pick.

100%. It's simple math, essentially a coinflip.

Couldn't be said any better. I feel like I want Montreal to trade every player they have for all the tallest players in the league. And then when we don't win a cup, what will they all say is the reason? Apparently size is the only thing that matters. Ask your women, you gotta know how to use it if you got it.

Every team in the league has good and bad opposition match ups. If ours is playing teams that are big goons, then we better hope to avoid them in the playoffs. Although I think that it's just a matter of who plays their game better that eventually will win a series. Look at the last game vs Toronto, all they were doing was taking runs at us and we took the hits, made the plays and scored where it mattered. Our identity this year is speed, quick transition, and an aggressive forecheck. Why change that? The Devils last year certainly weren't a "big" team and they went quite far.

I'm so sick of hearing about size, or lack thereof with this team. Clearly you didn't see 5'9 Gallagher drive his way to the net last night to score the winning goal. That kid has more heart and drive than 95% of the league. I would gladly take him on my team over any 6'3 floater. There is too much of a misconception about height. And it is mostly directed against the Habs and no other team. Sad when fans are drinking the kool aid served to them by the media. Gionta is basically Gallagher but with more miles on the odometer. DD is soft but very effective at what he does. It's okay to have a few soft guys on your team, not every body throws the body. It just drives me crazy when height is the main point of conversation about a team that is first in the conference. Clearly the Habs don't give a shit how tall they are, why should you?

I can see them winning a round or two

I just think that people everywhere are not giving this team the credit that it deserves. Who had them leading the East halfway through the season? Nobody. In the season prediction thread, I couldn't believe where some people had them finishing. I believe that I had them finishing with 59 points and that was the highest point total that anybody said. This team is not the team that was an utter embarrassment last year. Everything that could have went wrong, did, and then some. With a couple wily acquistions , a new leadership group, and health, this is a totally different team. I hate how nobody believes in this team and is just waiting for them to fail. 24 games is a fairly decent sample size. I'm not saying this team is going all the way, but at least get excited at being in the mix.

How are the Habs a long shot to win the cup? They are first in the conference halfway through the season and are playing as well as anybody. They have one of the best goaltenders in the world and we all know what a hot goalie can do in the playoffs. As long as this team stays healthy, there is no reason to think that they cannot make some noise in the spring. Adding a solid veteran player at the deadline would absolutely be the correct move for the right price. They can afford to lose one of their many fringe prospects or picks for a good shot at going deep this year.

Exactly

Exactly. Look at Frankie B, all 5'8 of him. The guy is a little tank out there. Compare that to 6'7 of Hal Gill, and who plays tougher? The whole size issue only gets blown out of proportion after losses like this one. The team played like crap and lost in every facet of the game. Nobody complains about it after a win.

The difference between this year's team and last is that we are playing more aggressively and are not backing down from the contact. Gallagher is 5 foot nothing and he drives to the net more than anybody. Gionta isn't afraid to bang the body. Sure, it isn't fun to watch Gorges fight some giant goon, or Gallagher exchanging blows, but the point is that they don't back down. I can't remember the last time this team has finished it's checks like it is doing this season. Sure we have some soft players, but so does every team. It's all about the wins, and as soon as this team strings together a couple of them in a row, suddenly size doesn't matter. I'm so sick of hearing about it. Our game is about speed, skill, goaltending and the quick transition. It ALWAYS has been.