Apparently Koivu asked for a trade...

[fromage]

http://www.tqs.ca/emissions/110/

Rough English translation

"According to several random people, Koivu has asked for a trade."

[Habsfan24]

More pure and utter garbage.

[JMMR]

Hahahaha I am happy you knew this was more 100% bull shit.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

100% bullshit yes...on the other hand, Koivu's remarks at the end of last year and his comment about not being Cup worthy this year, do suggest a certain disillusionment or impatience on his part. He knows the window is slowly closing for him. If nothing happens this year or next summer, I wouldn't fall on the floor in amazement if he did ask for a trade.

[Bacchus]

Personally, if I was Saku, I'd ask for a trade. He would have a much better chance at winning a cup on a team with another top-line center, as Saku as 2nd liner ... or another equally strong 2nd liner.

Habs, are probably at least 1-2 seasons away from a true winning team, and Saku knows this. I think he has given his heart and soul to this club, and the club for most of his career gave him no support. Also, dealing with all the garbage press would have worn all but a saint to indifference.

I say if Saku does go, which would be disastrous for the team, I would not blame him in the least.

[KoZed]

I never listened to 110%. They're a bunch of clowns...

REGARDLESS... Where's there's fire there's smoke, in a way.

I actually wanted to post this earlier, but now with this "rumor" coming out, I'll post it in this thread:

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/article/20070905...5128/CPSPORTS01

The literal tone of both Carbo and Gainey's comments is a bit weird.

In short, about Saku's mention that "The Habs won't contend for the Cup", Koivu is basically saying: "You misunderstood what I meant. I meant nobody will see us as contenders," which is a bit different.

But neither Carbo nor Gainey follow Saku's defense all the way. They agree with Saku's version of the quote; but they still criticize him. Gainey basically says: "Saku said too much" and Carbo says "Saku didn't say it the right way". They both disavow Saku on the way Saku handled the interview.

Gainey and Carbo are both ex-Habs captains. Not from the 50's; but from the past 2 decades. If anyone in the World can be authorities on the matter of being an Habs captain, its Carbo and Gainey. And the way they did'nt protect Saku doesn't smell too good.

Rivet was Saku's best friend and was considered a core leader, perhaps second in influence to Saku. The third one was Souray. Now both defensemen are gone. Of the 3 "other" Amigos only Saku is left. We know what happened to Dagenais, Ribeiro and Theodore...

Looking at all this in perspective, I can't help but think that Carbo and Gainey have been set; for a long time now; to completely reshape this team from the ground up into the old Habs "family" mold. No egos, no cliques.

The very subtle but deliberate slap on Koivu's wrist here might be the beginning of something...

[SAKS-AVENUE]

Well, this is a great start to the 2007/08 campaign. Can't wait to see how far the bulls^&t goes this year. Hopefully the media doesn't get a hold of this crap and start putting it on the front page of all the newspapers. Geez can you just let the guys play hockey?

[Athlétique.Canadien]

Sometimes in the media there is stink that really makes you question their own sanity in writing about the club. However, this new development is somewhat disturbing to me. Every once in a while the media get it right. It reminds me of Turgeon being on the fourth line of training camp and exhibition. The media rumoured he was on the outs. Many of my friends thought that was ridiculous as did I. Turned out they were correct.

The recent so called (media) Koivu contraversy with the "20 second" comment advice from Gainey versus the "40 second" one, coupled with this development is giving me the creeps that something may be happening here. Don't we all love the media eh?

Hmmm?

Edited September 6, 2007 by Athlétique.Canadien

[Pierre the Great]

i believe it. stupid bored french media asking why he doesn't speak french. seriously stupid shit like that would warrant a trade if it was me.

[lazy26]

Bullshit. Let's wait until the season starts before stooping this low.

[smon]

Well, if they do trade him, it'd be safe to say that the Canadiens would be in the pits for several seasons.

I honestly fail to see what the problem is with his comments. Sadly enough, he's right. He was obviously referring to the team being thought of as a contender - sure, there's teams that aren't contenders which win the Cup, but generally playoff bubble ones don't.

[The Iron Lung]

I wasn't sure of the issue to begin with... he said he thinks they're a playoff team but most wouldn't view them as a Cup favourite. That's true. He never said they wouldn't compete for a Cup... he said they wouldn't be a favourite. Obviously that's the case if THN has them to finish 13th in the conference.

[ShortHanded]

Trading Koivu would be VERY VERY stupid, but if he asked for one, I also wouldn't blame him.

I don't buy the "gainey and carbo are trying to chase him out" thing a la cyberpresse article though. They HAVE to know that it wouldn't be good for the team, and callign Koivu, Rivet and Souray the "other" 3 amigos just cuz they're friends is ridiculous. Unless it's bad for team chemistry, having a group of friends shouldn't be a problem; with that line of thinking, Komi and Higgins shouldn't play together because they're a clique.

I mean, come on, too much is too much.

[Easy Ryder]

As i see it Koivu asked for the team to bring some impact players.

Koivu is deceived that the management had no result on bringing an impact player.

They tried Brière, Smyth and Rafalski, it didn't work.

Maybe Koivu tried to convince Selanne to come in Montreal but in his right mind why would

Selanne come play here if he ca contends in Anaheim where he knows that they will contend.

However Koivu has always been threated very well by the classy habs organisation.

He played with the young players of this club and he knows they are very good hockey players.

He is deceived and has the right to be, but he is the C of this club, everybody in the lockerroom

is looking up for him to lead this team. He is the spirit of this team, he has to convince every other

player in this team to overperform in order to win some hockey games 1 by one, competition in every

aspect of the game in order to be a team that will please the best crowd in the game.

So he has to come to the camp with a team player attitude, don't careabout the media stuff and take

this team in playoff.

[MAK]

If this story is true, I can't say I blame him. didn't he ask for help(and rightfully so) ?? what did he get?? NADA !! hamrlik is only taking souray's place...it's a lateral move, not a foward move.

he gave alot of great years to the club and if he asks for a trade, it should be granted to him.

for those who think that trading koivu would be a mistake...it all depends on what you get in return.

[brobin]

I would not be surprised at all. I think Koivu has the right to privately say to Gainey, "get me another center to help, or please feel free to trade me to a contender. I will waive my no trade clause".

Koivu might be praying that Gainey goes the route of trading for an impact center, but if he doesn't do something soon, I think Koivu will start hoping for a trade.

I too believe where there is smoke, there is fire. Personally, I am surprised Koivu has lasted this long with a string of rookie coaches and lack of depth up the middle.

[Chris]

In case people are forgetting, BG did go after big time players. They just chose not to sign in Montreal. BG can't make them sign.

If Koivu wants out, let him go. In case others didn't notice what BG is doing, He is signing players who WANT to play for the Habs and building from within. Koivu has earned the right to stay or ask for a trade. The decision is his, like the other players who chose not to sign. It's up to the current players to prove everyone wrong about not being contenders.

[alexstream]

If he is indeed traded, that's not necessarily a bad news. cause we CANNOT play without having a replacement for him... And if we do have a replacement... IMO that replacement can only be better.

I don't see the habs replacing Koivu by Plek or Grabovski (unless they become frikkin superstars) or by e.g. trading for an extremely overpaid (and soon to be underperforming) Scott Gomez

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Like I said, I would NOT be surprised if Saku is quietly letting it be known that if nothing changes, he wants to go somewhere where he can win. He pretty much said as much at the end of last season.

Unlike the rest of you, I don't think trading Koivu would be a self-evident disaster. Don't misunderstand me, I LOVE the guy, he's one of the gutsiest players in the history of the CH (which is really saying something) and really good hockey player. But think about it. You're Bob Gainey. Trade dealine day is approaching. A contending team is looking for that extra ingredient that will put them over the top - a proven playoff dynamo with great leadership and a smouldering hunger to win. You dangle a 32-year-old SAKU KOIVU plus, say, Michael Ryder, for the equivalent of a Patrick Marleau - some younger, stud C who can serve as your #1 C for the next several seasons - or a can't miss C prospect along the lines of Paul Stastny. An offer like that would make any team with true Cup hunger stop and think very, very seriously. In fact, I'm pretty sure would could land any almost any second-line C in the league with an offer like that.

The fact is that in pure hockey terms, Koivu is an asset whose value will likely begin to diminish significantly within the next 2-3 years (or sooner). Trading him would not be crazy and might be the best way to address the very worrisome gap at C in our system.

While I'm sure Bob doesn't want to trade him, the stars may be aligning in that direction. We'll see.

(Then again, a lot of this is informed by the belief that the Habs are gonna be a mediocre team yet again. A breakout season by one or two young players, and the whole scenario will shift).

[Easy Ryder]

A lot of people are already thinking of unloading players bofore there is any results in regular games.

If indeed the results are awful after the first half, we gonna have time and time to bitch around and place some

thread Trade____ now!!

But until then, what is the rush ? There is no very weak teams in the East, every team is able to compete with the

payroll cap, this mean less space points between 3-13 in the standings. Everyday we will watch other team results and

realize that the season is gonna be a dog fight until the end of the season.

To win the dog fight we need a captain that believes in his teamates, to kick some butts when we will lose 2 in a row.

This team captain is Koivu and it's about time that everybody stick around him not just a clique but the whole group.

[Fanpuck33]

Why is it that all of the off-season rumors to this point have been brushed aside as pure BS, but all of a sudden now that Koivu is involved, there is suddenly "fire where there's smoke"?

[Tony]

110% is not a credible source.

[BTH]

You dangle a 32-year-old SAKU KOIVU plus, say, Michael Ryder, for the equivalent of a Patrick Marleau - some younger, stud C who can serve as your #1 C for the next several seasons - or a can't miss C prospect along the lines of Paul Stastny. An offer like that would make any team with true Cup hunger stop and think very, very seriously. In fact, I'm pretty sure would could land any almost any second-line C in the league with an offer like that.

Paul Stastny is not the surefire 1st line center you make him out to be. There is no reason to believe he will ever be better (or even as good) as Koivu is and we consider him a second liner, for the most part. Koivu + Ryder for Marleau is fair for both teams, I think (assuming we're at the deadline and Ryder can be valued as no more than a rental).

[smon]

I just hate hearing about Marleau over and over.

And I really doubt this is true.

[Athlétique.Canadien]

"fire where there's smoke"?

I don't necessarily subscribe to this rumour but it is unsettling nevertheless.