If I was Gainey

[montreal]

Here's what I would do in reality this summer.

I don't think we'll see a whole lot of movement this summer, unless gms feel confident there will be a season next year. With the unknown CBA, I can't see gm's adding too much salary for next year.

I would try and resign Kovalev, hopefully in the 4M range. Richard Matvichuk would be a great addition, but I'm sure most teams in the NHL are thinking this. After Kovy, Langdon, Dowd I would sign. Langdon and Dowd could be brought back cheap.

I would let Perreault go, buyout Dykhuis (although we can wait to do this, see how things pan out), don't resign Traverse.

I would then get Ryder on a long term deal, Ribs a 2 year deal, neither getting too big of a raise. Hainsey and Hossa I'd resign to 1 year deals or 2 years with a much lower 2nd year (since they have to get 10% increase).

Zednik and Souray I would try and get inked right away at fair deals. Don't overpay, but make them know we want them here and doing their best. Do the same for Begin, give him a solid raise but long term deal.

Sundstrom I would let go UFA, try and resign cheap 1.2M maybe. Quintal I would let go unless he agrees to a 7th defensemen.

Michaud, Thinel, Marois, I would resign for ECHL or maybe Hamilton. Really don't know what I would do with Damphousse/Fichaud, as one stays one goes, tough call. I like Fichaud better, but Damphousse is younger and had a decent playoff run and has a team option.

I'd sign Glenn and Deveaux for the ECHL. Flood, Locke, Lambert and Urquhart for the AHL. Kastsitsyn I would do what it takes to get him here, if not see what happens with a new coach in CSKA. Find a new ECHL team to put some players 4-5 guys, since we don't have an ECHL team anymore.

I'd sign Cote and Robinson as Habs, 2 years each.

Invite Rene Bourque, Greg Hornby, Charlie Cook, Evan Schwabe, Gabe Gauthier, Lukas Dora, Jon Smyth, M-A Bureau, Daniel Spare, Guillame Demers, Francois Gagnon, Karl Gagne, Yanick Tifu, Guillame Fournier, Yan Gaudette, Gabriel Balasescu, Martin Slovak, Pascal Pelletier, Vald Balaz, Andre Benoit, Doug Hennigar to camp to a look to see if any are worth signing as FA's or overagers.

Smyth, Spare, Gauthier, Gagne would be of most intereste to me, maybe Bourque who's a big center or Hornby who's a high energy guy ala Begin.

[ch_nl]

If you where Gainey

- You shouldn't try to resign Sundström since he wants to leave...

[montreal]

Originally posted by ch_nl

If you where Gainey

- You shouldn't try to resign Sundström since he wants to leave...

Is he going back home? How do you know he wants to leave? I just can't see paying him 2.1M or so it would take to qualify him.

If he leaves good luck to him, he was great with the sharks when paired with Mike Long Hair Reechi and Thortnon.

[ch_nl]

Swedish media has reported that Sundström and Torontos Mikael Renberg are leaving NHL.

Renberg will play for Luleå and Sundström for MoDo.

[montreal]

Originally posted by ch_nl

Swedish media has reported that Sundström and Torontos Mikael Renberg are leaving NHL.

Renberg will play for Luleå and Sundström for MoDo.

Cool, thanks for the info.

[Zowpeb]

I can't see Kovalev signing for that little($4M) until the CBA is done and, hopefully, some sort of cap is in place...at which point he can negotiate with everyone. If he's not signed by July 1st then he won't be a habs IMO.

I'd love to see Dowd back with the team. I wouldn't mind Langdon back but he's not a priority IMO.

Perreault, Dykhuis, Traverse, Sundstrom...gone.

We really need to get Kastsitsyn over here playing in the AHL and have him go through a training camp. It's unfortunate about Perezhogin because I'd have liked to see them play together in the AHL for a year to see if they could develop some chemistry...and so Zhog could help ease Kastsitsyn's transition.

I can't wait to see if Locke can play in the AHL...he could be a steal. I know lots of guys can score in the CHL and don't pan out but this kid wasn't just a one year wonder.

I'd sign Souray and Zednik...but I'd be looking to move Souray. His value is as high as it will ever be and he could net the return of a player better then he actually is...

I agree about Matvichuk or a d-man like him.

I hope we can draft some good d-men because I don't like much of what we have in our system currently. Komisarek and Hainsey aside...and it sounds like even Hainsey is a stretch.

[habsfan88]

good luck sundstrom.....I always liked you, you were a solid player in my mind no matter what other people said.

[Habby1197]

If there is a season... I'd take these steps.

First off the UFA's, all of them... GONE, except Kovy.

Zednik-Koivu-Kovalev

KNUBLE-Ribs-Ryder

Bulis-ARNOTT-Ward

Begin-LAPPY-GOON

Souray-Komi

Markov-Rivet

ZHITNIK-Briser

Theo

Garon

Sign Knuble, he isn't my first choice, but he's big, and he can skate and most of all he's no whimp. He must be tired of losing to the Habs anyways.

Trade for Arnott, Many of you dont like his attitude, but he's a proven winner, and a big mofo... Hainsey + 2nd + mid level prospect (Milroy?) Should get the job done.

Try and sign Zhitnik he's a real good dman, tough... a complete package. If not him, something like that...

Sign Lappy, type of player we need, from Kings... get him.

Thats alot of additions and alot of $.

5 Million - Kovalev

3 Million - Knuble

4 Million - Zhitnik

1.5 Million - Lappy

Arnott makes around 5.

Thats 18.5 million dollars added... seems insane, but it isn't.

Juneau- 3 million

Perreault- 3 million

Quintal - 3 million

Dackell - 1 million

Sunny- he made 2.2 but we paid 1.2 million

Traverse- 1 million

Kilger - 1 million

Dags- 0.5 million

Thats 14 million gone... so we're spending an extra 4.5 which isn't much since we did make the second round of the playoff and had 5 home playoff games.

While I know Ribs, Ryder, Souray and others are in for raises, lets say the raises are a total of 6 milion, so we're about 10 million up from last year, but we did reduce payroll from 2002 to 2003 about 6 ot 7 million, so adding about the same amount wont be a problem... with a team like that we're up there with the best of the east.

[Dalhabs]

Im not sure I want to see any new ufa players right now. Resign some of the ufas we have and then let players from hamilton fill the rest.

btw. about Sundström to modo... swedish press stink! they write "news" as facts when they really are just rumours. IF there is a season this autumn and if sundström is wanted he will play in the NHL next year as well.

SIGN KOVALEV NOW! :ghg:

[seanman99]

(Thats 14 million gone... so we're spending an extra 4.5 which isn't much since we did make the second round of the playoff and had 5 home playoff games.)

The Habs bring in about 1 to 1.5 million doallars every sell-out plus add the playoff parking prices and raise ticket prices its almost 2 mill in the end.

[Fanpuck33_]

Originally posted by Habby1197

While I know Ribs, Ryder, Souray and others are in for raises, lets say the raises are a total of 6 milion, so we're about 10 million up from last year, but we did reduce payroll from 2002 to 2003 about 6 ot 7 million, so adding about the same amount wont be a problem... with a team like that we're up there with the best of the east.

Ribs, Ryder, and Souray will total 6 mill. Ribs has only one good year under his belt, he should get 1.5 million max. Ryder is similar, being just off his rookie year. He was great, but he still hasn't proven anything. I say he'll get about 1 million. Souray made 1.5 million last year I think, and he deserves a raise, but not a huge one, since he is still injury prone and only has one good year under his belt. I say 1.8 million. Let these guys prove they can play before we give them the big money.

[bombTHEice]

Originally posted by Habby1197

Sign Knuble, he isn't my first choice, but he's big, and he can skate and most of all he's no whimp. He must be tired of losing to the Habs anyways.

Trade for Arnott, Many of you dont like his attitude, but he's a proven winner, and a big mofo... Hainsey + 2nd + mid level prospect (Milroy?) Should get the job done.

Try and sign Zhitnik he's a real good dman, tough... a complete package. If not him, something like that...

Sign Lappy, type of player we need, from Kings... get him.

I fully agree that Ian Lapperiere would be a great player on the 4th line, I also would love to see him with the HABS next year. :/)

On the other side I wouldn't sign Knuble and Arnott ... pourqoi?

I would give Hossa another chance on the 2nd line and Higgins or Plekanec a chance instead of adding too much salary for (the much overrated) Arnott and Knuble.