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Gainey's press conference - Habs stand pat


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RDS didn't show his English answers, but in French he basically said that

-the Habs received no tempting offers in the last couple of days;

-that he alerted GMs that Dandenault was available but got no interest;

-that he does not regret 'missing out' on any of the players that were traded today;

-and that, explicitly, he believes in this team - that they have a good mix of types of players, that he's already added parts (Tanguay, Schneider), that there is good depth on D, and that it's up to players who have underperformed due to injury or other causes to suck it up and deliver.

Basically, he threw down the gauntlet to his guys.

I don't think standing pat is a terrible move. If you watch the trade coverage, you'll notice that the commentators ALWAY concentrate on a player's virtues/upside, more seldom on his limitations. This can lead fans of a stand-pat team to panic: OH NO, THE RANGERS GOT ANTROPOV, THE TSN GUYS SAY HE'S A GOOD, BIG CENTRE, WE'RE DEAD MEAT!!! In fact, Antropov is a decent C but nobody's idea of a difference maker. Boston's new 5th-defenceman Montador isn't going to break us in a 7-game series - leave that to Lucic, Kessel, and Julien's system. Etc.

Where I disagree with Bob is on point three, above. We should have moved heaven and earth to get Jokinen, and not just for help this season, but for the future of the organization, which continues to have zero elite centremen in the system. I guarantee you this summer that Gainey will again be on the lookout for a 'big, elite centreman' - when in fact we had the chance to acquire one today, and weren't willing to make the cap room or part with the assets. I'll grant that we don't know what Phoenix would have wanted from us, but - without pretending expertise on the guys Calgary gave up - I can't believe that we couldn't have matched their offer.

That's the one thing that I believe will haunt us.

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Where I disagree with Bob is on point three, above. We should have moved heaven and earth to get Jokinen, and not just for help this season, but for the future of the organization, which continues to have zero elite centremen in the system. I guarantee you this summer that Gainey will again be on the lookout for a 'big, elite centreman' - when in fact we had the chance to acquire one today, and weren't willing to make the cap room or part with the assets. I'll grant that we don't know what Phoenix would have wanted from us, but - without pretending expertise on the guys Calgary gave up - I can't believe that we couldn't have matched their offer.

But if he goes public saying he wishes he could have landed a big name, what does that tell his team?

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But if he goes public saying he wishes he could have landed a big name, what does that tell his team?

I agree... he's not going to say that even if it is the truth. Reality is that Bob has consistantly proven that he is either unable to make the big trade for an impact player, or is unwilling to make sure a deal. Either way he has failed in this departmnet in his time with the Habs, no question.

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Well it's "survivor" factor... last woman on the island is always sexy... cause she's the only one.

However, if you put her in a bar, full of horny chicks, during a wet t-shirt contest, she might not look so hot anymore.

Right now, only Olli was available, so he looked really sexy.

This summer, if Lecavalier (the horny chick who won the wet t-shirt contest in that bar - still going with the above analogy) is available, we'll be quite happy we didn't pick on Olli.

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Gainey Knows best. Detroit also stood pat. Some teams just dont need to make trades since usually you overpay on a player when you can pick a guy up for free July 1st.

I'm surprised knowbody wanted Dandy at all but since we dont need the Cap room i'm hapy that he stayed and hope that he gets into some games.

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agree on dandenault sticking around. No sense in dumping him if we didn't need the cap space. The beauty of a guy like him is his versatility. Come playoff time, having a reliable veteran who can play both forward and defence could really come in handy.

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Well it's "survivor" factor... last woman on the island is always sexy... cause she's the only one.

However, if you put her in a bar, full of horny chicks, during a wet t-shirt contest, she might not look so hot anymore.

Right now, only Olli was available, so he looked really sexy.

This summer, if Lecavalier (the horny chick who won the wet t-shirt contest in that bar - still going with the above analogy) is available, we'll be quite happy we didn't pick on Olli.

I love your description.

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Where I disagree with Bob is on point three, above. We should have moved heaven and earth to get Jokinen, and not just for help this season, but for the future of the organization, which continues to have zero elite centremen in the system. I guarantee you this summer that Gainey will again be on the lookout for a 'big, elite centreman' - when in fact we had the chance to acquire one today, and weren't willing to make the cap room or part with the assets. I'll grant that we don't know what Phoenix would have wanted from us, but - without pretending expertise on the guys Calgary gave up - I can't believe that we couldn't have matched their offer.

That's the one thing that I believe will haunt us.

If we are just looking at stats we'll make Lombardi = Higgins. Would you give up Higgins and a first round pick?

Let's assume we had no competition but Calgary. What would you have offered to win that trade? or better yet, Would you trade Calgary straight up Higgins for Lombardi?

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Gainey Knows best. Detroit also stood pat. Some teams just dont need to make trades since usually you overpay on a player when you can pick a guy up for free July 1st.

I'm surprised knowbody wanted Dandy at all but since we dont need the Cap room i'm hapy that he stayed and hope that he gets into some games.

Montreal has hardly been playing like Detroit this season though, have they?

I'm not surprised he didn't make any moves, but I'm not impressed with it either. You guys are right, Jokinen was the catch.

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Right now, only Olli was available, so he looked really sexy.

This summer, if Lecavalier (the horny chick who won the wet t-shirt contest in that bar - still going with the above analogy) is available, we'll be quite happy we didn't pick on Olli.

since we're still the pathetic overweight middle aged guy living at mom's even if the horny sexy girl is free she still won't even look in our direction.

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If we are just looking at stats we'll make Lombardi = Higgins. Would you give up Higgins and a first round pick?

Let's assume we had no competition but Calgary. What would you have offered to win that trade? or better yet, Would you trade Calgary straight up Higgins for Lombardi?

I honestly would, provided that we had the luxury of choosing either 2009 or 2010, just like Calgary did. Matt Lombardi isn't a bad player at all. And Jokinen isn't a rental, he's signed through next year.

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I would trade Higgins and a pick for Jokinen. Preferably not a 1st rounder, though; but if that's what it took, I'd do it...without too many misgivings.

The guy is a legitimate, relatively young, hulking #1 C. He's exactly what we'd be trying to draft with that #1 pick anyway. And he's not a rental. And he's reasonably cheap for a front-line C.

Indeed, I would rather have him than Lecavalier for one simple reason: his contract will not hamstring the organization for the next decade.

As I say, if we had any elite C prospects in the system, I wouldn't be as passionate about this. But we don't. We have an aging Koivu and an erratic, mostly-perimeter-player C in Plekanec. What happens when Koivu goes? Pleks is our go-to guy? We cross our fingers that we suddenly become the prime destination for any star C UFAs? Come on.

Now I agree that Bob can't ADMIT to any of this. His main message today was, I believe, aimed at the players: "we believe you are good enough to win the Stanley Cup. We have faith in you and your talent. Now stand and deliver." That's good management. But that doesn't mean that failing to get Jokinen was not a mistake. If the return was Higgins + 1st rounder, you try to bargain them down on the picks, but ultimately pull the trigger IMHO.

Edited by The Chicoutimi Cucumber
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I am not sold on Jokinen. He reminds me of the rest of our players.. a guy who doesn't use his size, has team issues (according to reports) and I see him as playing soft, but with skill.

While he would not have been a bad guy, he is not the real answer to our woes either. I could see why Bob didn't bet too much on him.

I also wonder about Philly dumping one of the most popular guys in the room. Remember how all those big trades worked out last year for teams... at the end of the season, Schneider might end up being the best move of all.

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I don't care that we didn't get Jokinen. I do care that we still have a centre problem after YEARS of needing one.

If Bob can't address this in the off season, things look pretty bleak for next year. Koivu is close to finished and Plex is not enough to carry the load. We have nobody in our farm system and the list of UFAs (not that they want to come here!) is short at the C position. Lang has been great but even if we can resign him, how long does he have?

We need a centre and in a bad way.

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Everyones points are good. I guess I'm bummed because we've been so junky lately and the anticipation for this day is so great that well........... what a big let down.

I'm content. I don't know who could have helped us really, as far as the names that actually moved go. I just hope we break out of looking so house league on the ice so I can be excited again.

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We definitely need a centre, but I guess it wasn't there to get. Joki was the closest, but might have cost too much (in players and cap). Keenan was the one that sold Sutter on him, I don't think Sutter was convinced.

I am more sold on Vinny, but that contract is damn scary.

I would also consider this... Pitts is going to have to dump Crosby or Malkin. They have so much money tied up in those boys, they can't afford the players to surround them. I won't be surprised to see one of them traded at some point. I also suspect Ottawa may have a good centre on the market this summer. :)

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I don't know how realistic Vinny actually is. Even if Tampa has serious financial problems they don't have that much money on the books going forward. St. Louis will be gone soon and the rest of their team is young. As for his contract goes, with much of our team UFAs next season we have tons of cap space!

If Pittsburg does have to trade Malkin (it should be Crosby but they won't) it would cost more than Vinny IMO. I bet something as outrageous as Phaneuf, Kipper and a first rounder for example.

Bob must have something up his sleave.

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I don't know how realistic Vinny actually is. Even if Tampa has serious financial problems they don't have that much money on the books going forward. St. Louis will be gone soon and the rest of their team is young. As for his contract goes, with much of our team UFAs next season we have tons of cap space!

If Pittsburg does have to trade Malkin (it should be Crosby but they won't) it would cost more than Vinny IMO. I bet something as outrageous as Phaneuf, Kipper and a first rounder for example.

Bob must have something up his sleave.

Pitts could get a decent second line for Malkin. :)

I agree, Malkin is their number one guy and is less injury prone them Crosby, but their entire marketing program is built around Crosby. Someone is going to rape them in a year or two. That Hossa trade will be a case study on how to mortgage your future for nothing. To keep Crosby and Malkin, they need a ton of cheap, young guns. Instead, they sold them for a couple months of Hossa.

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Good non-move by Gainey :clap:

Our PP is back, Tanguay will suit up soon, and we might get Lang back in time for the playoffs

Tradong for a big name would have been a panic move, and we would have given up a lot

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I think Bob Gainey's move were fine overall. Yes we do have weaknesses but i didnt see in the players available any supreme player out there who could be dealt to montreal that was doable.

I may get thrown rocks there...but i prefered his Deal for Schneider than Derek Morris or Montador trade.

I like the fact that Tanguay, Latendresse will be back shortly.

I like the fact that we didnt deal our 1st round pick of 2009 and young players for a midtone players as we dont have that many pick that year and it seems theres very good prospects in 2009.

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I may get thrown rocks there...but i prefered his Deal for Schneider than Derek Morris or Montador trade

Absolutely. Schneider brings far more than either of them.

I agree, Malkin is their number one guy and is less injury prone them Crosby, but their entire marketing program is built around Crosby. Someone is going to rape them in a year or two. That Hossa trade will be a case study on how to mortgage your future for nothing. To keep Crosby and Malkin, they need a ton of cheap, young guns. Instead, they sold them for a couple months of Hossa.

I still don't see that trade in as bad a light as many people do. Armstrong and Christiansen are average players. Esposito is a risky player that many scouts don't like. The 1st rounder was a late one. Yeah, they gave up some talent, but they didn't kill themselves. That trade has nothing to do with their struggles this year. Armstrong and Christiansen weren't going to make the Pens a much better team, and Espo wasn't going to make the team. If Espo pans out, then in hindsight it might be a bad deal.

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I'm fine with Gainey standing pat really.

Our need is a number-one centre, as it has been for a very long time. The only one out there was Jokinen, and he's not the guy I want to see in that role. I want to see a big, talented Canadian right-handed centre in that role.

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The only regret I think we have is missing out on Sundin. Given the injury to Lang, it really hurts. He is rounding into form now and has always been a good playoff guy. That is the biggest miss of the season imo. I would take him over Joki for this year and next.

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I am glad Gainey did not trade for some of the rejects that were being offered. cole out of Edmonton or Williams out of Carolina would be good. Everyone else including joke-in-in is better off away from what Montreal is trying to do. REBUILD PLAN!

I hope the habs do well in the playoffs even though I have low expectations. Best trade Montreal made is the non trade while adding Tanguay back soon. Habs added Lang, Tanguay, Sneider, the Rock, and a Flyer spare part.

To me that is many additions...

Go Gainey.

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But that doesn't mean that failing to get Jokinen was not a mistake. If the return was Higgins + 1st rounder, you try to bargain them down on the picks, but ultimately pull the trigger IMHO.

We don't have the cap space to get Jokinen for Higgins and a 1st. Even if we could throw Dandenault into the trade (which they probably wouldn't have wanted) or dumped him somewhere else (but there was apparently no interest) we'd be very, very close to the cap, I think slightly over but it could be slightly under.

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