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Next Season's Roster: Where Are We At Right Now?


KoZed

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Take it easy, gang.

First of all, Gainey wants to win as much as you do. If he couldn't get a FA he wanted, it wouldn't be for lack of trying (not everything is under Bob's control - e.g., Elias' desire to stay in Jersey, high taxes in Quebec, the bad rep of Montreal fans); and if he didn't it's either for the sort of reason kaos suggests - that they couldn't fit it under the cap - or because Gainey felt the price was too high (five years for a 32-year-old Arnott??) and has other options in mind. (The idea that we have 'nobody worth trading' is ridiculous. This isn't the 1993 Ottawa Senators we're talking about. Every team in the league, for instance, would be happy to have Souray).

As for the idea that the Habs will finish last or barely make the playoffs: sure, it's possible, but let's recall that the current team went into a horrendous extended slump last season that had a lot to do with Theodore's inexplicable meltdown. And let's recall that they had a very strong record for the first third and most of the final third of the season.

Gainey knows this roster intimately, having coached it. He may believe it to be capable of more than we think. And he may believe that the key to developing our youth is playing them a lot, instead of an older FA.

Finally, I agree that other teams in the east have upgraded, but every year there are teams that flame out unexpectedly (e.g., Tampa Bay and Boston), and we should avoid flying into hysterics because Boston signed a terrific defenceman and a centreman that many people on this board didn't want, or because Toronto overpaid for Hal Gil the 7-foot pilon.

Bob knows how to win. Stay cool.

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I'm certainly not saying to over pay free agents but the habs current roster does not have enough scoring and the defense is too slow. Trading away dead weight Zednik, Aebi and Ribiero won't get you much but it will free up cap space. I feel this team needs a top 4 D-man, good in all 3 zones and can skate and a center. If Pleks is ready the habs really only need a checking or a 2 way center. Peca is still out there.

The real problem is several teams they were in playoff runs with have improved.

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I'm certainly not saying to over pay free agents but the habs current roster does not have enough scoring and the defense is too slow. Trading away dead weight Zednik, Aebi and Ribiero won't get you much but it will free up cap space. I feel this team needs a top 4 D-man, good in all 3 zones and can skate and a center. If Pleks is ready the habs really only need a checking or a 2 way center. Peca is still out there.

The real problem is several teams they were in playoff runs with have improved.

In no way is this Montreal's defense slow. Infact it is probably one of the most mobile in the league. Markov skates very well. Komisarek and Souray move very well for guys who are 6-4 and more than 230lbs each. Dandenault is generally considered one of the best skaters in the league and Bouillon is very mobile as well. The only guy who could be considered somewhat slow is Craig Rivet and he is easily one of Montreal's top 3 defenders every night and plays all situations.

No way in hell is Montreal's defense slow and to suggest otherwise is to be uniformed.

As for trading away Zednik, Aebischer and Ribeiro, while they may not be worth much on the trade front, you also cannot dump them for salary cap room. Most likely a team wanting to pick them up would be looking to dump a similar player or contract of their own. Therefore you do not save any cap room

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It's true. We'd only get other teams' problems in return looking for a change of scenery. IF and this is a big if, Detroit wants to give Aebischer a shot it would make sense that we could get a serviceable prospect or player.

Montreal's defense is not bad, it's actually quite good. I would go so far as to say that Markov, Souray and Rivet are all top 4 defensemen. Yes, another top 4 guy is lacking..hopefully Komisarek will step up. But we can see that it relies dangerously on Markov, without him due to injury or when he is lackluster, the defense looks very weak.

I definitely agree with some of the points made above -- the team needs a lot more scoring.

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Hockeybuzz/Eklund report Jason Arnott to Nashville for 5yrs@4.5M per.

If it's true, well Montreal just got shut out once again.

Just confirmed: http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=170315&hubname=nhl

Then Montreal just dodged a bullet.

I wouldnt want to be tied down with an Arnott at 5x4.5M$. That's way too long for way too much money.

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Sorry Kaos, i will respectfully disagree with you. Souray is a Pilon, did you see all the Hi-Lite real goals this year, Souray and Rivet were on for most of them. Markov is above an average skater and Dandy can fly. The cube and Komisarek are average.

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Where are we at right now?

Higgins - Koivu - Ryder

Kostitsyn - Ribiero - Kovalev

Zednik - Plekanec - Perez

Begin - Bonk - Murray

Markov - Komisarek

Souray - Dandenault

Rivet - Bouillon

Streit

Huet

Aebischer

Danis

I'm assuming Kostitsyn takes that second line spot, however...

If a top 6 forward is coming in I gotta assume it will be through a trade involving Aebischer and another roster player, and then Kostitsyn will probably be moved to the 3rd line.

Basically, the only way the current team gets better is if Kostitsyn fully plugs the hole Bulis left behind, and there is much offensive improvement from the players that can potentially improve (Perezhogin, Plekanec, Higgins, Komisarek....*sigh* Ribiero)

Edited by Trizzak
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I would like to get rid of Zednik and Ribeiro but as mentioned before, we wouldn't get too much for them. I think we should just keep them for another season and try and trade them during the year. Richard Zednik had an off year and I really believe that he can bounce back this year. As for Ribeiro, it will be his third full season, I say give him one more chance and then see his progress throughout the year. Kostitsyn will make the team next year and this guy will definetly help out our offensive numbers.

I would like Gainey to make a move for a defenceman, such as Danny Markov.

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