I was just watching Sportsnet, who were talkin about Lockout and all that great junk...

Something caught my eye scrolling along the bottom of the screen...

Turns out Columbus has picked up Beauchemin off the Habs waivers...

Terrible news when you think about it. He was supposed to be developing enough in order to try to make the team this year, or at least be readily available incase of injury.


Someone plz tell me I misread the scolling update... and we still have him...

(BTW... You Heard it here first )

Nope, you read it right:

http://www.bluejackets.com/news/press/arts/2155.0.html

Thats a shame. Beauchemin was a quality player for the Bulldogs and one day could of made the habs as a #5-7 guy ... I liked the way he had been progressing.

Oh well. I hope he has success in Columbus.

Beauchemin Dipped back and forth, but on our club he would be a AHLer for life, He was always behind Bouillion, Komi and Hainsey. However I'll be cheering for him in Cbus I feel he can make their pro roster, probably the best thing that could ever happend to Beau!

I agree with that ... Beauchemin was perhaps the best defender in the AHL but I guess he would have never cracked the lineup of the HABS (as a regular starter). I still hope Hainsey will develop in the next few years and with Bouillon we also have a very good #6 or #7 defender.

Beauchemin will be back with the Canadiens organization before the Bulldogs open the regular season.

Is this a guess or fact?

I can't speak for Habitforming, but I'd say it's a realistic guess. I simply cannot see Columbus keeping Beauchemin out of hockey for the entire season (unless he heads overseas). Thus, the Blue Jackets will probably try to send him to Syracuse, but of course they'll have to waive him first.

Under the rules of the now-expired CBA, the Canadiens have the first shot at claiming him off waivers. From there, they CAN send him down for a conditioning stint minimum, but quite possibly for good as well (remember Bouillon? We claimed him back and sent him down for a long time.) (Note: Since this waiver agreement involves both the NHL and AHL, it remains in effect throughout the lockout; at least, this is how I understand it.)

So, in my opinion, it seems pretty realistic to say that there's a good chance that Beauchemin will be back in the Habs organization at some point, assuming they want him back - it may not be at the beginning of the AHL season, but at least at some point or another.

As soon as Columbus try and send him to the AHL.. BAM.. back with the Habs! A la Bouillon and what would have happened with Robidas too.. had he been sent down.

Given the depth or lack there of in Hamilton this would be a no brainer for the Habs Management. I'd even go as far as to say this "waiver selection" was pre-arranged by the Canadiens so they could keep him without risk. Side deals are made daily and the waiver Draft is full of loop holes to exploit.

Hope you are correct and Beau is back with Hamilton.

IMHO he was by far the best defenseman in Hamilton last year. He developed quite nicely the last couple of years and given the opportunity in Montreal he might have surprised a few people.

The only way the Jackets can send Beauchemin down to the AHL is if the NHL gets the CBA worked out. It's my understanding that no player that has to clear waivers, can play in the AHL if they did not clear waivers by the 15th. I take it mean that goes for the entire season, unless the CBA is signed. All players that are on NHL contracts are locked out, unless they can play in the CHL or are on their rookie contracts (since all rookie contracts are two way) can they be sent to the AHL.

But I could be wrong. I checked and the Jackets have no sent down Beauchemin, as they sent down 14 players on the 16th. But it wouldn't make sense to send him down, since they know they would likely lose him back to the Habs.

What I suspect, is that Karma has come back and repaid us for Andre Savard's move when he picked up Benoit Gratton from st john's, who at the time was their top player and he picked him off waivers as the Citdelles could have faced st john's in the playoffs (if not for Hamilton who smoked us that year and Gratton actually hurt the delles with all his stupid penalties) I would think that the Jackets saw a chance to get a decent, cheap, depth defensemen for free, plus as a rival to Hamilton in their divison, they had to know it would hurt the Dogs to lose their top defensemen which only helps the Crunch, who gave the Dogs a fit at times this past season.

[Edited on 2004/9/20 by montreal]

I would like to know for fact the "rules" of this situation but I can't seem to locate it anywhere.
I have a feeling the waiver rule applys to all teams with or without a current CBA. The reason I see it this way is the fact that the Canadiens have not/will not attemp to send Hossa or Hainsey to the Bulldogs in fear of losing them for nothing. If the CBA's expiration means they can send whoever is eligilbe down to the AHL, why have they taken the chance on stalling the development of these two top prospects by not sending them to the farm?

They couldn't send Hainsey or Hossa to the farm cause they had to clear waivers, and likely they didn't want to risk losing either one. The CBA expiration means that the NHLPA was willing to let any player go play in the AHL, but they had to clear waivers and it was a one time only deal. So if they weren't put on waivers by now, they can't play in the AHL at any point this year until the CBA is fixed.

But since this is all new stuff, and information is hard to come by, we'll have to see if this is correct or not. I'll say this, until the CBA is cleared up, I'm willing to be we won't be seeing Beauchemin, Hainsey or Hossa in Hamilton.