The Chicoutimi Cucumber

Not as prestigious as the Selke, but still welcome. I cannot recall the last time we had two non-goalies win major NHL awards in one season. Both of these stars are locked up at under $8 mil for years to come. INCREDIBLE. I remember seeing the Habs play in Van around 2022. I was seated in the Vancouver end. Suzuki made his patented cross-seam pass and Caufield ripped it home. I felt that I had seen something that would become iconic for this era of Habs hockey. Congrats, gentlemen!

Awesomeness. And fully deserved.

It is hard to see how Stevie Y is going to get a #1/1A C back in return for Larkin. Why would a team make that deal? And how many teams are sitting on such a C and want to move him? At best he will get back someone who has the potential to become such a C. Maybe this should be a moment for Detroit to think about rebuilding, but of course Yzerman can't do that, given that he has been at the helm of a botched rebuild attempt for years.

Good analysis. I do think we have a chance to be in the mix, assuming, as you say, Larkin wants to win. But the "in the division" problem is a complication, and I'm guessing Anaheim is the end destination. It also doesn't help that Larkin is American and that NHLers are disproportionately likely to be MAGA, which, if it holds in this case, would certainly rule out a move to exotic Quebec. Back to the "in the division" problem. But this is even worse from a Detroit perspective, given their historic rivalry with Toronto. It'd be a little bit like us trading Suzuki to Boston. Which God forbid.

Sadly, I guess that’s true - although IF he has Montreal on his personal shortlist, THEN Detroit’s margin of manœuvre is constrained by the NTC. But I will concede that this is probably wishful thinking.

We ABSOLUTELY should be gunning hard for Larkin. I wish he were a year or two younger, but I love his game. He's a terrific player who would kick this team to the next level as a #1a C. Not sure what it would take to get him, but it will be substantial.

I don't think we'll have to throw anything in for Van. He will be a useful ingredient for a rebuilding team that has a history of severe locker room/work ethic/culture issues, and he will be a popular figure in a local market that desperately wants players they can get behind. The owner probably won't mind paying $4 mil for that, and they'll have no problem getting him under the cap. Future considerations or, like, a 6th rounder would be fine.

Makes sense, thanks.

I can report that Vancouver sports radio is abuzz with the Gallagher story. He has earned massive respect and the enthusiasm locals feel for adding a guy they know to be on the tail end of his career testifies to that. The general though is he will be had for a 6th-rounder, something like that.

Sorry for my ignorance, but is there no issue with the fraudulent use of IR? You can just throw a healthy guy on there?

They were certainly defining players of that era. In fairness to the Habs, the organization did give them two semi-final runs (2010 for Price and 2014 for both), a 2nd overall finish (2015), and a run to the Finals (2021 - even though everybody discounts this, for no good reason). It wasn't all bad. Watching Gally's tears is one of the most touching moments in recent years, though, IMHO. The guy has bled Habs red for 14 years and done the jersey proud.

I really think the two pieces you mention would be transformative. They would move us from "young and precocious" to heavy duty contenders.

Oh, Gally. Brutal.

What did I tell ya! He's gone. And Van is always talking about the need to improve its "culture," so I'm sure there is a deal to be made

I think they should certainly pursue Bob. They're desperate. You hope that attaching him to a strong team, rather than a floundering one, will inspire him to one final hurrah after the disaster of last year. I agree that Gally is tradable, especially with the cap as it is. I don't expect much by way of return, but I also don't think having him hanging around as a black ace is very fair to him or of much use to us.