REV-G

Ok, nobody's perfect. But if you look at some of the moves our habs's management team has made over the past few years, overall they've timed some moves pretty well, which I think is a key reason why our team is looking so much better this year. First, I think most of us agree that moving Theo out at that time and not waiting was a great move. He still had value so besides being able to unload a large salary, they even received value back in return. If they had of waited, they would have had trouble finding someone to take on Theo's salary and they would have continued to have, from what we've read, a not so positive influence in the room. Great timing. The word out of Colorado this morning is that Patrice Brisebois is on his way out We don't have to deal with that now, great move. Ribiero, we're told, was also not a great influence on the team, so we received something back in return and improved team chemistry. I think Claude Julian is a great human being and a good coach, but bringing in Guy Carboneau, and the way he was slowly inserted, not thrown in to sink or swim during a tough stretch last year, was up there with the decision to bring in Bob Gainey. Last week the word out the Habs room was that the atmosphere is now like a family. Holding on to Bonk and getting Mike Johnson, great moves. There's lots more but I think we're seeing evidence that while you can't avoid making some decisions that will come back to bite you, overall we've made some great moves at just the right time, that has resulted in a much improved team with a much better attitude, chemistry and future. There may even still be a few moves to come this year!

Not a chance. I do not believe for one minute that Bob Gainey would pay Nedved over 2 million a year with what Nedved's done over the past two years. In 2004 he scored 19 goals total with the Rangers and Oilers. Last year he played in the Czech-Rep. and he scored 22 in a much weaker league. This year he has 0 goals. What upside does he have and why would you even want to pay a guy over 2 million with that sort of production over the past two years. Who would we want to remove from our lineup for this guy? It won't happen.

Even though it's early and a few months from now things could be looking very different, it's interesting to see how these two goalies are doing so far. The Avalanche are struggling big time and Jose Theodore has one win, a goals-against average of 3.26 and a save percentage of .888. These numbers are not that different from the numbers Theodore put up with Montreal last year before he was traded. David Aebischer on the other hand, while he hasn't played as many games as Theodore this season, has a goals against average of 1.45 and a save percentage of .955%. Aebischer is younger and also earns, I believe about 1.9 million. Theodore is earning over 6 million per year. At this point in the season we are way ahead and the decision to trade Theodore for Aebischer, besides helping us with the salary cap, and if things continue the way this season has started, may also have given us a better goalie, both now and for the future. The Colorado Avalanche took a chance in trading for Jose and they may be discovering that their gamble is not turning out to be what they hoped for. In fairness, we'll have a much better picture of how this is truly turning out by January and certainly by the end of the season. But the early returns are looking very good for us.

Losing Brashear perhaps doesn't make a big difference today, but it did back then when a top enforcer who could score a few goals and skate made a pretty big difference in your team. It's why they had to go out and pick up a few different guys for that role in the following years. My problem with it all was that we lost Brashear and other players back then due mainly to the poor handling of players and different situations that arose. The bottom line, in my opinion? Poor leadership and management back then.

I think the reason for the Habs turnaround in the past few years can be attributed to two keys moves. First when they brought in Pierre Boivin as President, and then his decision, along with Andre Savard unselfishly agreeing, to bring in Bob Gainey. These two moves were two of the absolute best moves the Habs could have made. No longer do we have to put up with bad decisions, losing good, or great, players because someone mishandled a situation [Patrick Roy, Donald Brashear, Mike Keane to name a few]. We now have a strong, stable organization from the top down and I think we are in great shape for many years to come. I wonder what would have happened if Ken Dryden had been allowed to bring in Bob Gainey to run the Leafs a year or two before the Habs signed Gainey? The Leafs could be a very different team today and who knows who might be running the Habs. To see many of our former players, who were successful, being welcomed back and used to pass on that tradition of winning is a great sign for any organization and the Habs have done that very well. I'm sure other teams are noticing what they've done and how successful they have become. Great leadership and vision will usually bring solid results and we're seeing that today with the Habs.

I think one of the better additions the Habs made this summer was Mike Johnson. He is big, skates well, uses the body and last night against Philly made an incredible pass to set up Dandenault, and scored saturday night agaisnt the Leafs. A big improvement and it gives us a great third line.

I thought, as we saw with Malkin, that all a Russian player had to do was give two weeks written notice, even with a signed contract, and he was free to leave.

I think sending Lats down to another year of junior would be a waste. I think he needs to be pushed and does better when he's playing at a higher level. The only advantage of going to junior would be to play at the World's. I think he would be better saying with the big club. I also think a trade might be looming for some non-producers who have to clear waivers in order to be sent down.

I'm starting to get a little concerned. With all the talk that Ribs must have heard I thought he would be working harder than anyone on the ice. From what I hear he's kind of gliding through games. I also thought Samsonov would want to show something for the fans and management. I'm also getting a little concerned about our AHL goalies. I thought they would have shown better stuff so far.

This is my first posting on HW. I haven't heard much lately about Columbus trading Nikolai Zherdev, but I think he would be a great addition to Montreal . There had been a story that Toronto had offered Stajan and a draft choice for Zheredev, but on the Blue Jackets site their GM/President Doug McLean denied it. I read that Columbus was talking to an eastern team about a trade if they can't sign him. Do you think BG would pull the trigger on a deal for him. We'd probably have to give up a young guy and a draft pick or two good young guys.