GoHabs2002

Why the heck would you want to send any legitamate prospect to the ECHL? It's a third-string minor league. I'm sure most OHL teams are better than ECHL teams. ECHL is last-chance territory...ask Ryder.

It's a long shot, but if the Devils beat the Flyers today, and Habs beat the Bruins, The devils and Habs would only be 5 points behind Philly for 5th, with the Flyers a game in hand. Flyers and Devils got two more games against each other.

I think there are only a handful of players from the Bruins playoff roster left in the Bruins system. I expect a big game from Bergeron, but nothing more from the Bruins. It's Habs' game to lose. Prediction: 5-2 Habs Kovy 2, Zednik, Souray, Bulis Bergeron, Boyes

I think most GMs think the way you do, which makes the RFA system the most restricted system in sports. I was sure the players/gms would seek to lower the compensation demands during the CBA negotiations, but they kept status quo.

I think the Cap is going to stabalize around +/-48m, which make a max. salary of 9.6m. I'd give Ovvy or Sidney that max contract offer sheet, but not Kovalchuk, Nash or anything other young star. Ovechkin first then Crosby. Those two will be able to carry a team, I think Kovalchuk is a great scorer, but I don't think he can carry a team.

There is no one available this summer. The only one close was Jokinen and he signed a contract. If TB doesn't sign Richards to long-term contract, he'll sign a one year deal and that still leaves him unavailable until next summer. I agree Richards would be nice, but not this year. And if we would trade for him or Marleau, it would cost us Ryder and a young prospect, at least. So get a guy like Comrie, who has one year left on his contract, he can deliver stats-wise and see what your options are next year.

Spector reports Hasek might be too injured to return at all this season. Interesting. Doesn't surprise me as he's been known to put his body first, even with the slightest bother, so...does this make Ottawa more attractive to go against in the first round?

I personally believe while a top line centre will be ideal, if we can just get a center who can score 25 goals easily, we'll be fine pairing him with Kovelov. Phoenix rumoured to offer Comrie to the Habs at the Deadline. Yes, he's small, tiny, but he plays big, he's agile and he can score 30 goals a year.

I think the next time an RFA will be signed is in 2008 when both Crosby and Ovechkin are RFAs, someone is going to try it. I definitely would. I guess it will come down to Richards. Does he want to stay in Tampa or is he curious about Montreal? RFA signings have nothing do to with a player's location preference, though. That's the restricted part of RFA. Signing an offer sheet merely assures the player of getting the kind of contract he wants. WHere he plays is ultimately up to his originating team, in whether they match or not.

The team gave up on Therien after his stupid penalty.

Well that's why I then listed the magic number with respect to all the teams...But when I said the team's general Magic Number is 14 its because 14 for Atl 13 for FLA and Tor 9 for NYI 4 for BOS So with the magic number being 14 Any combination of Montreal earned points/individual opponent's lost points to equal 14, allows Montreal to clinch. It's 13 for Fla, so if we get 14, it's even better.

I don't know about this year, but I think once that Cap gets stabalized (it won't increase by 4-5m every year) and teams start dancing around the limit, I think RFA offer sheets will become somewhat common, maybe 3-5 major/semi-major ones per summer. If, for example, Pittsbugh would be at 42m hypothetically, and the cap is at 44m and Cosby is a FA, I would see a team offer him a max. contract and just wait. With a set payroll limit, it might make it easier for a team to offer a contract and the other to just take the picks.

I'm not sure I agree with you.. Let's say for the remainder of the season the Habs win 3 games and gets an OT lost, the rest they lose in regulation, that's 7 points earned, brings the habs to 90 points. During the same period, Atlanta gets 6 wins, loses one in OT and 3 in regulation. They lose 7 points, but earn 13. That gives them 89 points. If, during the same period, FLorida wins 7 games and loses 3 games in regulation. THey lose 6 points, but earn 14, that gives them 89 points. If Toronto wins 7 games, and loses 3 in regulation, they lose 6 points, but earn 14, that gives them 89 points. So, yes, if Atlanta loses/Montreal earns any combination of 14 points in total. It doesn't matter who the points are lost against. If FLA and ATL played tonight, and FLA won in OT. They both would have 77 points with 9 games left. The Magic number would remain at 13 for FLA, but would be reduced to 13 for Atlanta. If both teams would then win 6 games and lose 3 in regulation, losing 6 points, and Montreal wins as above, then they would end up with 89 points against Montreal's 90. We can't solely look at Atlanta, but since the Magic Number with them is the highest, its the easiest way to look at it. It's 14 for Atl 13 for FLA and Tor 9 for NYI 4 for BOS (we can elimate the Bruins from at least from catching us with 1 win in regulation)

How so, pessimistic?

Which means that if Markov played more games, he could have a lower +/-.

That doesn't matter for the magic number tho. Atlanta is used as the benchmark because they are the nearest team and all teams have same number of games played. If FLA jumps ahead of atlanta then they'll be used. Magic Number using FLA is 13.

I always forget how "magic numbers" work, but here is my version, which I think is similar to the ones commonly quoted for baseball. The Habs' magic number to clinch a playoff spot is 14. That is any combination of Montreal earning/Atlants failing to earn 14 points in total, and Montreal clinches. Atlanta has 20 possible points remaining. [EX: If Atltana loses 4 games, 1 in ot/shootout, that means they've lost 7 points. If Montreal wins 3 games and loses 1 in OT/Shootout, the teams gained 7 points. Atlanta would have only 12 possible points left with 77 pts, leading to a maximum of 89 points. Habs would have 90 points] So any combination like that example that would lead habs gaining/atlants losing 14 points in total, and Habs have the playoffs!

Higgins won't be cheaper come two years from now..he's already getting paid 900K, up for renegotiation this summer, I expect him to sign a three-four year contract average 1.5m per season...but Higgy brings more to the table, in the short, medium and long run, than bulis what does.

I don't think he overpaid for Kovy, 4.5m for the difference he makes on this team, which is a huge difference, seems right. Koivu, overpaid by at least half a million/season, but if Gainey is trying to build a core and transition this team into consistent performer he needs some team stability, what other way then keeping the Captain around. The overpayment was role koivu's role, not him not thinking of Montreal as his first choice. Dandy, maybe it looks like an overpayment, but at the time no. I don't believe its an overpayment. We might not like what the market is, but Dandenault brings playoff experience, and veteran presense in the locker room, he's still young and always shows up. For 1.75m a year, it's the going rate.

You wouldn't be able to deal him. ANd why would you? It would be a slap in the face and you could probably forget about any additional rounds of negotiations in the summer if you did that. I suspect 1.5m and team option for 2.5m for a second year, cap effect: 2m.

It's not that we're ready to dump him, I wouldn't mind him staying on, but I personally don't think he will want to stay on unless he's guaranteed a top 6 spot, and Gainey cannot guarantee him that. So I think, they will agree to explore the market and see where that takes the individual parties.

RDS Gainey said that Bulis wants an offensive role, so now Gainey will be comparing him to the offensive players of the team and that's why he's been sitting out. Gainey says Bulis isn't happy playing 14-15 mins a game and wants some PP time. I guess that clears they air on what will happen to Bulis. He'll take the initiative and leave during the off-season.

I just find it funny that when a guy goes down or sits out for a few games, and the team wins consecutively, everyone is quick to jump and say we really don't need that player. That's what happened to Theo and that conversation occurs regularly around here. The Wings kept winning without Yzerman when he was gone most of the year, a few season's back, because of his knees. But I don't think once, that Detroit fans thought for a second to have an Yzerman-less team. I'm not comparing Cube to Yzerman, but I bet if Saks is gone for 2-3 months and the team rolls out 60% wins, people would start saying the same for him. I think we've taken the "team before player: mentality a tad too far. If a team gets rid of a player, support the team, if the player makes you choose, support the team, but don't discount a player's contribution just because the team is doing fine without him. Let's show some player loyalty while they are on the team. Bouillon has done everything he could have been asked to do, he's a depth defensemen, an upper end of that calibre, but he is only at that calibre, so the team SHOULDN'T HAVE played worst without him. That being said, as it stands, our third pairing is significantly different (in play, in presence, etc) without him

I'm expecting them to win tonight, they should still be on a high and play as cohesive unit, but Tuesday's game against the Islanders might be a bit lacking. They will be dead tired tonight, but they'll play with emotion from the last two nights, but Monday will give them rest and Tuesday they might come out a bit slower.

It's pretty telling if regular fans don't notice whether you are in or out of the lineup. I had the same experience with Sunny earlier in the season.