cfposi

I think the general consensus is that he is too small for the NHL. I know that can be faulty thinking at time but we need to look at the needs. If the Habs can bring up only 1 small(ish)/skilled player, it might-as-well be Grabs. He has earned his spot and that (unfortunately) leaves Locke on the outside looking in.

J. Demers had an excellent point when he said "imagine Saku's skills and heart in Mikko's body...what a player that would be". Would it be close enough to have them on the same line? Too bad they are both Cs

I agree that they played well at the beginning of the season...but that isnt the best time to masure the need for a true franchise player. Its easy to be motivated at the beginning of the year...its when things go wrong (ie flu and family tragedy) that you see the impact of your "superstar". January would have been THE time for Kovy to step up and motivate the team with his talent and effort. Instead he decisded to float and collect a paycheck. Its time to get someone who can play the motivator for the habs in a rough spot. Vinny would do this...big time!

I honestly think one of the biggest problems with the Habs of late is motivation. Like PtG just said, they play uninspired. One thing that goes a long way to inspiring a team is the talent and EFFORT of a franchise player. Unfortunately our "franchise player" is Alex Kovalev so they play as unispired as he does. A guy like Vinny would bring it every night...he has the hands of Kovalev with 100 times the heart (keep in mind im an anglo saying this) and he would motivate this spoiled rotten Habs team.

Dude...ya kinda mis-quoted me there... I said we MAY have no choice but to trade away decent prospects IF we wanted Lecavs...I didn't say we had no choice but to trade for Lecavs. Like I said...this is just for discussion/entertainment purposes. That said, I don't think you can compare "guys like Briere, Drury, Gomez, Kariya, etc, etc, etc " to Vinny...hes just a much much better hockey player than them. And yes we could not sign BOTH Souray and Markov as well as sign other UFAs while pulling in Vinny...but we could afford to trade for Vinny and keep Markov. All in all, if we got our hands on Vinny, kept Markov and let souray go...I think we would definitely have a better team than TB has now...I think we'd have something significantly better. That said...you also make excellent points...it may not be worth trading the farm for one guy, but I think we have a nice deep farm that we can give a few up for a franchise changer like Vinny. This is all assuming of course that he even WANTS to come to Montreal...im not necessarily convinced of that.

LOL I started this thread and I am as english as you can get! My reason for wanting this is simple: TB needs to rid themselves of 1-2 of the big 3. TB thinks of Marty as the most valuable of the 3 and Vinny doesn't have a no-trade clause...in short, there is a possiblity that Vinny can be aquired. He is definitely one of the best players in the NHL, if not the best. Why the hell wouldnt I want him in Montreal...it doesn't take a french person to want that, it takes someone with a brain.

Im not saying I WANT to trade CP to get Vinny...but we may have no choice. At the end of the day, we can have the best goalie in the league, but we wont go anywhere without offensive talent (ie Vancouver). Use the model of Ottawa: They have a GOOD goalie (by no means the best in the league) and they have an amazing offense. I like that model.

Although many who have commented have said this trade is not a possiblility, I have learned from BG's track record - EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED. The fact that this trade is so far out of reality for most people makes me treat it as a potential move.

Hmm...can't imagine giving up Higgs or Pleks for Vinny...MAYBE Ryder (if theyd want him). The whole point of the trade would be to compliment our young talent with a franchise type talent. Imagine this... Higgs - Vinny - Kovy Kost - Koivu - Ryder Lats - Pleks - Johnson Begin/Grabs - Lappy - Milroy Lol...dunno...I picked it up of some avatar page somewhere. I wish I could get a fancy pics like some fo you guys...

In the 05-06 season Vinny signed a 4 year contract worth a total of 27.5 Million at 7.2 Million a year. If BG traded to get him we would have him for 2 years at 14.4 Million. There is no doubt in anyone's mind that this guy is exactly what this team needs: 1) The true franchise player (a grinder, talent galore, etc..) 2) The true first line center (take the pressure off Capt. K) 3) The true talent (shows up every night - not just when he feels like it, amazing hands) Most speculation is that if the Habs were to get him, they would likely be looking at trading prospects. What I have heard so far is a package of picks and prospects invloving Carey Price. Generally I would be against this (selling the future for the present is a mistake), but this situation makes me pause and think. Even with the plethora of prospects in our system, none have the talent or ability of Vinny. Perhaps if we want to realistically be cup contenders by the centennial year, a move like this is required. After careful thought I have made a suggestion below of what we should offer in return for Vinny, please let me know what you all think and offer your ideas. To TB: Carey Price, Andrei Kostitsyn, Alexei Emelin, Conditional 2008 1st rnd pick My logic: Carey Price: This is just the one absolutely required piece for TB, they need a goaltending prostect like they need oxygen. AK-46: Would be sad to see him go, but we need to offer a legit first round forward in order to sweeten the pot. I think his brother has the potential to surpass him anyways. Alexei Emelin: This is probably our strongest D prospect...unfortunately the lack of a transfer agreement means we cant bring him over. Lets let TB worry about it. Conditional 1st: If Vinny comes over and tears it up, give TB the 1st rnd pick. If its turns out he can't adjust...we will need the pick. 2 Things to consider: The first, I am a hockey fan, not an NHL GM...this is just for discussion purposes. If there is something here you think is stupid, pls dont take it out on me. The second, discussion is slow lately...this is just for discussion purposes so why not brainstorm a little and see what we would collectively want to give up to get a premiere talent like Vinny in the CH uniform. Cheers

I think it is a great idea for European hockey, the NHL and the Montreal Canadiens. Hockey is a rapidly growing sport in Europe and it only makes sense for the NHL to expand its viewership overseas. The NHL may not be able to compete with the NFL or the NBA in the US, but we can make up for it by building a large fan base in Europe in cooperation with networks like NASN. The owner of the LA Kings has taken a first step by organizing 2 exhibition games in London this september against the Anaheim Ducks (I will be there). This is partially a marketing ploy for a new venue that was built there, but is also great for Hockey in the UK (which is surprisingly popular). For the Habs, this kind of tourny is indeed a team building exercise as well as a change from the usual boring pre-season routine. I would not be surprised to see the tournament garner much hype on either side of the Ocean (NHL vs Euroleague). All in all...I vote yes to this idea and hope many people see the benefits of something like this. Even if the Habs were not chosen to play in the tourny, I would still watch it!

Assuming Souray does leave for greener pastures... If we do trade away Saku to make room for a big name, who would step in as the leader/captain? The kids (higgs, Komi) are not ready for that and I dont feel comfortable handing that role to the new guy (a la Chara).

Geez...calm down...the thread is just for discussion purposes!

Let me rephrase my post then... Do you think giving up Saku would be a wise choice (hypothetically) if it meant picking up the "superstar" we have all been dreaming about? I would say NO. Superstars can carry their team, but look at where the teams end up...nowhere! We need chemistry and hard work. Im not saying dont sign Vinny...im just saying dont get rid of the heart!

Eklund is reporting that Saku might be moved to either the Preds (e2), Stars (e2) or Nuks (e1). I'm sure I am stating the obvious when I say this would be a HUGE loss for the Habs. Even if BG did pick up Vinny, I still dont think this team would be complete without Captain K! Lets hope Ek is just stabbing in the dark here, but he doesn't report many rumours on the Habs so it makes me wonder.... Here is the link: http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=7424

My thoughts exactly! People were saying the same thing about Semin when he left for Russia. This is good move for Perez, he will go to Russia and gain confidence, ice time and possibly some more skill. I would bet that if he is tearing it up consistently over the next year or two, he will be back in a habs uni and will surprise a hell of a lot of people. At least I hope

Pehaps Perogie stayed quiet all year because he can't speak english? That being said, I don't think he would be in a position to be whining, he still a youngster and hasn't necessarily earned the right to moan. Kovy and Sammy, despite their faults, have been in long enought to bitch if their ice time is cut. Not saying I like that they do complain, but just saying we can't compare the vets to the kid.

Can one of you Russian speakers perhaps translate the article for the rest of us??

Unfortunately BG seems to be committed to keeping Kovalev. In a perfect world this wouldn't be a big deal because a coach would typically adjust his system to accomodate the big talent. This is not the case in Montreal. There is a reason that the kids have been doing well in montreal, it is because they can adapt better to a new coach's system. The vets cannot. One would argue that this is a reason to bring up more prospects who can grow in Carbo's system...I would argue that this is a weakness in our coaching. We need to adapt the system so our vets can prosper, the kids will adapt to that system as well. Keep Kovy, change the system, hire a decent coach for the defense and sign a genuine talent if possible. I hope the Habs look like this at training camp: Kovy - (UFA 1) - Ryder Higgs - Koivu -Kost Lats - Pleks - Begin Grabs - Chips - Lapierre Markov - Komi (UFA 2) - Streight Bouillon - Dandy UFA 1: This should be that elusive superstar center (ie Drury) who can take the pressure off Koivu. If we can't get a center, then we should try for a first line winger and move Koivu back to the first line, Pleks to the second line, and try Chips as the checking center. UFA 2: This MUST be a puck moving defensive defenceman. I kept Bouillon and Dandy because they will NOT be moved and they can improve their play next year with the help of a decent defence coach. Whadaya think??

Makes me wonder how fraudulent the first interview was... This is not the team for Kovalev...unfortunately no one will take his contract off our hands.

In the extremely unlikely event that Richards get signed in Montreal, we will if he is the superstar we have been looking for. I don't think so, but if we sign him and I am wrong...I buy beers for this thread.

BG should hire soemone to follow these threads (here and on other sites). I may be biased, but there are some great ideas bouced around on this forum. Couldn't hurt for the organization to engage in a wider debate. It is our team after-all...GG may own it, but the fans buyout every game. TIME FOR A HABS FAN TOWN HALL MEETING BOB!!

Why why WHY! Can no one realize that this guy ONLY decent because he plays with 2 of the best players in the league?!?! It is like saying Recchi is a superstar because he plays next to sid the kid. TB is in a bind...they need to thin out their salary...Vinny and Marty are two genuine talents, so TB will get rid of the guy who can EASILY be replaced by a young kid with size. I REALLY hate when people suggest Richards...we should stop aiming for mediocrity!! This is what is wrong with the habs of late, going for mediocre talent. I understand it is not all the fault of BG, but we need to offer some kind of municipal or provincial tax benefits to hockey players to start attracting them to Montreal. Unless we can get a BIG name like Smyth, Drury, Lecav...even Briere, we should giuve the time to the youngsters who need time in the NHL to develop. On Grabs: I REALLY love this kid. I was at the Habs-Rangers game where he made his pro-debut and the kid was LIGHTNING. But UI am really worried about his size. Not because you can't be small and still be a great player (ie Saku, St-Louis), but those guys have resilience. Grabs has been injured alot in the AHL, this will only get worse in the NHL. A Shame really...he just dances around players and creates opportunities.

Exaggerated...yes. Some truth...definitely! I am glad Rivet never trashed the Habs they way he could have after leaving. He knows ALOT about the inner workings of this team and could have spilled all the beans. Its no secret that Montreal is a tough city to play in, thats all he said. I wish him all the best! Rivet will always consider himself a habs and at least one of the Habs will have a shot at the cup this year! (BTW he played an AWESOME game yesterday...nice G and A).

Woah!! When did he say that...if its true, I change my vote! No punk kid is allowed to dis the Kaptain!