ShortHanded

They'd have to have NO chance of winning hteir division and NO chance of scraping into the playoffs otherwise. But man, I'd throw a lot at them to get Hossa

that's actually a very good point. I was worried about Halak's play when he was struggling at the beginning of the season too. I guess we just give price a few more games and see where he is. If he's still struggling, THEN we start to worry...

I can't say hockey's been my focus for the last couple of weeks, so take my "analysis" with a grain of salt, but I have to say that at the very least, nothing Carbo's done in the last 6 weeks or so has made me frustrated with him. Earlier in the season, calling out Markov, questioning Koivu about not calling a players only meeting, his atttitude to the refs, letting begin find out from the press that he was scratched, all of that really upset me. So to be fair, I have to point out that he hasn't done anything that made me go "WHY is this guy a coach in the NHL. He's sooooooooo unprofessional!" for a while.

I'm thinking long term but 4-5 mil / season. and I have to say that about he and Higgins getting identical deals (not sure who said it but I get the impression some were suggesting it), I don't really think that's fair to komi. Both are great team guys, both are key to the core of the team, and I'd like them to get similar deals, but as it stands now, Komi is DEFINITELY more valuable to the team than higgins. He plays more minutes, he plays against the other team's best players, and he puts up the best numbers in the league for *his* kind of numbers (hits, shots blocked). Komi's probably worth a few more 100 K a year than Higgins. I'd sign them to the same number of years though, if they agreed, so that they'd know we want to keep them both as long as each other...

Should we be worried about tonight's game. 7 goals let in by price. Yanked again. Does anyone have details? Were they pucks he should have stopped or did he not have a chance? Someone who knows about this PLEASE update. I'm starting to worry about the kid... :unsure:

no, but don't you think he would have gotten that from other teams too??

I've stopped actually thinking of the all-star game very seriously, and it's just easier that way. I don't get irritated about who makes it and doesn't. What matters is our W column, not how many of our players get into the all-star game. I'm glad Markov's going, but I'm not too upset about Kovy getting a chance to rest instead of playing...

agreed. but I"m not too upset not to be seeing him right now... He's just not one of our prospects that I'm excited about...

I think we're on the same page, just differing opinions on the small details...

I think in order to be fair to both sides (team and player), you sign them to a 5-6 year deal now, and with one year left remaining on their deals, you sign them to another extension closer to what they're "worth" at that point. you'll be getting your money's worth through-out, but paying them "cheaper" in the first contract, and more in the second one... The thing is that you don't know how much of a toll injuries will have taken on their bodies in 8 years. This is sort of a happy medium. Don't get me wrong, I want them on the team until they retire, but really really long contracts are risky because if for whatever reason, things don't pan out, these people are harder and harder to trade, buy out, etc... not that I see us needing to do anythign of the sort with Higgy or Komi, but you never really know what the future holds...

I would LOVE contract extensions for these two in the range of 5-6 years... We may be paying more than they deserve at the beginning, but we'll be reaping the rewards through out (after 2 years I would say, they'd be underpaid). And long term deals for your younger core seems to be the way the league is going now...

I'd have to say I agree with that... but at the same time, I'd like to see price get a week or two of LOTS of playing time and be back here for the rest of the season. If we're losing Huet to UFA (which I suspect we are, given all the factors) I think we need one guy with more NHL experience, not two with a few games each, and if we're picking one, that one is probably Price.

Even players who aren't that old did it. I remember hearing somewhere that Doug Gilmour was a smoker. And Khabibulin I believe used to smoke LIKE Crazy beofre he quit by getting addicted to coffee instead...

I don't think so, but if we do, I hope we make some sort of trade... hate to lose him for nothing.

Thanks for the info guys... That's what I was afraid, and MFT77, I think you're right. he's in a catch 22 spot because IF he's gonna be good it's gonna be with skilled wingers.

those who saw the game, what was your opinion of Locke. Boone wasn't impressed. Just wondering....

totally agree. ..

ugh. if chips stays down because Smolinski's coming back, I'll be super annoyed. I have no problem with giving him a lot of ice time, a good week or somehting since the bull dogs have so many games coming up in the next few games, but I want him back up learning with the big team over smolinski...

yeah... I guess I'm "over-freaking out" if that makes any sense. It could be nothing i guess. maybe he just wants them to get work. But again, Is Price not sick, or was that just a poorly communicated rumour/misunderstanding?

So bizarre. I'll be checking habsinsideout.com and tsn and rds and every other site I can think of non-stop for the next few hours / days until something happens. I REALLY feel like a trade's coming up (because of the Chips/Locke swap, not the halak / price swap. I Think Gainey will do everything he can to keep both Price and halak).

totally insane. Makes NOOO sense, unless.... is there a trade brewing?? Halak for Price, if he's not playing enough, okay, I understand it. But Chips? I really really am confused...

Thanks Cataclaw. Your dedication is awesome and your gamethreads are fantastic!

that's the thing. I'm looking for it on habsinsideout.com, which is usually SUPER fast with this stuff, and on the canadiens official site, and there's nothing. They only mention that Halak is called up and Price has a virus...

enjoy you lucky lucky guy!