hab29RETIRED

There will probably also be a rollback, which means right now would be an ideal time to start locking players up.

I think we should have enough in the budget for replacing Gomez and resigning AK. Next year we should be dropping Gomez, Spacek, Gill, Moen and Darche and Laraque's buyout which will free up over $16M. Subban, Price, Eller and Gorges will be looking for raises and we do need to solidify the D - how much that cost and who those replacements need to be, will depend on largely on how Emelin, Weber and Diaz prove themselves by the end of the year and of course whether Markov has fully recovered and stays injury free. However, the cap has gone up every year, with Atlanta out and Winnipeg back the league, should also provide an additional boost to league revenues. I don't think there should be an issue of being able to resign Subban, Eller, Gorges, AK46, a 1a/b type centre and at least one other top 3 dman. I think the issue we really have is the following year, when MaxPac is due for a raise and the commitments made to Cammy, Gionta and Cole ($15.5M is around what the three of them are getting) will make for some tough choices, because, if MaxPac pans out the way I hope he does, he is going to be looking for a big raise and with Cammy making $6M, it will be hard to lock him up for less if he is out producing Cammy.

Playing the worst team in your conference - should be an easy 2 points.

This should have been an automatic 2 points

2nd unit gets it done after the Pleks on the point first unit almost flubbed another oppertunity.

they really got to get the PP going. Comin Martin, get Subban on the first unit and get Pleks off the friggin Point

this is pathetic, sloppy, sloppy hockey against what, the 2nd or 3rd worst team in the league???

I hope that they resign him to a 4 year deal. I'd do up to $4.5M and then dump Gomez next year.

Finally - MaxPac!!!!

I love Weber, but he is going to want $8M, which may mean $9M from Montreal. Assuming Subban does put up around 15 goals, we can probably lock him for under $4.5M for the next 4 years.

I think the canes just suck, because they went out and signed too many ex-leafs - including the coach Kind of the same issue Calgary has after making that idiotic Phaneuf deal. No way I'd make that deal! I'd trade him for Malkin. No way i'd do it for Stall.

I think you mean IF we are healthy

Uggh, the dreaded George Laraque NMC - BTW, how does a goon get a clause like that anyways?????? If komi has a clause like that, there is no way i'd want him.

that may be true - don't know a whole lot about Ladoucer - I'm still bitter about Gainey giving Robinson the cold shoulder - IMO he was exactly what we needed. I also think that once Markov and Campoli are back, we are going to have an oppertunity to sit more Dman - I'm hoping that will mean giving Gill/Spacek nights off a lot more then the kids. I like the following pairings: -Markov with Emelin -Subban with Gorges -and rotating Gill/Spacek with /WeberDiaz. IMO Weber should develop into a better dman then Campoli, so I'd like to see him get a lot of hard minutes before Campoli comes back and pairing him with Gorges should also help his progression.

Agreed. But my preference would be to wait and see if we can unload him for free over the summer, otherwise just eat his salary by burying him in the minors. Not sure if the Molson's are willing to do that though. I think we've got 3 pretty good kids and I don't want a guy like Komi taking time away from them. Of course, if it turns out that Markov isn't back, that would change the picture, but even then, is Komi going to replace Markov? I'd rather gamble on Emelin developing and progressing the way we all want then roll the dice on Komi.

I think Emelin is going to be a great Dman, as long as we are willing to live with his mistakes and growing pains. Again, though, just like Subban last year. Would he have got in the lineup if we don't have so many injuries??? I hope the habs play him lots against the Isles tomorrow and then lets see how he does when we play teams ahead of us in the standings, like the NYR's, Bruins (not ahead, but hold games in hand), Flyers and Pens over the next week or so. He is going to need good games against some good teams to continue gaining confidence and improving. This may take a week, a month, or it may take all year. he looked good tonight, but lets face it, the Canes sucked. That's the best news I've heard. I wouldn't mind getting one of them back against the NYR's, but would rather have the kids in tomorrow and get maximum playing time and have Martin forced to play them.

Didn't realize that. I still wouldn't want Komi though. Maybe being paired with Markov again would revive him, but honestly, do we really want another guy who is pretty much a pylon and has been pretty much has been a rag dog for the bruins to beat on. I think Emelin can turn out to be a much better upgrade over Komi.

I think the players will want it to free guys like Redden stuck in the minors, as well as others like GOmez who may find themselves in similar positions. I also think Bettman will have to appease the rich owners like the NYR's to have some incentive to support a lockout. As far as Komi goes, he could help now, but in another month, when Markov or Campoli may be back, do you really want Komi to be holding back Weber or Emelin. I would rather play these kids as much as possible up to the trade deadline and see what are needs are at that time. I think i'm probably the biggest Gomez hater here, but I just don't want to replace one bad contract with two. I like Lombardi - was someone I was hoping the Habs would go after when he was a UFA. But with his concussion history and our own injury issues, i don't want to take on a guy who maybe a hit away from retirement.

As much as I can't stand Gomez. don't like this at all. How many years do Komi and Lombardi have left and how much are they getting? Komi is getting what $4.5M, Lombardi around $4M? New CBA at end of year will probably have one freebie buyout, to me that is when you get rid of Gomer. Doesn't his actual salary also drop. Should be easier to dump him if the new CBA doesn't give the out. don't know if i should laugh or cry Nah why go after their best player. I suppose I could settle for Skinner. What was the basis of peckland's rumour. PG and Rutherford were seen together at the bell centre? oh, wait the two teams are playing together and PG said hi to Rutherford when he saw him

tonight and tomorrow are as good as time as any to let the rookies play and play a lot, considering how bad the Canes and Isles are.

Finally - Subban!!

Oh okay, sorry, didn't pay attention to the quotes.

How many times have we heard this same kind of crap from Martin after a loss (hell this isn't even the first time this year he has says it), yet this has happened many times before, when the young inexperienced D wasn't the reason for the loss. Yet this is a team that has sat back protecting a one or two goal lead and that is the style he has had them playing his entire time here.

What was wrong with that hit??? If it wasn't too many men on the ice, it was a completely clean hit, that the rangers over-reacted to, because no one in this damn league is willing to take a clean hit anymore.

You know I've often wondered if we package Cammy with enough incentives, if we could snag a guy like Malkin. If and when Crosby comes back and demonstrates he can be symptom free, I can't see how the Pens can afford to have two guys making $8.7M at centre and Jordan Stall making $5M. Eventually something has to give and I can't see them wanting to move Crosby or Stall. Crosby also has never really had a real sniping winger and given Cammy's playoff record over the last two years, they might be tempted - but we would really need to sweeten the deal to make it happen. Malkin would FINALLY give us that hulking centre who can play all situations, should also help Pleks production. A top three of Malkin-Pleks-Eller would be a wet dream.