titanfan

Here are some numbers t think about: Estimated $80 million dollar cap for next season. Committed now for Mtl. = $55m (That includes - Price, Weber, Drouin, Galchenyuk, Gallagher, Pacioretty, Petry, A. Shaw, Byron, Scherback, Lehkonen, Deslauriers, Hudon, Froese, Benn, Jullsen, Mete, and Reilly.) Add $1m for a back up goaltender - (Niemi, Lindgren, whoever.) And add $2m for Pleks. = $58 million. So, $22million in cap space. Leave $2 million for wiggle room means we (could) have $20 to spend. I say could have because I conveniently left our the $6.75m owed to Alzner and Scherbak. At that point we have $13.25 to comfortably offer Tavares. (Even if we can't get rid of Alzner and/or Scherbak) Sign Tavares at $15m and then offer Pacioretty, Alzner, picks for either Karlsson or Doughty. (You most likely need to throw in another player or two - Danault and DLR?) $13.25 plus $4.5 (Patches) and $4.625 (Alzner) = $22.372 remaining. After Tavares = $7.372. (Doughty is signed for a year at $7m and Karlsson at one year for $6.5m). And with the wiggle room above, you can sign Zadina and keep him up with the Habs. You then have a year to figure out where to get the extra $5m for Doughty or Karlsson the following year. But by then maybe you are able to move A. Shaw or Petry. (And of course the cap will most likely go up a little more for 2019-2020 anyway). It is tight - but doable. (FYI - I know I am dreaming, but a good GM puts all his options on the table and does everything he can to make it happen).

So you are ok with only having 16 players on the bench during a game? Every player on the roster costs money. The league minimum will be $650,000. That being said, if he gets $2 a season - it is $1.35 more than the bare minimum. $10.5 to Price is huge. $$ to Shaw, Alzner, Schlmeko are the real problem in Mtl. Getting Pleks for $2m is actually a bargain, not just for him but for any 3rd line C. And yes, i know there are other examples out there. Offer $14, to Tavares. Activally go after Doughty or Karlsson - and budget $12 for either of them.

Haha. Just thought he could be an affordable option... I don't profess to be an expert, just love discussion and want to see the Habs find a way to have a chance to win another cup!

Metallica brought this up in another thread and I think it is a great discussion. I know some would want us to do a complete rebuild, but wouldn't that mean our cupboards are completely bare? That certainly isn't true. We are having a tough season and have a lot of holes, but are certainly not a complete mess by any means. We have Price, Weber (when he gets healthy), Pacioretty, Drouin, Gallagher, Galcheyuk, Byron, Danault, Lekhonen, Jerabek, Mete, even Petry if used in the right spot (#3 or 4 D). Amnd some solid pieces for a 4th line. That is a pretty good start, so a complete rebuild is not necessary. The problem is a lot of those guys are being played out of place. What we also have though are some pretty big holes - some would say starting with our GM. From a players standpoint, we know we need a #1 and a #2 centre, we need a #1, #3 D. We also have some trading bait and a lot of cap space. Plus will have a decent pick in June, in what is a pretty good draft. If we end up picking top 8 we should get a solid prospect. Moving Plekanec is a no brainer, even if we resign him over the summer. Finding a way to get someone to take Karl Alzner or Andrew Shaw would be a blessing, but is doubtful. The thing is, I believe we need 4 key pieces. We don't have a lot to trade to acquire those pieces via trade so management has to get creative. Here is a wild scenario, just to show it is not impossible: We will have the $$ to throw at a big name free agent, so Tavares is not impossible. Of course, the questions remains - would he come here? Do we bring back Eller for #3C? Is there any chance of getting Karlsson from Ottawa? A stretch I know, but stranger things have happened and the braintrust better be looking at it. Ottawa is in complete rebuild mode, so picks (1st round) and prospects and maybe players like Mete plus Lehkonencan be worked out? Tavares AND Karlsson won't happen without both Alzner and Shaw's contracts disappearing - but we can dream... $6.5 m in cap space now, another $2.5* this summer = $9M Plekanec - $6 gone = $15 Hemsky gone - $1 = $16 Tavares + Karlsson = $23M (Someone has to go the other way to land Karlsson so add - $3M in savings - maybe more) That means we have about $19M to land $23M in players. Can we find $4M - sure we can IF we can get rid of Shaw and/or Alzner... I didn't count any $$ for Eller in this, because if we could land Tavares and Karlsson we would stop there. Also, the estimated cap increase is between $5 and $7M. Because of the Price contract increase I only put $2.5, which pretty much splits it in the middle. It won't be easy, but I think a retool is what we need. Now, if we can just find the GM who can do it!!!!!

Everyone keeps talking about the lack of effort from the Habs. And with good reason. They look, for the most part, like they are collecting a pay cheque and that is it. Problem is, how motivated would you be when the coach and GM keep throwing players under the bus one at a time? MaxPac, Galcheyuk (over and over again) and Drouin are just three examples. Honestly, why would anyone want to play for this team - let alone feel motivated to give any effort. The Habs are a train wreck right now - with no leadership off the ice, let alone on it. Truthfully it is an embarrassment to the long history of the team. Imagine if your boss spoke about employees at work they way these guys do? They obviously know that no one in management has their backs, so why would they go to war for them. Even Price looks like he doesn't care half the time. At least the Superman logo tattooed on his chest makes even a subpar performance from him look pretty darn good most nights.

Leave the guys wife out of it for crying out loud. That is one of the worst posts I have ever seen on this board. I am not a fan of Bergevin ads Habs GM either, but come on...

Swap Debrincant for Saad. S0: Saad Anisimov Crawford (maybe a pick) for Price Galchenyuk

Crawford, Anisimov and Debrincant for Price and Galcheyuk

OK, i checked, the Hossa things doesn;t make sense since he has three more seasons left. But, with Crawford's salary off the books the Blackhawks have the room for Price this year. Chicago goes from Fighting for a playoff spot to instant Cup Contender, and Price gets a chance to win (which he deserves). We take Crawford back, knowing he won't play for us until next year anyway. Niemi and Fucale can finish this year - since the season is lost anyway.

Crawford's salary comes off the books if he is done for the season. How many years of Hossa left? We can eat that salary for them for the rest of this season (if indeed this is the last year he is on the books). So, yeah they have room. Now, who would we want?

Crazy as it sounds...do we look at trading Price? This team is not going to win in the next few years when he is in his prime., The Habs need to do a total rebuild right now (which should start with management, but that is another thread...) We already dealt Subban, so no need to think Price is really untouchable. Chicago? With Crawford's 'upper body' injury likely sidelining him for the season, the Blackhawks would be crazy not to give this a serious look....

You are right, but that is hindsight. Things didn't turn out well. The thing with '01 was we were going to take Koivu, but missed by one pick. So that isn't the same. Had we landed him we would have had a number one centre with size. And who knows what that might have meant to Saku's career from then on...getting a chance to play with his brother.

Are you saying Bergevin has cred? I'd say he lost that a longgggg time ago.

Can't argue with that.

The draft is fun to look back on. GMs gambling on teenagers, there are always going to be hits and misses. I think the most important draft for the Habs was in 2001. They had 7th overall pick, BUT Minnesota had the 6th pick and took a big centre named Mikko Koivu. How different things might have been. Our consolation prize by the way, Mike Komisarek (Habs did get Plekanec in the third round that year)

That works too. Same 12 guys as my original post, just different configurations. The only thing for me, I guess, is that I want to give Galchenyuk the best chance to succeed and if he and Drouin could catch fire it could be the turning point in his career. He has already played with Gallagher a lot and I was thinking of giving him a new look - since it isn';t about winning anymore, it is about development. Still wish they had thrown $1 million at Yakupov instead of Hemsky... If those two could recapture some magic.....

I have no problem moving Drouin to centre as well. I would just like to see what Galchenyuk and Drouin can do together. As for the fourth line, you are right. Maybe: Carr - Froese - Deslauriers

I don't understand what the thinking is with Bergevin and Julien. The season is lost. Done, Finished. There is no hope of making the playoffs. So.... the obvious plan is to prepare for the future. Forgetting trades - finally put Galchenyuk at centre and leave him there for the rest of the season. Give it a real/honest chance. Not two games, then the fourth line... Why not try this - and let it stick: Pacioretty - Galchenyuk - Drouin Byron - Danualt - Gallagher Lekhonen - Plekanec - Shaw Carr - Deslauriers - Hudon Go with that until the end of the year and see what happens. Confidence builds, players develop chemistry, real assessments can be made, and WE CAN'T DO ANY WORSE!!! As for the defence - close our eyes and pray! There is no help there.

I have always wondered this, to be honest - and I don't get it. What has he done to deserve such high regard? Is it because the Habs tell us he is great? Is it because he has been around for nearly 20 years? Then why hasn't anyone ever tried to poach him? It reminds me of Bob Gainey, or MarcBergevin for that matter. When Gainey got hired it was a constant barrage of "In Bob We Trust" - look where that got us... And it sure changed. When Bergevin first got hired - he was the greatest thing since the forward pass. Hmmmm. Yet somehow Timmins is like a god-like figure. Yet Montreal has a terrible record of developing talent. Terrible. We have a virtually non existant farm system.... JUst sayin'!

It sure is, but I figured since we were throw out crazy deals why not... LOL I have always wondered what it would take to get Crosby in Mtl. His favourite team, etc. You can bet he would be motivated to bring a cup to Montreal if he wound up a Hab. Mind you, he would never come to Mtl. if Price was going the other way.

Then why not: Pacioretty, Galchenyuk and a 1st to Pittsburgh for Crosby.

Edwin Encanarcion

The answer is - 'obviously we do' - by all the posts on the subject and the calls for Bergevin's head after failing to sign him. But should we? Let's keep in mind he has been a problem player throughout his career, who knew the minute he signed with Montreal a year ago that he was fighting for his next contract and some big $$$. He became a fan favourite in Montreal for a few reasons. First the Habs suffered offensively last season (last decade!) and second he was a superstar in junior just a short drive down the 20 in Quebec City. But seriously - he scored 18 goals! 18 GOALS And Dallas gave him 5 years and over $30 million. And we think Plekanec's contract is bad now? Chris Nilan scored 21 goals in 1984-84, and averaged nearly 19 goals a season for the three years that included that year. Sure it was a different team and a different era, but let's put it in perspective. Heck, Paul Byron just scored 22 goals and we aren't talking about making him the NHL's next Steve Austin. So why Radulov? Seriously, why Radulov? Who cares. Good riddance. We just saved ourselves over $6 million a season – FOR THE NEXT 5 YEARS! Obviously the Habs have problems…serious problems if they are to come close to competing for cup #25. And really – they WANT to find a way to do it with Carey Price. Otherwise why sign him to the historic contract they shelled out on the weekend? I think it starts with replacing Bergevin. And there are plenty of reasons, other than not signing Radulov, that make this crucial to the team’s future success. Just look at his track record and it is easy to see he has failed miserably. There is no salary cap for anyone else in the organization other than players. Identify the best there is and GO OUT AND GET THAT PERSON. I hate to say it but that is exactly what Toronto did – and the results speak for themselves. On one hand, Molson has all summer to figure that out. On the other, every day with Bergevin is another day that has the potential for a serious blunder to the team. Somehow signing Markov, or a replacement, needs to be a priority. If Bergevin hasn’t already burned that bridge – or is five minutes late with his offer again. Some more scoring is crucial as well. And that is more than Radulov’s 18 goals. I hope they get Galchenyuk extended and take a stab at Yakupov to see what the two of them can do together. And it won’t come close to costing us the $6 million dollars Radulov got. And just to add one more piece of perspective. That Galchenyuk kid, who everyone seems to want gone as quickly as possible – in his down year scored 17 goals! 17 goals – that is ONE LESS than Radulov – and he is almost a decade younger with his best days ahead of him! And I bet Galchenyuk’s extension, and a flyer on Yakupov (which is exactly what we did with Radulov last year when no one else wanted him), won’t add up to the $$$ and term that the $6 million dollar man got from Dallas! Perspective! Something we all need to think about. And to quote Oscar Goldman by replacing Radulov with Galchenyuk and Yakupov – “Gentlemen, we can rebuild him…Better than he was before. Better…stronger…faster.

I know there is a need for a number one centre, but has this team ever had a worse defence corps? Weber Markov (39 and slow, but still the smartest player on the ice) (Side note - is there a better long-term defenceman playing the game that has never won a Norris?) ..... Then nothing, Petry - overrated (by a long shot) Emelin - really...at that $$$$ Benn... Anybody... We need HELP on the blueline. Desperately! Yes, we could use a top-line centre - but WE HAVE Galchenyuk...if we let him play!

Agree 100%. But I think the only real contract at questions that matters is Galchenyuk's. Get that done, and then we have a clearer picture. Man, I'd love to land Vlasik...