TheDriveFor25

This move means NOTHING until we know what team Gainey puts together for Martin to coach. This upcoming season will be dictated by what Bob does this offseason to put a great team on the ice, not who is behind the bench. Gainey needs to recreate this whole thing, via trades and signings. A couple small moves WILL NOT DO IT. There is no point of loving or hating this coach until we see what roster he has to work with. Please, do not sign all our UFA's and ice the same team as last year... because NO COACH is going to win a cup with that. Side note: Heard from a lousy friend that there may be a Halak + Prospect going to Edmonton for OSullivan?

Am I the only one that isn't too worried about losing Komisarek? Yes. he is a big tough guy, but he isn't an elite defenceman. He was actually kind of horrible in the middle of the season and was almost benched if not for injuries. I am a fan of Komi's and would love to have him back, but if he walks from the $4M offer then why not throw like $3M at Bouchemin?!? (Probably spelled wrong) My point is, if Komi doesn't resign it isn't the end of the world. I think if we can get Markov completely healthy, get Emelin over, and get a couple of big bodies - (Beauch and McLaren?) then our D will be MUCH improved. Markov - Beauchemin Emelin - Gorges McLaren - Schneider/OByrne/Boullion We need to start fixing our forwards, cause having 3 3rd lines is not going to get us anywhere, regardless of our D!

NEITHER! Kovy is not worth the money when he shows up for 40% of the games. You think his lack of effort affected the younger guys this year? Absolutely. And I love Saku, but he is TOO small to be our #1 or #2 centre. With so many free agents and so much money to spend, this is the time to put a new face to the franchise. A new type of team that isn't small and fast. Because who cares how fast you are when you are constantly on your ass. Our priority at forward is Tanguay. And he shouldn't be an expensive player. Our priority at defense should be Emelin. Get him over here and lets see what he's got. This is the time for Bob to show what he can do. I don't care about years past, because if he takes this off-season and ices the same team as last year then he'll be out of my good books. I don't want a team that gets 4th or 5th in the East and then loses in 4 or 5 games in the first round. BUILD A NEW TEAM BOB!

Habs will need to sign players if we are going to give up 3 or 4 to get Lecavalier! :hlogo:

I agree.. Ohlund is one of my faves from the list. And yes, I am sorta playing NHL09 on here, but it is fun to wonder. You have to figure though, with so many free agents leaving the team... this is the perfect time to put a new face on the ice, a whole new retooling. And yes, Hossa and Gaborik are both elite players, but NO, they are not as good as Lecavalier. He is one of the top 5 or 6 players in the world.

That way, we could trade for Vinny and have a team of... Tanguay - Lecavalier - Bertuzzi Pacioretty - Pahlsson - Havlat Dagostini - Lapierre - Latendresse Laperriere - Chipcura - Laraque Markov Bouwmeester Gorges Ohlund M. Bergeron Emelin Hamrlik I actually think this would work under the cap... (Obviously, PLeks and the Kostys are gone.. for Vinny)

Not sure if some of these players have already resigned with their clubs, but I came up with a list of free agents that should be kind of cheap... not the Gaboriks or Hossas, and especially not the Bouwmeesters (geez, he'd look good in a Habs uni.)but players that would make our team better... C's : S.Pahlsson. B.Morrison. (Both should be relatively cheap and if the Habs use Pleks in a trade then we might need a new #2.. hopefully behind Vinny.) RW's : M.Havlat. T.Bertuzzi. I.Lapperiere. M.Knuble. (I would love for the Habs to get both Havlat and Burt, but the other two are both pretty good defensively and are intense.) LW's: V.Peltonen. A.TANGUAY! (We need Tangs back.) D: J.Leopold. N.Boynton. MA Bergeron. D.Morris. M.Ohlund. (Of course, Komisarek and Bouwmeester would be sweet, but we need depth. Our weakest spot this year was on the blueline. Ohlund would be a stud for the Habs.) G: M.Biron. (A good french kid who could step up and help Carey.. if he is still around)

Yeah, I am in dreamland. But is it too much to ask for? Just get tougher, bigger.

We trade Price, Pleks, whatever it takes to get Vinny. Here's my projected lineup... Tangs - Lecavalier - Hossa/Gaborik A.Kost - Lang - Kovalev E.Cole - Lapiere - Laperriere Latendresse - Chipchura - Pahlsson (extras Pacs, S.Kost, Dags) Bouwmeester - Markov Emelin - D.Morris McLaren - Hamrlik ( extras Gorges, OByrne) M.Biron J. Halak What I really want is a team that is TOUGH to play against. A team that NOBODY wants to play. There is no fear with playing the Canadiens this year, because they're a soft team.

And we need our D to skate with the puck a bit more... so he'll be better at that then a Breezer or a OByrne would be.

I'll take the Cube... he plays with heart!

I'm hoping Gainey puts Laraque with Pleks. Ease his tension abit. Leave the 1st line alone.. we need their goals!

Any news on the lineup?

We def need some lineup changes. Our 2nd line was non-existent. Take out Dags and put in S.Kost. OR... Put Tangs back on the 1st line and put Laraque with A.Kost and Pleks... now THAT I like!!

C'mon Akost and Pleks... get it going! Our first line is taking Chara on, so our 2nd line needs to step it up. One good period and we are up 1-0. C'mon boys...

Geez.. what happened to our 2nd line? C'mon Pleks, AKost.. we need you guys. Not that I am doubting Dags, but maybe we can double shift Tangs and Kovalev with them two to get them going. C'mon guys... we can win this game!

CAREY! CAREY! CAREY! Any lineup news yet?

Lines should be... Kovalev - Koivu - Tangs A.Kost - Pleks - Dags or S.Kost Lats - Laps- Kostops Higgins - Metro - Laraque Komi - Gorges Hammer and Miracle Mathieu Dandy - Weber/Boullion/Brisebois/Henry I wouldnt mind using Henry with Dandy. This series is gonna be physical. But yeah, Laraque needs to be there. Have a tough defensive fourth line. I'm not sure who plays wing on the 2nd line with Pleks and A.Kost, but we need that line to produce!!!!!!!!! GO HABS GO. :hlogo: in 5!!

Boston has better goaltending the Montreal? Um, no. Tim Thomas is this years version of Jim Carey. If Gainey traded Price for Thomas he would be the laughing stock of the NHL. We'll see who's got better goaltending... :hlogo:

OMG! Why is this even being asked? The answer is Price. He's our #1 guy. Today, tomorrow, and for the next 15 years. The questions we should be asking is who plays with Pleks and Kostitsyn... Dags? Higgins? Kostitsyn? Our unanswered questions are on the skaters, cause the goalie is all set. We are going to win or lose with Carey Price.

Congrats to the Montreal Canadiens players, management and fans. After a roller-coaster of a regular season, the Habs will return to the NHL Playoffs where anything is possible. I never doubted this team. Even when Marky went down I still knew they'd make it in. :hlogo: Now, it's a whole new ballgame. 0-0. best of 7. :hlogo: Bring on the Bruins. Or Bring on the Caps. Either way, game 1... I'll be watching and rooting.. proudly. GO HABS GO :hlogo:

Wow... way too much pessimism on this board. The Habs are a great team. At the start of the year most of us had them wininng the Cup because of their players, the same players that are on the team today. Let's start cheering for our boys, cause they have a shot at winning tonight, getting into the playoffs, and then it's a whole new season! Boston is beatable. I look at it this way... They are not as good as the team that finished #1 with Thorton and Samsonov and whoever else was on that team. We are not as bad as the #8 seed we were that year when we had Theo and um, well Theo. AND WE BEAT THEM! So, in the playoffs its gonna come down to goaltending. Hopefully it starts tonight with a big W for Carey and he goes on a nice little run. Who knows... If we can get some production from our 2nd line, then we will be fine. Kostistyn needs to step up and be the man! He`s gotta be the best player on the ice when he is out there. If we get that, then we`ll win. C`mon Carey, put this team on your back like I know you can. Go Habs Go. We win 2-0.

"Leaning towards Carey Price"??????????????? WHAT? Of course you go with Carey! In times like this, your best players have to win games for you, and he is (regardless of what some of you might think) is our BEST goalie. Speaking of.. not trying to jinx anything, but when the hell is the last time Carey got a shut out? GO HABS GO CAREY! CAREY! CAREY! This is a game we need A.Kost to play well in. If we can get two lines flying and our third line playing like they have, we'll be fine, regardless of how many dmen are on line 4. And one more thing.. I dont care if it costs him 2,5, and a 10.. but Laraque needs to hit the ice with intent on grabbing Lucic and putting a beating on him. I know Lucic will be chicken poop and not drop the gloves, but still.. get him George!

HUGE game! We need this one. Need a big game from Gorges, Komisarek, and Price! CAREY! CAREY! CAREY!

Unreal! This is a huge blow. HUGE. Although I do feel we'll get into the playoffs, I'm not exactly sure I wanna play anybody at the top of the standings without Marky. Brutal. I'm thinking maybe put Laps or somebody else on the point for the PP. Scary to think Breezer is the #1 guy now.