ch_nl

Do not agree. Niklas Sundström has always been a very responsible player. When Forsberg, Näslund and Sundström played togeher it was always Sundström that was the defensive one. It has been so all his career. Sundström is a great passer and did play on Rangers first line along with Wayne Gretzky and in 97 he had 52 points. Mor than both Kovalev and Robitaille. In 2001 he had the same total of points as Owen Nolan and more than Vincet Damphousse in San Jose. So what's my point? In New York and San Jose Niklas Sundström player the defensive role on a loaded offensive line. That was not his role in Montreal. Sundström was aquired as a third line winger and now Canadiens have become so good that we need to fill that roster spot with someone that can develop. Thanks for everythink Sundström.

Why do you think that this was adresses to you? There's others opninion in this thread as well. The answer to you question is: habrock 6 was the one that suggested St. Louis on the left wing on the second line.

And why should Martin St. Louis play on the wrong side on the second line?

I'd love St. Louis if he was a left wing. Now he's not and Im not sure if he could play on the other wing. Ryder and Kovalev won't swicth. Kovalev because of his persona and Ryder because of his handness. But I do think the Habs could use another left winger as I think Zednik is a second liner at best.

A rumour is a rumour because it's speculative. Of course Bob Gainey will try to get Vincent Lecavalier. I would be angry if he didn't. The price is the issue here and it's just to read the thread all over again to understand the complicity.

10 years. That should have been forgiven by now. Having a former NHL headcoach as the assistant to our new inexperienced Carbo might be a good idea. He has connection to the club and knows what's comming if he comes to Montreal.

Uffe had some cheap things going on. I hope Im not saying this just because Im Swedish, but Ulf Samuelsson was a good hockeyplayer. And his hockey knowledge is huge. That's my opinion on "Dirty-Ulf". And remember where Ulf learned to play dirty. It was not in Sweden...

Swedish?! Or did you just make fun of most the Americans that visits Sweden and ask where they make that famous choclate?

I'll be going home to MoDo. I expect Peter Forsberg and Marcus Näslund to join him soon. One or two more season for the Näslund and Foppa.

Good job.

Johan Holmqvist... What can I say? Big rink is not the NHL but just take a look at whom you rate as the the top goalies in the NHL today. Would you say that Henrik Lundqvist and Mika Kiprusoff are among them? Maybe not Martin Gerber and Vesa Toskala but all have something in common. They have all been come to the NHL via Sweden and Elitserien. Johan Holmqvist crossed the Atlantic to early but has rebounded and are once again the top goalie along with Fredrik Norrena and Karol Krizan. Take the World Championship as an example. Of the top six goaltenders in the tournament 3 of them played in Elitserien. Read what I wrote about Holmqvist again and then you will realize that I did not overrate him. And finaly about Aebischer. I may overrate him and yes, it was stupid of me to refer to him as a "Cup winning goalie" but then again... Look in the rear mirror and see what the price for a goaltender at the trading deadline was.

Sheldon Souray has played in an All-star game. Im aware that Souray isn't great in the defense but hockey is about scoring goals and as far as I know Sheldon Souray scored 12. Just 4 less than Richard Zednik and whom do you rather have on the blueline? Sheldon Souray also brings some toughness to the team. I think this is an interesting discussion. Not because I care about the truth in this rumour but how we Canadiens-fans values our own players. According to the New York Post Montreal offered Jose Theodore for Martin St. Louis at the trading deadline. I don't blame Jay Feaster for not doing this as St. Louis is their only rightwinger that can put up numbers. Jose Theodore's contract is also a lot larger than Aebischers. Now we can offer a goalie that's about as skilled as Theodore, maybe not as good but with a salary that would please most managers for a player that has openly said that he was thinking about leaving Tampa as a free agent. Every trade is different and there's a number of things that has to add up. Tampa Bay Lightning has 3 players that eats half of their salary. Now when there's a cap that's not very smart. Two of the players also plays on the same position. Tampa needs a goaltender big time. Montreal can provide. If they lose Lecavalier they need to fill that second line with another center. Mike Ribeiro. Same age, same playing style but not expensive. And if that's not enough Tampa can have the freedom to choose. Richard Zednik, Matt Dandenault or a 3rd round pick.

Why overpay that much? Tampa has one big need and that a goaltender. They lost Khabibulin and tought Sean Burke could replace him. He didn't. Many shock their head when Dwayne Roloson was worth that much at the trading deadline. Look where he is now. Tampa is in a desperate need of a goaltender. The Habs have two. That's why this rumour and speculating exists in the first place. So, what can Tampa Bay offer? Brad Richards? The wet dream. And just resigned. Untouchable. Fredrik Modin? Key to their powerplay. Horse kick shot. I doubt the cut him. Martin St. Louis? Along with Lecavalier and Richards best player on the team. Small but has put up big numbers. He's a right wing but Tampa is short on this position and Montreal allready have two top rightwingers in Kovalev and Ryder. His size is another factor why Montreal could turn him down. Vaclav Prospal? Or the Habs could just keep Jan Bulis or Richard Zednik... Guess who's left?

Victory to Edmonton Oilers. Why? Carolina Hurricans would have lost to the Montreal Canadien if Justin Williams had his stick where it's suppose to be: On the ice. I just can't believe that a rookie goaltender can carry his team all the way to the cup. Cam Ward has been great but Roloson better. Edmonton has 17 players with a + in the +/-. Carolina has just 9. Edmonton has Chris Pronger, Carolina has Bret Hedican.

Johan Holmqvist was once the most promising goaltender in Sweden. Second was Stefan Liv and Henrik Lundqvist was third. They also got drafted in just that order. Johan Holmqvist has played for the New York Rangers and that's why it was a bit unexpected when Rangers had the guts to go with Lundqvist as they allready had tried a young Swede in net. John Holmqvist was one of the key players in Swedens win at the world championships in Latvia. He was one of the best goalies in Elitserien this season. Funny thing is: Johan Holmqvist and Fredrik Norrena was the best in Elitserien last season and now both have been signed by the Bolts. Sweden and Finlands World Championship goalies signed by the same team within a week. And about Vincent Lecavalier... I agree wiht zowpeb on this one. Vincent Lecavalier is overrated by the Montreal fans. But it's kind of cool that Montreal is a place where the fans underrate their own and vice versa with players in other teams. And every speculation about what it would take to get Vincent here meets the argue about that it's not enough. Lecavalier is not worth more than Ribeiro, Zednik, Aebischer and a pick. Souray?! This guy is All-star material and his poor season start could be blamed on his private life. Markov?! Even more All-star. Perezhogin, Higgins, Plekanec and Kostitsyn?! What?! Look how well Habs prospects have done latley. Young guns from Montreal are red hot. They have more value than so. Remember that all it took to get Alex Kovalev was one of this young guns why would it then cost us a young gun, a NHL all-star, a pick, a cup winning goalie, a top six forward and a second line center to land a player that has just two 70+ seasons in his career?

Mike Ribeiro is second line center. There's 30 teams in the leauge. Saku Koivu had 62 points and that makes him center number 32. The stats says that there's 31 centers in the leauge that scored more points than Saku Koivu. Mike Ribeiro had 51 points. That makes him guy number 47, not 64. Bad for a second line center? No way. I think some has to re-evaluate Mike Ribeiro. Remember the way he made it to the NHL. He was a promising young talent for many yeas. I had given up on him years before he became a regular. His first season as a regular was the same year as Patrice Bergeron. And yet, Bergeron is 5 years younger than Ribs. Call Ribs a late bloomer if you wish. I think Ribeiro will grow and be better and better and I can't believe that Im the only one with that opinion? Bottom line... Tampa has two great, I would even call them both franschise centers, but are weak in net. Richards may be the best of the two and Vincent Lecavalier even admited that he tough about leaving Tampa as a free agent for Montreal. He said it and I can't imagine that's something the Bolts management takes lightly. The Habs could give them a reasoable good but small center in Mike Ribeiro. They could provide a Stanley Cup winning goaltender in David Aebischer and a streaky leftwinger in Richard Zednik that get's better in the playoffs. None of the 3 are overpaid and all 3 have potential. Vincent Lecavalier could choke in Montreal and maybe the Habs are the team that takes this risk. Forget about Tampa cut's Fredrik Modin as he's their go to guy on the powerplay and along with Vaclav Prospal the only real top six winger on the team. Add a pick and Lightnings would save some money to spend on a UFA defencemen and the trade could work in their favour. I have tried hard to be objective on this one and I think Im pretty close.

I think this was the plan all the time when they traded for Aebischer. Look where Dwane Roloson has taked the Oilers. The Bolts have made a proposal to Linköpings and Finlands Mika Norrena but I doubt they will go with Sean Burke and Mika Norrena next season. Tampa has two of the leuges best centers but are weak in net. Montreal have the opposite situation and a trade would make sense. Only question is: What would make the deal work? Aebischer and Vincent Lecavalier involved. But whom would make the equation complete? Mike Ribeiro, David Aebischer and Richard Zednik? That's about 5.5 million. It could also be worth to use a early pick to make this deal happen. Lecavalier's contract is 6.8 so Tampa would save about a million and a half. Would this trade make them a better team? I'd say yes. This is the lines the Bolt's could have after this deal: Modin - Richards - St Louis Zednik - Ribeiro - Prospal Fedotenko - Cibak - Alexeev Dingman - Taylor - DiMaio

Kim Staal can be used as a winger as well...

Swedish newspaper reported today that Montreal Canadiens "old prospect" Kim Staal feels NHL ready. He scored 5 goals in 6 game in the World Championship and had 26 shots on goal. He has the physics to play in the NHL and I think the Habs could give him a contract. He's good but not great. But for a leauge minimum he's worth the chance. They also reported that the Caps has cut lose Johnny Oduya of Västra Frölunda. Oduya is physical and have some offenisive upside. I don't know the details but I guess that this makes him available in the draft like Oduya and rank I him as the second best young defenceman in swedish hockey after Niclas Kronwall.

I like our defence as well. I think they are underrated, and that might be a good thing. Andrei Markov has taken another step and I think you could call him a legitime number one blueliner. Souray had some trouble early on in the season and has a enormous slapshot. Craig Rivet stopped using Brisebois as a role model and has cut in his errors. Solid. Francis Boullion... Do you realize that if he works on his shot he could be among the top scorers from the blueline? Look at his stats. He shoots a lot. Dandenault is a utility player. Can play forward. That's an insurance. And finaly Komisarek whom has been better and better in his positioning play. Will be even better when he realize how good he can be.

I agree with BEST AVAILABLE. But I wonder if it's possible to add a word? BEST defenceman AVAILABLE?

Interesting. Yashin and Kovalev on the same line. Could work. How many more years does Yashin have on his contract? If Ribeiro and Zednik would do for Yashin and their first round pick then it's very interesting.

Never say never.

Thanks a lot. But could you also give a short breif about what exactly Group III means? Is that the same thing as a RFA?

Edmonton is the only team left that has won the cup before. I like the fact that a small number of teams has ever won the Stanley Cup. It makes the trophy so much more wanted. And Ryan Smyth is f favourite. Go Edmonton!