DON

But it is August and cant simply agree. Sure it is way too early, but in general sending him back to junior, especially missing last year, seems the smart move in long run and i thought the same about Gallagher last year.I know Habs could really use the skill on LW for sure, but i think patience would pay off more.

I still would stick him with the likes of Zibenijad/Schiefele and an extra year just seems the prudent thing, even if he looks good in a 9 game trial. He is just not in same catagory as Nugent-Hopkins and Landeskogg, Where one is just an extreme skilled player and the other was called before the draft "NHL ready" (as Ryan Murray is) and he surely was.

anywhere from $3.5 to 5.5 seems fine with me, i would say he is easily as valuable to Habs as Taylor Hall is too the Oilers and he got $6/year and when a mediocre player like Wideman gets $5.25/year that also raises the bar.

Hey, i hope he runs over Yemelin in training camp and makes Price look like a sieve and i am sure there is great pressure to fast track Golden Boy, but no chance i dont think and lock-out will solve that question.

i am glad you think so highly of him, but team is rebuilding, few people even think habs will make playoffs and none seriously think team is a contender, so no need to rush Galchenyuk is there, let him get a ton of icetime and 1st unit PP time in junior and pack on a few more pounds by next fall. Both Leblanc and Bournival were tops in physical testing in their draft year and both are supposedly very hard working also. But still means little if they havent ever lined up vs a Chara/Stamkos type player, who trains just as hard and are much bigger/stronger or faster and with only 1 year playing vs teenagers in OHL, Galchenyuk would likely be at a severe disadvantage. But no matter with lock-out only a few weeks away, he will play where he should and just too bad Yakupov will be playing overseas and not on his line.

Right on, all sounds good; but reality is he will play in OHL and unlikely he will even match Stamkos's last year with Sarnia with 105 points, if he does great, but "too good for" the OHL i just dont buy it? Not sure why playing wing would have any negative affect on his development? Still havent heard of any domestic guy with only 1 year CHL experiance jump straight to NHL? So my money is on 1 more full year in OHL.

White was Calgary's best centreman in junior if i remember correctly ( he took key faceoffs at least). But not sure if he has even been used at centre in Hamilton has he?

Vehicular homicide is what it is called, not an incident and seems a very bad analogy for quite trivial err/mistake.

I think Eller or Plekanec would do just as well centering those 2 and DD would do just fine on any line. But it seems that on the road that DD could likely benefit from playing 3rd ine centre and let the 2 better defensive centres in Eller/Plekanec take the tougher match-ups? Or have Eller at centre and Deharnais on 2nd line with Gionta? But would be a bit short at centre unless Leblanc shows he can handle it? But will be curious to see how Therrian sees his best line combos?

So you think his wingers in the QMJHL- then ECHL- then AHL and now the NHL have all carried him everywhere he has played and excelled? In every league he has lit it up and the NHL is no different, he had 60 some points in his 1st full season, so really dont see how you can justify being even a bit pessimistic about him and what he brings. I do pick on him for being poor on faceoffs and simply being small, but the little bugger produces and even put him with Moan and Armstrong and i bet those 2 guys would be very happy. And he has shown a positive progression up till now, so real question is, just how good can he be? Is he going to be as good as a Marc Savard, seems a very similar player; Martin St.Louis-type is likely just a better goal scorer and skater, but who knows? Very few players have had as good a start to career and if he puts up 70+ points this year it probably shouldnt surprise and maybe a young Gomez-like #s are too come?

As Mowers said, his job is to be intimite with about 10-15 AHL/NHL teams, so maybe his 'supposed' lask of correct prognostication talent will have zero impact on his real job, which will likely involve stats, rosters and facts on those 10-15 teams, again i see it is as just another good sign that Molson is opening cheque book to hire more help.

DD can play well with anyone, he is just a good playmaker and smart, like a Markov he makes rest of linemates better, wouldnt matter if he is centre or wing/1st or 3rd line.

If ignore last 2 years, over last 5 years before those, ol Markov averaged 59points/82games, which would put him at #2 for past year and if he even can put up just a 40+ point season it would be a big bonus and 40 points is an easy target if he plays 70+ games, so even if he aint producing at 55 point level he will still help all those around him, cause he is just a very smart player. I am not too worried at all about Bourque and look more to his career #s than 1/2 year on the bottom team in East and 20 goals is a good target; same production as Kostitsyn, people will likely bitch that he should get more or is too streaky or not this or that, but in end will be a well spent $3m. I think Leblanc and Eller with both shine this year and continue to show why there were 1st round picks. And still think there is zero chance Galchenyuk isnt in Sarnia for 1 more year.

good that Nystrom was invited. Nice to see Pribyl had a 2 goal game in euro trophy tourny and Archambault had good 1st game. Pribyl, Nygren, Dietz, Thrower, Archambault, Kristo, Bennett?, and Nystrom? all should be headed to Hamilton next fall eh.

If i was getting $7-10m /year to take crap as the frontman for the Billionairs club; i would be pretty smug myself and might not give a rats-ass what the media or public thinks of me neither.

Not much to say but totally agree and another sign Molson is making an extra effort by hiring extra sets of eyes.

Love the signing and seems another super smart move for Bergevin. As they say, devil's advocate (just to stir the pot); i wouldnt quite stamp Superstar on Pacioretty after only 1 good year. The Habs once had a guy score 85 goals in his first 3 years, only to be booed out of town after 2007-08 and that guy just had a 35 goal season and is still underpaid and underrated.

Habaddict had thing on Markov and when listed the 3 pairings, dosent seem to be that bad a group at all to me. 3 offensive puck-movers (Subban not so much, more a rusher than passer) and 3 defensively minded d-men. Markov paired with Yemelin Subban and Gorges Kaberle-Boullion (spell his name i never could and still have it wrong i think) I think Yemelin could really benefit from playing with best puck-mover and will never be a -18 again. But where does Diaz fit in, pressbox? let alone Weber, waived is his future?

which scares them more do you think?; their d-core, or a bit kooky goalie signed till 2020?

Why do teachers union wait till sept to go on strike instead of spring, same thing. WHL starts Sept 21st and will be good to see how Bozon-Dietz and Thrower do this year, CHL is just as entertaining, if not more-so with no trap defense to put you to sleep. On sundays, mondys and thrusdays i got my NFL to keep me entertained also. Mid-November is my guess when NHL starts, but Habs are highly unlikely to contend and wiould be lucky to just sneek into playoffs again, so maybe better off and get another Cary Price lottery pick.

There you go, your bang-on correct. He is just the front-man and has dick-all to do with any decisions, cept delivery of Billionaires message. He is very well paid to be crapped upon and as a lawyer he is good at what he is hired to do. Not sure why anyone thinks replacing Bettman would have any affect at all. A puppet would just be replaced by another one.

Dont know, but Milbury had some nice ones (i think they are still paying Yashin arnt they?) and Columbus's with Nash to NY for a waterboy seems to be the latest sweet deal, or how bout a Hab favorite of McDonough for Gomez. There are just alot of seemingly dumb GMs out there making poor decisions, or GMs who have their arm twisted by dumb owners to make something happen. But i also remember the shitstorm when Mr. Halak got traded and braniac Pierre McGuire was ranting that it was worst/dumbest trade ever; but Price has been OK i would say and Larry has more than doubled his goal output from his rookie year, with zero PP time and grinders for linemates.

Only diff might be that Leblanc wiould for sure be in AHL, but could be there anyways and there might be no difference whatsoever? Also, no sense hoping for 1,000s of bars and sports pubs across Canada to lose Big$$ and lay people off is there? Thats almost anti-canadian isnt it

Gorges has zero offense and is no way as skilled as Subban, tough as nails and ballsy for sure but Subban was #1 d-man no matter health of Josh, minus Markov of course. You are using historical salaries for Kromwall and Seabrook got $3m in 2008 and Keith went from $1m to $5.5. I also thought $2.75 wasnt that low-ball an offer; but now see i was a bit out to lunch when look at real comparable d-man salaries like -Stall,Hedman,Myers, etc. of which none have Subban's offensive skills. Now i think; anywhere from $4.5 to 5.5 would be more reasonable and a 5-6 year deal for $30-35m would lock up the most valuable skater on the team for a nice while.

i agree, and i would say Mr. Toughguy Tom Wilson is one who is unlikely to make the squad. Very impressed with Hudon's effort along the boards, just like a french version of Brendan Gallagher.