DON

I think you can book the Shultz vs Thorton/Lucic fight right now. Great for him, he was the best Bulldog in that outdoor game and played surprisingly well. White had 4 goals in 5 games, hope the adrenaline hasnt worn off yet? Engqvist is doing super down there and might as well leave him ethere and let him play big minutes instead of less than 10 with Habs; he will be up for good next fall i hope as 4th line centre?

i had tossed in towel prior to X-mas, but here's hoping for the best, or at least an honest effort every night, win or loose, like they have been doing is good by me. Some real positive showings by many on the roster, with Price leading the way.

i agree with keeping him and might be hard to replace, but if White is what we hope he can be ( a bottom 6 centre/winger who can kill penalties along with Engqvist) and Blunden keeps improving and if Shultz ever got in shape and was able to play 7-8minutes/game on 4th line, maybe just take a 3rd or 2nd pick/ best offer and move on? I guess in short; i am on the fence; much as i am with Kostitsyn as well. As long as neither 32 nor 46 walk away for nothing on July 1st!

You just know with a Gaunce, he will not likely be a "floater", as the russians and some euros tend to be. And i would almost hand the future #1 centre job to out our flying Dane, he is looking better all the time! And if Gaunce can fill the #2 centre role in 2 or 3 years that would be just perfect. And from reports on Gaunce they always seem to note his off-ice leadership as a bonus and you got to love his size. And he did stand out at prospects game i thought. Again i say, anywhere between 5th and 15th there are some dandy prospects, no worry where Habs finally finish up. Just keep on winning, but just dont let Gauthier get any crazy thoughts and sell off picks again in a mad run for playoffs! Go with what you got and stockpile a couple extra picks with the UFAs.

Dont forget we are hoping Greg Pateryn is the next Gorges type and his d-partner Bennett could fit in nicely in a couple years also. And that Phillip Di Giuseppe is a super looking prospect that would be great to snag early in 2nd round maybe? But that cull Cammalleri came from Michigan also, so you can go on hating him if you like!

If ignore his first 2 years in NHL, he has averaged 49.6 points/year for past 5 and plus this years pace. Not really super stats. So, $5+/year for a 50 point guy for a crazy term is not Gomez bad but i wouldnt touch a deal for him, plus Columbus would ask for valuable picks/players/prospects, which makes me wish they wouldnt consider. Now Getzlaf, Kopitar, Stastny, Eric Stall or Lecavalier would be a different story and better options if thinking of flipping Plekanec in a package deal for one of these guys. But something like that would be better done on July 1st. My 2 cents

He is not even quite 30 and at his current salary i would resign in a second, but he would likely ask for $6/3 years (which is fair, but max for bottom 6 guy) at least and as Commandant has posted, there likely are many options to replace him if he wants more $. But, as i have noted before, he kills penalties, never takes a bad one himself, has a small bit of scoring touch, can skate well, hits a small bit and while he dosent fight often he stands up for teammates every time, so i would resign for a 3 year deal for sure, but i would trade in a sec if offered a good enough deal (such as a forward prospect and a pick)

I was all for finally getting a top pick, but unless Price gets injured or Gauthier sells important assets, this team is just not bad enough for a lottery pick, they just cant compete with OIlers/Columbus and several others. And it wouldnt surpirse me if they actually leap both Leafs and Sens by April, but 8th is just a bit much..i think? And if picking 7th to 14th, not a big difference and all those ranked in and around that range are nice looking prospects. I would love to see Gathier sell Moan/Gill/Campoli/Weber etc for stuff and the team still do OK and win every other game or better and still bank some extra picks/prospects. Especially if White and Markov will be ready for final 20 games, and can easily call up St.Denis to fill in till Markov is back. Just too bad Blunden is gone, which makes selling Moan is that much harder with Blunden hurt long term.

It is wierd that i am paying more attention to standings and those below and around the Habs more than i ever did when battlin for 8th? Maybe just cause i cant ever remember Habs having a crack at lottery pick and i think after this year they wont for another while neither? So the sooner Gauthier starts trimming players, adding 2nd /3rd round picks, the better. Someone posted top point NHL guys from 2000s and almost every last one came from first 3 rounds of draft, which is exactly where Habs have had very few picks (because they were traded to squeek into playoffs) and again i point to the last 2nd rounder Habs had, was Subban in 2007 and you just need those 30-to-90th picks to find future scorers. Unless you are already stocked like Caps/Fla/Hawks are now.

Diaz had done great and super signing, not sure who could ever complain about he nor Yemelin? And i think Kaberle's experiance and puck skills will be needed, as more young d-men come on-line and he has been doing super as well. And for those who bich and moan about his salary, give me a break; if someone asked what is a 50+point puck moving d-man worth; I know damn well $4.25 would seem like a steal, or am i off base on that?? Dont think i am. And i really am looking forward to a Kaberle/Markov pairing on the PP, as much as Markov/Yemelin as a 5-on-5 pairing. And as far as Campoli goes, that signing was, i would wager a good bet, at the whining of Martin to get him a Vet back up d-man and really could Gauthier say no and just sit on extra cap $$? Goaltending and defense is the least of Hab rebuilding needs, people who whine about it must really be bored or very pessimistic. It is up front that has needed work for 20+ years and this year is the perfect oppotunity to reshape and restock forward group.

Am i naive to think that Gauthier and UFA agents would discuss what a player would need to resign, well before the trade deadline? As Carolina seems to have done with a couple of their players and most recently with Teemu Ruutu. So if, as most seem to think, you would need to overpay for Moan or his agent will ask for a crazy number, then the only consideration is to find out which team will offer the most before the 27th eh?

Great to hear, i wouldnt of sent him down in first place. He, Eller and Leblanc looked super, but i suppose Eller and Leblanc would do well, even with Gomez as their linemate! Just too bad Blunden is hurt so bad, he was doing fine. I would expect White will be in Toronto this weekend? Bulldogs must be getting pretty thin up front.

i stand corrected and did not know that it actually has been done a couple times before. but still highly unlikely to ever happen with a Kostitsyn or Moan eh? Screw it and just take the picks and/or prospects. But i still like Moan better than all on your list, i know it is just a sample of what may be available and White/Blunden and maybe even Ian Shultz (who looked better than expected in outdoor game) may be able to fill the role anyways at a cheap price.?

i was just thinking he may be very hard to replace his quality for a decent price, but i am with you, that this is the year to grab all extra picks they can for UFAs and spare parts, for this or next years draft.

sounds good, but haas it ever happened that a team, traded a UFA and then resigned the same player in summer?

If only interested in centres Wont get Yakupov, we night as well forget that, slim chance for Grigorenko, unless Gauthier does have a fire sale/Habs tank and Oilers/Carolina really want a d-man. Galenchyuk is a better possibility at maybe 5th or 6th. Girgensons or Faksa might fit the bill perfect and no doubt Habs wil get a crack at one or other. But the best fit is Gaunce, if ,as Bob Mckenzie mentioned, his offenseive upside is there come end of year? I just have more faith in a canadian than a euro and just love Gaunce's size and he looked dandy at prospects game!

In thinking of trading Moan, it just would be very hard to replace a guy who, works hard every game, kills penalties very well, has a bit of scoring touch, is fairly tough and never ever takes a bad penalty? I was trying to think of even one dumb stick penalty of his and draw a blank? But Gauthier must be getting some good offers i bet, but resigning him wouldnt be a bad idea.

Like i said, i didnt think he would stay another year, just thinkin wouldnt hurt is all and i had sort of penciled him for AHL anyways and i will really be looking forward to Kristo, Gallagher, Bournival and Holland turning pro and also Leblanc and Eller after a full summer of training (barring any more injury/surgeries), because with no training camps i think both had to have suffered a bit and still look great.

you are probably correct on what will happen, just Beaulieu's defense scares me and he reminds me exactly of Subban, great skater and puck skills (and not lacking in confidence) but defensive decision making is weak and a final year in junior wouldnt hurt and Habs dont really need him with depth of offensive d-men already in pro (Markov, Subban, Diaz, Weber). Now; Tinrodi, Ellis, Pateryn, Stejalskal, Nash the Habs could use right away, if only just for size. Also i thought St.Denis was more than capable and would love to see him called up for last 20-30 games. And for Kristo, i just think his development was set back a year with the ol frostbite incident and also he might as well finish schooling and if he can, rip up his league? But he is a scorer and Habs are in desparate need of any offense they can add.

PK improved when Gill got hurt near start of year and i dont agree he is a "key" component and is repalceable, Price/Gorges are the key ones. splittin hairs, but i would wager, there will be little difference with Gill gone and overall 5-0n-5 will be an improvment. Not that i dont appreciate his effort and he will be a key PK addition to another team, but Habs defense and between the pipes will offset his loss for sure.

Too bad Palushaj was sent back down, he, Eller and Louis looked super and was first time i have seen Palushaj actually play with other skilled players. Pateryn will likely be signed i am guessing. Probably be best for both Kristo and Beaulieu to just play out 1 more year where they are now?

the top francophone in QMJHL is ranked 57th by ISS, so it aint a hot bed for players, so it would pay to scout WHL/OHL, Europe and USHL long before even bothering with the Q. wouldnt it? After the first couple rounds it is really a crap shoot, even Detroit took 6 flops before fluking out with Datsyuk. Now the SEL is one place the Habs have avoided for some reason? cant even remember the last Swedish Hab pick to play regular shift for Habs? At least Habs take a token francophone or 2 every year, but none have paid off yet, cept maybe Ellis (whom i think wil do well). Archambault is the latest and is not too promising is he? Whereas a Gallagher or Holland play in a tougher more defensive league and produce more NHLers, as does the OHL. Why the Q seems to be so thin in talent seems odd, fewer kids playing maybe?

Gainey and Sather are the real idiots and not sure what Gauthier could of ever done with Gomez? If any youngster needs some NHL experiance, fo sure send Gomez away, dont care if Hamilton, press box, Alaska or to go hang out with Big George, just dont waste a roster spot on him, let Palushaj take his minutes or Engqvist take his centre slot on 4th line? He is of no use to a non playoff team and i pray is not in 2012-13 plan?

i think Tinordi will start in AHL, but will get some injury call up games. I expect he will add some strength this summer and no way you can compare him to Weber/Subban's development i dont think, he is a defensive d-man with the reach of a Gill, but much quicker. Sure he will lose some battles along the boards for a couple years and get turned inside out by some fast forwards, but killing penalties and clearing the crease is where he will shine and easily fill Gill's role. And he will add some of what Yemelin has brought to the table and Subban has lately with his big hits. But still will spend most of year in Hamilton and play a ton of minutes i hope.

`if he would take a good salary, i would resign in a second, $6 for 3 years i would say right at deadline Leafs/St Louis/Canucks/Sens/Pitts/Detroit 2nd rounder or late pick and prospect. if the prospect is like Holland, i would want a centre prospect. I would give away Moan for nothing, if that team would take Gomez as well.