DON

Ol Gallagher up to 9 points now, but his team is not that strong. I watched the Victoria/Kamloops series and Victoria has a d-man, Keegan Kanzig, who just turned 17 and already is 6'5" and 229lbs and can skate OK, hit and aint scared to drop the gloves (they interviewed him and when asked about his fighting, he just laughed and basically said he gets a kick out of it). But it just seems incredible the size of some of the kids these days.

good one haha

But even if Galchenyuk has a super playoffs, you dont think he would be taken in the top 2 would he, especially if Grigorenko continues to do very well and pile up the points also? Yakupov looked short at the world's, but as shifty as he is, he will likely be like Eberle or Datsyuk and not get hit very often, nor need to be big to be a difference maker (cept if he tries to cut into the middle without looking again). They wont be televising any of U18 games in April will they? Forsberg, Collberg, Dumba and several other top guys, whose playoffs are done should all be there eh?

Lacavalier wasnt coming off his 3rd straight 20 something goal and 2nd injury shortened seasons, also Yzerman and Julian Brisbois werent the 2 opposing GMs doing the deal. I agree, very little chance of happening, but instantly would change look of forward group and would have at least 1 All-Star calibre, cup winning, big francophone, definite #1 centrman (which would be a PR homerun also). And Plekanec/Weber & prospect like a Gallagher-Bennett or Kristo would likely do the deal for Yzerman. Sure you would overpay a bit, but to get any star forward you almost have to dont you? I am a Plekanec fan, but they need a big change up front to prosper and too really upgrade for a bigger #1 centre seems logical.

How bout real change; Cole-Lacavalier-Pacioretty Bourque-Eller-Gionta Leblanc-Desharnais-Moan White-Engqvist-Staubitz 2 way contracts for Palushaj-Geoffrion-Blunden

And will draft another average sized NHL player this year in Forsberg/Dumba/Galchenyuk/Murray, which is fine, bigger is not always better, even Chara/Pronger gets turned inside out and made to look like a pylon by Plekanec, Gionta and Desharnais every time they play. So pros and cons at each end of spectrum, but a nice big skilled centre like Lacavalier would do wonders for the Habs and has been missing for a long time. But i almost hope to see Habs draft the slightly smaller Galchenyuk, or Forsberg, over the bigger Grigorenko (or Grigorenko is already taken when Habs get to pick).

Rupp plays 6:36/game and why couldnt Staubitz do the same on the 4th line? He actually looks much better than i thought he would and is miles ahead of a BGL as a player and is good at his job.

Dont think are Morons, just fickle i think might be the word for it, as many Hab fans are as well. But this is finally the Canucks year and will win er all, which will be very nice to see. Hopefully Price and Mgmt agree to a nice long term contract. But who knows if gets done before end of summer or much earlier?

i was wondering why Holland wasnt in on the scoring? i think he was on a 20 game or more point streak.

Holy moly? i was expecting a much more negative response and i agree 100% with you. I was just a bit over the top on positives, however; i still totally disagree that these 2 contracts are much of a burden, unlike #11's. And if they traded Kaberle tomorrow that is fine with me and maybe better; as he is very soft away from the puck, but experianced and super with the puck and wasnt that long ago that he was a much valued trade asset for Leafs and just had three 45+ point seasons before this one (but this year he was on 2 shitty weak offensive teams, so gets a pass). So what is value of a defensively weak 45+point d-man i wonder?

Am a fan of Kaberle and Bourque and loved the upgrades from overpaid underachieving culls like Spacek and Cammalleri. Tis nice to have Bourque at a nice fairly low salary for 4 more years, a proven 27 goal big body who an skate ( at 1/2 the price of Cammalleri) and play the PK, sweet! And Kaberle haas only put up points on a regular basis since coming over and also is signed to a fair salary for a 45-50 point puck moving d-man. Why would anyone give Hemsky $5m/year is crazy? but good luck with him Oilers. But i am curious what will be done with Gomer? He does throw a wrench into the teams ability to sign a Parise, or take on a Lecavalier's salary in a swap for Plekanec.

so he has been offered an entry level contract eh, not too surprising but good to hear.

Just FYI: Mock draft link http://dcprosportsreport.com/NHLMocks.htm

Pribyl gets 2 goals and assist in Czech U20 playoff game today.

i see Eller and Plekanec running into each on the ice over and over and just dont see moving a natural centre to the wing as the easy solution. And both Plekanec and Desharnais are signed to very fair contracts and are just about the most attractable and tradable players they got, if going for an upgrade to an All-Star calibre forward on July 1st. If San Jose misses playoffs, Getzlaf may be a swap to make, or as i have said before Stastny, would be a swap i would also consider. On the backend, i, myself, would leave as it is, but Habs will likely will sign 1 more, and i like Bryan Allen or Shane OBrien (or the like type of d-man). So maybe swap Plekanec/Weber and X for Stastny and Obrien?

Trading Plekanec or Desharnais is a painful but required move sometime.

Galchenyuk gets the nod from me, primarily because of KHL fear and no negative reports on attitude.

OK, i stand corrected, but still think would not be best move, but would be the total opposite of Martin and make for some fun interviews/press conferences, but i am sure Molson has his choice(s) already made. I heard Martin was at a game yesterday (Ducks/Bruins) and is still scouting for Habs, a high paid one but i had thought he was gone.

Has any junior coach ever done well, going straight to head coach of a NHL team (let alone within an organization like the Habs)? Never has happened that i can recall? so why would it work now, especially given Roy's temperment? For sure it would be entertaining, in a Tortarella sort of way, but not a smart move most likely. Be as crazy as having Don Cherry coach the leafs.

OIlers are up 5-2 today, so in less than an hour will be sittin in 29th spot. And if can start resting some players that would be nice and finish the last 6 going 2-3-1 or something like that should clinch at minimum a top 3 pick. But puttin cart before horse.

I love Gallagher's play as well and hope he lights up the AHL next year; but, i was just wondering out loud what kind of kooky package the #1 overall pick would cost the Habs. Which for a conservative organization like the Habs, will never happen, but what if? And whether having 2 of top 3 picks would be worth the cost? Also Columbus must be a bit leery of drafting any more Russians, given their track record and trading down for roster players to rebuild quicker might be more appealing to them?

It is an option for sure and if the right asset was offered, never say never. But i would bet a lot that Yakupov is all the scouts say he is and is the complete package, while Grigorenko does have the "Russian Questionmark" for sure, but he aslo could be a Malkin and not a Yashin/Radulov? Only time will tell. Which is why i would likely skip him for Galchenyuk or maybe Forsberg. Becasue when you look at reports, both Galchenyuk and Forsberg have "hard-Working" as a prime character trait, which is what separates many prospects who do make it from those who dont, and Grigorenko is not noted to be hard-working (or at least is not one of his best attributes, unlike the other 2).

Interesting that Gauthier (as well as Burke and other GMs) was at this Sania game checking out the 2 prospects. I wonder what it would take to get Columbus's/Oilers pick, if the Habs kept their first also? Next year's first, a 2nd, Kristo, Gallagher and Eller, or some crazy package like that? I cant remember what Mr. Giant Ego (Burke) traded to get Danial and Henrik at #2 and #3, whatever it was it was worth it.

Nattenin is unlikely ever to be top-6 and is strictly a defensive forward i think. Pribyl isnt even playing full time in Czech elitle league yet i dont think? Still very early to predict much, but even Plekanec put in over 200 games in the AHL before making it, so we can hope for the best and Pribyl coming over after 2012-13 season and then see how he does in AHL, love his size at least.

Watched Kamloops game and that Swiss guy, Tim Bozon had hat trick; he is slotted right around where Habs should have 2nd pick 33rd-35th. He is also up for WHL rookie of year, would be another quality choice. And of course Gallagher and Holland has a few assists each. So Pateryn could play a few games with Bulldogs if signed and chose to? Maxim Trunev's KHL contract is up the end of April, already has 151 KHL games under his belt and is only 21, i wonder if he might be looking to give North America a try? A surprise signing maybe, he could take Avtsin's spot?