DON

why hard to swallow?? i just dont get the negativity on Kaberle, all he is doing is rolling along at a 50+ point clip and is no where near as bad as a MAB or Spacek in own end. Sure a bit soft, but experianced and super wiith the puck and likely a good mentor for Diaz/Beaulieu/Subban.

Other than Subban, he is youngest d-man and still leads d-men in PP goals and points i think, even with dick all ice time. And the Habs defense is not bottom of league, again it is up front and lack of scoring that is killing them and needs upgrades. He is young offensive d-man, with a big shot, who will likley only get better over next couple years, and is signed to a very low salary, so could be very tempting for OIlers/Islanders or the like? And he also could form a good part of a package deal? I would like to keep him, but 1 way contract and Habs depth make him expendable.

4 points in first 2 games in Hamilton, i lke it. I think is hard to say where he could be in a couple years, just 2nd year pro so will have to see how rest of year and next fall go before really forming any real opinion? Even the Sedins started NHL as 3rd liners.

Nice to see Shultz and Nattinen chipping in and Geoffrion may be a real bonus in Gill trade eh? If Engqvist could just improve on faceoffs, he should be a lock for 4th line centre next year?

So as it sits , picks are 5th (Galenchyuk), 35th, 55th and 65th, 1 more 2nd/3rd rounder would be sweet. Lots of good looking forwards to pick from in 1st 3 rounds such as, Bussieres/Sissons/Maidens/Wilson etc etc. If took Galchenyuk/Sissons/Bussieres/Maidens with 1st 4 picks, could be similar quality to 2007 haul by Habs first 4 picks; McDonagh/Pacioretty/Subban and Weber. Any chance Moan/Kostitsyn worth a 1st rounder to anyone? not likely eh?

Holland had average weekend, 5 points in 2 games. Gallagher 35 goals in 43 games, nice pace. Bournival has 25 goals in 32 games, not shabby neither! Dietz's eh! great for him, confidence boosting game for sure. 1 more year in WHL:and he should be more than ready for pros. Not sure if he is more promising or is Ellis ( a year and a bit diff in age)? Didier seemed OK with Denver, seemed OK skater and size, but still just freshman and not on PP nor PK yet, so not outstanding, but is long term prospect. Not alot of sense taking a d-man with one of first 4 picks this year. Lots of good looking forwards to pick from in top 60.

Yes, and so it will be the Habs 2011 1st rounder vs the Habs 2012 1st rounder, Mikhail G.

Well, thats 3 good trades this year; as both Kaberle and Bourque are huge upgrades over Spacek and that other hot dog. Congrats Mr.Gauthier I had thought just a 2nd would be good enough for Gill, so if Geoffrion ends up being a 3rd or 4th line LW, just a bonus.

http://habsprospects.hockeyhq.net/ has all Hab draft pick and prospect info

Would be much more keen to try and sign Parise July 1st, than having to sell the farm + pay the Gomez like salary. But interesting if Habs really are on Nash's shortlist?

Cant lump Martin/Carbo treatment of 46 with Cunnyworth's, the first 2 would likely never tell 46 why he was demoted ot sat. 46 has got a raw deal it seems and as i have said numerous times, if they resign him i would be a happy camper and it is always funny when he runs guys over who just dont expect it and he is one who has zero fear of anyone and has bounced of Chara over and over and still will try and finish his check on him (opposite of a chiken-s**t like Cammalleri). But, playing Darche may not be a winning formula, but ol Darchee works his a*s off every game and does exactly what the coach's ask of him and i think he has played very solid lately 9even though he couldnt score on my grandmother). So again i say, he is not playing favorites as Carbo/Martin did and is just playing guys who earn the shifts and arnt making the same mistakes over and over, or not making an honest effort. All i see is good coaching and maybe it is lost on Andrai? But at least if Andrai wants to talk to coach you know he wont get the Martin brush off.

Like Cunnyworth said, Kostitsyn had 3 turnovers in 3 shifts and he should know better, so he sat him, it is not a secret Kostitsyn is prone to fumbling the puck and the coach told him why he was benched. But i really think Andrai has trouble with the language and seemed confused as to why he was sat, when everyone knew the reason. And same as Gomez got sat, and Cunnyworth explained that as well. This is the friggin coaching the team needed in September, dont care what your salary is, or if vet or not, you produce or work hard and you play, if you float and joke around like Gomez, then you sit! Pretty simple and i love Ladacour giving it to the players that dont seem to listen, Subban seems to be keeping it more simple lately and having fewer turnovers and dumb penalties. These 2 coachs will have little difficulty finding a new team to coach and just too bad they wont keep them on. Breath of fresh air to see some emotion behind the bench and accountability. And even when losing a game Cunnyworth does not look like a Chicken with his head cut off, panicking and tossing out a dog's breakfast of line combos like some other coach would!

Dumba is for sure my #1 d-man as well, who i think is just a bit better at everything (skating, shooting, decision making) than Subban is?; Galenchyuk would be best realistically could hope for, a soild skilled centre? He could be anywhere from 3rd to 8th, depending on how his return and playoffs go for him?

I am not one bit leery of DD, like i said, i love his play and think he will only get better, no matter who his linemates are ( i think somone else mentioned that they are leery?) i just see him as the best trade bait the Habs have, with his high production and low salary, and my theory for reshaping the Habs is to trade 1 of the top 2 small(ish) centres the Habs are using at present, for a bit bigger centre with proven 75+point production, like a Stastny for DD/Weber/Kostitsyn package; or a package of Plekanec and whatever. But would be a July 1st trade deal, which is not going to happen, just my idea to increase size up the middle, until the centre (Galchenyuk) we draft this year gets up to speed, say in 2014-15?

Might as well heap on more praise, Holland was the only + player on his team and is now 9th in WHL scoring; Gallagher is 16th but in 15 fewer games, on a team where he is the only real offensive threat to be shut down. 2 super looking Right Wingers, no matter which way you cut it.

Habs last had two 1st round picks in 2007, got Ryan McDonagh and Mr Pacioretty (thank you Craig Rivet for Pacioretty, but moreso for Gorges), if they could get a 1st rounder for Gill, i would be pleasantly shocked, but would be some sweet to repeat with 2 more quality picks like those!

thanks for posting. I will take a Canadian over a Euro/Russian if sort of equal and why i seem to be sold on Gaunce as the safest pick (no, not likely to be 40-50 goal scorer but). But Habs really may be bad enough to be lottery pick and i would try for Galenchyuk/Grigorenko. And if they are gone but Dumba still available, i couldnt pass on him, but i bet Oilers take him over Murray. But OIlers are only 6 points behind Habs with 2 games in hand, so who knows how shakes out by April? Aberg seems to be doing well, but is almost a full year older than Forsberg with same stats and i thought Collberg looked like a smaller Skinner type player, but Habs shy away from Swedes or just a coincidence they never draft them? (cept Nygren) Hertl really stood out at world juniors and he, Faksa or Frk may all turn out great? All are good size and which would be best of those 3? Scouts seem to really like Faksa though. Zemgus Girgensons could be a clone of Kopitar and a 70-80 point guy also (just funny,he seems almost same build and potential)? But for me, if Gauthier can just get an extra 2nd/3rd round pick(s) that would be most important for this crappy year, cause there will be lots of good looking players still to choose from in the 30-90 range.

Not Gill, Moan. and i didnt say Moan nor Kostitsyn is irreplacable, just not sold on whether better to trade or just resign, that all. And i love Desharnais's play and think he will only get better, but if gonna reshape Habs, just cant have Plekanec and Desharnais as top 2 centres. And i think Desharnais is the biggest trade asset Gauthier has, especially at his salary/value, i am sure many rebuilding teams would have an interest in; say a package deal of Desharnais and Weber. I highly doubt Desharnais is going anywhere, but i would shop him for sure, but dealing him or a Plekanec would be more a July 1st deal anyways.

i wouldnt have personality being a factor/consideration, nor outside opinion. Dont feel bad for him, i am sure he dosent feel bad enough to renegotiate a "fair" salary and will cash every one of his cheques (as would i). He should have enough in the bank by now, to buy a fleet of fishing boats in Alaska! I think the first thing is to be put through waivers around the trade deadline isnt it? then someone may bite? i know very unlikely cause he is so overpaid, but who knows? It is the first logical move isnt it?

Love his effort, but he is near retirement and would be happy to see Habs sign him, but as a d-coach. I am guessing deadline day would get most for him? with some other d-men resigning with own clubs. Hawks, Pitts, Caps or Bruins. i would go with typical answer; get a 2nd round pick for him. He will be depth/PK specialist d-man on a contender, so his reduced icetime lately should have little bearing on value, he has been around and GMs know what they will be getting. As with Hamrlik, i will wish him the best and appreciate his play as a Hab; and hope he does go the way of coaching route?

i know, just keep thinking before we trade Moan/Kostitsyn we should make sure we can replace them for what we trade em for at least, or have some plan. Gill/Campoli/that Finn/Weber/Desharnais all can go today and that is great by me, just these 2 i am on the fence about shipping out.

OIlers are only 6 points back with 2 games in hand! I keep saying the Habs aint bad enough for top 5 pick, but maybe i am out to lunch, there are that bad and with a little guttin by Gauthier should seal a lottery pick!

McKenzie's is more accurate in the end, but is more a compilation of scouts than Button's i think? But, yes he does seem to have a different take on many prospects, but draft is a crapshoot and while i dont agree with some of his stuff, he has been around for a while and must of gained some good insight?

so we can trade a 2nd round pick for a body checking 20+ goal scorer in summer? Sweet deal!

i take it Kostitsyn is not one of Cunnywoth's favourites?