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I would be cool with THOSE type of players, but the players suggested, Moore, Halpern, Lang, Bonk, these are not fighters. I was hoping the habs would go after Konopka, or a player like that.

Under JM, vets had a lot more leash than the young guys. I can't recall mistakes that players made but I know they were not perfect. How do players get to become vets? They are played...thats what I am getting at. This team is not lacking for vets as it is: Gomez, Gionta, Cammy, Moen, Gill, Markov, Cole. I just don't get the theory of these 3rd and 4th line marginal players putting the habs over the top. What the habs were missing last year was scoring, not depth on the 3rd and 4th lines.

I want to know if the young players can play, my friend was bemoaning the loss of potential signings of Arnott and Lagenbrunner, but I am happy. I see a lot of people point at teams like Philly, and Boston, who have these young players step up and say "why can't the habs?", the reason as I think Wammy very well put was, we lack faith in them and go get these vets. I seem to be pulling a lot of stuff from Wammys post, but this is the cap age, I'd rather a player like Enqvuist making a mistake and gaining experience at 800k, than a vet making a mistake and getting paid 1.6m, only to see him leave at years end ala Halpern, Lang, etc.

Pens out of the Jagr sweepstakes.

Just heard on Eklund... e5 Habs to gfet Jovanovski and to trade Gorges. Haha

Oh..I just figured teams that lose out on Richards might want to head after Stamkos..

Haha hear what could happen if a team offers him a 1yr/12 million contract? It means that next year he'd still be a RFA and no one could qualify him for less than that...sounds like some dirty pool haha.

So...anyoen think Stamkos will get a RFA offer? Over/under 0.5 RFA offers today?

For a 7th rounder, 5th rounder if he signs.

Agreed with the posts above. If Gomez rebounds this season, imagine what he would be worth next season...productive player, cap hit of 7.2ish, actual salary 4.5, it'd be like a floor teams dream come true. We should all hope Gomez regains his form, also remember that Gomez wasn't the only had under performing this season, it could be the JM system of defense first, but that's here nor there, Cammy, Gionta AND Gomez all need better seasons.

I worry about players who put up higher than normal numbers with Washington due to their play style, he would be a decent replacement I guess, not completely sold on the guy, but he's a better solution than has been presented above.

See this is where I do not get what you're thinking, you act like Gomez is holding the team back then offer up a very aging vet in Modano as a replacement? Wolski was so bad he was bought out, Higgins was tried here, he is not a top 6 player. I watched every habs game this year, there was plenty of times Gomez passed perfectly to a teamate only to have them gaff it. Sure, when you have the puck more than any other player there is going to be cough ups. I chalk it up to a player trying to do too much, cause to be honest how many puck movers did montreal have on the team? Subban....umm Gomez, Eller was good with the puck. I am not against nixing Gomez, but you need someone to replace him, the options you listed were lacking, next year Eller will have more experience and might be ready for more than 3rd line duties.

Players do have bad years, addition by subtraction will not work in this instance I firmly believe. How many times did Gomez lay a perfect pass to his winger only to have them brick on the shot? Moen played a great deal on the 2nd line, he's not a 2nd line player. How many times did Gionta fan on a nice pass from Gomez? People are too blinded by the money, drop Gomez, and then who would you sign? I'd really like to hear a solution. I believe Gomez just had an off year, his play was erratic, but so was Gionta, and Cammy, I see no one mentioning their big contracts. Just be careful what you wish for. On the Lecav talk, there is no way he would manage in Montreal, he would wilt under the french (and english) media, I'd take Gomez over Lecav ANY day.

My worry of fans is they think dumping Gomez will instantly impact the habs in a positive way, there's no way to say for sure, it could end up back firing. Say the habs dump Gomez, the habs have all this cash and then they cannot sign anyone...they would look rather foolish I think.

I am so happy about this....he wants to be here, he could have gotten more on the open market, glad the habs are retaining their home grown talent. See nothing wrong with this deal. Just dreaming about the D pairings... Markov/PK Wiz/Emelin Gill/Gorges Spacek or Markov/PK Wiz/Hammer Gill/Gorges Spacek I am very ok with this D corps.

I dunno if this is habs related enough but tsn has a report that Muller is in Dallas to interview for the coaching job there. http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=367672

I am completely happy with this signing. I don't think that Hammer will be back now nor Wiz. Markov/(Gorges or Subban) Gill/(Gorges or Subban) Spacek/Emelin Weber Maybe something like that?

BrenDittero, there's a big difference in violence vs. severe intent to injure. I love the physical violence in hockey, the checking, the fights, I'm not afraid to admit it. There are a set of standards in hockey, when a player is down, you don't punch him, when a player is in a vulnerable position you don't take advantage of them, and the Bruins continue to ignore there rules. Case in point, last nights TB/Boston game, TB was up 4-2 with a minute left in the game, there was a scrum and Horton and Lucic BOTH gloved punched the TB players, and the announcers were all like "the Bruins are trying to send a message", this is the type of team they are, the type of team who fight other players while holding onto their elbow pads ala Campbell, who attack noted heavyweights Hamrlik and Spacek, who cheap head shot plays ala Ferrance. I'm all for squaring up when it's clear both players want to fight, thats honourable, what the Bruins do is NOT honourable, they intend to hurt other players.

Is Hammer truely gone, he's expressed interest in staying, I just don't like the idea of a slower D to go with another slower D in Gill, and two returning from injury D, in Markov and Gorges.

I am not against keeping Weber, I just don't know where he fits in with Subban, Markov, Gill, Spacek and Gorges. If they do not sign Wiz, maybe he pairs with Spacek?

*shrug* This is all hypothetical anyway, I was just trying to find a situation where the money would match up, I wonder if the habs could work a deal like sending Gomez plus a couple first rounders for a blue chipper prospect on another team. If we feel Gomez is a bum, I suspect other teams feel the same way.

I dunno, Gonchar is better offensively than Hammer, but meh, I don't think there will be any takers, I was trying to find some sort of dealers for Gomez. There will not be a situation where getting rid of Gomez will be a 'win' for the Habs...

What about trying something like: To Ottawa - Weber - Gomez To Montreal - Gonchar Trade one under achiever for another, with Weber in to sweeten the deal, since I really believe that Wiz will be getting a decent contract from someone, in the range that Montreal wouldn't want to match.

Next season, I've love for a slight change in the habs gameplan. They have speed and I'd love it if they forechecked more, we all saw how successful it was when they made the Bruins D nervous, they coughed up the puck, heck we see what happens when the habs D gets forechecked. Now, I'm not saying this year the team could have done this, maybe JM looked at his aging D riddled by injuries and thought, he couldn't do that to them. I'm hoping this is the case anyway. With a more mobile D we could actually pressure the opponents and not have to hang onto dear life everything the other team comes down on the teams goal. I am no expert, so what I propose might not even be successful, I just know that I feel like the habs play better when they are aggressive than when they are passive, they will give up more goals, BUT if you score more then are ahead of the game (and third period 1 goal leads will not cause me to have mild strokes haha).

I've loved the way Tootoo has played in Nashville, a player like that would be great.