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Hmm...I am confused then. Last year McGratten signed a 2 way deal with the Bruins, and I think he signed for less than some amount which means he wouldn't be claimed by waivers...or was that jsut re-entry waivers and could have been picked up going down?

I thought he was on a two-way deal and would not have to clear waivers?

Is there a deadline to this? Things are work are crazy right now, but I'd like to do something later on in the year, maybe rotating player pics as suggested by the Cumber.

Thats fair enough Brian, do people speculate that the habs HAVE to have a player better than PPG to go far?

Yeap, I know I realize I look like a homer with these projections, but I see Cole really helping this line a lot. With a more offensive D-corps this season too it could lead to more pts, but then again, I am a armchair GM heh. I'll take that bet dlbalr, name your stakes

Plek: 78 Cammy: 87 I'd love to hear peoples thoughts on Markov and Subban. Can Markov be as offensive as he once was, will Subban suffer 'the slump'.

Not sure what ya mean here.

It was a no win situation for Guthier, sign long term, have the 'he has had knee surgery' crew come out bemoaning another long contract to a injury returnee, 1 year deal and the 'we never sign RFA longterm' crew comes out and voices their displeasure.

There was an article around, I forget which site, that stated the reason Gill was signed over Hamrlik was more to do with the fact that Hamrlik would not accept a one year deal but Gill would.

Any goalie of quebec background?

I'm not sure the habs would want a winger for the top 2 lines, that means one of Cole (not likely) or Pax would be demoted to the third line, and I think Paxs great play last year shouldn't earn him a spot on the third line, but thats the fanboy in me, not the armchair GM.

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.