dlbalr

He's a relative of someone in the organization, keeps getting an invite for what can only be that reason.

For buyout purposes, no one will likely claim him right now.

Speaking of Hamrlik, according to JF Chaumont of SRC, he will decide tomorrow on the 1 year offer the Habs have tabled. He wants a 2-3 year deal but the Habs are hesitant to put him into 35+ territory.

A pretty good read/report on Beaulieu: http://www.thescoutingreport.org/nathan-beaulieu-nhl-draft-profile/

According to TVA, Wisniewski, Hamrlik, and Auld will all be let go. If true, there goes my prediction of backup goalie. http://twitter.com/#!/ArponBasu/status/85506179568111616

No point in making a new thread for the one coming up so I'll post invitee notes as they come in. Today, the Habs invited F Etienne Brodeur to camp. He had 53 goals in 68 games with Lewiston (QMJHL) last season.

I said 'interesting' names. As a former Hab and a former 1st round pick, I think that qualifies as interesting to Hab fans. For those who want to bring up the argument that the Habs always give up on youngsters too early, this is an instance where the deal worked out okay for Montreal who wound up with Archambault with the pick they got for Chipchura. Speaking of interesting names, add G Brian Elliott in Colorado to the list. Boy, that deal didn't work out for them.

I'm on the bandwagon of don't touch him with a 10 foot pole. His best role is as a 3rd line two-way centre, at least in my opinion. He also is very streaky offensively. Down the stretch (March 1st to the end of the playoffs), he had 4 goals in 28 games. He also had a 3 goal in 29 games stretch earlier in the season. He isn't the offensive solution and is nowhere worth the 4+ million people are suggesting. Someone will give it to him, I just hope it's not the Habs.

And with the deadline now passed, here are some more interesting names to ponder: F Daniel Carcillo (PHI) F Kyle Chipchura (ANA) F Jake Dowell (CHI) F J-F Jacques (EDM) F Tyler Kennedy (PIT) F Anthony Stewart (WPG) There are several others but these are the biggest names so far that haven't already been mentioned.

1st post updated with the final results. Dawes/Boyd also were let go.

If Pouliot was 21 and in his second season, sure you'd re-sign him. Pouliot was drafted back in 2005 and made his NHL debut in the 2006-07 season and will be 25 to start next year. He now has over 350 games of pro (NHL/AHL) experience. I agree that there's a little upside left but if you qualify him and give him arbitration, his cap hit will be heading towards the $1.5-1.75 M mark simply based on his draft position alone. For what he has brought to the table, that's too much which is one of the reasons why they are letting him go. As for Engqvist, I would have him penciled in with the Habs for next year barring other players being signed and bumping him back to Hamilton.

2 years actually as he had a couple of contract slides.

Add Pyatt to the non-qualified list...with the caveat of course that there's still an hour and change before the deadline.

I thought the conspiracy theory was that Bettman vetoed it as it would have lowered TB's market value when the team was up for sale. That offer came before his insane extension though so I don't count that in my previous statement. Since his extension, there have been no serious takers.

Technically, the Habs didn't qualify him last year and they still kept him around. It just takes away the possibility of salary arbitration. This is similar to what St. Louis is about to do with Matt D'Agostini, interestingly enough. I do think this time they just will let him go though, especially after they had no bites at the draft where he was shopped in a big way. Someone will surely sign him but it will be a 6-figure deal, not the $1.35+ he'd get if he was qualified.

More names of note that are going unqualified: F Matt D'Agostini (STL) - the Blues want to do what the Habs did with Pouliot last year D Sami Lepisto (CBJ) D Mike Lundin (TB) D Anton Stralman (CBJ) - this one really surprises me F Jiri Tlusty (CAR)

Absolutely but he'd also bring a larger cap hit and a much longer-term deal. Couple that with what would instantly become a pressure cooker that we've never seen in the modern era and it's a disaster waiting to happen. There's a reason that Lecavalier has been on the block several times before and that no one has made a pitch for him, he simply has too long of an albatross contract. At least with Gomez, it's only 3 more years.

After last season, I don't think he's in their plans anyway. That's why they had so many invites, hoping one of them would show something potential wise.

Here is the latest on the Habs' QO situation: Confirmed offer received: Mathieu Carle Josh Gorges Kyle Klubertanz Ryan Russell Frederic St. Denis Yannick Weber Ryan White Confirmed no offer received: Dustin Boyd Nigel Dawes Alexandre Picard Benoit Pouliot Tom Pyatt

He wasn't at the first one though there were more Bulldogs at this one than I thought. Maybe I'm thinking about the September one, who knows? At any rate, they really don't need to evaluate Mayer; that coupled with my assumption he's back home overseas is why I think he won't be there.

Semyon Varlamov to the KHL is a report that has popped up. I wonder if he'd stay if he was actually guaranteed a NHL starter's job; if so, perhaps Phoenix/Colorado kicks the tires on him before he puts pen to paper over there?

I too am saddened to see him out of the plans. It could be that he had a previous commitment that caused him to miss the first camp (and I'm wrong about him being let go) but aside from that, I guess they didn't like what he brought. He was injury depth and a possible extra youngster to add to the system, there was no risk on Montreal's part to try him down there.

Milwaukee it is, to be announced tomorrow. http://twitter.com/#...026930176434176 Cunneyworth has long been my pick to replace him but given what I was reading a while back, it seemed as if his preference (and Montreal's) was to stay with the Bulldogs. Probably for the same reason why Muller is now leaving too, more guys seem to get promoted from the AHL than poached as an NHL assistant. I'm sure we'll see some names tossed out for speculation soon enough. Allow me to toss Peter DeBoer out there.

He had surgery this offseason to repair the separated shoulder he played with in the Boston series. The recovery time put his comeback somewhere between late September and November I think. Keeping busy with the site and HWL of course - if you do want to come back, just remember we're on the different boards now.

Chris Drury is the easiest way to get to the floor for teams who need to get to the floor and want to be cheap. Drury may not play at all this year due to injury which precludes a buyout which means insurance would cover some of the salary and whoever got him just wouldn't put him on LTIR (like the Isles did with Streit last year). He's also on the last year of his deal which will entice some teams. (He could screw the Rangers over and invoke his NMC but I don't see that happening). I think unless a team is bringing in a player with a lot of upside (such as Campbell, overpaid but he becomes Florida's #1 D pretty much), they'll be looking at bringing in expirings for pennies on the dollar (such as late picks, career AHL'ers, etc).