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Habs deal....


kenadian

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Bet you we'll all know more once October rolls around ... as always, good to see some shacking and backing is going on ... hopefully whatever comes out of the oven will be good!

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This is what these two moves mean to me -

1) Bob will spend his capspace on one big UFA and will not be able to plug the bottom lines with a guy like Mike Johnson who'll mae 2+ million.

2) Bob isn't sure the AHLers will be able to crack the lineup so he's bringing in more players to compete with them for spots. If these two guys can't crack the roster they can atleast challenge the farmers to make them work harder to make the team.

Personally, I think Lahti will crack the line-up and start on the 4th line. But I wouldn't be surprised if he plays a couple of games as Koivu's LW sometime during the season.

two minor things with your assumptions..

One) as much as I believe Johnson and Bonk are plan C's in case as plugs go... the space for ONE big UFA hmmm.... this means the Habs are willing to spend 7+ on a UFA? one I dont know any that are worth it and you forget if Souray doesn't sign for under 5 mil then this means a couple of big UFA's are whats headed There would be room under the cap no use of wasting it on ONE above average player. Back to the plug ins Lahti has never played in north America system, he is no spring chicken but the chances of him making the starting line up in October are slim, I hope he does, but I see him coming over later just before Xmas at the earliest.

Two) Bob is going all out to put those kids in the Big league... in the Habs roster or other teams... besides signings of the nature we've seen today seem to be nothing but Hamilton bound (unless for trade) meaning BOB definitely is sure the players in Hamilton will crack the lineup

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Ryan Russel is a depth move for Hamilton at the center position.

Corey Locke is at the end of his contract. Will play in Europe.

Chipchura will make the team on a shut down line.

Grabovski...i don't know.

If i am not mistaken Urquart is at the end of the line too.

Lahti is a move that puzzle me, it may means that Ryder is on his way out.

Would be cool to have Koivu-Koivu-Lahti line.

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Lahti is a move that puzzle me, it may means that Ryder is on his way out.

Yeah, something may be up here. With Maxwell and Ryan White returning the the WHL (IT'D BE SO COOL IF THEY PLAYED AT THE UNDER 20 JUNIORS FOR :can: WHICH I PREDICT THEY WILL THIS COMING SEASON :D) there is a void in the farm. I think BTH has it right on this one. I also think this clearly spells the end of Bonk and Johnson.

Whether or not this affects the outcome of a Canadiens roster trade we'll know in time. If BOb goes out and does some similar moves like this I will grow suspicious.

Edited by ATHLÉTIQUE.CANADIEN
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Interesting and intriguing moves by BG...

Russell is a depth move for Hamilton, wether a trade is coming or more youth will graduate (Perez opened one more spot).

If Lathi signed with mtl, its to play in mtl. You don't sign a 25 years old pro from europe to send him in the minors. Streit wasn't sent to the minors during his wery difficult rookie season. He was a healty scratch, but not sent down. I think it'll be the same with Lahti.

Here's a little review :

Who do we have under contract?

C: Koivu, Plakanec, Lapierre

So... a) we trade/sign a center or Grabovski graduates and Chips is the injury call-up guy

Out: Bonk

W: Kovy, Higgins, Ryder, Lats, AK46, Bégin

So... two spots are open, one for Lahti, D'Agostini, etc.

Out: Johnson, Samsonov, Murray (or he'll be kept as a hot-dogs eater/depth player)

THEREFORE: if BG wants to TRADE for a star player like Bergeron, Koivu, Bouchard or whoever, it'll cost him propects/players, more than one prospect. So, trading 2-3 players for a star would open 1 or two MORE rooster spots,. Without Lhati and Russell, it'd have been difficult to fill these 4-5 rooster spots with existing prospect (and it would have depleted Hamilton, so a new player like Russell is a good move).

My two cents. Any comments?

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Interesting and intriguing moves by BG...

Russell is a depth move for Hamilton, wether a trade is coming or more youth will graduate (Perez opened one more spot).

If Lathi signed with mtl, its to play in mtl. You don't sign a 25 years old pro from europe to send him in the minors. Streit wasn't sent to the minors during his wery difficult rookie season. He was a healty scratch, but not sent down. I think it'll be the same with Lahti.

Here's a little review :

Who do we have under contract?

C: Koivu, Plakanec, Lapierre

So... a) we trade/sign a center or Grabovski graduates and Chips is the injury call-up guy

Out: Bonk

W: Kovy, Higgins, Ryder, Lats, AK46, Bégin

So... two spots are open, one for Lahti, D'Agostini, etc.

Out: Johnson, Samsonov, Murray (or he'll be kept as a hot-dogs eater/depth player)

THEREFORE: if BG wants to TRADE for a star player like Bergeron, Koivu, Bouchard or whoever, it'll cost him propects/players, more than one prospect. So, trading 2-3 players for a star would open 1 or two MORE rooster spots,. Without Lhati and Russell, it'd have been difficult to fill these 4-5 rooster spots with existing prospect (and it would have depleted Hamilton, so a new player like Russell is a good move).

My two cents. Any comments?

I follow your logic. I hope Lahti doesn't take too long adjusting here, and it's true that the Finns usually play a grittier style... I'd love the younger Koivu on the team, but calling him a Star is a little pre-mature. I'm not sure he's worth 2-3 prospects. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for trading some of our depth for immediate help, and I like the idea of the younger Koivu here, but I wouldn't put him up there with Bergeron for sure (although I think it's possible he'd fit here better than Bergeron would, seeing as he's played for Lemaire in a defensive system and thrived the last couple of years. Still won't do much to replace scoring though. We need POINTS, SIZE, and GRIT right now... Not sure how to add all of these...)

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Interesting and intriguing moves by BG...

Russell is a depth move for Hamilton, wether a trade is coming or more youth will graduate (Perez opened one more spot).

If Lathi signed with mtl, its to play in mtl. You don't sign a 25 years old pro from europe to send him in the minors. Streit wasn't sent to the minors during his wery difficult rookie season. He was a healty scratch, but not sent down. I think it'll be the same with Lahti.

Here's a little review :

Who do we have under contract?

C: Koivu, Plakanec, Lapierre

So... a) we trade/sign a center or Grabovski graduates and Chips is the injury call-up guy

Out: Bonk

W: Kovy, Higgins, Ryder, Lats, AK46, Bégin

So... two spots are open, one for Lahti, D'Agostini, etc.

Out: Johnson, Samsonov, Murray (or he'll be kept as a hot-dogs eater/depth player)

THEREFORE: if BG wants to TRADE for a star player like Bergeron, Koivu, Bouchard or whoever, it'll cost him propects/players, more than one prospect. So, trading 2-3 players for a star would open 1 or two MORE rooster spots,. Without Lhati and Russell, it'd have been difficult to fill these 4-5 rooster spots with existing prospect (and it would have depleted Hamilton, so a new player like Russell is a good move).

My two cents. Any comments?

exactly! only logical to think that the Habs directive is watching and analyzing the farm accomplishments and this regardless of Price's brio. Its an arguable fact that several Dogs are ready for a tryout in the NHL either as options for other teams in dire straights or for us.As I wrote somewhere else I agree with ya its about time that the farm crop has been wanting to be picked and harvested...

would trading for koivu (Minny) be a good move for our team or for the Capt's psychic wellbeing? if Saku does become our second top centre then yes get his brother.

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I don't know anything about Lahti but if he is tough and gritty he's an upgrade to the 3rd and 4th lines. Russell is an AHL move. To fill roster spots of graduates.

Graduates are:

Kosty

lapierre

Chipchura

Ferland or Milroy

O'byrne (Souray's not coming back and the D needs size)

Unless a trade happens i don't know how Grabovski graduates? He can't be a 3rd or 4th line player. Too small and gets hit alot. The Habs have way too many smurfs as it is.

So there are spots on the farm that need to be filled.

They need a real goon as well. Colton Orr and EL Diablo are UFA's i beleive.

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Ryan Russel is a depth move for Hamilton at the center position.

Corey Locke is at the end of his contract. Will play in Europe.

Chipchura will make the team on a shut down line.

Grabovski...i don't know.

If i am not mistaken Urquart is at the end of the line too.

Lahti is a move that puzzle me, it may means that Ryder is on his way out.

Would be cool to have Koivu-Koivu-Lahti line.

Locke will get another year in Hamilton. Milroy, Ferland, Cote, Archer, and Jancevski all are on their 2nd contracts and still learning at the AHL level. Locke is probably further ahead than all of them at the end of his 1st deal (Cote aside). If Gainey says he can envision a NHL future for Locke as a winger, which he did at the Markov press conference, than he should stay. It's the equivelant of quitting college to work on the rigs because it pays better than your part time job at Denny's. If you stick it out, learn all you can, you can have a better life in the long run with that degree.

Chipchura I think will get the Lapierre treatment from a year ago. He's close, but he might benefit from some PP time in the AHL which he would get for a couple months next year.

Grabovski should be in the NHL in some capacity... I don't see a real benefit to send him to the AHL to start next year. I'd say he makes the team out of camp and then see if/where he fits in.

Urquhart will be a #2 or 3 C for Hamilton next season, and Aubin should make it in some role as well. Russell might even be sent back to the WHL for an overage season, or do the ECHL/AHL split if he can't make it immediately.

Lahti I think is a depth guy to begin with, likely a 3rd line move (Perezhogin, Johnson leaving). I assume his salary is somewhere around $500 000. So I don't think this effects Ryder at all.

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I don't know anything about Lahti but if he is tough and gritty he's an upgrade to the 3rd and 4th lines. Russell is an AHL move. To fill roster spots of graduates.

Graduates are:

Kosty

lapierre

Chipchura

Ferland or Milroy

O'byrne (Souray's not coming back and the D needs size)

Unless a trade happens i don't know how Grabovski graduates? He can't be a 3rd or 4th line player. Too small and gets hit alot. The Habs have way too many smurfs as it is.

So there are spots on the farm that need to be filled.

They need a real goon as well. Colton Orr and EL Diablo are UFA's i beleive.

Ferland or Milroy A BIG NOOOOO D'Agostini all the way Ferland and Milroy ain't shhhh.

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Ferland or Milroy A BIG NOOOOO D'Agostini all the way Ferland and Milroy ain't shhhh.

I actually thought Milroy played very well the few games he was up with the big team this year...

Maybe he can be our Fernando Pisani.

??What do you mean??

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I actually thought Milroy played very well the few games he was up with the big team this year...

??What do you mean??

Dependable 3rd liner who can pitch in 15-20 goals and is clutch come playoff time.

CH

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two minor things with your assumptions..

One) as much as I believe Johnson and Bonk are plan C's in case as plugs go... the space for ONE big UFA hmmm.... this means the Habs are willing to spend 7+ on a UFA?

From what I've been reading and understand , yet I don't think anyone has mentioned in these forums is that Gainey has stated that Johnson , Bonk, Abby and Downey will not receive contract offers. In my eyes that clearly is opening up space for farm team promotions as well as openings for these cheaper European signings. Getting rid of these guys definatly gives an extra 7 million to use.

So I'm thinking 2-3 million will be used to fill holes and 5 to get Souray. Buy out Sammy and use the rest for a big UFA. I'm not sure of the actual numbers but I'll bet that Gainey will climb pretty close to the ceiling this year and try and dump Kovalev and one of our goalies by the trade deadline.

Am I missing anything? O-ya Gainey trades both 1st round picks, Locke and Milroy to grab Kane. Kane and both #### make a our third line a scoring machine. Kane just edges out Lil #### for rookie of the year. Huet gets hurt at Christmas and Price takes us to the final , Koivu is MVP. Souray sucks all year and we hate his guts, Kovalev has a career year after he leaves us.... on a line with Ovechkin ( we get some farm help in the trade)........Patrick Roy takes over behind the bench when Carbs has a sudden heart attack during a Leaf game. Higgins scores 50 goals. MAN, this speculation is killing me..... but I do like it......

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I think BTH has it right on this one.

If I had a nickel every time I heard that... ;)

??What do you mean??

During Edmonton's Cup run Pisani had something like 12 goals. He was an average player all year long but emerged as a star during the playoffs (though seemed to slip back top mediocrity after the playoffs).

Lahti is known for his big goals and clutch performances.

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Well I recall that Gainey said in a recent interview that no other UFA's other than Souray would be receiving a contract offer so Johnson and Bonk are gone. I like the Lahti move and am sure that he's ticketed to play in Montreal. He's a LW which is a position where the team is soft and undertalented. His size at 6'2" and 200lbs is ideal for the team. Those who believe he's smaller need to remember that most stats are listed initially when a player is 17-18 and somehow never get updated. He's 25 so he's certainly a lot bigger then he once was. The Russell move shows that the team is seroius about making the atmosphere in the AHL as ideal as possible for the best prospects.

I really can't see Locke in the NHL with Montreal. He's just too slow to be effective with a puck pursuit team as Montreal seems to be becoming. He's a player who should thrive with much better offensive players around him.

I'm looking for to seeing how they draft this year for further evidence of the direction of the team. I think Gainey wants large tough 2 way players to make the team better 5 on 5.

I see the new players in the fall as being

Lahti LW

Jancevski D

O'Byrne D(maybe)

Ferland RW (hits hard and plays 2way)

Chipchura C (takes over 4th line on the way to the 3rd)

call ups - Grabovski , D'Agostini, Milroy

I assume that Kosty will be on the team again and don't list him here because he was on the team when the season ended.

The UFA I think Gainey will sign will be Keith Tkachuk to play with Koivu and Kovalev. I can't see them getting a #1 center in the offseason.

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I don't think this necessarily means that Bonk and Johnson are gone. I imagine that Gainey will let them test the open market, and perhaps try to sign them for a bit less than the other offers, if they are willing.

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Gainey did not say he would not make them offers. He said he would not make them offers before July 1st. I think the addition of Lahti means that Gainey was looking for a cheaper alternative to Johnson for a fourthline line role. That being said, it was great to have Johnson on board and we should consider re-signing him if he's willing to take a big enough paycut.

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Well I recall that Gainey said in a recent interview that no other UFA's other than Souray would be receiving a contract offer so Johnson and Bonk are gone. I like the Lahti move and am sure that he's ticketed to play in Montreal. He's a LW which is a position where the team is soft and undertalented. His size at 6'2" and 200lbs is ideal for the team. Those who believe he's smaller need to remember that most stats are listed initially when a player is 17-18 and somehow never get updated. He's 25 so he's certainly a lot bigger then he once was. The Russell move shows that the team is seroius about making the atmosphere in the AHL as ideal as possible for the best prospects.

I really can't see Locke in the NHL with Montreal. He's just too slow to be effective with a puck pursuit team as Montreal seems to be becoming. He's a player who should thrive with much better offensive players around him.

I'm looking for to seeing how they draft this year for further evidence of the direction of the team. I think Gainey wants large tough 2 way players to make the team better 5 on 5.

I see the new players in the fall as being

Lahti LW

Jancevski D

O'Byrne D(maybe)

Ferland RW (hits hard and plays 2way)

Chipchura C (takes over 4th line on the way to the 3rd)

call ups - Grabovski , D'Agostini, Milroy

I assume that Kosty will be on the team again and don't list him here because he was on the team when the season ended.

The UFA I think Gainey will sign will be Keith Tkachuk to play with Koivu and Kovalev. I can't see them getting a #1 center in the offseason.

I agree pretty much with your ideas.. still Keith Tkachuk to play with koivu and Kovalev I guess but that line needs a Right shot LWinger otherwise Keith Tkachuk shoudl plays in another line

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