hankhab Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 I know this is not the prospect forum, but lets face it, the Bulldogs win last night, and Price's play throughout the playoffs must be forcing the thought through Gaineys mind..this guy might be ready to play next season. If so, all of our lineup predictions kind of fall apart. I believe Carey Price is a superstar in the making, and if he's the best keeper in camp in this year, the Habs may have to part with a goaltender. I think this is the guy who will carry us to the playoffs and beyond next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psycing Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 While I'm not sure he'll carry the Habs into the playoffs, I just can't see what's left for him to prove or learn at the AHL level. He'll still have to beat out Halak and/or Huet to make the Canadiens next seaosn though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLP Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 another thing to consider is that Huet's value is high right now but he will be a UFA after the season, if Habs are willing to gamble somewhat with young Price starting the season that gives us a strong moveable asset in Huet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davehab Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 I should have gone to that game in Hamilton last night...I'm a dumbass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bacchus Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 another thing to consider is that Huet's value is high right now but he will be a UFA after the season, if Habs are willing to gamble somewhat with young Price starting the season that gives us a strong moveable asset in Huet. That's what I said in another thread. We could package Huet with someone else for all the components we need. Given, of course, that Price makes it impossible for us to send him down in the pre-season. Also, with Halak as a back up, I think it will give Price all the support he needs. Hmmm ... so interesting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShortHanded Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 It's a really tricky situation... Price seems to have greatness written all over him, but how many goalies look like that and then are thrown into the fire too soon, and it stunts their growth??? Whatever the case with him, we're good enough in nets for the present that we don't HAVE to throw him into the fire and jeopardize his future... Here's what I would do: IF Price has an amazing pre-season and outplays Halak, I would keep Price with the big team and let Halak play in Hamilton. I would package Danis off in a trade for something we need (D, centers, details for another thread) and in Montreal, I would play Price and Huet alternately and see how it goes... Sort of the way Aeby and Huet started the year last year. I think this would work because Huet has experience, but also tends to have slow starts, and Price needs the playing time and the experience, but not the pressure of being THE guy in the NHL so soon. Remember, 3 months ago, he was playing Junior... I also have a theory that Huet can't handle playing the bulk of an 82 game schedule. He's played fewer games a season for SO long through out his career, that to expect him to be able to adjust, endurance-wise, at 31 or 32 is just unrealistic. Last year, he started playing badly right after the all-star break, about 45-50 games in, so may-be the two of them SHARING the workload would work in both of their favours. If Price outplays Huet, he gets more starts, but we don't find ourselves stuck in a bad situation if the experiment fails and Price needs more seasoning in the AHL. We just send him down and call up Halak. I WOULDN'T trade Huet and play Price/Halak because both of them have either no or little NHL experience, and I think it's too big of a gamble to take. Let's not lose all our depth at G before we know the depth is ready for the big-time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 Huet floundered the second half of the year, before he was injured. Obviously the D team and 40 shots a game will do that but his value probably isn't as high as people think. Price will be fine, he can with the big club, the problem is now he is probably playing with a better team in Hamilton. Do you want him playing with those lazy goofs all year? Fluery from Pittsburgh did it and he seems to only have gotten better as the team improved. I don't have a problem going with halak and Price next year. Let the other players do something for a change. By the way, who was it who said you can't win wth pluggers and grinders? I said it before, i would much rather have a hard working 2 way team then the garbage thrown on the ice the last 10 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tokyohabs Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 I say bring Price up for the last 6 games of the season and... Aah, destiny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KoZed Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 Hmmm... You'd trust a tandem of Halak and Price? I mean, a 22 and a 20 yrs old who, together, have a grand total of 68 AHL games? Granted, both goalies have improved at a dramatic rate. But even in his first season Roy had Soetart and Penney as "veteran presence". Nothing I'd love more than have Halak and Price as our tandem, but it'd be very very early next season for that. It'd be one hell of a gamble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathieu30 Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 I believe Carey Price is a superstar in the making I think you're right. Hmmm... You'd trust a tandem of Halak and Price? I mean, a 22 and a 20 yrs old who, together, have a grand total of 68 AHL games? Granted, both goalies have improved at a dramatic rate. But even in his first season Roy had Soetart and Penney as "veteran presence". Nothing I'd love more than have Halak and Price as our tandem, but it'd be very very early next season for that. It'd be one hell of a gamble. My very thought. You will not see Price and Halak as 1 & 2 in Montréal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 Yep, i'll trust them. For the reasons i just mentioned. Huet is hot and cold. Never proved anything for an entire season. Halak proved he can play, Price can obviously play. Let there team mates do something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KoZed Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 Let there team mates do something. Yeah, but having a rookie tandem also gives "their team mates" a built in excuse. I think we're very quick turning our back on Huet. I know Price is the "shiny new toy" of the organization, but Huet's an NHL All-Star who saved our previous season. Gotta stay realistic too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brobin Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 I would not bring Price up yet. Stick with Huet for another year. Even Gainey said there is no point bringing up Price to sit on the bench. If he struggles in the NHL and ends up the backup, his growth is stunted. In the AHL, he plays 90 percent of the games, gets lots of work, and improves. He gains even more confidence. He matures. In addition, if you bring him up, you are starting the clock on his FA status. I would be surprised if he is better then Huet right now, facing NHL shooters. As much as I want the next Roy, I don't want to rush him and ruin him either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 They have had built in excuses for the last 10 years. The system, the coaches, too tough to play in Montreal. So what's the difference what the excuses are, they always use them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShortHanded Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 Yeah, but having a rookie tandem also gives "their team mates" a built in excuse. I think we're very quick turning our back on Huet. I know Price is the "shiny new toy" of the organization, but Huet's an NHL All-Star who saved our previous season. Gotta stay realistic too. That's why I think we can do a bit of both... Keep Huet as the veteran presence and give Price a chance to play at the NHL level IF he proves he belongs during camp... as for Gainey/Timmins saying they won't bring Price up to be a back up, Huet has already proven he can't play the bulk of the season the way a true #1 can, so if Price is playing 40 NHL games next season, is that really a back up, or is that splitting the load? Would Price learn more (and would it be better for the team) if Price played all season in the AHL, or 35-40 games in the NHL. Price would win, Huet excels when he's splitting the time... I think this could work... regardless of whether the teammates would use the rookie tandem as an excuse, I think it's just dangerous to trade off Huet and play Price/Halak next year... especially because we have no other goalie, even of back up material, with NHL experience to throw in there if they can't handle it... I'm not worried about their teammates using them as an excuse, I'm worried about them not being able to do it. Let's keep a veteran presence around at least for another year so these guys, our future, can get the experience they need properly... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 Experience In my opinion is over rated, especially wit this team. All this experience can't even make it to the playoffs. look at the Penguins. I'm not sure what Huet will teach 2 goalies who are probably better them him. He has played like 100-125 NHL games or something. he is actually pretty young with experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habsfan24 Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 Kepp Huet around for at least another half of a season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch_Habs_Fan Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 I dont think Price can prove something in trainingcamp, its not like now they can see how good he is. Those are just meaningless practices and meaningless games. He proved something on the World Juniors and Caldercup. That he can play and they he's not affraid and can handle pressure. Its not like in trainingcamp things will change. Now is the time we can cash in on Huet, but i also think that a rookie tandem wont do it for a whole season. So keep Price in the AHL. I know he cant prove more, but a whole season is different from just the playoffs. He will mature, and during the season we can always change things!!(there will still be teams searching for a good goalie, and Huet can still be traded) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athlétique.Canadien Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 As much as it pains me to say. But it wouldn't surprise me if Halak went. I obviously do not want this to happen but Halak as part of a package could fetch huge returns. Moreso than Huet. Huet will be an option to trade to a western club that is fighting for the playoffs and needs a "Huet" calibre goalie. An injury in goal would likely have to pop up around the deadline for the other team in order for this to work. If the deadline is later than it was this year then that changes alot. If it's in February...well, we all saw how that affected decisions didn't we? It handcuffed many teams. My point is that an earlier trade that would catch the other GM's eye alot faster is Halak. He's a projected starter so he's got that going for him. He's also cheap right now. He is perfectly movable and might fetch a good return. They're not going to trade Price. I highly highly doubt that. Huet will start in Montreal no doubt. His experience trumps the abilities of the 2 young gems for now. I was hoping that Halak wouldn't be traded until 2008 or '09 (one day we will have to make a decision on Price or Halak {Eg. Theodore/Garon}). That way he'd be really established by then and he could help our team. Sort of; "don't make the decision to move Halak too quickly like Ferguson did with Rask". I have no idea what they are going to do. But, our bragging rights are deservedly or come very clsoe to being allowed to say that we have THREE NHL high calibre goalies. What awful problems to have Anyone still want Kopitar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathieu30 Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 it wouldn't surprise me if Halak went. Me neither. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saskhab Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 You guys seem to forget that Halak can be sent to the minors next year, he has one year left on his rookie contract. It's not improbable for him to play in the AHL if we think Price is our #1. Then we go with Huet as our backup/1B for the year. If we're in the playoff hunt, we can use Halak as trade bait. Anything's possible. But Huet getting traded seems far fetched. Remember when Pittsburgh had a tandem of Fleury and Caron? Caron got called up the previous year and played well down the stretch. Fleury was a rookie in his first pro season. It was a disastorous tandem, bad for both goalies and the team. We obviously have a stronger team than that Pittsburgh team, but there's a reason no one has a tandem of two goalies closer to 20 than to 25. Plus, the trade market isn't really there for Huet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KoZed Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 They have had built in excuses for the last 10 years. The system, the coaches, too tough to play in Montreal. So what's the difference what the excuses are, they always use them. Hehehe. Too true, sadly. Anyways... Montreal and goalie controversies... Its like death and taxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexstream Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 Yeah, but having a rookie tandem also gives "their team mates" a built in excuse. I think we're very quick turning our back on Huet. I know Price is the "shiny new toy" of the organization, but Huet's an NHL All-Star who saved our previous season. Gotta stay realistic too. Which Huet are you talking about? the one who let the 50 foot GWG in vs Carolina in OT in playoffs 2 years ago? or the one who got beat 6-5 (when we were leading 5-3) vs Toronto last game last season? Huet is a solid goalie. But he's not a winner. If Huet has value on the trade market, JUMP on it and sign a good old vet as a backup (weekes, burke, esche, tbo, cujo, noronen) Problem is, with Gerber, Denis, one of Nabokov or Toskala, etc ALL on the market... Huet has little value... We'd be lucky to get a 2nd rounder... SOOOOOOOOO, let's just keep him as Price backup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athlétique.Canadien Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 You guys seem to forget that Halak can be sent to the minors next year Problem is the org has practically given him the backup job in Montreal. After what he did for us, to put him back in Hamilton in favour of Price probably means Halak's agent having a nasty meeting with BOb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch_Habs_Fan Posted June 8, 2007 Share Posted June 8, 2007 Yeah and Price as backup in Montreal aint very good either. He needs a lot of playing time, so 2 options. Number one in Montreal or Number one in Hamilton, i think the second one is best! And let Danis back him up... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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