A trade has to be brewing.

[Habitforming]

Unless we offer up a pick or good prospect, I don't see a trade happening right now wih any of our D.

The part I do see happening with Dandy playing so much while our youth rots in the press box is a showcase for a waiver move.

We all know Bouillion and Dandy have little to no trade value at this point and yet they have to move out in some way.

Maybe Gainey has a side deal of sorts worked out for one or both D with a team like Washington or Pheonix that can use some subtle D help.

Gainey plays the guys for the first 3-5 games showing what they can do and if the other team agrees they send them to the minors (if they clear) and recall them allowing PHX or WASH to pick them up.

The habs would be on the hook for half the salaries of the claimed players, but it could work out to future considerations later; not to mention free up room for O'Byrne or Gorges right now.

[Tony]

So let me get this straight, one bad game (second of the season may I add) and people are already calling for a trade?

It's quite obvious Gainey is assessing his assets and valuables right now and how is it possible to complete that evaluation when guys like Gorges, Price, Chipchura and Murray haven't laced up the skates for a game yet?

Easy there folks, that's all I'm saying. This is a game by game process right now and no NHL GM has hit the panic button yet (maybe Buffalo but management knows better).

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

So let me get this straight, one bad game (second of the season may I add) and people are already calling for a trade?

It's quite obvious Gainey is assessing his assets and valuables right now and how is it possible to complete that evaluation when guys like Gorges, Price, Chipchura and Murray haven't laced up the skates for a game yet?

Easy there folks, that's all I'm saying. This is a game by game process right now and no NHL GM has hit the panic button yet (maybe Buffalo but management knows better).

What kills me is that it wasn't even that bad a game. It's not like they stunk out the joint! They could very easily have won and worked pretty hard to do so IMHO. Things have gotten ridiculous.

[InsaneHABSfan]

So let me get this straight, one bad game (second of the season may I add) and people are already calling for a trade?

It's quite obvious Gainey is assessing his assets and valuables right now and how is it possible to complete that evaluation when guys like Gorges, Price, Chipchura and Murray haven't laced up the skates for a game yet?

Easy there folks, that's all I'm saying. This is a game by game process right now and no NHL GM has hit the panic button yet (maybe Buffalo but management knows better).

Tony, Good Post!

Huet handed Laughs a goal and Markov handed the Laughs a goal. Should have ended 3-1 for the Habs, but due to stupid plays by a few players (Brisbois most glaring giveaways) the team lost the game as a team. Even on the Laughs first goal, if Huet had gloved the puck instead of dropping it, the Habs might even have shut out the Laughs.

Chalk this one up to experience and lets get the next game.

Wow, Fan 590 is saying Blake on Toronto has a mild form of leukemia - Hope this is treatable....

[Chris]

I think what frustrates people, me included it's the same people making the same mistakes night after night, they never learn. They also have no clue how to hold or play with a lead.

I thought they have looked alot better this year in the D zone, not perfect but better. (after 2 games anyway)

Shot total very good, not too many against.

I don't see any trades coming soon. Ryder and Huet are probably the only players of real value anyway.

I really want to see Chips and Price play, i haven't had the chance to see either one of them play.

[Habsfan24]

Wow, Fan 590 is saying Blake on Toronto has a mild form of leukemia - Hope this is treatable....

I read this too...It sounds like it is very treatable and he should be ok.

It is still scary and I hope he is alright.

[Tony]

Well, the problem with Huet is that he ALWAYS had terrible puck-handling skills and allows on average 2-3 goals a season due to those types of mistakes. I always cringe every time he leaves the crease. Good thing Price's puck-handling skills are already above NHL standards (and are better than Huet).

Chipchura's odds of playing next game are quite high considering they'll need a solid checker versus the offensive dynamo that are the Pens. Call me crazy but the guy I see getting scratched is Latendresse (but it's very unlikely). Not only did he have a bad game versus the Canes, he then had a 40 minute chat with Gainey before the Leafs game and he stunk it up again. Looks like the message wasn't sent.

Either way, any time guys like Gorges and Chipchura will play, who will get the scratch? Bouillon or Brisebois (depending how he plays in other games) for Gorges? Hard to say for the forwards who will take Chipchura's spot in the press-box because everyone aside Latendresse played great and Carbonneau loves Latendresse.

I hope none of these guys are relying on injuries to play.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Well, the problem with Huet is that he ALWAYS had terrible puck-handling skills and allows on average 2-3 goals a season due to those types of mistakes. I always cringe every time he leaves the crease. Good thing Price's puck-handling skills are already above NHL standards (and are better than Huet).

Chipchura's odds of playing next game are quite high considering they'll need a solid checker versus the offensive dynamo that are the Pens. Call me crazy but the guy I see getting scratched is Latendresse (but it's very unlikely). Not only did he have a bad game versus the Canes, he then had a 40 minute chat with Gainey before the Leafs game and he stunk it up again. Looks like the message wasn't sent.

Either way, any time guys like Gorges and Chipchura will play, who will get the scratch? Bouillon or Brisebois (depending how he plays in other games) for Gorges? Hard to say for the forwards who will take Chipchura's spot in the press-box because everyone aside Latendresse played great and Carbonneau love's Latendresse.

I hope none of these guys are relying on injuries to play.

2-3 goals a year...I'll accept that, but several posts on this site have argued that he's an average goalie at best, that we should move him, etc., etc.. All of that is a huge stretch and probably wouldn't even be said if they'd won that one game. Huet is an excellent goalie. He's just not *perfect.*

Latendresse can NOT play like that. It's simply unacceptable. I like him and see him as a major piece of the puzzle for the future, but as it stands I would give him one more game and if he shows no improvement, start scratching him as you suggest, Tony - or even (if it continues) consider sending him down. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and say that his weight-loss has left him with adjustments to make, but ultimately it's about performance. We can't have that kind of garbage in our lineup.

Edited October 8, 2007 by The Chicoutimi Cucumber

[Prime Minister Koivu]

Wanting a trade has nothing to do with our play so far!

We have a log jam. People like Chips and Gorges should not be in the press box and Dandenault should not be on the 4th line.

We need some space.

[MMPL]

See I think we have grit in Chips and O'Bryne but as of right now they are nowhere to be found.

When I said grit, I meant Fighting. We need someone to drop the mitsto send a message that we will defend our players.

any real fighter would have taught Suckdin a lesson, and #56 when he tackled Higgs.

[NILAN/KORDIC]

1st-MMPL....your pic looks alot like George Parros. I agree 100% that we need grit-aka a fighter,goon,policeman,enforcer. I guess they'll wait until our guys start to get run.

[Tony]

What does a log-jam have to do anything with a trade? A trade occurs when your team has a glaring need and must seek options outside the organization and into others to fill that need.

Right now we can only speculate on the teams needs since they've only played 2 stinkin' games! Sure, the need for years in Montreal has been a large center, a great power forward and an offense explosive player but with the depth they have, that won't even get you any of the apparent needs they've been seeking.

A little log-jam (or depth as I prefer to call it) never hurt any body. And be thankful that depth is there. It might look silly since no one is injured but when the injury bug strikes, that log-jam will look like a gold mine.

Nashville's best defensemen (Shea Weber) is gone for a month but the beauty of their defensive depth allows them to find a viable option for that period of time that Weber will miss. Yet, it was that same impressive depth that allowed them to get Forsberg out of Philadelphia but for that move to happen, they had to shore up on an impressive list of youngsters to seal that deal. Montreal does have a good list of youngsters but it's not going to snag you a Forsberg type of guy. Then there's Emery on the IR (assuming he still is). Ottawa has to rely on Brian Elliot for a back up option. Will the team play as confident with Elliot in nets if Gerber gets pulled from a game?

Better yet, look at last season when the Habs had to use Niinimaa on the blue line when Markov, Rivet, Bouillon and such were injured. That wasn't really comforting but knowing that an improved Gorges and O'Byrne can pick up the slack if someone goes down now definitely takes a load of stress off Gainey and Carbonneau (and the team). Same thing when a goalie injury occurs and Halak (or Danis) needs to be called up.

Edit: And then there's forwards such as Lapierre, D'Agostini and Sergei Kostitsyn (and somewhat Ferland) who can all be called up to play a good role on the team if anyone from the club goes down.

[MMPL]

1st-MMPL....your pic looks alot like George Parros. I agree 100% that we need grit-aka a fighter,goon,policeman,enforcer. I guess they'll wait until our guys start to get run.

Yep it is George Perros.

Go onto playoffbeards.com and they have a BUNCH of players drawn up, it's neat.

(Heatly, Pronger, Crosby, Huet, Souray, Neidemayer, Sakic, Alfredson, Sundin, and, Forsberg, to name a few)

[Habitforming]

So let me get this straight, one bad game (second of the season may I add) and people are already calling for a trade?

It's quite obvious Gainey is assessing his assets and valuables right now and how is it possible to complete that evaluation when guys like Gorges, Price, Chipchura and Murray haven't laced up the skates for a game yet?

Easy there folks, that's all I'm saying. This is a game by game process right now and no NHL GM has hit the panic button yet (maybe Buffalo but management knows better).

My post has nothing to do with the players on the ice or their performance.

This is just something that has to be done....we have too many D and a few ready to play in the NHL right now.

[Tony]

Ah I see, well I do agree that the Habs have some depth but do we really have to hope for an injury for those guys to play? Isn't a healthy inner team competition (with everyone being healthy) the best way to go right now?

If no one is going to push someone off the line up than what will assure everyone that the Habs are icing the best possible line up each game? Believe me, when guys like Chipchura, Gorges, Price and Murray will play a game, they'll bring in their A game to play again next game. This will only force the other healthy scratches to kick their game up by a notch and so on for every other game.

[smon]

Regarding someone sticking up for his teammates...I was surprised that neither Begin or Kostopoulos did much of that on Saturday. They both had ample oppurtunity to do so and although neither are enforcer/goon type players they are supposed to play a physical game, and Kostopoulos did drop the gloves frequently with LA (although he sucks at fighting).

[Sir_Boagalott]

Philly is a powerhouse with a garbage Goalie (biron) and Huet would make them, contenders for Lord's stanley.

Umm, that garbage goalie almost beat the most consecutive wins by a goalie in the last 2-3 seasons Eh. So Biron is up there with other sucky goalies like Brodeur and Hasek?

Brodeur and Hasek were the last 2 goalies to come close to the record, and the last time they came close was in the late 90's and early 90's. (each time separated by aboot 8 yrs, including Birons)

The only reason why Biron didnt tie or break the all time consecutive wins was because Lindy Ruff benched him and opted to go with Miller who was returning from an injury. :puke:

Philly definitely doesnt need a Goalie.

Biron>Miller

[MAK]

Biron>Miller

you gotta to be shrooming.

biron is a number one goalie in philly but wouldn't be one on many teams.

only bottom feeders have worse no1 goalies.

[BTH]

2-3 goals a year...I'll accept that, but several posts on this site have argued that he's an average goalie at best, that we should move him, etc., etc.. All of that is a huge stretch and probably wouldn't even be said if they'd won that one game. Huet is an excellent goalie. He's just not *perfect.*

You're probably talking about my posts in the Game Thread (since those ar ethe only Huet posts I know of), which you clearly misunderstood if you are, to which I say: .

[Prime Minister Koivu]

I agree that depth is important but in my opinion we have more than depth. We could drop Bouillon and Dandenault and still have lots of options. We can call up competent help from Hamilton for any position.

My main frustration is Chipchura. The guy needs to play.