Permanent Rumour Thread

[Mr. Nasty]

More on Hossa,

He is likely starting the season on the bench. Don't see how he will be a 30 goal scorer when he can't make the lineup. he had a terrible camp. Straka is on the top line.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/10012007/sport..._keep_hossa.htm

[SAKS-AVENUE]

More on Hossa,

He is likely starting the season on the bench. Don't see how he will be a 30 goal scorer when he can't make the lineup. he had a terrible camp. Straka is on the top line.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/10012007/sport..._keep_hossa.htm

Just keep watching the season unfold, that kid is good. It's like thinking Laps blows because he didn't make the team for the moment, so he had a bad camp, he'll fight his way back in.

But hey, I guess my comments look bad for the moment, I'm still sticking by them.

[Fanpuck33]

Just keep watching the season unfold, that kid is good. It's like thinking Laps blows because he didn't make the team for the moment, so he had a bad camp, he'll fight his way back in.

But hey, I guess my comments look bad for the moment, I'm still sticking by them.

No, it's not like that at all. Laps played part of one season, Marcel Hossa has played two seasons and change. Hossa has not shown anything to make anyone think he'll all of a sudden be a good player. He's at best an average NHLer.

[SAKS-AVENUE]

No, it's not like that at all. Laps played part of one season, Marcel Hossa has played two seasons and change. Hossa has not shown anything to make anyone think he'll all of a sudden be a good player. He's at best an average NHLer.

O.K, so I like him and think he will break out one day and you don't.

[jcc]

O.K, so I like him and think he will break out one day and you don't.

Now that BG and GC both surprised us with whom they kept, I do not think they will be looking for trades... UNLESS, that is, something really sweet comes along. However, this is the beginning of the season. GMs, all of them, are trying to figure out if who they presently have serves them well. It will take some time for things to work themselves out. I two or three months, I should think that BG and GC have a much better idea as to what the current HABS are capable of. And then, they can do one or possible two things: draw upon the better prospects in Hamilton OR trade away some of these prospects along with established NHL'rs for whomever they think will make a different quickly.

So, in my opinion, there will be no trades in the immediate horizon.

[Zowpeb]

Now that BG and GC both surprised us with whom they kept, I do not think they will be looking for trades... UNLESS, that is, something really sweet comes along. However, this is the beginning of the season. GMs, all of them, are trying to figure out if who they presently have serves them well. It will take some time for things to work themselves out. I two or three months, I should think that BG and GC have a much better idea as to what the current HABS are capable of. And then, they can do one or possible two things: draw upon the better prospects in Hamilton OR trade away some of these prospects along with established NHL'rs for whomever they think will make a different quickly.

So, in my opinion, there will be no trades in the immediate horizon.

I can easily see the Habs being a player at the deadline. As either sellers or buyers.

I can also see LA as a prime trading partner. The Kings have depth on D and with a number of young forwards. I could see them looking for goalie help and/or top line RW help. We could certainly have Kovalev and one of Huet/Halak available.

[JMMR]

I can easily see the Habs being a player at the deadline. As either sellers or buyers.

I can also see LA as a prime trading partner. The Kings have depth on D and with a number of young forwards. I could see them looking for goalie help and/or top line RW help. We could certainly have Kovalev and one of Huet/Halak available.

KOVALEV IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE

[Zowpeb]

KOVALEV IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE

Oh, I'm sorry...you're crystal ball must be working really well to see all the way to the trade deadline and in regards to a player who has been disgruntled with the team before...

If the Habs are not doing well by the trade deadline I can easily see them shipping off both Kovalev and Huet, allowing them to clear out a little salary early, give the kids a chance to play more, get other pieces in return and gear up towards the next season. It's actually quite a reasonable expectation. In fact, they would probably be better over the next 3-5 years because of it...even if they were a low seeded playoff team.

[JMMR]

Oh, I'm sorry...you're crystal ball must be working really well to see all the way to the trade deadline and in regards to a player who has been disgruntled with the team before...

If the Habs are not doing well by the trade deadline I can easily see them shipping off both Kovalev and Huet, allowing them to clear out a little salary early, give the kids a chance to play more, get other pieces in return and gear up towards the next season. It's actually quite a reasonable expectation. In fact, they would probably be better over the next 3-5 years because of it...even if they were a low seeded playoff team.

I just do not see the point in trading the best offensive player the Canadiens have right before his contract year. Why would Bob do this rather than last year when there was the issue. Kovalev has played well the first three games and he did apologize to the team. Lets hope he keeps this up for most if not all of the season.

[ShortHanded]

I just do not see the point in trading the best offensive player the Canadiens have right before his contract year. Why would Bob do this rather than last year when there was the issue. Kovalev has played well the first three games and he did apologize to the team. Lets hope he keeps this up for most if not all of the season.

so positive JMMR. "hope" being the operative word in your last sentence. But you're right, I don't think we'll trade Kovy, mostly because I don't think we'd get back a lot of value (he costs too much, is inconsistent, etc.)

[Chris]

Who would want him? Everyone knows the book on him. Underachiever, less then stellar work ethic, problem in the dressing room. Plus 4.5 mill.

Ryder and Huet probably have the most trade value. UFA's at the end of the year.

Streit is also UFA i beleive.

[JMMR]

Who would want him? Everyone knows the book on him. Underachiever, less then stellar work ethic, problem in the dressing room. Plus 4.5 mill.

Ryder and Huet probably have the most trade value. UFA's at the end of the year.

Streit is also UFA i beleive.

Streit needs to be locked up long term by Gainey very soon.

And Kovalev is not a problem in the dressing room.

[BTH]

so positive JMMR. "hope" being the operative word in your last sentence. But you're right, I don't think we'll trade Kovy, mostly because I don't think we'd get back a lot of value (he costs too much, is inconsistent, etc.)

We won't trade Kovalev because Bob knows better.

[SAKS-AVENUE]

We won't trade Kovalev because Bob knows better.

Thank-you

[MAK]

Streit needs to be locked up long term by Gainey very soon.

when guys like O'byrne, valentenko, mcdonagh and maybe emelin( not even naming fischer, carle) are coming over within a few years, the last thing you do is sign defensemen long term. players like streit can be found easily.

only komisarek deserves a long term deal because we don't have enough toughness.

[Zowpeb]

when guys like O'byrne, valentenko, mcdonagh and maybe emelin( not even naming fischer, carle) are coming over within a few years, the last thing you do is sign defensemen long term. players like streit can be found easily.

only komisarek deserves a long term deal because we don't have enough toughness.

Those d-men are at least 3-5 years away from contributing. They need to sign Streit to a 3 or 4 year deal. Plus, he's got enough versatility to play forward if 3 of those prospects prove me wrong.

If you REALLY think these kids will be "ready"(I mean more ready then a final pairing d-man) then you need to look at the LARGE majority of D prospects who aren't "ready" to handle more then a last pairing guy until they're 25 or 26. Look at Komisarek for a close example. He wasn't truly ready until last year and he was a top rated D prospect...and NONE of our D prospects are rated as highly as he was when he was drafted.

[MAK]

Those d-men are at least 3-5 years away from contributing. They need to sign Streit to a 3 or 4 year deal. Plus, he's got enough versatility to play forward if 3 of those prospects prove me wrong.

If you REALLY think these kids will be "ready"(I mean more ready then a final pairing d-man) then you need to look at the LARGE majority of D prospects who aren't "ready" to handle more then a last pairing guy until they're 25 or 26. Look at Komisarek for a close example. He wasn't truly ready until last year and he was a top rated D prospect...and NONE of our D prospects are rated as highly as he was when he was drafted.

I agree that some of these guys won't be ready next year or the year after but If we sign guys like streit long term we'll never know because they wont be able to crack the lineup.

o byrne seemed ready and valentenko played professional hockey in russia. all he needs to do is to get a full season in the ahl and he could be ready next year.

so thats two d men that could be ready. long term contract haven't done much good to the team lately:

kovalev isn't what the team expected;

my guess is that nobody wants dandenault and is two-years-left- at-1.7M contract.

will hamrlik be as good( not that he showed any greatness but it's only 3 games...) in 2 years ??

we also have markov sign long term.

while I agree that high end players should get rewarded with long term contract, I don't think that journey men such as streit, dandenault and bouillon should get long term.

as for the komisarek argument,

-a young guy could be brought up like we(the habs) did with him and be honed in the nhl. he may not have been the great d-man he was last year but he did bring a physical aspect.

-maybe he was overrated by hockey people. I remember when he was drafted that people were talking like he was the next scott stevens. IMO if hes the next lduwig we'll more than OK.

Those d-men are at least 3-5 years away from contributing. They need to sign Streit to a 3 or 4 year deal. Plus, he's got enough versatility to play forward if 3 of those prospects prove me wrong.

If you REALLY think these kids will be "ready"(I mean more ready then a final pairing d-man) then you need to look at the LARGE majority of D prospects who aren't "ready" to handle more then a last pairing guy until they're 25 or 26. Look at Komisarek for a close example. He wasn't truly ready until last year and he was a top rated D prospect...and NONE of our D prospects are rated as highly as he was when he was drafted.

I agree that some of these guys won't be ready next year or the year after but If we sign guys like streit long term we'll never know because they wont be able to crack the lineup.

o byrne seemed ready and valentenko played professional hockey in russia. all he needs to do is to get a full season in the ahl and he could be ready next year. both players bring physicality. an aspect that the team desperately needs.

so thats two d men that could be ready. long term contract haven't done much good to the team lately:

kovalev isn't what the team expected;

my guess is that nobody wants dandenault and is two-years-left- at-1.7M contract.

will hamrlik be as good( not that he showed any greatness but it's only 3 games...) in 2 years ??

we also have markov sign long term.

while I agree that high end players should get rewarded with long term contract, I don't think that journey men such as streit, dandenault and bouillon should get long term.

as for the komisarek argument,

-a young guy could be brought up like we(the habs) did with him and be honed in the nhl. he may not have been the great d-man he was last year but he did bring a physical aspect.

-maybe he was overrated by hockey people. I remember when he was drafted that people were talking like he was the next scott stevens. IMO if hes the next lduwig we'll more than OK.

[BTH]

Those d-men are at least 3-5 years away from contributing. They need to sign Streit to a 3 or 4 year deal. Plus, he's got enough versatility to play forward if 3 of those prospects prove me wrong.

If you REALLY think these kids will be "ready"(I mean more ready then a final pairing d-man) then you need to look at the LARGE majority of D prospects who aren't "ready" to handle more then a last pairing guy until they're 25 or 26. Look at Komisarek for a close example. He wasn't truly ready until last year and he was a top rated D prospect...and NONE of our D prospects are rated as highly as he was when he was drafted.

But how our guys going to become than a bottom pairing defenceman if they're spending their careers in the minors? Once they're NHL ready, and good enough to make the team, they ought to be playing in the NHL.

O'Byrne will be with the team permanently by the end of the year most likely. Emelin is more than NHL ready but I don't think he'll ever come over. Valentenko I think will take a season or two more to make the NHL. McDonagh may very well crack the team as early as next season. These guys are very close to the NHL - aside for Fischer, who will be a long-term project. And that's without naming Weber, Subban or Carle or any other prospects who might surprise us.

I would still sign Streit to a 3 or 4 year deal, he's a useful player and even if the D pairings are full, he's a good forward and can fill in if we have injuries.

[Chris]

Yea, I heard alot of "experts" and publications saying McDonagh may only be a year away.

Don't forget aabout Fisher, he is a real smooth skater, good size and speed. Makes a great first pass. I watched the game over the weekend even though Minnesote stunk it up, Fisher was good, especially in his own end.

[JMMR]

Yea, I heard alot of "experts" and publications saying McDonagh may only be a year away.

Don't forget aabout Fisher, he is a real smooth skater, good size and speed. Makes a great first pass. I watched the game over the weekend even though Minnesote stunk it up, Fisher was good, especially in his own end.

Thats good to hear beacause he was bad at the US jr traning camp, and he is still way to skinny.

[MAK]

Thats good to hear beacause he was bad at the US jr traning camp, and he is still way to skinny.

[JMMR]

When I was about 10 years old I had a lime green T-shirt with him on it. I loved that shirt and 7-up.

[MAK]

When I was about 10 years old I had a lime green T-shirt with him on it. I loved that shirt and 7-up.

I had one too

[Adirondack Bud]

I agree. Fisher was useless at that camp. McDonagh looked head and shoulders above the rest of the D out there while fisher was invisible in the two games I saw him play. I didn't get to see Max play as he was hurt the last day i went. I did overhear someone say Max was the best player on the ice after the first day. He played in the early game that day and I only saw the late game as I was at work. Not sure who it was that said that but they were wearing suits and coming from the section that was blocked off for scouts.

[JMMR]

I agree. Fisher was useless at that camp. McDonagh looked head and shoulders above the rest of the D out there while fisher was invisible in the two games I saw him play. I didn't get to see Max play as he was hurt the last day i went. I did overhear someone say Max was the best player on the ice after the first day. He played in the early game that day and I only saw the late game as I was at work. Not sure who it was that said that but they were wearing suits and coming from the section that was blocked off for scouts.

You were there?