Sign Pleks!

[BTH]

It depends on what he is asking. If he wants money based on the last 20 good games then I wait until game 40. If he is still playing at this level, them I might consider it. If he is willing to sign for a reasonable amount that includes his dismal performance last year, then go for it.

This is a contract year and 20 good games. This is not the time to sign a guy unless you are positive he is going to stay this good or get better. Unfortunately, I remember last year all too well. I want to see how he plays when the going gets rough and he is being targeted. People forget that Gomez and company are drawing the top defensive units and Pleks is not getting that much defensive attention, versus last year where most people viewed him and Kovalev as the guys to check.

Smart GMs are the ones that sign guys at a discount when then are struggling a bit, not the GMs that sign on a high note (not in a cap system that is).

On the other hand, if Gainey can't decide one way or the other by January, then trade him before he is worth zero. Don't assume you can sign him in June.

He scored 20 goals last season - weak for a guy that we expected to be our #1 centre (considering he only had about 20 assists), but still not bad at all (considering he was at no point a detriment to the team and was actually a key PK player for us).

He now has three 20-goal seasons in a row - this season should be his fourth - and he already demonstrated near-first line abilities when he scored 69 points two years ago.

This season is nothing new. This is how Pleks is when his confidence isn't in the gutter.

I don't see how we could give him 5M considering all our other big contracts, but I think we need to get him locked up for 4-4.5M per year. Next year would be a weak team but we could ride it out until Hamrlik's contract gets off the books.

[Sir_Boagalott]

Good call, brobin. I admire your cool-headedness on this. I also suggested 40 games, and you've reinforce me in that opinion.

habs_rule, you make some good points, but more than one player - including Streit and Komi - has said that they wanted to re-sign with Montreal, but as matters drifted and time passed, they began to focus more and more on testing the UFA waters. So I'm not sure that Bob's supposed no-negotiation-during-the-season policy is as irrelevant as you say. Certainly, I can imagine myself in that situation: if I made overtures to the team and got politely told to wait, or if the team just showed no particular interest in re-upping me, I too would likely shrug and shift my mentality toward looking elsewhere. So there may be a simple element of human nature involved here.

Yeah, Komisarek really hasn't made a case for himself, either last season or this year so far. He looks harrowingly average, and it's possible that Gainey had him pegged all along.

Personally I'm not that concerned aboot the UFAs hat have walked for "nothing". What really grinds my gears is all the UFAs that wanted to stay that Bob didnt even contact at all during the off seasons. Ironically everybody says Carbo had a lack of communication, but I swear it is Bob who lacks communication more.

Think aboot it: Theres been too many guys who actually liked Montreal, but were making to much to return at their current rates but accepted dirt cheap contracts elsewhere. Why didnt Bob stay in contact with these guys and matched their new lower value contracts? It makes no sense. Look at the list: Bonk made 3+ mil, signed with Nash 1.25, Tangs 5.3 mil, with TB for 2.5, Lang 4 mil, Pho 1 mil, etc. These deals could have been the Habs, if only Bob had communicated with them and showed desired for them to return but we have to fit you into the cap instead of the "oh they'll want to much, dont even call them" attitude.

Sure bringing back Tangs for 2.5 mil and Lang at 1 mil would put Habs over the cap, but not after trading away A Kosts. Who would you rather have for close to 3.5 mil? A Kosts? or Tangs and Lang? Its a no brainer.

Guys who are good enough, and want to play for the Habs at reduced rates should be allowed.

[habs rule]

Personally I'm not that concerned aboot the UFAs hat have walked for "nothing". What really grinds my gears is all the UFAs that wanted to stay that Bob didnt even contact at all during the off seasons. Ironically everybody says Carbo had a lack of communication, but I swear it is Bob who lacks communication more.

Think aboot it: Theres been too many guys who actually liked Montreal, but were making to much to return at their current rates but accepted dirt cheap contracts elsewhere. Why didnt Bob stay in contact with these guys and matched their new lower value contracts? It makes no sense. Look at the list: Bonk made 3+ mil, signed with Nash 1.25, Tangs 5.3 mil, with TB for 2.5, Lang 4 mil, Pho 1 mil, etc. These deals could have been the Habs, if only Bob had communicated with them and showed desired for them to return but we have to fit you into the cap instead of the "oh they'll want to much, dont even call them" attitude.

Sure bringing back Tangs for 2.5 mil and Lang at 1 mil would put Habs over the cap, but not after trading away A Kosts. Who would you rather have for close to 3.5 mil? A Kosts? or Tangs and Lang? Its a no brainer.

Guys who are good enough, and want to play for the Habs at reduced rates should be allowed.

there is absolutely no evidence that these guys would have re-signed at the lower rate. They waited as long as they could to try and get better offers. Only when they realized that there was no one willing to pay them did they accept lesser deals. You also seem to have selective memory..#1 Bob did not want them back. 2. by the time these guys signed out team was 95% done. We had no cap room for them anyway. Here is a good question for you. Are all the ufa's we let go playing in the nhl and of those who are, how many are making more this year than last. There are 2 making more Kovy and Komi. Seems like the rest of the GM's were not all that impressed by these guys either.

[hab29RETIRED]

Pleks and metro are the only significant ufa's (ok really just pleks but I have been very impressed by Metro) this year. So Bob will probably sign them. His theory as best I can tell is that he wants to sign guys that want to be here, and whether he does that now or at the end of the season makes no diff if the guy WANTS to be in Montreal, as we saw in Souray and Komo, they did not want to be in Montreal and they left. That is why I think the signing during the season is a red herring. Bob is known as a fair person who will pay what you are worth, if someone else offers stupid money (streight and ryder) then best of luck. See ya later. Everyone thinks that agents are stupid and will allow their guy to sign for way less than they are worth cause they are 6 months away from free agency. Horse pucky, if I am an agent I am getting my guy the max dollar I can, cause MY income depends on it. Most free agents who sign before they become free agents sign for very close to market value and want to stay where they are. The day of the dummy hockey player getting a jacket to sign are gone people. They have agents who look out for their interests. And in the case of Kovalev, some of them overplay their hand and screw their clients up. Now as to komi the only free agent that we were hepped up to re-sign Bob looks like a genius cause they way that big injured goof is playing now he would be a very expensive Bulldog. Bob has shown that he is a cautious manager who will make very difficult decisions when necessary and that is what we need and want IMHO.

The point is WHY give other teams to offer stupid money???? No matter how much a player wants to stay, if someone does offer stupid money on July 1, i don't blame the player, i blame Gainey. No matter how much a guy likes Montreal, once the habs annual golf season starts, why wouldn't a player want to see what he is worth on July 1. You would think he would have learned the first time from his stupidity, rather then go through the same mismanagement every damn year.

[hab29RETIRED]

It depends on what he is asking. If he wants money based on the last 20 good games then I wait until game 40. If he is still playing at this level, them I might consider it. If he is willing to sign for a reasonable amount that includes his dismal performance last year, then go for it.

This is a contract year and 20 good games. This is not the time to sign a guy unless you are positive he is going to stay this good or get better. Unfortunately, I remember last year all too well. I want to see how he plays when the going gets rough and he is being targeted. People forget that Gomez and company are drawing the top defensive units and Pleks is not getting that much defensive attention, versus last year where most people viewed him and Kovalev as the guys to check.

Smart GMs are the ones that sign guys at a discount when then are struggling a bit, not the GMs that sign on a high note (not in a cap system that is).

On the other hand, if Gainey can't decide one way or the other by January, then trade him before he is worth zero. Don't assume you can sign him in June.

Bingo!!

That's why I am convinced that Gainey is an idiot when it comes to financial cap management. How anyone can sign a guy like Laraque who when healthy would be averaging under 5min of ice time is beyond comprehension.

Edited November 15, 2009 by hab29RETIRED

[hab29RETIRED]

Good call, brobin. I admire your cool-headedness on this. I also suggested 40 games, and you've reinforce me in that opinion.

habs_rule, you make some good points, but more than one player - including Streit and Komi - has said that they wanted to re-sign with Montreal, but as matters drifted and time passed, they began to focus more and more on testing the UFA waters. So I'm not sure that Bob's supposed no-negotiation-during-the-season policy is as irrelevant as you say. Certainly, I can imagine myself in that situation: if I made overtures to the team and got politely told to wait, or if the team just showed no particular interest in re-upping me, I too would likely shrug and shift my mentality toward looking elsewhere. So there may be a simple element of human nature involved here.

Yeah, Komisarek really hasn't made a case for himself, either last season or this year so far. He looks harrowingly average, and it's possible that Gainey had him pegged all along.

That's bunk. Komi and Kovy were the ONLY of our UFA's Gainey wanted to sign. He was willing to offer him $4M/year. Had he tried to sign him long-term 1 1/2 years early, he may have been able to lock him longer term for less then that.

Look at Calgary, they locked up Reghyr who is a comparable player long-term for less money. I don't get why Gainey doesn't offer longer term for less money and lock up guys like other teams do.

Edited November 15, 2009 by hab29RETIRED

[habs rule]

The point is WHY give other teams to offer stupid money???? No matter how much a player wants to stay, if someone does offer stupid money on July 1, i don't blame the player, i blame Gainey. No matter how much a guy likes Montreal, once the habs annual golf season starts, why wouldn't a player want to see what he is worth on July 1. You would think he would have learned the first time from his stupidity, rather then go through the same mismanagement every damn year.

too bad you miss the point. They have agents, agents who want the most money they can get for their guy. Do you honestly think that the deals that happen at 12:01 on ufa day happened that day? In one minute someone gets signed for 5 mill? No! Agents are working on their guys behalf all year long. They tell him I think team x is prepared to pay z$ so don't sign here wait see what they offer and we take the best one. Is it tampering? yeah and it happens in the nhl all the time. And tell me again who was it that signed Markov? oh yeah bob did, but guess what? He wanted to be a habs. To be a habs is a special thing and it has been tarnished in recent years by the numbskulls who ran the team and the idots who run the government in La belle province. I won't be suprised if pleks is gone by christmas. He is a good player but I do not think he wants to stay in Montreal. Any way Bob is the best GM we have had since Sammy and that is good enough for me. Maybe all you guys could tell me who we should hire as GM?

[Habsfan84]

He's the only player playing for the Habs!!

[hab29RETIRED]

too bad you miss the point. They have agents, agents who want the most money they can get for their guy. Do you honestly think that the deals that happen at 12:01 on ufa day happened that day? In one minute someone gets signed for 5 mill? No! Agents are working on their guys behalf all year long. They tell him I think team x is prepared to pay z$ so don't sign here wait see what they offer and we take the best one. Is it tampering? yeah and it happens in the nhl all the time. And tell me again who was it that signed Markov? oh yeah bob did, but guess what? He wanted to be a habs. To be a habs is a special thing and it has been tarnished in recent years by the numbskulls who ran the team and the idots who run the government in La belle province. I won't be suprised if pleks is gone by christmas. He is a good player but I do not think he wants to stay in Montreal. Any way Bob is the best GM we have had since Sammy and that is good enough for me. Maybe all you guys could tell me who we should hire as GM?

Ah, no, I think you missed the point.

Bcoz I think Gainey is probably the only GM in the league who is unable to tie down any of his home grown young talent - OK, sorry, i overlooked Markov. Wow, Gainey has been able to lock up ONE player long term. Funny how other GM's are able to sign their young players long term BEFORE they become RFA's - let alone UFA's. Again use the example of Reghyr (comparable player to Komi), if Gainey had tied up Komi in the summer before he was going to be a UFA, he could have got him to sigh for less.

In interviews, Streit said that he wanted to sign a contract with the habs during the year and was told to wait and then by the time February came around, he decided to try the market.

The point is if you sign a player DURING the bloody season, when there is always a risk of injury to a LONG term contract, players will be willing to trade security for money. However if you are a complete idiot like Gainey and wait until the end of the year, there is no incentive for a player to sign 2-3 months before they are about to become a free agent. Then I agree, only a very stupid agent would allow a player to take a discount.

Talking about numbskulls, Gainey is the only nubmskull who would have been dumb enough to take on Gomez's ridiculous salary. Its going to be really fun negotiating with Pleks when he is playing heads and shoulders above Gomez, yet Gomez is making $7.3M.

Edited November 15, 2009 by hab29RETIRED

[habs rule]

Hmm, geez I guess only Gainey has this problem. Funny how other GM's are able to sign their young players long term BEFORE they become RFA's - let alone UFA's. Again use the example of Reghyr (comparable player to Komi), if Gainey had tied up Komi in the summer before he was going to be a UFA, he could have got him to sigh for less.

In interviews, Streit said that he wanted to sign a contract with the habs during the year and was told to wait and then by the time February came around, he decided to try the market.

The point is if you sign a player DURING the bloody season, when there is always a risk of injury to a LONG term contract, players will be willing to trade security for money. However if you are a complete idiot like Gainey and wait until the end of the year, there is no incentive for a player to sign 2-3 months before they are about to become a free agent. Then I agree, only a very stupid agent would allow a player to take a discount.

Talking about numbskulls, Gainey is the only nubmskull who would have been dumb enough to take on Gomez's ridiculous salary. Its going to be really fun negotiating with Pleks when he is playing heads and shoulders above Gomez, yet Gomez is making $7.3M.

well obviously you need a new team to cheer for cause this is the one we got and I will support it.

a final note, at least we have something to discuss cause a few years ago there was nothing to talk about. the habs were shiit and that was that unanimous decision.

Edited November 15, 2009 by habs rule

[hab29RETIRED]

well obviously you need a new team to cheer for cause this is the one we got and I will support it.

I've been cheering for the habs since I got in to hockey in 1975 and stuck by them through the crappy houle/tremblay years and will stick through them long after BOb Gainey has been fired. You on the other hand seem to be made in the mould of a Leafs fan. Lets cheer on and support mgmt through all of their stupid mistakes. Did you also buy a retro barber pole jersey to support the great centennial celebration cash grab???

well obviously you need a new team to cheer for cause this is the one we got and I will support it.

a final note, at least we have something to discuss cause a few years ago there was nothing to talk about. the habs were shiit and that was that unanimous decision.

You didn't think that the team that played tonight was Shit???

[Sir_Boagalott]

there is absolutely no evidence that these guys would have re-signed at the lower rate. They waited as long as they could to try and get better offers. Only when they realized that there was no one willing to pay them did they accept lesser deals. You also seem to have selective memory..#1 Bob did not want them back. 2. by the time these guys signed out team was 95% done. We had no cap room for them anyway. Here is a good question for you. Are all the ufa's we let go playing in the nhl and of those who are, how many are making more this year than last. There are 2 making more Kovy and Komi. Seems like the rest of the GM's were not all that impressed by these guys either.

I'll go over it 1 more time:

Its a fact that Tangs and Lang signed at lower rates.

Yes, they waited for the best offer and then accepted lesser deals.

Bob didnt think he could get them back, they wanted to much money.

Yes, the team was 95% done.

However, why couldnt have Bob been in touch with them and been given a chance to match? This could have happened and the Habs got the deals on their contracts. Neither of them wanted to leave, so I'm pretty sure both would accepted those contracts to stay where they liked playing. After all the both accepted those contracts at low values to play where they didnt want to go but had to because of no other interest.

Yes, then the Habs would be over the cap.

Yes that what trades are for.

Its not rocket science. Get it now?

[rafikz]

I'll go over it 1 more time:

Its a fact that Tangs and Lang signed at lower rates.

Yes, they waited for the best offer and then accepted lesser deals.

Bob didnt think he could get them back, they wanted to much money.

Yes, the team was 95% done.

However, why couldnt have Bob been in touch with them and been given a chance to match? This could have happened and the Habs got the deals on their contracts. Neither of them wanted to leave, so I'm pretty sure both would accepted those contracts to stay where they liked playing. After all the both accepted those contracts at low values to play where they didnt want to go but had to because of no other interest.

Yes, then the Habs would be over the cap.

Yes that what trades are for.

Its not rocket science. Get it now?

And...

Francis Bouillon is making 750000 $

And we signed Mara and Gill for......... hell, I can't count that high

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

And...

Francis Bouillon is making 750000 $

And we signed Mara and Gill for......... hell, I can't count that high

Mara was a great signing. Gill is a decent signing, he is much underrated around here.

Letting Streit go was unquestionably a mistake. I'm unpresuaded about the rest. Bob offered Komi a generous salary for what now looks like an average D-man and refused to go higher - so my original assertion that he had Komi pegged might in fact be correct. As for Bob not locking up homegrown young talent, the fact is most of that talent has been skull-splittingly average, and I for one am not too troubled that Higgins, Komi and the Kostitsyns are not signed on 8-year deals. We're talking about a GM who has developed exactly two top-4 defencemen (Streit and Komi) and one (!) top-6 forward (Pleks). I don't think we should be calling him a 'numbskull' for not locking that bag of sh*t to long-term deals.

The real issue with Gainey hasn't been contracts. It's been player development.

[habs rule]

I'll go over it 1 more time:

Its a fact that Tangs and Lang signed at lower rates.

Yes, they waited for the best offer and then accepted lesser deals.

Bob didnt think he could get them back, they wanted to much money.

Yes, the team was 95% done.

However, why couldnt have Bob been in touch with them and been given a chance to match? This could have happened and the Habs got the deals on their contracts. Neither of them wanted to leave, so I'm pretty sure both would accepted those contracts to stay where they liked playing. After all the both accepted those contracts at low values to play where they didnt want to go but had to because of no other interest.

Yes, then the Habs would be over the cap.

Yes that what trades are for.

Its not rocket science. Get it now?

you should read your post it makes no sense. on the one hand you admit that team was 95% signed, and then you say we should have kept our options open so we could sign these guys. You can't have it both ways, we signed the guys we wanted and let the others go. period Bob was not going to wait 2 months to see who might sign for a bargain. He got the guys he wanted. I don't think it is rocket science but reading your post is weird science. cause you don't get it. Do you think we should have traded the guys we just signed? Do you realise that we are currently at the league maximum for players? 50. And judging by the lack of interest in these guys Bob was right.

[Sir_Boagalott]

you should read your post it makes no sense. on the one hand you admit that team was 95% signed, and then you say we should have kept our options open so we could sign these guys. You can't have it both ways, we signed the guys we wanted and let the others go. period Bob was not going to wait 2 months to see who might sign for a bargain. He got the guys he wanted. I don't think it is rocket science but reading your post is weird science. cause you don't get it. Do you think we should have traded the guys we just signed? Do you realise that we are currently at the league maximum for players? 50. And judging by the lack of interest in these guys Bob was right.

No really, you are the 1 who isnt making sense.

Sure, Bob acted on July 1st and was 95% done due to cap restrictions. However its a long summer, and the cap doesnt come into effect until the season actually starts. Teams can in fact go over the cap in the summer before the season starts.

hypothetical example: if Kovalchuk had been a UFA this summer, Bob signs Cammy for 6 mil, and Gionta for 5 on July 1st putting the Habs withing 1 mil of the cap. In the begining of August Kovalchuck wants to be a habs, and signed for 11 mil. Bob has the rest of August to trade Cammy & Gionta 11 mil in contract to fit in Kovalchuks 11 mil contract.

Get it? Its not hard.

If Bob had been in contact with Lang, Tangs, and even Cube, and asked for an opportunity to match then the Habs would be the team who got deals on all 3. It highly dont think that Bob didnt want these guys back, its that the Habs couldnt afford them at the rates they were previously making. Had Bob shown interest and asked for a chance to match any contract offer they got, they would all still be Habs now. All 3 wanted to play in Montreal but it was Bob who showed not interest because of what Bob thought they would want. Bob was wrong aboot how much they would sign for and they all signed for way less with teams none of them wanted to play for.

[Colin]

No really, you are the 1 who isnt making sense.

Sure, Bob acted on July 1st and was 95% done due to cap restrictions. However its a long summer, and the cap doesnt come into effect until the season actually starts. Teams can in fact go over the cap in the summer before the season starts.

hypothetical example: if Kovalchuk had been a UFA this summer, Bob signs Cammy for 6 mil, and Gionta for 5 on July 1st putting the Habs withing 1 mil of the cap. In the begining of August Kovalchuck wants to be a habs, and signed for 11 mil. Bob has the rest of August to trade Cammy & Gionta 11 mil in contract to fit in Kovalchuks 11 mil contract.

Get it? Its not hard.

If Bob had been in contact with Lang, Tangs, and even Cube, and asked for an opportunity to match then the Habs would be the team who got deals on all 3. It highly dont think that Bob didnt want these guys back, its that the Habs couldnt afford them at the rates they were previously making. Had Bob shown interest and asked for a chance to match any contract offer they got, they would all still be Habs now. All 3 wanted to play in Montreal but it was Bob who showed not interest because of what Bob thought they would want. Bob was wrong aboot how much they would sign for and they all signed for way less with teams none of them wanted to play for.

You make it sound like it's easy to make trades in the NHL. If teams see the Habs over the cap and desperate, then I can only imagine the whining when Bob is forced to trade someone for WAY less than market value. No, while your way looks good on paper, the reality is that this NHL won't let a team get away with things like that. Montreal would come out far worse.

[habs rule]

No really, you are the 1 who isnt making sense.

Sure, Bob acted on July 1st and was 95% done due to cap restrictions. However its a long summer, and the cap doesnt come into effect until the season actually starts. Teams can in fact go over the cap in the summer before the season starts.

hypothetical example: if Kovalchuk had been a UFA this summer, Bob signs Cammy for 6 mil, and Gionta for 5 on July 1st putting the Habs withing 1 mil of the cap. In the begining of August Kovalchuck wants to be a habs, and signed for 11 mil. Bob has the rest of August to trade Cammy & Gionta 11 mil in contract to fit in Kovalchuks 11 mil contract.

Get it? Its not hard.

If Bob had been in contact with Lang, Tangs, and even Cube, and asked for an opportunity to match then the Habs would be the team who got deals on all 3. It highly dont think that Bob didnt want these guys back, its that the Habs couldnt afford them at the rates they were previously making. Had Bob shown interest and asked for a chance to match any contract offer they got, they would all still be Habs now. All 3 wanted to play in Montreal but it was Bob who showed not interest because of what Bob thought they would want. Bob was wrong aboot how much they would sign for and they all signed for way less with teams none of them wanted to play for.

your pie in the sky answer notwithstanding you now say we should sign guys and trade them immediately so we could get other guys at lower salaries? And this makes sense to you? I would venture to say the first time you pulled that little trick would be the last free agent you ever signed. that probably works in your fantasy league but not in the real world. As to where you get the idea that Bob wanted any of these guys other than komi and kovy is way beyond me. He did not offer them a contract repeat did not offer a contract. He did not want them back. period. he made his decision and that is the end. Maybe now you get it cause you are so far out in left field you could be in right field.

[Sir_Boagalott]

you should read your post it makes no sense.

How could they when I'm replying to your bunk.

your pie in the sky answer notwithstanding you now say we should sign guys and trade them immediately so we could get other guys at lower salaries? And this makes sense to you? I would venture to say the first time you pulled that little trick would be the last free agent you ever signed. that probably works in your fantasy league but not in the real world. As to where you get the idea that Bob wanted any of these guys other than komi and kovy is way beyond me. He did not offer them a contract repeat did not offer a contract. He did not want them back. period. he made his decision and that is the end. Maybe now you get it cause you are so far out in left field you could be in right field.

w/e, your being stupid. I said Bob should have signed Lang and Tangs and traded A Kosts.

the example I gave was hypothetical. This is the 4th time trying to explain a concept most children would get. For the 4th time its not rocket science.

[habs rule]

How could they when I'm replying to your bunk.

w/e, your being stupid. I said Bob should have signed Lang and Tangs and traded A Kosts.

the example I gave was hypothetical. This is the 4th time trying to explain a concept most children would get. For the 4th time its not rocket science.

there is no point in arguing with those who cannot see. Your childish insults reflect on your intellect. you have a nice day now.

[Sir_Boagalott]

You make it sound like it's easy to make trades in the NHL. If teams see the Habs over the cap and desperate, then I can only imagine the whining when Bob is forced to trade someone for WAY less than market value. No, while your way looks good on paper, the reality is that this NHL won't let a team get away with things like that. Montreal would come out far worse.

Well the usual statements of "oh, they are at the cap, absolutely nothing Bob could do" suggest the opposite. Trades are possible Eh.

Sure Bob would loose trading A Kosts, but theres only 1 trade Bob has out right won, so its kinda a moot point. The point is to make the team better for less money. Bob can be classy,but the way he handled Lang and Tangs was highly disrespectful. If Tangs has a NTC with TB, I highly doubt he would consider waiving it to return to Montreal.

OK, heres a better hypothetical scenario: What if after July 1st and Cammy and Gio signed and had Kovalchuck been a UFA last summer, and wanted to play for the Habs for $5 mil/season x 10 yrs. "Oh Habs were at the cap, nothing could be done". BS. Sign Kovalchuk, and trade Hamrlik for a bag of pucks if need be just to dump the salary to fit in a much superior player whos way better dollar value.

Signing guys who with talent who want to play for you for cheap is a no brainier. However Bob has failed to do this every time he could have capitalized on it.

There wasnt room to fit in perennial 60+ pts/year Dumont either. :puke:

JP wanted 2-2.5 mil/yr, and he is currently a 70 pt+ guy making $5 mil/yr. Again smart move Bob.

[Natural Mystic]

rawr! fans booing my favourite line!

oops not the game thread lol

[hab29RETIRED]

I think the longer we wait to to sign Pleks, the more he is going to want. I think you have to wait until Jan 1 to sign, but damn it lay the gorundwork now. Deal with the salary cap implications next summer.

Can you imanine this team with Gomez as the only offensive Centre and no Pleks. There is no one in the system who can replace Pleks and we don't have the money to go after a top tier #1 as long as we have Gomez.

[Habsfan]

I think the longer we wait to to sign Pleks, the more he is going to want.

You are right!

I think you have to wait until Jan 1 to sign, but damn it lay the gorundwork now

That shouldn't stop Bob from getting in touch with Plex's agent and start negotiations...but according to Plex's agent, the Habs have not contacted him.

If you wait til the end of the season, i guarantee that Plex will go somewhere else!! Don't fv.ck this one up BOB, cause if you do, you'll get fired!

[Habsy]

I HATE the salary cap!!! I know that sounds selfish, and probably saved the NHL, but Bob has a problem brewing. My opinion, we've got to sign PLEX. I don't know if it's because he's free of Kovalev, or he, as suggested, easily got into coach Martin's system, whatever. He's become a point per game player. How we do it? I have no clue. Maybe we trade Spacek, resign MAB, and give the difference to Plex, but it's getting to the point that it's a must sign. Oh and Bob, during the season, not after, when it seems to be more difficult.