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July 1st: Who do we want, who can we get?


Commandant

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Fascinating graphic from the Financial Post (courtesy of JT's excellent blog: http://habsloyalist....6/tax-tilt.html):

http://business.fina...ily-tax-havens/

This really underscores the fundamental competititve disadvantage the Habs face when trying to seduce UFAs. A contract like Moen's, for instance, actually pays him around $200 000 less annually than he'd make in Florida. And the bigger the contract, the bigger the tax hit. It's simply bad business to sign in Montreal unless the Habs are prepared to 'overpay' you relative to low-tax markets. A Parise-like deal yields a differential of over $700 000 per year. Imagine that over the life of (say) a 10-year contract - you're talking $7 million in foregone revenue for the player.

JT's proposed solution - adjusting the salary cap to compensate for taxes - is of course perfectly sensible. But, rather like the excellent idea that fines and traffic tickets should be charged as a % of income rather than a flat rate, or the equally sensible idea of drug legalization, it won't go anywhere. Too bad.

Every player should take in a game in Montreal, feel the passion of the fans, a successful player in Montreal receives God-like admiration, thats something that should count when considering signing with a team.
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I look at the forwards right now as:

Pacioretty - Desharnais - Cole

SPOT - Plekanec - Gionta

Bourque - Eller - Leblanc

SPOT - SPOT - White

Palushaj

If we sign nobody, we're probably looking at:

Pacioretty - Desharnais - Cole

Bourque - Plekanec - Gionta

Geoffrion - Eller - Leblanc

White - Gomez - Palushaj

and with that we might as well call it another top three draft pick season.

I think Bergevin might gamble Bourque in the top six if we can't find a suitable temporary guy for the team. By re-signing Moen he stays as a third line LW and puts Geoffrion in the lineup still. Not the greatest plan but it might be what he'll have to go with if prices get too silly.

Good post. We have major holes right now, thanks mainly to the loss of Cammy and Kostitsyn (and Bourque's failure to show any sign of top-6 worthiness, just as Habs29 predicted) - pretty huge losses considering that our top-6 wasn't terribly intimidating to begin with. In all the excitement over the draft, the new management, etc., it's easy to lose sight of the fact that our team as presently constituted is basically crap. MB has some serious work to do in terms talent on the ice. I don't care how he does it, as long as MaxPac, Price and Subban are not part of any deal.

These two posts cut to the heart of MB's work today, and for the year ahead. Most of the line up questions above are now answered with the Nokia and Moen signings, and we still have Palushaj, Geoffrion, and Gallagher in the wings on the bottom 6. It is interesting to speculate about our need for a 5th Dman who can step up into the top 4 when one of PK, Gorges, Markov and Emelin get hurt, but this is really a secondary consideration. The key question is who replaces Cammy.

Cammy was traded because of attitude, but also because he is small, like Gio and Gallagher. I also still maintain that ownership and management had resolved to tank the season by Dec and wanted to work towards the kind of draft choice we got instead of another 10-20 selection.

The plan has always been to replace Cammy with a top line winger. That is the main focus this offseason, either on the UFA market, or by trade. It is the key to a quick turn around for the proud Montreal Canadiens. Folks are saying we will suck again this season without another quality winger, and I tend to agree, but look at our top four wingers if we DO add another elite player (Max Pac is/will be elite, imo) into the mix - not too shaby.

We are talking about a very big contract for a very big name. This will be MB's first defining moment.

Assumptions:

1) Gomez is gone. One way or another.

2) Bourque, Leblanc and perhaps Gallagher are 3rd line wingers with potential to step into 2nd line roles when required.

3) MB will trade if he cannot get Parise, Doan, or Semin (I am not against one top winger without a hardcore work ethic - Cole, Gio and Patches set an excellent tone)

4) Price, PK and Patches are off the table, but no one else is.

I like the suggestion of trading for Kane, but we are not getting him without giving up one of those three or Galy. Unless, the combo of Pleks + Beauliue is attractive to Chicago, who seem to be falling short with Bolland as a 2C. We'd be giving up one of the best 2Cs in the game in Pleks, but Eller and Galy make for a promising future and DD has proven he can play a 1 or 2C role. I guess Pleks is one of the few significant bargaining chips available to MB.

I am doubtful we want to trade him - he is at the core of so much that is good about these not-so-winning Habs (elite PK, solid work ethic, speed). So that brings us back to Parise, Doan and Semin. My guess is that Semin is the most likely option, but I won't be surprised if MB grabs Parise today for $7-9M per.

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I look at the forwards right now as:

Pacioretty - Desharnais - Cole

SPOT - Plekanec - Gionta

Bourque - Eller - Leblanc

SPOT - SPOT - White

Palushaj

If we sign nobody, we're probably looking at:

Pacioretty - Desharnais - Cole

Bourque - Plekanec - Gionta

Geoffrion - Eller - Leblanc

White - Gomez - Palushaj

and with that we might as well call it another top three draft pick season.

I think Bergevin might gamble Bourque in the top six if we can't find a suitable temporary guy for the team. By re-signing Moen he stays as a third line LW and puts Geoffrion in the lineup still. Not the greatest plan but it might be what he'll have to go with if prices get too silly.

These two posts cut to the heart of MB's work today, and for the year ahead. Most of the line up questions above are now answered with the Nokia and Moen signings, and we still have Palushaj, Geoffrion, and Gallagher in the wings on the bottom 6. It is interesting to speculate about our need for a 5th Dman who can step up into the top 4 when one of PK, Gorges, Markov and Emelin get hurt, but this is really a secondary consideration. The key question is who replaces Cammy.

Cammy was traded because of attitude, but also because he is small, like Gio and Gallagher. I also still maintain that ownership and management had resolved to tank the season by Dec and wanted to work towards the kind of draft choice we got instead of another 10-20 selection.

The plan has always been to replace Cammy with a top line winger. That is the main focus this offseason, either on the UFA market, or by trade. It is the key to a quick turn around for the proud Montreal Canadiens. Folks are saying we will suck again this season without another quality winger, and I tend to agree, but look at our top four wingers if we DO add another elite player (Max Pac is/will be elite, imo) into the mix - not too shaby.

We are talking about a very big contract for a very big name. This will be MB's first defining moment.

Assumptions:

1) Gomez is gone. One way or another.

2) Bourque, Leblanc and perhaps Gallagher are 3rd line wingers with potential to step into 2nd line roles when required.

3) MB will trade if he cannot get Parise, Doan, or Semin (I am not against one top winger without a hardcore work ethic - Cole, Gio and Patches set an excellent tone)

4) Price, PK and Patches are off the table, but no one else is.

I like the suggestion of trading for Kane, but we are not getting him without giving up one of those three or Galy. Unless, the combo of Pleks + Beauliue is attractive to Chicago, who seem to be falling short with Bolland as a 2C. We'd be giving up one of the best 2Cs in the game in Pleks, but Eller and Galy make for a promising future and DD has proven he can play a 1 or 2C role. I guess Pleks is one of the few significant bargaining chips available to MB.

I am doubtful we want to trade him - he is at the core of so much that is good about these not-so-winning Habs (elite PK, solid work ethic, speed). So that brings us back to Parise, Doan and Semin. My guess is that Semin is the most likely option, but I won't be surprised if MB grabs Parise today for $7-9M per.

We resigned Moen so you need to add him to your lineups.

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What it comes down to, is that none of us really know what this team will look like in the next couple of days. I am looking for a new culture which means that I can't be over critical of any move until I see the whole package.

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Let me just add that I would be happy to see the team pay HUGE money, long-term for Parise. Whatever it takes really. It's one mega contract we would never regret.

Is he really worth it, there are so few players that will play there hearts out with a mega contract....and smaller player tend to break down over time...

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These two posts cut to the heart of MB's work today, and for the year ahead. Most of the line up questions above are now answered with the Nokia and Moen signings, and we still have Palushaj, Geoffrion, and Gallagher in the wings on the bottom 6. It is interesting to speculate about our need for a 5th Dman who can step up into the top 4 when one of PK, Gorges, Markov and Emelin get hurt, but this is really a secondary consideration. The key question is who replaces Cammy.

Cammy was traded because of attitude, but also because he is small, like Gio and Gallagher. I also still maintain that ownership and management had resolved to tank the season by Dec and wanted to work towards the kind of draft choice we got instead of another 10-20 selection.

The plan has always been to replace Cammy with a top line winger. That is the main focus this offseason, either on the UFA market, or by trade. It is the key to a quick turn around for the proud Montreal Canadiens. Folks are saying we will suck again this season without another quality winger, and I tend to agree, but look at our top four wingers if we DO add another elite player (Max Pac is/will be elite, imo) into the mix - not too shaby.

We are talking about a very big contract for a very big name. This will be MB's first defining moment.

Assumptions:

1) Gomez is gone. One way or another.

2) Bourque, Leblanc and perhaps Gallagher are 3rd line wingers with potential to step into 2nd line roles when required.

3) MB will trade if he cannot get Parise, Doan, or Semin (I am not against one top winger without a hardcore work ethic - Cole, Gio and Patches set an excellent tone)

4) Price, PK and Patches are off the table, but no one else is.

I like the suggestion of trading for Kane, but we are not getting him without giving up one of those three or Galy. Unless, the combo of Pleks + Beauliue is attractive to Chicago, who seem to be falling short with Bolland as a 2C. We'd be giving up one of the best 2Cs in the game in Pleks, but Eller and Galy make for a promising future and DD has proven he can play a 1 or 2C role. I guess Pleks is one of the few significant bargaining chips available to MB.

I am doubtful we want to trade him - he is at the core of so much that is good about these not-so-winning Habs (elite PK, solid work ethic, speed). So that brings us back to Parise, Doan and Semin. My guess is that Semin is the most likely option, but I won't be surprised if MB grabs Parise today for $7-9M per.

This is pretty much spot on. You're absolutely right that the loss of Cammy - our only elite-level forward - leaves the biggest hole, a real key to a turnaround. You're also correct that we just don't have the depth of talent that will allow us to make a major trade without losing treasured young assets (PK, MaxPac, Galy, maybe Beaulieu) or creating massive new holes in our lineup (Pleks). I'm among those who has absolutely no problem with swinging for the fences on a gigantic, bank-busting contract for Parise, who would transform our team by filling its biggest hole in a spectacular way. Unfortunately, nobody sees us as realistic players in the Parise sweepstakes, and this is probably correct.

Trouble with Doan is he's a RW. That doesn't replace Cammy in terms of roster spot. He'd still be a great acquisition, but not the solution to the deeper problem. I think Ray Whitney as a stopgap - probably on a deal with a longer term than anybody likes - is a much more plausible scenario. And while Latendresse is no Cammy, picking him up on the cheap and hoping he stays healthy might offer a touch of extra insurance, since he can, I believe, play LW. Whitney + Bouque + Lats gives us enough depth at that position to run a platoon in the top-6, as necessary. Along with imporvements on the back end, that's a configuration that should see us back in the playoffs and competitive.

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There is a HUGE differnce between Parise and Cammy. Parise shows up everynight, is ALWAYS willing to go the dirty areas and is a terrific 2 way player.

Funny how Cammalleri was too small, but Zach Parise is the top line winger we should replace him with.

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I don't understand our lack of interest in Wizard. Or maybe he just wanted to stay in the USA. Either way, I loved him as a stop-gap measure.

At his age, only Dallas was willing to risk two years on him. I heard he turned down more money in one year deals because he wanted stability.

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The more I think about it, the more I think Bergevin will be announcing a 2 year contract for Jagr tomorrow afternoon.

Well, lookie what I found :

http://aol.sportingnews.com/nhl/story/2012-07-01/jaromir-jagr-canadiens-flyers-nhl-free-agency?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=jessespector

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Well, lookie what I found :

http://aol.sportingn...gn=jessespector

Exciting, but I've been jilted too many times to get my hopes up, especially by Mr. 'I Use Montreal as a Bargaining Chip to Raise my Value with Other Teams.' It'd be great to see, though.

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Exciting, but I've been jilted too many times to get my hopes up, especially by Mr. 'I Use Montreal as a Bargaining Chip to Raise my Value with Other Teams.' It'd be great to see, though.

Well said.

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Well said.

Jagr wants to play for a contender. I expect Detroit to grab him. Most definitely he'll use Montreal to get a 2 year / $8M deal from somebody else.

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I think we should take a risk with Alexander Semin. Apparently hasn't gotten many calls, if we offered a decent ammount of money, we could try him out. Worth it IMO.

No.....we need character guys not so called "coach-killers"

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