Signing Petry 6 year deal!

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

They aren't getting a big fish. Bergevin will shift around the money and ship out Gilbert to keep a couple million at the deadline. He's never made a deal or big money signing for a forward, even when he had the dough. He's not going to wheel and deal and restructure the team. Bergevin is happy with the status quo, a team good enough to get into the second round for the foreseeable future.

I hope you all enjoyed the buzz from the Petry signing. That'll probably be it for big news until training camp.

Let's put our hands together for Petry and his five goals next year!

Upon what is this pessimism - not to mention contempt for Bergevin's desire to win - based? The Vanek deal? The ruthless purging of Gorges and Gionta? The bold move to get and keep Petry? When Bergevin (wisely) says he won't sell the farm or gut the core, do you interpret that to mean he denies that we need to improve? Why?

[Lovett's Magnatones]

Upon what is this pessimism - not to mention contempt for Bergevin's desire to win - based? The Vanek deal? The ruthless purging of Gorges and Gionta? The bold move to get and keep Petry? When Bergevin (wisely) says he won't sell the farm or gut the core, do you interpret that to mean he denies that we need to improve? Why?

I think the deal is ridiculous. The priorities for this team improving, that have been agreed on by the media and people here are:

1. Scoring

2. Special teams

3. Upgrade on the top-4

Petry doesn't score or help the power play. This is a horrible deal, especially since the team has seven million to sign a gaggle of players. Petry was a part of the team that failed last year, he's not a new addition so I'm really confused as to why people think the team is better-by resigning a player.

This rivals Sekac-Mania last summer. Bergevin has the fan base in his trick bag.

http://youtu.be/BJ7IkhdXb7U

[Machine of Loving Grace]

By that logic, had we traded for Tarasenko and got eliminated, no sense re-signing him since we lost as a team.

Petry was our second best player in the playoffs. Keep him and figure out who needs to be subtracted.

[Guest Stogey24]

I wouldn't be surprised if Petry put up 40pts next season

[Habs30/31]

MB is doing what he can. Fairly good job so far with adding role players to the core he inherited. Waiting and trolling to some how land that big fish.

I would like to see a d of PK, AM, Petry, Nate, Pateryn, Tinordi. Let the three young guys learn from the three vets. Pick 3 pairs and leave them together. Splitting up PK and AM.

[Guest Stogey24]

Tinordi- Petry could be a good pairing one day

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

The Petry deal just seems like common sense to me. The guy stepped in and was our second-best defender. Unless his play was aberrant, that's valuable; it makes us a better team than we'd be without him. If Beaulieu becomes what some expect him to become - a quasi-star - we'll have a hell of a top-4 for years to come.

It was an interesting season in that we actually integrated two rookie defencemen (despite the legend that Therrien hates young players): Beaulieu and Pateryn. Tinordi would complete the trifecta, but unlike some around here, I say he has to earn it; that is, he has to have a solid camp and play well when given his opportunities.

If we could indeed have these three guys as effective regulars by, say, February, it'd certainly free us up to make a value-maximizing deadline deal or two. An appealing scenario.

[Habs30/31]

The Petry deal just seems like common sense to me. The guy stepped in and was our second-best defender. Unless his play was aberrant, that's valuable; it makes us a better team than we'd be without him. If Beaulieu becomes what some expect him to become - a quasi-star - we'll have a hell of a top-4 for years to come.

It was an interesting season in that we actually integrated two rookie defencemen (despite the legend that Therrien hates young players): Beaulieu and Pateryn. Tinordi would complete the trifecta, but unlike some around here, I say he has to earn it; that is, he has to have a solid camp and play well when given his opportunities.

If we could indeed have these three guys as effective regulars by, say, February, it'd certainly free us up to make a value-maximizing deadline deal or two. An appealing scenario.

Pateryn came in at the end and won a spot on the bottom pair. NB was up and down and playing with whoever was considered our worst dman. (brilliant) If thats what you call impressive integration of young d..... you aint watching all the young d around the league.

[Guest Stogey24]

The Petry deal just seems like common sense to me. The guy stepped in and was our second-best defender. Unless his play was aberrant, that's valuable; it makes us a better team than we'd be without him. If Beaulieu becomes what some expect him to become - a quasi-star - we'll have a hell of a top-4 for years to come.

It was an interesting season in that we actually integrated two rookie defencemen (despite the legend that Therrien hates young players): Beaulieu and Pateryn. Tinordi would complete the trifecta, but unlike some around here, I say he has to earn it; that is, he has to have a solid camp and play well when given his opportunities.

If we could indeed have these three guys as effective regulars by, say, February, it'd certainly free us up to make a value-maximizing deadline deal or two. An appealing scenario.

A first round pick with 158 games in the minors under his belt. At some point in time Tinordi has to be given an extended look with the Habs. I said the exact same thing about Beaulieu and he proved be a much better player in the show than he was in the minors.

Mistakes are going to happen as they should, but to say Tinordi hasn't paid his dues in the AHL or hasn't at least earned an extended look out of camp isn't right. This year the kid plays with a CH on his chest or he's traded. That's it, that's all.

[Habs30/31]

A first round pick with 158 games in the minors under his belt. At some point in time Tinordi has to be given an extended look with the Habs. I said the exact same thing about Beaulieu and he proved be a much better player in the show than he was in the minors.

Mistakes are going to happen as they should, but to say Tinordi hasn't paid his dues in the AHL or hasn't at least earned an extended look out of camp isn't right. This year the kid plays with a CH on his chest or he's traded. That's it, that's all.

Kid paid his dues alright. Drafted five years ago. Has played a tough physical game for both the habs and dogs. Been seriously injured laying it on the line fighting the toughest guys in the AHL. If that aint paying his dues i dont know what it is. He is not as talented as say chucky who walked right out of high school onto the habs second line and never spent a shift in the minors. JT is actually the living example of a guy who has paid his dues. You can bet your bottom dollar that if he does not given an extended stretch with the habs (mistakes and all) he, his agent and his dad will tell MB to trade him the hell outta here.

[KoRP]

What I saw in the brief times Tinordi was up, was a kid that was a natural leader, a good skater with some ability to move the puck, crush opponents, and willing to punch some face in for any of his team mates.

Yes I saw mistakes, but no more than Emelin, and certainly less than Gilbert.

He doesn't fish for the puck only with his stick, he can stand you up and take it from you.

I'm pulling for him, because I also think he has earned his chance, and I like what he brings to the lineup.

[ICEWATER77]

There are far too many guys that have proven to not have been ready (ala Tinordi) However, if one can play, they can play.But that's extremely rare as an 18-20 year old. If Tinordi were a righty, he might've beaten Pateryn to the lineup, but that's not happening now regardless of left/right. IMO Pateryn has earned the #3RD spot. The spot that Tinordi couldn't steal was Emelin's..<---Until he is dealt away, I don't see a place in the top 6-7 for Tinordi. Maybe JT's being shopped around by MB? I think he'll stick with the club this season in the 7-8 spot and his Father will bitch for a trade. Don't get me wrong, I do hope he becomes that #2 LD badass, but i'm losing faith in him

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Pateryn came in at the end and won a spot on the bottom pair. NB was up and down and playing with whoever was considered our worst dman. (brilliant) If thats what you call impressive integration of young d..... you aint watching all the young d around the league.

Sorry, I keep forgetting that good player development means giving raw rookies 30 minutes per night for 82 games. That's how you win, after all.

Beaulieu got valuable NHL experience and was a useful, if carefully-managed, contributor. Pateryn established himself as a viable bottom-pairing D-man. Seems sensible enough to me.

[Habs30/31]

Sorry, I keep forgetting that good player development means giving raw rookies 30 minutes per night for 82 games. That's how you win, after all.

Beaulieu got valuable NHL experience and was a useful, if carefully-managed, contributor. Pateryn established himself as a viable bottom-pairing D-man. Seems sensible enough to me.

No they save that for chucky.

Yes MT begrudgingly put the new guys on the bottom pair. Bill Belacheck of the nhl we got here.

Boulion must have refused his calls.

[nihilz]

I think now that Beaulieu is a capable bordering impact player. Tinordi can and will be integrated into the bottom pairing. Pateryn is already well adjusted. These guys already have history & chemistry. I see it all clicking next year. Bergevin has said in the past that he likes all three defensive prospects and thinks they will all make a significant contribution moving forward.

Pateryn's career is taking off as Grabovski's career is crashing. How poetic.

[Guest Stogey24]

What I saw in the brief times Tinordi was up, was a kid that was a natural leader, a good skater with some ability to move the puck, crush opponents, and willing to punch some face in for any of his team mates.Yes I saw mistakes, but no more than Emelin, and certainly less than Gilbert.He doesn't fish for the puck only with his stick, he can stand you up and take it from you.I'm pulling for him, because I also think he has earned his chance, and I like what he brings to the lineup.

Ya, exactly. The kid gets called up stands up for his teammates, lays the body(killed a capitals player). Then they send him back down. Its like management what's him to play this safe structured game with the Habs, but if he does that he can't showcase what got him this far in his career.

There is a point where a player is left too long in the minors. Tinordi is obviously not happy with his situation in Montreal and it would really suck if this kid gets traded before we actually see what kind of player he is the NHL.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

I think now that Beaulieu is a capable bordering impact player. Tinordi can and will be integrated into the bottom pairing. Pateryn is already well adjusted. These guys already have history & chemistry. I see it all clicking next year. Bergevin has said in the past that he likes all three defensive prospects and thinks they will all make a significant contribution moving forward.

Pateryn's career is taking off as Grabovski's career is crashing. How poetic.

Beaulieu I see as growing into a top-4 role for sure - and I look forward to seeing him supplementing Subban in terms of driving the rush. That'll be a handful for opposing teams: they make a game plan for containing Subban, and then out comes Beaulieu in full flight. A nice thought, anyway.

Pateryn looks like he should be able to nail down a bottom-pairing slot, but I'd be careful there. He could progress, but regression is also a possibility. Notwithstanding the lunatic view of some around here that young players are always automatically awesome, I've seen that before, where a guy comes up and plays acceptably for a stretch, then struggles in a year when everyone had expected him to be solid. Unlike Nate the Great, he is not a blue chip prospect. So tempered optimism is probably in order.

I'm quite sure the Habs want Tinordi to succeed. There is no conspiracy to keep him out of the NHL. If he doesn't make the cut it will be because they don't believe he has shown enough to warrant a spot. That'll be on him, not them.

[Jeff Price (no relation)]

By the way, while 2.8 million is okay for an okay bottom pairing 5th or 6th D-man, it's terrible for a depth guy who's sitting in the press box.

This is why Gilbert has to go. Beaulieu and Tinordi and Pateryn SHOULD be regulars next year. There's no place left for him. Or Emelin. (Although if Tinordi doesn't secure his spot, I could see Emelin being there instead...but then we're paying 4.1 million for a bottom pairing d-man, which is way overpriced.) We're better off signing a guy like Weaver again (not that I'd do that) for 1 million than keeping 3 million on the books for injuries.

[DON]

Tinordi started with Habs out of camp last year, 15+minutes in first 3 games and then only 9-10minutes/game till sent down in Nov. He didn't shine in Hamilton, got another 3 game stint with Habs in Feb, then sent down again, was injured in 2 different fights and is now rehabbing wrist surgery.

He has had his opportunity, as had Beaulieu and both are works in progress. Beaulieu showed his inexperience and played like a rookie, but has tantalizing skills and skating and hope this summer he trains hard and finally puts it all together in the fall.

But between Subban, Petry, Beaulieu and Markov is a nice amount of skill.

[Habs30/31]

Beaulieu I see as growing into a top-4 role for sure - and I look forward to seeing him supplementing Subban in terms of driving the rush. That'll be a handful for opposing teams: they make a game plan for containing Subban, and then out comes Beaulieu in full flight. A nice thought, anyway.

Pateryn looks like he should be able to nail down a bottom-pairing slot, but I'd be careful there. He could progress, but regression is also a possibility. Notwithstanding the lunatic view of some around here that young players are always automatically awesome, I've seen that before, where a guy comes up and plays acceptably for a stretch, then struggles in a year when everyone had expected him to be solid. Unlike Nate the Great, he is not a blue chip prospect. So tempered optimism is probably in order.

I'm quite sure the Habs want Tinordi to succeed. There is no conspiracy to keep him out of the NHL. If he doesn't make the cut it will be because they don't believe he has shown enough to warrant a spot. That'll be on him, not them.

Gonchar Gilbert, Weaver, ...........tinordi could have been playing instead of all of them....and developing................MT is scared of the mistakes THAT ARE PART OF DEVELOPING...........so he allows the likes of a Gilbert to make the very mistakes Tinordi gets sent down for.

[Habs30/31]

Tinordi started with Habs out of camp last year, 15+minutes in first 3 games and then only 9-10minutes/game till sent down in Nov. He didn't shine in Hamilton, got another 3 game stint with Habs in Feb, then sent down again, was injured in 2 different fights and is now rehabbing wrist surgery.

He has had his opportunity, as had Beaulieu and both are works in progress. Beaulieu showed his inexperience and played like a rookie, but has tantalizing skills and skating and hope this summer he trains hard and finally puts it all together in the fall.

But between Subban, Petry, Beaulieu and Markov is a nice amount of skill.

Careful, you are including NB and talented in the same sentence. I remember when you could do nothing but slag him.

Tinordi- Petry could be a good pairing one day

Would like to see that.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Gonchar Gilbert, Weaver, ...........tinordi could have been playing instead of all of them....and developing................MT is scared of the mistakes THAT ARE PART OF DEVELOPING...........so he allows the likes of a Gilbert to make the very mistakes Tinordi gets sent down for.

There is a balance to be struck between 'allowing players to make mistakes' and the goals of actually developing a player and winning games. You throw a young defenceman out there in sheltered situations and he still clocks in at -5 in 13 games, which projects to -31 over 82 games, it's problematic for the latter objective. Also, you have to consider whether the player himself is overwhelmed; you don't want a kid's confidence to get destroyed, because that undercuts the first objective. Since the idea that Therrien has some sort of irrational hate-on for young players is completely disproved by the reality of his time as head coach - a period in which Gallagher, Galchenyuk, Beaulieu, Pateryn, and Bournival (among others) have all been integrated into the lineup and 'young veterans' like Subban and Patches have demonstrably grown as players - I don't even know what the hell the argument is about, except maybe some mad notion that we should just throw rookies out there for massive minutes irrespective of any consideration of any kind. Like the idea that Eller 'deserves' a top-line role despite his demonstrable incompetence when playing against top-6 competition, it's just magical thinking.

EDIT: incidentally, the ragging on Gilbert should be tempered by an awareness that he was a pretty strong playoff contributor. We can't have it both ways - crapping on DD because his nice regular-season game is impotent in the playoffs, and crapping on Gilbert because he saves his best for the playoffs. (Not saying Gilbert's anything great, BTW; but the demonization of him by some posters is out of proportion).

[Jeff Price (no relation)]

EDIT: incidentally, the ragging on Gilbert should be tempered by an awareness that he was a pretty strong playoff contributor. We can't have it both ways - crapping on DD because his nice regular-season game is impotent in the playoffs, and crapping on Gilbert because he saves his best for the playoffs. (Not saying Gilbert's anything great, BTW; but the demonization of him by some posters is out of proportion).

Yeah, you can't call him "average" without getting called an unreasonable fanboy.

[DON]

Yup some arm-chair GMs don't care about reality, some always know better than whole Mgmt group of Habs. But, always been that way and some will endlessly find something to complain endlessly about.

Yes Gilbert has brain cramps almost every game, but he also makes enough good plays to be quite serviceable d-man and maybe in 2nd year with team (barring July 1st trade) maybe he will put in a better reg season?

[KoRP]

Well, the old fan boy card gets laid again....

I for one have not blamed management totally for the Tinordi situation, I blame him as well, however with the management in Hamilton the last few years, do you really think it's not partly management's fault?

I know Bergevin wants him to succeed, and he will no doubt have a fair shot this year at camp, and maybe beyond, and it's up to him to make the team keep him there, or they will no doubt trade him this year. I would trade Gilbert first... that's what I'm, saying, and I'm really hoping for Tinordi. Not once indicated it's MT's fault, because we all know I am also an MT fan boy, right?

And all of this still doesn't make Emelin and Gilbert any better.

Also, for all I care about the regular season, DD and Gilbert can take their great contributions elsewhere too, they are not going to lead us to the Stanley cup, even though all their fan boys dream of them being as useful as they see them. Useful, till useless in the spring.