Until now it's a monumental disapointment..

[bleu_blanc_rouge]

first, with the team we have RIGHT NOW on the table we're worse than last season's team. why? first because we lost kovy and brisebois (dont get mewrong i hate brisebois) but still.. we tooksteps backwords insted of forward.. we draft carey price insed of a future #1 d-man or powerforward and now we look at our rivals singing very single interessting ufa out there.. god i hope gainey gets NOT ONE but at least two impact ufa because the fans'patience in montreal is very very very limited..just like mine....

Edit: Title again.

[Edited on 2005-8-2 by sakiqc]

[davehabfan]

I'm dissapointed as well until now, but maybe, at least I hope, Gainey is working on a huge multi player deal.

Think of Komisarek, Perezoghin and a draft pick for Vinny? plus signing Dandenault, Selanne and Andre Roy?

[alexstream]

Gainey is waiting for the market to calm down I'm so happy we're not part of this nonsense right now

Souray = 2.3M and roughly equal player to Aucoin (some could even argue that Souray is better) aucoin is 32 and is locked for 4yrs at 16M That literally eats your cap room... what do you do next season without cap room but Lecavalier is begging at the door to receive an offer (younger age UFAs starting next season) we say sorry ? we're committed to older guys? no... we say we're glad we didn't take part of that frenzy and make him the best offer

[kaos]

davehabfan....no way in hell make that trade. Not on your life. Komisarek will be a top defensman and Perezhogin has great skills that will flourish in the new NHL. Tampa would never make that deal anyways

Besides, if Lecavalier has a no trade contract he can be signed as a free agent next year when Tampa can't trade him. And even if they do trade him, theres nothing saying that he'll sign with that team.

And the strong rumours are that he wants to come back to Quebec and play in Montreal.

Also Selanne is washed up, and too old. Need people who are younger and help the team longer. Dandenault would be a nice depth defensman addition, but I'd rather see Hainsey get a shot, cause thats all Dandenault would be replacing.

I believe Gainey is doing the right thing by not signing anybody. I think he can sign one half decent defensman, and a top winger maybe Kariya whos a bit younger and can help for a few years and thats it. Its time to let some of the prospects play like Higgins, Hossa, Perezhogin and Hainsey. They need to be able to show what they can do.

THen next year when the likes of Thornton, Lecavalier and Iginla come up, go for them.

I have extreme faith in Bob Gainey. He knows what he's doing. Everybody should stop complaining about that Carey Price pick. Bob Gainey took the 5th best player in that draft, after RYan, Pouliot and Johnson were gone. And hes not going to be ready to play for atleast 5/6 years anyways, he's only 17. BY then Theodore will be 34/35 and ready to retire, and Price will be ready to step in.

THis Montreal team is close to being the same team, even with Kovalev....who was only there the last few weeks of the season, and did nothing till the playoffs anyways...he completley struggled down the stretch.

Toronto, and Buffalo have gotten worse. Boston is Joe Thornton leaving away from being brutal.

Montreal is in excellent shape to win this division, and with the addition of 1 strong winger and a decent depth defensman and being $6 million or more under the cap, excellent shape to dominate the Northeast division in the future.

I for one am extremely excited

GO HABS GO

[Edited on 2005/8/2 by kaos]

[Edited on 2005/8/2 by kaos]

[Dalhabs]

I agree in letting the younger guys play... I mean.. have Hossa or Perezhogin even gotten a chance on the top lines yet?

[nut62001]

It is great to let the younger guys play but, these younger players need a group of veterans to teach and mentor them . Letting four or five younger players on the ice at the same time could be a big mistake. They need to learn how to play at the NHL level. This could especially be disasterous for young defencmen. This position is probably the most difficult to play. Putting a young fella in this position could do some damage. All I am saying is that we need to sign some veteran players to bring our youngster up to speed with the NHL game. If we have to spend a little money now for our investment in the future we should do it now.

[kaos]

Well as I see it theres only one rookie on defense and thats Hainsey.

And I see maybe three rookies at forward with Higgins, Perezhogin and Hossa. And Hossa has played 30 or so games in the NHL. And with great veterans like Koivu, Bonk, Souray and Rivet theres plenty to learn from.

But I would also agree with signing a depth defensman and a top flight winger

[simonus]

i agree that i would like some good ufas, we do have some amount of vets on the team already. Certainly rivet, souray, koivu, zednik, and bonk are vets that have something to teach the kids.

[Prime Minister Koivu]

I only expect the Habs to sign one Dman and one winger.

The other holes will be filled with the young guys.

[shortcat1]

We already have the veterans to help the rookies. Lots of veterans. Koivu, Sundstrom Souray, Bouillon, Markov, Zednik/Bulis, Bégin are sufficiently experienced and, if they have the ability to do so, lots to show the beginners.

I agree about that suggested trade... NO WAY!

On the whole, I'm not at all disappointed with what Gainey and his team are doing. First, I trust their wisdom in this area and second, I believe, like Kaos and streamer, we're not in that bad a shape and it's better to deal wisely right now in order to be able to get some other talents next year (when they get younger).

:ghg::ghg::ghg::ghg:

[Zowpeb]

Originally posted by davehabfan

I'm dissapointed as well until now, but maybe, at least I hope, Gainey is working on a huge multi player deal.

Think of Komisarek, Perezoghin and a draft pick for Vinny? plus signing Dandenault, Selanne and Andre Roy?

Holy crap!

Please, do everyone a favour and NEVER, EVER, post a trade proposal again...lol.

If this team gives up what are probably it's 2 best young prospects for an INCREDIBLY overrated(by Montreal fans/media) C then I may in fact drive to Montreal and pimp slap Bob Gainey...

As for the pick...please folks, Price will be in the NHL MUCH sooner then 5/6 years. If he was a 4th round pick or later then I'd say it may take 4+ years. The kid is the top goalie prospect in the draft and while he's 17 now he's turning 18 and will likely be in the NHL by 21 at the latest...jmho. He's a savvy pick by Gainey and Savard...Theodore won't be around in a few years and we'll have a top shelf talent waiting to take his spot cheaply, and it also allows us to deal Theodore for a similarly talented, and priced, forward/d-man in a couple years. In the new CBA you gotta believe that goalies like this will have even more value...

Right now, we gotta target one of Hamrlik or Zhitnik(my preferance) and a top shelf forward...I like Satan actually. I'll be shocked if we spend more then those guys would cost.

[bleu_blanc_rouge]

oh come on with ur rookies.. perezhogin and hossa WILLplay even if we get 2 ufa.. what if we dont get any ufa??

zednik- koivu - rookie

ryder - ribeiro - rookie / dagenais

bulis - bonk - rookie

rookie - begin - dandenault?

souray - markov

rookie - rivet

bouillon - rookie

theo - rookie (dannis)

i mean.. that's nonesens to have 10 rookies on the team lol.. get 2 ufa and THEN let rookies like komi, perez, kost, hainsey and higgins play with the 4 remaining spots.. no 10 rookies on the team.. please..

[Dalhabs]

Komi aint a rookie and he is ready for the NHL I think.

[Fanpuck33_]

You forgot Sundstrom on the 3rd line, and Komisarek is no rookie anymore. Did you see him in the playoffs? Hainsey also has played in the NHL for a stretch, though with not as good results.

The only true rookies who have a shot at the team this year, at least in my opinion, are Higgins, Perezhogin, and Plekanec. Ivanans only makes it if they are really desparate for an enforcer.

Anyways, you only listed 7 rookies in that depth chart, not 10.

[bleu_blanc_rouge]

ok sorry if komi played playoffs games and sorry if hainsey saw 5 minutes of ice time 2 years ago, bottom line is neither ne of them has played a full season yet, thats what im talking about when i talk about rookies

[Fanpuck33_]

Originally posted by bleu_blanc_rouge

ok sorry if komi played playoffs games and sorry if hainsey saw 5 minutes of ice time 2 years ago, bottom line is neither ne of them has played a full season yet, thats what im talking about when i talk about rookies

Hainsey: 32 career NHL games = not a rookie

Komisarek: 67 career NHL regular season games plus 7 playoff games = not a rookie

[bleu_blanc_rouge]

u get the idea.. with the team we ACTUALLY have we will get destroyed when we play 8 times the leafs the sens the bruins and some other powerhouses lke the flyers and the pens... we need 2 ufa and EVEN with an ufa like kovy or satan we will still be a little week compared to the others..

[Zowpeb]

Yeah, I Komisarek is definitely not a rookie...still learning some things but good enough to learn in the NHL obviously.

As for Hainsey...I think it's make or break time for him. He's going to get his shot and if he fails to impress then I gotta believe he's as good as gone.

[Fanpuck33_]

Originally posted by bleu_blanc_rouge

u get the idea.. with the team we ACTUALLY have we will get destroyed when we play 8 times the leafs the sens the bruins and some other powerhouses lke the flyers and the pens... we need 2 ufa and EVEN with an ufa like kovy or satan we will still be a little week compared to the others..

Of course we need UFAs, I never denied that. I'm just pointing out errors in your post. a GM would have to be stupid to ice the team you listed, and BG is not stupid. And since when are the Pens a powerhouse? I mean, come on, just becuase they have Crosby doesn't mean they are now a powerhouse. Improved? Yes. But a powerhouse, rotfl.

Originally posted by Zowpeb

As for Hainsey...I think it's make or break time for him. He's going to get his shot and if he fails to impress then I gotta believe he's as good as gone.

No question about that.

[simonus]

one thing not to be forgotten is there is a question as to how good some of these guys will be after the year off. A 35 year old big man who sat for a year could come back slow and injury prone... perhaps some of these big moves and "powerhouse" teams could be big huge dissapointments in the upcoming season... exhibit A) Hasek 2003-04

[Edited on 8/2/2005 by simonus]

[Prime Minister Koivu]

Originally posted by simonus

one thing not to be forgotten is there is a question as to how good some of these guys will be after the year off. A 35 year old big man who sat for a year could come back slow and injury prone... perhaps some of these big moves and "powerhouse" teams could be big huge dissapointments in the upcoming season... exhibit A) Hasek 2003-04

[Edited on 8/2/2005 by simonus]

That is a great point. How many people who didn't play over seas will have a hard time?

Regarding Hasek, I think the guy has mental problems. Remember the crazy stuff he pulled in Buffalo during the playoffs.....then all the stuff that happened in Detroit?

He is nuts

[davehabfan]

OK, OK,OOOOK!

Rumors: Forsberg spotted in Montreal, Kovalev close to signing in MTL, Satan liking MTL proposal.

Our only problem would be defense.

Another rumor on Lecavalier, is he asked his agent to talk to MTL for a trade. He would come here for a little less money, knowing that he'll make a killing on merchandising. MTL would give a player and 2-3 first round drafts.

:hlogo:

[bombTHEice]

Originally posted by davehabfan

OK, OK,OOOOK!

Rumors: Forsberg spotted in Montreal, Kovalev close to signing in MTL, Satan liking MTL proposal.

Our only problem would be defense.

Another rumor on Lecavalier, is he asked his agent to talk to MTL for a trade. He would come here for a little less money, knowing that he'll make a killing on merchandising. MTL would give a player and 2-3 first round drafts.

:hlogo:

Where do you get this day dreams from, guys?!

Forsberg, Kovalev and Satan - who's paying for this? Do we get a special Montréal salary cap?

[Edited on 3-8-05 by HABS Fan Nr.1]

[sakukoivumc11]

Before we go out and sign all these players that everyone has talked about....how about signing what we have so that we know how much money we have left to spend ? We have at least 8 regulars that need to be signed. I don't like this signing UFA's and than turning back to your restricted free agents and telling them that we only have x money left to sign them. They will feel cheated and when they become Unrestricted they will bolt !!