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Whats going on with Selanne


GOHABSGO22

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I keep hearing rumours about Selanne coming to Montreal on http://hockeyrumors.blogspot.com/ and on http://www.hockeytraderumors.com/. They say "Rumors still abound regarding Selanne and the Montreal Canadians. A source said to me, "He was waiting to be assured that Koivu was staying. Now that Saku has signed, you can add the HAbs to the list again." That list also includes, Atlanta and St. Louis." Is this true? Has anyone heard anything? It's wierd that Selanne hasn't signed with a team yet.

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It's supposed to be true. I'm pretty sure he is considering Montreal but I don't think it's a strong possibility.

I'd rather the habs sign Damphousse than this guy. We can maybe give him about the same deal as Lindros. After all, if he's here for Koivu then Koivu has a 1-year-deal.

And we don't really have room on our top 2 lines. Julien would have to play around a bit.

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The only other moves the Montreal Canadiens will be making is to sing Andrei Markov, Michael Ryder and Jose Theodore, to hit there 22/23 man roster. When that is done their salary cap will stand at about $36 Million dollars which is probably being conservative. It'll probably be closer to $36.5 Million or even $37 Million. They won't be signing Selanne unless he wants to play for the minimum, which I doubt.

Besides, where would he play? You eventually have to give Chris Higgins, Alexander Perezhogin, Thomas Plekanec and Marcel Hossa a shot at the NHL level.

I say Bob Gainey stays were he is roster wise and the Habs make the playoffs.

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If Gainey could land Selänne for a bargain then why shouldn't he?

There will always be injuries and maybe the aqusition of Selänne would make it easier to trade Rivet?

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I believe these rumours about Selanne are coming from Eklund and he's full of s...t. The habs will not sign Selanne for several reasons. First, they have a crop of young players (ie cheaper)to give give opportunities to. Secondly, many of you just don't get yet (like a lot of NHL GM's as well) that you have to manage the cap as much as manage talent. The habs are around 35-36 mill (estimating the price tag for yet unsigned RFA'a). Those teams close to 39mill are going have big problems keeping a team together from year to year - players with good seasons are going to want more each year. Unless you have room under the cap you are going to be losing key players each year. Bringing in young (cheap) talent will be a necessity for successful nhl teams. Thus havng a good supplyt of young talent in the system is vital to remain competitive. Gainey has postioned us well to do this.

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The "young talent" almost never pans out as expected. If you're waiting for the likes of Perezhogin or Kostitsyn to contribute what Selanne could to the team, you're going to be old and grey or dead before it ever comes to pass. If they can sign him short term for a reasonable price, by all means. When it was rumored to be a choice between he and Kovalev a couple of years back, I was rooting for Selanne, because he is a much better team leader, and a class act.

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I'm sorry Beckham but I can give you a long list of "young talent" that panned out for the habs since expansion in 1967. Do you want me to start the list! Hmm Lafleur, Robinson, Gainey, Roy, Theodore, Shutt...would you like me to go on. The Habs have had success by developing their young talent not signing past their prime free agents. We leave that to the Leafs and Flyers :)

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Originally posted by ch_nl

There will always be injuries and maybe the aqusition of Selänne would make it easier to trade Rivet?

I'm sorry but I'm afraid I can't make a connection between acquiring Selanne (a forward) as a means to let Rivet (a defenseman) go. :?- I'd appreciate having that cleared up.

Aside from that, I fully agree with By-Tor. We need to let these young guys come up and prove themselves. They are highly rated for the better part. At worst, some will be third line players.

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Shortcat1, I'll gladly explain.

Craig Rivet is by most Canadiens fan considerd overpaid. Many expected that Gainey would buy out Rivet. He didn't. Why?

I think that Craig Rivet is a leader and the Canadiens don't have many of them. He is also a good friend of Koivu and we know that certain bonds are important. Look what happend to Markov when Oleg Petrov left and how he reacted when Kovalev joined the team.

Today the Habs have one defenceman too many. We will have eight defenceman once Markov is signed and as far as I know all eight have to clear waivers if they will be sent to Hamilton.

Whit all that said the aqusition of Selänne would make it easier for the Canadiens to move Craig Rivet. The Habs would be status quo in leadership and Koivu would have an easier time to see his friend Rivet go. It would also mean that the Canadiens defence squad would be seven.

That's why I think it hypotetical would be easier to move Rivet if they signed Selänne?

Far fetched`?

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Thanks. :/) :clap: :/)

[Edited on 2005/8/17 by shortcat1]

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Originally posted by By-Tor

Hmm Lafleur, Robinson, Gainey, Roy, Theodore, Shutt...would you like me to go on.

...like I said, "old and grey", although I don't think any of them are dead as yet...:eyes:. I could give you a MUCH longer list of all the ones who were expected to be regulars and never were.

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Love the idea of signing Selanne, but we need to focus on the youth movement and signing our core players...Selanne should sign with the Habs at a discount. Let's face it..he's two years removed from a dismal season with poor production on the high powered Avs... He should sign as a habs on the cheap...work hard, produce and then pick up the pieces as an UFA next season...

But, then again, what do I know...ha.ha..

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Originally posted by beckham

I could give you a MUCH onger list of all the ones who were expected to be regulars and never were.

Good grief, beck, the same can be said for all teams in all sports.

To dismiss these kids out of hand is not doing them nor you, for that matter, justice. Them because they may very well click for the team. You because, by making these sweeping statements, you are making your opinions irrelavent.

Then again, you may be like me... you like to stir the waters and step back and watch everything settle. It can be fun.

:ghg::ghg::ghg:

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If the Habs land Selanne then you know someone is getting traded. Their lines are so packed. Selanne would easily be a first or second line guy with the team and that would project Dagenais on a third or fourth (most likely) line that needs in my opinion an enforcer. Dagenais isn't quite the enforcer last time I checked.

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If the Habs were in serious talks with Selanne about coming to Montreal, they would not have gone out and signed Pierre Dagenais.

They are only going to sign Markov, Ryder and Theodore...or attempt to sign them anyways, and thats all. The only possible way Selanne would be signing in Montreal is if it was for the league minimum, as that all the room Montreal has under the cap. without going over the $37 Million dollar total, which is a cushion for injuries and trades at the deadline.

And if they did sign him, they'd have to dump somebody and who would that be? Pierre Dagenais? Look pretty dumb giving him a new contract and then turning around a getting rid of him. Who'd take him anyways?

Can't get rid of Higgins, Hossa, Plekanec or Perezhogin. Why would you trade one of them who could potentially help you for years to come, simply to bring in Selanne who will only help for year or maybe 2. This guy will be 36 this year.

And much like SHortcat 1, I still fail to see how signing Selanne makes it easier to trade Craig Rivet? Even after the explanation.

Nobody is in the market for a 30 year slewfooted defensman, with no offensive upside, and only decent defensive capabilities making almost $2.7 million dollars.

I am actually kinda shocked that Gainey didn't buy him out, but I think thats only because Gainey figures he can resign him next year at a far cheaper salary.

I figure Gainey must have figured he was better than Brisebois, and kept him instead. He also couldn't predict the market, and probably figured he better keep what he has, as he didn't knwo what an upgrade at the position would cost. Which was probably a smart move, because Chicago way overpaid for Aucoin, Columbus spent an absurd amout of money on Adam Foote, and Anaheim went bananas throwing all that money at Neidermayer, never mind Pittsburgh and that absurd deal for Gonchar.

NOpe, I think the Habs should jsut sit back, sign their remaining RFA's, see how their prospects develop this year and maybe make a move next summer when some contracts expire (Koivu, Rivet, Ribeiro, Bulis, Bonk ect) and see whats available, and what prospects have developed postively and who has not.

[Edited on 2005/8/18 by kaos]

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I think I wrote something like this:

"Hypotetical is would be easier to move Rivet"

And Craig Rivet is hard to value. Not many players are valued the way they deserve by Canadians fans. Just look at Brisebois. He signed a 1.5 million deal with the Avs. Rivet may be overpaid but not overpaid enough to be bought out...

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Rivet and Bonk weren't bought out because Gainey saw that we would be fine with their salaries this season and next year he can re-sign them for half as much. They don't have to throw away players when they can just wait a season. It's not like the Habs would have signed a superstar with an extra couple of million or so.

Brisebois was a smart choice though; we have too many Defenseman anyway. Besides, he wanted to leave and Rivet IS our assistant captain.

If we lose a few players this year he might be good for a 1-year, 1-ish million dollar contract. Maybe a little more. But thyere's no way he's at the top of my list.

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Gainey can't resign Bonk next year because he's already signed him to a multi-year contract.

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Let me preface this by saying that I love Rivet's grit, determination and leadership. He battles every single night and plays every single shift the hardest he can (unlike Ribero).

I fear that if the rule changes have the desired effect and if the refs really do start calling clutching, grabbing and interference during the season that it is going to be a very long and difficult winter for Craig in Montreal. I'm no huge fan of Brisbois, but he skates ten times better than Rivet. He also is a much better passer and can be effective on the power play. I don't see Rivet in the top two defensive pairings after December...

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I'm really hoping there is no truth whatsoever with this Selanne to Montreal rumor. I'm not worried right now because we have heard this one in past 3 or 4 off-seasons. Although I'm not one of those who are saying Teemu is washed-up and should retire, I don't think he would be a valuable addition to our club.

It's been quite some time since the team management is saying that our Habs are going to go with youth and let those guys prove what they are worth at training camp. Yet, just when guys like Perezhogin, Higgins and Plekanec are in good position to earn a spot on the opening night line-up, Gainey would sign a 36 year-old veteran UFA? Doesn't make much sense to me.

[Edited on 2005/8/18 by Higgsfan]

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I think Gainey will stand pat, unless he has problems signing any of the 3 remaining restricted free agents. I think Perazoigen (can;t spell) and Higgens and Hainsey will be given every chance to make the team...and also, Chipchura has an outside chance as well.:hlogo:

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Hey Kaos it's no instead of not......anyways, be positive my friend.....I want to see all these kids make it this year because if they can replace what we have going now, then we will have a great team with great trade bait.

The one thing that has really sucked for us habs fans the past few years is come trade dead line we could never get anything good because we had nothing........Things are different now.....We should showcase it all right off the bat.......................of course if they are some what ready which I think they are.

Plekanec, and Higgins are already my late picks in the hockey pool this year!!!!!

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