Bulis Will Be Gone

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Bulis is far too popular on this board. Yes, he's got wheels and a sound defensive game, but really, he hasn't shown anything in his time in Montreal that would indicate that he's more than a fast third-line winger. A useful player, sure, but really - what's the big deal?

[kaos]

True, he's popular, but yeah he's replaceable. Theres plenty of guys who can bring what he does to the team and more. Specifically Plekanec and Higgins. And they are cheaper

[GoHabs2002]

True, he's popular, but yeah he's replaceable. Theres plenty of guys who can bring what he does to the team and more. Specifically Plekanec and Higgins. And they are cheaper

Higgins won't be cheaper come two years from now..he's already getting paid 900K, up for renegotiation this summer, I expect him to sign a three-four year contract average 1.5m per season...but Higgy brings more to the table, in the short, medium and long run, than bulis what does.

[weepingminotaur]

I can see both sides of the situation.

On the one hand, Bulis has had a breakout year. He's worked hard and contributed offensively. He's a solid two-way player.

On the other hand, he has a low ceiling in terms of his potential. He'll never be a real sniper and we seem to have an awful lot of these middle-of-the-road players clogging up our roster (Bulis, Zednik, Sundstrom, Ribeiro). We can't fill up our top two lines with guys like Bulis. We need to groom our young talent into real 30+ goalscorers. With Perezhogin, Kostitsyn, and Latendresse waiting in the wings, there's no room for Bulis unless he's willing to accept a third or fourth-line spot.

[JMMR]

Bulis appears to be suiting a more offensive role if this is what he wants I could see him in a smaller market next year. For a million bucks he could wind up on the top two lines of a struggling team.

[shortcat1]

In a pregame discussion with Jacques Demers on RDS-TV, Demers said categorically that Bulis & Sundstrom will NOT be back with the Canadiens next year.

First, I expect BTH will be sorely disappointed. Second, I don't know if it's possible, but can Gainey at the very least get something in return for these guys? Can they be traded for draft choices, for instance?

I'm not talking so much about the bare possibility but the possible likelihood of something being gotten in return for their departure.

It reminds me, though it doesn't fall in the same category, of when the Jays were able to get NOTHING out of the departure of Carlos Delgado. I know that there was a no-trade clause that Delgado held to but still, it hurt to see the Jays get nothing out of this.

I hope the Canadiens get something out of it.

Is it possible?

:king: :hlogo: :king:

[kaos]

I think it might be possible if a team really wants to sign him before he hits the free agent market.

Montreal could get a late draft pick, something like a 6th or 7th or so, transfer his rights to that team and they have first shot at signing him before July 1

And I guess there is always a very, very remote chance of a blockbuster deal involving Aebischer as well maybe with some draft picks or young prospects like Perezhogin or Plekanec.....

Not sure for what, but there is a remote chance.

[JMMR]

Well Bulis hopefully will be inserted in the lineup Saturday. He has put up good numbers this year when given a scoring role and has not been given talened wingers, let him play a game with kovy and zed with Huet in net. I think he may do something special.

[Dutch_Habs_Fan]

I rather give Bulis the time Zednik and Ribs getting on the PP (probably not much cuz both are not performing). Bulis showed more this season than Ribs and Zeddy together. I think we will lose Sunny/Ribs and Zednik after this season, and with adding some youngsters it would be smart to keep Bulis. With all that PP time this evening guys like Bulis should deserve a change once in a while when the normal guys dont collect on the PP!

[ch_nl]

I like Jan Bulis. I think he's been good for the Habs this season and maybe that's why he feel he needs to move.

He will not get a bigger role with the Habs and he feels he have more to give. Maybe with another club then.

[ozhab]

We win a few games, and we're ready to dump a guy who's played his heart out for this team? Give me a break! Bulis is a valuable part of this organization, and I just think it's just a matter of time before he and Gainey agree as to what his role on this team will be..........Know why? Cause. at the end, he's a team player!!

Well said. Over the last few years when the Habs have been thin on scoring players, Bulis was playing a bigger role. Obviously we have a few more options these days (both legitimate and emerging) and subsequently he's been squeezed out of the top lines. But the fact remains Bulis has played in every situation for the Habs and for a long time was an integral part of the penalty kill.

There's no glory in defence for a forward but it sure as hell earns a lot of respect from your team. Guy Carbonneau is living proof. Bonk making $2.4mil is a hefty price to pay for defensive ability and few goals. Could Bulis fill this specialist role even if in the $2mil ballpark?

[JMMR]

2mil is too much for Bulis. Bonk will more then likely remain with the Canadiens so that role will be unavailable.

[Komisarek the Cruncher]

Bulis as been in BG's doghouse ever since BG step up as coach of the team.

Remember that he was suppose to bench him the night he scored 4 goals. Now, he as missed 4 of the last 5 games including last night after playing on Sunday.

Jacques Demers confirmed yesterday on RDS that Bulis and Sundstrom are not coming back next year. Apparently the organization is fed up of is girlyness in the corners and along the boards. He may be good defensively, put BG doesn't want him on his team and he as proven that.

Be realistic guys, with all the forwards we have and potential UFA available this summer, Bulis is gone and not coming back. Instead of resigning Bulis, I'm sure that someone much more physical and ideal for our 3rd line is available as a UFA. Someone similar to a Ian Lapperière type of player.

Bulis as always been a woose and will always remain a woose....and we know how BG feels about wooses.

Edited March 31, 2006 by Komisarek the Cruncher

[kaos]

Well it would seem that most people are of the opinion that Bulis is gone. It only makes sense. With a logjam of players at the forward position, and some of the youngsters needing playing time, it just doesn't seem to worth $1.3 Million or so for a guy like Bulis.

[CerebusClone]

I don't mind Bulis so much, and he's not a bad player. However, he brings nothing to the team that other players are not already bringing. He doen't bring much of an offensive game; he's had his chances over the years, and a few times this season, to play a more offensive role on the top 2 scoring lines, but he always failed. Sure, he's had the occasional hot streak, but in general, he just doesn't produce enough. At his age, there's not much room for improvement.

Defensively, he does a good job, but again, so do other players. Bonk, Begin, Plekanec, Higggins, Sundstrom, and even Koivu and Kovalev have all had their share of success killing penalties, and most of these players can play the shutdown role as well. Also, we can add rookies Lapierre and Chipchura next season who can also play that kind of role, in addition to be much more physical players.

Which leads me to the fact that the team is filled with soft players who are not willing to take a hit to gain control of the puck. The Bulis/Sturm "incident" a few months ago where Bulis dove to avoid Sturm, and was forced to take a hooking penalty so that Sturm wouldn't get a breakaway was a perfect example of what Gainey dislikes in Bulis. There's nothing wrong with having a couple of softer (but more skilled guys) on the roster, but we just have too many. Besides, Bulis doesn't produce enough to justify his soft play (like Pierre Turgeon did with great offensive numbers).

[Athlétique.Canadien]

Exactly, which is why crafty GM's are going to be so important in the future. Hopefully Gainey can find a way to deal guys like Aebischer, Bulis, Zednik and maybe some prospects for something this team needs.

But if we lose Bulis for nothing, so be it. That seems to be the way things are going.

If Zednik (I know you hope) starts getting a shot percentage at 30% in the playoffs again, no one will worry about him.

Cross fingers

[kaos]

I'd be happy with a couple of first round goals from him. That woud suffice

[bombTHEice]

I only hope that Bulis will accept his role on the team but it seems like it's too late. He's a good 3rd liner, nothing more, nothing less and it would have been great to have him with the team for some more seasons. We need those depth, we can't put in all of our rookies and hope that they start scoring at some point. I hate seeing Bulis going for nothing, we really could need him.

[weepingminotaur]

Bulis has overachieved this year. He's really a good third-line two-way player and nothing more. If he wants a spot on the top line, he's not going to get it (although considering how badly Zednik has played, if I were Gainey, I'd give Bulis a whirl on the second line). Our top lines are reserved for our top scorers, and in the future, for elite scorers. That means guys who have more scoring upside like Perezhogin, Kostitsyn, and Latendresse, as well as any big-name FAs we pick up in the offseason (Brad Richards, anyone?).

We'll never win anything if we rely on guys like Jan Bulis to do the bulk of our scoring. They simply won't take you very far, not because they aren't hard workers, but because they aren't elite players.

[huzer]

hat means guys who have more scoring upside like Perezhogin, Kostitsyn, and Latendresse, as well as any big-name FAs we pick up in the offseason (Brad Richards, anyone?).

I keep seeing Richards mentioned as a free agent target, but he's restricted. I doubt the Habs will send him an offer sheet. Has any club chased an RFA after the Fedorov fiasco?

And as far as Bulis goes, he's a good enough player, but if he thinks he's top scoring material in the NHL, ummm, he needs a good shakin'.

Edited March 31, 2006 by huzer

[JMMR]

People suggest Richards because people believe TB will not have the cap room to sign him and a great goalie.

[GoHabs2002]

I keep seeing Richards mentioned as a free agent target, but he's restricted. I doubt the Habs will send him an offer sheet. Has any club chased an RFA after the Fedorov fiasco?

I don't know about this year, but I think once that Cap gets stabalized (it won't increase by 4-5m every year) and teams start dancing around the limit, I think RFA offer sheets will become somewhat common, maybe 3-5 major/semi-major ones per summer.

If, for example, Pittsbugh would be at 42m hypothetically, and the cap is at 44m and Cosby is a FA, I would see a team offer him a max. contract and just wait. With a set payroll limit, it might make it easier for a team to offer a contract and the other to just take the picks.

[kaos]

I think everyone can forget about Brad Richards. Tampa will resign him, to keep the big three intact (Richards, Lecavalier and St. Louis). That'll likely mean Kubina, Prospal and others maybe gone and they can't sign a goaltender that will help them, but they'll definitly keep the big three.

[Prime Minister Koivu]

We'll never win anything if we rely on guys like Jan Bulis to do the bulk of our scoring. They simply won't take you very far, not because they aren't hard workers, but because they aren't elite players.

Yeah, remember Bulis played on the top line with Koivu for a long time and didn't get many points.

I think everyone can forget about Brad Richards. Tampa will resign him, to keep the big three intact (Richards, Lecavalier and St. Louis). That'll likely mean Kubina, Prospal and others maybe gone and they can't sign a goaltender that will help them, but they'll definitly keep the big three.

Tampa will offer Richards a contract, no question. If Gainey really wants him though he will make a RFA offer. I guess it will come down to Richards. Does he want to stay in Tampa or is he curious about Montreal?

Even if BG didn't go after Richards, I would be very happy with Kubina instead.

[Nojo]

I would like to see Bulis replace Ribeiro with Zednick and Kovalev. This combo was tried in the game that Ribiero sat out. I'd like to see Bulis get a few games in this combo to see if it can create something. Kovalev needs a little speed on his line to open up some passing lanes.

How many times have we seen Kovalev gain the blueline with no one open to dish off to. Ribeiro can't create separation with his lack of speed. It's not like we lose a physical element if Ribiero moves off this line.

Bulis can also backcheck more efficiently and can lay a hit on occasion. He also can fight for a puck in the corners with more agression than Ribiero.