Next years line up
 

Maybe it is to early to talk about this. With the trade deadline passing I just wanted to read your opinions on this.

Assumptions:
1) All of the canadiens prospects are going to be at the training camp next year
2) Players that you want to be resigned by Montreal are resigned
3) Montreal does not trade with anyone
4) Montreal does not sign any free agents (other than the above)

What line up in your eyes Motreal will have

My line up
Higgins-Kovu-Tangay
A.Kostitsyn-Plekanec-Pacioretty
Perezhogin-Maxwell-S.Kostitsyn
Stewart-Lapierre-Kostopoulos
D'Agostini/Chipchura

Markov-Shneider
Hamrlik-Konoreev
Komisarek-Georges
Weber/Emelin

Price/Halak

Might be the first time I've thought this way, but I think its time for Kovalev to leave... seems like the team is dependent on him, which is normal of a star player, but his inconsistency ripples through the team too readily.

Tanguay-Koivu-D'Agostini
Higgins-Plekanec-A. Kostitsyn
Latendresse-Lapierre-Kostopolous
Pacioretty-Chipchura-S. Kostitsyn
Stewart/Laraque

Markov-Komisarek
Hamrlik-O'Byrne
Gorges-Weber
Henry

Price
Halak

Whatever happens next year, I don't want to think about it, this season is not over yet... BUT, I want Carboneau fired...

Let's say that NO of our UFA's are re-signed
and NO new UFA'S are signed.
and NO trades are made...


then Bob has this team in his hands (all guys under contract)

Higgins - Plekanec - A.Kostitsyn
Pacioretty - Maxwell - S.Kostitsyn
Latendresse - Lapierre - D'Agostini
Stewart - Chipchura - Metropolit - Laraque - White - Conboy
Desharnais - Beauregard -

Markov - Hamrlik - Gorges - O'Byrne - Weber - Henry - Belle - Carle

Halak - Price - Desjardins

Heck, why keep Koivu?? We need change...and bigger guys.

We've got so much depth at wings and defense, Bob should try to make a trade and acquire a good centre. Why not Staal?

Having Plekanec and Staal sounds good to me.

For the same reasons Gainey & Gillett gonna keep Carbo. Pure love...

And Breezer...

Jordan Staal is not a no1 center yet and Eric Staal is overpaid and untouchable...

I call Brisebois' 1500th game played in year 2013-2014... with the habs.


:sarcasm:

#2 center then.

PPL forget it but Pleks has good chemistry with A.Kost and not Kovalev (Well I think so).

A first line with Pleks and A.Kost sounds good to me. And add Tanguay to that line, we've got a decent first line.

Staal with Higgy and MaxPac/S.Kost is a decent second line.

Do we reach the salary cap floor with this team ?

I really hope Maxwell will continue his progression and can get in the line-up next year.

Holy... Thats an good AHL line up.

Great centennial team.

I think its safe to say we wo't be seeing Perezhogin next year, or ever.
This post is riduculous, given the number of UFAs next year, its impossible to predict who will/wont be around next year.

Or stupidity

why perezhogin?????

i mean dont we have enough of those small skill winger :shakehead

Since I think it's unlikely we'll be able to add a true number 1 center via trade, I think it would be in the best interest of the club, to try and roll 4 lines that can do it all. I think we will end up bringing back Koivu and Kovalev, and for bargain prices as well, considering there ages and years. I also think we'd be wise to bring in Franzen, who has great size, and would fit in nicely with our centerman group.

I'd then look to roll these 4 lines:

Higgins-Franzen-Kovalev (Franzen brings us some much needed size to the center spot, and while not being a true #1 center, he is a quality scoring line center. If he and Kovalev can find some chemistry, we are in some great shape. Higgins would be the effort and defensive presence guy, who is also capable offensively)

SKostitsyn-Plekanec-AKostitsyn (The bros and Pleks. I've wanted to see this for about 3 years. Speed and more speed, and lots of skill and creativity. This is assuming Sergei gets his act together)

Pacioretty-Koivu-D'Agostini (I can just envision this line having chemistry, and think koivus veteran presence would be a nice fit between two young guys he's shown chemistry with in the past. All three guys are creative offensively, and all three have very different games that could combine nicely. Hopefully the youngsters can keep Koivu rejuvanted)

Latendresse-Lapierre-Kostopoulos (This line had some success, and would be atop notch "4th line", though in reality much more than that. We'd roll 4 lines consistently if this was our 4th, and this is the energy line)

Hate to be such a doomsayer, but my faith in Sergei as an NHLer may have crashed irreparably this year.

When you've got an asset producing well even if it's in another league, you try to bring it home.

He's 21. Andrei used to suck at 21. Now he's one of our best player. I can't stand silly opinions like yours.

I'd drop Kovalev for Tanguay. Also I think Sergei is going to rebound so I like the look of that lineup.
Also realilistically I couldn't see us landing Franzen, maybe Lang will be back for another 1 year deal until we can figure something out? ( I know its a stretch)

MONTREAL CANADIENS

Alex Tanguay[4 500 000$] - Johan Franzen[4 000 000$] - Matt D'Agostini[1 200 000$]
Sergei Kostitsyn[575 000$] - Tomas Plekanec[3 000 000$] - Andrei Kostitsyn[3 250 000$]
Christopher Higgins[2 500 000$] - Brandon Dubinski[3 250 000$] - Max Pacioretty[875 000$]
Guillaume Latendresse[1 500 000$] - Maxim Lapierre[800 000$] - Gregory Stewart[500 000$]

Andrei Markov[5 750 000$] - Mike Komisarek[3 750 000$]
Roman Hamrlik[5 500 000$] - Jay Bouwmeester[7 000 000$]
Ryan O'Byrne[700 000$] - Josh Gorges[1 100 000$]

Carey Price[2 200 000$]
Jaroslav Halak[800 000$]

Salary cap* = 52 750 000$

UFA signings:
Johan Franzen: 2 years - 8 000 000$
Jay Bouwmeester: 3 years - 21 000 000$

RFA signings:
Brandon Dubinski: 3 years - 9 750 000$ (love the all-american line)

I really, really, really, really, really hope that Bob works the phone and throws the money at Mr. Konstantin Korneev to come over next season.

Assuming the salary cap stays the same; (bold/italicized numbers are guesses).

Saku Koivu ($4.5M)
Tomas Plekanec ($3.5M)
Robert Lang ($3M)
Maxim Lapierre ($0.688K)

Kostitsyn ($3.25M)
D'Agostini ($750K)
Kostopoulos ($1M)
Latendresse ($1.5M)


Higgins ($3M)
Tanguay ($5M)
Pacioretty ($0.875K)
Kostitsyn ($817K)

Stewart ($700K)
Metropolit ($1M)

TOTAL: $29.58M



Markov ($5.75M)
Gorges ($1.1M)
Hamrlik ($5.5M)
O'Byrne ($0.942K)
Weber ($0.875K)
Korneev ($2.5M)
Brisebois ($1M)

Komisarek?

TOTAL: $17.667M

Halak ($0.775K)
Price ($2.2M)

TOTAL: $2.975M

TEAM TOTAL: $50.222M



Alex Tanguay - Saku Koivu - Matt D'Agostini
Sergei Kostistyn - Tomas Plekanec - Andrei Kostitsyn
Max Pacioretty - Robert Lang - Christopher Higgins
Guilluame Latendresse - Maxim Lapierre - Tom Kostopoulos
Gregory Stewart, Glen Metropolit

Andrei Markov - Konstantin Korneev
Roman Hamrlik - Ryan O'Byrne
Josh Gorges - Yannick Weber
Patrice Brisebois

Jaroslav Halak
Carey Price

No more Kovalev plz boys

It is entirely conceivable that this scenario plays out. Quite scary actually. If BG sticks with Guy, this probably will be next year's line-up.