What do Gomez and Spacek have to do with it? We still have 5 million in cap space.
I would personally be shocked if PG doesn't add at least 1 more veteran forward. I could see us sticking with the D, or maybe signing a #8 type like Mara but i can't see us going into this season with Darche as our 12th forward and a rookie as our 13th.
Because our team is pretty full as of now, so adding more players without moving any isn't going to happen IMO. I used those 2 as examples like if we are to sign Hannan then fine but Spacek would have to be moved cap space or not. I don't understand the obsession of spend right to the cap and not being flexible during the year to be able to make a move unless a player gets injured
Because our team is pretty full as of now, so adding more players without moving any isn't going to happen IMO. I used those 2 as examples like if we are to sign Hannan then fine but Spacek would have to be moved cap space or not. I don't understand the obsession of spend right to the cap and not being flexible during the year to be able to make a move unless a player gets injured
I don't see a 4th line centre. No, Desharnais is not a 4th line centre.
Because our team is pretty full as of now, so adding more players without moving any isn't going to happen IMO. I used those 2 as examples like if we are to sign Hannan then fine but Spacek would have to be moved cap space or not. I don't understand the obsession of spend right to the cap and not being flexible during the year to be able to make a move unless a player gets injured
It's not spending to the cap...we would still have 2 to 2.5 left over...which at the deadline is enough to acquire a guy on a 5+ million dollar contract. IMO that's a decent amount of space to go into the season with for a team that hopes to go places.
I think you are making the mistake of looking simply at our projected starting roster on paper. What happens when injuries hit? We all know they will hit and at this point i'm not overly comfortable with the team's depth.
I'd rather sign Hannan and Madden now than give up a couple of picks at the deadline to acquire these guys.
Regardless of what you think of him, we didn't just throw $18 million at Cole to start him on our third line. He'll be given every chance in the top-six.
Regardless of how overrated Cole is on that board, here he's pretty much recognized as a minute eater on ES who can produce, draw penalties and hit. Besides, you really think that if Martin has a chance to boot AK out of the top6 for cole that he won't jump at the chance?
Because our team is pretty full as of now, so adding more players without moving any isn't going to happen IMO. I used those 2 as examples like if we are to sign Hannan then fine but Spacek would have to be moved cap space or not. I don't understand the obsession of spend right to the cap and not being flexible during the year to be able to make a move unless a player gets injured
A roster is 23 NHL ready players. Some teams carry 22 to save on Cap space. We don't have to.
We have 21 NHL ready players signed.
You don't start the year with only 12 NHL ready forwards on your roster. One forward is always hurt.
Enquist is not ready to be a full time 4th line C. He played what, 4 NHL games last year. He needs another half year in the A with injury callups for 10 -15 games.
Therefore we need an NHL ready 4th line C or winger, no question.
You don't start the year with only 7 NHL D. 2 D are almost always hurt. In fact, one of our D will be hurt in the exhibition season. Book it. You need 8 NHL ready D on your roster.
Diaz is very unlikely to be NHL ready. Nor is Nash, and possibly even Emelin.
Therefore we need an 8th NHL ready D man. No question.
One depth forward and one depth D = 23 man roster. End of story. It's elementary Watson.
It's not spending to the cap...we would still have 2 to 2.5 left over...which at the deadline is enough to acquire a guy on a 5+ million dollar contract. IMO that's a decent amount of space to go into the season with for a team that hopes to go places.
I think you are making the mistake of looking simply at our projected starting roster on paper. What happens when injuries hit? We all know they will hit and at this point i'm not overly comfortable with the team's depth.
I'd rather sign Hannan and Madden now than give up a couple of picks at the deadline to acquire these guys.
100 % bang on pure grade gold standard top rung triple A rated correct. I will be pissed if we have to give up more second rounders this year, when decent depth and insurance is out there now for nothing in return except low cap hits.
Haha let me laugh, Cole wasn't able to put more than 20 goals with Staal and now he'll put 30 in the net this year.
Who cares if he scores 17 or 20 or 30. His style of play is PERFECT for the Cammalleri-Plekanec duo. A big bodied natural right winger who is fast, hits people, and crashes the net with the puck. And has some skill to boot.
Seems like Blunden could be a solid 13th forward. A 6'4'' 220 pounds RW, strong along the boards with very good straight ahead speed. That's good enough for me to play on our 4th line.
Let's wait until the training camp before making other moves.
Seems like Blunden could be a solid 13th forward. A 6'4'' 220 pounds RW, strong along the boards with very good straight ahead speed. That's good enough for me to play on our 4th line.
Let's wait until the training camp before making other moves.
Not to mention he has a right handed shot...if he shows up to camp and plays a physical game, he's got a good shot at making this team.
Seems like Blunden could be a solid 13th forward. A 6'4'' 220 pounds RW, strong along the boards with very good straight ahead speed. That's good enough for me to play on our 4th line.
Let's wait until the training camp before making other moves.
Could be...then again maybe not. He wasn't good enough to make Columbus last year for what its worth.
Why take a chance at waiting till camp when there are guys out there that can help the Habs and can easily be fit under the cap?
Gauthier offered Hamrlik a deal...surely that means he recognizes that the team needs another NHL calibre d-man. Scott Hannan seems like a pretty good replacement for Hamrlik.
Gauthier/Gainey have always liked their 4th line veteran centerman...Halpern, Metropolit, Smolinski, etc....you have one of the best out there in John Madden.
I say jump on them while they are still there...get them at their late summer discounted rates on 1 year deals and go into camp with plenty of depth. We're gonna need it.
Could be...then again maybe not. He wasn't good enough to make Columbus last year for what its worth.
Why take a chance at waiting till camp when there are guys out there that can help the Habs and can easily be fit under the cap?
Gauthier offered Hamrlik a deal...surely that means he recognizes that the team needs another NHL calibre d-man. Scott Hannan seems like a pretty good replacement for Hamrlik.
Gauthier/Gainey have always liked their 4th line veteran centerman...Halpern, Metropolit, Smolinski, etc....you have one of the best out there in John Madden.
I say jump on them while they are still there...get them at their late summer discounted rates on 1 year deals and go into camp with plenty of depth. We're gonna need it.
John Madden is a coach eater. He cost Claude Julien's job in NJ. I don't want him.
If PG wants a vet center, I would rather go with a grittier, bigger guy: Adam Mair.
The habs will give every opportunity to Weber and Yemelin to perform. A guy like Paul Mara is enough as a #7 or #8 d-man. Hannan is no bette rthan Spacek.
Blunden was often injured and did not develop totally yet as a NHL player.
John Madden is a coach eater. He cost Claude Julien's job in NJ. I don't want him.
If PG wants a vet center, I would rather go with a grittier, bigger guy: Adam Mair.
The habs will give every opportunity to Weber and Yemelin to perform. A guy like Paul Mara is enough as a #7 or #8 d-man. Hannan is no bette rthan Spacek.
Blunden was often injured and did not develop totally yet as a NHL player.
Ask Devils fans, Adam Mair is the worst player in the NHL.
I don't think PG is done. Last year he signed Halpern pretty late in August or September
John Madden is a coach eater. He cost Claude Julien's job in NJ. I don't want him.
If PG wants a vet center, I would rather go with a grittier, bigger guy: Adam Mair.
The habs will give every opportunity to Weber and Yemelin to perform. A guy like Paul Mara is enough as a #7 or #8 d-man. Hannan is no bette rthan Spacek.
Blunden was often injured and did not develop totally yet as a NHL player.
I'm not familiar with the Madden/Julien situation but he's a player that's been in the league for a long time and all in all i think he's got a great reputation.
Mair is a fringe NHLer...he may bring more grit to the table but Madden is a much better player.
Would you rather have Paul Mara at say $600k or Hannan at around $1.5? The cap space isn't an issue at this point. Hannan can play regular top 6 for us, Mara cannot. I'd like to see...
Markov/Yemelin
Hannan/Subban
Gill/Gorges
Spacek can get in when there are injuries or someone is struggling. Same thing with Weber who can also sub in for Ryan White on occasion.
John Madden is a coach eater. He cost Claude Julien's job in NJ. I don't want him.
If PG wants a vet center, I would rather go with a grittier, bigger guy: Adam Mair.
The habs will give every opportunity to Weber and Yemelin to perform. A guy like Paul Mara is enough as a #7 or #8 d-man. Hannan is no bette rthan Spacek.
Blunden was often injured and did not develop totally yet as a NHL player.
Hannan is way more reliable than Spacek. You don't know when Spacegoat is gonna have a brainfart.
Would you rather have Paul Mara at say $600k or Hannan at around $1.5?
Hannan at $1.5m is a no brainer right? Right? If I were PG I would pull out a check right now and say sign here please! It's not a matter of if the habs will get injured but when and better to have the depth for free then spending picks to fix the proverbial sinking ship.
The guys over at the washington board seem pretty upset about losing Hannan but something tells me that if they offered Hamrlik $3.5m/2y then Hannan was looking for either more money or longer term. What other reason could there be for a top4 Dman not to be signed yet? Just saying...
Hannan at $1.5m is a no brainer right? Right? If I were PG I would pull out a check right now and say sign here please! It's not a matter of if the habs will get injured but when and better to have the depth for free then spending picks to fix the proverbial sinking ship.
The guys over at the washington board seem pretty upset about losing Hannan but something tells me that if they offered Hamrlik $3.5m/2y then Hannan was looking for either more money or longer term. What other reason could there be for a top4 Dman not to be signed yet? Just saying...
Yeah admittedly i pulled the $1.5 figure out of my butt, but its entirely possible that Hannan had inflated demands back around July 1st but has maybe come back down to earth now.
My guess is that he is holding out for term more than anything else...if he wants a multi year deal that may be the reason why he has yet to be signed.
Perhaps, at the camp, if any of the Dumont, Begin or Hannan are not sign yet, I would invite them or one of them at the camp. They would compete with the youngster and if one of the Engqvist, Emelin, White, etc. of this world don't seem ready to compete in the NHL, then sign them.
Seriously, where is the need for anybody left? The only need we could have is a fourth line center and they are plenty of them on the UFA market that we could invite eventually to the training camp.
Engqvist will not be the 4th line centre this year. I can almost guarantee it. PG will pick up a defensive specialist /face off man for that position. Faceoffs killed the Habs this year.
