No harm for sure....that is if we don't acquire a top 4 before the start of the season which we should be thinking of doing. Then, we might have no problem carrying 8 D....but will he? I mean, let say no injuries...that means he's never playing. While he probably thought his career was about to go all up since last year, it would be exactly the other way around which I then see him asking to be accomodated. ESPECIALLY since the guy sees who is in Hamilton. Now, we will evidently make him understand that it won't be easy....but we did accomodate Ben Maxwell and a couple of others. We might be able to do so with Weber for another struggling prospects or a pick. There has to be some jobs open in this league. Strangely, more than in Montreal. And this organization loves to accomodate people.
I had wanted a top 4 big, physical defensive D-man, as well, then MB signed Cubes. Got to thinking, Markov, Gorges, and PK are in our top 4 so only one spot open for the next couple of years. Im guessing Emelin, in the long run, will not be satisfied being a bottom pairing guy and so if he cant do that in Montreal in the next 2 years Id think hed either go to another team or back to the KHL. From MBs view, who wouldnt want Emelin earning top 4 minutes so hes out there longer to destroy more people ? Just thinking maybe MB is giving Emelin a year to show he can take over the top 4 role that I suppose Cubes will have or share with somebody this season. So maybe thats why MB didnt sign a top 4 UFA because such a player, as we saw , would want a multi-year contract, and for multi-millions.
It's a good signing. That said, i really hope he gets to play, so his trade value doesn't dip like Weber's has. Right now you have Markov, Subban, Gorges, Emelin, Bouillon and Kaberle as your top 6. Then you have Diaz and Weber and St. Denis. That' going into camp, anyhow. Diaz will have to play much better than both Kaberle and Bouillon to get into the lineup, though i assume there will be an injury or two.
In the long run, Diaz is a nice insurance policy if it takes longer for guys like Beaulieu and Ellis to crack the squad. Though i don't see him in the long term goals of the team, He's a good guy to have around in the transition phase of the team.
One of the big reasons Streit got so good with us was that he was given a chance, I'm not sure Diaz is going to be getting the same opportunity this season in Montreal.
Diaz was the most underrated D-man last year. People overlooked his play by creating a controversy between him and Emelin at one point in the year where people claimed that he was stealing Emelin's time. Diaz was the better d-man and slowed down only when he got injured. He made great strides for a player who never played consistently on NA ice.
Diaz was the most underrated D-man last year. People overlooked his play by creating a controversy between him and Emelin at one point in the year where people claimed that he was stealing Emelin's time. Diaz was the better d-man and slowed down only when he got injured. He made great strides for a player who never played consistently on NA ice.
Kaberle is better be in the best shape of his life cause he will have a hard time cracking that blueline..
