I hated the deal at the team because of Bourques contract length, exclusively.
But in hindsight, the Habs shifted an overpaid and slow player, who was weak both defensively and along the boards, for what looks to be a high draft pick and a player who right now looks like a big body who can add enough points. It's tough to argue against it right now, but the contract length remains scary.
But why? After this year he is owed a 10 mil cap hit over 3 years. Unless he can't play top 9, he is good value. If he plays close to career average he will be more than fine.
It's not like he has a Lecavalier Albatross contract, signed until 2019-2020 at 7.7 mil cap hit.
Cammalleri at had 15 mil of cap hit left in 2.5 years when the deal was done, Bourque had 4.5 twars at 14.8 mil. So he costs less despite having a player for 2 more years.
Wasn't a big fan of the trade then, but as it stands right now I have no problem at all with it.
Gauthier is gone, we've got Holland and a 2nd, added cap space, Bourque is playing well at the moment.
Getting rid of Cammalleri was a step in the right direction in rebuilding the team, Ramo wasn't going to sign here anyway.
Now the Flames could salvageg something out of the trade if they flip Cammalleri for something useful and get Ramo to come over and take over for them in net.
The 11-12 season was horrible in so many ways but it as things are turning out it actually put the team in a pretty good situation.
If Cammy was a UFA they could probably get a good pick or prospect at the deadline, but the 6 mil cap hit for 13-14 makes it hard for a big market team to swallow...unless Calgary eats part(40-50%) of the salary and cap hit.
Way too many people are saying they liked the deal at the time. Come April 95% of the board was ready to buy Bourque out/ trade him for whatever they could get.
Karri Ramo wouldn't have netted anything better. If there was interest for him, they would have called Calgary and Calgary would have dealt him. He wants to be a number 1 in the NHL, or he's not coming back.
It looks as though Calgary drafted Ryan Culkin with the pick they acquired from us.
On a side note, Calgary's 2011 draft class looks great.
I can't speak for other people, but i remember reiterating at the time how much i thought it was a smart move by Gauthier. Someone should drag up that old thread !
I knew he had the sports hernia and got operated on but didn't know it was affecting him last year, sort of explains why his numbers dipped the 2nd half to 8 points in 38 games. Before the trade he was still on pace for 27-28 goals.
If he can bounce back to 25 goal form(14-16 goals) and keep using his size, he becomes a cap bargain at 3.3 mil. Guys like Malone score less and earn close to 5 mil.
Two players that go on streaks, Bourque has been really good so far and Cammy has sucked (coincides with their team's records). What happens if Bourque shifts back to lazy play and Cammy goes on one if his hot streaks and the flames climb. That 30-35 turns into a 40, still good but not as good.
But PG and that trade should not be judged on the question of who won that trade at any given monent in time. (we can't even answer that for real as so much can change. i.e what if Bourque sucks from here until he is off the Habs, the 2nd rounder is complete bust, Holland doesn't make the NHL, Cammy lights it up and leads the Flame's resurgence and Ramo turns into a stud - we won't know this for 5 years.) Rather the issue is that it was reported in numerous places that PG did not shop Cammy at all - who knows, perhaps he could have gotten much more?
PG should be judged by his lack of skills as a GM and trying to get the most at that time. You decided to trade him at that point and not hope value goes up, fine - but at least try and get the most possible and not take the first deal that comes your way unless it was an absolute steal at that time, which this was not.
Going through that a lot of people liked it compared to didn't. Most were upset because we didn't get a 2012 2nd rounder.
If you look at the "Buy Bourque out" one it seems to be everyone agreeing for him to be gone, or that we're stuck with him
Actually, my first comment was that the trade wasn't a bad one and the ONLY reason why I didn't like the fact that it wasn't a 2012 pick, is because I had no confidence in Gauthier to actually use well that 2nd rounder like keeping it instead of throwing it away for a rental 1/2 year player. 'Cause crop for crop, it was already well known that 2013 would be way better than 2012. If Gauthier's intention were never to deal any of those 2013 picks, well it was obviously better to get a 2013 one.
I still have not a lot of confidence in Holland making it but we never know. In the end, as suspected, it wasn't a bad deal, we'll see if Bourque can continue being consistent as his contract progresses. And we know that we will most likely do the best of our upcoming picks, hoping we don't deal them with Bergevin now unless we're getting a tremendous return.
And you know this because you have some special insight into 26-yearold goalies in the KHL?
No I know this because when he went to the KHL Tampa went into the season with Niitymaki and Smith. That and apile of teams had and continue to have terrible starters and yet he still doesn't get a gig.
This is like the argument of why Pierre Mcguire isn't a GM.
Actually, my first comment was that the trade wasn't a bad one and the ONLY reason why I didn't like the fact that it wasn't a 2012 pick, is because I had no confidence in Gauthier to actually use well that 2nd rounder like keeping it instead of throwing it away for a rental 1/2 year player. 'Cause crop for crop, it was already well known that 2013 would be way better than 2012. If Gauthier's intention were never to deal any of those 2013 picks, well it was obviously better to get a 2013 one.
I still have not a lot of confidence in Holland making it but we never know. In the end, as suspected, it wasn't a bad deal, we'll see if Bourque can continue being consistent as his contract progresses. And we know that we will most likely do the best of our upcoming picks, hoping we don't deal them with Bergevin now unless we're getting a tremendous return.
I don't blame you.
To me, Bourque and the 2nd is what made it for me. Whenever I saw Holland doing pretty well in the WHL I was a little more excited, but never followed him closely, and from what I've read (by you, or montreal) Holland had good teammates to help him out in his statistics.
In the AHL he's looked decent like he'll get a few games from callups, but don't see him being a fixture.
Anyone that thinks sucky Bourque will come back hopefully is off the mark. Should he string together 5 or 6 bad games, we are deep enough that he will sit. I'm sure she is aware of that too.
