People just dont get it, they are just blinded by the thought of getting a "superstar" that they miss what this team really needs. We do have star players but what we didnt really have was quality depth. Just come back nextyear with a real 3rd and 4th line with another D and we'll be contenders. No more; smoke, begin, streit (playing forward), Lapierre (at center), dandenault and Kosto on the 3rd line. A balanced line up will cost less and give us leverage to sign our own guys.
My thoughts exactly, could you imagine if we we're able to add say Ryan Johnson as our shutdown center (huge upgrade over Smokes) and another legitimate Top 4 D? We'd be in extremely good shape overall.
Everyone is hot in the pants to land Hossa/Jagr.. What about Andrei Kostitsyn? We've all seen his flashes of brilliance this year.. Will he ever be as good as Hossa or Jagr? Obviously not but he can be a 30G-70PT type player and at the same time cost about half what Hossa would cost us. What we really need right now is more grit/toughness on the 3rd/4th lines to compliment our first 2 lines. Another veteran D man who can log 22-23 minutes a game and play smart would be a huge plus as well.
Giving up two first/second line wingers + Potential #1 goalie + First round pick for Lecavalier? GTFO.
Which is why I called it a foul ball.
To get you have to give. Using the OP's analogy, there will be no homeruns as any deal will have to include quality players with huge upside in return. These deals will always be questioned and not everyone will see blockbuster deals as a "homerun" for one team. I can only think of 2 off hand --Thornton and Roy. I'd prefer it if Gainey hit a bunch of singles and doubles.
Which is why I called it a foul ball.
To get you have to give. Using the OP's analogy, there will be no homeruns as any deal will have to include quality players with huge upside in return. These deals will always be questioned and not everyone will see blockbuster deals as a "homerun" for one team. I can only think of 2 off hand --Thornton and Roy. I'd prefer it if Gainey hit a bunch of singles and doubles.
Gainey can try to hit a homerun in the offseason and strike out or actually hit one out of the park. However, by going for the fences you just as easily strike out. From my vantage point what this team needs is more depth. No more players like Streit and Smolinski on this team. From my vantage point, the first two lines are fine but we lacked a competent third and fourth line. Crucially, no more d playing in that position.
My offseason plan:
If I were Gainey, I would let go of Breisbois, Dandenault, Smolinski, Streit, and Ryder. As for holes, there are three glaring holes that need to be filled: a third line centre (ideally with size), a top-six forward, and a number four d (two-way or a defensive stalwart who can pass the puck).
1. Third-line centre: Ideal (Homerun), Sundin. More probable (single or double): Holik, Kelly, or Fedorov
2. Top-six forward: Ideal, Rolston/Malone. More Probable, Stillman, Huselius or Brunette.
4. Top-Four d: Norstrom, Smith, Orpik, Stuart, Kalinen, and Liles
It's funny how people seem to think Bob sits at hi desk and do nothing all day long. That is just plain dumb. What???? Do you want him to send every fan an e-mail so we all know what is going on???? No offense but some of you shouod use their brains sometimes...
Here's my take on it, yes the table is set, as I feel Gainey & company now have a very good idea which young players & prospects they plan to move ahead with, moreso than they had the past couple of years.
I think Gainey will put out feelers to see what kind of a return they would get for, Halak, Gorges, O'Bryne, Chipchura, Grabovski(for sure), Lapierre, Latendresse, Perezoghin & maybe a couple of the prospects, Fischer, Emelin(although it sounds like the Habs are really, really horny to get this kid over here), Weber &/or Maxwell.
Offer a pkg deal that could be attractive!!Say would the Avs, Oilers or Hawks maybe interested in a pkg that included Halak? Would the Hawks be interested in Halak with only another year left on Khabibulin's contract? Would they give up a guy like Seabrook for say Halak, Gorges & a pick? Would the Avs entertain tthe idea of moving maybe Wolski for Halak, Latendresse & Zoghin or a pick? Would the Oil be interested in moving Stoll &/or Pitkanen for a pkg that included Halak, Gorges &/or other or picks?
In some cases would it be overpaying in a trade? Probably, but this team now have the resourse to do just that to put certain pieces into place.
I really feel that Gainey will be more willing to do some wheeling & dealing at the draft table & up until July 1st, that he would not have been interested in doing in past seasons!!! The ground work has been laid, now the task of putting some of the proper pieces in place starts to come into play!!!
BTW, I believe Gainey will make a huge pitch to the Sundin camp this summer, offering him a chance to stay in Canada, surround him with some good young talent & an opportunity to make a charge in the playoffs for a least one more season without having to carry the entire team on his back. Saku & Alex would should more of the leadership than he would & the Habs wouldn't have to over commit with a long term, expensive contract.
I think it would be awesome see that big body, being setup by #74 or maybe playing pivot between both of the Kostitsyn bros.
Last edited by Beakermania*: 05-17-2008 at 08:15 PM.
Seeing as how we finished number 1 or 2 in goalscoring this year, why the **** do we need to add another superstar forward? Homerun? A homerun for me would be if Bob can sign/trade for a legitimate shutdown center/winger this summer. Otherwise, I'm comfortable with the team we've got, minus the fact that they still need to gain some more experience.
Yes, our whole team minus Koivu folded like cheap tents in the Philie series (can't score/can't limit turnovers/can't play defence/can't make saves), but I remain confident that this is all just a learning process. Next year they will be better, and the year after as well. Bob just needs to get his RFAs signed (and Komi UFA), and we're set.
On a side note, the way our PP went from best to worst in the playoffs remains a mystery to me. I hope Carbo + Staff will have learned from this year's playoffs and will be better at making adjustments in the future.
On a side note, the way our PP went from best to worst in the playoffs remains a mystery to me. I hope Carbo + Staff will have learned from this year's playoffs and will be better at making adjustments in the future.
Injuries to the two point men will do that to a team.... I really think Markov and Streit were hurt pretty badly.
1) five years ago was not his last FA/Trade homerun... His last homerun in Free Agency was Roman Hamrlik. His last Trade homerun was Rivet for Gorges + MaxPac.
2) Looking past that, he assembled the scouting staff... he oversees it.... he decides who is hired and fired... he has the final call on all of Timmins picks... he is the GM.... therefore he gets the HR credit for Carey Price too.... you can't take that away from him and say its all the scouting staff; cause at the end of the day its HIS scouting staff.
3) We've had the Huet argument many times... but keeping him around is no guarantee Price emerges and we get the number 1 seed, play the bruins, or even get by them in the first round... you can't pluck huet out of thin air and put him in your net in the 2nd round... everything changes if he doesn't leave at the deadline.... whether the end result is better or worse is debateable. But you can't just point at the philly series.
4) The Souray for nothing argument is totally against your Huet for a second round pick argument.... Souray was our leading goal scorer in 07 (tied with Ryder until the last game of the year when Ryder had 3) and we were one period away from the playoffs... a Huet meltdown, and a bad Begin penalty cost us the playoffs but we could've gotten in with Souray and then who knows what would have happened. If we had traded him and missed the playoffs by 2-3 points you would be doing the same argument (a first round pick wasn't worth missing the playoffs without our leading goal scorer).... you are damned if you do, damned if you dt.
If the goal is winning the cup what is the plan. You have to swing if you want a homer and trading Souray for a pick would have been a swing. A playoff round means nuttin and BG's goal should be to get to the podium. It also may be possible that standpat Bob chose the safe pick overriding Trevor's decision if your logic is correct. Hamrlik is a double.
If the goal is winning the cup what is the plan. You have to swing if you want a homer and trading Souray for a pick would have been a swing. A playoff round means nuttin and BG's goal should be to get to the podium. It also may be possible that standpat Bob chose the safe pick overriding Trevor's decision if your logic is correct. Hamrlik is a double.
Tell that to the 2006 Edmonton Oilers that just making the playoffs in eighth and having one playoff round means nothing.... They could've sold assets that year, but instead traded for more and got Dwayne Roloson at the deadline... they were content to make the playoffs; and look where it got them... They were 1 victory away from a Stanley Cup.
Also even if you don't win the Cup as the habs in 07... the playoff experience for guys like Pleks, Higgins, AKost, Komisarek, etc would have been valuable this year.... just like this years playoff experiences will be valuable next year....
Tell that to the 2006 Edmonton Oilers that just making the playoffs in eighth and having one playoff round means nothing.... They could've sold assets that year, but instead traded for more and got Dwayne Roloson at the deadline... they were content to make the playoffs; and look where it got them... They were 1 victory away from a Stanley Cup.
Also even if you don't win the Cup as the habs in 07... the playoff experience for guys like Pleks, Higgins, AKost, Komisarek, etc would have been valuable this year.... just like this years playoff experiences will be valuable next year....
You have to lose before you can win.
I guess by that argument we should of held on to Rivet or gotten a player who could contribute right away.
I guess by that argument we should of held on to Rivet or gotten a player who could contribute right away.
Which is it, bub.
Difference is, that specific year, Rivet was playing like ****, trading him meant not having to play him on a regular basis wich was an upgrade in itself...
Souray, totally different scenario, having his best year offensively + his shot alone won us a few games that year...
I guess by that argument we should of held on to Rivet or gotten a player who could contribute right away.
Which is it, bub.
Rivet was having a horrible year.... he had been a healthy scratch in some games for the first time in his career.... He was not helping the team in the same way that Souray was. But your revisionist history doesn't say anything about that; does it??
Hey. What gives with this Rodney Dangerfield routine with Bob Gainey??
We have collected a pretty good group of young players. We have climbed up the standings. And we did it without sitting at the bottom of the heap 5 years
Bob has gone after free agents but they have to actually sign to come here. I'm sure they will pursue a short list of possibles to increase our team strength in this years UFA auction
Homerun? You don't build a team with homerun signings. You complete the picture with a home run signing. Don't get a head of things folks
Rivet was having a horrible year.... he had been a healthy scratch in some games for the first time in his career.... He was not helping the team in the same way that Souray was. But your revisionist history doesn't say anything about that; does it??
Yet we trade Huet despite him having a better season than the one before?
Again, which is it, bub?
And btw, your claim of Markov being hurt pretty badly raises another question... why is he playing in some meaningless tourny right now?
Hey. What gives with this Rodney Dangerfield routine with Bob Gainey??
We have collected a pretty good group of young players. We have climbed up the standings. And we did it without sitting at the bottom of the heap 5 years
Bob has gone after free agents but they have to actually sign to come here. I'm sure they will pursue a short list of possibles to increase our team strength in this years UFA auction
Homerun? You don't build a team with homerun signings. You complete the picture with a home run signing. Don't get a head of things folks
So the picture isnt 2 players hort of contention? In 2 years Kovy and Koivu will be dirt. Trade them now or make a play. Remember that the Pens have Crosby and company. The Habs need another big time player. Sundin between the titts boys would be ideal. Streit and Jason Smith would cap it off. Streit would be a nice 3rd liner/power play specialist(Playing with some meat on the line). Maxwell, however runs a power play very very well if streit doesnt return.
I LOL'D! IRS! 
