I'm more worried about the teamwork more than the ego clashing. If the players don't play well together on ice, that will be the major problem. I hear Sundin likes to keep the puck a lot to himself.(duno about Tanguay and his puck obsessions...) Having 2 puck fanatics on the same line isn't a god thing so I've seen.
Then don't put them on the same line. You can just keep the same first line as last year.
A Kost-Pleks-Kovy
Tanguay-Koivu-S Kost
Higgins-Sundin-Latendresse
We are contenders in the east even without Tanguay ans Sundin. With Tanguay we will be ranked as one of the best teams in the east(before the season starts anyways)
All comes down to the same formula - injuries and goaltending. Price is still the most significant factor in contender labelling.
Should we land Sundin, and it appears possible, the offense certainly will not be holding the team back.
Selanne not needed. Besides Sundin will be looking for money that will shock most Habs fans, and while he'll be worth every dime there are no more dollars to spend.
I agree with all of this.
The Habs will have to overpay for Sundin...15 million over 2 seasons at an absolute minimum, and 8 million wouldn't shock me.
If the Habs sign Sundin, there will be no more cap room for any UFAs, including Streit and Ryder.
The Habs will have to overpay for Sundin...15 million over 2 seasons at an absolute minimum, and 8 million wouldn't shock me.
If the Habs sign Sundin, there will be no more cap room for any UFAs, including Streit and Ryder.
... not to mention Selanne.
Seriously, though, it's important to go after Sundin just to stay at or near the top of the East whether or not it's enough to put the Habs in the finals in 2009. The Habs were first in their conference last season but let's not forget that several teams were bunched right behind them. The Penguins are clearly the best in the East right now and several other teams, including the Flyers and Bruins, are obviously a lot better than we thought at the start of the 2008 playoffs. Add Gagne to Philly and Bergeron to Boston, and they'll be even better. No one should reasonably expect the Habs to sweep either of those teams again in the regular season. Sundin would have a greater impact than Streit and Ryder combined and even if Tanguay doesn't prove to be the Great French Hope, he should easily be able to contribute more than Ryder did last season.
Worse comes to worse, we completely tank as the room is in complete disarray and finish last. Then we can draft Tavares in Montreal in 2009!
It's all good.
Tanguay not so much, But already Kovalev - Koivu isnt the greatest matchup... playing together doesnt work, has each one wich to impose his style.. now with Sundin.. i really wonder. I hope we will not have to split them all on different lines..
No problem!
Tanguay-Sundin-Latendresse
Higgins-Plekanec-Kovalev
S. Kostitsyn-Koivu-A. Kostitsyn
Begin-Chipchura-Kostopulos
....Lapierre, Dandenault or Stewart
The Habs will have to overpay for Sundin...15 million over 2 seasons at an absolute minimum, and 8 million wouldn't shock me.
If the Habs sign Sundin, there will be no more cap room for any UFAs, including Streit and Ryder.
With Sundin, Tanguay, Kovy, Pleky, the Kosty bros, Higgins and Koivu as top 8 forwards... who the hell needs Ryder and Streit anyway..?
Don't get me wrong, I like both those players... but good gawd, that offense would be terrifying for opposing teams and Streit is the problem on the defensive side of the game, the rest of the D-corp will fair well without him, especially since OBurn and Gorgous are improving.
With Sundin, Tanguay, Kovy, Pleky, the Kosty bros, Higgins and Koivu as top 8 forwards... who the hell needs Ryder and Streit anyway..?
Don't get me wrong, I like both those players... but good gawd, that offense would be terrifying for opposing teams and Streit is the problem on the defensive side of the game, the rest of the D-corp will fair well without him, especially since OBurn and Gorgous are improving.
I feel the same way.
Still feel something's wrong with letting go our 3rd best pointer... True we'd be getting big guns, but still...
Funny to think that with 1 min left in the game the Habs are down by one goal they get to pull their goalie and put out Sundin, Koivu, Kovalev, Tanguay, Markov and A Kostitsyn.
I feel the same way.
Still feel something's wrong with letting go our 3rd best pointer... True we'd be getting big guns, but still...
Doesn't Souray ring any bells?
No offense, dude, but Streit is (in a lesser way) to our defense what Souray was, a liability.
Anyway... If we don't sign Streit and do sign Sundin at around 8 mil... we'll have soemthing in between 2-4 mils of free cap space... quite enough to make a deadline trade for a Dman if the need comes.
Funny to think that with 1 min left in the game the Habs are down by one goal they get to pull their goalie and put out Sundin, Koivu, Kovalev, Tanguay, Markov and A Kostitsyn.
No offense, dude, but Streit is (in a lesser way) to our defense what Souray was, a liability.
Anyway... If we don't sign Streit and do sign Sundin at around 8 mil... we'll have soemthing in between 2-4 mils of free cap space... quite enough to make a deadline trade for a Dman if the need comes.
OH no offense taken lol
It's just, I feel he can help more than Sourray. Streit didn't have much of a good playoff series, but i blame that on the fact that he had played what, 1 playoff game before this one? I feel there may more to him. I'm aware that not signing him would give us salary space, and that's very nice. On top i don't think we need another Dman, we seem very solid enough on them. But yea, I'll go with the flow on this one. I like Streit, and hope him the best wherever he goes.
I think without tanguay and sundin we are playoff contenders, cup contenders maybe not, we'd be a 2nd maybe 3rd round team. With both combined and the progression of our young players, including a better O-byrne, gorges and perhaps once again brisebois in a very limited role we'd be one of the favourites without a doubt. Even if a team like Boston gets hossa, they only got him, Wheeler isn't ready. If hossa stays in pittsburg, they don't have malone, maybe no orpik and could fleury repeat?(I'm not sold). I could mention every team but reality is, if we get both, we are the most greatly improved in UFA/trade additions and youngsters combined. Only thing is if price/halak will do the job. I believe in them, but there's always trade deadline incase.
Hopefully we can create 3 offensive line that share ice time equally. I have seen alot of Sundin over the years and he is most effective when paired with wingers who are effective at cycling the puck down low. He is one of the very best in the game at protecting the puck and will be a huge influence on Latendresse. Higgins is allready very good on the forcheck and in the scrums. The one thing that Higgins has to improve one is taking the puck directly towards the net and this is also one of Sundin's trademarks.
I don't think Tanguay should be paired with Koivu as he is too much of a playmaker. Koivu has to have a pure sniper on his wing and Andrei should fit the bill. Andrei and Sergei have demonstrated some very intriguing chemistry in the past and Saku is such a smart player that he could certainly find a way to help the brothers reach a higher level.
All of this leaves Tanguay to play with Kovalev and Plekanec where I think he will fit in very well. He is a great skater and I really believe that he will click very early on with Plekanec as they both play a strong two way game and like to score off of the rush.
This certainly is exciting because if we do get Sundin this team will surely be regarded as the Stanley Cup favourite out of the East.
Sundin would have to be Co-Captain. Like Buffalo had with Briere + Drury.
I have to disagree with that. No way you take the C off Koivu when we're finally getting better. If Sundin comes over then we will contend for the Cup. That said, asking Koivu, who has played his whole career with inferior wingers, to split his captaincy now that he is in a position to win the cup as captain is not right. I'd be surprised if Sundin would even want that. I'm hoping he comes because I think BG wants that cup home for the centennial and I'm with him 100%!!
Then don't put them on the same line. You can just keep the same first line as last year.
A Kost-Pleks-Kovy
Tanguay-Koivu-S Kost
Higgins-Sundin-Latendresse
I love your third line, or at least the Sundin-Latendresse duo.
The second line has too many playmakers.
You could flip Tanguay and AKost or even play Higgins with Pleks (GREAT 2-way line), and put the Kosty brothers together with Saku.
By the way, if the Kosty brothers DO play together on a long-term basis, I would revert each of them back to their normal wings. AKost is a RW that will eventually replace Kovy as our go-to guy. SKost will win more battles along the boards in his own zone playing his good wing.
With Sundin, Tanguay, Kovy, Pleky, the Kosty bros, Higgins and Koivu as top 8 forwards... who the hell needs Ryder and Streit anyway..?
Don't get me wrong, I like both those players... but good gawd, that offense would be terrifying for opposing teams and Streit is the problem on the defensive side of the game, the rest of the D-corp will fair well without him, especially since OBurn and Gorgous are improving.
Streit is NOT a problem defensively...... AS A FORWARD.
However, I think if we add Tanguay AND Sundin, there is enough firepower to withstand the loss of Streit on the PP.
Cap Wise, assuming we sign Sundin, Halak, and the two young defencemen to 2-year contracts, and AKost to a 1-yr contract (do NOT let his contract end same time as his bro) and eat half of Dandenault salary:
Streit is NOT a problem defensively...... AS A FORWARD.
However, I think if we add Tanguay AND Sundin, there is enough firepower to withstand the loss of Streit on the PP.
Cap Wise, assuming we sign Sundin, Halak, and the two young defencemen to 2-year contracts, and AKost to a 1-yr contract (do NOT let his contract end same time as his bro) and eat half of Dandenault salary:
Total = 55.8, actually less because it is unlikely that Price and SKost will earn EVERY bonus possible.
I guess there's no room for Hossa.
Small rectification.... Dandy's buyout would be over two seasons.... buyout is at 2/3 of salary... meaning ,570 mil per season in the next two seasons... Oh and you rounded up some numbers on the plus side... which gives almost a mil more in space if we substract those added amounts...
Small rectification.... Dandy's buyout would be over two seasons.... buyout is at 2/3 of salary... meaning ,570 mil per season in the next two seasons... Oh and you rounded up some numbers on the plus side... which gives almost a mil more in space if we substract those added amounts...
Gainey already said he won't buy out Dandy. Thus, I put him in for 50% salary assuming he is picked up on recall waivers.
I think the rounding does not give you that much extra room.
