In an attempt to win a championship this season, the Ottawa Sun reports the Montreal Canadiens are pressing hard to sign unrestricted free agent Mats Sundin.
The Sun suggests that with a large number of players in the last year of their contracts, the Habs want to sign Sundin to take a run at a 25th championship in their 100th anniversary.
With a little over $2 million in available cap space, the Habs would have to deal away some players to accommodate Sundin's salary.
It's been reported that Mathieu Dandenault, Francis Bouillon and Steve Begin are being dangled as trade bait.
The Sun suggests the Habs might try to move Alex Kovalev, although that seems to be unlikely.
Do any of those players attract any interest from other teams? Wouldn't they have to get rid of all three + to make the room for Sundin? And then who are your centers? Plekanec, Koivu, Lang, Sundin? Something doesn't add up here since the Lang signing...
Don't see it happening. It's Gainey showing that he's interested in improving his team like any relatively good GM should do. If Sundin didn't come and we had the money, he won't come now that we don't....
And if it's true that he wants to play for a contender well so far, we prove that we're anything but that....Even Vancouver who tons of people here loved laughing about look waaaaaay much better than us.
They could just trade Lang, which I'm not as opposed to anymore because Lang seems to have Jan Bulis-itis as well as slowpoke-itis. They can also just waive Dandy and Begin because, let's face it, they aren't worth much. As for Bouillon, he definitely has value. A decent bottom pairing defenseman with good skating and hitting abilities? Yeah, and Frankie B isn't expensive either. Having said all that, it's not a good idea to trade Bouillon at this point, partly because of Komi's injury, and simply because this team needs him to play solid. Having Brisebois for a partner makes you look really, really bad.
How does trading a guy making just about minimum salary help in this situation? Actually the idea is to have more of them to have space for high salary players.
How does trading a guy making just about minimum salary help in this situation? Actually the idea is to have more of them to have space for high salary players.
Yes! Right on, znk. I've been frustrated with HF'ers not grasping this concept for a while now, but you just laid it out there clearly and concisely.
Don't see it happening. It's Gainey showing that he's interested in improving his team like any relatively good GM should do. If Sundin didn't come and we had the money, he won't come now that we don't....
And if it's true that he wants to play for a contender well so far, we prove that we're anything but that....Even Vancouver who tons of people here loved laughing about look waaaaaay much better than us.
I don't think Sundin cares if the Habs have the money or not. Sundin didn't sign with us this summer but he didn't sign with anybody else either so it's not like it was a Montreal thing, he was just not ready to commit to hockey.
Vancouver has a slightly better record than us, but we have been slumping for 3 weeks. I think at even money Sundin would prefer the Habs. Vancouver lacks depth and their travel is horrible.
I'd rather see us take a run at Kovulchuk - a legit goal scorer with much more longevity left.
If we're going to deal players and assests for anyone, it should be him. I bet he would produce for a team that gives a ****, and the fans would love him.
Sundin have XX millions in his bank account, if he wants a cup, no matter with which team he decides to sign, he'll have to take a decent salary (4-5 millions/yr) so if he comes 1/2 season that is like 2-3 million on the cap.
I'd rather see us take a run at Kovulchuk - a legit goal scorer with much more longevity left.
If we're going to deal players and assests for anyone, it should be him. I bet he would produce for a team that gives a ****, and the fans would love him.
We don't have to deal assets or players for Sundin. We may actually gain picks if we sign him.
I don't understand how this addresses the real issues on this team. Higgins can't score, doesn't go to the net, neither does any of the Kostitsyn brothers, Lang etc...
The defense won't shoot the puck, and we are too small to create a mess around the crease. Sundin would come here and become a 15 goal, 45 point man in this system.
You've got to remember that the contract would be pro-rated.
If we sign Sundin to a 7 million dollar contract, pro-rated he would "only" be paid approx 5 million if he came back sometime in late December.
So we have approx 2 million in cap space, getting rid of Dandeneault/Begin in Dec. probably only gives us about 2 million in cap space total, so we are still short to sign Sundin.
The way i see it, if the Habs decide to bring in Sundin we have to get rid of a sizeable contract....and im thinking of either Lang or Kovalev. And even at that it doesn't address the teams glaring need for another defenceman.
You've got to remember that the contract would be pro-rated.
If we sign Sundin to a 7 million dollar contract, pro-rated he would "only" be paid approx 5 million if he came back sometime in late December.
So we have approx 2 million in cap space, getting rid of Dandeneault/Begin in Dec. probably only gives us about 2 million in cap space total, so we are still short to sign Sundin.
The way i see it, if the Habs decide to bring in Sundin we have to get rid of a sizeable contract....and im thinking of either Lang or Kovalev. And even at that it doesn't address the teams glaring need for another defenceman.
That's because Gainey knows Carbo will use Sundin on D.
Always quoting Dylan, eh? Time to go easy on the meds, there, McPhee.
