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Matt_Roberts85
PickupHockey Pro
Canada
936 Posts |
 Posted - 01/20/2009 : 11:00:10
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Poll Question:
With so many UFA's(10!) and RFA's(4) coming up this summer, is this the last shot the Habs have at winning a Cup before they take a tailspin back down the standings much like Pittsburgh has done? Also, Unlike Pittsburgh, who have Malkin and Crosby, the Habs do not have a cornerstone superstar moving forward which will make their situation much more difficult to recover from.
There is no "I" in team, but there is an "M" and an "E".
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Edited by - Matt_Roberts85 on 01/20/2009 11:01:38
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Matt_Roberts85
PickupHockey Pro
Canada
936 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2009 : 11:10:16
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What does the future hold for veterens Saku Koivu and Alexei Kovalev? Are they going to stay in Montreal? And for what price?
You know Mike Komisarek is going to get a hefty raise on his $1,700,000
salary. What about Lang and Tanguay?
Solid role players, Bouillon, Begin, Kostopoulos and Brisebois are up as well. Latendresse is RFA, so is Chipcura, Higgins and Plekanec.
That is a solid chunk of an impressive roster that needs to put pen to paper this off-season. I can see them parting ways with Dandenault without much hesitation, maybe Brisebois as well, but other than that, you don't want to lose too many of these guys. What do you guys think they should do?
(Im a Leafs fan too, so this just goes to show you that we CAN talk about other teams as well. :p)
There is no "I" in team, but there is an "M" and an "E". |
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Axey
PickupHockey Pro
Canada
877 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2009 : 11:32:19
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My guess is with Tanguay, Koivu, Kovalev, Komisarek and Lang ufa's. Lang will be gone, we have enough youth to replace him unless he isn't looking for much of a raise. Koivu will stay. One of Kovalev or Tanguay is gone, possibly both. But even with them gone I don't see it hurting us much.
As for Komisarek, they need to keep this guy. remember when he got hurt at early in the season? The Habs went from 8-1-1 or something like that to near .500. If you look at it he very well could be an MVP candidate, more of a quiet one but look at Montreal's record with him in the lineup rather then out. Hopefully he won't ask for too much, but he seems to like it in Montreal, but we seem to lose a major piece of our blue line a year, so it isn't out of the question.
I think next year Yannick Weber or Mathieu Carle will be brought up to replace one of the Dmen. It very well could be a facelift, but with how the youth has performed with the 'big guns' like Koivu, Tanguay, Higgins and even Price out of the lineup I don't see it affecting us too much, granted a couple stay. If they all leave, look for Montreal to riot when we are in the cellar come this time next year. |
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Matt_Roberts85
PickupHockey Pro
Canada
936 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2009 : 11:41:51
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Can you imagine if they trade a kings randsom for lecavalier as well?! The roster next year could be Vinnie, The Kostitsyns and the hamilton bulldogs with Price in net and Markov on the blueline.
There is no "I" in team, but there is an "M" and an "E". |
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Guest2622
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Posted - 01/20/2009 : 11:56:28
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I actually think they will be fine. They will lose a couple, but considering what they have on the farm, they need to bring up some of these players anyway.
You mention that they don't have a superstar to move forward with, and that that may be a detriment. I actually think that is an advantage. They don't have anyone making over $5.75M (Markov) which has allowed them to have a very balanced roster.
Koivu has never been greedy, so I would be surprised if he doesn't sign. Kovalev, during the last contract signing said he wants to be somewhere where hockey matters, he couldn't ask for more than Montreal, Lang said he loves playing there. I feel maybe Tanguay may move on, but who knows? They had BETTER sign Komisarek.
But whoever they don't sign, that just frees up cash for other UFA's who may want to sign in Montreal just because of the promise. Such is the parity that a cap brings. |
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Alex
PickupHockey All-Star
Canada
2816 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2009 : 19:31:36
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quote:
Originally posted by Matt_Roberts85
Can you imagine if they trade a kings randsom for lecavalier as well?! The roster next year could be Vinnie, The Kostitsyns and the hamilton bulldogs with Price in net and Markov on the blueline.
There is no "I" in team, but there is an "M" and an "E".
Leafs fans often resort to this type of roundabout trash talk when their team takes the usual January nose-dive. 
In all seriousness, you raise some good points Matt. I think that Koivu will stay, but I think Tanguay, who has had the benefit of playing on a great line, will ask for more than market value and walk away. Lang will also leave the Habs.
What worries me the most is, as Axey pointed out, Komisarek. They let Souray and Streit walk away from them in the last few seasons, and if they don't be careful, they might lose one of the best defensive defensemen of today's NHL.
Kovalev is going to sign where he can get money, be a go-to player, and win, in that order. It will be important for management to sign others before Kovalev, so they can convince him it's worth staying, and know how much they have to work with. If he walks away, hey - pretty soon he'll be needing a cane to do it. 
I would say that their roster can more or less shoulder the load depth wise.They have a lot of good guys down in Hamilton, but not 11 players worth.
You must also remember that they will free up some cap room when some guys inevitably leave, and that it becomes a whole new story if they do well - or win the Cup even - this year.
Sign up for the Great Debate! |
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Matt_Roberts85
PickupHockey Pro
Canada
936 Posts |
Posted - 01/21/2009 : 05:42:04
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I know you were joking, but I was not trying to trash the habs to make myself feel better (as a Leafs fan).
I have a few buddies who are hardcore habs fans and this was something they were talking about and they genuinley seemed a little concerned. Besides, I'm trying not to think about my leafs, it just hurts too much right now.
Out of the whole group, Komisarek should definatley be priority #1. I dont think there is much doubt that he is going to get at least 4 mil. I would also try to lock up Plekanec and Higgins before this season is over, that way the possibility of an offer sheet is a reality the habs won't have to deal with. Unless you think that one of them isn't worth the cap space that you could potentially use to keep kovalev, lang and/or tanguay.
There is no "I" in team, but there is an "M" and an "E". |
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The 2009-2010 Montreal Canadiens 
