Dustin Penner on a Professional Try-out?

On Sunday , the rumors were swirling on the social media that unrestricted free agent Dustin Penner, who is still without a contract, was looking to get a professional try-out from several NHL teams in order to land a gig for the upcoming season, and the Montreal Canadiens would be one of the interested teams.

The hulking left winger scored 14 goals and 21 assists for 35 points in 67 games between the Anaheim Ducks and the Washington Capitals, posting a +25 plus/minus rating in the process along with 30 penalty minutes. Penner had much more success before the trade, posting a 0.65 PPG ratio in Anaheim before recording a putrid 0.16 PPG pace with Washington.

The 31-year-old winger is looking for a last chance to prove he still belongs to the NHL after seeing his offensive numbers decrease over the years, having his best offensive season in 2009-2010 with the Edmonton Oilers when he potted 32 goals and 31 assists for 63 points in 82 games. The 6'4'', 242-lb is exactly what the Habs need in their bottom-six as Penner's former teammate, Travis Moen, is now a shadow of his former self.

Bringing Penner to the Habs' training camp would also be a very inexpensive option to challenge other players vying for a roster stop, especially rookie Jiri Sekac and inconsistent winger Rene Bourque. The native of Winkler, Manitoba would give everything he can to land another professional contract and the worst that could happen for the organization would be a disappointing showing. Should that happen and Penner doesn't live to the expectations, they could simply release him before the season and Ta-dam, no harm's done!

On the other hand, if Penner plays very well and finds chemistry with someone like Lars Eller, then Marc Bergevin would have the option to sign him at an affordable one-year contract and try to trade a more expensive contract such as Travis Moen (owed $1.85M/year over two years) or Rene Bourque (owed $3.33M/year over two years).

Fun fact:
Did you know that Dustin Penner and former Hab winger Richard Zednik have one thing in common? 

They have the same ex-wife, actress Jessica Welch, who is a native of Montreal! Penner and Welch even tied the knot in Montreal during the 2011 All-Star break so Dustin is very familiar with the area.

Penner, who is a pretty colorfoul player on Twitter (@dustinpenner25), would certainly be a fan favorite in Montreal, much like Mike Weaver since his arrival last season.

Do you think Penner will trade the pancakes for the poutine if the Canadiens offer him a contract?

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The Bipolar Habs Fan: PK Subban vs Marc Bergevin

by Eitan Calmy

Source: Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images North America

This first edition of the Bipolar Habs Fan will be about how I feel about how Marc Bergevin got himself into a little bit of a pickle with PK Subban’s new contract negotiations.

On May 5^th, 2012 Marc Bergevin replaces Pierre Gauthier as the new General Manager of the Montreal Canadiens. His first order of business is to hire his staff. His first real order of business relating to player personnel will be to re-sign PK Subban. This is where things get a little tricky.

Without getting into too many details, let’s be extremely clear about one thing. When Bergevin signed Subban to that bridge contract he should have known that PK would hit the jackpot with his next one.

Bergevin came in and had to play hard. It was after all his first major negotiation as a general manager. PK Subban’s talent was undeniable, but the organization had question marks about his attitude, they wanted to make sure he can be part of this team, they wanted to make sure that he was a good teammate. Bottom line is they wanted to tame him, on and off the ice. Absolutely ridiculous!

Guess what? That’s a load of dog feces! PK Subban was and is a game-changer, he always will be. He can win you games all by himself. So he makes mistakes. Every single superstar in the league is a high-risk player. The key is to surround these stars properly.

Some fans were outraged when Subban was holding out before he signed his bridge deal. “He’s so arrogant.” “He hasn’t proved anything.” “He has to respect the process like all the other players.”

Oh please, spare me with that old school dinosaur mentality. Signing him to a bridge deal was a huge mistake. It was actually more than a huge mistake, it was foolish and the Montreal Canadiens are going to pay for it now.

Mr. Bergevin, how exactly can you argue with Don Meehan? What can you say to Subban or his agent that will be in the organization’s favor?  

This is some of what Don Meehan has to say;

Source: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images N.A.

2012-2013 - 42 GP 11 G 27 A = 38 PTS

-Lead all NHL defensemen in the regular season.
-Won the Norris trophy for being the “BEST DEFENSEMAN IN THE NHL”

2013-2014 - 81 GP 10 G 43 A – 53 PTS (5^th in the NHL)
PK Subban gets picked to be on the Canadian Olympic team that won gold in Sochi. Although Subban wasn’t a big factor on the ice, several of his Canadian teammates have said that he was an incredible team-first type of guy. (If anybody had any doubts that all he cares about is winning, you’re all out of your mind.)

Marc Bergevin, you have nothing to counter with.

Sign Subban and sign him now!

Sign him for the maximum term and make the man happy. If the market says he’s worth $9.5 million, you don’t have a choice. Give Subban his money.

Oh yeah and give him the C. You, me and the entire Montreal Canadiens fan base knows he deserves the captaincy. He’s your best player (other than Carey Price of course), and he has as much heart as anybody in the league. He proved that he can handle the media and that he thrives under pressure.

Subban for president! Until he pisses me off and I write how we should trade him. #notgonnahappen.

You can follow me on twitter @habsaddict

*************** 

I'm a die hard Montréal Canadiens fan, but I can be objective and like all other HABS fans I'm bipolar when it comes to my team, so watch what you say!

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Josh Gorges Gone, New Era Begins

After news broke that the Toronto Maple Leafs had made an offer to the Montreal Canadiens for Josh Gorges on Monday, June 30th, the Canadiens fan base went crazy. Some were happy, some confused, and many shocked.

Nobody was more shocked than the man himself, Josh Gorges. He was taken aback. He felt as though he was in Montreal for the long haul.

I felt as though it was a bitter-sweet moment. Gorges was a huge piece to the Canadiens success and was well known for his leadership and respect in the Habs dressing room. He wore the CH on his sleeve, and dedicated himself to the success of the team. However, it was time for the Montreal Canadiens to move on, without the assistant captain.

There were many factors that led up to the decision to move such a big leader off of a team who had such success last season. as a general manager of such a big hockey organization, every move made will be followed by scrutiny and mixed reviews. Marc Bergevin weighed his options, and decided that trading Gorges was the best option for the team moving forward. I one hundred percent agree with what Bergevin decided to do.

• Marc Bergevin made a statement after the Habs game six loss to the New York Rangers that really made me think about how this off-season would go. He said that the leadership in the Canadiens dressing room was shifting. He said younger guys were prepared to take a bigger role on the team. He really stuck to his word by trading Josh Gorges, arguably the most predominant leader for Montreal. 

• This trade allowed Bergevin to shuffle his defensive dynamic, and allows a chance for a pair of young, NHL ready defencemen to break into the league. 

• The resigning of Mike Weaver provided a much cheaper option as a penalty kill specialist, and the addition of Tom Gilbert provides an option for Montreal's second power play unit.

• PK Subban is due for a big raise, and in order to save the cap space that he is going to eat up, somebody had to be moved. Gorges was expendable as there were options in place to take his spot in the line-up. 

• This was a combination of a business move, and a hockey move. Both, in my opinion, were calculated decisions that will help the club in the immediate, and distant future.

Josh Gorges will be dearly missed in Montreal. Since his arrival in Montreal in 2007, he has been a fan favourite. He played his heart out each and every game, and was a big part of Montreal's core. I would like to wish him luck in Buffalo, and hope he finds success.  

Back in Montreal, this trade has provided Bergevin with a 2nd round pick in 2016. This could potentially be a valuable pick down the line. On top of that, they have the slots available for the kids (Jarred Tinordi, Nathan Beaulieu, and Greg Pateryn) to make the big club full time. FINALLY.

Overall, I am happy with how this Gorges deal has turned out. Marc Bergevin isn't afraid to make the big moves needed for the better of the Montreal Canadiens.

Thank you for reading! be sure to follow @Darrinharmy

and leave a comment below. 

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Montreal Canadiens Among The Teams Trying To Sign F Radim Vrbata

Now that the July 1st free agent frenzy is over, most of the top unrestricted free agents have already found a new one. Montreal Canadiens' general manager, Marc Bergevin, was fairly active on the market, signing veteran center Manny Malhotra along with right-handed defenseman Tom Gilbert. The team also re-signed fan favorite Mike Weaver, but traded warrior Josh Gorges to the Buffalo Sabres for a draft pick.

Our team of writers here at Habsaddict.com will revisit the above signings and transaction later tonight. Right now, the last piece of the puzzle for the Habs might very well be sniper Radim Vrbata, who is the most coveted free agent forward still unsigned. Depiste RFAs Lars Eller and P.K. Subban looking for new deals, the Canadiens have the cap space to sign Vrbata to a reasonable contract. The organization currently has a little more than $15 million available under the salary cap with only two players to sign.

It is expected that Eller will probably earn a little over than $2 million on his next deal and that Subban will certainly command around $8 million per year for the next several years. That would leave the Canadiens with about $4 million of cap space to sign the right winger Vrbata, unless the team moves a player like Travis Moen, who is owned $1.85 million/year over the next two years.

The 33-year-old forward native of Mlada Boleslav, Czech Republic, would join his friend and national team companion Tomas Plekanec, should he decide to sign with the Canadiens. Last season, Vrbata potted 20 goals and 31 assists for 51 points in 80 games for the offensively-challenged Phoenix Coyotes. The 6'1'', 190-lb forward has six seasons with at least 18 goals during his 11-season NHL career. Drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in the 7th round of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, Vrbata played his junior hockey with the Hull Olympiques and Shawinigan Cataractes, recording 107 goals and 147 assists for 254 points in only 167 games.

At the moment, several teams remain interested in Vrbata's services, including the New Jersey Devils, the Arizona Coyotes and the Vancouver Canucks. As of now, his agent Rich Evans has not commented yet on the situation surrounding his client.

Stay tuned for more updates.

No Foolin' Fred Poulin
Follow me on Twitter -> @FredPoulin98

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Thomas Vanek Making A Big Impact With The Montreal Canadiens

12 games after his acquisition at the trade deadline, Thomas Vanek has shut up all his critics after showing his solid offensive play with his new line-mates Max Pacioretty and David Desharnais, the team's best line since they have been reunited. Since his arrival with the Bleu Blanc Rouge, Vanek has scored six goals and five assists for 11 points to go along with a +6 rating.

The 30-year-old Austrian now has 27 goals and 37 assists for 64 points in 72 games with the Canadiens, the Islanders and the Sabres this season. The 6'2'', 205-lb, winger is an impending free agent at season's end, but with the way he is playing with Desharnais and Pacioretty, who knows if the sniper might decide to re-sign with Montreal.

The creative and intelligent Austrian has given head coach Michel Therrien a true NHL first line that can score on a regular basis. Heck that line scored the team's four goals last night in a 4-1 win against the hapless Florida Panthers. A true offensive sniper, Vanek can float at times in the defensive zone, but his puck-possession skills are excellent and he has always a knack to get at the right place at the right time to bury his scoring chances. The Habs are now 5-0 in their last five games and 8-2 in their last ten games with Vanek on the team's top line. The line is a combined 12 goals and 13 assists for 25 points in their last seven games, talk about domination.  

With now 93 points (43-26-7) in 76 games, the Habs are basically qualified for the playoffs and they are currently battling with the Tampa Bay Lightning for the second place in the Altanta Division and home ice advantage. With Tomas Plekanec now centering the team's second line with youngters Alex Galchenyuk and Brendan Gallagher, the Habs can count on two offensive lines to do damage, while the third line of veterans Rene Bourque, Daniel Briere and Brian Gionta can play an effective two-way game.

Let's hope that this red-hot line remains together until the end of the season and manages to find the back of the net on a regular basis against the Lightning who can count on several offensive weapons such as Steven Stamkos, Valtteri Filppula, Teddy Purcell, as well as rookies Ondrej Palat, Tyler Johnson, Alex Killorn, and rearguard Victor Hedman.

Finally, don't get your hopes too high Habs fans, as Thomas Vaenk is most likely to test free agency comes July 1st after rejecting a seven-year, $50 million offer from the New York Islanders prior to the NHL trade deadline. Still, this doesn't mean that Thomas Vanek will not re-sign long term with Montreal, it just means that the Austrian sniper is likely to test his value on the market before making a decision regarding his long-term future.

Should Vanek and GM Marc Bergevin find a common ground and are able to keep the top-end sniper in Montreal, the organization will have to get creative as the team needs to re-sign UFA Andrei Markov and RFA P.K. Subban to expensive deals before the summer as these two players are the cornerstones of the Habs' blue line.

Should Bergevin re-sign Thomas Vanek to a long-term deal or simply let him walk away come July 1st? 

Who should the team let go to make room for the Austrian sniper? Brian Gionta? Lars Eller?

No Foolin' Fred Poulin 

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Is this the end of Andrei Markov?

Everything has a beginning and an end. I believe we are approaching the end of an era: the Andrei Markov era. Drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the 6^th round of the NHL draft in 1998. Andrei broke into the league in the 2002-03 season after bouncing between Montreal and Quebec (Montreal's then minor-league affiliate) for two seasons. He would soon become the Habs' best defenceman logging huge minutes and being the go-to-guy on the power-play. Always top 5-10 in league statistics among offensive defensemen.

Andrei Markov is currently in the final year of his three-year deal worth $17.25 million and he's looking for an extension. Earlier in the season, Andrei fired his agent Don Meehan and decided to handle the contract negotiations. Shortly thereafter it was announced that former Hab and teammate, Sergei Berezin, had been hired as his new agent. Guess he didn't realize how cutthroat negotiating can be. At 35 years of age, its not about dollars so much as it is about term. The past couple seasons he has gotten off to a great start only to fizzle out in the second half and be almost invisible during playoffs due to logging big minutes night in, night out. On repaired knees, it takes its toll and it's obvious in his play. The age is beginning to show and he knows his time is coming up, hence the term, he doesn't want to go through another negotiation. Markov wants this to be his last contract.

It was reported yesterday that Marc Bergevin offered Markov a one-year contract worth $6 million. I believe he has since rejected the offer looking more for a three-year contract. Is Bergevin prepared to go three years? No. I don't believe he is. I also believe it was a bit of a PR move. Offer Markov a contract that you know he will not take, that way you don't look like the bad guy in the eyes of fans when that trade is announced. Fans absolutely love #79, and would hate to see him go. If Andrei is not in the Canadiens future plans, it would only make sense get something while his value is still high. Smart asset management is what will make Habs successful in the long run.

Now what is Markov worth on the open market? Well, it's been reported by NHL insiders like Darren Dreger and Bob Mackenzie that he could fetch a first round pick AND a young roster player or high end prospect. If I had to guess on possible trading partners since Andrei has a modified no-trade clause, which basically means he can pick where he goes, I'd say places like Washington to play with his buddy Alex, Pittsburgh, Vancouver or Detroit. Those make sense to me anyway.

I also wouldn't be entirely shocked if he happens to re-sign in Montreal. My guess, he takes two years at $5 million per year, he gets a bit more term and Marc saves a bit more money because we all know he's got to back up the truck for P.K. Subban.

As far as rumors, Rene Bourque and Brian Gionta are being shopped pretty hard, but no bites. Barely any nibbles. A lot of the chatter will be put to bed by next week when the NHL trade deadline approaches next week.

Sean Dempsey

Writer for Habsaddict.com, Father of 3 with an awesome wife! Sports head – My father told me I'm a Habs fan cause he dropped me; he's a Bruins fan. Follow me on twitter @Dewstyle_Hockey

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Montreal Canadiens: Depth Chart and Player Movements

One week after the opening of free agency, the Canadiens' roster is most likely settled for the beginning of the 2013-14 season, unless GM Marc Bergevin manages to trade a big salary. There won't be many surprises in training camp like last season when both Galchenyuk and Gallagher managed to stick with the team following the lock-out.

The only spot that could open at forward barring a trade, is if captain Brian Gionta begins the season on the injury reserve recovering from a torn biceps. Including Gionta, the Habs currently have 13 forwards slated to begin with the season in the NHL following the acquisition of enforcer Georges Parros last week. Should Gionta's become available, look for the Canadiens to call up Gabriel Dumont or Christian Thomas to fill the 13th forward role.

On defense, the team seriously lacks grit and physicality with Alexei Emelin due to begin the campaign on the injury reserve and miss at least two months recovering from a serious knee injury. Unless the Canadiens decide to sign a veteran free agent to compensate Emelin's loss, rookie Jarred Tinordi is the likeliest candidate to begin the season in the top-6, relegating Davis Drewiske to a reserve role.

Finally, the rumors are swirling that UFA Brenden Morrow is currently talking to the Canadiens about the possibility of signing with the team. In 44 games last season, Morrow, 34, notched 12 goals and 13 assists for 25 points with a -3 plus/minus ratio. Morrow recorded 4 points in 14 playoffs games with the Penguins after he was acquired from the Stars at the trade deadline. Morrow, who is married to Guy Carbonneau's daughter, Anne-Marie, has a personal interest in signing with the Habs, but the gritty forward has more than one offer on the table at the moment.

Habs Depth chart:

Left Wing              Centre                      Right Wing
Max Pacioretty      David Desharnais      Daniel Brière
Rene Bourque       Tomas Plekanec        Brian Gionta
Alex Galchenyuk   Lars Eller                  Brendan Gallagher
Travis Moen         Ryan White (RFA)    Brandon Prust
Extra: George Parros

Defensemen:
Andrei Markov    Francis Bouillon
Josh Gorges         P.K. Subban
Jarred Tinordi      Raphael Diaz
Extra: Davis Drewiske

Injury Reserve: Alexi Emelin (knee)

Goaltenders:
Carey Price
Peter Budaj

The Canadiens really improved their AHL depth during the off-season, signing career AHLers Nick Tarnasky and Martin St. Pierre, and adding a few more players from the QMJHL, namely Stefan Fournier, Stephen MacAuley and Ben Duffy.

With the arrival of new prospects, transitioning from Europe and the CHL, Hamilton will be much more competitive than last season. The team still needs to add depth on defense, especially a left-handed defenseman able to mentor the younger defensemen, something that was lacking last season. With the departure of Frederic St. Denis and Jason DeSantis, Bergevin really needs to address that weakness now.

Bulldogs Depth chart:

Left Wing              Centre                     Right Wing
Nick Tarnasky      Martin St. Pierre       Christian Thomas
Patrick Holland        Gabriel Dumont        Louis Leblanc
Mike Blunden       Michael Bournival     Sven Andrighetto
Steve Quailer        Joonas Nattinen        Stefan Fournier
Extra: Stephen MacAuley, Ben Duffy

Defensemen:
Nathan Beaulieu   Morgan Ellis
Greg Pateryn        Magnus Nygren
Darren Dietz         ?
Extra: ?

Goaltenders:
Dustin Tokarski (RFA)
Mike Condon
Robert Mayer

I hope the above gives you a bigger picture of the organization's depth chart and shows you that the team is making every effort to rebuild its pool of quality prospects through the draft and the free agency.

Follow me on Twitter @FredPoulin98 if you want to talk puck and Habs.

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NHL Free Agent Frenzy: Willey's Wish List

Hello ARM Chair GM's.

The 2013 NHL Draft is now behind us, Compliance buyouts have pretty much all been made and the window for Unrestricted Free Agency is upon us.

Are you as excited as I am?

I love Free Agent Frenzy more than anyone.  

It's the time of year where my NHL13 game sees and endless amount of trades.  I mean , I must have changed my roster 20 or more times this week alone.

Before I tell you what my current wish list entails, let just give you a quick recap of what our current roster looks like for the star of the 2013-14 season.

Pacioretty-Desharnais-Gallagher
Bourque-Plekanec-Gionta
Galchenyuk-Eller-Prust
Moen-White-Blunden

Markov-Subban
Gorges-Diaz
Bouillon-Drewiske

Are you thinking what I am thinking about the above?

Blarg !!!!!!

I see the above roster and can't help but think that this club is going to have some major issues.

Our defense is aging and slow, and there is a serious lack of depth up front with the departure of Ryder, Armstrong, Halpern and Nokalienen. And I am not even going to start with the omnipresent lacks size in the top 6 and on D alike.

I know that we are just a couple years away from seeing the likes of Jarred Tinordi, Nathan Beaulioeu, Dalton Thrower, Charles Hudon, Sebastien Collberg, etc.... but the fact is that these guys are not quite ready and we are in need of some help.

So with that said, here is my wishlist.

FORWARDS

The way I see it, we have room for at least two players up front but for arguments sake I will name three.

First: Ryane Clowe.

I know that there is this perception that he is over the hill and injury prone. I do however find it odd to have this negative connotation towards the guy and then see these very same nay sayers praise and applaud the suggested signing of Nathan Horton.

Yes Clowe may have lost a step when it comes from getting from the corners to the front of the net but he is still extremely effective along the boards, is more than willing to stand in front of the net and will without a doubt stick up for any and all teammates.
For a team like the Habs that will see the departure of character locker room guys like Armstrong, and Halpern, his arrival will be very well received.

Contract: I would love to see him sign for a Three year $12 million contract however to ensure his services, the Habs would have to offer that 4th year.



Second: Eric Nystrom

If you do not absolutely love this guy, then you cannot possibly be a fan of hockey.

Although listed as a LWer, Nystrom is more than accustomed to playing center. He is a gritty, hard nosed, effective penalty killer who excels in the faceoff circle, and like Clowe will defend teammates whenever called upon.

Contract: Look for Nystrom to sign a three year $4.5 million contract.



Third: Daniel Cleary

There is no denying that Daniel Cleary is on the down swing of his career. He is only 34 years old, but as the adage says, he is an old 34. Cleary’s production has declined over the past few years but he remains a very reliable third line left winger capable of playing on the PK and providing leadership in the locker room.

And if the 2013 NHL playoffs proved anything, he is still an effective offensive player willing to go to the dirty areas of the ice.

With a surplus of talent on the horizon and with a lack of LW depth, Cleary may just be the perfect stop gap on a short 2 year contract until the reinforcements arrive.

Contract: A two year deal worth $1.8 million per season

DEFENSE

With seven players already under contract for the coming season on one way contracts and arguably two to three players no more than a year away, the Habs should be looking for a real stop gap on a short term solution.

There are definitely a list of appealing names out there like Rob Scuderi, Douglas Murray, etc.. however the big name players will be looking at three + year contracts which is not something Montreal should be looking at.

The Habs need a cheap contract on the verge of expiring.

As such look for them to offer a one year deal to one of the following:

First: Steve Montador.

The oft-injured defensemen formerly from the Chicago Blackhawks is a dependable #5-6 Dman. There have been rumours of Bergevin’s interest in him ever since his arrival as GM of the Montreal Canadiens. Adding him now only seems like a 

Contract: One year at $1.9 million 

Second: Mike Komisarek

Ok. Let me pause here for a second. Get the laughs out. Commence the ridicule and get back on you chair because I am sure you fell off laughing.

I am sure I am going to be called every name under the sun but call it a hunch, a guess or straight out blind faith, but I really believe that Komisarek can play a regular shift with this team assuming that he is expected to play limited minutes on a bottom pairing.

I am a firm believer that certain players can only perform in certain situations and there is no way of denying the fact that Komisarek was horrible while in Toronto.

It’s happened to guys like Dnaiel Cleary, Bates Battaglia, Erik Cole and so many many more. To be honest this entire situation reminds me a lot of when Stephane Quintal decided to jump ship after some good years in Montreal and headed to the NYR. It didn’t work at all and Quintal was soon shipped back to the 514.

In Toronto he was expected to be a physical and dominant force. He was expected to drop the gloves, hit like a truck and be opposing out there on the ice. Problem is that Komisarek although good with the body is not a fighter or opposing figure. Let him play behind the likes of Moen, White, Prust, Nystrom, Clowe, et al… and we’ll see another effective Komisarek.

Contract: One year at $1.5 million.

I know that you are going to disagree with me.  Let me have it.

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It's Time For Marc Bergevin To Take A Big Step Forward

The conclusion of the 2013 season is upon us as the Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins are set to battle one another in a best of three series before a Stanley Cup Champion can be declared.

What I find especially exciting this year however, is that the end of the Cup finals, the 2013 Amateur NHL Draft and Free Agent Frenzy are all set to take place within a 10 day span.

I cannot speak for other fans but for me, this is the most exciting time of the year, with an honorable mention to the Trade Deadline.

This year however has a new twist on the excitement.

Sure we can all access the list of pending Unrestricted Free Agents (UFA’s) but this year; the list of available players is surrounded with mystique and uncertainty courtesy of a little something called the compliance buy-out opportunities.

For those not familiar, the gist of this feature is simple. Teams have the opportunity to buy-out any two contracts on their roster without the cap hit, minus -$500k or so.

Just imaging that a list that once featured top UFA players like David Clarkson, Pascal Dupuis, Ryane Clowe or Douglas Murray will now be bolstered with possible additions like Sheldon Souray, Daniel Briere, Vincent Lecavalier and many more.

How can you not be excited knowing that in just 10 days we still do not know who will be available to sign? I don’t know about you but I am giddy at the thought of adding a guy like Vinny Lecavalier to this mix at a bargain basement price.

So I’ve decided to let the giddiness get the better of me and will play armchair GM for my game plan/wish list from now until July 1st.

Non-compliance buy-out

I am sure we all agree right?

Tomas Kaberle, thank you but not thank you. I hate to see you go but bye-bye. Bought out, we’ll take the $500k cap hit.

Potential Trades

I think that it is more than obvious that given our lack of NHL depth on D, and given the fact that Emelin will be injured for 2-3 months of the season, it is imperative for Marc Bergevin to improve our D-core.

I am also of the belief that here are fairly limited options that are available via UFA status so in my humble opinion we need to make a trade.

I therefore propose the following:

Montreal should trade Raphael Diaz, Travis Moen and our 1st round pick in the 2013 Entry Draft to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for Kevin Bieksa

This trade would free up $1.5 million in cap space for the Vancouver Canucks and would provide them with help on the blue line for their PP which finished 22nd in the NHL last season as well as some depth for the 3rd line which was seriously lacking in this playoffs.

For Montreal it solidifies a blue line with a right handed top 4 D-man with 3 years remaining on a contract.

Players to sign:

My number one target would be Eric Nystrom. He guy is big, can play mean, is great defensively and finished the year with a 57.7% rate in the faceoff circle. In other words he’s exactly what we need to compliment Prust and White on a 4th line.

Signing: Three years at $1.5 million per year.

My second singing would be the target of either Bryan Bickell or Ryane Clowe. I know many people are clamoring for Bryan Bickell but he is just not a player that I am convinced with. I see his limited success in the regular season and his typical lack of physicality and I have visions of Fernando Pisani all over again.

So because of that fear I have decided that Ryan Clowe will be my target.

Before everyone gets upset and asks me to take a look at his stats from 2013, I ask you to have faith.

2013 was a bad year for Clowe primarily because of his injuries. He played the year with a bad shoulder which limited his mobility, limited his ability to battle to the front of the net and to ultimately score. Clowe will rebound in a big way in the next few seasons.

The second reason why I have Clowe as my player of choice is because of the physicality. Although they are both 6’4 and 230 lbs., Clowe brings a whole new level of physicality with both his ability to fore-check and hit as well as his ability to drop the gloves.

Bickell for instance has been in the league for four years and has a total of six NHL fights compared to Clowe’s 58 over seven years. So if players have equal production, equal size, are really not that much different in age but one provides an element that we are seriously lacking, then for me the option is simple, Ryane Clowe has to be that guy.

Signing: Four years at $4.25 million per season

My team for the 2013-14 season would look something like:

Bourque-Plekanec-Gionta
Pacioretty-Eller-Desharnais
Clowe-Galchenyuk-Gallagher
Prust-Nystrom-White

Markov-Bieksa
Gorges-Subban
Tinordi-Bouillon

My Conclusion:

We already know that this team has a lot of potential based on where they finished the season in 2013, what is missing is size, grit, determination and toughness.

It is important that Bergevin maintains the chemistry of this group by keeping the core players intact while complimenting them with size, toughness and character.

I am a firm believer that we do not need to sign a goon but rather acquire a player who can play a regular shift and still provide that element of toughness.

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Habs add John Madden, Luongo to Panthers, Free Agency and More

Good AM Habs fans!

Yesterday it was announced that former NHL centre John Madden will join the Montreal Canadiens' amateur recruitment group. More specifically, he will be responsible for scouting free agents in the US collegiate ranks.

This is what appears to be another solid move by Marc Bergevin.

And yet, I have some reservations. Reservations not about Madden individually, but rather about the amount of former players hired by the General Manager.

After all, being a former player hardly guarantees competency in management or scouting related positions. In this case, I fear that their might be too many individuals who share the same backgrounds and perspectives.

A homogeneity which can stifle creative and innovative decision making. After all, studies show that diverse work groups make better decisions.

What do you think? Are there too many former players on Bergevin's management team?

Habs and Hockey news

- Mathieu Darche shares his perspective on CBA negotiations and talks about his future in hockey.

- Rory Boylen profiles the intense, and at times insane, reaction of fans in regards to the pending lockout and hockey in general.

- Roberto Luongo rather bluntly states his preference for returning to the Florida Panthers.

- Pierre LeBrun reports that the NHL would like to move the opening of free agency to July 10th.

- Did you know that the French Women's National Team toured in Montreal last week? Neither did I.

- Finally, a bit of good news. Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, the Russian team involved in an unfortunate plane crash last year, has made its return to the KHL.

(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America)

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Free Agent Frenzy; What Will We Do?

by Willey

Wow; what an exciting time of year!

I have just spent a day bombarded with texts, emails, tweets, forum posts with a little twist of dirty diapers; welcome to the world of Free Agent Fatherhood Frenzy.

That’s right Kamal; congratulations on the birth of your baby boy. Although I am eternally hurt from your refusal to name him Willey, a wound that runs deep but is beginning to heal, welcome to the club man.

You are officially introduced to the world of juggling work, the game of hockey, your online community and of course fatherhood. It is a journey, it is troubling and difficult but there is no greater gift in life. Enjoy every minute of it my friend.

----

Here I am sitting in front of my computer with just 36 hours away from arguably the most exciting part of any NHL fans season.

Come on guys; I’m not talking about Canada Day, and no I’m not talking about the premier of Transformers 3; Dark Side of Moon - or whatever the heck it’s called. I’m talking about Free Agent Frenzy.

That time of year where we all find ourselves glued to our computers and phones hoping to get the latest scoop as our beloved teams adds those missing building blocks to what surely promises to be a Stanley Cup winning season.

OMG why did I just mention the Stanley Cup? I just felt an overwhelming nauseating feeling as the image of Zdeno Chara and the Boston Bruins hoisting the Stanley Cup just swept through my mind.

Come on Willey, think happy thoughts; think 24 Cups, think Jean Beliveau and Chris Nilan, think PK Subban and Jarred Tinordi. OK I’m better now, where was I?

Oh yes; Free Agent Frenzy. You know that can only mean one thing; Willey’s Wish List, a look at the forwards, Defense and goaltending.

Goaltending

Realistically what is there to say? The doubts that many of us had going into last season have been answered and it is obvious more than ever that Carey Price is the man.

So if we know that he is going to “Carey” the majority of the work load then the only possible question that remains is who will be his back-up?

Um….how about anyone? Mathieu Garon, Jose Theodore, Martin Biron, Marty Turco, Johan Hedberg; I mean really, take your pick?

Ok, Ok stop harassing me. If you want a name that badly then I will give you one, I say bring back Auld. I mean for a million dollars or less we have a guy who was above .500 with a more than respectable GAA and save percentage so what's wrong with that?

Besides, I need another year of: “he’s big he’s bald, he’s Alex Auld” to digest.

Defense

Today we received confirmation that Roman Hamrlik would not be returning, that James Wisniewski was dealt to the Columbus Blue Jackets for a seventh round pick and that Yannick Weber has been signed for two additional years; translation; our defense is pretty much set.

Je suis Andrei Markov, je suis Alexei Emelin, je suis PK Subban, je suis Hal Gill, je suis Josh Gorges, je suis Jaroslav Spacek and je suis Yannick Weber; ladies and gentleman your 2011-12 Montreal Canadiens defense core!

Whoa, whoa, whoa lady, pump the breaks! Do you really think I would just sit by and accept this as status quo? Do you really think my years of bitching and moaning about the lack of toughness would simply be tossed to the sideline just because we have seven guys already on the roster?

I’m sorry but four Europeans? Only three players taller than 6’0? This is just not going to happen.

So let the bitching begin.

First things first, is grandpa Spacek really still on this team? He was old when we signed him, so I figured he’d be collecting his pension by now, not anchoring our third D pairing. I mean seriously why not just bring back Butch Bouchard or something.

I have no problem with Markov, Emelin, Subban, Gill and Gorges; in fact I think these five men form what may in fact be one of the best units in the Eastern Conference. Add in a guy like Yannick Weber who is still young and improving and truth be told I like this team. But I’m sorry but where is the depth my friends?


One little injury and we are once again having to part ways with picks and prospects to wait for it, fix our leaking roof. Come on guys, enough with the patching let’s just start replacing the bloody thing.


So who exactly is on my radar? Apparently he is on the radar of the Chicago Blackhawks as well because his negotiating rights were traded last night; Steve Montador.


Montador is not overly big at just 6’1 and 215lbs but he is a right handed shot, is tough as nails and can play any situation be it five on five, on the PK or on the PP.

Take a quick look at his career and you’ll also notice that his stats are truly not far behind that of James Wisniewski, with the exception of one thing; his cost.

So what am I willing to offer Mr. Montador. Hmmm let’s see, how about a two-year contract at $2.25 million per season.


What Next

Believe it or not I am happy going with 8 Defensemen on this team. One little tweak of adding a right handed depth defenseman and am ready to go.

Sure I would still like to see the salary of Spacek find its way to a team like Florida or Phoenix but as we discovered last season injuries can occur at any moment. And as my philosophy dictates, a team is only as good as the depth in the organization.

Andrei Markov-Alexei Emelin
Hal Gill-PK Subban
Josh Gorges-Steve Montador

Spacek/Weber

The Forwards

Here is the biggie and despite the chastising I am sure to get from my fellow Habs fans, Scott Gomez is part of my roster for the upcoming season. I agree with you that he is not worth what he is paid. I know that he did not perform and in many ways hurt us out there, I get that but let’s look at this in a different way.

Gomez cannot possibly have a worse season meaning we can pretty much assure we are going to get better numbers from him. Secondly I am a firm believer that the most important element of a team is the character and locker room. From what I understand Gomez is the glue that holds a lot of the pieces together. I do not want to mess with that chemistry. So with that said I see only minor changes needed.

Sure we can offer huge money to Raffi Torres or Jamie Langenbrunner or heck even Brad Richards, but it is not the root I want to travel. I do not see the need to go out and offer huge money to a player when I think we have the necessary players already in the organization.

In order to take a step forward we simply need to address one missing component, toughness.

New Additions

Anthony Stewart; Stewart is a 6’2 inch, 220 lbs power forward from Lasalle, Qc. He was a highly touted prospect who excelled for Canada at the WJC but who has not quite lived up to expectations at the NHL level.

What he provides however is a smooth skating, big bodied winger who plays a North-south game; finishes his checks, will drop the gloves if the situation presents itself and can play any of the three forward positions.

What I like best is the fact that Stewart has the body to play on a fourth line, has the defensive awareness to play on the third line and the skill set to substitute on the second line as a short term solution. Stewart signed on a 3 year $6 million contract

Mike Rupp. Rupp is a 6’5 , 230lbs beast. He will never be anything more than a fourth line player with the odd shift on the third line however Rupp is the type of guy the fans and coaches love.

He is a great skater, and by all accounts tremendous in the locker room. Rupp always finishes his checks, sticks up for teammates whenever called upon, plays with his heart on his sleeve and can be used regularly five on five or on the PK.

Rupp signed on a 2 year $2.5 million contract

Next on my list is; well actually nobody. Perhaps I am of the minority but I do not see the need to go out and sign a big ticket item for the same of signing a big ticket item.

If a name like Jaromir Jagr or Jason Arnott joins the team to complete that top line duo of Cammalleri and Plekanec then I will surely welcome them with open arms as it it make our club that much better, but I firmly believe that we have a good team that can do some serious damage in this league.


--------

So that's it folks. One move on defense and two simple depth moves with the forwards. Moves that can assure us that players like Travis Moen and Mathieu Darche never has to see first or second line ice duty.


Simply put, moves that allow Gauthier to start renovating other parts of the house instead of investing more time and energy in that damn leaking roof.

Who installed that roof anyway?

----

Willey was the shinning light among the wicked growing up as the lone Habs fan in Toronto. Pray to Holy Ghosts of the old forum and all shall be answered I was told, and just like that my family was transferred back to Montreal and away from the damned. Olé Olé Olé.

(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images North America)

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Habs trade Kostitsyn, free agency, rumours, and more...

Habs Inside/Out - Sergei K dealt to Nashville
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/36505

What happens next?
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/36506

RDS - Sergei K. packs his bags (French)
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/301683.html

TSN - Can Price and Ellis coexist?
http://tsn.ca/columnists/bob_mckenzie/?id=326082

The Daily Hab-it - Gauthier kills three birds with one stone
http://dailyhab-it.blogspot.com/2010/06/gauthier-kills-three-birds-with-one.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheDailyHab-it+%28The+Daily+Hab-it%29&utm_content=Twitter

Spector's Hockey - June 30, 2010 Free agent roundup
http://www.spectorshockey.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1418:nhl-free-agent-news-june-30-2010&catid=5:trade-rumors&Itemid=4

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Habs sign Pyatt, Pouliot, Team takes shape, Rumours, Top free agents...

Habs Inside/Out - Pyatt and Pouliot sign
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/36503

The team takes shape
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/36504

RDS - A new deal for Pouliot (French)
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/301584.html

TSN - One year pact
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=325950

Spector's Hockey - Rumour roundup
http://www.spectorshockey.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1412:nhl-trade-and-free-agent-news-june-29-2010&catid=5:trade-rumors&Itemid=4

ESPN.com - Top Free Agent Forwards
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?columnist=burnside_scott&id=5337368

The Daily Hab-it - Cap issues hinge on Price
http://dailyhab-it.blogspot.com/2010/06/cap-issues-hinge-on-price.html

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