According to TSN's Bob Mckenzie, the Canadiens have re-signed Plekanec to a long term deal approximated at around $5 million per season.
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=325383
RDS is reporting it is a 6-year, $30 million deal:
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/301251.html
Habs Inside/Out - Plekanec re-signs with Habs: TSN
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/36374
As Habs Inside/Out pointed out, the signing of Plekanec leaves the Habs with $9 million to sign Carey Price, Maxim Lapierre, Glen Metropolit, Tom Pyatt, Benoit Pouliot, Marc-André Bergeron, Sergei Kostitsyn and Dominic Moore.
Things are getting pretty tight folks so hold onto your hats!
3:25 PM
Unknown
In question three of my five-part survey on what fans would do they were the Habs' GM, I asked readers what they would do with Andrei Markov. Sign him? Trade him? Wait till the trade deadline?
Here's a sampling of what fans had to say:
Question#3: Re-sign or trade Andrei Markov?
1. Re-sign Markov. He's a top 5 D-man year in and year out, and he's a huge impact on the rest of the D corp. Also crucial to PP and PK special teams.
2. Trade him and get another stellar defensemen like Lubomir Vishnovsky.
3. I couldn't bear the thought of trading a top 5-7 defenseman when the only offensive help from the blueline besides Markov is coming from a 21-year old rookie.
Markov's injuries are not recurrent, just pure bad luck (See Price's skate, Cooke's hit). We finally have a great top pair on D for the coming years in Markov/Subban. Let them be. I would only trade Markov for a stud young center ala Staal, Carter, Kopitar, and that ain't happening!
3. I think we should trade him...maybe even package him with Halak to get a big top-6 forward. It's a lot to give up, but the return has the potential to change this franchise, plus Markov has been getting hurt at very inopportune times over the last few years (not that injuries are his fault).
4. IF you want to trade Markov (I don't, but say he seems unwilling to extend during the season), trade deadline is best in this case because he's injured at the moment. Spacek is no Markov, but he'd be better on his natural side and the Habs could have a D by committee approach while seeking a replacement.
5. Re-sign Markov. This guy has been with the Habs since he got in this league. I think it would be a shame to let him go next year. I love what he brings to the table both on and off the ice.
6. Don't trade Markov. He is a leader. He may have one or two good years and that can make a difference for younger players (Subban, O'Byrne, Webber).
Consensus: Mixed-bag. Some say trade him, some say keep him. If there is a consensus it is that people feel sick about the thought of losing Markov.
One of the top offensive-defenseman in the league year after year, Andrei Markov will be entering the final year of his contract this summer.
Logic would dictate that the Habs simply cannot afford to lose Markov and should re-sign him as soon as possible.
GM Pierre Gauthier has even publically said that he wants to start talking contract with Markov this summer, as opposed to next.
But is the Markov re-signing a total no-brainer or is there more to the story?
Markov has unfortunately seen a rash of injuries over the last two or three seasons which have caused him to miss all or significant portions of the playoffs last year and this year.
In addition, his freak skate-cut accident in the first game of this past season caused him to be out until the New Year. Then, after coming back from the injury, Markov torn his ACL during the second round versus Pittsburgh, sending him home for knee surgery and then home until next season.
At this point, Markov is projected to be back in the lineup in November 2010, meaning that the Habs might once again be missing Markov at the beginning of the season.
All this adds up to the Habs having to at least consider the possibility of trading Markov this season rather than signing him or letting him become a UFA.
Can you imagine Markov on a team like Washington, for example? He'd have just as many points as Mike Green, if not more, and would have a better plus/minus rating.
The potential return for trading Markov to a contending team could be massive and something that could help the Habs out for years to come.
You also can't discount the fact that the Habs made due without Markov for most of the season and playoffs.
So while he is their rock on the backend, they might be showing that they can play without him.
But who am I kidding?
If the Habs traded Markov, how would they find a replacement for him? You cannot easily acquire a No.1 defensemen either through the draft or by trade.
The temptation, however, is the potential return. That being said, Markov is only 30 and likely has at least four more good years in him.
I'd sign him for five more years and let him retire as a Canadien. If there is an incredible offer that comes in for him at the trade deadline you look at it then, in context. But until then, I would hold onto him as he should be one of the key cogs of this team if they are going to become a contender.
What's more important, in my opinion, is finding a true No.2 defensemen to play along side him!
So what do you think? Trade him? Keep him?
POLL RESULTS:
Re-sign him immediately - 62%
Trade him immediately - 20%
Trade him at the trade deadline - 16
12:25 PM
Unknown
by Tyg
Hallelujah! The Great Goalie War of 2009-2010 is OVER! Why isn't everyone rejoicing?
I know there's a lot of Halak vs. Price comparisons going on again today - frankly they've been going on for a while now and I've read all that and how their stats are comparable and what not.
I've read more than I care to about this trade, and while logic has gotten through to me and I understand about salary cap issues, etc. let me make one thing clear: Just because I understand something doesn't automatically equate to me liking it.
I'm not a Halak worshipper, nor am I a Price faithful.
I like both goalies and think both are highly skilled and capable. I would have preferred to keep both, though I honestly thought that wouldn't happen—again due to the cap issues.
Also, unlike a lot of learned hockey commentators and the casual fan on the street, I do not think this automatically means a re-signing of soon to be UFA Tomas Plekanec.
I can see why people are upset, and I'm one of them, but not because the Habs have just traded their playoff hero. I'm upset for a few other reasons, the first of which is Carey Price himself.
Carey Price
I've read a lot about Price recently, and how he has matured during this recent post-season Habs run, and while that may be true, what I saw for myself was Price slashing Nik Backstrom from the bench and shooting a puck into celebrating Caps. Cue the 2 unsportsmanlike penalties.
He did an awful lot of growing up during the Pens series and the abbreviated Flyers series then, I guess. Considering he failed to do it over the three seasons he's been in Montreal thus far hardly inspires confidence in me and makes me think he's worthy of the net, the responsibility, and the faith he has once again been handed on the proverbial silver platter.
I really hope the month of maturity he impressed pundits with is here to stay, because if not it will suck for him, but more importantly it's going to suck for me as a lifelong fan, and probably for many other fans.
I suspect it will suck for the Habs as a whole, and their chances at a playoff run next season as well.
Pierre Gauthier
For every fan calling him out for this trade (including the great Red Fisher whom I highly respect), there are fans who are lauding him going against the fanbase and making the hard call.
While I can understand what Gauthier was thinking, I have to side with the former.
Regardless of the fanbase and the cap issues, what Gauthier has done is trade away a solid NHL player that the organization has managed to develop, for two untested prospects. That amounts to another crapshoot for me and I just went through the same thing with Bob Gainey.
Yes, Gainey's crapshoot turned out to have more upside than down, but sometimes when you roll the dice you get lucky. Sometimes you don't.
As a fan, I'd like a lot less gambling. We've been "rebuilding" for 17—going on 18—years and it's not working.
I had a friend who wisely posted that the alternative is to do nothing and maintain the team we had last season. I disagree. The alternative is to keep the key pieces that are working and offload what isn't. And that brings me to my next gripe.
Jaroslav Halak
Yes, this kid did so well in the playoffs that he worked himself out of the salary cap in Montreal. Congratulations and job well done and so long and thanks for all the pucks. Now there's the door. Don't let it hit you on the way out.
I'm talking about R-E-S-P-E-C-T, and until he got the Habs into the playoffs, make no mistake, Halak wasn't getting any from Gautier and Co. He still didn't even after the playoffs because at no point did Gauthier ever even consider keeping him.
So Halak should have sucked then, and none of this wouldn't have happened, right?
Not really.
How about you keep the goaltender that has earned his spot in the net. Rumors abound that more GMs were interested in Price anyway. He's got a question mark and Halak doesn't.
There's a lot of criticism coming Halak's way now that he's been traded—it's a fluke (despite his consistently improving stats over the past few years and throughout the minors), the size restrictions on the pads will wreck his game, and he can't stand on his head ever again like that.
I'll give you the last one, but that's all.
He EARNED it. He earned respect from this organization as well. He's getting neither. He was never going to. And that loops back to my assessment of Gauthier.
Eller and Schultz
Who? Exactly. My problem is not that the Habs failed to trade Halak for an NHL level ready player. My problem is the organization itself - more specifically, it's unfailing inability to turn promising prospects into true NHL calibre talent.
Kids shine in the AHL and WHL all the time. They really do. And then they get brought up to the NHL level for their shot or due to injury or training camps or whatever. And that's when the wheat gets separated from the chaff.
The Habs organization has not proven to be a good farmer. Now that former Bulldogs coach Guy Boucher has defected to Tampa Bay, I expect that will hardly improve.
When I think of the kids the Habs have drafted and tried to turn into solid NHL players I think Chipchura, Latendresse and Sergei Kostitsyn. There are others that failed to impress me as well. Ryder and Higgins, for example.
Every now and again, the Habs do harvest one or two. Plekanec and Halak spring to mind. Both are solid hard workers, and both flourished under coach Jacques Martin's system. They are the exception, though, not the rule.
PK Subban has yet to see a full season at the NHL level, so I'll reserve judgment on him.
I've read a lot about Eller and Schultz, and it varies widely. There's a lot of talk about potential. There's just as much talk about how Eller is not a finisher and likely will never be, and is also injury prone. And Schultz is expected to be a 3rd liner at best, years from now.
If people want to talk about potential then I'd like to point out that there's a whole lot of potential for this to turn out to be a very bad deal for the Habs.
Recent history actually favors this to being the case.
I'd rather not spend another season "rebuilding" and waiting for these two kids, along with Carey Price, to come around and save the franchise by bringing it back to glory with a 25th Stanley Cup.
Hey, I've been doing that. I've been patient. I'm been hopeful. I've been loyal.
From where I'm sitting today, the Habs, led now by Gautier, are still going around in the same circle they have for the past 17 years.
Now I'm just getting dizzy.
---
Tyg used to frequent the old Forum during her early childhood when her father was a corporate season ticket holder, where she fell in love with Larry Robinson, so her lifelong obsession with the Habs is entirely his fault.
4:12 PM
Unknown
THE MONTREAL CANADIENS ACQUIRE FORWARDS LARS ELLER AND IAN SCHULTZ FROM THE ST. LOUIS BLUES IN RETURN FOR NETMINDER JAROSLAV HALAK
MONTREAL (June 17, 2010) – Montreal Canadiens general manager Pierre Gauthier announced today that the team acquired forwards Lars Eller and Ian Schultz from the St. Louis Blues in return for netminder Jaroslav Halak.
Eller, 21, suited for seven games with the Blues in 2009-10, scoring twice (2-0-2) with a +2 plus/minus differential with a time on ice average of 10:49. Over the course of the last season, the 6’1" and 198 lbs centerman also played with the Blues’AHL affiliate in Peoria where he was the Rivermen’ second best point-getter with 57 points (18-39-57) in 70 games.
The Danish forward, who also played in the American Hockey League All-Star Game, finished 9th in the AHL with 22 powerplay assists.
A native of Herlev, in Denmark, Eller was a first round selection, 13th overall by the St. Louis Blues in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.
Prior to coming over to North America, Eller suited up with Boras HC in neighboring Sweden before being promoted to Goteborg’ HC Vostra Frolunda of the Swedish Elite League, where he played from 2007 to 2009.
Schultz, 20, was 6th among team scoring leaders in 2009-10 with 55 points (24-31-55) in 70 games with the WHL Calgary Hitmen. Ten of his tallies were recorded on the powerplay and two more while his team was shorthanded.
Schultz also served 150 penalty minutes. The 6’ 1’– 208 lbs power forward added 15 points in the 2009-10 WHL playoffs helping his team win the Ed Chynoweth Cup.
The St. Louis Blues’third round, 87th overall selection in 2008 Schultz has an older brother, Jeff, who plays with the Washington Capitals.
A native of Calgary, Schultz was the recipient of the Hitmen’ Enmax Energy Humanitarian Award for 2010.
10:15 AM
Unknown
Much has been written since the end of the season about whether the Habs can and will re-sign Tomas Plekanec. Scheduled to become a free agent on July 1, 2010, Plekanec is coming off of a career season where he put up 70 points and was one of the best two-way players in the league.
The problem is that once again, Plekanec disappeared during the playoffs, from an offensive perspective. While there is no doubting that Tomas did everything else on the ice, he was inconsistent offensively and was not able to help an anemic Canadiens offensive when they needed him.
While his agent, Rick Curran, publically disagrees, Plekanec's weak playoff offensive performance a couple of years in a row is sure to hurt his market value a little.
But enough about me...
When put to the questions of what to do with Tomas Plekanec this offseason here is a sampling of what you had to say:
Question#2 - The Curious Case of Tomas Plekanec
1. Plekanec is great, one of my favorites but you're right he's a Scott Gomez with a better shot who can't win face-offs. He's going to command way too much money in a center starved league (Tor-Kessel,CLB-Nash,NJ-Parise,Cal-Iginla).
He's going and perhaps for as much as $6 million a season which is too much for a second second-line center. I don't think his rights are tradable but if you can, move them.
2. As much as it pains me to say it, I think Plekanec has played his last season in Montreal.
There is a huge demand for playmaking centers in this league and someone is going to back up the Brinks truck and throw a ton of money at Plekanec.
It's a case of supply and demand.
The supply of centers does not equal the demand and so Plekanec's value gets artificially pushed up. I don't think he'll take a hometown discount and the money will be too good to pass up for him.
3. I don't see any choice but to sign Pleks, but let's be reasonable, anything over $4.5 Million is too much. Habs don't have a replacement in the system for him however.
4. Pleks is a great two-way forward, but we need some size up front. Try and sign him to a four year deal at $4.75 Million per. If he takes it see if you can make your team larger by other means. If he wants over $5 Million you trade him. Edmonton or Florida would be all over him.
5. Trade the rights if you can, be prepared to let him walk if need be. DO NOT over pay. I might suggest that unless you can get him with a no brainer cheappy-cheap contract let him walk. He is not "the guy" for me.
6. If he's willing to take $4-4.75 million I'll resign Pleks. Otherwise, he can take his party elsewhere. It's a pity, but there's a cap issue at stake, and we already have Gomez, who is completely unmovable unless one of the other GMs is smoking something illegal.
Consensus: None, with about half the people trading his rights, and half re-signing him.
An interesting note is that of the people wanting to re-sign him, I did not get one that thought that Plekanec was worth more than $5 Million a year.
Personally, I think Plekanec and his agent will not settle for anything less than $5 million per season and as such, think there is no way he will sign in Montreal.
Sad, because it is always unfortunate to see a player drafted by your team grow and develop only to leave the organization, but I get the feeling that the Plekanec team is wanting a little more than the Habs want to offer.
For me, the first choice would be to move Gomez's huge contract, re-sign Plekanec, and try to bring in a big first-liner by way of trade. That, however, is a pipe dream as I don't think any GM in the league is about to take Gomez's contract off of the Canadiens' hands.
Since that is the case, I would shop Plekanec's rights and try to get a late first round but more likely a second round pick for him. Then, I'd go out and try to trade for a big No.1 center. Jeff Carter, Patrick Sharp and Patrick Marleau—who might be had by way of free agency—all come to mind and could potentially had by parting ways with either Jaroslav Halak or Carey Price.
So what do you all think? Do you agree with the consensus, or lack thereof? What would you do?
11:03 AM
Unknown
MONTREAL CANADIENS BUY OUT THE CONTRACT OF FORWARD GEORGES LARAQUE
MONTREAL (June 15, 2010) – Montreal Canadiens General Manager Pierre Gauthier, announced today that the Club has bought out the contract of forward Georges Laraque.
Laraque’s contract was valid until the end of the 2010-11 season. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Georges Laraque, 33, played in 28 games with the Canadiens in 2009-10. He registered three points (1 goal, 2 assists) and 28 penalty minutes. In 61 career regular season games with the Canadiens, Laraque recorded five points (1 goal, 4 assists) and 89 penalty minutes.
12:35 PM
Unknown
Greetings Habs addicts! Hope you enjoyed the playoffs and are now basking in the summer sunshine and the brief pause from hockey. Don't worry the draft and free agency are just around the corner so there will be no shortage of hockey talk coming up.
About a week ago, I posted an article listing five pivotal questions that need answering for the Habs, this post season, and wanted you, the fans, to let me know what YOU would do as the Habs GM.
So, here in part one of five, I will start posting a compilation of some of the best answers I received with a little of my own commentary.
Before the post, however, I would like to thank all of the fans who sent in their thoughts and ideas from Hockeybuzz.com, HabsAddict.com, and the Bleacher Report including, but not limited to Tyg, Usman, bigsnake, Scott Weldon, Sharks_12, OVATION, Methodfilter, Discofunk, Crosscheck187, Brewstir, habs&islesfan, zack31, habsfans2010, African_Fanatic, Loen Harry, and so many more of you.
So, without further ado, here is a compilation of some of the best responses:
Question 1: Jaroslav Halak or Carey Price?
1. You have to move the goalie that gives you a top-6 winger. I would have to guess that goalie is Jaro. If that is the case, you get a Biron type to come play with Price.
2. Trade the goalie that brings the higher return—in other words, auction-time.
3. Keep Halak as your number 1. If Price will accept a number 1b role and salary, then keep him too. Otherwise Price needs to go.
4. Carey Price. Don't get me wrong, because I think the best short-term solution would be to keep both for at least another year in order to make sure that a) Halak isn't a one-hit wonder like Théodore and Huet, and b) Price has learned from the last two seasons and is ready to move forward in order to become a number one goalie.
Since I'm fairly certain we won't be able to keep both (mostly due to the fact that they both want to be starters), I say we sign & trade Halak whose value has never been higher than it is right now...Gauthier needs to strike while the iron is hot!
5. Shop them both around and trade the one that gets me a better deal, preferably a big, fast, capable winger for the Gomez/Gionta line.
6. I think the issue with Halak and Price is that it is a case of damned if you do, damned if you don't. The goalie that you let walk could turn into a superstar and burn your team five years down the road. No one wants that to happen and so ideally you would re-sign both of them. Let them mature together and then in 3-4 years see which one is better, then make a decision.
They are both very young and still have tons of upside.
Consensus: Setup an auction and see which goalie can get you the highest return. While there were many advocates for keeping either Price or Halak, the consensus seemed to be to shop both of them.
In all honestly, that is likely the best strategy for GM Pierre Gauthier to follow. He has two assets of varying value around the league, who are both RFA's and who really have little leverage.
While Halak played a great season and even better in the playoffs, the best he can hope for is an arbitration hearing in which he gets a one-year settlement and can renegotiate with the Habs during the season.
Price? He's got nothing except pedigree. I would make him a qualifying offer and not a penny more. No raise for him.
The problem, as many of you pointed out, is that there is the reality that both goalies want to be starters and feel that they can and should be. So, while they don't really have a lot of leverage and the Habs can likely strong arm them both into staying for at least one more year, they have to consider the psychological effect this will have on the two players.
Moreover, they have to consider the effect it will have on the team.
From my point of view, I would shop both and see what I can get in return for them. That being said, I would not necessarily trade either of them unless I saw an opportunity to significantly improve my team.
What is a significant improvement? A No.1 center, top-six winger, or top-three defenseman.
This is not to say that either Price or Halak could fetch that return by themselves, but by packaging them with some of the moveable parts that the Habs have and maybe even a pick, they might be able to land themselves a nice return.
So what do you think? Do you agree with the people? Do you have a different theory?
I'll post the responses to question No.2 tomorrow: The Curious Case of Tomas Plekanec.
POLL UPDATE:
What would you do with the Habs goalies?
Trade Halak - 47%
Trade Price - 21%
Keep them both - 30%
9:48 AM
Unknown
HabsAddict.com is proud to announce their affiliation with the charity tour called Five Hole For Food ( http://www.FiveHoleForFood.com).
As a blogger sponsor, HabsAddict.com will be helping to chronicle and promote the tour for their Montreal stop.
The tour actually starts in Montreal on June 29th, with and outdoor ball hockey game where local food companies will donate food to a local food bank for each goal that is scored in the game.
So, take a look at their website and come out to support this great event!
Five Hole For Food
http://www.FiveHoleForFood.com
Where: Parc des Éperviers outdoor rink – 204 Rue De la Rivelaine
When: June 29th, 2010, 7:00 PM EST
Food Bank Beneficiary: NDG Food Depot
Special Details: The Monster Energy Team is going to be on site to be handing out free samples and lots of swag so get excited!
Post Game: Boston Pizza -Des Source – 2345, Place Transcanadienne Dorval QC H9P 2X7
1:25 PM
Unknown
STATEMENT FROM PIERRE GAUTHIER FOLLOWING THE APPOINTMENT OF GUY BOUCHER AS HEAD COACH OF THE TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
MONTREAL (June 10, 2010) – Montreal Canadiens general manager Pierre Gauthier, issued the following statement following the nomination of Guy Boucher as head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
“The Montreal Canadiens wish to thank Guy Boucher for his commitment to the organization. His dedication was a key factor to the success of the Hamilton Bulldogs during the 2009-10 season, and to the development of our prospects. We wish Guy the best of luck with the Lightning” said general manager Pierre Gauthier.
11:23 AM
Unknown
First things first: Congratulations to the Chicago Blackhawks, their owners, management team, and most of all their fans!
The Hawks deserve the win and it was nice to see an original-six team who has not won the cup in 49 years, hoist Lord Stanley's mug.
Congratulations also goes to the Flyers organization and their fans for a well fought series and a great run.
OK, so niceties aside, here are nine things that I noticed about Wednesday night's Game 6:
1. The winning goal was the weakest goal of the playoffs
As well as Michael Leighton has played for stretches of the playoffs, when all the chips were down and he needed to make a routine save, he failed, letting in what could easily be described as the worst/weakest goal of the entire 2010 playoffs.
So what do we make of him now?
Leighton wasn't alone, in this series, as I have to agree with the experts who are saying that this was the worst display of goaltending in a Stanley Cup final in recent memory.
2. Scotty Bowman, as senior hockey advisor in Chicago, won another cup ring
In the post-game on-ice scrum, Scotty Bowman was interviewed by CBC. During the interview he explained how he never wanted to leave the Wings organization but couldn't turn down his son, who has overcome two bouts of Hodgkin's disease.
The win give Bowman 12 cup victories—nine as head coach and three as a member of the front office.
Good on you, Scotty!
3. Stan Bowman has no lips
No, really, the guy has no lips.
Watch his interview again. The dude has no lips.
I'm just sayin'.
4. Adam Burish has an awesome personality!
Wow. What a personality. I think he said "Man" and "Dude" a bunch of times during his on-ice interview, and he seems like a very down-to-Earth individual. He sounds like a great guy and someone I'd love to grab a beer with!
5. Duncan Keith is a hillbilly and I never knew that before
I have to admit that I have never heard Duncan Keith being interviewed before and, gap-toothed smile aside, I never realized that he is a country bumpkin.
It's not that there's anything wrong with that, but I was just surprised when he spoke.
Good for you, Duncan! Enjoy the cup for now because I predict the Norris Trophy is the next piece of hardware you'll be holding.
6. CBC's Ron McLean should not be trying interview coach Joel Quenneville while the team is taking their impromptu team picture with the cup.
Not much more to say here. McLean should know better and Quenneville should have just run away from him and jumped into that picture!
7. The Hawks have more red heads than any other team in the league
Not that we're counting, but it seemed like everyone that was being interviewed had red hair or a red beard.
Interesting. Perhaps that is the key to their success!
8. Brent Sopel looks like someone I would not want to cross in a dark alley
This is probably mostly because of the scraggly beard he was sporting, but he looked bad-ass.
9. The Hawks won the cup for the first time in 49 years and they deserve it
Enjoy it Hawks fans. Congratulations once again!
So that's it. The season is over. Now it's time for the winners to bask in their victory or for the losers to think about the what-ifs.
There is no rest for the wicked, as the June entry draft is just around the corner—two weeks away.
So for all you hockey fans out there, enjoy the summer, enjoy the rumours as they start to whirl, and enjoy the fact that hockey is just an awesome game to watch.
What a ride! See you at the draft folks!
9:57 AM
Unknown
In case you didn't hear yet, the Habs affiliate Hamilton Bulldogs' head coach, Guy Boucher, was offered and turned down the head coaching job for the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Yay!
And in case you didn't hear yet, according to reports from Rue Frontenac and TSN, he subsequently accepted the head coaching job for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Boo!
Guy Boucher has been the most sought after coach since his Hamilton Bulldogs were eliminated in Game Seven of their conference finals less than two weeks ago.
Having won gold with the Canadian World Juniors two seasons ago and, more importantly, taking an improbable Hamilton Bulldogs squad to within one game of the Calder Cup finals this year, Boucher's star had been rising for quite some time.
The murmurs throughout Habs-nation this year had been that Boucher was exactly the type of coach that Montreal needed behind their bench.
Moreover, as the Habs struggled through an up and down season Jacques Martin's "system" began looking more and more antiquated. As the inconsistency persisted, fans started getting more and more frustrated that Martin had a four-year contract while the organization had a gem of a coach, in Boucher, sitting in the AHL.
As twisted as it might sound, many were hoping for an early first round exit by the Habs, followed by the firing of Martin and the potential promotion of Boucher.
Well, as of this morning, that dreams has evaporated.
Tampa now becomes the benefactor of a great hockey mind in Steve Yzerman who will be coached by the youngest and most educated coach in the NHL—Boucher is 38 and has a degree in sports psychology.
I have to admit that I would have loved to see Boucher behind the Habs bench, even as an assistant as he is part of a new generation of coaches who work the intangible side of hockey as much as the tangibles.
If there is one thing that Boucher was known for it was his ability to help young players get their heads screwed on straight.
It remains to be seen how successful Boucher will be in the NHL but suffice it to say that if he was able to help Sergei Kostitsyn to change his thinking at the beginning of the year, he should be able to get Vincent Lecavalier back near the 90+ point range.
So, while the talk over the last little while has been able the poor first rounds draft picks the Habs have made over the last ten years, the focus will once again turn to coaching.
Despite the improbable run that the Canadiens went on during the playoffs, many if not most fans still believe that Coach Martin is the wrong man for the job. Many also believe the Pierre Gauthier is the wrong man for his job.
While the loss of Boucher is sure to continue to sour people on the Canadiens management and coaching decisions I would say this: they had no choice but to let him go.
The Canadiens are not an organization that will stand in front of someone's progress for selfish reasons. If they did not want Boucher to leave then they should have offered him a job in Montreal. Seeing as this was not what happened, the Habs rightfully granted teams the permission to speak with and hire Boucher.
As for the Habs tandem of Gauthier and Martin, I too am not the biggest fan of either man's track records to date. That being said, I am willing to give both the benefit of the doubt.
Let's see what they can do.
Despite Martin's spotty playoff history he somehow managed to take a terribly inconsistent team to within three games of the Stanley Cup final. That has to count for something.
Let's see what he does with a full year with the same core group under his belt. Let's see how he does without, hopefully, having to deal with the tremendous number of injuries to key players throughout the season. Let's see how he does without having to teach 23 players a new system.
As for Gauthier, this will be his first offseason as the GM of the Habs and there is no shortage of difficult and important decisions for him to make going forward. So let's give him a chance to do his thing and, like Martin, we can judge his body of work after it has been performed and not before.
UPDATE - According to RDS, Habs assistant coach Perry Pearn will be leaving the Habs to become the head coach of the Edmonton Oil Kings (Junior team).
1:17 PM
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With so many big and important decisions to make this summer, GM Pierre Gauthier has his hands full to say the least.
While many pundits are starting to get up on their soap boxes to tell the world what they think the Habs should do, I thought it would be a good time for you, the fans, to let the world know what YOU think the Canadiens should do this summer.
With so many armchair GM's following the Habs, there is no shortage of ideas about how to tweak this lineup to make the Canadiens a contender.
So, put on your GM hat and let us know what you would do.
While there are other decisions to make this offseason like what to do with the brothers Kostitsyn and whether or not to buy out Roman Hamrlik's contract in order to get some cap room, I think that the follow five questions are foremost in most people's minds.
What would you do if you were the Habs GM? Let us know in the comment section:
Five pivotal decisions for the Habs.
1 - Jaroslav Halak or Carey Price?Halak clearly established himself as a bonafide No.1 goaltender in the league this year. From his performance in the Olympics for Team Slovakia to his scintillating play in rounds one and two of the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs, Halak has shown that he has arrived.
The question is, can he repeat the performance or is he a one-hit wonder?
Logic, and his track record—he has only improved and become the best goaltender at whatever level he has played in—seem to indicate that he is the real deal, but he is an RFA and doesn't have as much negotiating power as a UFA would.
That being said, if the Habs decide to trade him, the return could be impressive. But are you ready to give Price the reigns again?
While Carey has shown a definitely change in attitude off the ice he has yet to put it all together on the ice. We have to temper that with the realization that he is only 22 and most goaltenders don't tend to hit their stride until their mid twenties.
So do you keep him? Trade him? Keep them both?
2 - The curious case of Tomas Plekanec.
What a quandary the Canadiens are in with Plekanec.
A UFA for the first time in his career and coming off of a career high 70-point season, Plekanec is one of the few premiere centers potentially available for the 2010 free agent season.
The Habs seemingly have between now and July first to sign or trade his rights.
While there is no question that Plekanec is an incredibly multi-faceted two-way player, he also has a record of disappearing offensively in the playoffs and that should affect his value a little.
The other problem for the Habs is that Plek and Gomez are pretty similar players and despite the roles they have been thrust into, are both second-line centers.
The Canadiens can operate with one second-line center, but having two small No.2's is not a recipe for success.
So, in an ideal world I imagine that you sign Plekanec and trade Gomez, however Gomez's $7 Million plus deal make him virtually untradeable unless that Habs are taking back an equally horrible contract in the deal.
So what do the Habs do? How much value can they get for trading Plekanec's right prior to or on draft day? A second round pick? A late first rounder?
If Plek agrees to sign for $4-4.5 Million dollars, then is he worth keeping? What if he wants $5 Million-plus? What would you do?
3 - Re-sign or trade Andrei Markov.
Andrei Markov will be entering the final year of his contract next season and the Habs have said that they are interested in re-signing him during this offseason.
At $5.75 million a season, Markov clearly took a hometown discount to stay in Montreal. So what do the Habs do now?
When he's healthy, Markov is one of the best defensemen in the league. The problem is that he has not been very healthy for the past two seasons.
Last year and this year, Markov was injured and unavailable for all or most of the playoffs. This season, he was injured in the first game and out until just before the Olympics.
As such, the Habs had to make do without him for long stretches of the season and playoffs, and while his presence was missed, they showed that they could do so pretty effectively—especially in eliminating the Pittsburgh Penguins in seven games.
So where do they go now?
Markov, if made available, would clearly be a hot commodity and could fetch a handsome return. If the Habs trade him, however, who could they get back that can shore up the defense in the future?
Keep in mind that Roman Hamrlik and Hal Gill are both entering the final year of their respective contracts and will need to be replaced next summer.
While the Habs have shown that they can still win without Markov, his loss would leave a massive hole on the backend. So, if you trade him, who would you target to replace him? Or, do you simply re-sign him for three to five years and have him finish his career in Montreal?
4 - How do you make the Habs bigger?
If one thing was made clearly during the playoffs, it's that Montreal needs to get bigger up front.
With Gionta, Plekanec, Cammalleri, and Gomez being the only Habs to really contribute on the top two lines and all being under six feet tall, the Canadiens are lacking scoring size on their top two lines.
Andrei Kostitsyn has clearly worn out his welcome in Montreal, and despite flashes of brilliance, Benoit Pouliot has yet to show that he can be a consistently effective power forward in the NHL.
As a result of their floundering wingers, the Habs had trouble establishing net presence, picking up rebounds, and making the goaltenders' lives difficult during the playoffs.
Having a big gritty winger on each of those two top lines would completely change the Habs attack plan. Imagine Dustin Byfuglien playing with Cammy and Plek?
Sick.
So, knowing that the Habs need more size up front, who would you target and what deal would you put together to get him on the roster?
5 - Would you make a play for Vincent Lecavalier?
I know, I know, we are all sick of hearing about the Lecavalier to Montreal rumors and, as of right now, there really isn't anything more than speculation out there regarding Vinny.
However, with a new GM in Tampa—Steve Yzerman—who cut Lecavalier from the Team Canada Olympic roster, the question is bound to come up as to whether he wants to move him or not.
If Yzerman does want to move Lecavalier and his ugly ten year contract, the logical first thought has to be the Canadiens given Vinny's Montreal roots.
But, from a Montreal perspective, is he worth it?
Can Lecavalier rediscover his 50-goal, 100-point form, or is he past his prime and closer to a 70-80 point player?
If Vinny is even available what trade package could you put together to get him, keeping in mind that the Habs would have to move salary back the other way to fit him under the cap.
OK, that's all I've got for now. Remember to let us know your answers in the comment section below. I'm going to take the best responses and compile them in a post, so put on your thinking cap and let's hear your best ideas!
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