Thursday, June 17, 2010

Official Habs Press Release - Habs Trade Halak for Eller and Schultz

4:12 PM  Unknown  5 comments

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.

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5 comments:

SACRE BLUE...Bastille Day is in less than a month..BadDeal Day is now June 17th

Halak took the Habs into the playoffs and then took them farther than anyone imagined they could go .... and they trade him? Money or not what are they saying to their players? And how much did they make from the playoff run that Halak gave them?

Harold Doherty
Fredericton, NB

Thanks for your comments! I think that listening to Pierre Gauthier press conference that this move was more about Price than it was about Halak.

He explained that everyone in the organization was involved in this decision and ultimately they decided that they future was Carey Price.

Once that decision was made, moving Halak was a foregone conclusion.

They are rolling the dice here, but, with the right support—read veteran backup—Price might just be able to become the goalie that we all hope he can be.

So if Price blows this chance, do they give him another? I have no favorite between the two goalies - I like them both, but I'd like Price to actually earn his keep for a change. He sucked it up during the playoffs and showed some maturity, but can he sustain it for an entire season and will he?

I resent handing this kid the net, cause he hasn't shown anything BUT potential, and this organization's recent track record with the almighty potential is not good. Chipchura, Latendresse, Ryder, SK come to mind. Pleks is the exception, not the rule, and thus far Price has shown more tendencies towards the first group than towards the Pleks exception.

I'm not sold on his ability to be the starter, although again I agree the almighty potential is there. If he doesn't suck it up next season, does Gautier give him another free pass? I'm resenting it, and I actually like the kid.

Price does not have a good track record with handling the pressure either, which has just increased with the fanbase's playoff hero shipped out in favour of the Habs' would-be franchise saviour. Say what you want about Halak, he earned the starting gig, and in return he doesn't even get a consult or a heads up before PG ships him out. Again, does not encourage my faith in this franchise, now with another 2 great "potentials" they have to develop.

No pressure on Price, and no pressure on Eller. If everyone wants to talk potential, how about the potential - likelihood even given the Habs' recent history - of this turning into another disaster.

Also, don't need Pleks anymore if Eller is NHL ready almost, and he's a 2nd line centre. Just sayin'.

Good stuff, Tyg!

And I hear what you're saying. As a fanbase, Habs fans have been waiting for potential to develop for far too long and I think people are upset that we didn't get an impact player coming back our way.

With all the talk of Carter, or Sharp, or Marleau, it is a tough pill for fans to swallow in taking on two prospects, only one of which COULD be an impact player.

Schultz is not a horrible player, you understand, its just that he is more of a depth player.

This move has put the Habs at a turning point, at least for this management group. It could end up with them smelling like roses or garbage. If the latter plays out, everyone's heads will roll, imo.

You're right, in that Price did get it together off the ice this past year. Let's hope he can do the same on the ice starting in the fall.

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