montreal canadiens hockey – habs blog RSS
    • No categories
  • Habs acquire D Davis Drewiske from Kings

    I’m a little late to the party as I’ve been focusing some attention elsewhere today but I wanted to comment on the Davis Drewiske pickup before I switch my brain permanently over to tonight’s season opener for the Blue Jays. Drewiske may seem like a bargain bin pickup to some (and lets muddy the waters a little by agreeing on some level), but there is some upside to Drewiske that makes this pickup a little bit of a sleeper for me. The Habs send the Kings a 5th round pick. In exchange they get a guy who has good size to go along with 126 NHL games to add a little insurance for a D crops that has featured rookies as the 6th defenseman for the last month or so. Drewiske isn`t the type of player you`re going to count on to give you offensive jump or to lead your team, but there is value in having a guy with size and work ethic on your club. This town loves Josh Gorges for his heart, and while Drewiske certainly has never had the natural talent to earn a huge paycheck in the NHL, he`s got a little bit of Gorges in his game. He`s a high effort guy who couldn`t crack the King`s deep top 6. The trade gives Montreal a guy who will fight for an opportunity to stick in a role which is exactly what they need once the games get physical. I like this trade a lot because it cost the Habs almost nothing in terms of future prospects, and could pay off real value once the games get more violent.

    Go Habs Go!!

  • Game 35: Habs/Hurricanes

    You woke up today with your Montreal Canadiens sitting in 1st place in the North East Division, 2nd only to the suddenly-Crosby-less Pittsburgh Pengiuns this morning. How good it feels to not follow up that statement with the qualifier “April Fools”.

    Montreal gets set today to face the Carolina Hurricanes as we inch towards the trade deadline on Wednesday. While the team has been generally excellent for the entire season, there are still some areas in which the club could certainly improve. A big forward or defensive acquisition would go a long way to making this team set for a deep playoff run. The question is whether or not Marc Bergevin feels as though it is worth it to risk giving up prospects or picks to gain a valuable player? Personally I waffle between thinking it makes better sense to simply stand pat, and the idea that you only get so many chances to have a highly ranked team.

    Look at the New York Rangers as case #1 for why teams who have a shot at a cup should take a chance. Everyone thought that team would be better this season, and yet.. they are in real danger of missing the post-season altogether. Should they have made more of an effort to win last season? Its hard to say in retrospect.

    You’d like to think that if you won, you would stand a good chance of coming back the next year. Boston is a good example of a team that has been able to turn success into a long-term condition. Still, they traded away Joe Colborne, a 1st rd pick, as well as a 2nd rd pick for Tomas Kaberle. He’s a guy that can’t even be trusted to crack an NHL lineup now.. how did that deal help them? And how much better would their future look now if they had kept Joe Colborne and their picks?

    A deadline pickup doesn’t always solve the problem you intend to – and can have real consequences down the line should you all of a sudden start to get thin in terms of prospects in the system. Montreal seems to have an abundance right now in terms of defense prospects and picks, but one has to imagine that the long-term success of the team would be increased by hanging on to these assets.

    What do you guys think?

    Go Habs Go!!

    ~Mats