I would like it if Habs blog opened a forum on the first 3 years of Bob Gainey’s tenure as G.M. You know ,the pros’s and con’s; good moves and bad moves ;room for improvement’s and repairing past mistakes . As-well , has he read the new N.H.L. right and are the Habs going in the direction as the Sabers to be going ?”Build the team like the Ducks”. Myself personally, though I ‘ve always liked Mr Selkie”bob”,I think he has misjudged a thing or two! What do you say?

Well, if we were going the way of the Ducks, then size would be a key component. More like we are going the way of the AHL….and not the Ducks.

We are going into a nasty slide, just like the Laffs 100 year slide. Oh ya, let’s give the coach another two years….meanwhile a hundred years into not getting cup…honestly, like as if we can afford to wait a hundred years like the Laffs! It’ll probably be hundred years before they do get a cup, the Laffs, granted they are going what, sixty years on?

No I say, we need to keep up with our winning ways. If Gainey can’t do it in three years that he’s had, then obviously he doesn’t have it.

Unless we put faith on the junior habs. But honestly, they don’t have the size or weight to pull a Ducks dynasty move…that is if the Ducks keep it up.

Neither is Gainey going the way he did in Dallas.

Or maybe, that was Gainey’s agenda, get the Calder Cup for the first time in Hamilton’s franchise history, next on the agenda is a Stanley Cup maybe. If it is, then we should see some great moves this summer then. Coming soon to the Belle Centre…great moves by Gainey….ya right, he’s not unloading anyone to free up salary cap, and he’s eaten it up with signing Markov, who was not so hot last year like most habs.

So what gives?

The question is, can we get a big goon forward like Getzlaf who can protect little Koivu? If we can, then Koivu could be the superstar he deserves to be. I am still amazed that Gainey doesn’t recognize Koivu’s talents, but instead leaves him high and dry and forces him to fend for himself.

That is why I have been ragging on Koivu’s butt all this past year, cause Koivu can’t look after himself very well, his only response is a hooking penalty!

Anway, I agree, build the team for Price and not for Koivu. Right now Gainey is building to match Koivu’s small size, but not his talent. That just sucks big time.

Upon reflecting the outcome and results of the playoffs and finals,I sure I’m not the only one thinking the Habs were headed in the wrong direction. Bob Gainey ,I do believe it’s time to turn the Habs ship from against the wind to a position of going with the wind to a proven coarse. And an almost total refit will be necessary to accomplish that goal,something in the order of the size and talent of the Ducks and the youth ,speed and potential of the Pens;and the sooner the better!!!!That being said there are consaquences,another succession of rebuilding years,but on the upside to it,watching the team truly flower to a contender. This is the job of the Owner and G.M.,ESPECILLY WHEN YOU TAKE THE REINS OF THE STORIED SHIP CANADIENS !!!

I like skill players like the koivu’s and the Brieres, but we need guys to krind it out with skill, so Koivu can better showcase his skills. Shanny be a great 1 year pickup, to help players develop. Providing the price is right.

Although I believe our biggest weakness is our D, Markov is a great skating, 1st pass defencemen, reminds me alot of Kaberle. After that our 2-6 guys are quite weak. Aside from Komi, with little to no offensive upside which I don’t mind. Bully, Dandy, Janne, Gorges, and Souray who were losing. Janne were losing too thank god, so IMO we need two steady defencemen, not a pronger, although it would make us a playoff contender almost immediately. Preissing be a good pickup. I’m not sold on Schneider, I think his weaknesses would standout on this D which fails in comparison to Detroits. I hear Scott Hannan’s name, I’m a Hannan fan, I would love that.

Then if we do that, we need a big number 1 centre. Patrick Marleau, perhaps. Not a big Marleau fan, but he would definately do the trick. Maybe a shanny or a lower priced power forward, Arnott type to play with Saku. Sounds like alot. Keep Bonk at a much reduced salary, and renogotiate Johnson for a cheap deal. It can be done. With the money saved in the Rivet deal, losing Janne, buying out Sammy, letting Souray go, Letting Abby go, Bonk for .75million less or even 1mill less, can’t see him being paid more than 1.5, a nice 1.2-1.5 I would think of keeping him.

Basically the money we saved by dropping these bums more then pays for Markov, Although Markov at 5.75 is quite steep IMO although we had to sign him.

Cap Limit is expected to rise to 48Million, I also heard rumours it was rising all the way to 52, although I can’t confirm.

Point is we have 2 1st rders this draft in a relatively weak draft. Gainey has a real good opportunity of making some moves here to get us back on track. Its the most optimistic offseason I’ve had in a fwew years. I just hope he has the guts to make some deals.

Were not good enough as we stand right now, and not good enough to go just within our system, we need a little outside help to get us there, with the wiggle room in cap room we should have. The future may be bright. Imagine what we could do if we could somehow dump Kovalev, holy yikes!!!!

Ok I have montreal cap hit at roughly 38million if we give raises to, Higgins, Plecs, Ryder, Komi, let Souray walk and sign bonk and johnson to 1.5-1.8 respectively. Only leaving us with 10mill to spend roughly, with some wiggle room and I may have over priced ryder and Komi, If we sign souray for 5-6 mill puts us at 43-44 mill which gives us barely any room, this also includes the sammy buyout. 1.2 for 2 years.

If someone has different numbers let me know.

I really like to know the expected range if Gainey plans to offer deals to everyone we expect, i through bonk and johnson in there, cuz i dunno for sure his plans.

Habs4ever,I do believe a lot of moneys and cap room saved by inserting 7 Bulldogs into Habs lineup,you know rookie minimum,while Niinamaa,Bonk,Jonston,etc… could finish there careers in Europe ,which is more there style and probably safer for them being that there accidents waiting to happen.Darren Dregger writes something to that as well at T.S.N.,HAVEN’T READ IT YET.

Niinamaa wont be back for sure, which is what i been saying, but bonk and johnson will not be in Europe. I think johnson or bonk for the right price, paycut is well worth it. Other teams will sign either one for 1.5, give your head a shake. 7bulldogs. Name them plz.

Darren Dreger.. lol.. you ever write any of your own thoughts.
I’m trying for serious discussion and you come on with Dreger. LMAO
Desperate when you come on here quoting Dreger and you havnt even read it yet.

Any realistic people care to comment.

Price ,Halack g
Jancevkki,Benoit,O’byrne,Biron..big D

KOSTISYN,CHIPCHURA,MILROY,LOCKE,GRABOVSKI,MANLOW..FOWARDS
lAST YEARS ADD ONS;lAPIERRE…LATENDRESSE
With the exception of Lats …all big savings,new faces ,new blood ,new direction and plenty of cap space with more size.All are winners !!! Eat that Pepito AND MENSTRAL4EVER

Price/Kostisyn bros/Grabovski/Fischer/ 1st rounder for Vinny

“Price/Kostisyn bros/Grabovski/Fischer/ 1st rounder for Vinny”, I think that’s a good trade. Price is good, could be great but …. Lecavalier is great….

You don’t trade goalies like Price. He is a once in the generation goalie prospect. If you trade him that will come back to haunt you for years.

Goaltending beats scoring every day of the week.

JP you suck big time you know that? I bet you are the one putting all the potholes around Montreal cause you are such a real grouch! You make Oscar on Sesame Street look tame!

My favourite line: Souray, Souray, Souray, Souray and Souray, with Souray as GM and Souray as the coach. Oh yes, we’ll get Souray to also do color commentary. We’ll also repeat Souray as Souray, Souray, Souray and Souray and finally Souray for the Dogs as well.

Sure beats some of the little pricks here who propose paying big bucks for small fries who are just gonna get knocked around like little Koivu!

wow joshtm and xhabsfan really need to get a life. how many times have they wrote on here and look at the times they did it. (can u say livin in mommy’s basement at age 30)

Now Now, Just because they live in the momma’s basement does not mean they are not some kind of computer wizard. THey could be those really smart guys who have a problem socializing because they get do nervous and narotic. Then again they probably are just losers.

Carey Price is almost 20. Which means in 4 years he will be 24 and will just delay the progrees of younger prospects at that point. ITs all about the youngster and Carey Price plays like a 10 year vet already. Get rid of him. Trade him a Koivu for a top 10 pick in teh draft. FOr someone that has youth and can play a role with teh Bulldogs next year. Im tired of these Price fanatics, he is jsut another Racicot.

Yashin is too old. Just like Price. Price looked very weak in Game 2 on the 2nd round playoffs. I have no time for price. In 4 years he will be a detriment to our younger prospects. We need to build through the draft starting this year. Trade Price and Koivu for a 1st round pick and a 3rd in 08.

You jerks, posting under my name, kinda shows I got you jerks by your short and curlies…..Price will do okay but if Gainey doesn’t improve the defense and continues to sign mini-mite defense and forwards, Price will go the way of Huet, burnt out in his first NHL game……at least Dryden had the big bird Larry to protect him, and Dryden had size, which Price doesn’t exactly have.