Comments on: Au Revoir Sheldon

By: passionch

passionch — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 23:02:51 +0000

I agree, we will be losing Sheldon but as someone mentionned, Bob would still be blamed if he traded away Souray at deadline and we missed the playoffs. We can't attract an UFA without overpaying them so as a GM, Bob needs to use trades as his best option to improve aside from the laid-back, let the youngsters mature and take over. That is a good direction but they need to be surrounded with experienced good players and not plagued guys with bad attitude (Samsonov, although I would have never thought he was that bad).

I am quite disappointed with the first day of UFA signings as a Habs' fan although I know for sure it wasn't the fault of Bob as he tried everything to sign Briere and in the end, it was the player who chose to turn away from Montreal (7M for 6 years < 6.5M for 8 years, not including Quebec taxes...). It's a shame but that's how it is for the past. I am still hopeful that we acquire Handzus and Preissing as they were my top signings with decent demands instead of those ridiculous salaries we've witnessed this off-season. God, our hockey is sick and it pisses me off. Too bad Hannan signed in Colorado as his 3.6M is just perfect. Good for them!

Thank you Philadelphia's GM for your moves but it's understandable after being last place last season... However, it will kill the game and for that, I am frustrated. At least, we'll have great games between the Rangers and Flyers next year, that you can be certain!

In any case, I hope Montreal will be able to do at least 1 signing to compete in this already competitive conference, with all teams improving. On the bright side, if a player who signed this off-season is a flop (peaked players who will only drop), we'll have the upper hands with salary cap advantage and be big teams in the future with a nice crop of UFAs.

By: hitman46

hitman46 — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 21:29:13 +0000

OK Day 1 of free agent signings is done and of course Briere chose Philly over MTL, who can blame him with carbo as our coach. Our habs have not had a super star on their team in years. Bob had better do something soon we can't expect to win with the same team we had last year

By: Roadrunner12

Roadrunner12 — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 13:35:53 +0000

Me too but I also wouldn't have minded getting Esposito as well.

By: Habroller

Habroller — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 11:40:22 +0000

Angelo Esposito is not a francophone. He speaks English, then Italian then French.

As much as Francos were wrong wanting him the be our next "French superstar", please stop, dear Anglos, to make him look like our own delusional desire. You should have had put the same preferences on him as he is a very skilled Montrealer.

Other than that, I'm really happy with McDonough & Pacioretty.

By: Komic-J

Komic-J — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 10:19:14 +0000

Couldn't have said it better…Amen !

By: habswinthecup-again

habswinthecup-again — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 09:04:44 +0000

Had Gainey traded Souray then all the critics would have gave him sh*t for that, because they would have missed the playoffs and that would have been the reason, so either way Gainey was in a no-win situation. I believe that Gainey did not trade Souray is because Souray had expressed his desire to stay in Montreal (even his wife and baby were staying in Montreal), I also know that Souray would have taken a lesser contract than Markov, that is until that idiot Holgrem went and overpaid Timmonen by $2 million/year. Hell even Brierre and/or Drury might have resigned in Buffalo if it weren't for those two contracts in Philly. Gainey is not blame here.

By: OwensMonsters

OwensMonsters — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 09:01:20 +0000

I too am disappointed that Montreal didnt select Espo in the draft, in hindsght which I know is 20/20, it would have been nice to trade up the 22nd pick to get Espo a lil earlier.. but I am impressed that Gainey had the balls to bypass the 4 or 5 gifted forwards with the 12th pick and select McDonagh which many scouts were deeming the best D-man in the draft this year. To me in the coming years he will ultimately replace Souray on the blueline, gifted offensively and makes the odd mistake in his own end, by odd I mean fewer then Souray had.

Next.. I would sign Souray to at the MOST $4.5-5m per year, Im sorry I love your shot but at -28 you arent a priority in my eyes!!

Some names I would go after.. I would like to see Kariya.. a speedy winger for Koivu.. maybe Kozlov 80 point man would be nice to add.. Bertuzzi if we can get him for a min few with incentives.. and for the back end maybe Hannan, Stuart, Schneider or Preissing.. I think any number of these additions would plug any holes left from last year and add to a great core of players we already had. Briere, Gomez and Drury may help but at the salaries they will command it leaves little room for fine tuning down the stretch and handicaps us down the road.

But I must say.. If Gainey can unload Samsinov and his contract, I certainly hope he can unload Kovalev and his, he wants out, I want him gone, $4.5m for 47 points just isnt enough sorry.