Category Archives: Montreal Canadiens

Rumblings: B’s, Habs, Canucks like Clowe

Here’s something important to keep in mind as the Ryane Clowe situation plays itself out before next Wednesday’s trade deadline.

Clowe has a full no-trade clause. The San Jose Sharks have to run this thing by him in order to get a deal done.

Which means if, for whatever reason, Clowe doesn’t believe a certain team is a good fit, he can nix it. Although, in the same vein, Sharks GM Doug Wilson did well by Douglas Murray in the move to Pittsburgh, and the sense is that Wilson and Clowe have a good line of communication on what’s transpiring.

Briere to the Habs for a draft pick

 

A look at the NHL’s East heading into the trade deadline

BOSTON BRUINS

GM Peter Chiarelli likes to get ahead of the pack, but that has proven difficult this year. The Bruins have cap room and Chiarelli wants to bring in an impact forward to help the power play. He’ll go after either Dallas winger Brenden Morrow or Calgary captain Jarome Iginla. It will be costly, though.

Canadiens Trade Rumors

The Habs made a deal last week with Dallas, netting Michael Ryder and a third-round pick plus opening up important offseason cap space by moving Erik Cole.

So now what?

Whether it’s before April 3 or this summer, Montreal will continue to look for more size up front. Power forwards don’t grow on trees, but what the Canadiens would love to add is someone in the Ryane Clowe-type mold: a rugged forward who can play top-six minutes. Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin made an excellent signing in Brandon Prust last summer, a player who can play on any forward line, but I believe Bergevin wants to continue on that track.

Rumors from Bruce Garrioch

If the Ducks decide to move RW Corey Perry before the deadline, it’s going to be an auction. The Leafs would certainly be interested in making a deal but they’d want the opportunity to sign Perry before giving up top prospects to make the deal. It’s believed C Ryan Getzlaf, who just built a home in Anaheim, is going to stay put and the two sides are inching closer to a deal.

Talks are continuing with Perry as well, but the sense is he won’t sign … GM Marc Bergevin and coach Michel Therrien have turned the Habs around. A year ago, Montreal was dead last on this date with 78 points in a season that wasn’t If the Ducks decide to move RW Corey Perry before the deadline, it’s going to be an auction. The Leafs would certainly be interested in making a deal but they’d want the opportunity to sign Perry before giving up top prospects to make the deal. It’s believed C Ryan Getzlaf, who just built a home in Anaheim, is going to stay put and the two sides are inching closer to a deal. Talks are continuing with Perry as well, but the sense is he won’t sign … GM Marc Bergevin and coach Michel Therrien have turned the Habs around. A year ago, Montreal was dead last on this date with 78 points in a season that wasn’t shortened. This may be a 48-game schedule, but the change is remarkable. Bergevin showed he’s not afraid to make a deal by sending LW Erik Cole to Dallas for UFA RW Michael Ryder last week. Don’t think Bergevin is done. He’d like to free up more cash.shortened. This may be a 48-game schedule, but the change is remarkable. Bergevin showed he’s not afraid to make a deal by sending LW Erik Cole to Dallas for UFA RW Michael Ryder last week. Don’t think Bergevin is done. He’d like to free up more cash.

http://www.ottawasun.com/2013/03/01/calgary-flames-bone-headed-pitch-to-sign-rfa-ryan-oreilly-backfires-spectacularly

Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk breaks down reasoning behind Erik Cole trade: ‘He’s a player who helps us right now’

Looking to add size and net presence — and to maximize contract security — the Stars on Tuesday acquired Erik Cole from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Michael Ryder and a third-round pick in the 2013 NHL draft.

Cole is expected to join the team at practice Wednesday and be ready to play Thursday at home against Edmonton.

Canadiens acquire Michael Ryder from Stars in exchange for Erik Cole

The Montreal Canadiens have traded forward Erik Cole to the Dallas Stars in exchange for forward Michael Ryder.

The trade returns Ryder to the organization that drafted him in the eighth round (216th overall) of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft.

Canadiens netminder Carey Price tweeted out to his former teammate shortly after hearing the news.

No discipline for Canadiens Max Pacioretty

 

Tomas Kaberle will not be traded

Tomas Kaberle’s future with the Canadiens seems increasingly uncertain, but the defender is not about to require a transaction to be able to go play elsewhere this season.

That at least is what told La Presse Rick Curran, the agent’s Czech defender. In a telephone interview, Curran insisted that his client will not ask to be traded.

“Tomas is certainly not happy with this turn of events, said the agent. He would play better, obviously. But he did not intend to ask to be traded. ”

Jack Todd: Habs need to get bigger, tougher

One of the oddities of the league is how certain organizations can face the same endemic problems for decades without finding a solution. The Canadiens have been too small since John LeClair was traded away and Mario Tremblay put the Smurf Line together in Hartford, with Saku Koivu between Oleg Petrov and Valeri Bure. The Flyers have spent two decades trying to find a fix for a big, lumbering defence and porous goaltending. Neither team has found a real solution.

When the Canadiens made their remarkable playoff run in 2010, they did so thanks to 1) Jaro Halak; 2) industrial-strength shot-blocking from Josh Gorges, Hal Gill and Jaroslav Spacek; and 3) Michael Cammalleri’s timely scoring.

Dave Stubbs: P.J. Stock no expert on P.K. Subban

Canadiens defenceman P.K. Subban made a modest return to action on a perfect Super Bowl weekend. He was neither a commanding presence nor a step out of place, but rather one of a half-dozen blue-liners who contributed to a sweep of the Buffalo Sabres and Ottawa Senators.

And there’s not a thing wrong with that.

It’s just a shame, if you’re to believe one Hockey Night in Canada panellist, that Subban is disliked by everyone on his team, a young man who is profoundly troubled by the frosty shoulder of his teammates.

SUBBAN MUST ACCEPT NEW RULES BEFORE REJOINING CANADIENS

Before gets back on the ice with the Montreal Canadiens, he better be ready to buy into a new philosophy.

The defenceman joined his team Wednesday in Ottawa for the first time since signing a two-year $5.75 million contract, but was not in the lineup for their game against the Senators.

He took part in the team’s optional morning skate, and admitted he wasn’t sure when he would play his first game.

It appears Subban has been given a clear message and if he plans on playing an integral role with the team he’d better accept the new set of rules.

“The first thing and I did was sit down with (Subban) and explain our philosophy and he understood where we’re coming from,” Canadiens coach Michel Therrien said. “It was a good, honest conversation with P.K. and we just want to make sure everyone is on the same page.”

Did PK Subban Agree to the Best Deal?

The Star is reporting that PK Subban, the young star defensemen of the Montreal Canadiens, finally accepted a contract to rejoin his team for the shortened NHL season.  Before the NHL lockout, Subban was one of the most sought after players in the game due to his strength on the blue line, his ability to move the puck, and maintaining a respectful shot. ““It was about getting a deal done that was fair to both sides.””

Due to his well-rounded skill set, the Canadiens weren’t the only team interested in Subban – though they did get the first opportunity.  Other teams felt the enforcing young defensemen would add depth to their blue lines, and the trade rumours enticed betting activity from sports bettors and bookmakers.  Websites such as Onlinecasino.org discussed the Subban trade saga, and these rumours were the focus of bets at various online casino and sportsbetting sites.

Could Subban have gotten a better offer if he asked to be traded from Montreal?