Atlanta perfect trade partner
If Bob wants Price in the big show for good he’s got to give him the #1 job and bring up Halak for back up. With Lethenon out for Atlanta this is the perfect time to move Huet who has really helped out his value with the way he’s been playing. But I say if we can add more offense then lets go with Price and Halak. Trade Huet, Ryder, Kostopolous, & Grabovski (as Atlanta also needs a European centre with speed to play with Kovalchuk) ask for Hossa & P. Dupuis & 2 minor leaguers G. Desbiens & B. Valabik or even one of the 2 minor leaguers. We give up roughly 7.6 mill in salary and take on 6.8. Dupuis would be a good fit for our third line with Smolinski & Latendresse he brings more speed & offense to the table then Kostopolous and still plays with lots of grit. Then that leaves Koivu, Hossa, Kovalev, Plecanek, Higgins & Kostitsyn for our top 2 lines. Also there had been a rumour ogf Kovalev to Calgary for Tanguay I’d make that move in a heart beat. Then our top line would be Koivu, Tanguay & Hossa with a second line of Plecanek, Higgins & Kostitsyn as they were great together at the end of last year and I can’t understand why Carbo hasn’t put them back together. There is one more piece I would try and get and that is a fouth line tough guy to play when needed. Zack Stortini who policed the baby Habs to the Calder Cup last year would be good. Maybe trade Milroy or Locke for him.
Then we look like this:
Goal: Price, Halak
Defense: Markov Komy, Hamarlik-Briseboise, Bouillon-Striet, depth Gorges & Dandenault
Forward: Tangauay- Koivu-Hossa, Higgins – Plecanek – Kostitsyn, Smolinski – Latendresse – Dupuis, Begin – Lapierre – Dandenault and maybe rotate Gorges in on the fourth line and also Stortini when needed. I guess you also figured out Chipchura is gone back to Hamilton to play everyday as I think Lapierre got the message and has played awesome since being sent down. This also leaves Murray in the picture when he gets back and he would be a fourth line file in also. Go with Murray, Begin & Stortini for the fourth line for extra toughness when needed.