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-- Habs 2008 - 2009 Centennial Season Official Thread.
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Montreal just got Robert Lang from Chicago and Bob Gainey his hoping out of the Sundin race. Good for him, Mat should have decided before september!
I'm not 100% happy with this decision but Montreal still has few cap space for a end of season addition before the cup run!
Dom K.

big meh...our team is not worse off, but lang is in his twilight big time.

at least it did not cost much to get, but what is his salary?

quote:

Originally posted by elFreak big meh...our team is not worse off, but lang is in his twilight big time. at least it did not cost much to get, but what is his salary?

Lang is making 4 million this year.

he's an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year also...along with Koivu, Tanguay, Kovalev, Begin, Kostopoulos, Bouillon, Komisarek, Brisebois (whatever).
Not to mention the restricted free agents we have at the end of this season: Higgins, Plekanec, Chipchura and TheTenderness.

translation: we need to go for it this year...because our team could be dismantled at the end of the season.

quote:

Originally posted by Bertuzz Lang is making 4 million this year.

ouch.

for that price they could've added some more grit (Ruutu, Tucker, Avery, etc). Lang will have to score at least 30 goals to justify that salary.

quote:

Originally posted by Spin Laden ouch. for that price they could've added some more grit (Ruutu, Tucker, Avery, etc). Lang will have to score at least 30 goals to justify that salary.

grit?? haha the habs have better things to do, such as being the second highest scoring team in the league (without Tanguay and Lang)

30 goals is worth more than 4 mil in the NHL market today

but they tied for 12th in GA. The back-end could use a fourth 'D' and the front-end could use another edgy two-way forward who can score some timely goals too, imo.

That said, Habs will def blow out some teams for sure .. the concern to me is in those close playoff games if the goaltending and grit isn't there.

quote:

Originally posted by Spin Laden but they tied for 12th in GA. The back-end could use a fourth 'D' and the front-end could use another edgy two-way forward who can score some timely goals too, imo. That said, Habs will def blow out some teams for sure .. the concern to me is in those close playoff games if the goaltending and grit isn't there.

yeah i see what ur saying....

for that tho, we need to get rid of at LEAST Dandenault...and maybe begin or kostopoulos.....

quote:

Originally posted by UneeK yeah i see what ur saying.... for that tho, we need to get rid of at LEAST Dandenault...and maybe begin or kostopoulos.....

I llke what Kostopoulos brought to that team in the playoffs .. but n shit disturber like a Tucker or Avery (both were available) could easily play with the top two lines. At least Laraque brings more grit(s)

quote:

Originally posted by Spin Laden I llke what Kostopoulos brought to that team in the playoffs .. but n shit disturber like a Tucker or Avery (both were available) could easily play with the top two lines. At least Laraque brings more grit(s)

sow who would u bump off the first 2 lines out of in order to make room for this "semi-offensive grinder":

Koivu, Kovalev, Plekanec, A.Kost, Higgins, Tanguay?

since when does a 3rd line center have expectations for 30 goals.

I don't like the trade spin, but i seriously wonder if your thoughts about hockey make any sense:P

quote:

Originally posted by elFreak since when does a 3rd line center have expectations for 30 goals.

exactly.

4M is hefty for a "third-line centre". I'd have to look and see who's available (besides Tucker and Avery) because 4M is "impact player" money, and I don't see Lang as being one. imo.

Re: first two lines ...though he had a breakout season, Plekanic slumped badly at the end and will need to show more consistency. But he's their top centre so...

I just hope Lang doesn't turn out to be expendable like Niinimaa.. I remember debating about that one on here too

teams are not giving away number one centers who make 500 000 a year.

because of chicago's cap problems gainey was able to get him for almost nothing (although it does suck it was the toronto 2nd rounder and not ours.) It seems that Chicago absolutely wanted a center and could not get one in return for anyone. With the cap, trading is not easy. Did Gainey make this team better? There is no question about it that he did.

There is still 3 + mill left (source RDS) plus whatever they gain from buying out dandenault and begin.

Don't forget they won the Eastern Conference. Even if they did not pass the second round, you do not mess with the team too much. They are so young those players will just get better. We now have 3 scoring lines, and have a 3rd line center who can win faceoffs and put 50 points up. What GM would not want this.

3.5 + dandy and begin's salary.

Schneider?

as a number 4 defencemen with 2 cups (including knowing what it takes to win one in this city), even if he is slower we will have the perfect mix of youth and veterans.

Pittsburg doesn't have that

or Price

/rant

^^good post, though I'd like more of the Euro players to get their noses dirty like Detroit's Holmstrom (hense the notion of picking up a rugged two-way player). If only they all had Koivu's heart...

The cap space is insurance for that kind of player/defenceman at the trade deadline and/or for injuries, imo. If Lang ever regains something close to the scoring touch he had with Kovalev in Pittsburgh, then Gainey will def look like a genius.

why would a team that focuses on speed change that all of a sudden? Laraque was brought in to get his hands dirty an d let the talented players focus on talent. Komisarek led the league in hits and blocked shots. If that is not grit i don't know what is. No one goes in that side with their head down.

Transition hockey is what this team is about. Lang will get some PP minutes too because he is over 50% in the faceoff circle.

quote:

Originally posted by elFreak why would a team that focuses on speed change that all of a sudden? Laraque was brought in to get his hands dirty an d let the talented players focus on talent. Komisarek led the league in hits and blocked shots. If that is not grit i don't know what is. No one goes in that side with their head down. Transition hockey is what this team is about. Lang will get some PP minutes too because he is over 50% in the faceoff circle.

it's not about changing philosophy, it's adding to what the team may be lacking. The core of this team matches up well with other finesse teams like Detroit, Washington, Pittsburgh, for example. Montreal is fortunate to have a team that plays a great brand of hockey, with a lot of youthful upside (those free agents, notwithstanding).

If Lang can push Plekanic for playing time with Kovalev, then he's def worth his weight in salary. But the Habs are still lacking something, a fourth 'D' (which you've already mentioned) and a hard-nosed player that can play decent minutes on the first two or three lines, imo.

Komisarek will play over 23 minutes a game...come on.

yeah, but he plays defence. That Boston series exposed some things that hopefully a healthy Komisarek, Koivu and now Laraque, Lang and Tanguay can address (not to mentioned a more experienced Price). Anyways, we'll have to wait and see I guess.

man, another D?? are you nuts? we're stacked on D right now: markov, komi, hamrlik, gorges, o'byrne, breezer, bouillon, dandenault.

Most teams don't carry 8 NHL caliber Ds, it's usually 7 at most and of those, only 6 play. Watch for dandenault to be bought out if anything, but some of his salary will still count against the cap. Plus there's no room for him to play up front anymore with the forwards we acquired in the off-season.

As of today, we only have 1 mil in cap space. Schneider can't come here because he makes 5 mil+ in Anaheim...it's just not gonna happen. Gainey said his roster was set for the beginning of the season anyways.

If you want a sick cap tracker, check out this link: http://www.hockeybuzz.com/cap-central/team.php?team=MON

i think the team is set....

I think we're the best offensive team in the LEAGUE.

If Price can prove he is a top 5 goalie, we may be even better than Detroit...

we are missing a number 4 defenceman bertuzz

we have a great 1-2-3 but after that the others are nothing but 5's and 6's.

i like josh george, but youth and cup runs at that position do not happen.

look at recent cup winners

quote:

Originally posted by UneeK i think the team is set.... I think we're the best offensive team in the LEAGUE. If Price can prove he is a top 5 goalie, we may be even better than Detroit...

that Wings team is disgusting now, with Hossa now in the mix. And they have some blue chip prospects too. Detroit is in a class of its own.. 'should have beaten Anaheim the year before, too.

Habs will probably make their moves at the trade deadline when needs are better assessed.

freak ur right about the recent cup winners and their D-Men...but who's to say O'Byrne wont pull a beauchemin and become a true #4?

I'd say the only team that had an amazing top 3 Ds of recent cup winners were the Ducks: Pronger, Neidermayer and Beauchemin. With the addition of Schneider, they're pretty tought to beat D-wise (even if they choked last year).

Detroit had Lidstrom and Rafalski.
Tampa had Boyle.
Carolina had....errrr....Frantisek Kaberle and Aaron Ward...lol


In any case, no need to argue but I don't think anything will be happening between now and the start of the season. If anything, come wintertime, before the trade deadline, we'll have a lot of UFAs to deal with and probably then if we're in good shape for a late playoff run, we can fix any position that's lacking.

quote:

Originally posted by UneeK freak ur right about the recent cup winners and their D-Men...but who's to say O'Byrne wont pull a beauchemin and become a true #4?

would be nice to see. cuz it definitely won't be bouillon, breezer or....dandeneault...

quote:

Originally posted by Bertuzz Detroit had Lidstrom and Rafalski. Tampa had Boyle. Carolina had....errrr....Frantisek Kaberle and Aaron Ward...lol

they also had Kronwall and Brad Stuart too and Tampa had an overachieving Kabina. Best teams play a five man unit, which is why Detroit with top scorers Zetterberg and Datsyuk back-checking, had success.

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