Montreal Canadiens: 2014-2015

[All Flash 49]

I just don't understand acquiring Gonchar. The Habs already have their quota of aging Russian puck movers in Markov.

Not sure how I feel about this yet. But chippa nails it. 40 yr old pp specialist? Although they did pick him up for a seldom used cheap player......

[grnmtnvt 18]

Honestly, I think this trade has everything to do with cap and term. I think the PP is only part of it, probably just a secondary justification for the move. MB has been pretty fiscally responsible with his management of the cap. Next year, MTL will have to resign Galchenyuk and Gallagher. Most definitely, they will be getting significant raises, as I'm sure they will try to lock them up long-term. Even if it isn't long-term, they'll get a bridge deal worth a lot more than the 685,000$ Gallagher is getting this year and the 925,000$ Galchenyuk is getting. Both are part of the teams long-term future and will have to be resigned.The rest of the team's young core are on long-term deals- PK, Pacioretty, Price, Eller etc.

Moen is being healthily overpaid at 1.85 for a fourth-line penalty kill and shot-blocking specialist (being generous here), with this year and next on the books. So, they've offloaded 1.85 off the books for next year (+ part of Bourque's salary- 1 million this year and much more next year if he plays in the AHL), which will have to go to one of those two players as there are no other major signings that need to be had this summer. Plus, there are rumours that the gap isn't going up, or at least not as much as forecasted, so the money will have to come from somewhere. I'd guess 3-3.5 for Gallagher a year and 5-5.5mil for Galchenyuk- lots of room for debate there, this year pending.

Gonchar only has this year on his contract, so they've given up cap this year which they had, to free up cap for next year. Highly unlikely Gonchar will be resigned and there are some young and hungry players that will easily fill Moen's role. Given the cost of the kind of player they really need and given how many teams need a #3-4 D that plays a solid big-body shutdown role, I'm guessing MB doesn't want to part with any of the young core of this team- which I'm fine with. Will the PP get significantly better- probably not. Marginally better, maybe. A little less time on the ice for Subban and Markov will help lighten their load and having a second point-man on the second PP unit is something they don't have. He'll probably play 12-13min a night against other team's lesser lines, so his lack of speed and physicality aren't exposed. It was unlikely that with the cap space MTL had, they would have been able to make the kind deal people are pining for. So, if they use 5mil this year in service of ensuring they lock up key young players this offseason and (potentially) solidifying a glaring problem with the PP, that's just being shrewd in my books. In this NHL with this cap climate, it's tough to argue for mortgaging the future for the now.

But, D take a little longer to season sometimes and if it takes some more time in the AHL for Tinordi and Beaulieu, I'm cool with that. They have the potential to be a pairing like Seabrook and Keith- probably not as elite, but similar in complemtary styles and ability to log minutes.

[ibeck 38]

Pretty content day for the habs as they add petry, mitchell and flynn.They mostly added depth established nhl players for their playoff run instead of going with ahl players such as christian thomas. With Carey Price back there I think mtl believes they can take them to at least the cup finals.

[althoma1 574]

I like the Petry deal. I think they would've been better off with Stewart than Mitchell and/or Flynn, but they are solid depth guys.

I still don't love that they traded away Sekac earlier and think they may regret that move eventually, but hopefully Smith Pelly can make me eat my words.

[RadioGaGa 162]

Habs related, so I'll leave this here:

Big day for hockey in Hamilton. The Canadiens purchased the Hamilton Bulldogs from Michael Andlauer (who is also a part owner of the Habs...so he kinds bought the team from himself, but anyway...) and announced that they are moving to St John's for next year. Not sure is they will the St John's Ice Caps or the St John's Canadiens. The Press Conference was in front of an Ice Caps logo...but that was also because they announced that the Ice Caps are moving to Winnipeg (I assume to become the Manitoba Moose again) and play out of MTS with the Jets.

And, Mr. Andlauer has bought the Bellville Bulls and is moving them to Hamilton to be the Hamilton Bulldogs in the OHL next season.

[IPv6Freely 2092]

I saw the email from the AHL about that. Exciting!

[ibeck 38]

According to TSN the team will still be called the icecaps.

My question is where do all the players from the ohl go to play now? Will there be some sort of draft?

[IPv6Freely 2092]

According to TSN the team will still be called the icecaps.

My question is where do all the players from the ohl go to play now? Will there be some sort of draft?

What do you mean? Why wouldn't they go to Hamilton with the team?

[ibeck 38]

What do you mean? Why wouldn't they go to Hamilton with the team?

Woops I think I misunderstood all the details of the move!

[grnmtnvt 18]

I wonder how long it will last in St. Jonh's. Travel costs add up quickly out there. I wonder if the hockey conspiracists are now calling for an NHL team in Hamilton, there's a rink with no tenant- who needs Las Vegas!

[Hills 712]

The rink now has the Belleville Bulls next year. There is a tenant.

[RadioGaGa 162]

I wonder how long it will last in St. Jonh's. Travel costs add up quickly out there. I wonder if the hockey conspiracists are now calling for an NHL team in Hamilton, there's a rink with no tenant- who needs Las Vegas!

From all I've heard it's a 2 year plan. Winnipeg really wanted to run their AHL team out off MTS, so it's the AHL giving a temp team to STJ while the Habs wait for the building in Laval to be ready. AHL will have a fulltime team ready to move to STJ after that.

The sale of the Bulldogs from Andlauer to the Habs has been in the works since he became a partner in the Habs a couple years ago. It was a "when the time is right" thing...and this all made sense when STJ was losing the Caps.

[grnmtnvt 18]

Where is the rink being built in Laval?

[RadioGaGa 162]

Where is the rink being built in Laval?

I think this is it!

http://lavalnews.ca/article/Laval-Construction-begins-on-Place-Bell-222006

But I also heard that the rink the AHL will use will be managed by the Habs/evenko...so they must've worked out an agreement with the City.