Dominator2005

We have $1M cap space - so we can easily add him... send Lebda or Maltby + 3rd pick and that's it!!!

We should kept him instead of Lebda not Chelios...

:rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao:

At the moment there is no goaltending controversy in Detroit but there is a battle of the backups.

CORUSSPORTS.COM: Ron Fournier of CKAC radio in Montreal reports the Tampa Bay Lightning might be willing to move forward Vincent Lecavalier, noting that the no-trade clause in his new contract doesn't take effect until after this season meaning they could move him without his permission. Fournier claims the team is in trouble financially and might be trying to distance itself from Lecavalier's expensive new contract. SPECTOR'S NOTE: My thanks to everyone who sent this in. This story is likely to fire up those old "Lecavalier to Montreal" rumors but I say not so fast. While there has been speculation the Lightning's new owners are having money troubles there's been nothing out of the Tampa Bay media suggesting moving Lecavalier is a possibility. All trade talk to date - almost all of it originating from sources well outside the state of Florida - suggest Martin St. Louis would be a more likely trade option, although he has a no-trade clause and would have to approve or request any trade. Furthermore, assuming that the Bolts do intend to shop Lecavalier, good luck finding a market for him with that expensive (11 years, $85 million) contract considering the recent news that next season's cap ceiling could flatline and the 2010-11 ceiling could drop to as low as $50 million. http://spectorshockey.net/index.php?option...s&Itemid=55

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=3921050 Security probes Canadiens' connection The NHL on Friday will send security officials to Montreal to meet with local police following reports linking a number of Montreal Canadiens players with an organized crime investigation, sources said. French language newspaper La Presse of Montreal reported Friday that Pasquale Mangiola, who faces weapons and drug charges, is close to the Canadiens' Kostitsyn brothers, Andrei and Sergei. The three have often been seen together at Montreal bars and restaurants, the paper reported. The paper also mentioned veteran defenseman Roman Hamrlik as also being linked to Mangiola, who is alleged to have acted as an intermediary between a number of rival criminal gangs in Montreal. Police officials would not comment to La Presse when asked about the ongoing investigation. The NHL is aware of the reports and is in the process of gathering additional information. A spokesman for the Canadiens said Friday morning the team had no comment on the reports. They were scheduled to practice at 2 p.m. ET Friday. The reports are another blemish on a season that began with such promise -- the Canadiens are celebrating their 100th anniversary and hoping for a long Stanley Cup playoff run this spring. The team has played poorly -- a 3-11-1 record in their last 15 games including a 5-4 loss to Pittsburgh on Thursday. Earlier this week, general manager Bob Gainey told slumping forward Alex Kovalev he would not accompany the team on a two-game road trip this week. Gainey also shipped 21-year-old Sergei Kostitsyn to Montreal's American Hockey League affiliate in Hamilton earlier this week, although it's believed this was strictly a hockey decision. Sergei Kostitsyn is the younger of the brothers and is in his second season with the Canadiens. Andrei Kostitsyn, 24, was the 10th overall pick in the 2003 entry draft but has been slow to mature into a top player, having bounced between the AHL and the NHL in the last two years. Montreal has fallen to sixth place among Eastern Conference teams and is just four points from falling to ninth and out of the playoff picture. Its play, coupled with its off-ice distractions, have become the talking point for the entire province. Segments on radio and TV talk shows have incorporated the full range of the Canadiens' issues. Scott Burnside covers the NHL for ESPN.com.

Friday: Colorado @ Washington Tampa Bay @ Carolina Anaheim @ Detroit Saturday: Pittsburgh @ Philadelphia Chicago @ Dallas Ottawa @ Montreal Phoenix @ Los Angeles Atlanta @ San Jose NY Rangers @ Buffalo Vancouver @ Toronto New Jersey @ NY Islanders Boston @ Florida Anaheim @ Columbus Detroit @ Minnesota Nashville @ St Louis Calgary @ Edmonton Sunday: Pittsburgh @ Washington Colorado @ Carolina Boston @ Tampa Bay Minnesota @ Chicago Toronto @ NY Rangers

http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/269591.html Le quotidien "La Presse" publie aujourd’hui un dossier embarrassant sur les frères Andrei et Sergei Kostitsyn qui auraient des liens avec un membre présumé du crime organisé qui a été arrêté dans le cadre de l’opération policière Axe. Ce présumé criminel, Pasquale Mangiola, 38 ans, a été arrêté pour des accusations de trafic de drogue et il aurait servi d’intermédiaire entre plusieurs groupes criminalisés. Durant l’enquête policière qui a mené à l’opération Axe, la police a enregistré plusieurs conversations téléphoniques de Mangiola à son insu. Plusieurs de ces conversations auraient eu lieu avec les frères Kostitsyn. Les joueurs du Canadien sont revenus de Pittsburgh autour de minuit et aucune arrestation n'a été effectuée. Selon La Presse, Mangiola serait un grand ami des frères Kostitsyn. L’homme de 38 ans rendrait plusieurs services aux deux joueurs du Canadien quant à leurs sorties dans les bars, les filles et les voitures de luxe. Le défenseur Roman Hamrlik aurait également des liens avec Mangiola, toujours selon le quotidien de la rue St-Jacques. Hamrlik aurait été vu en compagnie de Mangiola et des Kostitsyn dans des bars de Montréal. La Presse a questionné Andrei Kostitsyn sur ses relations avec Mangiola au terme de la partie contre les Penguins à Pittsburgh. L'aîné des frères Kostitsyn a confirmé qu’il connaissait Mangiola, mais qu’il ne savait rien sur lui. Don Meehan agit en tant qu’agent pour les deux frères Kostitsyn et il a précisé qu’il ne connaissait pas cet individu. Par ailleurs, Meehan et la direction du Canadien ont tenu à préciser que le renvoi de Sergei Kostitsyn à Hamilton était purement lié au hockey. Nobody arrested...

http://sports.sympatico.msn.cbc.ca/abc/New...treal-canadiens Habs silent on La Presse report CBC Sports 20/02/2009 11:28:41 AM The Montreal Canadiens are not commenting on a report in Friday's La Presse linking two players to a man arrested in a recent sting operation by city police. According to the Montreal newspaper, 38-year-old Mangiola Pasquale allegedly made a number of services available, including girls and luxury cars, to Canadiens forwards Andrei and Sergei Kostitsyn at bars. Pasquale was arrested on charges of drug trafficking Feb. 12. When contacted by CBCSports.ca, Dominick Saillant, director of media relations for the Canadiens, declined any comment on the La Presse story. Montreal police are also not commenting on the anti-gang operation, called Project Axe, that led to Pasquale's arrest, or the La Presse report on the Canadiens players' alleged ties to Pasquale. The Canadiens, who host the Ottawa Senators on Saturday, are scheduled to hold a regular team practice Friday at 2 p.m. ET. Saillant said they expect to answer questions about the La Presse report after practice. Earlier this week, the Canadiens assigned Sergei Kostitsyn to their American Hockey League affiliate, the Hamilton Bulldogs. Kostitsyn, 21, has eight goals and 15 assists in 52 games for the Canadiens this season, his second in the league.

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=267916&lid...os=topStory_nhl As many problems as the Canadiens have had on the ice lately, they potentially have a greater one off the ice. A suspect arrested last week in a police operation targeting organized crime is an acquaintance of Montreal Canadiens players Andrei and Sergei Kostitsyn and Roman Hamrlik, according to a report in Friday's La Presse. The police reportedly recorded conversations between the arrested man, Pasquale Mangiola, and at least two of the players. La Presse adds that the three Canadiens stars are not suspected of any criminal activity. Pasquale was arrested on charges of drug trafficking last Thursday as part of an operation called ‘Project Axe.' The news is the latest distraction for a team that finished 1-4-1 on a crucial road trip and is in danger of missing the playoffs.

It seems like Kovalev is clean - he decided to tell everything to Gainey - some players told Kovalev to pay attention what he's talking about or...

Une bombe a fait trembler les colonnes du Centre Bell dans la nuit de jeudi à vendredi. Au moment même ou la CH traverse une période difficile, on apprend que les frères Kostitsyn et, dans une moindre mesure, Roman Hamrlik entretiendraient des liens avec un membre du crime organisé. Selon ce que rapporte le quotidien La Presse, les trois joueurs seraient en lien avec un dénommé Pasquale Mangiola, mis en arrestation lors de l’opération Axe, notamment pour trafic de drogue. Les joueurs ne font l’objet d'aucun soupçon d’actes criminels. Discutant fréquemment au téléphone et étant en possession de documents financiers des deux frères portant le logo du CH, l’homme qui serait impliqué dans les paris sportifs aurait aidé les deux jeunes joueurs à s’installer dans la métropole. Des enregistrements prouveraient d’ailleurs que Mangiola s’entretenait régulièrement avec les deux joueurs. Il possédait d’ailleurs, toujours selon le quotidien, les relevés de cartes de crédit des deux attaquants. Fiesta sur St-Laurent Pasquale Mangiola quittait à l’occasion le Centre Bell en compagnie des deux Biélorusses et ont été vus à plusieurs reprises en train de faire la fête dans des bars de la mythique rue St-Laurent. L’homme d’origine italienne aurait également été une personne ressource lorsque les frères K cherchaient de l’alcool, des voitures luxueuses ou encore…des femmes. Pour sa part, Roman Hamrlik aurait des liens moins étroits avec Mangiola, qu’il rencontrait périodiquement dans des bars de la métropole. Un atmosphère à couper au couteau Lors du vol entre Pittsburgh et Montréal, l’atmosphère était excessivement lourde. De nombreux joueurs semblaient craindre ce qui allait être dévoilé par le journal. Est-ce que les soupçons au sujet des trois joueurs ne sont que la pointe de l’iceberg? Une source fiable nous a confié que d’autres événements pourraient faire couler beaucoup d’encre. Selon ce que 24 heures a appris d’une autre source, la pseudo-fatigue d’Alex Kovalev aurait été évoquée pour justifier le ras-le-bol d’un joueur qui n’en pouvait plus d’une situation irritante. Informé à l’effet que le joueur russe s’apprêtait à aller faire état d’éléments troublants au directeur général Bob Gainey, un coéquipier aurait même adressé des menaces à «l’Artiste» en présence de trois autres joueurs du CH. Le Canadien a reporté son entrainement, à l’origine prévu demain matin, à plus tard en après-midi. L’organisation a certes d’autres chats à fouetter que les problèmes de sortie de zone… Word ON STREET is - 4 players are arrested... more to follow...

Why "The Albanian Assassin"? Thanks in advance

What about Shawn Thornton??? He's playing very well so far this season...

Give me a break with your "Euro-Hockey style". Konstantinov is Euro so what's your point? Look at Chara... The problem is drafting/signing only skilled players and no toughness... Emmerton, Mathias over Lučić... Four your ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Sakic http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milan_Lucic It would be very tough to watch NHL without Euros...

I agree with you - it's SAD to see Hossa fighting but Holland will NEVER go after someone who can fight (Neil)... "The fans at the Joe were so excited that they rose to their feet at the sight of Dan Hamhuis and Johan Franzen staring each other down moments before. The excitement in Mickey Redmond’s voice was evident as well." http://www.hockeyfights.com/quickhits/qh/e...-fight-drought/

Why?!?!?! He took LESS to play for Red Wings - even if it's for one season... Who can blame him if he decide to sing for MORE money with another team??? Zetterberg situation was different - he was drafted by Detroit...

POST OF THE YEAR!!!

Why? He LOST his starting role! He didn't deserve it end of story!

Osgood for PRESIDENT!!!

and yes you're right...

Where's Hossa????

Still better option than Osgood...