Blowing up the Habs...

[e_prime 1,936]

So, I noticed this little gem in a video clip on TSN.

http://www.tsn.ca/window/oneclip_nhl_playoffs.html#

(If this just links to their video player it's the video entitled Canada Day)

It gets interesting at the :51 mark.

"Meantime Habs GM Bob Gainey also indicated he will not attempt to resign any of the teams unrestricted free agents... and that includes Saku Koivu."

Gainey on Koivu: "The fact that we weren't able to present something to him looking forward... was a message to us that it was time we could move on"

(So this greenlights the Koivu brother connection in Minny.)

...and the rest of the cast-offs: "There's lots of good players in that group that were here last year... and they'll be dancing with someone else... and I hope they find a good partner."

So the Habs sign:

Cami, Gionta,Spacek, and Gill

Aren't going to attempt to resign:

Bouillon, Brisebois, Dandenault, Denis, Kostopoulos, Kovalev, Lang, Schneider, and Tanguay... amongst others.

I realize that they have other players under contract, but who the hell is going to play for the Habs? ...or is Gainey talking out of his ass?

What happens from the player perspective if you're approached by Gainey later during free-agency after he's thrown you under the bus?

EDIT: wanted to add the idea of Koivu going to Minny, as speculated.

Edited July 2, 2009 by e_prime

[numberthirtynine 0]

Ladies and gents, this is a clinic on how not to run a hockey team. This is why other teams look like a circus compared to us. They panic. They have no loyalty. They can't manage the cap and they don't care about defense. It's an easy, early indicator they won't be a winner.

Proof even long time professionals and intelligent business men can get owned by the concept of a cap. Is it me, or is Kenny the only one who really, truly has this league figured out? Short of mabe whatshisname in NJ, his name escapes me at the moment.

[HawksFan4Life 0]

Yeah I can't figure out what Gainey is doing. Cam won't have an Iginla type playmaker, Komisarek is gone, Koivu is gone. Huge overpayment for Gionta and Gomez. Carey Price will have his toughest year yet in hockey.

[Guest Shoreline]

Is Bob Gainey crazy?

.. "like a fox".

Edited July 2, 2009 by Shoreline

[e_prime 1,936]

8 Forwards

7 Defensemen

Price and Halak

2009-2010 Montreal Canadiens

FORWARDS

Scott Gomez $7,357,142

Mike Cammalleri $6,000,000

Brian Gionta $5,000,000

Andrei Kostitsyn $3,250,000

Georges Laraque $1,500,000

Glen Metropolit $1,000,000

Sergei Kostitsyn $816,666

Maxim Lapierre $687,500

DEFENSEMEN

Andrei Markov $5,750,000

Roman Hamrlik $5,500,000

Jaroslav Spacek $3,833,333

Hal Gill $2,250,000

Josh Gorges $1,100,000

Ryan O'Byrne $941,666

Yannick Weber $875,000

GOALTENDERS

Carey Price $2,200,000

Jaroslav Halak $775,000

BUYOUTS

NONE

LOST VIA REENTRY WAIVERS

NONE

CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (including bonuses)

ROSTER SIZE 17

SALARY CAP $56,800,000

PAYROLL $48,836,307

BONUS MONEY (ESTIMATED) (3.3% of cap) $1,864,166

CAP ROOM $7,963,693

CAP ROOM PER OPEN SPOT $1,327,282

[RedWings Gone Wild 6]

A lot of the guys going are no brainers (Lang, Schneider, to old)... but I really do question Koivu.. If a classy guy like Koivu can't at least get a decent offer from a team he's been with for so long (and played very well for might I add)... well, the NHL is becoming more and more like the NBA with each passing day.

Edited July 2, 2009 by RedWings Gone Wild

[EuroTwin 240]

.. "like a fox".

"No beer and no TV make Homer go something something."

"Go Crazy?"

"DON'T MIND IF I DO!"

[titanium2 867]

"No beer and no TV make Homer go something something."

"Go Crazy?"

"DON'T MIND IF I DO!"

[Motown4013 350]

I wouldnt mind seeing Tanquay in a Wings uniform. if we cant re-sign Huds, that may be an option.

[Motown4013 350]

I wouldnt mind seeing Tanquay in a Wings uniform. if we cant re-sign Huds, that may be an option.

[stevkrause 1,247]

haha, perfect for Gainey.

[P. Marlowe 748]

A lot of the guys going are no brainers (Lang, Schneider, to old)... but I really do question Koivu.. If a classy guy like Koivu can't at least get a decent offer from a team he's been with for so long (and played very well for might I add)... well, the NHL is becoming more and more like the NBA with each passing day.

I remember hating Saku Koivu back in the mid nineties. He was the poster boy for hockey in Finland and was in all these commercials from youth sports movements to toothpaste. His team also beat my favourite team in the Finnish Elite League finals in '95. It's almost like a déjà vu now with you know who. Since then I learned to tolerate Koivu and now I'm quite indifferent. Luckily my team won gold in '92, '94, '96 and '97.

In '95 when Finland won their only gold in the world championships there was a line of Koivu, Jere Lehtinen and Ville Peltonen and they were called "Huey, Dewey and Louie". Peltonen scored a hat trick in the final against Sweden. They all were in their 20's and left to NHL for the next season. Sami Kapanen and few other youngsters were part of the team too and moved to play in North America with varied success.

Edited July 2, 2009 by P. Marlowe

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

Uh, oh; From TSN :

Sergei Kostitsyn was demoted by the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday and now his days with the club may be over.

General manager Bob Gainey told reporters on Wednesday that Kostitsyn has been suspended for refusing to report to the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL and that he has asked for a trade.

...

According to the Montreal Gazette, there is speculation that Kostitsyn is looking at playing in the Russian-based Kontinental Hockey League.