Magg's Habs Musings

Random Musings...

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 09:09:40 -0400

OK! It’s been awhile. Again…so let’s get too it.

The season came to its inevitable and much-to-soon conclusion on April 7th. Since then, what have we learned? Well, we know the Habs will have a shot at a top 5 talent in the upcoming draft. We know that it will be a new general manager making the pick, most likely flanked by a new coach for the draft stage picture with said prospect, after being advised by new a new scouting team (but hopefully still led by Trevor Timmins, who’s been a stud throughout the mess of the past decade).

That pick most definetly needs to be a forward. If Matt Dumba is on the board, it could be tempting, but the Habs’ defensive prospects cupboard is pretty well-stocked at the moment; P.K Subban is still young, as is Alexei Emelin. Josh Gorges is locked up for the next 6 years, and guys like Nathan Beaulieu and Jarred Tinordi will be on the big club within two years. That leaves room for 7th defenseman and perhaps another young guy who might surprise, such as Morgan Ellis or Greg Pateryn. There’s also the possibility of signing a mid-range free-agent or acquiring someone in a trade down the road.

The Habs’ true need lies up front; outside of the Desharnais line, this season’s only other decent producer was Tomas Plekanec, and he was playing with less-than-stellar linemates for the majority of the season. His poor plus/minus was troubling to some, but considering the overall poor defensive play of the team as a whole, that doesn’t worry me all that much. Plekanec is the team’s best defensive forward, and will bounce back with new vigor next season.

There is an interesting parallel that can be made between Plekanec and former (sob) Habs captain Saku Koivu. Koivu spent the majority of his 14-years in Montreal playing with so-so linemates; granted, Marc Recchi, Richard Zednik, and Alex Kovalev weren’t THAT bad, but there wasn’t anything special about them either (Kovalev had his massive season with Plekanec, so that doesn’t apply). A long-standing argument was that Koivu never really played with anyone who could propel his play; it was always the other way around. His highest point-total was 75, playing alongside guys like Chris Higgins, Guillaume Latendress, Kovalev, and Andrei Kostitsyn. So its safe to say Saku never really played with top-notch talent, something that has haunted Habs fans who always wondered what could have been with Saku having a bonafide scorer on his wing.

With that being said, let’s hope that the Habs don’t make the same mistake with Tomas Plekanec. I don’t think the Habs should move him; for now anyways. You can argue that it’s time to move him while his value is still high, and replace him with a big center like Mikhail Grigorenko, but in a sense that would be taking a step backwards; sure, you’re injecting some young talent, but Grigorenko will never get close to Plekanec’s level as a two-way forward. I’ll take Plekanec for 60+ points and a top penalty-killer over a guy with a ton of potential but a reputation for having a poor defensive game and a knack for pulling a Kovalev; show up for one game, take three off.

With that being said, I think I would prefer a guy like Alex Galchenyuk or Filip Forsberg. Galchenyuk is a center, but has (and can) play wing. At 6’2, 205 pds., he’s no slouch, and the guy can flat out play. He’s lived in the shadow of Nail Yakupov during his time in Sarnia, but a popular thought around hockey circles is that if Galchenyuk had been able to play a full season this year, he would currently be pushing Yakupov for the 1st overall pick in the Draft. Unfortunately, Galchenyuk spent the year rehabbing an ACL injury that has scouts worried. On a more promising note, he did come back from it in time for the OHL playoffs, showing his commitment and dedication to get back to the ice as fast as possible.

The other intriguing name is Filip Forsberg, who is currently playing in Sweden and draws comparisons to last year’s second overall pick, Gabriel Landeskog. Both are Swedes, but more importantly both would come into the NHL “as men”, in a sense. When Landeskog was playing for the Kitchener Rangers last year, the consensus was that Landeskog looked and played like an NHL-ready hockey player, despite his young age. He is a physical specimen, and it showed in his seamless transition to the the pros. The same could be said about Forsberg, and while he didn’t put up the same kind of numbers as Landeskog, he’s playing in the Swedish Elite League at the same age, a much stiffer competition than what Landeskog faced in the OHL.

Of course, all of this could change in a second. We can’t rule out the fact that a trade might be in the offing if the new GM (we’ll get to that in a second) decides he’d prefer to boost the lineup now as opposed to adding another building block for the future. In my opinion, this would be a horrible idea, for several reasons. For starters, Habs fans just spent the year watching a horrific team finish dead last in the Eastern Conference. The one consolation prize that came from it all was the opportunity to pick in the Top 5 of this year’s draft. That pick is supposed to usher in a new era, a symbol of hope and what is supposed to be future, consistent success. By trading the pick, a la Brian Burke, you will probably be looking to bring in a Band-Aid solution to sell tickets (not that we have a problem with that here) and cause some exciting around the city. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t say no to a Ryan Getzlaf, Rick Nash, or Eric Staal. But these guys are all making huge money for the next couple of years. Do we truly believe this team is one piece away from contending for a Cup? I’m not so sure about that. That’s why, in my opinion, you draft the future face of your franchise, you buy out or bury Scott Gomez and Tomas Kaberle in the minors, and add several significant pieces to your team, improving it as a whole, as opposed to loading up on one guy who you’re picking up from another organization.

About that new GM…Geoff Molson and Serge Savard have really cast a wide net in their search. Just a few names that have been mentioned: Julien Brisebois, Marc Bergevin, Claude Loiselle, Pat Brisson, Pierre McGuire, Blair Mackasey, Francois Giguere, Vincent Damphousse, Ron Hextall, and Luc Robitaille just to name a few. Brisson and Damphousse have already took their names off the list, leaving the rest fully in contention for the job. Personally, I’m hoping for a younger, new-wave type of GM; even if it’s a guy going into his first job, these men know what they’re doing. They’ve spent years as scouts, player personnel directors, or assistant GM’s, so for the most part the main difference for them would be having control over final decisions, as opposed to simply chimming in and being the “right-hand man”. Guys like Brisebois, Bergevin, and Mackasey intrigue me the most. I don’t want to sound biased here, and no respect to Claude Loiselle, but I want no part of anyone coming from the current Toronto Maple Leafs front office, a management team that needs a clean-up in its own right. It will be interesting to see if the Habs pounce on Bergevin as soon as Chigago gets eliminated (Hawks are down 3-1 to Phoenix as of today), but one thing we know for a fact is that Geoff Molson is going to do his homework on this one, and take as much time as he needs.

Last but not least…I’ll save this one for now, but if Vancouver gets eliminated soon, it will definetly come up: if Alain Vigneault is fired, would we like to see him back behind the Habs bench for a second time? This time with a lot more experience? It definetly depends on the GM that comes in, but I wouldn’t mind it one bit.

Fail for Nail and Blow for Grigo!

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 09:33:31 -0500

No, I did not fall off the face of the Earth, I did not disappear into a ditch, nor have I already given up on Magg’s Habs Musings. I actually completes two blog posts (good ones too) only to foolishly (but accidentally) erase them just before posting them. Granted, this caused a lot of frustration, and while I couldn’t find the will to re-write them, I will quickly sum up my thoughts from those two posts:

- Gill trade was good, solid return, sentimental with regards to Geoffrion namesake coming home.

- I can live with the Kostitsyn deal and the return, however I understand fans who argue Gauthier didn’t get enough (Gaustad got a first).

- No problem with keeping Moen but MUST be resigned now. Should have shipped out Darche and Campoli for whatever they could get.

- Playoffs…? PLAYOFFS?! I just hope we can win a game!!

The dreams of simply having a shot at a lottery pick seem to be becoming more and more of a reality as we approach the end of this gruesome year. Along with that near certainty, all there is left to look forward too for Habs fans is the probable return of Andrei Markov (let him play out the season not only to let him gain in confidence, but to make sure his knee holds up and that the team nor it’s fans have to relive the knee drama all over again next year) and the eventual and long overdue buyout of Scott Gomez’s ludicrous contract.

What seems more enticing is the fact that the Habs have a real shot at a topnotch prospect in the upcoming draft. Be it Nail Yakupov or Mikhail Grigorenko, or another impact name who rises up draft boards as Jonathan Huberdeau did last summer, the hope is that the young man who walks up to accept the CH jersey from whoever is running the team next year will be able to finally provide this team with the impact player this franchise has lacked for much too long.

So yes, at this point, I say full speed ahead to the Fail for Nail and Blow for Grigo bandwagons; so that next year and for years to come, Habs fans can go back to being their passionate, dedicated, and delusional, optimistic selves.

Physical Habs can't knock off Bruins in front of "classless" crowd

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 17:07:24 -0500

As the time in the Habs’ playoff hourglass slowly slips and slides away, so do their chances of actually attending the spring dance come April. After winning four straight last week, the Habs are back where they started following a regulation loss to Carolina and a hard-fought shootout defeat to the Boston Bruins last night.

In a game that was comparable to a playoff matchup between the two storied clubs, the Habs fought back from down 3-1 to force the game into overtime, powered by the usual suspects; Max Pacioretty, Erik Cole and Carey Price. Pacioretty brought the Habs withing one and Cole tied the game up in the third, capitalizing on a ghastly turnover by Bruins captain Zdeno Chara.

Alas, all was for nought, as the Habs biggest enemy this season reared it’s ugly head once more; the shootout. The Habs are 2-8 in shootout, unable to score or avoid being scored on. Carey Price has probably been having nightmares all season of shooters bearing down on him alone, while he waits, in position, at the ready, but almost always a millisecond too late. Another puck scooped out of his net, another point that the Habs let slip away.

But of course, as is always the case in our lovely city, all the talk post-game was not about the score, or the on-ice product, or even a questionable call by an official. In fact, all the talk was about what was going on off the ice-in the stands.

When Zdeno Chara was popped in the jaw by an errant Tomas Plekanec clearing attempt, the crowd erupted as if a goal had been scored; in essence, a moral victory had been achieved. It was like Chara had finally gotten the redemption he had so richly deserved last season when he nearly ended Max Pacioretty’s career.

I’ll admit, as objective as I want to be at times, a key quality for any good journalist (or up-and-coming journalist, if you want to get technical), I found it hard not to feel a small sense of satisfaction as I watched Chara skate off the ice, leaving a trail of blood behind him. On the other hand, I certainly wouldn’t condone cheering an injured player, no matter who it is or what jersey he wears.

What bothers is me is the generalization in these instances. When idiots-yes, idiots-were booing the American national anthem at the Bell Center a few years back, people around the NHL we’re quick to stereotype Montreal fans as a classless fanbase…to which I would reply; if you think can prove to me that every single fan in the building, and every single person watching from their homes or local watering holes, was up in arms and openly booing the American national anthem, then you can call this fanbase classless.

There is no sense in labelling an entire group of people when they are misrepresented by a few “yahoo’s” who are ignorant or probably on their 7th Molson can of the night; sure, the Bell Center crowd went nuts last night when Chara got hit.

But was it not classless when Zdeno Chara slammed an unsuspecting Max Pacioretty’s head into a rigid stanchion, nearly wrecking a promising career and hampering a man for the rest of his life?

Was it not classless when the Bruins organization backed Mark Recchi on his stance that Pacioretty embellished a BROKEN NECK and a SEVERE CONCUSSION?

Was it not classless when Brad Marchand repeatedly punched Daniel Sedin in the face repeatedly in the Stanley Cup Finals last year?

Was it not classless when Tim Thomas stood up the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES just a few short weeks ago?

I could go on, and on, and on. Talk about calling the kettle black; if the Bruins and they’re fans believe they can go around scolding other franchises from their so-called perch of greatness, let them. So be it. Let it go.

Why, you ask?

Because karma is a b*tch. Last night, karma came back to haunt Mr.Chara; and he’s extremely lucky Plekanec didn’t lean into that shot, just like he was extremely lucky to get off scot-free last March.

And if karma has it’s way, karma will find the Bruins yet again.

I respect any organization that manages to take home perhaps the toughest championship to win in all of sports. I did not spew hate at the Bruins when they won the Stanley Cup last spring; its not like they cheated or lied there way to victory, and they most certainly were a talented and deserving squad.

So I’ll put this topic to rest with these final thoughts; to the fans who were IN FACT classless in their actions last night towards Chara, shame on you indeed. You make true Montrealers feel ashamed and embrassed.

But to those who think that they are almighty and above these clowns in that French province by the way, look in your own backyard, and try to convince me that you don’t have silly, wreckless, classless gremlins of your own kind.

You can try, but you probably won’t be able too.

Blown away by 'Canes, 'cause of another blown lead

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 23:55:28 -0500

Another loss, another blown lead, another blow to the Habs playoffs hopes.

In dropping tonight’s spirited contest against Kirk Muller’s Carolina Hurricanes, the Canadiens reverted to the form we have gotten used to this season; taking a lead into the third period, and subsequently squandering it. Tonight’s blown lead featured a beautiful shorthanded goal by Carolina captain Eric Staal, followed by a wild scramble tally from up-and-coming Jamie McBain. The Habs had their chances to tie it up late, but couldn’t beat Cam Ward if their (playoff) lives depended on it.

A couple of things did impress me tonight, however; I tweeted early in the game that I couldn’t remember the last time a Habs team came out of the gates playing so physically. The usual suspects, Alexei Emelin and Erik Cole, were out in full force, but guys like Lars Eller, Rene Bourque, Mathieu Darche, and even diminutive David Desharnais (although he was picking on the guys his own size-smart man) were getting in on the hitting parade as well.

Alas, it was to no avail; in the end it didn’t really make much of a difference on the scoreboard. But with the ramped up physicality, combined with the likely additions of Ryan White and Ian Schultz to the lineup on Wednesday, it would appear that the Habs have truly adopted a change in philosophy, moving towards bigger, more robust player with some toughness. The change couldn’t have come at a better time, nor will it ever receive a tougher test, as the Bruins roll into town on Wednesday for a classic tilt between longtime rivals. We will see how tough this team really is, and whether or not the added “sandpaper” to the roster will have a positive effect on the team.

What is worrisome (perhaps not for some) is the fact that the Habs can’t seem to handle teams below them in the standings. This is nothing new, it appears to be a trait of Les Glorieux of recent years; for whatever reason, they seem to play up to their tougher opponents, and down to the teams beneath them. Either there have been some serious psychological issues with this club over the last five years, or it’s simply coincidence that these so-called “lesser teams” always play better against the Habs. Who knows? All I’m saying is that it would be nice to not have to worry when a cellar-dweller rolls into the Bell Center on any given night.

This loss deals a serious blow to the Habs’ playoff hopes, especially considering the fact that besides the Washington Capitals (who also lost), every team ahead and behind the Habs were idle on this quiet night in the NHL. Already disadvantaged by the fact that they don’t hold games-in-hand over many teams, the Habs made it harder on themselves by dropping a game on a night like this, to an Eastern Conference opponent to boot.

Perhaps this will be looked back on as one of the few losses that the Habs could afford to lose…but that’s assuming they win 85% of their remaining games; a feat that appears near impossible at this point.

Only the legendary ghosts of the Montreal Canadiens can help this team now-let’s just hope they haven’t given up yet.

How high can Habs sell? Value of Gauthier's trade chips

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 19:55:38 -0500

As we approach the February 27th NHL trade deadline, it is becoming more and more apparent that the Montreal Canadiens will be sellers. Barring a massive winning streak in the very near-future, general manager Pierre Gauthier will be looking to part with some assets in order to acquire draft picks and prospects.

Let’s look at the obvious choices and what they can bring back, and some not so obvious names that might add intrigue what promises to be yet another interesting and heavily-hyped trade deadline:

Hal Gill:

There’s no doubt that a contending team could use a steady veteran presence like Gill for a deep playoff run. He’s one of the league’s premier penalty killers and always elevates his game come playoff time. That being said, he’s a pretty simple, one-dimensional defenseman, so he’ll probably fetch a mid-round draft pick (2nd-4th) or a solid, but not quite blue-chip, prospect.

Andrei Kostitsyn:

If Gauthier can’t get more or similar to what Steve Tambellini got for Dustin Penner last year I will be extremely disappointed. Kostitsyn is the Habs’ most valuable trade asset at this point, but his situation got murkier when he came out and stated that he would take a discount to stay in Montreal. If he does get moved I would hope for at least a first-round pick and potentially a prospect.

Travis Moen:

Travis Moen is a grinder by trade, but has shown a nose for the net this year that we haven’t seen in the past. He too is a proven playoff performer and I can see him fetching a third-round pick at the very least, maybe a second if Gauthier plays his cards right.

Mathieu Darche:

While Darche doesn’t represent much value, the Habs would be wise to take what they can get for him, just to add another draft pick to the hopefully growing stack of picks. I wouldn’t complain if Gauthier got a 6th or 7th round pick for him, and would be shocked if he got more.

Tomas Kaberle:

Kaberle hasn’t done much is his short time here, but Gauthier’s plan to spark the Habs powerplay has failed miserably, so its already time to move on. Let’s see if, for a change, Gauthier can unload a terrible contract instead of taking one on.

Tomas Plekanec:

I never thought we’d be talking about Plekanec in a rumor mill, but his unusually quiet season and at times sub-par performance has sparked speculation that the Habs would move him to garner a pretty big return. Despite this, I don’t think Gauthier is looking to part ways with the team’s best center. When Plekanec is on, he is the closest thing to an elite-level forward that the Habs have on their roster, and barring an incredible offer, Plekanec is going nowhere.

Scott Gomez:

Despite having played a bit better since his second return from injury, Gomez is simply making too much money to justify his current role and production on the team. I would be shocked if a team came calling before the deadline, but I don’t see Gomez in a Habs jersey past this season.

One name that might be considered an omission is P.K Subban; but I refuse to add him because it is foolish to even think of trading him. Unless he beats up one of his teammates or openly revolts against his coaches, he is going nowhere. He’s still very young and very raw; remember when Carey Price was 22? Fans were ready to ship him out of town for a bag of pucks. Look at him now; a little patience goes a long way…the Habs have already given up on countless players with average potential, and many of them have gone on to exceed expectations elsewhere. Imagine if we gave away the players with superstar potential? Use your imaginations…

The Aftermath of Cammalleri/Bourque

Sat, 14 Jan 2012 19:54:13 -0500

Let’s all be honest here, who saw this coming? I’m sure we all had a feeling. But which of you saw all of this unfolding within the same 24 hours? Not I, for one.

And who would have thought that Mike Cammalleri’s mysterious absence from the Canadiens bench in the latter parts of their game against Boston Thursday night was a signal of the end of Cammy’s time in Montreal.

While GM Pierre Gauthier stated that the plan to ship Cammalleri out of town has been in the works for over a month (Calgary GM Jay Feaster confirmed as much), Feaster also said that Gauthier called him Wednesday night to finalize the deal, a few hours after reports of Cammalleri’s now famous rant began to first circulate.

Coincidence? Doubtful. It appeared Cammalleri was already paving his way out of town, and by popping off to the press Wednesday afternoon he essentially sealed his own fate.

Well wishes to that six million dollar cap-hit and the selfish ego that accompanied it; while we all fell to Cammalleri’s skill and charm when he first arrived in Montreal, we slowly but surely began to see the darker, individualistic side coming out, culminating in Wednesday’s debacle and ultimately leading to the first blockbuster deal of 2012.

Enough about Cammalleri for now; more importantly for the Habs at this moment is the addition of big winger Rene Bourque, who no doubt adds an element of size to an otherwise small team (outside of Erik Cole). If Bourque can keep on track and avoid straying the course, which could lead to another suspension seeing as he is now considered a repeat offender, Bourque could be a welcome addition up front for the Habs.

The other key thing to take from this deal is the TOTAL return Montreal receives in the trade; while only giving up the rights to a goalie who would never see the light of Montreal, let alone the ice, in Karri Ramo, and a relatively low-value 5th round pick, Montreal managed to pick up an ascending prospect in Patrick Holland, as well as a high-value second round pick in next year’s draft. This return is nothing to scoff at-not to mention that the Habs actually save money for a change, as opposed to taking on unwanted salary.

The final thing we can all take from this deal is barring a revival of miraculous proportions, the Habs will undoubtedly be sellers at the deadline. If Cammalleri had continued to play at the mediocre level he has displayed throughout the first half of the season, he would have netted even less at the trade deadline, and then Montrealers would REALLY have a beef about this deal.

So now the question becomes, who’s next to go?

Kostitsyn? Moen? Gill?

Subban…?

In a season full up surprised and unexpected twists and turns, don’t be shocked if more big names get shown the door out of La Belle Province.

(Although if Subban did get traded the blog posts in the days after would be solely dedicated to ripping Pierre Gauthier).

A Return of Halakian Proportions

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:05:12 -0500

The great and once much-revered playoff hero Jaroslav Halak returns to Montreal tonight for the first time since the stunning trade that not only netted the Habs Lars Eller and Ian Schultz, but also placed Carey Price firmly in the No. 1 goaltender role for the foreseeable future.

When the news broke on that fateful summer day, fans were up in arms at the notion that Pierre Gauthier had given up their beloved netminder for two unproven assets, and, at the time, relative unknowns in the hockey world. There were also cries of doubt with regards to Price’s ability to recapture some of his rookie season magic and unlock the immense potential that was much heralded from the moment he was drafted by the Canadiens in 2005.

Price showed a lot of maturing by taking his long ride on the pine in stride while Halak earned the hearts of fans across the city. Montreal has a fine taste for goaltenders, and no one had swept them off their feet like Halak did during that Eastern Final playoff run since hometown hero Jose Theodore literally carried the Canadiens on his back into the playoffs and through to the second round in 2001-2002.

The outrage that accompanied Halak’s departure stems from the sadness similar to what one feels when losing a close friend, a relative, or a lover. Halak was more than just a goalie on a hot streak; he was more than merely a poster-boy hard-work and determination. He gave a new, young generation of Habs fans a taste of what it must have been like to be around during the glory days of the Montreal Canadiens, days that many of us only knew through folklore and from stories recounted by our fathers and grandfathers.

And while he wasn’t able to fully capture the true sense of Les Glorieux by delivering what would have perhaps been the most improbable Stanley Cup in the history of the NHL, Jaro Halak certainly gave us cherished memories that we will hang onto for awhile; that is, until the day Carey Price makes us forget by writing a legendary script of his own.

But until that day comes, we can continue to gaze nostalgically at the HALAK stop sign so many of us still have hanging on a wall in our rooms, with the boisterous Bell Center chants of “Jaro, Jaro, Jaro…!!!” still floating around our heads…

Thanks, Jaro. Welcome home.

Make a run or drop a bomb? Plan of action for the rest of the 2011-2012 Habs season

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 01:23:40 -0500

As we approach the NHL All-Star break, questions surrounding the Montreal Canadiens are two-fold. Should the team hope for a quick turn-around and shoot for a low-end playoff berth, or should they become sellers at the Feb.27 trade deadline and aim for a lottery pick, and with a bit of luck, a chance at upcoming superstar Nail Yakupov of the OHL’s Sarnia Sting.

Yakupov is believed to be the game changer that the Habs’ could benefit from for the foreseeable future. The only problem is that the only realistic shot the Habs’ have at the Russian phenom is to tank the season; by selling at the deadline and hoping the team tails off in the last quarter of the calendar in an attempt to finish in the cellar of the NHL standings.

Just one problem; we are talking about one of, if not the most demanding and impatient fan base in the entire league, and perhaps in all of sports. Fans and media alike would essentially emotionally slaughter the players, coaches, and management alike should the team do poorly and miss the playoffs for two to three consecutive seasons while rebuilding the foundation of the entire franchise.

The argument to this discussion is also two-fold; with the parity and small margin of error in today’s NHL, it is not a stretch to think the Habs’ can climb back into the playoff race and have a legitimate shot at securing a spot in the post season. The typical die-hard optimist would argue that you play to win, that anything can happen in the playoffs (see Edmonton Oilers, 2006, and Philadelphia Flyers, 2010) and tanking is unfair and practically a slap in the face to a deeply devoted fan base-a valid point, no doubt, but the other side of the coin presents other hard-to-debate points, thus the reason why the team is currently in limbo heading towards the end of the season.

If the Habs’ do decide to make a run for a playoff spot, but ultimately fall short in their efforts, finishing in 9th or 10th place, what have they gained? Another wash of a season combined with an average draft pick that wouldn’t guarantee an impact player. This is the worst case scenario, and the city would be up in arms if this plays out. Adding to this would be the probable fact that the teams impending UFA’s, Hal Gill, Andrei Kostitsyn and Travis Moen, would have most likely been kept around for the playoff push and would probably leave the team without garnering anything in return.

So, after analyzing both scenarios, what should the Habs do? Make a run for a playoff spot or consider the season finished and look towards the future?

Eller gets an Ellervation, Getzlaf, and MISTER Gauthier

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 01:26:49 -0500

I’m finally getting off my lazy rear-end and posting my many musings on our much-maligned hockey team. Call it a new year’s resolution, of sorts (but hopefully one that will last more than a week).

Lars Eller put on a scoring clinic tonight against the Winnipeg Jets, pocketing four goals on four shots, his fourth coming off of what is now the Twitter-famous “EllerRama” on a late penalty shot. Why not try some razzle-dazzle when the game is already in the bag? It was a badly needed exclamation point to cap off a brilliant home-ice performance (excluding the first 5 minutes). Eller brought the roof down and got the crowd on its feet, drawing epic roars of approval that haven’t been heard from a Bell Center crowd in quite awhile.

Now the most important question becomes: was this a spectacular, flash-in-the-pan, Jan Bulis circa 2006 kind of night? Or should we expect more excellence from Eller? Let’s hope for the latter…

While all this was going on at the Bell, reports were coming out of Anaheim that GM Bob Murray had stated that the only untouchables on his current roster were veterans Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu…which evidently led to speculation that the Ducks’ Big 3 of Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, and Bobby Ryan were on the trade block.

While I have my serious doubts about any GM parting ways with any of these three top-flight talents for the simple reason that the team is struggling, we can put stock in the fact that Murray was openly shopping Ryan earlier in the year. Murray temporarily broke off those talks when he replaced head coach Randy Carlyle with Bruce Boudreau; but now it seems that the Ducks continued lack of success has re-opened the possibility of moving Ryan. Adding to the intrigue of this story are the circulating names of Ryan’s veteran superstar teammates, Getzlaf and Perry, who, at a glance, would probably be most GM’s untouchables.

Now, assuming any of this has the actual possibility of happening, and assuming MISTER Gauthier has any interest whatsoever, while also taking into account whether or not Gauthier still has carte-blanche within the organization to make any player personnel moves (which it appears he does considering the long-term Gorges contract of a few days ago), I would hope that he is considering picking up the phone to call Murray and inquire about Ryan Getzlaf.

This is probably a pipe dream; no, IT IS a pipe dream, without a doubt-but no one can deny that Getzlaf is the big, talented center that Montreal has been needing for about 20 years now, give or take. Just the fact that his name has popped up in the rumour mill should have sounded some alarms in the collective brain trust of the Montreal Canadiens.

So, all things being equal, would the Habs even be able to fit a Getzlaf into their plans? And what would it take to get a deal like this done? First, some cap space would have to be cleared, and the easiest way to do that would be to bury Scott Gomez in the minors, but this does not appear to be happening anytime soon. Any other cap-flexibility Gauthier had disappeared when he acquired Tomas Kaberle in December, thus making the case for Getzlaf a nearly moot point.

In terms of assets, I would think it would take a solid roster player, a high-end prospect, and a pick to even get Murray thinking about moving Getzlaf. Considering the Habs current state, I find it hard to believe that anyone would be willing to part with valuable pieces in order to obtain one man who may not be the answer to ALL the Habs’ current issues…but man, would Getzlaf look good in a #15 bleu-blanc-rouge jersey.

…All this could have been avoided if the Habs had just drafted him in 2003. Him, or Perry, or Zach Parise, or Mike Richards, or Jeff Carter, or Thomas Vanek, or any other superstar who came out of that studded first-round draft class. But I digress…let’s not spoil a victory night with the sour taste of hindsight…

Urg.

Until the next one, people.