He just don't get no respect.
I've been watching the pundits dissect the Cristobal Huet trade and subsequent consequence of 20-year-old Carey Price becoming the Canadiens' number-one goalie. The prevailing school of thought is that Gainey may be losing his marbles to have dumped Huet with a playoff spot and potential post-season success at stake. Most experts think Carey Price is too young to be given the responsibility of manning the Habs' crease all by himself. After all, he's not Dryden or Roy, and a Calder Cup championship does not an NHL number-one make.
What the anaylists are overlooking is the fact that Carey Price is NOT alone. He has a very capable, though young, backup in Jaroslav Halak. Halak proved his mettle last season as a 21-year-old rookie, when he walked in to replace the injured Huet and almost hauled the Habs into the playoffs...after they'd spent the entire second half of the season trying hard to prove they didn't deserve to be there. But he seems to have vanished from the collective memory of hockey people.
I'm not saying Halak is better than Price or that he'll be some kind of miracle worker for the Habs if the team isn't working together to win. But he's a good young goalie in his own right who does deserve some notice for his contribution to the team in the past, and for performing well in Hamilton after being ignominously demoted in September, even after a strong training camp.
Carey Price is a good young goalie who has a big job ahead of him, with a lot of pressure to perform. And the pundits are right...he's twenty years old and it's to be expected that he'll falter at some point. But they're wrong to say that when that inevitably happens, the Habs will plummet. Halak is there to help, and even though he gets no respect, he's more than capable of doing that.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Price is Money
Price is money. Those were the words of Maxim Lapierre after last night's 5-1 win against Atlanta. In fact, yesterday was all about price: twenty-year-old Carey Price, handed the tiller of the good ship Canadiens, and the price of doing business when a GM wants to make a splash.
Well, Carey Price justified his GM's and his teammates' belief in him...for one night at least...with a great performance against the Thrashers. As for the other price...the one for bringing those same Thrashers' Marian Hossa to Montreal...it was too high.
Now that the frenzy of deadline day and its leadup has subsided, common sense says Bob Gainey was right. When the price for the privilege of renting Hossa for two months soared into the three-roster-players-and-a-prospect range, Gainey closed the bank. As he should have. He's got a young, mostly home-grown team with a special chemistry and a rare balance. His team leads the league with seven forty-point scorers. They sit second in league goal scoring, with no one having yet reached the thirty-goal plateau. I would rather see Maxim Lapierre and Christopher Higgins score FOR the Habs than against them. And I'd rather see Jaroslav Halak given a chance to develop for the team that drafted him, rather than padding a deal for a rental player.
I'm still disappointed in Gainey's failure to address the need for a third-line shut-down centre, which I think will hurt during the playoffs, and even in the tough western games leading up to the post-season. And I'm saddened at the loss of Cristobal Huet, as are his former teammates in Montreal. But even considering those lows, I'm happy with our little team. The Little Team That Could, even with no big stars.
They're young, they're fast, they're entertaining and they've got each other's backs. And, with any luck, the youthful goalies will provide the high-calibre netminding they need to win. I'm setting my expectations low right now. I want to see them make the playoffs in the top six in the East, which I think is reasonable, and I'd like them to win a round. After that, it's gravy for them. Maybe they'll surprise in the post-season, maybe they won't. Whatever happens, they'll have learned one more lesson in the school of experience that graduates champions. Best of all, they'll do it together.
In the meantime, Bob Gainey is sitting back with a healthy team on the ice and a healthy amount of cap space off it. He's still got his draft picks for what promises to be a deep pool this year. The team's young prospects are closer to making a difference in the NHL. There will be money to spend this summer, and the team is presenting itself as a desirable group for free agents to join for the franchise's centennial.
I think the price of a Cup is one the Habs can't afford this season. But they're getting there. And when the Hossas of the world have moved on to other teams at other costs, our team will be getting better. And when they are ready, Price will be too.
Price is money.
Well, Carey Price justified his GM's and his teammates' belief in him...for one night at least...with a great performance against the Thrashers. As for the other price...the one for bringing those same Thrashers' Marian Hossa to Montreal...it was too high.
Now that the frenzy of deadline day and its leadup has subsided, common sense says Bob Gainey was right. When the price for the privilege of renting Hossa for two months soared into the three-roster-players-and-a-prospect range, Gainey closed the bank. As he should have. He's got a young, mostly home-grown team with a special chemistry and a rare balance. His team leads the league with seven forty-point scorers. They sit second in league goal scoring, with no one having yet reached the thirty-goal plateau. I would rather see Maxim Lapierre and Christopher Higgins score FOR the Habs than against them. And I'd rather see Jaroslav Halak given a chance to develop for the team that drafted him, rather than padding a deal for a rental player.
I'm still disappointed in Gainey's failure to address the need for a third-line shut-down centre, which I think will hurt during the playoffs, and even in the tough western games leading up to the post-season. And I'm saddened at the loss of Cristobal Huet, as are his former teammates in Montreal. But even considering those lows, I'm happy with our little team. The Little Team That Could, even with no big stars.
They're young, they're fast, they're entertaining and they've got each other's backs. And, with any luck, the youthful goalies will provide the high-calibre netminding they need to win. I'm setting my expectations low right now. I want to see them make the playoffs in the top six in the East, which I think is reasonable, and I'd like them to win a round. After that, it's gravy for them. Maybe they'll surprise in the post-season, maybe they won't. Whatever happens, they'll have learned one more lesson in the school of experience that graduates champions. Best of all, they'll do it together.
In the meantime, Bob Gainey is sitting back with a healthy team on the ice and a healthy amount of cap space off it. He's still got his draft picks for what promises to be a deep pool this year. The team's young prospects are closer to making a difference in the NHL. There will be money to spend this summer, and the team is presenting itself as a desirable group for free agents to join for the franchise's centennial.
I think the price of a Cup is one the Habs can't afford this season. But they're getting there. And when the Hossas of the world have moved on to other teams at other costs, our team will be getting better. And when they are ready, Price will be too.
Price is money.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Why, Bob? Why?!
The Montreal Canadiens are done. The words from TSN's "expert" panel could mean they've stopped trading for today. It could be a prediction of their playoff chances when you consider other teams' improvements.
Either way, I'm crushed. Cristobal Huet to Washington for Anaheim's second pick next year. Hal Freakin' Gill brought more back to the Leafs than that. I know there was a chance Huet would walk for nothing, and I suppose that pick is slightly better than nothing. But if this was an attempt to clear cap space or acquire a pick to be used as part of a bigger deal, it looks like Gainey has failed.
There's going to be a lot of screaming to that effect now that Marian Hossa's a Penguin. I won't be one of those who condemn Gainey for not getting a big gamebreaker like Jokinen or Hossa. But I do have to wonder why he didn't address some of the smaller needs. I would have liked Fedorov or Bobby Holik to address the shut-down centre problem at least.
It's harder to have faith in the Plan today. But I'll recover from the disappointment and I believe Gainey knows more than I do. I'm relieved he didn't trade any of the team's youth, especially Higgins, O'Byrne and Halak. Most especially Halak, who'll now get a chance to star in the NHL. Losing Huet is tough, and the return doesn't look good. Still, I have to believe there's a reason for it.
If I don't believe that, I have to think my team is a lot farther from the top than I'd like to see it.
Either way, I'm crushed. Cristobal Huet to Washington for Anaheim's second pick next year. Hal Freakin' Gill brought more back to the Leafs than that. I know there was a chance Huet would walk for nothing, and I suppose that pick is slightly better than nothing. But if this was an attempt to clear cap space or acquire a pick to be used as part of a bigger deal, it looks like Gainey has failed.
There's going to be a lot of screaming to that effect now that Marian Hossa's a Penguin. I won't be one of those who condemn Gainey for not getting a big gamebreaker like Jokinen or Hossa. But I do have to wonder why he didn't address some of the smaller needs. I would have liked Fedorov or Bobby Holik to address the shut-down centre problem at least.
It's harder to have faith in the Plan today. But I'll recover from the disappointment and I believe Gainey knows more than I do. I'm relieved he didn't trade any of the team's youth, especially Higgins, O'Byrne and Halak. Most especially Halak, who'll now get a chance to star in the NHL. Losing Huet is tough, and the return doesn't look good. Still, I have to believe there's a reason for it.
If I don't believe that, I have to think my team is a lot farther from the top than I'd like to see it.
D-Day
Reason number 230932 why I don't like deadline day: I'm afraid the luck is running out.
I, like many Montreal Canadiens fans, believe Bob Gainey is the right man to be sitting in the GM's chair. He's got a plan, and he's ahead of schedule in seeing it bear fruit. He's smart and patient and disciplined. He's also a very, very lucky guy when it comes to dodging bullets from a gun he loads himself.
Let's take the case of Daniel Briere. He's put up twenty-two goals and thirty-three assists in sixty-two games. Not too shabby, right? Well, he's also a -24 and is making ten million dollars this year. Compare that with Tomas Plekanec, who's making 1.4 million dollars, is plus-four and has put up twenty-one goals and thirty-three assists in sixty-three games. So either that extra goal is worth 8.6 million bucks, or Bob Gainey got a major deal by paying Plekanec instead of Briere. The part that scares me is that the deal Gainey got appears to be pure luck, since Gainey did offer Briere the big contract and was left holding the money bag when Briere chose Philly instead. Maybe Plekanec would have had the same numbers even if Briere had come to Montreal. Or maybe he'd have been relegated to the third line with plugger linemates and have half those totals. Either way, the Habs would be a different team. Briere's millions would mean another player would have to go to make way for his salary, and considering Alex Kovalev's resurgence this year, the team salary structure would be seriously out of whack.
And speaking of Plekanec, it's pure luck he's still a Hab at all. When Gainey made the deal with the Rangers to bring Kovalev to Montreal, he offered Glen Sather his choice of four prospets. Sather chose Jozef Balej because he was the Hamilton Bulldogs' leading scorer at the time, passing over Plekanec. Whew...another bullet dodged.
And Sheldon Souray. Imagine if he'd accepted Gainey's 5.5 million last season. There would be no Roman Hamrlik who's stabilized the team defence immeasurably over last season. Instead, the team would be saddled with Souray's big dollars and defensive errors, as well as his constant injuries.
Yes, Gainey's been good, but he's also been very, very lucky that some of the things he's tried to do have fallen through. Imagine the team with giant salaries to Daniel Briere and Sheldon Souray, and Tomas Plekanec toiling away in Ranger Blue. Not a pretty picture, is it? That's why I'm hoping the trade deadline passes without any big splashes made by Gainey cannonballing into the pool. This is a year to be prudent.
Because sooner or later, the luck will run out.
I, like many Montreal Canadiens fans, believe Bob Gainey is the right man to be sitting in the GM's chair. He's got a plan, and he's ahead of schedule in seeing it bear fruit. He's smart and patient and disciplined. He's also a very, very lucky guy when it comes to dodging bullets from a gun he loads himself.
Let's take the case of Daniel Briere. He's put up twenty-two goals and thirty-three assists in sixty-two games. Not too shabby, right? Well, he's also a -24 and is making ten million dollars this year. Compare that with Tomas Plekanec, who's making 1.4 million dollars, is plus-four and has put up twenty-one goals and thirty-three assists in sixty-three games. So either that extra goal is worth 8.6 million bucks, or Bob Gainey got a major deal by paying Plekanec instead of Briere. The part that scares me is that the deal Gainey got appears to be pure luck, since Gainey did offer Briere the big contract and was left holding the money bag when Briere chose Philly instead. Maybe Plekanec would have had the same numbers even if Briere had come to Montreal. Or maybe he'd have been relegated to the third line with plugger linemates and have half those totals. Either way, the Habs would be a different team. Briere's millions would mean another player would have to go to make way for his salary, and considering Alex Kovalev's resurgence this year, the team salary structure would be seriously out of whack.
And speaking of Plekanec, it's pure luck he's still a Hab at all. When Gainey made the deal with the Rangers to bring Kovalev to Montreal, he offered Glen Sather his choice of four prospets. Sather chose Jozef Balej because he was the Hamilton Bulldogs' leading scorer at the time, passing over Plekanec. Whew...another bullet dodged.
And Sheldon Souray. Imagine if he'd accepted Gainey's 5.5 million last season. There would be no Roman Hamrlik who's stabilized the team defence immeasurably over last season. Instead, the team would be saddled with Souray's big dollars and defensive errors, as well as his constant injuries.
Yes, Gainey's been good, but he's also been very, very lucky that some of the things he's tried to do have fallen through. Imagine the team with giant salaries to Daniel Briere and Sheldon Souray, and Tomas Plekanec toiling away in Ranger Blue. Not a pretty picture, is it? That's why I'm hoping the trade deadline passes without any big splashes made by Gainey cannonballing into the pool. This is a year to be prudent.
Because sooner or later, the luck will run out.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Getting the Sundin end of the stick
I know it's got nothing to do with the Habs, today at least, but I have to say I'm really disgusted with the flack Mats Sundin is getting for refusing to waive his no-trade clause. Leafs fans, and fans of every other team whose players may have a no-trade clause, should understand those contracts were negotiated in good faith. Which, by definition, means the team willingly gave the player the right to veto a trade. And the team had to have understood that there might be every chance the player would use that veto if presented with a trade proposal. Acting as though the player is hurting the team or being unfair by invoking his no-trade clause is dirty pool on the team's part.
It shouldn't even be surprising that players use the clause at this point. It's a given that if a player requests the clause be part of his contract, it means he likes the team and the city and doesn't want to move.
So because the Toronto media has built up the necessity of trading Sundin for the good of the franchise, and has spent the last two weeks constantly speculating on where he might go and for what assets, while operating under the naive assumption that Sundin would waive his NTC out of an unselfish need to sacrifice himself for the team, the innocent Mats is feeling the backlash of angry fans whose delusional vision of the future has now been dashed.
Mats Sundin has done nothing wrong. He negotiated the clause and he's used it as is his right. If the team wanted to use Sundin to underwrite its future in a trade, it should have refused to grant the request for the NTC. That John Ferguson Jr. has boxed the Leafs into a corner by granting a mittful of NTCs to less-than-worthy candidates who are now hanging like anvils around the figurative neck of the franchise is no one's fault but his own. The surprise to me is that a player of Sundin's calibre is so dedicated to his team that he's willing to stay there and take the blame for its demise.
And, maybe this topic does have something to do with the Habs after all. The Canadiens aren't that many points up on where they were last season; deciding whether to buy or sell by the deadline. Those points make the difference between Sundin or Saku Koivu being the most-often mentioned name on the potential trading block, and Habs fans turning on Koivu because he decided to stay in Montreal. His NTC, like Sundin's, is a fact of life and he has every right to use it without flack from the team or the fans. However, the Habs are not the team on the bubble today and Koivu doesn't have to make the choice presented to Sundin. That's not to say he won't be asked to make that choice at some point in the future though. And he deserves respect for whatever decision he makes...as does every player with an NTC.
And on a final note, Sam Pollock was one of the greatest general managers in the history of the league. One of his iron-clad rules was a refusal to grant no-trade clauses in player contracts. Ken Dryden asked for one after a year-long contract dispute and was still refused. Pollock wasn't called Trader Sam for nothing. And he was a visionary in many ways...this being yet another. He knew thirty years ago you can't get much in return for a player you've promised not to trade, no matter how much you might want to dump him.
It shouldn't even be surprising that players use the clause at this point. It's a given that if a player requests the clause be part of his contract, it means he likes the team and the city and doesn't want to move.
So because the Toronto media has built up the necessity of trading Sundin for the good of the franchise, and has spent the last two weeks constantly speculating on where he might go and for what assets, while operating under the naive assumption that Sundin would waive his NTC out of an unselfish need to sacrifice himself for the team, the innocent Mats is feeling the backlash of angry fans whose delusional vision of the future has now been dashed.
Mats Sundin has done nothing wrong. He negotiated the clause and he's used it as is his right. If the team wanted to use Sundin to underwrite its future in a trade, it should have refused to grant the request for the NTC. That John Ferguson Jr. has boxed the Leafs into a corner by granting a mittful of NTCs to less-than-worthy candidates who are now hanging like anvils around the figurative neck of the franchise is no one's fault but his own. The surprise to me is that a player of Sundin's calibre is so dedicated to his team that he's willing to stay there and take the blame for its demise.
And, maybe this topic does have something to do with the Habs after all. The Canadiens aren't that many points up on where they were last season; deciding whether to buy or sell by the deadline. Those points make the difference between Sundin or Saku Koivu being the most-often mentioned name on the potential trading block, and Habs fans turning on Koivu because he decided to stay in Montreal. His NTC, like Sundin's, is a fact of life and he has every right to use it without flack from the team or the fans. However, the Habs are not the team on the bubble today and Koivu doesn't have to make the choice presented to Sundin. That's not to say he won't be asked to make that choice at some point in the future though. And he deserves respect for whatever decision he makes...as does every player with an NTC.
And on a final note, Sam Pollock was one of the greatest general managers in the history of the league. One of his iron-clad rules was a refusal to grant no-trade clauses in player contracts. Ken Dryden asked for one after a year-long contract dispute and was still refused. Pollock wasn't called Trader Sam for nothing. And he was a visionary in many ways...this being yet another. He knew thirty years ago you can't get much in return for a player you've promised not to trade, no matter how much you might want to dump him.
Win, Lose or Draw
As we get down to the short strokes on trade deadline watch, the more I'm convinced I don't want Gainey to make a big deal. I like Chris Higgins, even if he hasn't been producing much lately. I like Michael Ryder, even though he might leave as an UFA in July. I like Mikhail Grabovski, even though he's not very big. And I LOVE Jaroslav Halak, who I think has vast untapped potential. I don't want to see any of these guys go for a player who either has a bloated salary that exceeds his worth, like Brad Richards, or a player who might stay in Montreal through a playoff appearance then vanish, like Marian Hossa.
There are some players who *might* be worth giving up a piece of the future. Olli Jokinen is one. As a big centre who's tough and consistent with the points, he'd fill a long-term need. He's signed for two more seasons at a reasonable salary too. And the Panthers might not ask for Halak as part of the deal, which is one thing I'm dreading about any trade that Gainey pulls off. But even for the likes of Jokinen, the price can be too high. A package of Chris Higgins, a first round pick and prospects like O'Byrne or Valentenko could be doable. If Jacques Martin wants more than that, Gainey should back off and let the team he has determine its own fate.
In saying this, I'm not opposed to smaller deals for smaller parts. Maybe the aquisition of that third-line defensive specialist for Jonathan Ferland and a second-round pick. But beyond that, the thought of sending big pieces of the current team away for one guy, no matter how good, makes me queasy.
I think the Habs have some of the solutions to their problems in the system already. I think Halak might help shore up the goaltending. Defensive prospects are thick on the ground throughout the organization. Even scoring up front looks to be shaping up with Ben Maxwell, JT Wyman and Max Pacioretty developing.
So, if Gainey can land Jokinen for a fair price, I'm all for it. If he can't, I don't want him to gamble on plan B's like Hossa or Richards. The risk to the team's future is just too high, and the return far from guaranteed.
There are some players who *might* be worth giving up a piece of the future. Olli Jokinen is one. As a big centre who's tough and consistent with the points, he'd fill a long-term need. He's signed for two more seasons at a reasonable salary too. And the Panthers might not ask for Halak as part of the deal, which is one thing I'm dreading about any trade that Gainey pulls off. But even for the likes of Jokinen, the price can be too high. A package of Chris Higgins, a first round pick and prospects like O'Byrne or Valentenko could be doable. If Jacques Martin wants more than that, Gainey should back off and let the team he has determine its own fate.
In saying this, I'm not opposed to smaller deals for smaller parts. Maybe the aquisition of that third-line defensive specialist for Jonathan Ferland and a second-round pick. But beyond that, the thought of sending big pieces of the current team away for one guy, no matter how good, makes me queasy.
I think the Habs have some of the solutions to their problems in the system already. I think Halak might help shore up the goaltending. Defensive prospects are thick on the ground throughout the organization. Even scoring up front looks to be shaping up with Ben Maxwell, JT Wyman and Max Pacioretty developing.
So, if Gainey can land Jokinen for a fair price, I'm all for it. If he can't, I don't want him to gamble on plan B's like Hossa or Richards. The risk to the team's future is just too high, and the return far from guaranteed.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Dream a little dream...
I want Halak. On veut Halak!!
WHY are we being forced to watch the rookie Price's growing pains and the inevitable Huet slump when we could be led by the Slovak Phenom? Maybe Halak would do nothing. Maybe he'd be the second Roy. I vote for the latter, since I've watched him this year be nothing short of phenomenal when it really matters.
Halak reminds me of Roy. Squishy like Gumby, but tight and in postition when he needs to be. Twitchy and squirmy, but solid when the shot comes...ON VEUT HALAK!!
WHY is the team keeping him sequestered in Hamilton? Is it because they've scouted everyone and decided that Price is the way to go? Or is it that they've drafted a goalie high and now feel the need to validate him with playing time?
Look...I know Halak wasn't drafted high. But he's got it. PLEASE, play him. We'll win with Halak. Write it down.
WHY are we being forced to watch the rookie Price's growing pains and the inevitable Huet slump when we could be led by the Slovak Phenom? Maybe Halak would do nothing. Maybe he'd be the second Roy. I vote for the latter, since I've watched him this year be nothing short of phenomenal when it really matters.
Halak reminds me of Roy. Squishy like Gumby, but tight and in postition when he needs to be. Twitchy and squirmy, but solid when the shot comes...ON VEUT HALAK!!
WHY is the team keeping him sequestered in Hamilton? Is it because they've scouted everyone and decided that Price is the way to go? Or is it that they've drafted a goalie high and now feel the need to validate him with playing time?
Look...I know Halak wasn't drafted high. But he's got it. PLEASE, play him. We'll win with Halak. Write it down.
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