1) Hiring Stéphane Waite, a goaltending coach who has had good results in Chicago, to replace Pierre Groulx who might not have been having the success wished for with Carey Price, is a good move. It's not guaranteed to work out, but a logical response to the situation.
As far as Marc Bergevin being able to lure him to Montréal, we shouldn't give that short shrift. It appears that he is able to build fruitful relationships, and people who have worked with him in the past seem eager to work with him again. That's a plus, and a win for the team.
We could compare that to the prior administration, and its leadership shortcomings, but I won't dive in too deep and let you decide.
2) About the Daniel Brière reports, I'm getting cold chills. I was basking in schadenfreude seeing what the Tyler Bozak contract might do to the Leafs, but this brought me back to our plight.
It wouldn't be Tomas Kaberle-bad, Mr. Brière is still an effective player, but I see that as a very ill-advised patch job. He has a bit of a mercenary attitude, didn't want to sign here before but now will take a stopgap contract to hopefully return to the Philadelphia area soon, that's not what I want when we're adding people to our team.
Of course, that's my uninformed fan opinion, I'm not sitting with him discussing the situation, taking a measure of the man, as Marc Bergevin is. He's the best person to make that decision, obviously, and we'll eventually have to trust his judgment.
Hello Normand. Always one step forward and one step back with the Habs eh? LOL
ReplyDeleteI actually liked both moves. Hiring Stephane Waite will remove all excuses for Carey. Rollie was too hard on him, Groulx was too buddy-buddy; now he has a goalie coach who has the trust and a history with the GM and he also has a good track of developing goalies. This is Price's last chance. He has all the tools but now is the time for him to reach his potential.
Getting Danny Briere, I think sets up another move. Firstly Briere and Martin St Louis have been the game's best small men for over a decade. There is still some hockey left in him. So if you look at the line-up
Bourque - Plekanec - Gionta
Pacioretty - Desharnais - Briere
Galchenyuk - Eller - Gallagher
Moen - Dumont/White - Prust
**I definitely see a trade happening and the place where the Habs have some depth is at Centre & Young D prospects. No way is Eller or Galchenyuk going to be moved so that just leaves Pleks and DD.
Desharnais is the most likely candidate because, Pleks has a NTC. The teams that are dying for centre and could be a logical fit
DALLAS - They just picked up Tyler Sequin and Shawn Horcroff but could also use DD to play with Erik Cole. Cole's best offensive season was playing next to DD not Eric Stahl. Someone in HIO mentioned Alex Chiasson; a local homeboy with size. This is someone I always wondered if the Habs would eventually pick up. Still a prospect and would want more from Dallas to complete the transaction.
CALGARY - The Flames were using Cammalleri and Tanguay at centre last season. They are desperate for any kind of depth down the middle. Would be great to a back a player with size and grit like a David Jones who they just acquired from the Avs.
My darkhorse to be traded is Brian Gionta. The Devils are going to lose David Clarkson to free agency. They just re-signed Patrick Elias but will still need a RW to replace Clarkson. Gionta for 1 season at us$5mill to play with his brother, back in New Jersey for Lou Lamorello? This sounds very plausible. If Bergevin can get Adam Henrique or Adam Larsson; both young players who were in Pete DeBoer's doghouse last season would be a huge return.
These are just my thoughts. I really think something is going to happen once the UFA season starts. So if MB can make a deal and pick up a Matt Hendricks (Role Player); Viktor Stahlberg (Big 3rd Liner) and a 1-2yr deal on a big 3rd pairing, D-man; Ryan O'Byrne, Mike Komisarek or Jeff Schultz then I would say MB had a very good off-season. So the team may look like (After trading DD and Gionta);
Bourque - Plekanec - Briere
Pacioretty - Galchenyuk - Gallagher
Stahlberg - Eller - A Henrique/D Jones/ A Chiasson
Prust - M Hendricks - White/Dumont
Moen (I predict being a healthy scratch and a regular in the press box will lead to him wave his NTC and request a trade by Xmas).
What excits me about this is the Glachenyuk era begins and Lars Eller will finally have proper linemates. The Habs have never surrounded Eller with players who can play with him. Galchenyuk was a marriage of necessity last season but now he will have his own line.