6 Opposing Players Habs Fans Should Follow

After we looked at 10 reasons to be excited about the upcoming Canadiens season yesterday, today in our Around the League segment, we look at some players from other teams that Habs fans might want to pay extra attention to this season. These are guys who could have been in the Habs plans had things worked out differently, so fans may want to see what it is that the team passed up on.

6) Jaroslav Halak, St. Louis Blues

Low on the list since with Carey Price, the loss of Halak isn't really felt on the roster, Jaro will look to bounce back after an injury-riddled first season with the Blues. One of the hottest goalies league-wide early on, Halak showed his inexperience as an NHL starter in inconsistent play as the year dragged on. While setting a career high in games played (57) and wins (27), Halak's goals against average and save percentage worsened from where they were in his final season in Montreal, so it will be interesting if he can keep up with Carey Price's performances this season to make at least some Habs fans wonder if the team kept the wrong one of the two. If both have a repeat of last season, those still doubting Pierre Gauthier on that deal will be silenced (except those comparing the return to the ridiculous bounty Washington got for Semyon Varlamov, that is).

5) James Wisniewski, Columbus Blue Jackets

Wisniewski would be higher up the list if it weren't for the fact that his contract means there was no chance of him remaining in Montreal. It will be interesting to see how he performs in Columbus, where a weak defense means he should be logging huge minutes. Will the toughness in his game - not so apparent during his time with the Canadiens - reappear now that he has a long-term deal? Will he shore up the holes in his defensive game as he enters his prime years as a d-man? Or will the contract be as massive of an overpayment as everyone and their mother seems to think it is? Following his progression will show if Gauthier was right to retain Andrei Markov, or if he should have rolled the dice with the older Wisniewski.

4) Roman Hamrlik, Washington Capitals

Gauthier was right to offer a deal to Hamrlik who provided the Canadiens with honest effort and extremely valuable minutes during his time here. I'd agree with the majority, however, that a two-year deal wasn't the best fit for Montreal. But will Hamrlik prove doubters wrong and show he still has enough left in the tank, rather than become a salary cap burden a la Jaroslav Spacek? Certainly Washington is a good fit for a reliable defensive vet like him where he can help cover for offensively gifted blueliners like Mike Green and John Carlson. I would argue that he could have been a valuable partner for young defensemen in Montreal like Yannick Weber and/or Alexei Yemelin, where there is now a hole.

3) Jaromir Jagr, Philadelphia Flyers

In this blog's first article, I put Jaromir Jagr at the top of my summer UFA wants (with Erik Cole at #2, might I add). While many felt the Flyers overpaid by giving him $3.3M, I'd have been in the minority in saying I'd have gone to $3.75M as a 1-year offer from a Habs perspective. I truly feel that, playing with Tomas Plekanec, Jagr, who is in better shape now than when he last played in the NHL, could have had a 70-point season in Montreal and been an additional threat to round out a dangerous forward core. While there are concerns of his off-ice distractions, perhaps if the media focused in on him, we wouldn't get any stories like "Scott Gomez Didn't Celebrate When P.K. Subban Scored!" next year. Was Gauthier right to shun Jagr who made it clear that Montreal was one of his top options? His performance in Philadelphia will be interesting to monitor.

2) Maxim Lapierre, Vancouver Canucks

Lapierre asked for a trade out of Montreal last December when he felt like Jacques Martin wasn't using him enough or correctly. All will acknowledge that the return for Lapierre was negligible, so we won't try to evaluate whether or not it was good deal, but rather we will find out what kind of a player the Habs lost. Will Lapierre build on another strong playoff run to establish himself as a valuable part of the Canucks forward core? Will his ego and off-ice antics be kept in check in Vancouver? At a glance, it looks like Montreal's existing bottom 6 could use another big body like Lapierre's, but after a subpar regular season in 2009-10, it is only by assessing his play next year that we can see how poorly this asset was managed.

1) Guillaume Latendresse, Minnesota Wild

We now know that the player obtained back for Latendresse (Benoit Pouliot) was a bust in Montreal as he was released to sign with the Boston Bruins this summer. But what about the guy once seen as the French power forward saviour for the Canadiens? The player that had the Bell Centre chanting "Guy! Guy! Guy!" for the first time since the days of Lafleur and (to a lesser extent) Carbonneau. The Gauthier hate was silent last season on this front since Latendresse barely played after - as he has been known to do - he showed up out of shape to training camp and then was injured. After coming back for 1 game mid-season, it was determined he wasn't able to battle through the injury and the Wild shut him down for the rest of the year. Still, in the 11 games he did play, he put up 6 points, just below his point-per-game average of the previous season when he had 37 points in 55 games after being traded to the Wild. Will Latendresse be motivated and healthy this year? Could he have brought to Montreal everything the team now hopes Erik Cole will be provide? Or was the trade a bust-for-bust swap? This season will play a big part in deciding the matter.

Habs Trade Wisniewski's Rights to Columbus

BREAKING NEWS: As reported by multiple sources, notably Eklund but then confirmed by Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch, the Montreal Canadiens have traded the rights to pending UFA James Wisniewski to the Columbus Blue Jackets for a 7th round pick in 2012. If Columbus signs him, the pick becomes a 5th rounder instead.

The Canadiens acquired Wisniewski from the New York Islanders back in December for a 2nd round pick in 2011 and 5th rounder in 2012 amidst injuries to the team's blueline and a sputtering powerplay. He caught fire with the Habs, scoring 30 points in 43 games, and helping to turn the team's season around while logging a team-high in minutes.

It appears Wisniewski's salary expectations were beyond what GM Pierre Gauthier was willing to commit to. That said, it is still not entirely impossible for Montreal to have an offer in should no deal be struck prior to noon on Friday.

Those with a dirty sense of humour may find funny the concept of Wisniewski being traded to a team nicknamed the BJs, given an on-ice act that towards Sean Avery that led to a Wisniewski suspension earlier last season while he was still an Islander. For those of short or selective memory, here's a clip:

Rumour Mill Updates: The Good and the Bad

Quick hits on a Monday morning of draft week:

1) Bob McKenzie reports the NHL salary cap for next year should be $64M, which is higher than most anticipated. The accompanying floor is $48M, meaning the Florida Panthers need to find a way to spend $30M this off-season. If they need some help, I hear Scott Gomez and Jaroslav Spacek may be available...

The $64 number is a nice one for Montreal, meaning that depending on what is done with the offense, there may be room to retain both Andrei Markov and James Wisniewski, even if Jaroslav Spacek remains a Canadien for one final year.

2) On the negative side, reports from the Journal de Montreal today indicate the Canadiens actual interest in Jaromir Jagr at the moment is minimal, and while he could be a target at some point, the focus right now is on the UFAs that finished the season with the team and assessing whether or not they should be allowed to walk out the door come July 1st. I truly believe Jagr would help elevate this team to contender status, and hope that when Jaromir is ready to make up his mind, Montreal has an offer on the table.

A Day as Pierre Gauthier: Off-Season Game Plan

Every Friday, I will insert myself myself into the mind of Habs General Manager Pierre Gauthier and look at the approach I would take, were I in his shoes. For the first such installment, we’ll look at the Canadiens offseason game plan.

Where They Stand

As of today, based on players under contract, the Canadiens are looking at the following roster (note: the salary cap has not yet been set for 2011-12, but based on some conservative reports, we will estimate $62.2M):

FORWARDS
Mike Cammalleri ($6.000m) / Tomas Plekanec ($5.000m) / Andrei Kostitsyn ($3.250m)
BLANK / Scott Gomez ($7.357m) / Brian Gionta ($5.000m)
Mathieu Darche ($0.700m) / Lars Eller ($1.270m) / Travis Moen ($1.500m)
BLANK / BLANK / BLANK

DEFENSEMEN
P.K. Subban ($0.875m) / Hal Gill ($2.250m)
Alexei Yemelin ($0.984m) / Jaroslav Spacek ($3.833m)
BLANK / BLANK

GOALTENDERS
Carey Price ($2.750m)
BLANK

BUYOUTS: Georges Laraque ($0.500m)

CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (these totals are compiled without the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $62,200,000; CAP PAYROLL: $41,270,509; BONUSES: $400,000
CAP SPACE (13-man roster): $20,929,491

Barring the trading of any of these players, we’d be looking at a little under $21M to find 4 forwards, 2 defensemen, a back-up goalie, and 2-3 press box fillers. No easy task given the goal is to field a better team than last year’s.

So here we are, June 17th, with the buyout period set to begin, and the draft a week away. What are the steps we take in preparing for opening night?

1) Montreal Canadiens trade Jaroslav Spacek to the Edmonton Oilers for Sheldon Souray

Reports have the Oilers ready to buy Souray out if they can’t find a taker by trade. This is where Montreal steps in.

Why Montreal Does it: Looking to contend this season, the Canadiens would love to retain James Wisniewski, but Spacek’s cap hit prohibits further spending on the blueline. Because he’s on a 35+ contract, the team cannot avoid the cap hit by sending Spacek to Hamilton or encouraging him to play in Europe. The only way to save the $3.833M is to trade him elsewhere. Spacek has worn out his welcome in Montreal, and should move on. Souray would be sent to Hamilton, taking his salary off the cap and providing an offensive boost to an AHL club that just lost two of its best scorers (Dustin Boyd and Nigel Dawes). As one of the league’s highest grossing teams, the Canadiens can afford to suck up such a high AHL salary for the ability to improve their NHL roster.

Why Edmonton Does it: Edmonton, on the other hand, has no concern of hitting the cap. In the NHL, Souray’s cap hit is $5.4M, but he has been playing for their AHL affiliate. His actual salary for next season, the last on his contract, is $4.5M, meaning by replacing him with Spacek, they would save more than $600K. Spacek, meanwhile, gives them a serviceable veteran d-man who has previously played in Edmonton to add to their group of young players, who also only has one year left on his deal.

Alternate Options if Rejected:
A) Montreal Canadiens trade Jaroslav Spacek to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Mike Commodore (assigned to Hamilton)
B) Montreal Canadiens trade Jaroslav Spacek and Benoit Pouliot to whoever will take them for a third round draft pick

2) Montreal Canadiens sign Andrei Markov to a 2-year, $10.5M deal



Before July 1st, Markov gives the Habs a small home-town discount, taking $500K less annually than his current contract in exchange for a second year of term. Both sides know that he has a lot to prove in terms of health and conditioning, so the deal is fair to both parties. Markov loves Montreal and shows a little gratitude for all the help he has received from the medical staff the past 2 seasons. For those even considering letting Markov walk, you’ve definitely forgotten how good he is when he’s healthy. We’re talking a potential top 5 or top 10 defenseman in the league. As big of a concern as the injuries are, the fact is, for the most part, they were freak situations. There’s no real reason not to expect Markov to put up a strong 70 or more games this year as a true #1 d-man anchoring the back end. Our best player of the past decade, Markov alone will be able to take this team to a whole ‘nother level.

Alternate Options if Rejected: Wait till the market opens, and attempt one of the following:
A) Montreal Canadiens sign Christian Ehrhoff to a 3-year, $16.5M deal
B) Montreal Canadiens sign Joni Pitkanen to a 3-year, $14.4M deal
C) Montreal Canadiens sign Roman Hamrlik to a 1-year, $3.5M deal

3) Montreal Canadiens sign James Wisniewski to a 3-year, $14.1M deal

With Spacek out of the picture, the Canadiens are free to use his cap space to give Wisniewski the raise he needs, here to a cap hit of $4.7M per year. This number seems fair to both sides, and locks Wisniewski up for the same term as most of the core (Gionta, Gomez, Cammalleri) to get another building block in place. If scoring is something the Habs lack, having all of Wisniewski, Subban, and Markov in the line-up will ensure some help from the blueline, not unlike Vancouver’s composition this past season. Wisniewski has in the past shown more of a physical side than what we saw in Montreal this past season, and it was likely not lost on him that he was playing for a free agent contract. With a 3-year deal in his pocket, he may feel liberated to take the body in a more consistent fashion without the constant threat of injury. While I believe Markov will play a full season, signing a second big-ticket d-man like Wisniewski is crucial just in case injuries strike the group again this year.

Alternate Options if Rejected: Wait till the market opens, and attempt one of the following:
A) Montreal Canadiens sign Kevin Bieksa to a 3-year, $15 M deal
B) Montreal Canadiens sign Tomas Kaberle to a 3-year, $15M deal
C) Montreal Canadiens sign Eric Brewer to a 2-year, $9M deal

4) Montreal Canadiens sign Jaromir Jagr to a 1-year, $4.5M deal

For those who saw the post of a couple of days ago, you’ll know that Jaromir Jagr is my number one forward UFA target. Some rumours had him willing to take as little as $2.5M or $3M to return to the NHL, but given that there are multiple teams in on the bidding, the Canadiens sweeten the pot to get him to sign. Even at age 39, Jagr is a superstar the likes of which the Habs haven’t seen in many years. He has repeatedly shown great chemistry with Tomas Plekanec on the international stage, most recently at this year’s World Championships. There is nothing to suggest that Jagr’s performance in Montreal would be any worse than the 70 points he put up in his final season with the Rangers, especially given that he is in better shape now than he was then. Adding an offensive threat of the sort would volt Montreal into true contender territory.

Alternate Options if Rejected: Wait till the market opens, and attempt one of the following:
A) Montreal Canadiens sign Erik Cole to a 2-year, $9.5 M deal
B) Montreal Canadiens sign Brooks Laich to a 3-year, $13.5M deal
C) Montreal Canadiens sign Ville Leino to a 3-year, $10.5M deal

5) Re-Sign RFAs

Josh Gorges – 4 years, $12M
Max Pacioretty – 2 years, $3.5M
David Desharnais – 1 year, $1M (one-way)
Ryan White – 2 years, $1.3M (one-way)
Yannick Weber – 1 year, $750K (one-way)
Benoit Pouliot – sign & trade for pick/prospect
Tom Pyatt – 1 year, $650K

6) Fill in Roster with a 4th Line Grinder and Back-Up Goalie via UFA

Options for a physical fourth liner with size, signed for 1 year between $700K and $950K: Michael Rupp, Zenon Konopka, Ben Eager
Options for a reliable back-up goaltender, signed for 1 year between $750K and $1.25M: Alex Auld, Ty Conklin, Mathieu Garon, Curtis McElhinney, Patrick Lalime

Putting the pieces together, the Canadiens would end up with a roster like the following:

CAPGEEK.COM CAP CALCULATOR

FORWARDS
Mike Cammalleri ($6.000m) / Tomas Plekanec ($5.000m) / Jaromir Jagr ($4.500m)
Max Pacioretty ($1.750m) / Scott Gomez ($7.357m) / Brian Gionta ($5.000m)
David Desharnais ($1.000m) / Lars Eller ($1.270m) / Andrei Kostitsyn ($3.250m)
Travis Moen ($1.500m) / Michael Rupp ($0.900m) / Ryan White ($0.850m)
Tom Pyatt ($0.650m) / Mathieu Darche ($0.700m)

DEFENSEMEN
Andrei Markov ($5.250m) / Josh Gorges ($3.000m)
Hal Gill ($2.250m) / P.K. Subban ($0.875m)
Alexei Yemelin ($0.984m) / James Wisniewski ($4.700m)
Yannick Weber ($0.750m)

GOALTENDERS
Carey Price ($2.750m) / Alex Auld ($1.000m)

BUYOUTS: Georges Laraque ($0.500m)

CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled without the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $62,200,000; CAP PAYROLL: $61,787,176; BONUSES: $400,000
CAP SPACE (23-man roster): $412,824

With three quality offensive lines, a true rough & tumble fourth line, three strong defensive pairings, and Carey Price between the pipes, this line-up looks set to contend for the Eastern Conference title, and then ultimately a Stanley Cup. Moreover, this is a realistic line-up that doesn’t require, say, finding someone to take Scott Gomez in a trade and then signing Brad Richards. It will take a little work, and a little luck, but it is within Gauthier’s reach to achieve such a formation, and the club owes it to the fans to put the best team possible on the ice. For my money’s worth, this is the group I would love to see.