Did Sundin sign yet? Canadiens off-season review to date
To our so loyal regulars, sorry I have been MIA the last few months, really. I also apologize for the sarcastic headline, but it had to be done.
This offseason has been pretty successful for the Montreal Canadiens. I’m not even talking about their ability to trade a 25th overall pick in a weak draft for Alex Tanguay, or their ability to add toughness in Georges Laraque. I’m also not talking about their ability to re-sign all of their key restricted free agents (pending of course, the inevitable signing of Ryan O’Byrne).
The Canadiens did improve their roster, I think it’s fair to say. I also think that they pulled away from everyone else in the Northeast Division. Buffalo stayed the same, perhaps a little bit better with the addition of Craig Rivet. Boston will undoubtedly get better with the addition of a healthy Patrice Bergeron but added Michael Ryder to a unimaginable $4 million/year contract. Toronto is rebuilding, but added Jeff Finger and Nicklas Hagman proving they are still confused about what rebuilding means. And our buddies in Ottawa? Ouch. Lost Wade Redden (no big deal, although he was their top defenceman a year ago in name recognition. They still have Volchenkov, Phillips and Mejzaros.) and lost Ray Emery (again, no big deal although he did get them to a Stanley Cup final.) They added Jason Smith and not much else of significance. And this was a team that was one of the NHL’s worst in the last half of the season.
I think it’s fair to say that Montreal is the clear favourite in the division right now (although Boston scares me more than any other team right now) whether or not they get Mats Sundin.
I firmly believe they will sign Mats Sundin, and I also believe that this move would be so fantastic, I couldn’t put it into words. There are some people who don’t like Sundin, and they don’t think he will help this team. What makes you say that? Sundin will give this team 9 fantastic forwards (alright - 8 plus Latendresse) for the team’s top three lines, leaving a bunch of players fighting for ice time on the 4th line.
Sundin will be hungry for the Cup, knowing it could be his last chance. It will give Saku Koivu even more room on the ice as he will become the team’s No. 3 center behind Sundin and Tomas Plekanec and it will allow Guy Carbonneau to have the most depth on all 4 lines this side of Detroit.
I know this has been talked about ad nauseum in Montreal media, but let me lay it out for you here. Let’s say the Canadiens do sign Sundin. Their top 3 lines (no matter what order you want to make them) will comprise of Tomas Plekanec, Alex Kovalev, Andrei Kostitsyn, Sergei Kostitsyn, Mats Sundin, Alex Tanguay, Chris Higgins, Saku Koivu and Guillaume Latendresse. Their fourth line will comprise of three of Georges Laraque, Tom Kostopoulos, Kyle Chipchura, Maxim Lapierre, Steve Begin, Mathieu Dandenault, Gregory Stewart, Matt D’Agostini and anyone else I may be forgetting.
Tell me that lineup isn’t the best the Canadiens have had in years. And some will say that their defence is a little suspect. Which is true, but it is far from bad. Andrei Markov, Mike Komisarek, Roman Hamrlik, Josh Gorges, Francis Bouillon, Ryan O’Byrne and a 7th defenceman who is a veteran and doesn’t mind being in the press box. That could be Patrice Brisebois, Alex Henry, Dandenault, or maybe even Marek Malik who is still an unrestricted free agent if I’m not mistaken.
Now, if Mats Sundin doesn’t sign with Montreal (which is still a very real possibility) the Canadiens still will need to add a big top-six forward. Although the emphasis on size isn’t as necessary as before with the (great) addition of Laraque. Everyone on the team just got a lot tougher. This team is well placed to make a big run in the playoffs especially when you consider most of the Eastern Conference got worse, and even the teams that improved don’t really scare me much.
The Rangers still have a suspect defending defence (and I think they scared me more with Jagr than with Markus Naslund and Nikolai Zherdev), sure the Lightning added key parts (Steven Stamkos, Mark Recchi, Radim Vrbata, Ryan Malone, Gary Roberts) but they severely hurt their back end which wasn’t that good to begin with (Dan Boyle is gone, I like Matt Carle though and they got Olaf Kolzig to start? Hmm).
Pittsburgh isn’t as deep as they were this year, but they have a great young nucleus still. Washington also improved themselves a lot. But I think the Eastern Conference is as predictable as it has been in years at the top. Only instead of Carolina, Ottawa and New Jersey you’ll have Montreal, Pittsburgh and Washington. Youth has been served.
One thing is clear this offseason: Bob Gainey knows his team is a contender. And it’s the first time in a long time Canadien fans have been able to say that about their team.
This entry was posted
on Wednesday, July 9th, 2008 at 10:26 pm and is filed under Dandenault, Hamrlik, Chipchura, Gorges, Laraque, Markov, Sundin, Brisebois, Komisarek, Sergei Kostitsyn, Bouillon, Higgins, Kostopoulos, Kovalev, Koivu, Kostitsyn, Steve Begin, Lapierre, O'Byrne, Latendresse, Eastern Conference.
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14 Responses to “Did Sundin sign yet? Canadiens off-season review to date”
July 10th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
Welcome back Jared. I agree with it all. Laraque is my favorite signing of all. Tanguay is good as well, but Laraque adds a level of intimidation the Habs haven’t showed in years, since the Chris Nilon days. The east is wide open now more than ever and the Habs are the most skilled team in the conference with the exception of Pitt and Washington who are both as good and maybe a bit more potent offensively than les glorieux. But my boy Gorges is back, who i’ve been backing all year and he will make us all forget the name Mark Streit i guarantee. Our defence is so deep it’s rediculous. Add Valentenko, Carle, Mc’ Donough, Subban or whoever else you choose and we only get better. i think Sundin will do one of two things either retire or suit up for us for a cup run. He won’t play in Vancouver and no other team has cap space for him. Even if they did he wants to play for us. Our forth line will be tricky. We might see a player or two go on waivers, get bought out, or drop down to Hamilton. It won’t be Max Lapierre because Gainey just signed him. It could be Dandenault or Latendresse. Laraque, Kosto, Begin, Smoke, those are the guys Carbo will juggle in and out the lineup depending who and where we’re playing. again, welcome back.
July 10th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Thanks, Jeff.
I agree that we’ll have to see someone on waivers, sent down or bought out. The obvious choice is Dandenault.
You mention Smolinski, but his contract expired, so we don’t have him anymore. It was a one-year deal. As for Latendresse, I think he’ll be saved because he will probably take a spot on line 3 with Saku and Higgins (if we get Sundin).
It’s a contract year for him, so I’d expect an improvement from him from his 16 goals the last two seasons.
I agree. Sundin will come to us or retire. With Demitra going to Vancouver, it’s all but assured. If Sundin retires, I see the Marleau to Montreal rumours finally becoming reality (much like the Tanguay to Montreal rumours that were around for years).
July 10th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
What makes you think Sundin is going to sign with Montreal or Vancouver? If Sundin was planning on leaving the Leafs he would have done so already. I truly believe that he would have accepted the original offer from Montreal when Leafs gave them permission to negotiate with Mats. I can not imagine Sundin wanting his reputation to be in anyway stained by signing with the Habs and not leaving any compensation behind for the organization when it would have been so easy for him to do so - I would be shocked if he decided to sign with the Habs now. Its simple, Sundin will choose one of three options (1) retire (2) play with Modo, or (3) re-sign with the Leafs. Lastly, Sundin has maintained all along that he could not imagine retiring in another uniform. But you keep dreaming of Sundin signing with the Habs. Moreover, Sundin was only just recently rumored to sign with the Habs and that was only because his agent and Sundin agreed to be courted - it’s simple he did not like the smell of your cologne.
July 10th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
I honestly believe Mats is not sure if he wants to play. It’s only July. Training camps don’t start until September. Just because free agents are allowed to sign starting July 1 doesn’t mean if somebody doesn’t sign in July that they won’t be playing.
If Sundin really cared about giving the Leafs some compensation, don’t you think that he would have accepted being moved at the trade deadline?
You can’t rush him, or anybody into a decision of retirement. Look at Scott Niedermayer or Teemu Selanne last year. Look at Brett Favre who retired right after the season and now isn’t sure. Mats wants to make sure his decision is correct. He knew it would rule out options of teams, but some teams are willing to wait.
Montreal is one of those teams. Toronto may be another, but I don’t see why Mats would want to play there because the trade rumours will just happen again at the Deadline because the Leafs will be out of it. I also don’t see him playing in Sweden. That would tarnish his reputation more than playing for Montreal.
Bob Gainey is all-class. He went to Mats. Mats told him he wasn’t sure. Bob is waiting. If Mats decides to play, Bob will make an offer. If Mats retires, Bob will go after Marleau.
Am I over-simplifying it? Maybe. But I honestly feel that Mats has no loyalty towards the Maple Leafs. He said he didn’t want to be traded, they still fielded offers and asked him to waive his no-trade making him out to be a villain when he refused to go.
Yes, you’re right that Sundin has said he can’t imagine retiring in another uniform. However, a lot has changed in how he was treated by the organization since then.
Basically, I will be shocked if Mats decides to play hockey and ends up anywhere else but Montreal.
July 10th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
The Leafs don’t know what re-building is ? Please explain. Washing out old players and bringing in new blood and drafting probably the player with the best chance of playing next year besides Stamkos which is Luke Schenn, who is a franchise guy. Last time I checked that is re-building. Next time you run your mouth about Toronto just because your Habs fan you should learn your facts first. Also Mats Sundin would never go to the Habs he would rather no cup then embarrass him self by wearing that jersey.
July 10th, 2008 at 8:10 pm
I actually like a bunch of the moves the Leafs made this offseason. Getting rid of Tucker, Wellwood and Raycroft were much needed moves, but I don’t understand adding Finger and Joseph.
Justin Pogge has had 2 full years in the AHL, but the Leafs brass still don’t think he’s ready to spell Toskala and get some NHL experience? The Leafs have 7-8 defencemen on their team (McCabe, Kaberle, Kubina, White, Colaicovo, Wozniewski, Stralman, Schenn and I may be forgetting one) but still feel they need to pay a guy like Jeff Finger 3.5 million?
If they are going to rebuild, and get guys like Schenn and Grabovski, that’s great. But it always seems like they are adding veterans that take the place of prospects ready to get a chance in the NHL. That’s not fully rebuilding, in my opinion.
You add veterans to complement your rookies, not to take roster spots and playing time away from them. If they do manage to trade Kubina, McCabe or Kaberle, it makes sense… but I don’t understand the Joseph signing if they have any confidence in Pogge becoming an NHL goaltender.
The Hagman signing I do like, because he is still young enough to help their young forwards.
These are the facts as I see them. If you think I’m wrong, then we’ll disagree.
I loved the Leafs getting Schenn, so I’m not an all-out hater. I can applaud good moves. I just don’t see the point of getting Joseph and Finger.
Why would Sundin embarrass himself in a Habs jersey? I responded to your allegations with facts. I would appreciate if you could do the same.
July 10th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
Also one more thing… Just because you draft a guy doesn’t mean it’s rebuilding. It’s a process, and it seems like the Leafs always seem to screw that process up.
Again, just my opinion. Thanks for reading and commenting.
July 10th, 2008 at 9:57 pm
This is a response to Jeff, why is it embarrassing to wear a habs jersey? They should be honoured to wear it. A team who has been around for 100 years and who have won the stanley cup 24 times. That’s basically winning it a quarter of the time the habs were established. You must be severly mentally handicapped to think wearing a habs jersey is embarrassing. It is really annoying for people to be THIS jealous of the habs. Unbelievable.
July 11th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
in response to Jeff and Craig, firstly, I believe Sundin still bleeds blue and white, let’s not argue whether or not Mats would play for the Habs, the fact is he won’t play for Toronto ever again because the media, fans, and MLSE shit all over him the minute he was granted permission to talk to the Habs, and may i add not all that recently. Sundin was considering offers from Montreal at last years trade deadline but he chose to stay with Toronto. And how did the fans in Toronto reward him for his loyalty, with the exception of course of you two guys that obviously still belive in him, most said finally he’s leaving, good riddens, some even called him SELFISH, if you can believe that. So, what ever Mats decides is best for his career, his family, his future is what he will do. But don’t think for a second that he would be embarassed to put on a Habs jersey, there isn’t a player in the world that would be ashamed to be part of the Canadiens tradition and history, much like Toronto, the past is something we hold on to and use to drive us for future success. The Leafs are trying to rebuild but i think what some gusy are saying is maybe Jeff Finger at over 3 million a year might not be the best way to start. Most of Montreal’s rising stars and prospects are cheap cheap cheap, under a million or just over a million. Komisarek makes less than Finger, go figure that. In todays NHL the GMs are more like mathematicians than anything, trying to shuffle players and leave enough financial space to improve their team at trade deadline, all the while trying to keep the players they want to keep. It’s a mad mad world. But the Leafs have certainly made strides to improve thier team, like dumping Tucker, Wellwood, Raycroft and bringing in Hagman who i feel is a great player. I say, long live the Leafs/Habs rivalry and lets enjoy next season, if anything its going to be interresting for both teams.
July 11th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
I just want to say i cant see Mats coming back to Toronto, because they have disrespected him and made him seem like the bad guy in all of this. He clearly said he didnt want to be traded, he wanted to retire as a Toronto Maple Leaf and the next thing you know the leafs ask him to waive his no trade clause. I know vancouver offered a fat contract but i dont think he wants to go to a team that i think is more crap than the leafs. He wants to go to a team where he is the missing the piece and that obviously is Montreal, he wouldnt have to carry a team on his shoulder like he had to in toronto,which would relieve alot of pressure of him, and in his mind he knows clearly the best situation for him to come back to if he wants to is the Montreal Canadiens
July 11th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
I really liked the deals Gainey did this off season. Signing Tanguay before the crap hit the fan, allowed him to deal with free agents (both his own and others) from a position of strength. He did enough with that one deal to cover the loss of Ryder and Streit on the ice, and alleviate the media pressure off the ice.
Since Ryder had basically become a fourth line RW in any case, signing a more useful fourth liner at the position in Georges Laraque, at less than half the cost, was a no brainer. Tanguay is a true offensive left winger, as opposed to the hybrid that Streit was. Alex should compensate for the offense that left with the two free agents, allowing Laraque to do his thing in on the fourth line.
Grabovski was superfluous, particularly if they land the big centre they have been after, and was becoming frustrated with his lot. They got an underrated young prospect in Greg Pateryn, and a second round draft pick for a player who they drafted late in the fifth round in 2004, primarily to keep Andrei Kostitsyn company.
Marc Denis replaces Cristobal Huet for a small fraction of the cost. Denis is younger than Huet by a couple of years and has significantly more NHL experience. He is also a local guy who is popular with teammates and media alike, and seems quite willing to accept a support role.
July 14th, 2008 at 1:32 am
rob, you’re right on the mark. Denis was a great move even as a back up in the playoffs if Price or Halak can’t cut it. Grabovski was a whiner, we all rememeber him refusing to fly with his teamates after the game in Phoenix, always complaining about ice time, who does this kid think he is, Eric Lindross. anyway, Gainey has made some absolute genious moves in the past few years but his most recent take the cake. I’ll say it again and i’ll keep sayng it all year; Laraque coming to a team he swore he would never play for just shows the pull Gainey has and how much players are starting to respect the Habs organization. Tanguay also said he would never play for us and well, scratch that i guess. Tanguay and Higgins need to play together, passer and shooter, throw a big centerman like Chipchurra in the mix and we’ve got a serious second or third line. I think Kovalev will come out even harder this coming season, he impressed the hell out of me last year but i think he has one more level he can go to and i believe we will all see it next year, look out East.
July 16th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
also Craig, this is the wrong venue for claiming the writers don’t know thier facts. I have been reading everything and anything on paper and the net for over ten years and the author’s of this cite i.e Jared know stats and inside info better than anyone out there. The Leafs are trying to rebuild, nobody’s arguing that, but you have to expect some skepticism from all hockey fans concerning the Leafs management staff. They just traded a draft pick for Ryan Hollweg from the Rangers, the dirtiest, most overrated player in the game. Losing Sundin for nothing is not their fault but if they had been smarter three years ago the quagmire they’re in now wouldn’t be as deep or as sticky. Overpaying. Overpaying. that is Toronto’s refrain.
Mc’Cabe, Kubina, Blake, all overpayed, Antropov, and on and on. The problem, as i see it, in Toronto is too many chiefs and not enough indians. The owners group has much too much say in what happens with contracts and deals. They need a guy like Bowman to step in and take TOTAL control of operations and leave the fat cats to their golf and buisness dealings outside of hockey–the right hand never seems to trust the left hand in Toronto. I would like to see the Leafs improve and make a run for the cup it would be great for hockey and all the rivalries Toronto are involved in, which are many. But as a hockey person i feel they are several years away, where Montreal is close enough to smell last year’s champagne residue in the cup. take care.
July 29th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Kudos for Bob Gainey which is the best move Montreal has made since their glory years. One can sence that Bob is following in Sam Pollock’s footsteps by running the team smartly.
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