Habs : Bergevin minimizing risk in Brière deal

Source : Montrealgazette.com

You’ve heard of the “sign-and-trade” deal?

How about “sign-and-hope?”

That had to be what Marc Bergevin was doing when he signed Danny Brière: sign the man and hope he can still, at age 35, recover the form that made him a feared offensive force around the league.
Which doesn’t mean the Brière signing is a bad deal. The risk is minimal, the upside is significant and Bergevin didn’t give up any of his future assets to bring in a popular, French-Canadian star.

Yes, Bergevin had been pretty clear: he doesn’t believe in building through free agency and the Canadiens need to get bigger.

So it wasn’t surprising that some fans were disgusted after Bergevin signed a small free agent. But he tried to get that big, talented centreman the Canadiens have needed since forever when he went after Vincent Lecavalier — but five years for Lecavalier at this point in his career is barmy.

Why does signing Brière make sense? For openers, there’s the French factor. Say what you will, the Canadiens need francophone players in general and French-speaking stars in particular. It’s the market, it’s the tradition, it is important.

Then there’s the upside: in Brière’s case, it’s more than enough to justify the relatively minimal risk of two years at $4 million per. While it’s easy to complain about the failure to land a big forward with size and grit, when you look at the price for some of these players, it doesn’t make sense.

Bobby Ryan to the Senators? After making a complete hash of negotiations with Daniel Alfredsson, Bryan Murray landed Ryan with a good contract but at a huge price: Jakob Silfverberg, Stefan Noesen and a first rounder in 2014. Go through the Canadiens' roster of young talent and find a similar match and you have some idea what the Habs would have had to give up.

David Clarkson? Dave Nonis reinforced the impression that he doesn’t have a clue what he’s doing by letting Mikhail Grabovski get away to sign the less talented Tyler Bozak, then going far too long for Clarkson.

Bergevin, meanwhile, stuck to his guns. Even if Brière is a complete bust, Bergevin didn’t bust the bank to sign him.

Even more significant, perhaps, was the way Bergevin approached the signing of George Parros. The GM emphasized that the club did due diligence, making the effort to learn how Parros was regarded in the room before signing him — precisely what Bob Gainey failed to do before acquiring Georges
Laraque, when the most casual check with the Penguins room would have warned him away.

No, the Canadiens weren’t big winners in the free-agent frenzy. But they didn’t lose a thing. Parros fills their most urgent need, Brière might still drive opponents crazy — and they aren’t hamstrung with any five-year deals.

Plenty of solid free agents still available

Source : Nhl.com



The first day of NHL free agency saw several teams open their wallets, including huge signings of Nathan Horton (Columbus Blue Jackets) and David Clarkson (Toronto Maple Leafs).

But several key players remain on the open market and are looking for a home, either with the club they played for in 2012-13 or one that has a hole it's looking to fill.
Here's a look at 25 of the top unrestricted free agents still on the market:

FORWARDS
NAME	2012-13 TEAM	STATS	SKINNY
Jaromir Jagr	Dallas/Boston	45 GP 16-19-35	Future Hall of Famer showed he still has plenty in the tank, helping the Boston Bruins reach the Stanley Cup Final after being acquired from the Dallas Stars. A tireless worker who is respected by his teammates, Jagr is a solid top-six forward who can help a team's power play.
Alexei Ponikarovsky	Winnipeg/ New Jersey	42 GP 4-5-9	------------------------------------------ The big wing was re-acquired late in the season by the New Jersey Devils, who hoped his presence on the power play would help them qualify for the postseason. That didn't work out, but Ponikarovsky may help a club in search of a power-play specialist.
Mikhail Grabovski	Toronto	48 GP 9-7-16	------------------------------------------ Highly skilled offensive player didn’t see eye-to-eye with Toronto Maple Leafs coach Randy Carlyle and was bought out with four years remaining on his five-year contract. Wherever he lands, it’s imperative Grabovski is in a top-six role, where he’d be most effective. A three-time 20-goal scorer in Toronto.
Damien Brunner	Detroit	44 GP 12-14-26	------------------------------------------- Has 44 games of NHL experience after signing as a free agent with the Detroit Red Wings, but the 27-year-old Swiss wing is coveted by several teams and would fill a role as a top-six forward. Had nine points (five goals, four assists) in 14 playoff games, helping the Red Wings reach the second round.
Dustin Penner	Los Angeles	33 GP 2-12-14	-----------------------------------------------  His production has declined in recent years -- Penner had two goals in 33 games for the Los Angeles Kings in 2012-13 -- but a change of scenery might be beneficial. Big wing (6-foot-4, 242 pounds) has two Stanley Cup championships (Anaheim, Los Angeles).
Brenden Morrow	Dallas/Pittsburgh	44 GP 12-13-25	---------------------------------------------- The former Dallas Stars captain showed he can still produce after being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins, with 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in 15 regular-season games. Morrow's biggest quality is his leadership, which would be beneficial to any club.
Daniel Cleary	Detroit	48 GP 9-6-15	-------------------------------------------- Didn't put up the offense we've seen in years past, but this 34-year-old wing is scrappy and would provide leadership. Cleary is hopeful he will re-sign with the Detroit Red Wings, but if negotiations fall apart, he would be a valuable penalty killer and leader.
Milan Hejduk	Colorado	29 GP 4-7-11	-------------------------------------------- Hard to envision Hejduk anywhere else -- he's spent his entire NHL career with the Colorado Avalanche -- but the 37-year-old hit the open market. Hejduk has played more than 1,000 NHL games and is 25 goals shy of 400 in his career.
Peter Mueller	Florida	43 GP 8-9-17	--------------------------------------------- The skilled center overcame previous health issues and appeared in all but two games for the Florida Panthers in 2012-13, when he had eight goals and nine assists. Mueller, 25, can thrive in the right environment.
Brad Boyes	N.Y. Islanders	48 GP 10-25-35	-------------------------------------------- The New York Islanders signed Boyes to a one-year deal last summer to see if he could find his offensive game, and he did alongside John Tavares. Now looking for a new home, Boyes will be searching for a team in need of a top-six forward.
Kyle Wellwood	Winnipeg	39 GP 6-9-15	-------------------------------------------- Wellwood spent the past two seasons with the Winnipeg Jets and was a solid offensive player, collecting 62 points (24 goals, 38 assists) in 116 games. Much like Boyes, Wellwood needs to be in a top-six role in order to maximize production.
Scott Gomez	San Jose	39 GP 2-13-15	------------------------------------------ Gomez had his contract bought out by the Montreal Canadiens at the start of the 2012-13 season and quickly caught on with the San Jose Sharks, where he had 15 points in 39 games. Likely won't find a long-term deal, but could be a low-risk/high-reward signing this summer.
Nik Antropov	Winnipeg	40 GP 6-12-18	--------------------------------------------- Antropov suffered a lower-body injury late in the season, which may have been one of the reasons why the Winnipeg Jets again missed the playoffs. Antropov could be a decent third-line center, considering he had 15 goals for Winnipeg in 2011-12.
Mason Raymond	Vancouver	46 GP 10-12-22	---------------------------------------- Solid two-way player who probably won’t be on the market much longer. Raymond's best season with the Vancouver Canucks came in 2009-10, when he had 25 goals and 28 assists.
Simon Gagne	Los Angeles/ Philadelphia	38 GP 5-11-16	-------------------------------------------- Gagne overcame a recent history of injury problems after being reunited with the Philadelphia Flyers, where he had 11 points (five goals, six assists) in 27 games. He may not receive anything longer than a one-year deal, but can still produce offensively.
Teemu Selanne	Anaheim	46 GP 12-12-24	-------------------------------------------- Selanne turned 43 in early July and is comig off a season in which he started to look his age, But the Anaheim Ducks are still waiting to see if Selanne wants to return for another season. He's working out, and if he decides to play another season, Anaheim is the only place he'd go.
DEFENSEMEN
NAME	2011-12 TEAM	STATS	SKINNY
Douglas Murray	San Jose/Pittsburgh	33 GP 1-5-6	Hard-hitting veteran defenseman helped the Pittsburgh Penguins reach the Eastern Conference Final after being acquired from the San Jose Sharks. Solid in his own end and will provide a veteran presence in any team's dressing room.
Joe Corvo	Carolina	40 GP 6-11-17	-------------------------------------------- Another veteran (he turned 36 on June 20) who can help a team in need on the power play. Corvo isn't a top-pair blueliner these days, but can provide leadership and chip in offensively.
Ryan Whitney	Edmonton	34 GP 4-9-13	------------------------------------------- Whitney has had a tough time since suffering an ankle injury just after Christmas in 2010, and he was either a third-pairing defenseman or a scratch often in 2012-13. There's little doubt he will aim to prove Oilers brass wrong next season with whichever club is willing to give him a chance.
Wade Redden	St. Louis/Boston	29 GP 3-4-7	----------------------------------------------  After being bought out by the New York Rangers, Redden showed he's still capable of being a bottom-pair defenseman when he caught on with the St. Louis Blues before being shipped to the Boston Bruins at the NHL Trade Deadline.
Ian White	Detroit	25 GP 2-2-4	-------------------------------------------- White didn't dress for the Detroit Red Wings during the postseason, so he's out to prove he can be a quality top-six defender in the NHL. The 29-year-old has appeared in more than 500 NHL games.

GOALIES
NAME	2011-12 TEAM	STATS	SKINNY
Tim Thomas	Boston/ N.Y. Islanders	Did Not Play	The world-class goaltender opted not to play in 2012-13 and became an unrestricted free agent once the New York Islanders decided not to toll his contract. If/when Thomas signs, he'll have to show he can step right in and be a No. 1 goalie again.
Ilya Bryzgalov	Philadelphia	19-17-3, 2.79 GAA	------------------------------------------ It didn't work out for the Russian netminder in the City of Brotherly Love; his nine-year, $51 million contract was bought out with seven years remaining. Perhaps a change of scenery will help Bryzgalov get back to the form we saw in Phoenix.
Jose Theodore	Florida	4-6-3, 3.29 GAA	------------------------------------------- Ultimately, Theodore would like to stay with the Florida Panthers, but the team has Jacob Markstrom waiting in the wings. That means Theodore has to find work elsewhere, and he may have to settle for being someone’s backup.
Johan Hedberg	New Jersey	6-10-3, 2.76 GAA	------------------------------------------- Hedberg found himself without a job last week after the New Jersey Devils acquired Cory Schneider from the Vancouver Canucks. After being bought out, it's up to the 40-year-old to see if he can find work elsewhere in a backup role.

NHL free agency promises more free spending

Source : Cbc.ca

As NHL teams rush to reach deals with potential free agents (even as others scramble to reduce payrolls to the $64.3-million US salary cap for the 2013-14 season) the money that has been spent in the last month has been mind-boggling. 

From the time Patrick Bordeleau inked his three-year, $3-million extension with the Colorado Avalanche back on June 6, up until Jordan Leopold's two-year, $4.5-million extension with the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday, there have been a whopping 21 players signed to 58 years and $172.65 million worth of contracts.

Thirteen more players, to a tune of 70 years and $106.02 million, have been given their freedom with compliance buyouts.

Will this free spending continue when the free-agent signing period begins at noon ET on Friday? Why not? Who would not want to add players like Danny Briere, David Clarkson, Nathan Horton and Jarome Iginila, to name a few.

We'll publish a full list of free agents once it's released on Friday, but for now here are our 10 most intriguing unrestricted free agents:

1. Jarome Iginla -- He's 36, but durable, and although his production has dipped slightly, only Alex Ovechkin (371) and Ilya Kovalchuk (309) have scored more goals than Iginla's 280 since the 2004-05 cancelled season.
2. Danny Briere -- He's looking to stay in the East. He's 35 years old and his production has dipped to 22 goals over the last two seasons, compared to 60 in the two seasons before that. But he always has been a big playoff performer.
3. Ilya Bryzgalov -- Will anybody be willing to take a risk on this strange soul? His two-season stint in Philadelphia was a disaster, but he's only two years removed from his best days in Phoenix and only 33 years old.
4. Andrew Ference -- At age 34, he has played the best hockey of his career in the past two seasons. Not big, but he does play physical. He is a top-four defender who can help out on the power play and penalty kill.
5. Valtterri Filppula -- The 29-year-old Finn is two years removed from his most productive season of 23 goals and 66 points. Can he flourish on another team after playing behind Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg in Detroit? 
6. David Clarkson -- Since his junior coach Peter DeBoer arrived in New Jersey, the 29-year-old forward has scored 45 goals in 128 games. He's a power forward who goes to the net, certainly a desirable commodity in today's game.
7. Stephen Weiss -- It's hard to believe the Toronto native already is 30 years old. He was limited to 17 games last season because of wrist surgery. He has only seven games of playoff experience after nine seasons in Florida. 
8. Nathan Horton -- At 28, Horton has scored 20 or more goals in six of his nine NHL seasons. He wants a quieter hockey market to continue his career after two trips to the Stanley Cup final with Boston in the past three years.
9. Daniel Alfredsson -- With the news on Wednesday that the Bruins have contacted the long-time Senators captain, it will be interesting to see what transpires with the 40-year-old Swede. He won't leave Ottawa, will he?
10. Manny Malhotra -- After being shelved in Vancouver by general manager Mike Gillis, the hard-working 33-year-old forward wants to continue his career. He's good in the faceoff circle and a solid penalty killer.

Team	Payroll	Cap Space	Roster Size
Philadelphia	$67,578,522	-$318,522	24
Minnesota	$65,598,868	$2,451,132	21
San Jose	$62,331,667	$2,643,333	20
Pittsburgh	$60,173,333	$4,126,667	19
Boston	$60,733,810	$5,153,690	19
Carolina	$57,912,500	$6,397,500	17
Los Angeles	$57,796,894	$6,638,106	17
Anaheim	$57,779,167	$7,490,833	20
Vancouver	$56,802,778	$7,497,222	16
Columbus	$60,833,809	$7,991,191	21
Washington	$55,834,295	$8,465,705	19
Tampa Bay	$55,765,477	$8,534,523	19
Montreal	$57,973,333	$9,024,167	20
Chicago	$55,109,295	$9,545,705	18
Detroit	$54,602,879	$10,707,121	20
Nashville	$54,411,310	$11,248,690	20
Colorado	$55,658,333	$11,351,667	22
Buffalo	$51,449,524	$13,700,476	19
Dallas	$51,052,777	$13,857,223	19
NY Rangers	$50,906,667	$14,155,833	17
Edmonton	$54,186,667	$14,935,833	17
St. Louis	$49,907,500	$15,825,000	20
New Jersey	$47,337,500	$16,962,500	19
Florida	$52,052,875	$17,069,625	20
Calgary	$47,874,583	$17,421,667	19
Phoenix	$45,941,667	$18,358,333	14
Toronto	$45,579,167	$19,020,833	13
Ottawa	$43,500,833	$22,074,167	19
Winnipeg	$41,607,500	$23,917,500	14
NY Islanders	$32,337,333	$32,812,667	15

La chasse est ouverte

Source : Rds.ca



Marc Bergevin ajoutera-t-il du poids à sa formation? Qu’arrivera-t-il de Nathan Horton, Ryane Clowe et David Clarkson? Où Jaromir Jagr et Jarome Iginla termineront-ils leur carrière? Mike Ribeiro signera-t-il une entente à long terme?

Toutes les plateformes à contribution

À lire également

• Section Joueurs autonomes 2013
• Les vidéos de la LNH
• Vidéos de la section Canadien

La chasse aux joueurs autonomes s’ouvre dès midi, aujourd'hui, et RDS met toutes ses plateformes à contribution pour offrir aux amateurs une couverture complète de l’ouverture du marché des joueurs autonomes. Les équipes de Sports 30 et de Hockey 360 unissent leurs forces pour la présentation d’une émission spéciale  présentée entre 11 h et 19 h sur RDS Info. On s’attardera alors aux dernières rumeurs et signatures de contrats qui émaneront des quatre coins de la Ligue nationale. Une diffusion simultanée est prévue sur RDS de 11 h 30 à 14 h 30, puis de 18 h à 19 h.

Basé au pupitre de Sports 30, Marc Labrecque est entouré des analystes Gaston Therrien et Patrick Lalime, tandis que David Arsenault est en poste dans le studio de Hockey 360 en compagnie de Mathieu Darche et Denis Gauthier.

Notre informateur hockey Renaud Lavoie se tient quant à l’affut des jeux de coulisses et de toutes les rumeurs. Les journalistes Luc Gélinas et Alexandre Tourigny sont également sur la route pour recueillir les commentaires des joueurs et organisations concernées. L’animateur Luc Bellemare se charge de nous transmettre les dernières nouvelles alors que Valérie Sardin assure un suivi des réseaux sociaux.

Rendez-vous au RDS.ca

Le RDS.ca est évidemment au cœur de l’action. La section spéciale joueurs autonomes de la LNH 2013 est encore une fois un incontournable aujourd'hui. Le  site propose aussi la programmation de RDS Info en webdiffusion (11 h à 19 h) ainsi qu’une discussion en direct pour les amateurs engagés. Les internautes peuvent aussi s’informer via la page Facebook RDS, l’application RDS HOCKEY et le RDS MOBILE. Sur Twitter, le mot-clic pour suivre la conversation est #JA2013.

Enfin, à compter de 19 h, sur RDS Info, l’équipe de Sports 30 fera un retour sur l’ensemble des mouvements de personnel qui auront marqué cette journée spéciale et prendra le relais pour annoncer de nouvelles signatures si nécessaire.

Habs Needs & Their Odds of Landing a UFA

Source : habsaddict.com

Now that the NHL draft is complete, its time to move our focus towards free agency.  This time of year is always big for creating our own fantasy lineups and wish lists.  While most of those off-season trade wishes -- I'd love to see David Desharnais dealt straight up for Sidney Crosby -- will never come to fruition, its nevertheless fun to imagine.  This is not one of those wish list posts.

There are some glaring needs for the Habs entering the off-season.  Size up the middle at center is always a desire, as is adding size and grit to the wings.  A large, skilled forward is free-agency priority #1 for Marc Bergevin.  While we are set in goal at the NHL level (Carey Price and Peter Budaj), we do not have much NHL-ready depth at the position.  While the Habs drafted Zachary Fucale, he is at least 3 years away from breaking camp at the NHL level and is better served to apprentice in Hamilton for the next 4-5 years. Depth on defence is always desirable but with the promising AHL players we have (Tinordi, Beaulieu, Pateryn), signing a defender is not necessarily a priority.

I really enjoy the Hot-Stove discussions of the off-season.  Discussing players and their fits with the Habs is one of the best ways to spend the time during the slow-news summer months.  The following list is compiled of some of the NHL free-agents who fit the mold of what the Habs need, along with my personal opinion about signing them and my odds of the Habs' chances of landing said player.

Vincent Lecavalier

Intangibles:  Brings a 6'4" frame, considerable offensive skill, a Stanley Cup winning pedigree and French Canadian status to the table.  Is also 33 years old, showing signs of decline and is arguably the top name available on the Free Agent (FA) market.  Market demand will be high, as will potential salary demands.   
Opinion:  I would love to see Lecavalier in a Habs jersey. But not at a steep price. Starting to decline offensively and showing signs of the injury bug creeping into his game. With the demand for his services high, he will probably land a 5 year/25 million dollar contract.  While I would pay him that yearly salary, I do not like him at this contract length.   
Habs Odds: 50%

Nathan Horton

Intangibles:  A true power-forward who tends to step up his game in the post-season.  When healthy, will provide 25-30 goals, 55-60 points and solid physical play and is sound defensively. Stanley Cup winner/finalist in Boston. However, rarely healthy and coming off a disappointing 2013 regular season.
Opinion: I've always been a fan of Horton's and his well-rounded game. He is only 28 years of age and will command a large salary. I always felt Horton was overpaid at $4-million per season and he wants more. He wants to be a $5 million per year player. Sorry but no. He would look good on a second line with Desharnais, but his propensity for injuries is worrisome as is the price to land him.
Habs Odds: 20%

David Clarkson

Intangibles:  29 year-old grinder turned sniper potted a career-high 30 goals in 2012 and came back with 15 goals in the strike-shortened 2013 season.  Extremely physical player will drive to the net, throw his weight around and drop the gloves. Similar skill-set to Brandon Prust, with better hands.  However, rather one-dimensional and benefited from top-line ice time on a bad New Jersey Devils team. Will command a rather inflated salary in free-agency.
Opinion:  I would love to see Clarkson in Montreal.  He would fit in extremely well with Galchenyuk and Gallagher while crowding the crease on the power-play. The size and physical aspect of his game is something lacking in the lineup. A contract along the lines of 4 years/$14 million ($3.5 million per year) is the max I would hand out, but knowing how inflated the FA market gets, highly unlikely that would be enough to land Clarkson.
Habs Odds: 35%

Ryan Clowe

Intangibles:  A tough physical player with size (6'2", 225 lbs), the 30-year old Clowe was rumored to Montreal at the deadline and has been a darling of fellow bloggers here at the Addict. His willingness to throw his weight around and the drop the gloves will compliment Prust in the lineup and has a more rounded game than fellow scoring-grinder Clarkson.  However, his offensive numbers decreased for the second year in a row as he battled some nagging injuries.
Opinion:  I did not want the Habs to trade for Clowe at the deadline, as I felt the price to land him was too high.  As a free agent, I would be willing to give him a 3 year deal at around the same $3.5 million cap hit he played under in San Jose.  Whether this is enough to land him is unknown.
Habs Odds: 40%

Dustin Penner

Intangibles:  Large (6'5", 245 lbs) winger has scored goals at an NHL level (1-time 30 goal scorer, 3-time 20 goal scorer). Two-time Stanley Cup winner. However, has not contributed any consistent offense since being dealt to the Los Angeles Kings in 2010/11.  Has a tendency to float and lacks a consistent drive. Often times has been a healthy scratch with the Kings.
Opinion: Penner played well entering his free-agent year of 2006/07, landing an offer-sheet from the Edmonton Oilers. Was a consistent producer for the Oilers, but never developed as anticipated. At his current $3.25 million rate, or for multiple years, I would stay away. If we can sign him for a one-year, show me the money deal at a discounted rate ($2 million maximum), I'd take a flyer on him. Nothing more.
Habs Odds: 20%

Brendan Morrow

Intangibles:  Gritty, physical player has good leadership skills.  Has scored goals (5 time 20-goal scorer, 2 time 30 goal scorer) and throws his weight around.  A Stanley Cup winner with the Dallas Stars and an Olympic gold medal in 2010, Morrow has played well at the highest level.  However, at 34 years-old he is feeling the effects of his style of play.  Offensive skills  have been declining and he was bitten by the injury bug the past couple of seasons.
Opinion:  Washed up veteran will be overpaid based on his name and resume, or will sign a team-friendly deal with one of the top Stanley Cup contenders (Pittsburgh could re-sign him, Chicago or Boston could be in the mix depending on the moves made by Bickell and Horton, respectively).  I would not pursue this option.
Habs Odds: 5%


Dan Ellis
Jose Theodore
Chris Mason
Mathieu Garon
Michael Leighton
Yann Danis
Jason Labarbera
Brian Boucher


Intangibles:  Experienced NHL goaltenders, with starting experience on the downside of their careers who may be willing to sign minor-league deals and provide organizational depth.  However, they are all experienced NHL goaltenders on the downside of their careers who will provide nothing more than organizational depth.
Opinion:  Dan Ellis was coveted by the Habs prior to signing Peter Budaj before he chose to sign with Carolina.  Theodore, Garon, Mason and Leighton would be decent options in Hamilton who can be called up in case of injuries to Price or Budaj.  All should be cheap. Any one would suffice.
Habs Odds: 30% chance of landing one of them.

Habs : Canadiens have to get bigger

Source : montrealgazette.com

There’s an adage in sport that says you can learn more from losing than you can from winning.

And if there’s one thing the Canadiens should have learned from their first-round playoff loss to the Ottawa Senators it’s that they have to get bigger if they hope to succeed in the future.

For the better part of the past decade, the Canadiens have operated on the philosophy that speed and skill are the keys to success in the National Hockey League. They bought the suggestion that the post-lockout NHL signalled a new era in which good would triumph over evil, skill would trump goonery.

But all the Canadiens’ skill went for naught in the playoffs when the Senators wore the Canadiens down with a game that combined speed with a physical style. Injuries played a part in the outcome, but the bottom line was that the Senators were bigger and stronger.

Whenever the size issue comes up, Canadiens management counters with the speed and skill argument and then confuses toughness and strength.

In his post-mortem this week, general manager Marc Bergvin defended his team’s toughness and pointed to rookie Brendan Gallagher, the 5-foot-8 sparkplug who can usually be found creating havoc in front of the opposition net.

There is no denying that Gallagher is one tough customer. There’s also no denying that he gets knocked down a lot by bigger players. Bergevin noted that Gallagher continues to bounce back up, but that’s not enough. At some point, the Canadiens have to find players who can stand in front of the net and not get knocked down.

When the Canadiens went on a slide at the end of the regular season, Rene Bourque noted that Montreal was being outhit in every game. The Canadiens finished the season 20th in hits with nearly 600 fewer than the league-leading Toronto Maple Leafs.

Bergevin said he was looking for balance and that it wasn’t always easy to find players who combine speed, skill and size. He noted that every team is looking for those players.

The Canadiens had their best chance to remake the team in 2009 when Bob Gainey cleaned house. Instead of getting bigger, the Canadiens got smaller with the addition of 5-foot-7 Brian Gionta, 5-foot-9 Michael Cammalleri and 5-foot-11 Scott Gomez.

This time around, Bergevin doesn’t have the cap space for a major renovation and said he doesn’t believe free agency is the answer. The key, he said, is to build through the draft.

This is one area where the Canadiens have had some success in recent years. Eighteen of the players on the Canadiens’ roster at the end of the season were either drafted by the team or signed as undrafted free agents.

Trevor Timmins and his scouting staff have been able to identify speed, skill and character, but size is another matter. Defenceman Jarred Tinordi is 6-foot-6, the 6-foot-1 Alex Galchenyuk is going to be fine when he fills out, and we can only hope that 6-foot Louis Leblanc, the Canadiens’ first-round draft pick in 2009, does fill out.

But when you look down the list of Canadiens prospects there are too many guys like Danny Kristo, Sebastian Collberg, Charles Hudon and Gabriel Dumont who fall short of 6 feet.

With six picks in the first three rounds of next month’s draft, it might be a good idea for the Canadiens to shelve the philosophy of picking the best player available in favour of picking the best big player available.

Canadiens : Ryane Clowe pourrait venir en renfort ?

En regardant quelque sites a rumeurs, j'ai cru remarquer que le nom de Ryan Clowe était souvent cité avec le Canadiens.

 En regardant ça fiche cette année, ont pourrait dire que les Sharks tente de le cédé a une autre équipe car il ne semblent plus être le joueur qu'il était. Peut-être qu'avec un changement d'air cela pourrait l'aider a redevenir le joueur qu'il était.

 J'ai été voir sont contrat, j'ai cru remarquer qu'il deviendrait joueur autonome a la fin de la saison et son salaire sur la masse salariale est de 3.625 millions (Lien) .

 Il faut aussi considéré qu'il mesure 6"2 et qu'il est pèse 225 lbs. Mais ce qui me la plus surpris c'est qu'il est capable de distribuer des mise en échec solide et surtout de jeter les gants sans mal paraître.

 Clowe vs Boll


  Pour le plaisir : Clowe vs Prust


  Avec la blessure de Prust est-ce que Bergevin sera tenter d'aller chercher un joueur comme Clowe pour aider son équipe a continuer a gagner et surtout tenter de remplacer Prust (qui je l’espère ne sera pas blessé longtemps).

Et pour finir qui Bergevin pourrait échanger en retour de Clowe ? Moen ? Armstrong ? White ?

 Est-ce les Sharks seront trop gourmand dans leurs demandent en retour de Clowe ?