HOLY **********#@#@#!!!!

HABS WIN!  HABS WIN! HABS WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Dave Sandford/Getty Images)

Episode 25 – Shiny Happy Habs Fans

So the Habs have held the lead in the series 3 times as long as the Capitals.  The goaltending has gone from suspect to otherworldly. The team as a group clearly never quits.  The coaching has suddenly gotten more creative and has officially turned into a big edge in the series.  Special teams has been incredible throughout. So who do YOU think is gonna win game 7?  You might be surprised to hear what we have to say…

 

 Habs Radio Episode 25 [41:07m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Episode 24 – LOUD NOISES!!!

For our first official Playoff Podcast, we turn up the intensity a few notches and are pretty much at each other’s throats for most of the show.  You gotta hear it to believe it.  Somehow amidst the fire, we manage to delve into how the Habs lost control of the series so suddenly, who starts in nets for game 4, and who starts on D: O’Byrne, Bergeron, or … Subban?

This one’s a can’t miss if we’ve ever had one…

 

 Habs Radio Episode 24 [56:01m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

I Guess This is What Coach Meant by “Puck Possession”?

Habs beat New Jersey!    3-1!   In New Jersey!

What?

How did that happen?

* Great and SUSTAINED forechecking, greatly assisted by…

* Hamrlik, Markov and Spacek joining the rush. I was surprised by this, seeing how conservative Coach likes to play things, but those three were VERY aggressive in New Jersey’s zone, setting up passes, getting to the net and almost acting like a 4th forward. And they skated back HARD at the first sign of trouble. Whatever mistakes they did make (and there were a few), were committed in their own end.

* Gomez played what seemed like 56 minutes, and boy was he on mission.

* Halak returned with a solid start, making lightening-quick saves when a Devil was left open in front (though this win was a total team effort, everyone credited Halak with the win – interesting, no?)

Les Boys deserved this one.  And for a change, coach’s ad-nauseam mantra of pock possession was on full display.

Not a perfect game, but pretty darn close.

Since You Asked….

Eric Engels of Hockey buzz and Marc Antoine Godin of La Presse have posed the question: The Habs have $45 million dollars committed to 14 players for next year. The Cap next year is about $56.4  So the Habs have $11.4 million dollars to sign 12 RFA and UFA’s set for next year. So if you were Bob, what would you do?

Here’s where the trick is impossible. Godin states that Gainey’s mandate is both to keep players signed for next year and make the playoffs this year. I don’t know if that’s possible. But I sure as hell wouldn’t allow Pleks to walk away.  Godin brings up another good point: that to re-sign all of these players would be tough, and would just result in the Habs staying at the same level they are now. No improvements ’cause the cash ain’t there. Also probably true (read my post from yesterday).

Here’s the breakdown:

RFA’s: Carey Price, Tom Pyatt, Mathieu Carle, Jaroslav Halak, Guillaume Latendresse, Maxim Lapierre, Matt D’Agostini and Kyle Chipchura.

UFA’s: Tomas Plekanec, Glen Metropolit, Paul Mara, Marc-André Bergeron.

Here’s what I would do:

Plekanec: Godin says it’ll cost $4.25 million. OK. Sign him already.

Price: Godin says 3.25. I say no way. $2.75…but true, Gainey may have to go higher cause Brian Burke will want to sign him away.

We would have to say goodbye to: M.A. Bergeron and Paul Mara. I see no need to worry about guys like Chipchura, Tom Pyatt, or even Mathieu Carle. Let’em go. Lapierre and Latendresse get a tiny raise, so their combined hit is $2million.

Now we are at $54million, leaving $2.4 million for: Halak (RFA), Metro (UFA) and D’Agostini (RFA).Which means that Halak may get traded at the deadline for young cheap players with upside / picks, leaving enough money to sign Metro and D’Agostini. If I had to choose between the two, I would sign D’Agostini. He is younger, cheaper, and has more upside. This would also leave some extra pennies for the likes of Carle and Pyatt to fill out the roster, as well as pay for any Hamiltonians making the big team.

Who I would trade:

*AK-46 may get tossed at the deadline to open up some cap space ($3million). If there are no takers, then I would keep AK and hope he gets better – and trade him away as soon as he does – again, for young cheap players with upside, or draft picks.

* Don’t forget the $5million cap hit that Hamrlik’s contract poses. Yeah, he’s been very good. But he costs a lot too – he might be worthwhile trade bait for a young scorer and younger defenceman at the deadline.To my mind, Hamrlik is the first to go. The Habs simply can’t afford to keep him anymore. Hey – that’s the new world order now.

* Halak: If either Hamrlik or AK-46 get traded, I would love to keep Halak. I believe he could bring back the biggest return, or be the most value to the Habs if he stays on the team.

As you can see, I am not concerned with making the playoffs anymore. I would rather the Habs re-stock the farm and get a top-10 draft pick. I would try to rebuild on the fly – so I would keep the big guys like Gionta, Cammi, Gomez, Pleks and Markov – winners and positive role models for young players to grow up with and learn from. I would keep Georges, and Price, I would TRY to keep Halak, but would know that would be tough, and I would keep Pacioretty, D’Agostini, Lapierre, and Latendresse, along with O’Byrne, Spacek and Gill. After that – it’s callups, young players, draft picks – the young’uns I get back from my trading away Halak / Hamrlik / AK-46.

So there’s a theory, but man, I so do NOT WANT to be Bob Gainey right now – ’cause he really has no room for a single mistake anymore. Gainey’s job isn’t as tough as this guy’s, but still…