Montreal Canadiens 2011 Stanley Cup Champions - the big thread
Just thought I'd make this thread more readable. Season review gobbledy-goop is in the spoiler section.
Spoiler!
What a season it's been.
First of all, this team was put together by previous GM simmer2 and much like the real-life Hawks and Dale Tallon, credit needs to go where credit is due. Same goes to all GMs who helped answer my questions and give advice, and thanks for your patience when dealing with me - I was pretty cautious my first year.
After winning the previous year, this year's team had many great pieces in place but seemed to lack coaching, direction and chemistry. Sitting with a 34-21 record, a new GM was hired.
Realizing what we had, the decision was made to tinker rather than overhaul which is always a temptation as a new GM. New lines were set, and instant chemistry followed.
The team ended up going 24-2-1 under new management and nearly overtook the Flyers for the President's Trophy, erasing a huge deficit. In the end, we finished first with 58 wins and second with 117 points but it was a different trophy we were looking for.
Though the team was good, we saw the Flyers continually adding star after star in trades down the stretch and felt that we needed to make a move. After bolstering the depth up front with Marco Sturm and Ryan Malone earlier, we made the big splash and dealt futures for Patrick Marleau.
Marleau ended up being a key contributor taking pressure off the top line and the team rolled into the playoffs on a high.
If the playoffs taught us anything it was how hard it truly is to win it all. We had a legitimate chance of losing every series and so many one-goal and OT games it was ridiculous. We came from behind to survive the Rangers in six, then defeated the Sabres in five (four one-goal games), and then met the mighty Flyers. Won the first two on the road but lost the next three and thought we were toast but the team rallied to stun the CPHL world in seven. The Sharks gave us an incredible battle in the final given their payroll and roster on paper. Three more OT games before we finally broke Jim Howard and hammered the Sharks 7-2 in game six to lift the Cup.
What a way to start as a GM in the CPHL! It will make the exodus this off-season much easier to take.
Speaking of said exodus, unfortunately just about the entire team hits free agency and we won't be able to keep most of them. But this much must be said: we are NOT re-building. The goal is to contend every year, make the playoffs and challenge for a championship.
With that out of the way, here is the plan.
The following players are on the block and we will need proper value for them.
Marian Gaborik (UFA) - Dealt to L.A. Mikko Koivu (RFA) - Dealt to Philly Wojtek Wolski (RFA) - Dealt to Colorado
Joni Pitkanen - Dealt to Washington Brent Burns - Dealt to Philly Dennis Wideman (RFA) - Dealt to Philly
Ondrej Pavelec (RFA) - Dealt to New York
The following players can be had cheaply.
Blair Betts (UFA)
Chuck Kobasew (UFA) Sergei Gonchar (UFA) - Dealt to Nashville Marco Sturm - Dealt to Washington Ryan Malone - Dealt to Florida Tim Kennedy - Dealt to Florida
I am looking for the following things in return:
-A cheap, nasty stay at home d-man
-4th line centre
-Prospects
-Draft picks
-Cap space
PM is best during the day, MSN is best when I'm actually online. I'll always get PMs though.
Fire away!
Last edited by arloiginla; 06-06-2011 at 07:10 PM.
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Moving out to Philadelphia are defenseman Brent Burns and forward Mikko Koivu. Coming back are defenseman Christian Ehrhoff, forwards Kris Versteeg and Steve Bernier, along with the 28th overall pick in the upcoming draft.
We liked both these players but money was a factor in dealing them. We coveted Ehrhoff and his offensive abilities, which have now made Dion Phaneuf expendable. Versteeg is a versatile forward who can play multiple positions and has done well given his salary in the sim. We believe Bernier can be a solid bottom-six guy for us and the pick allows us to add to our prospect stable.
More deals to come. Send your offers before you miss out!
Habs ship out Tim Kennedy to Florida in exchange for prospects Ivan Telegin and Stephen Silas. Both are playing in the OHL this year and we are happy to continue adding to our pipeline.
The plan all along was not to move the 3rd overall pick as we value quality over quantity and knew we'd get a good player there.
However, none of the top 5 guys this year really knock our socks off and we have the utmost confidence in our scouting to draft gems later on so...
The 3rd overall pick, along with the 48th overall pick have just been dealt to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
In return, we receive the 16th overall pick, 18th overall pick, goalie Mark Visentin and left winger Ville Leino.
We coveted Leino and really he was the key to the deal for us. Visentin give us a much-needed goalie prospect to groom and the two mid-firsts will still allow us to either draft two good players or use them to move up into the top 10 if there's someone left on the board we want.
We now have three first-round picks (16, 18, 28). Thanks to Dave for the talks.
Last edited by arloiginla; 05-27-2011 at 12:33 PM.
Coming back are Anton Lander, Sami Lepisto and Matt Mackenzie.
Whether Lepisto can be a top-six guy or not time will tell. He will battle for a spot. Lander was the centrepiece of this deal and gives us another blue-chipper. Mackenzie is a mid-tier prospect who we scouted live for the Hitmen and could end up making it. This was really a money deal for us as we continue to slash salary.
Going to Colorado is winger Wojtek Wolski, defenseman Jake Gardiner and defenseman Jon Merril.
Coming back is T.J. Galiardi, defenseman Nick Leddy and 1.5M in cap space.
We didn't feel Wolski was worth a RFA grid deal. Galiardi is another former Hitmen who provides strong defensive presence up front - whether we keep him or flip him remains to be seen. Leddy might win a spot on our top six or will develop in the AHL but is an upgrade on Gardiner. Cap space is always good.
Montreal now sends goalie Ondrej Pavelec to the big apple. Acquired in return are LW Matt Moulson, D Matt Niskanen and a 3rd round pick.
We couldn't afford to keep Pavs. Moulson will fit nicely into our top six, Niskanen has a bottom-pairing spot with his name on it, and the 3rd continues to add to our futures stable.
Montreal now sends goalie Ondrej Pavelec to the big apple. Acquired in return are LW Matt Moulson, D Matt Niskanen and a 3rd round pick.
We couldn't afford to keep Pavs. Moulson will fit nicely into our top six, Niskanen has a bottom-pairing spot with his name on it, and the 3rd continues to add to our futures stable.
Thanks to Jeff for the easy talks.
Rangers knew they had to overpay to acquire a goalie.... but there was no other choice.... someone has to be the #1 goalie
In ohter news Rangers are now looking for a CPHL Dman(s) and CPHL Wingers
a) The Erixon trade has already been discussed in the Erixon thread.
b) Dennis Wideman has been dealt to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Josh Harding, Nathan Gerbe and Jerry D'Amigo.
c) Ryan Malone and $1.5M have been shipped to the Florida Panthers for 2012 1st and 3rd round picks.
Wideman didn't fit into our salary structure and we were wanting Gerbe for some time now. He will battle for a spot in our lineup. Harding gives us the backup we were looking for and if he can get the hell out of Minnesota we have ourselves a gem. We like D'Amigo's progress and think he can be a NHLer.
Right now it is our policy not to trade cap space but it was simply necessary in order to rid ourselves of Malone's contract. We acquired him last year as a playoff rental only. We feel we will get that $1.5 million back from awards bonuses and such anyway. We always have one eye on this year and one eye on the next so it's not too early to get some quality 2012 picks.
Lots of talks on Gaborik right now but he hasn't been dealt yet. Inquire now or miss out! 105 points last CPHL season.
Last edited by arloiginla; 06-02-2011 at 12:59 PM.
Going to the Kings is Gaborik and a 2012 1st rounder.
Coming back is the 8th overall pick and the 36th overall pick.
Now on the surface this may look like a bad deal for us. But after shopping Gaborik around there wasn't much of a market for him unless we were willing to send lots of cheese as well. We weren't going to do that.
We wanted to get into the top 10 as there is a player we have an eye on there; should he not be available we will likely deal the pick for a nice return. The 36th pick gives us another shot at getting a really good player. Giving up a 2012 1st was tough but we expect that pick to be in the 20s anyway. Lastly, it was important for us to send Gaborik to the West if at all possible.
Thanks to B.J. for the quick talks and thanks to all those who submitted offers for Gaborik as well.
It's a fantastic deal for L.A., no doubting that. If I had the room to take on Gaborik for only a couple picks I'd do it too.
Frankly his perceived value around the league was not as high as I'd originally expected...not too many teams could afford to take him and out of those that could, not many had a top 10 pick to trade as part of a return.
I think this deal will end up being one of those that benefits both sides...I get the picks and cap space I wanted, B.J. gets a top player for nothing off his roster.
Hell I would have moved the 5th overall + for Gaborik and taken on all his salary. You were asking the moon the last time we chatted about Gaborik, had I known the asking price had fallen back to earth I would have tried again.
Great deal for LA.
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I was chatting with Montreal around the deal as well and was speaking about the 6th overall pick and Gaborik...toughest part about it is the fact that nobody has $10mm to spare outside of a select few teams.
For LA this is a solid move as their squad was nearly complete anyways and didn't have that many spots to fill.
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Montreal Canadiens 2011 Stanley Cup Champions - the big thread
