According to Patrice Brisebois, now of TVA Sport, Scott Gomez eagerly awaits a buyout at the end of the season and hopes to have another chance with the New Jersey Devils.

I can't fathom how that would possibly be the best option for the Canadiens, unless the renegotiation of the CBA allows teams to buy players out in a short window, without cap implication.

With the players expected to make close to a 7% concession on their 57% share of the revenue, the NHL's GMs plan to operate this summer as though they won't necessarily be given a window to buy players out.

If that option doesn't present itself, parking Gomez in Hamilton would surely be a better option for the team than buying him out and incurring the penalties on the cap for doing so.

Either way, if Gomez expects a buyout at season's end, he may be sorely disappointed to have to wait past September, when the current CBA is set to expire.

If the Canadiens intend on getting this bit of business done before they know what will or won't be allowed in the new CBA--just for the sake of freeing up money for July 1st--that would be among the more painfully stupid things they've done in a season that's been marked by stupidity.

Of course, there is still the chance that the new CBA could bring new rules about parking bad contracts in the minors without cap implications. It's not anticipated that will change, but anything's possible.

Ironic that Brisebois would be the source of this information. He who understands all too well what it means to be overpaid and despised for it.

Would Gomez be able to contribute to a team's success without a lucrative contract hanging around his neck like an anvil? Would he reinvent himself at the league minimum?

There isn't a shred of evidence to suggest that would be the case, and too much of it that proves it likely wouldn't be.

One thing's for sure, the Canadiens future is brighter without Gomez. Whether he's bought out or parked in the minors, we have a clearer picture of what he believes his future will be--and it doesn't involve the Habs.
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Food for Thought

Speculation has been rampant for quite some time about who could possibly be the Canadiens next GM.

Consensus is that Pierre Gauthier will not continue in the role.

I've seen a lot of people point the first finger at Julien Brisebois, current AGM in Tampa Bay, former AGM here in Montreal.

If not Brisebois, there have been murmurs about Pat Brisson. I can't really understand why someone with Brisson's client roster would leave millions on the table to take over a volatile franchise like the Canadiens--especially in their current climate of losing.

And then there's Pierre McGuire, who everyone knows has an affiliation to Geoff Molson, and obviously would be qualified for the job. Granted, there's always been skepticism about his ability to transition from media back to management. Obviously, his job, to commend or criticize players, coaches and GMs could obviously be seen as an impediment to him getting back into a team's management, even if he'd be the best guy for the job.

What I don't get, is that everyone seems to be overlooking the most likely candidate for the job. And maybe it's because he's yet to be named Gauthier's successor. Maybe it's because no one wants to hear that they've promoted from within their organization. Maybe--just maybe--it's because no one wants to hear that anyone associated with Gauthier would be the next GM of the Canadiens.

Larry Carierre has worn two hats this season; that of the assistant gm, and that of the assistant coach. Many think Carierre was appointed to the bench to be Gauthier's eyes. But it does stand to reason that he was appointed there by the president and owner of the team, Geoff Molson, to get an appropriate sense of what the Canadiens really have in their room and on their bench.

The Canadiens desperately need a hockey man in place. I don't know that Julien Brisebois is that man. But I do know that Carriere, who had 365+ game career in the NHL, has an extensive knowledge when it comes to player evaluation, recruitment, and player development.

He worked as the AGM for the Buffalo Sabres from 1995-2004, helping them build one of the best teams in hockey by the time he left for the Washington Capitals to head up their scouting department.

Over that time, he worked as an amateur scout, and as the director of player evaluation. He also served a brief stint as the interim General Manager before Darcy Regier took over.

Over the time Carierre spent with the Capitals, the Hershey Bears won three Calder Cup Championships, and the Capitals captured a President's Trophy.

In addition to his hockey experience, he's a well-educated man, with a degree in Business Administration from Loyola, and additional credentials in studying Business Management at Michigan.

I think it's obvious that people may overlook Carierre for all the reasons mentioned above, but mostly because if the Canadiens named him GM, all those questions about opening up the process would be another PR hurdle for the team to stumble over.

But considering his previous experience, and his closeness to the current situation, he may very well be the best candidate for the job.

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