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Trade Talk Heating Up + Gallagher Vs. Media + Danault Returns... Maybe |
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With the circus out of town the Canadiens and their fans can refocus on their own team. While it is a daily struggle to find ways to talk Habs without calling for firings and throwing shade I think it’s important to note some of the news around MTL and the NHL.
DANAULT BACK TO WORK
P Danault has been out since taking a Chara rocket to the skull but if looks like he will be returning to the line up soon as he practiced and is traveling with the team to their next game on Feb 14 in Colorado.
This is fantastic news. As some of the regular readers will know, I’m a fan of Danault’s. It was a terrible lopsided trade that brought him in and he has the potential to be the clubs new T Plekanec on the 2nd line.
Danault’s career numbers are still trending upwards since he broke into the league and he has yet to reach his full potential. I am happy to see him healthy and returning to the team. He has even more potential than Plekanec did, in my opinion, because he has a bit of grit to his game. Should he continue to progress, and the Habs get someone that first line C slot, the team will be able to properly use all these talented young wingers that are here or coming up.
TRADE TALK HEATING UP
With NHL Trade Deadline 2018 fast approaching we have seen a couple of Forwards names hit the market from NY Rangers and Ottawa Senators.
Rick Nash and Derrick Brassard are being shopped apparently and the asking price is fairly steep for the two depth forwards.
The soon to be 34 year old Nash is rumored to be available for a 1st round pick, a top prospect, and a third piece. High price for this rental for sure, but its always a good idea to start with a high ask when negotiating like this.
Rick Nash is 3 seasons removed from his last good campaign where he put up 42 G and 27 A, and has been an utter disappointment since as he has been unable to stay healthy and put up season point totals of 36, 38, and this years 27.
The team that acquires Nash will have to fit the remainder of his 7.8 million cap hit AND be on his trade approved, 12 team list.
Hmmm….
Brassard’s asking price from the Senators pretty much exactly mirrors NYR’s rumored asking price for Nash, except Brassard has one more year at $5 million cap hit left, and will be 31 in that final year.
Brassard is 2 seasons removed from his last good campaign as well where he put up 27 G and 31 A with the NYR’s. Last season in OTT he scored 14 G and 25 A in 81 games and this year he has 14 G and 16 A in 52 games. That season in which he scored 27 goals appears to be an exception and not the rule when it comes to expected performance from Brassard as he hasn’t really been close to that at any point in his career (unless he scores 13 G in his final 28 games).
These asking prices are awfully close to my previous written asks of Pacioretty in any trade. I simply asked for a 1st round pick, top prospect or two, and a 2nd round pick.
Except you get the youngest and most recently consistent of the two above mentioned players, signed for another year at 4.5 mill cap hit, and he has averaged 31 goals over the last 5 years INCLUDING THE SUBPAR 16 GOALS HE CURRENTLY HAS IN 55 GAMES.
Clearly, my asking price was too low considering what others want. I hope M Bergevin can take advantage of the high prices for lesser players that are being shopped on the market and bring the Canadiens some good picks and prospects to help this rebuild/retool/reset/whatever continue. If the captain brings in an elite prospect C and LD in addition to a first round pick I think there would be some pleasantly surprised fans.
At these prices, Plekanec may fetch more than we thought….
I hope to write about that this year.
GALLAGHER FACES BACKLASH OVER SUBBAN COMMENTS
Gallagher was asked numerous times, in a row, about PK Subban after the Canadiens OT loss to the Nashville Predators (who were thoroughly outplayed by the Canadiens). Each time he asked why he was being asked about an opposing player before trying to change the topic until he just couldn’t take it anymore and let out a little bit of the reason why Subban may have been dealt.
Gallagher insinuated that wherever PK goes, it has to be about PK. He basically said that’s who he is. He didn’t want to talk about it anymore and asked the reporters to go talk to Subban as he would be happy to talk about himself all day.
Some viewed these remarks as childish, but I disagree completely. 4 times in a row he was asked about Subban on a night where the team outplayed a supposed Cup Contender, he scored his team leading 20th goal, and he fought tough and nail to get the team that win. All so he could undress and answer stupid questions about a player that hasn’t been on his team in almost 2 years.
I say that Gallagher showed why he will be a future captain, whether its in MTL or elsewhere. There is no other team that matters in the NHL than the Montreal Canadiens to Brendan Gallagher, the western Canadian kid who signed a gem of a contract to play in a city where most avoid like the plague.
I would suggest that some members of the Montreal media start remembering who they are supposed to be providing information for or that they move to Nashville and apply for media jobs there.
It’s clear where their heart lies and they should follow it to Nashville and to the subsequent city Subban gets traded to afterwards.
Brendan Gallagher’s heart is in MTL and he wears it on his sleeve, proudly. Something not too many Canadiens players have done over the last 25 years. He deserves MUCH more respect from the media circus.
Go Habs Go!
Also,
Go Canada Go!
Montreal Canadiens Blogger • 
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