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Montreal Canadiens Blogger •
Time is preciously ticking away, as the Canadiens have 13 days remaining of exclusivity to deal with their 10 unrestricted free agents before the rest of the league gets a crack at them. One has to wonder, what exactly is holding up the process?
Is the lack of clarity regarding ownership the reason why not a single player has been penned to a new deal?
Has completing the coaching staff taken longer than anticipated?
Bob Gainey repeatedly told reporters that he's been given the go-ahead to do his job without any constraint; that the ownership debacle has zero impact on the hockey operations that need to take place in the coming month.
So, what is it then?
Jacques Martin was reluctant to answer a question directed at him regarding the areas where he felt the Canadiens could improve most. I suppose he didn't want to berate Guy Carbonneau, Bob Gainey, or the players without contracts who were interested in returning to the Canadiens, but when prodded further Martin said the centre and defense positions would need to be addressed and improved.
Reports out of Philadelphia suggested that Bob Gainey was contacted by the Philadelphia Flyers, and offered Daniel Briere Briere to Habs?. Gainey wasn't interested. Who can blame him, given Briere's ridiculous contract-status, his injury-history, and the fact that he wouldn't be the kind player that would significantly improve the Canadiens down the middle?
After denying this trade opportunity as the team with the most money available to spend on salary this summer, Bob Gainey has essentially made it clear that he is after something bigger and better. Perhaps attaining that piece is his priority, above signing the rest of his players who are set to become free agents on July 1. Perhaps he sees making such a move as essential to attracting other players, as well as some of his own who may have had second thoughts about returning to the Canadiens.
If that is in fact the case, there should be great cause for excitement leading up to, and of course on the actual day of the draft, where it's anticipated the Canadiens could pull off 1 or 2 major trades.
How else would they get a player that's better than Daniel Briere to sign in Montreal? Heck, they couldn't even get Briere to sign here in the first place, despite a better offer than the one he eventually accepted from Philadelphia.
And it makes you wonder, what is Gainey's plan if it isn't to pull off a major trade or two? Is he prepared to let the majority of the Canadiens' free agents walk, and roll the dice on attracting some others that will hit the market come July 1st? That's a game the Canadiens haven't played very well, in well over 20 years.
It's Wednesday the 17th of June, and it's hard to imagine we'll have to wait much longer to see some action with the Habs.
Stay tuned...
Is the lack of clarity regarding ownership the reason why not a single player has been penned to a new deal?
Has completing the coaching staff taken longer than anticipated?
Bob Gainey repeatedly told reporters that he's been given the go-ahead to do his job without any constraint; that the ownership debacle has zero impact on the hockey operations that need to take place in the coming month.
So, what is it then?
Jacques Martin was reluctant to answer a question directed at him regarding the areas where he felt the Canadiens could improve most. I suppose he didn't want to berate Guy Carbonneau, Bob Gainey, or the players without contracts who were interested in returning to the Canadiens, but when prodded further Martin said the centre and defense positions would need to be addressed and improved.
Reports out of Philadelphia suggested that Bob Gainey was contacted by the Philadelphia Flyers, and offered Daniel Briere Briere to Habs?. Gainey wasn't interested. Who can blame him, given Briere's ridiculous contract-status, his injury-history, and the fact that he wouldn't be the kind player that would significantly improve the Canadiens down the middle?
After denying this trade opportunity as the team with the most money available to spend on salary this summer, Bob Gainey has essentially made it clear that he is after something bigger and better. Perhaps attaining that piece is his priority, above signing the rest of his players who are set to become free agents on July 1. Perhaps he sees making such a move as essential to attracting other players, as well as some of his own who may have had second thoughts about returning to the Canadiens.
If that is in fact the case, there should be great cause for excitement leading up to, and of course on the actual day of the draft, where it's anticipated the Canadiens could pull off 1 or 2 major trades.
How else would they get a player that's better than Daniel Briere to sign in Montreal? Heck, they couldn't even get Briere to sign here in the first place, despite a better offer than the one he eventually accepted from Philadelphia.
And it makes you wonder, what is Gainey's plan if it isn't to pull off a major trade or two? Is he prepared to let the majority of the Canadiens' free agents walk, and roll the dice on attracting some others that will hit the market come July 1st? That's a game the Canadiens haven't played very well, in well over 20 years.
It's Wednesday the 17th of June, and it's hard to imagine we'll have to wait much longer to see some action with the Habs.
Stay tuned...
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