Gorges Signing Great for Future of Price, Subban
1. Merci Craig Rivet.
2. You now have your future captain signed.
3. With Gorges locked up, Price won't be going anywhere for a long time. Given how close the pair are, there's no denying that Gorges contract was going to influence Price's decision. Now that he's hanging around for the long-term, you can almost guarantee that Price will be aiming to sign a lengthy deal as well.
4. PK Subban may be having a rough year, but this deal should bring a smile to his face. A part of that young group that currently makes up the "future" of the team, the 22 year old is also on the radar for a new deal and with the Habs breaking with tradition to ink Gorges long-term mid-season, Subban should be very motivated to earn his extension in the 2nd half.
5. Two things about this deal are a phenomenal sign of progress. A) Signing Gorges on the 1st possible day to do so says that Montreal management has now been instructed to build all year long, not only during their self-imposed negotiation periods. B) 6 years is a sign that Habs management is turning to their youth. Don't be surprised if more and more youngsters wind up with bigger and better deals from the Canadiens in the near future.
6. Rebounding from knee surgery better than any Hab in recent memory, Gorges currently leads the NHL with 101 blocked shots in 39 games. A sentry on defense who does nothing but sacrifice himself for the betterment of the team, Gorges finished 12th in blocked shots with 158 in 2009-10, 16th in 2008-09 with 161 in 2008-09 and 72nd in 2007-08 with 101 blocked shots.
7. When the Habs lost Mike Komisarek to the Leafs, Komisarek was coming off of leading the NHL in blocked shots with 227 in 2007-08. Passed on because the asking price was deemed too rich for their blood, it's nice see the Canadiens jump the gun on a similar situation this time around. Signed for over a half-million less per season than the passed-on Komisarek, there was no denying losing Gorges in a similar fashion would have been disastrous. And, while Gorges brings different intangibles than Komisarek outside of shot blocking, he plays a more versatile game and has undoubtedly emerged, in my mind, as the Canadiens future captain.
8. Watching the WJC and seeing Bealieu and Tinordi shine, I can't help but think that the Canadiens blue line is going to be one young and ferocious unit within the next 18 months. There's certainly money issues with all the cap space committed to veterans and a backlog of prospects, but that is where the true challenge lies. With a good mix of hope for the future currently on the blue line and a boatload of hope currently being showcased at the WJC, Montreal management's true challenge is in finding a way to make room for those players while not forgoing the value of so many defenders they will likely have to move.
9. Defense and experience are key, and with so much of that behind the bench, signing Gorges long-term may sound like Molson to some and Gauthier to others, but to me it smells of Larry Carriere, Randy Cunneyworth and Randy Ladouceur. With a mix of management among the three former grindstone NHL defensemen now behind the Canadiens bench, I can't help but think that those 3 were the driving force behind expelling tradition and locking up a guy they see a lot of themselves in. Boasting a point of view heavy on managing the game from the blue line out, a natural thought for all 3 coaches, it's safe to say their recommendation played a vital role in inking the 27 year old.
10. Finally, the one thing that stands out the most about this signing is its hidden meaning. Breaking recent tradition of not signing players during the season, signing a guy due to be a UFA in less than 6 months time, and for a term given to only one other player in Canadiens history (Plekanec), I can't help but think that the direction the Habs are headed in is about to change drastically. There's plenty of uncertainty surrounding the Canadiens right now, and although many feel a new coaching staff and general manager are destined to lead the team next season, I wouldn't be so fast to think there isn't already a leader among the current group. By no means am I suggesting that Gauthier or Cunneyworth will remain in their current positions, but I do see progress here. And it's coming from within. A departure from the norm, this move hints to us all that from somewhere within this organization lies a vision that falls in line with what most fans want. We'll likely find out who or where that direction is coming from soon enough, yet the Gorges signing is not only a breath of fresh air but a hint that forward progress is now on the agenda.
Making the signing of Josh Gorges their very first move of the New Year, the Montreal Canadiens have not only started 2012 off on the right foot but have set a standard of forward progress they cannot afford to deviate from.
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