Hab's Focus Now On Martin Havlat?

[jl-1]

Now that Gainey has categorically said not being interested in Marian Gaborik at the GM meetings on Thursday, Renauld Lavoie of RDS is reporting that the Habs have started looking his way as a possible rental player who might be available. Here's the RDS text:

Martin Havlat

Ce qui est évident, c'est que les équipes qui ont des chances de remporter la coupe Stanley (le Canadien fait partie de ces formations) doivent se pencher sur les joueurs qui pourraient être disponible à la date limite des transactions au début du mois de mars.

Un nom à surveiller est celui de Martin Havlat des Blackhawks et le Canadien a déjà commencé à regarder de ce côté. Havlat est un joueur dangereux lorsqu'il est en santé, ce qui est le cas présentement.

C'est un joueur qui a tous les talents pour réussir. En plus, Havlat adore Montréal puisqu'il y passe ses étés depuis maintenant trois ans. Donc, il ne sera pas difficile à convaincre lorsqu'il sera le temps de lui présenter un contrat.

C'est un dossier à surveiller.

Source...

In all honesty, I don't really believe in that one.

[hockey_gal89]

Now that Gainey has categorically said not being interested in Marian Gaborik at the GM meetings on Thursday, Renauld Lavoie of RDS is reporting that the Habs have started looking his way as a possible rental player who might be available. Here's the RDS text:

In all honesty, I don't really believe in that one.

I think this is a case of a reporter grasping at straws after BG outright shot down the Gaborik rumors.

[leafs_rock_go_mccabe]

Oh, God no.

I would hate to have the oft injured Havlat in a Montreal uniform. He's another tremendously talented player, but who can't finish a regular season without sustaining serious injury and missing a lot of games, yet still feels he deserves a ridiculously high pay-cheque. Do we need that in Montreal? No thanks! Our team is built on respected players who have the utmost integrity. Havlat doesn't fit here!

Also, before the, "Official," trade rumours start... I would rather keep Higgins!

[hockey_gal89]

Oh, God no.

I would hate to have the oft injured Havlat in a Montreal uniform. He's another tremendously talented player, but who can't finish a regular season without sustaining serious injury and missing a lot of games, yet still feels he deserves a ridiculously high pay-cheque. Do we need that in Montreal? No thanks! Our team is built on respected players who have the utmost integrity. Havlat doesn't fit here!

Also, before the, "Official," trade rumours start... I would rather keep Higgins!

Ahmen to that! Higgins in my opinion is one of the most underrated players on this club...He brings so much more to the Habs than the stats tell.

[animerules1x3]

I don't want Havlat anymore than I want Gaborik. We don't need another star forward !

[jl-1]

I don't want Havlat anymore than I want Gaborik. We don't need another star forward !

Actually, we could use a sniper. The question remains at what price and when...

[fourtrax]

Havlat would be a great addition to the team, but I still believe our more pressing need is for an experienced top-four d-man.

[jl-1]

Havlat would be a great addition to the team, but I still believe our more pressing need is for an experienced top-four d-man.

Who knows, at the deadline, we might be in a position to add both?

[RicochetII]

Saying the Habs are now interested in Havlat, implies they were interested in Gaborik, which they weren't. More accurate to ask if we are now interested in speculating on Havlat.

While I would like to agree that we don't need another star forward, I cannot. I could say we simply need a different star forward and that would be true. Simply a player that puts the puck in the net on a consistent basis. We create more than enough scoring opportunities, but sometimes we have problem converting them into goals.

I'm not too sure about Havlat as I am less familiar with him and his playstyle. If we expressed no interest in Gaborik however, it's doubtful we will display an interest in Havlat. If we wait until the deadline to acquire another player, we will have a better assessment of what our needs entail and whether it is worth the exchange. I can definitely see this happening.

[fourtrax]

Who knows, at the deadline, we might be in a position to add both?

The deadline is probably when we'd realistically be adding the player(s) in question. The salaries would be pro-rated, therefore less of a cap hit, and our team needs would be more clearly defined according to our playoff ranking and injury situation. To put it another way, what if (God forbid) Markov suffers a serious injury two weeks after we trade for someone like Havlat? I'd rather keep our trade chips for now.

[HabsFanInCalgary]

Am I the only one who believes our 'D' is fine as is? Everyone wants a 'top 4 D-man' but I see no use in that as we have many prospects and what is regarded as one of the better defensive corps in the league. Few teams can claim to have 5 or 6 D they would use in any given situation, but the Habs can. Most have 2 or 3 good D and a few others who just 'round out' what ice time is left. Boullion, Georges and Dandenault make a pretty respectable 'bottom 3' D group. Throw in the likes of Webber, O'Byrne < who I am not a fan of > and our other prospects and I believe the Habs are sitting pretty when it comes to this position. Havlat would be an asset to the club, although like most, I am afraid we get him and he stubs his toe and misses the rest of the season < it could happen- he's quite fragile > However, we will have the space at seasons end to pick up a decent free agent< or trade >since Lang will more than likely move on then. Thats 4 million in space that we should get, plus the cap should go up < 2-3 million maybe >. Just makes no sense to be looking for D-man now. Just MO though.

[hockey_gal89]

Am I the only one who believes our 'D' is fine as is? Everyone wants a 'top 4 D-man' but I see no use in that as we have many prospects and what is regarded as one of the better defensive corps in the league. Few teams can claim to have 5 or 6 D they would use in any given situation, but the Habs can. Most have 2 or 3 good D and a few others who just 'round out' what ice time is left. Boullion, Georges and Dandenault make a pretty respectable 'bottom 3' D group. Throw in the likes of Webber, O'Byrne < who I am not a fan of > and our other prospects and I believe the Habs are sitting pretty when it comes to this position. Havlat would be an asset to the club, although like most, I am afraid we get him and he stubs his toe and misses the rest of the season < it could happen- he's quite fragile > However, we will have the space at seasons end to pick up a decent free agent< or trade >since Lang will more than likely move on then. Thats 4 million in space that we should get, plus the cap should go up < 2-3 million maybe >. Just makes no sense to be looking for D-man now. Just MO though.

Dude-Get use to this...You're going to hear every hair brained trade scenario from now until D-day...I will be so glad when the trade deadline comes and goes because then I won't have to listen to 75 rumors of Gaborik coming to MTL for Higgins, MacDonaugh, Halak, a 1st round pick and a case of Molson Ex.

[DA_Champion]

Am I the only one who believes our 'D' is fine as is? Everyone wants a 'top 4 D-man' but I see no use in that as we have many prospects and what is regarded as one of the better defensive corps in the league. Few teams can claim to have 5 or 6 D they would use in any given situation, but the Habs can. Most have 2 or 3 good D and a few others who just 'round out' what ice time is left. Boullion, Georges and Dandenault make a pretty respectable 'bottom 3' D group. Throw in the likes of Webber, O'Byrne < who I am not a fan of > and our other prospects and I believe the Habs are sitting pretty when it comes to this position. Havlat would be an asset to the club, although like most, I am afraid we get him and he stubs his toe and misses the rest of the season < it could happen- he's quite fragile > However, we will have the space at seasons end to pick up a decent free agent< or trade >since Lang will more than likely move on then. Thats 4 million in space that we should get, plus the cap should go up < 2-3 million maybe >. Just makes no sense to be looking for D-man now. Just MO though.

Markov, Komisarek, and Hamrlik are great. absolutely fabulous, possibly the best top3d in the league.

Gorges, O'Byrne, Bouillon and Birsebois are ok. They're good actually, not great, could be a lot better. O'Byrne is not playing well and may need to go back to Edmonton, whereas Brisebois is a defensive liability and only a decent offensive defenseman.

Our prospects are almost there.

I think the main focus on D is that our defense is not as good as our offense or as our goaltending, so it's the most obvious place to improve. We're allowing like 35 shots a game.

[gracie12]

The deadline is probably when we'd realistically be adding the player(s) in question. The salaries would be pro-rated, therefore less of a cap hit, and our team needs would be more clearly defined according to our playoff ranking and injury situation. To put it another way, what if (God forbid) Markov suffers a serious injury two weeks after we trade for someone like Havlat? I'd rather keep our trade chips for now.

This is the big key for me.

This team is unlikely to make a huge impact trade at this point. We might move Higgins & a prospect if it means bringing back a young centre or someone who we might need from a development standpoint. We might move a defenseman or 2 to clear up some cap space and remove the glut on the roster. I doubt that there will be anything massive otherwise.

At the deadline however, all bets are off. We might move some picks/prospects for veteran depth. We might move a solid roster player for a premium talent rental.

Id be very surprised if we see any trade of large magnitude prior to the deadline week though.

[fourtrax]

Am I the only one who believes our 'D' is fine as is? Everyone wants a 'top 4 D-man' but I see no use in that as we have many prospects and what is regarded as one of the better defensive corps in the league. Few teams can claim to have 5 or 6 D they would use in any given situation, but the Habs can. Most have 2 or 3 good D and a few others who just 'round out' what ice time is left. Boullion, Georges and Dandenault make a pretty respectable 'bottom 3' D group. Throw in the likes of Webber, O'Byrne < who I am not a fan of > and our other prospects and I believe the Habs are sitting pretty when it comes to this position. Havlat would be an asset to the club, although like most, I am afraid we get him and he stubs his toe and misses the rest of the season < it could happen- he's quite fragile > However, we will have the space at seasons end to pick up a decent free agent< or trade >since Lang will more than likely move on then. Thats 4 million in space that we should get, plus the cap should go up < 2-3 million maybe >. Just makes no sense to be looking for D-man now. Just MO though.

If we really want to be a Cup contender, there is no way our D is 'fine as it is'. The problem is that we have three legit top-four d-men (Markov, Komisarek, Hamrlik) and then a slew of third-pairing d-men (Bouillon, Gorges, O'Byrne, Brisebois, Dandenault). Which still leaves that 4-hole spot on the second pairing beside Hamrlik. It's an important spot because that player has to be prepared to play big minutes against top-quality players. When you're gunning for the Cup, the teams you have to beat are just as talented as you, with just as much depth: putting Markov-Komisarek against a top line doesn't necessarily mean you've shut down their offense. Detroit realized this, which is why they acquired Brad Stuart at last year's trade deadline. It wasn't a splashy, Hossa-type trade, but it addressed Detroit's need at that position and made their blueline rock-solid going into the playoffs. And think about the team they beat to win the Cup: a young, supremely talented Pittsburgh squad deep in scoring with Crosby, Malkin, Hossa, Malone, and Sykora.

[tmash]

Who knows, at the deadline, we might be in a position to add both?

salary wise it's possible.

My only concern is that aiming for a cup one particular season is a generally bad strategy. There's just too much that can go wrong in a single season - the best strategy is to be a strong team for a number of years, and odds are one of those years everything will fall into place (see Detroit). To get both a top four dman and a sniper, it won't be cheap, and I don't want us to seriously harm future years teams especially considering there is no guarantee that even these guys will bring in a cup.

[tmash]

Who knows, at the deadline, we might be in a position to add both?

salary wise it's possible.

My only concern is that aiming for a cup one particular season is a generally bad strategy. There's just too much that can go wrong in a single season - the best strategy is to be a strong team for a number of years, and odds are one of those years everything will fall into place (see Detroit). To get both a top four dman and a sniper, it won't be cheap, and I don't want us to seriously harm future years teams especially considering there is no guarantee that even these guys will bring in a cup.

Who knows, at the deadline, we might be in a position to add both?

salary wise it's possible.

My only concern is that aiming for a cup one particular season is a generally bad strategy. There's just too much that can go wrong in a single season - the best strategy is to be a strong team for a number of years, and odds are one of those years everything will fall into place (see Detroit). To get both a top four dman and a sniper, it won't be cheap, and I don't want us to seriously harm future years teams especially considering there is no guarantee that even these guys will bring in a cup.

[RSD]

Dude-Get use to this...You're going to hear every hair brained trade scenario from now until D-day...I will be so glad when the trade deadline comes and goes because then I won't have to listen to 75 rumors of Gaborik coming to MTL for Higgins, MacDonaugh, Halak, a 1st round pick and a case of Molson Ex.

how big of a case? 6, 12, 24?? cause you know he aint worth a 2-4 ...

[jl-1]

The deadline is probably when we'd realistically be adding the player(s) in question. The salaries would be pro-rated, therefore less of a cap hit, and our team needs would be more clearly defined according to our playoff ranking and injury situation. To put it another way, what if (God forbid) Markov suffers a serious injury two weeks after we trade for someone like Havlat? I'd rather keep our trade chips for now.

Good point Weep. I feel that as we speak, we're a lot deeper at the forward position than on defense. For that reason, I'd rather start with a true legitimate top 4 defenseman now, someone who can log 20 minutes a game to be paired with Hamrlik, preferably right handed and who can play on the PP. That guy could help suffer the loss of one of our top 3 defensemen if an injury was to happen.

Then at the deadline I'd try for a sniper like Havlat or Gaborik.

[Rocket-1]

lol It makes no sense at all, who whould you choose between Havlat and Gaborik ? (Don't think about injury because they're both injure sometimes)

If your answer is something different than Gaborik all day everyday, i don't know what your thinking lol.

[2VP]

RDS reporting Havlat, that's funny. They should stick to reporting sports scores, that's about all they're good for.

[animerules1x3]

lol It makes no sense at all, who whould you choose between Havlat and Gaborik ? (Don't think about injury because they're both injure sometimes)

If your answer is something different than Gaborik all day everyday, i don't know what your thinking lol.

Well, my answer is none of the above. They are both talented, but both injury-plagued and both paid too much to fill no need on our team.

[tmash]

RDS reporting Havlat, that's funny. They should stick to reporting sports scores, that's about all they're good for.

Well Eklund is in the hospital, someone needs to fill the void

[HabsFanInCalgary]

Dude-Get use to this...You're going to hear every hair brained trade scenario from now until D-day...I will be so glad when the trade deadline comes and goes because then I won't have to listen to 75 rumors of Gaborik coming to MTL for Higgins, MacDonaugh, Halak, a 1st round pick and a case of Molson Ex.

Can I get some of that Ex?

Completely understand that everyone has to chip their two cents on every trade rumor, but all anyone seems to think is that we do not need another forward, but a D-man. It wasn't our D that lost us our chance in the playoffs last year, but our scoring < and maybe Birons hot play >, or lack there of. This is almost the same lineup < add Tangs/Lang, subtract Smolinski > In MHO, that's not enough change up front to say we've done enough to our forwards to do any better come playoff time this year. As per the norm in Montreal, Koivu will do well come playoff time as will some other veterans, but will that be enough? Highly unlikely. Again, just MHO. I'm not saying that Havlat is the answer, nor is Gaborik. If the Habs get someone it should be a proven playoff performer, not someone who plays great in the season and disappears come crunch time. Our D was fairly solid < Brisbois was one of the best ones - 6pts> during the playoffs last year.

[risteenhuis]

I think that the two most logic star players that BG would be interested in would be Havlat and Bouwmeester. However, Havlat would make more sense today only if Andrei Kostitsyn is gone for several weeks with concussion. (I have NO information about Andrei Kostitsyn injury status). I would put Gaborik as far more of a long shot given the defensive style of the Wild and salary implications for Gaborik.

Havlat is a game breaker. Tends to get injuried, too often. True sniper and sure to get a couple of highlight reel goals every season. Chicago seems to be trying to get younger roster. Montreal has a lot of young prospects and possibly enough roster players to get a deal done.

To Montreal: Havlat $6 million (UFA)

To Chicago: Higgins $1.7 (RFA), Dandenault $1.725 (UFA), Bouillon $1.875 (UFA), D'Agostini or 2nd round pick

Despite some fans that think it is funny that Dandenault and Bouillon are included don't look at the salary cap hit that a player like Havlat has on a team. My logic is this. Only the top 8 teams in the NHL would want Havlat because he is UFA and injuried often. Those same top 8 NHL are all very limited in cap space. Therefore if a team like Chicago wants to rid itself of some salary ($6 million) and get some assets (Higgins and prospect) then they must be willing to accept some salary cap in return. The nice thing is that Chicago then has options regarding Bouillon and Dandenault. Chicago could trade those players, waive (hope another team picks up the player or at least half of the salary), or demote to AHL (full salary with no cap hit).

Why would teams like Toronto want a player like Havlat? They are trying to win the draft lottery and the arena is already sold out. Sure they have the cap space, for Sundin.

Would a team like Phoenix want Havlat when the team is close to going broke? Adding Havlat does not help team revenue enough to come close to expense. Great hockey market in PHX.