The Montreal Canadiens figure to be right in the middle of the so-called Free Agent Frenzy as the period set out by the NHL for the signing of free agents opens later today. Not only do the Habs have 10 regulars to re-sign, but they are also on the hunt for a couple pick ups from other teams.
GM Bob Gainey has proven to be a little gun shy over the past couple of years so I thought I would post my thoughts on the free agent market and who I would like to see take the Bell (can we call it Molson again?) Centre ice next fall…
GOALIES
- Jaroslav Halak ($800,000)
- Carey Price ($850,000)
DEFENCE
- Andrei Markov ($5,750,000)
- Francis Bouillon ($1,875,000)
- Dion Phaneuf ($6,500,000 last season)
- Roman Hamrlik ($5,500,000)
- Josh Gorges ($1,000,000)
- Derek Morris ($3,900,000 last season)
FORWARDS
- Alex Tanguay ($5,250,000 last season)
- Alexei Kovalev ($4,500,000 last season)
- Saku Koivu ($4,750,000 last season)
- Max Pacioretty ($875,000)
- Marian Gaborik ($6,333,000 last season)
- Sergei Kostitsyn ($585,000)
- Matt d’Agostini ($500,000 last season)
- Christopher Higgins ($1,700,000 last season)
- Guillaume Latendresse ($850,000 last season)
- Chris Neil ($1,100,000 last season)
- Maxim Lapierre ($800,000)
- Georges Laraque ($1,500,000)
PAYROLL: $54,918,000
So, all Gainey has to do is sign unrestricted free agents Koivu, Kovalev, Tanguay and Bouillon, as well as restricted free agents Higgins, Latendresse and d’Agostini. Convince Calgary to trade Dion Phaneuf for Andrei Kostitsyn and a few prospects that could include Kyle Chipchura, Ryan McDonagh, Ben Maxwell or David Fischer. He would have to sign unrestricted free agents Marian Gaborik, Chris Neil and Derek Morris.
More realistically, the Habs will lose at least one high priced free agent in order to bring the payroll under the $57 million salary cap. If I had to choose one, I would let Alex Tanguay go. Its not that I don’t like Tanguay (I have been following him since he was a 16 year old Halifax Moosehead) or that I think that he can’t be a positive offensive contributor to the team, its just that Koivu and Kovalev mean too much to the team and the city of Montreal. It would be hard to argue that the Habs got their $5 million worth from Tanguay last year and it would be hard to justify an increase in his salary for 2009-10.
It will also be difficult to pry Phaneuf away from the Flames, especially if Darryl Sutter is unable to reach a deal with Jay Bouwmeester.
I don’t think I would shed any tears if somehow the team was unable to reach a deal with Guillaume Latendresse, but I am not holding my breath.
There, of course, is also a lot of talk that the Habs are pulling out all of the stops to get Vincent Lecavalier. Maybe I’m crazy, but I am not as thrilled as most about the prospect of having the 1998 first overall draft pick. Sure, he is a great player, but he doesn’t seem that keen to join the Canadiens. Given the media and fan pressure he will face as a hometown superstar, any reluctance to be in Montreal will be a major problem.
Believe it or not, the free agent I would most like to see the Canadiens pick up is the Senators’ Chris Neil. Neil is the prototypical enforcer in the post-strike NHL. He is about as tough as they come, but he can actually play hockey. More than that, he is a threat to score a goal every time he is on the ice. While his offensive numbers have gone down over the last two years, Neil could be expected to score 15 goals and 35 or 40 points if he stays healthy and he is given the opportunity. As an added bonus, I think he would compliment a properly employed Georges Laraque and would be the cornerstone of an impressive fourth line.
Other unrestricted free agents that should pique Gainey’s interest are Mattias Ohlund, the Sedin twins, Mark Camilleri and Steve Sullivan.
