Habs' Gauthier Sidesteps Media and Fans with Late Night Trade
by Robert L on Aug 19, 2010 12:08 PM EDT
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It is not as though the Montreal Canadiens organization ought to call a full blown press conference to announce and explain every minor deal the club makes, but they surely could be more forthcoming in their manner of accomodating the press.
Case in point, the very misunderstood swap on Tuesday that sent Hamilton Bulldogs netminder Cedrick Desjardins to Tampa for exiled KHL goalie Kari Rammo.
The deal was somewhat baffling on first take, and yours truly among others, got caught up in the ozoned details and unexplained nature of it. From many parts, a lot of questions were fired into a great void without much of an answer from GM Pierre Gauthier on the motives behind it.
Gauthier has a certain method about him when confronting the Montreal Media Madness. Unlike Bob Gainey before him, he gives a good quote or two, wraps it in a provokative thought, and then openly says to further prodding that its time he zips his lips. In the instance of minor deals, the team simply issues a press statement regarding the player(s) being acquiring that never contains a shred of thought on why the traded player is leaving the organization.
Traditionally, that is not the purpose of the press release per se, but something as simple as a five minute conference call to reporters, with one simple statement in mind, would go a long way to clarifying thoughts and explaining motives to media and hence fans of the team.
In this area, the organization comes up short in recognizing and respecting their fans needs via the media
They are not helping themselves much by proceding this way, because in the interim of the story breaking and the real story emerging, all kinds of things (untrue and speculative) are written and needless thoughts are formed.
Desjardins' case is even more particular and needy, and the ensuing confusing is mighty testament to what will occur every time in the future when details are not forthcoming.
The departing goalie is one of a few francophone players in the organization at the moment. No need to reindulge ourselves into what Quebec born players mean to media and fans in the province. Goaltending itself is also a hot topic, at any given time.
So you have a goalie, a francophone, and a trade. Hmmm!
Is it not somewhat predictable what will occur?
Consider Desjardins is a sympathetic player who has come a long way in his career. His tale reads almost like a feel-good hard luck story. Undrafted, the kid never gave up, dug in his heels in junior despite doubts about his talent level, and emerged a Memorial Cup winner. Signing a contract with the Canadiens, he then went off to Cincinnati and won a Kelly Cup. Next came an AHL challenge in Hamilton, in which he posted interesting numbers, league leading ones that gained him accolades along the way. Despite misgivings about him, he was threading together successive positive seasons and in the eyes of some, was about to knock on the Canadiens goaltending door this coming training camp.
So the Montreal francophone press and fans are pulling for the kid and want him to do well, but....he's not quite in the team's bigger picture, and he's trade, to the dismay of some.
And in all this, the Canadiens and Gauthier say not a word!
It's a shame, because the real story here is a good one, and much better than the press the club and the trade itself received since Tuesday.
Francois Gagnon, in a La Presse article titled Ramo instead of Desjardins! Really? (Ramo plutôt que Desjardins! Vraiment?) had this to say:
In the same paper, in an article titled "Cédrick Desjardins traded; the art of making friends" (l'art de se faire des amis), Richard Labbé writes:By unveiling the news in the middle of the night on Monday, Pierre Gauthier did not indicate in his press release, not only what motivated him to trade another francophone, but worse, also replace a goaltender who has had a winning record everywhere he's played by one who has posted inferior statistics.
In all, he must have a good reason or two. I'm just anxious to hear them...
Translation:
En dévoilant la nouvelle en milieu de soirée lundi, Pierre Gauthier n’a pas indiqué dans son communiqué de presse ce qui l’avait motivé à laisser partir un autre francophone, mais pire, à remplacer un gardien affichant un fiche gagnante partout où il est passé par un autre qui n’a jamais présenter des statistiques équivalentes.
In all, he must have a good reason or two. I'm just anxious to hear them...
I understand fully that Pierre Gauthier is not in position to make friends, but often we get the impression he'd rather let his clientele dangle. Translation: Je sais bien que Pierre Gauthier n'est pas là pour se faire des amis, mais parfois, on dirait qu'il se balance un peu de sa clientèle.
Arpon Basu of The Daily Hab-it titling his piece Beyond Comprehension
Once I got past the initial feelings of disbelief, it was confusion that took over my thoughts as I tried to figure why - in the same summer you traded away perhaps the finest young goalie in the league, let alone the organization - you would immediately trade another promising young goalie for a castaway who has been relegated to KHL duty?
I echoed Mr, Basu's sentiment somewhat, angling my take at the dwindling goalie depth chart:
I fail to follow the logic of acquiring a player (in this case, simply his rights) who cannot perform for the organization immediately in some capacity somewhere on the depth chart beginning now.
Rick Keene at A Winnning Habit also placed the minor trade in big picture.
Given the relative uncertainty in Montreal – not knowing how Carey Price will respond to pressure and Alex Auld ’s seemingly recent status of journeyman, the move is baffling. Desjardins was one of the best young goaltenders in the AHL while Rammo on the other hand, has not shown an ability to pay with the big boys, although he did play his handful of games on a defensively challenged Lighning squad.
So there you have it, five perspectives all written from the view behind a muddied lens, thanks to a trade announced in the middle of the night by an uninforming GM Gauthier.
In the interim, opinions were strongly formed, the media stumped, and fans misguided to the true notions behind the deal. It's just plain wrong.
The francophone press, like good houndogs on any trail, pursued the story another day, straight to a source with no motives to sidestep. Credit them for digging up all that we needed to know.
In talking to Cédrick Desjardins himself, two french papers managed to nail all the reasons why the deal went down in the first place. Not only are those reasons simple and understandable under the circumstances, they could just as easily have been relayed by Gauthier himself.
Eric Leblanc of RDS (Tampa Challenge Inspires Desjardins / Le défi de Tampa inspire Desjardins) managed to put together quotes from both Desjardins and Canadiens' public relations man Donald Beauchamp to advance what was behind the veil.
Hence a picture becomes clearer. Speaking is good!
"At first I was caught off guard, because I wasn't expecting it and was readying myself for the Canadiens' training camp". - Desjardins
Translation:
"Au début, c’était l’effet de surprise car je ne m’y attendais pas et je me préparais pour le camp d’entraînement du Canadien". - Desjardins
Concerning Ramo, the Canadiens Vice President of Communications, Donald Beauchamps, confirmed that he will play out his season in Russia.
Consider it as a favour done to Cédrick Desjardins, as Sanford and Robert Mayer will be our goalies in Hamilton for the upcoming season. Once he has completed his contract in Russia, Ramo will become a goalie with NHL experience for the Canadiens organiation.
Translation:
Quant à Ramo, le vice-président communications du Canadien, Donald Beauchamp, a confirmé à RDS qu’il allait compléter son entente en Russie.
C'est comme une faveur que nous faisons à Cédrick Desjardins car Curtis Sanford et Robert Mayer seront nos gardiens avec les Bulldogs de Hamilton cette saison. Quand il aura complété son contrat en Russie, Ramo sera un gardien avec de l'expérience dans la LNH pour notre organisation, a déclaré Beauchamp.
Now, there's a starter to a fire. Desjardins was out of the picture in Hamilton it seems, although the Canadiens signed him to a contract on July 20, nineteen days after signing both Alex Auld and Curtis Sanford on July 1.
This info opens the speculative thinking caps nice and wide. Was Desjardins battling for positioning with Auld for the backup job in Montreal, with Sanford for the starter's role in Hamilton, or with Robert Mayer for the backup role.
Either way, and it is beside the point now, the Canadiens will not have a fifth organizational goalie to supply to the ECHL Cincinnati Cyclones, who are continuing their affiliation agreement with the Canadiens.
Beauchamp's statement claims that Desjardins no longer fit into team plans. Why then, did Montreal put him under contract on July 20? A dumbass guess, would be because Desjardins had accrued a certain value. The favour Montreal has done for him by trading him to Tampa could just have easily been done by allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent, could it not? By signing him, Gauthier was able to gain an asset in Ramo - that's a good thing! So, why not pounce on the opportunity to make oneself appear intelligent under the circumstances. Only Pierre Gauthier can answer that one! Later on Wednesday, Le Journal de Montreal's Jean-Philippe Bertrand uncovered the nugget of truth. Desjardins, through his agent, hinted that if he was no longer in the Habs' plans, he didn't want to twist in the wind. Alas! So much muck and mire to scrape off for simple discovery! From Bertrand's article (A Real First Shot / Cédrick Desjardins: une vraie première chance), come these revelations:
After seeing that Jaroslav Halak had been traded to the St. Louis Blues in June, Desjardins thought he had an NHL shot. But when the Canadiens signed Alex Auld, the cards were laid on the table.
No longer convinced he had a chance to graduate to the Canadiens, the 25 year old athlete did not hide his opinion to his superiors that he felt he would have a better shot at the big leagues with another organization.
"It wasn't openly put that way, but my agent made it known that it would be preferable that if they were not intending to give me a shot, that they should trade me," Desjardins added.
Translation:
En voyant Jaroslav Halak quitter vers St. Louis en juin dernier, il pensait bien que ça y était. " Mais avec l’embauche d’Alex Auld, l’équipe a décidé de prendre une toute autre direction", a-t-il mentionné lorsque joint au téléphone, mardi.
Ne croyant plus en ses chances de graduer un jour avec le Tricolore, l’athlète de 25 ans n’a pas caché à ses patrons avoir l’intention de se faire valoir ailleurs.
" Ça n’a pas été dit clairement comme ça, mais mon agent a fait comprendre à l’organisation qu’il serait préférable de m’échanger si elle n’avait pas l’intention de me donner ma chance", a-t-il ensuite ajouté.
So, for all intents, Desjardins asked for the trade. That's the story. The whole of it, and the origin of it. That's it and that's all. In the media and in minds of the fans, trades and the details behind them, mostly originate from the Canadiens organization themselves, but as we see, this is not always the case. We've all been trumped, stumped, duped and played. Just a little insight would have been appreciated, Pierre! Like many of us, I want to like Pierre Gauthier and want to have faith in what he does, but why does he have to make that so difficult for us fans? It's a runaround of sorts, when we want conciseness. Is that too much to ask? The Canadiens, often accused of not providing a path for Quebec born prospects, have enabled one of their own, let's suggest, to reach the NHL. In signing and grooming the long shot Desjardins, the Habs did a good thing, but that all becomes lost in this embroglio. Like everything else bottom line, it won't matter to them until the team bites it and the sellouts cease. Whether it is the organization or Gauthier himself, the Canadiens bungled a shot at making themselves look good, turning a positive into a negative. All this over a minor trade!
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It’s also noteworthy that Desjardins was one year away from becoming a UFA, providing he doesn’t play 28 games in the NHL this year. So Gauthier got an asset for next year since instead of losing it for nothing.
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Other view
Robert I think you are looking at this the wrong way. Gauthier is doing bloggers and the media a favour. By saying nothing it allows you guys to write a multitude of articles and have plenty of discussion behind his motives. If you get your explanation with the trade annoucement it’s one and done.
Your original story on the trade currently has 46 comments. If you write about the trade with all the details provided above you would get maybe 15 tops with no real discussion.
by hab a good time on Aug 19, 2010 12:47 PM EDT reply actions
Thanks, but no. I’d much rather have spent my time writing something substancial about the fact of the trade itself, than guessing its motives.
I could also make up countless rumours of deals and publish them on site, if I just wanted hits, traffic and comments.
Do you think I’ve ever been about that?
We had to guess the motives in the Halak deal. We had to guess on the timing. We had to question the motives.
What emerged became a theory. They dealt him because of cap constraints, they dealt him because Price’s future was controlled for another 4 years and with it his salary was constrained.
Then Gauthier held his press conference and reiterated all of those things. Job well done on our part. We were able to piece together the puzzle because of research and understanding of the situation.
The problem with this situation is because everybody was misinformed about Desjardin. They assumed that his potential was greater than it was because of his great stats in 2010.
No dirt digging on why he was benched in the playoffs. No dirt digging on why his stats plummeted from .930 to .903 over the second half etc.
As far as I am concerned, this is part of why people choose to come here. To understand things they do not. They want you to speculate. They want me to pull stats out of my ass and make them dance for them.
Sometimes we get shit wrong. C’est la vie. You were wrong with your speculation. Wasn’t the first, won’t be the last.
With the Halak trade, we pretty much knew the entirety of the reasons even before the trigger was pulled. It didn’t require a stretch of speculation on anyone’s part as to why it was made. Albeit, some folks who didn’t like it are still scratching their noggins.
About Desjardins, people may have been misinformed, but most assessments of players are done on the surface and are usually stat based. I’d say that 75% of people felt he had an honest shot at the Canadiens.
You have to realize Chris, that not every casual fan has the same perspective as you, and takes an analytical goaltender expert viewpoint to the question. They just see basic numbers, a good kid, in this case – a francophone, and there’s some hope for himin their eyes.
So when he’s traded, the casual fan doesn’t have the information, nor the answers in this case.
Add in that he’s a francophone, and the brew becomes this inflammatory overreaction.
My whole point is that the Habs’ organization ought to be sensitized to this, predictable as it is, and just issue a line. It would help.
Where does it stop? The media has an insatiable appetite for creating controversy. At what point do you just accept that they will blow things out of proportion?
Why is the onus on responsible journalism being placed on the Canadiens and not on the journalists?
You are proposing that a GM needs to justify a deal for an AHL prospect and explain his thought process on acquiring a KHL prospect. All of this to avoid speculation. Speculation brought on by traditional and new media who have created a scenario in their mind of what the player represents to them.
It’s not realistic.
Where does it stop?
I see it as one little line nipping something in the bud.
I don’t see it as taking the onus off responsible journalism at all – it will do what it does either way.
What I want is the missing part of the equation. We will always get the media and fan side. What I want is the team’s thinking to an extent, as that is what matters most on the whole.
When a deal is made, that is the part I want to ponder and write about, not what fans think. I want the team’s take.
I’m arguing all this from the point of view of someone who’s written a speculative article on the subject, not that of an uninvolved, outside the province onlooker, with all due respect.
Bottom line, I don’t want to read minds. I want to know from the team, their reasoning behind what I perceived to be an odd move.
The player made a trade request. Had he chose not to own up to this fact, we’d still be spinning cause the team never came forth.
We support the team, as fans.
We are buying into their product.
That doesn’t unequivocally entitle us to explanations, but the organization does want us go along with how they are running the team, do they not?
It would help.
They don’t even owe us a winning team on the ice.
They offered up an explanation why they traded Halak and still get heat from fans for what they did. They can’t satisfy everybody and they know they cannot.
They don’t owe me anything. I can choose not to follow, but I won’t and that is why organizations like MLSE have raped and pillaged a fanbase for 40+ years.
Not a good analogy – in Toronto, they will support a losing team because of a larger population- in Montreal, attendance drops. So there is an accountability, insofar as building a winner.
As far as not owing fans a winner, tell that to a season ticket holder.
Whether the team gets heat from a deal or satisfies fans with it or not, is beside the point.
It’s not even about Desjardins, it’s about the market the team serves.
Apologies
You’re right, I’m sorry. I know that you’re not about the sensationalism, but the majority of the media covering the Hab are. As I commented in your article on Francophone players, the majority of Montreal media reads like a British tabloid when it comes to covering the Habs. I guess my point is that sometimes speculations make a more interesting read and creates more articles then the truth.
by hab a good time on Aug 19, 2010 11:56 PM EDT up reply actions
Thanks for recognizing that.
And what you say about the Habs media is often very true, especially when it comes to the inflammatory radio talk shows.
In my case, my revenue is a flat proposition. I’m not paid by hits or traffic, so whether an article of mine is popular or not, makes no difference in that way.
My gripe with all this is hardly about the trade itself at this point, but the manner in which the Canadiens organization treat the feeding of their information to its fans.
I’m 48, and the media wasn’t always this way. There was once a time when they were actually in bed together, it seemed. In that era, moves were better explained, and often a context through a writer hit the pages before the next day’s announcement.
What it all added up to, was a better informed fan, who didn’t have to shred through bull to find a nugget of truth.
These days, as so much media is internet based, we must deal with a multitude of media and fan reaction, misinformed as it is, and twisted into something else entirely, before we can understand what is truly going on.
The whole purpose of today’s article, and the numerous comments back and forth, is to suggest that if the Canadiens’ press releases weren’t so stale, and their opinion of the press itself not so tainted, we fans would be better served by the team in getting the truth straight from the horses mouth.
The fans would be better served that’s for sure. Also Gauthier would be doing himself a huge favour. I understand he’s a busy man with more to worry about then his image in the media and with fans, but if he gets the truth out sooner the media and fans do not have any ammunition to “rip him a new one”.
by hab a good time on Aug 20, 2010 11:07 AM EDT up reply actions
One should wonder why a minor move such as a swap of two minor-league goalies without much of a NHL future would warrant a press conference in the first place. Then again, with the appalling superficiality, lack of analysis, and plain chauvinism of too much of the Montreal sports media, maybe you can’t assume they know things and need every little thing explained to them in detail.
Richard Labbe’s article really illustrates this and why Gauthier can’t really speak too much to the media — because everything he says will be intepreted in the most negative way possible if a francophone is involved. If Gauthier had done a press conference, these guys would have found a way to make what he said look bad, possibly worse than he does now.
(Side note: that guy is going to principally cover the Habs? Gods, why? He’s a football reporter, and a decent football reporter. However, he’s amply shown he’s not very good with understanding hockey past his own prejudices in the past, and just rehashes the Rejean Tremblay attitude. Sigh.)
I agree
This is taking the onus of “reporting” out of the hands of the reporter.
All of these things that were eventually clarified 2 days later were speculated on messageboards on Tuesday morning. The fact that the expectation of the media to do actual homework has been removed from the equation is exactly the problem with the paid traditional media.
Two minor league goaltenders are dealt and the media needs their hand held by Gauthier to explain to them the complexities of team dynamic, hierarchy and the basics of the CBA?
This is their job. The fact that 100% of them speculated incorrectly is the major problem here. The solution is not to hold their hand, the solution is for them to earn their pay cheque by getting off their ass and looking into reasons the Canadiens made the move, not wait for the Canadiens to explain why they made the move.
With today’s environment when every individual is driven by protecting their brand and in extension their own ass, nobody should seek the brands explanation for why they did something. You will receive a self justified answer, not necessarily the correct one.
I have to disagree 100% with you on this one Robert.
All Gauthier needed to say or clarify was that the goaltender asked for the trade – plain and simple. What on God’s earth could then be misconstrued about that, by anyone?
It’s not hand holding – it’s just straight shooting.
You want reporters to report, not speculate or interpert. That’s where the trouble starts.
With the truth, nothing goes afoul.
I quoted close to have dozen articles that got it wrong. Is that not proof enough that something’s amiss?
Gauthier doesn’t need to haul the entire press corps into the Bell Centre for this, he just needs to be accessible, make one call, and say a word or two.
I didn’t see people demanding an explanation for why Corey Locke was traded for Shawn Belle even though he was a multiple MVP in the OHL, CHL player of the year, AHL All-Star and Calder Cup champion as well as all time Hamilton Bulldog point, assist and goal leader. All at the age of 24 years old.
It is a case of becoming emotionally attached to something for one reason. Desjardins surname.
If the Canadiens let Curtis Sanford walk this off season would Gauthier have needed to explain to the media why he did so? If you look at their stats, Sanford’s are just as good.
Of course not. You act like this is not about speculation when that is exactly what this is about. It was an expectation by the media that Desjardins was something he wasn’t and the hope that he was. All of which came about because of his last name.
Gauthier doesn’t need to provide an explanation because the truth did come out. How did it come out? Through journalists not reacting but doing their job. All of the speculation that followed the deal harmed Gauthier and the Canadiens how? At the end of the day the answer is exactly the same, the only problem being that the majority of media that jumped on the topic without doing research were colossally wrong.
Why it is the Canadiens responsibility to assure that the media follows the proper path is beyond me. This is a non story that was blown out of proportion because of the nationality of the player involved. Simple as that.
No protocol change required as far as I am concerned.
The distinction is the francophone player. News involving them needs to be treated differently, as per the clientele. You don’t thumb your nose to that. It’s not a language issue, it’s one one respect.
There won’t be a call in show dedicated to the trading of Ben Maxwell when it happens. No need to wonder why.
Also, no one perceived that Locke’s stock was rising when he was dealt. Right or wrong, like it or not, agree or diagree, that was the general perception about Desjardins, as evidenced.
Why must the Canadiens handle the misperception created by the media?
You are holding Gauthier to a certain standard while clearing the media of their responsibility of sniffing out the facts of the story.
It removes all accountability from those covering it and places it at the feet of the Canadiens when the situation handled itself when somebody got off their ass and made some phone calls.
This is moving the onus of blame on the Canadiens for a minor move that they make all the time 100% based on the fact that the guy has a french last name.
Just because the media feels a player is on the rise doesn’t mean that he is. So now Gauthier has to assess a player and then assess how the media looks at the player in order to avoid some bloggers and reporters making a mistake? Or he has to give a sound byte and report on every french canadiens prospect the Habs decide to trade?
Am I crazy to see this as unreasonable?
So in all this, your take is that the Habs have no responsibility to inform their fans on why they do anything to do.
Given the way the media generally messes things up, purely for reads and ratings, you want to rely on them to establish the team’s point of view on things for fans and readers?
Considering how they blow up the language issue in almost anything, you want to count on their being responsible to us?
You want the organization itself to trust that the media will properly represent the moves they chose to make?
Me, I don’t want to be that misinformed!
This is a NOTHING move.
Whether you or anybody else choose to view Desjardins as a strong prospect has absolutely nothing to do with the Montreal Canadiens. Gauthier does not owe an explanation why he traded his 4th string goaltender regardless of how you perceived Desjardins.
The media blew up the language issue on this and now look silly when it was Desjardins who asked for the trade. Somehow the twist has placed the onus on Gauthier for the media jumping to the wrong emotional conclusion.
Gauthier should be allowed to deal a 4th stringer without offering up an explanation to satisfy the needs of those who may have jumped to the wrong conclusion.
Again, it’s hardly about the move itself.
The Montreal market, fans, media expect things done a certain way when it comes to how they are informed. The Canadiens organization have nothing but disdain for the entire procedure. They grudgingly deal with the media and fans when it comes to information.
I was told this by at least three people working there in the medium. I won’t name, but you can guess who they’d be.
I hate to put it so bluntly, but you are totally out of touch with what the Canadiens’ provincial market entails and how fans in the province see their team. You’d have to be living there, in that reality, reading the french and english dailies, listening to incensed callers on talk shows, and getting what it all means in that big picture.
This brings me to another point that annoys me about the Montreal sports media. They’re entirely too full of themselves and their sense of self-importance.
Notice how often the media props up guys they like because they give them good quotes, and cast a much more negative light on the people that don’t relate well due to the media, even if it’s only due to shyness or unfamiliarity with the language. Too often, performance on the ice has nothing to do with how media portray a player. A few years back one actually suggested trading the “dour, taciturn Markov” — imagine if the organization did build their
Gainey decided a while back to not let the media fly with the players in their charter plane. That doesn’t seem entirely unreasonable in the modern NHL, but the media saw it as taking away an acquired privilege and some of them, especially some of the older guard, NEVER forgave that.
In other wordd. You say you can name three people in the media who feel the Habs treat them with disdain. I can easily think of that many who mistake “not treating them with reverence” with “disdain for the procedure”… people whose opinion I’m not inclined to trust, largely because it’s not actually about the Habs’ media relationships, it’s about them and their little privileges and self-importance.
Notice how often the media props up guys they like because they give them good quotes, and cast a much more negative light on the people that don’t relate well due to the media, even if it’s only due to shyness or unfamiliarity with the language. Too often, performance on the ice has nothing to do with how media portray a player.
See: Koivu, Saku
SNN Sports - A theoretical Oilers blog (i.e. theoretically, I write stuff there). Link now 100% less broken.
I’ve followed the team through both medias for so long that I recognize so many of them by their original styles, that it’s not possible for me to paint them all with the same brush.
It’s a good cop / bad cop thing.
They do serve their market well, giving people what they want most of the time. There is favouratism, that’s for sure.
With Koivu, let’s just say so he was no hypocrite, and that he had a long memory.
A Thief in the Night...
Apparently Gauthier is applying an age old method when reporting bad or unpopular news: do it late at night or on a Friday. That way the media coverage is minimal. That’s how American presidents always release unpleasant news(on a Friday afternoon\night after all the first-string media types have left town for the weekend… by Monday it’s “old news” already). Maybe Gauthier isn’t so dumb after all… LOL!
by Montcalm's Revenge on Aug 19, 2010 2:21 PM EDT reply actions
I think this is hilarious about all the fuss over a goalie who will NEVER make it to the NHL. Desjardins is a backup AHL goalie at best. Why are we turning this into a big conspiracy to keep him from coming in and taking the spotlight away from Price. Is it because he is Francophone. Of course it is. As far as I’m concerned, like it or not, Gauthier is doing a pretty good job with what he has to work with. He traded Halak, which was the right move at the time. He never would have got Eller and Schultz for Price. Also, he got rid of one of the Kostitsyn’s. All he got to do now is get rid of AK46, let Hamrilik play out his last year, hopefully deal him at the deadline, if notm let him walk and resigning Gorges to a 3-5 year deal is a must. Hopefully he can get Markov resigned for 2-3 at about $5M/year. And we all got to wait out Gomez’s horrible contract.
But in regards to Desjardins……………Who Cares
That’s an interesting point of view, Robert. I mostly agree with you on that one.
Just a minor point though, I don’t think the Cyclones are continuing their affiliation with the habs, in spite of what the Predators website says. The Cyclones themselves announced that their agreement with Montreal was over. It must be a mistake on the Preds site. The habs don’t really have anyone to send to the ECHL right now anyway.
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