Habs Acquire Petteri Nokelainen from Phoenix
by Bruce Peter on Oct 23, 2011 12:45 PM EDT
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It may not be the huge move some people wanted, but the Canadiens added the center depth they had been looking for ever since the attempted waiver claim of Blair Betts:
Montreal Canadiens general manager, Pierre Gauthier, announced today the acquisition of forward Petteri Nokelainen and defenseman Garrett Stafford from the Phoenix Coyotes, in return for forward Brock Trotter and a 7th-round draft pick in 2012.
Nokelainen will join the Canadiens in Montreal, while Stafford will report to the AHL Hamilton Bulldogs. Forward Michael Blunden has been recalled from the Bulldogs, while forwards Andreas Engqvist and Aaron Palushaj have been assigned to Hamilton.
The difference in age between Nokelainen and Trotter is exactly one year, so it's not like the Canadiens are giving up a promising youngster here. Engqvist was not NHL ready, and the way the Canadiens used their 4th line in recent games indicated Martin didn't trust them for anything but the easiest of situations.
That being said, Phoenix didn't trust Nokelainen for much more than that, either. Palushaj did well in the advanced metrics categories in admittedly a very limited role, but the Canadiens are calling up the more experienced Blunden to replace him on the wing. All the players involved are right-handed shots.
Garrett Stafford ( (31 and just 7 NHL games to his credit) will report to the Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL), andwill help out a depleted defensive corps in Hamilton. Stafford has bad memories of Copps Coliseum, though, as he's best known as the victim of Alexander Perezhogin's infamous stick-swinging incident in the 2004 AHL Playoffs.
Gauthier stated that he would not comment on the moves today. The transactions were announced shortly after the Canadiens had a team meeting. The team did not practice today.
Habs Press Release on the trade
Side note: Nokelainen will become the first Finnish player to play for the Canadiens since former captain Saku Koivu left via free agency in 2009. He was drafted in the first round, 16th overall, in 2004 by the New York Islanders and the Canadiens are his fifth NHL team. He played last year in Helsinki, Finland, for Jokerit of the SM-Liiga. He had a 58.1% faceoff rating so far this year, but was a 45.0% in 2009-10, his last NHL season. He played upwards of 2 minutes a game shorthanded in 2009-10, but this year was used more on the PP than SH by Phoenix.
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Per Eric Engels on Twitter
Nokelainen is a,“pest of a player, who plays tough, similar style to Max Lapierre without the antics.”
Kevin van Steendelaar
http://www.twitter.com/kvansteendelaar
but don't forget...
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by Kevin van Steendelaar on Oct 23, 2011 12:53 PM EDT reply actions
In other words, he’s Finnish.
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by Bruce Peter on Oct 23, 2011 12:54 PM EDT up reply actions
Hahaha my thoughts exactly.
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by Andrew Berkshire on Oct 23, 2011 12:59 PM EDT up reply actions
and if Nokelainen doesn’t pan out, Gauthier might be “Finnished!” LOL
Kevin van Steendelaar
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but don't forget...
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by Kevin van Steendelaar on Oct 23, 2011 1:07 PM EDT up reply actions
While this deal and the Blunden call up definitely improve the Habs 4th line, I’m still a big meg on the situation.
On the other hand if this is the panic move, I’m very thankful that Bruce Garrioch is once again wrong.
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by Andrew Berkshire on Oct 23, 2011 1:00 PM EDT reply actions
This trade would’ve happened if the team was winning. Betts claim foreshadowed it, injuries across the board and Engqvist’s play necessitated it.
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I agree. I’m just hoping this is all there is for trades. I really don’t want any panic moves.
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by Andrew Berkshire on Oct 23, 2011 1:05 PM EDT up reply actions
I agree. Habs needed to strengthen the fourth line before the season began. Gauthier just didn’t expect damaged goods from the Flyers.
Kevin van Steendelaar
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by Kevin van Steendelaar on Oct 23, 2011 1:06 PM EDT up reply actions
The real mistake probably was not retaining Halpern for another year.
by Stephan Cooper on Oct 23, 2011 2:14 PM EDT up reply actions
Five for Howling
Too funny that the team site hasn’t posted the trade yet. They’re too busy trying to sell/give awaytickets.
At least our fellows at FFH are on the ball.
Kevin van Steendelaar
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but don't forget...
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by Kevin van Steendelaar on Oct 23, 2011 1:10 PM EDT reply actions
Although FFH called Garrett Stafford Drew Stafford. I really wish we had traded Trotter and a 7th for Nokelainen and Drew Stafford, that’d be quite the deal!
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Or Kyle Turris!
Passed on Halpern. Bet the bank of Engqvist. Missed out on Steckel. Admitted mistake by grabbing Betts. Scraped the barrel with Nokelainen. Lesson learned.
I don’t mean to sound naive but you have to wonder how things might have gone if Markov could have started the season, we signed a decent 4th centre and Cammy hadn’t cut his leg. I know that’s a lot of ifs but…..
I think they would be more patient with Engqvist if Gomez was still out there eating minutes with Eller as the 3rd line C. But right now, I think they need someone to take dzone faceoffs off Desharnais’s shoulders and Martin seems unwilling to sacrifice Eller’s offensive output by starting him more often 200 ft from the opposition’s net. A shame, because Lars sure looks good in the defensive zone.
That surprises me. I’d think the Eller line was designed for some hard slogging.
It might just be a comprimise though, Eller got the tough assignment, Desharnais the defensive start.
by Stephan Cooper on Oct 23, 2011 2:46 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, that deal would have been great for you guys. My mind was still on the EPL games this morning when I posted the original version.
Garrett is a AHL/NHL tweener type D-man from what little I’ve seen of him. He played a couple of game in PHX last season. He got the call up because of how well he played in San Antonio.Very good AHL guy, but 6/7 NHL d-man at best. I’m assuming he will be in Hamilton the rest of the year for you. Yotes have loads of blueline prospects so giving up Stafford as a throw in was no big deal.
Noki is a solid defensive forward, but those guys are a dime a dozen, well I guess unless you are the Habs. Don’t get excited by his PP time this year. For some reason Tippett had Noki and Raffi Torres on 2nd PP unit together. No clue why he thought it was a good idea. Worked about as good as you would expect.
Any thoughts on Trotter?
The Artist Formerly Known as CP2Devil.
Associate Editor at Five For Howling.
This was Bruce’s report on Trotter back in August as part of our Top 25 Under 25
http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/2011/8/15/2363431/habs-top-25-under-25-16-brock-trotter
Kevin van Steendelaar
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but don't forget...
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by Kevin van Steendelaar on Oct 23, 2011 3:02 PM EDT up reply actions
Excellent. Thanks Kevin.
The Artist Formerly Known as CP2Devil.
Associate Editor at Five For Howling.
Trotter could be a good pickup for Phoenix. He’s a smaller player but plays a big game.
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by Andrew Berkshire on Oct 23, 2011 3:07 PM EDT up reply actions
After reading Bruce’s piece I’d be inclined to agree. The Coyotes aren’t flush with young center prospects. Besides Miele, Colin Long is really the only other young guy they have. Miele was signed as a free agent (and now called up) because they lack scoring punch, so anyone who can put the puck in the net has a good chance of moving up in the organization.
The Artist Formerly Known as CP2Devil.
Associate Editor at Five For Howling.
To be honest, I always thought Trotter would be better as a winger in the NHL. But he’s got good speed and offensive instincts, can be a shooter or a playmaker. He needs someone to give him a shot in the NHL, and after a middling training camp, the Habs weren’t prepared to give him that chance.
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Leblanc
Derek Wills noted that Louis Leblanc could be ready to play by this Thursday.
http://fr.canoe.ca/sports/nouvelles/hockey/canadiens/archives/2011/10/20111020-124039.html
Wondering if the Trotter deal was a move to give him more ice time, right out of the gate, and accelerate him to the NHL level?
Kevin van Steendelaar
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but don't forget...
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by Kevin van Steendelaar on Oct 23, 2011 3:04 PM EDT reply actions
Interesting take on it.
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by Andrew Berkshire on Oct 23, 2011 3:07 PM EDT up reply actions
Leblanc should get top 6 minutes right off the bat.
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As long as we don’t have a similar situation as the Leafs had with Kadri last year, where the media and the uber-casual fanbase got upset when he didn’t instantly turn their fortunes around.
by westcoasthabs on Oct 23, 2011 4:14 PM EDT up reply actions
I meant Top 6 in Hamilton. I don’t think the Bulldogs’ fanbase has ever ruined a player. :)
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Copps Coliseum is a vicious, vicious venue sir…
my bad ;)
by westcoasthabs on Oct 23, 2011 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions
Leafs screwed up Kadri by calling him up-sending him down a couple times. I doubt many of Burke’s comments about him bolstered his confidence either.
Truth be told taht as was the case with Subban, he grew up a Habs fan, along with his dad.
Kevin van Steendelaar
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but don't forget...
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by Kevin van Steendelaar on Oct 23, 2011 5:08 PM EDT up reply actions
We need the 4th line centre- the loss of Halpern has hurt more than the coaching staff or front office thought. To me, the biggest issue is getting the defense pairings to gel. Last night illustrated that the problem isn’t in the offensive end, at least in terms of pressure. We’re not clearing pucks from the front of the net the way we used to, and that completely f’s up JM’s strategy for the team. We don’t have the defensive horses that we need to be able to absorb our opponent’s offense, while giving our forwards a head start up ice to counterattack. Just look at the lineup change.
Last year we started with this:
Markov-Gorges
Hammer-Spacek
Gill-Subban
7th- Weber
This year, it’s this:
Subban-Gill
Gorges-Weber
Emelin-Diaz
How were we not going to suffer in the standings?
Markov didn’t return until Nov., and only played 7 games. It was actually this to start:
Hammer-Spacek
Gill-Gorges
Picard-Subban
7th: O’Byrne
Still a more experienced and complete group than our current one.
Puck Worlds: Chasing Pucks from here to Turku.
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Yeah, sorry. I should have refreshed my memory a little more before posting.
But the fact that Wisniewski replaced Markov later in the season still represents a major upgrade in experience. And that’s after Picard began to slide off, and we felt the defense needed to be addressed.
by westcoasthabs on Oct 24, 2011 4:23 PM EDT up reply actions
Picard didn’t so much “slide off” as “stopped playing alongside Subban”.
It’s a bit like Komisarek didn’t get worse after being traded to Toronto, he just wasn’t playing next to Markov anymore!
by Simon Lamarche on Oct 24, 2011 7:25 PM EDT up reply actions
Price and Subban being bulled over, and no one coming to their aid is just more proof that this team is too soft and intimidated to compete in this league. Georges got pounded by Malone coming to the aid of Campoli and thats where the team toughness ended. JM hockey sucks and PG should stop looking beyond that and bring in a coach that knows how to use the skilled players on this team, and bring in the toughness with players that can hold their own.
I don’t think a goon really solves this. Leafs have Orr and Rosehill and Reimer gets run often enough. They are good to give the fans something to cheer for if the home team is losing or needs a pick me up.
something to cheer for if the home team is losing or needs a pick me up.
Unfortunately, this situation has presented itself a lot this year.
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by Bruce Peter on Oct 24, 2011 10:54 AM EDT up reply actions
Will never happen under this passive regime. Typical French speaking management in these situations “run away and hide” is the only words they know. You have to give kudos for the players for taking this bullying for so long but at some point this is going to implode……this week is looking real good for a blow-up. JM stoked the flames with some gas last night by throwing Cole under the bus by saying he was at fault for one of the bench minors. There was no chance it couldn’t have come from one of the 200 different line changes during the game. Has JM owned up to all of the other Bench Minors for TMMOTI this year publicly….I think not.
"It's only through change we learn to grow".
I think you could make that point, and leave out the discriminatory remarks against french-canadians
Montreal Canadiens///Toronto Blue Jays///Baltimore Ravens
by rsty on Oct 24, 2011 3:48 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
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