Habs make Cole signing official
by Kevin van Steendelaar on Jul 1, 2011 8:12 PM EDT
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Well we all knew it for some time, but it wasn't until just after 6:30 that the Montreal Canadiens made it official that they signed free agent forward Erik Cole to a four-year deal.
Terms of the contract were not disclosed by the Canadiens in their press release, naturally, but it is being reported at $4.5 million per season.
The signing gives the Habs something they've needed for a long time, a good sized winger who can score and throw his weight around. Cole laid out 225 hits last season, and is known for his physical play and leadership skills.
CTV's Arpon Basu noted on Twitter that 22 of Cole's 26 goals came at even strength and that seven of his goals came in the last 11 games if the season, during the Canes push for a playoff spot.
More and reaction from Cole after the jump.
The 32-year-old was also a perennial Habs killer, logging 25 points in 28 games against his new team. His abilities came to light against Montreal, during the second round 2002 Stanley Cup playoffs, when Cole and his BBC line teammates were a dominant force.
Marc-Antione Godin of LaPresse feels that coach Jacques Martin might line him up with Tomas Plekanec and Mike Cammalleri to start the season.
Now it's just a waiting game until politics kick in and someone notices that the Habs current top-six may consist of four Americans (or three Americans and a Belarusian), a Czech and a Canadian from Ontario.
Tweet of the day: Tony Marianaro: "April 18, 2011. Jack Edwards re B.Pouliot: ''Benoit Pouliot 1 of greatest disappointments of talent in NHL History.'' You were saying, Jack?"
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I like it. Budaj is an upgrade and I really like signing Cole. I think he will be an excellent fit. He has good size and a lot of speed. I’m not sure if he grew up a Habs fan, but I would expect that, since most hockey fans from that area of NY are Habs fans.
My only concern is how comfortable Budaj is being a backup playing only 20 games or less.
If Budaj came to Montreal not knowing what he was in for, his agent needs to be shot.
Not fired. Shot.
I think John Lu tweeted some quotes from Budaj where he said he knew the situation in Montreal and was happy to be a backup.
He knows his roll. Plus JM will give him a few “hunch” starts against some west opponents.
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by Kevin van Steendelaar on Jul 1, 2011 9:42 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I think most people in Oswego....
root for the Sabres.
Nothing Is Fool proof if you have the right fools.
by GiantsCauseway on Jul 2, 2011 7:00 PM EDT up reply actions
yes, you might be right. I meant “many” rather than “most”.
If the Habs are second in NHL fan support there, it is not by much. I know this because I lived in Potsdam (roughly 15 minutes from Ogdensburg) for a year.
Most of the hockey fans up there are NCAA fans supporting either Saint Lawrence, or Clarkson, who Cole happened to play for.
I seriously can not believe how well the Habs did here today. Budaj is an upgrade on Auld for cheap, but Cole, man. That’s the diamond in the rough out there this year, and to get him for the same price as Leino and Fleischmann is just awesome. As MathMan said on another thread, he’s a fit in so many ways it’s unreal. I think he’ll fit very well with Plekanec and Cammalleri.
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by Andrew Berkshire on Jul 1, 2011 9:02 PM EDT reply actions
I can easily get used to watching to Cole banging in the corner, digging the puck to Pleks, who then feeds to Cammy. For just $5 mil more than what Wiz will take in alone next season.
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by Kevin van Steendelaar on Jul 1, 2011 9:40 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Free agency is a bit like a trade with except in a monetary economy rather than barter. I’d gladly trade Auld and Wisniewski for Cole and Budaj.
by Stephan Cooper on Jul 1, 2011 9:45 PM EDT up reply actions
Me too!
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by Andrew Berkshire on Jul 1, 2011 9:58 PM EDT up reply actions
I’m very excited about Cole with the team. His speed along with his size will work great with any of our top forwards. I think he will be able to contribute in a lot of ways.
My only concern at first was his health. But he played all 82 games last season and did well with a poor team.
Also, he grew up a Canadiens fan. His family still live in the Saint Lawrence county, he’s known Gionta from NCAA college days too, so it should be a great fit.
I can’t say enough good about PG/BG right now. The need for a top six guy who can create his own space was huge. They got their man, right off the bat, in Cole.
The injury issue will lurk with both Max Pac and Cole, but injuries are always an issue. Someone’s going to go down, perhaps several players. But Gomez and Kostitsyn both had down years, and if one or both rebound, suddenly we have a very dangerous forward corps to go with a strong blue line and Price.
The Budaj signing is fantastic. Even if he’s only NHL average, he’s a guy who can fill in for long stretches if Price gets hurt.
So far, a very solid offseason.
by westcoasthabs on Jul 2, 2011 1:03 AM EDT up reply actions
I believe Cole’s totals with 2002 playoffs included are 32 points in 34 games against the Habs. That bastard. He ruined my spring of ’02.
Let’s hope he helps make a spring sometime in the next four years a really memorable one to make up for that.
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Jonathan Willis with some analysis at The Score:
http://blogs.thescore.com/nhl/2011/07/01/montreal-signs-cole-budaj/
Positive on Cole (with the usual term and injury concerns), negative on Budaj. Have to say my thinking mirror his.
I can’t muster negative thoughts on Budaj. He’s much more talented than Auld is and costs 150K more per season.
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by Andrew Berkshire on Jul 1, 2011 9:59 PM EDT up reply actions
The one thing I never second guess the organization on. Because I’m pretty sure they know way better than me.
by Stephan Cooper on Jul 1, 2011 11:12 PM EDT up reply actions
Kent Wilson is a guy I think well off and didn’t like Montreal’s movements at all but from the way he wrote about them it didn’t look like he spent much time thinking about them. Just being against losing top-4 defensemen apparently regardless of whether they were needed in Montreal and what their salary demands were and also against signing free agents at the kind of money they commanded this year. Which is shortsighted I think given how the cap has risen. 4.5 million will be the going rate for a top support player like Cole over the next 3 years.
by Stephan Cooper on Jul 2, 2011 9:25 PM EDT up reply actions
Like I said, he’s 5th in salary on our team, 4th amongst forwards. I don’t think that’s out of line at all.
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Comparison time:
Which top-9 do like best in the Northeast.
Thomas Vanek ($7.142m) / Derek Roy ($4.000m) / Jason Pominville ($5.300m)
Drew Stafford ($4.000m) / Ville Leino ($4.500m) / Brad Boyes ($4.000m)
Jochen Hecht ($3.525m) / Tyler Ennis ($0.875m) / Nathan Gerbe ($1.433m)
Milan Lucic ($4.083m) / David Krejci ($3.750m) / Nathan Horton ($4.000m)
Brad Marchand ($0.821m) / Marc Savard ($4.007m) / Tyler Seguin ($3.550m)
Chris Kelly ($2.125m) / Patrice Bergeron ($5.000m) / Rich Peverley ($1.325m)
Mike Cammalleri ($6.000m) / Tomas Plekanec ($5.000m) / Erik Cole ($4.500m)
Max Pacioretty ($1.625m) / Scott Gomez ($7.357m) / Brian Gionta ($5.000m)
Andrei Kostitsyn ($3.250m) / Lars Eller ($1.270m) / David Desharnais ($0.850m)
If Marc Savard was healthy, Boston would probably be the best, but as it stands I like ours.
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by Andrew Berkshire on Jul 1, 2011 10:01 PM EDT up reply actions
If Savard is healthy, I’d take Boston’s. Without Savard I lean toward the Habs.
Montreal and Boston can both potentially make a top-9 move though.
I like the idea of going into the season with some cap space and giving DD a chance with Eller and AK. That would be a talented line.
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by Andrew Berkshire on Jul 1, 2011 10:16 PM EDT up reply actions
Unless a top-9 winger that will take a one year deal can be found I’m inclined to agree. Although I’d still be interested in Gagne.
by Stephan Cooper on Jul 1, 2011 10:22 PM EDT up reply actions
I think Gagne has to be looking for a bit of term, might be his last chance.
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by Andrew Berkshire on Jul 1, 2011 10:29 PM EDT up reply actions
I think I’d take Boston even with Savard less-than-healthy.
But, I think our defence is much better.
If he’s done though the B’s look kinda weak.
Funny how much losing Recchi and Ryder while Montreal gains Cole changes the balance of power on paper. Not big impact guys on their own but important scoring support.
by Stephan Cooper on Jul 1, 2011 11:14 PM EDT up reply actions
Top-9 guys still remaining:
Elite
Richards
Injured/old top 6
Gagne
Connolly
Morrison
Stillman
Kovalev
Samsonov
Langennerbrunner
Arnott
Prospal
Dumont
Younger top-nine
Miettinen
Stewart
Bergfors
Gagne, Miettinen and Bergfors would be the only ones worth looking at right now for either team IMO
by Stephan Cooper on Jul 1, 2011 10:44 PM EDT up reply actions
How do you feel about looking at Eric Belanger as a 4th line center to fill in while Eller is possibly injured?
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by Andrew Berkshire on Jul 2, 2011 12:21 AM EDT up reply actions
I had him as a possible but he signed in Edmonton.
by Stephan Cooper on Jul 2, 2011 12:44 AM EDT up reply actions
I didn’t notice that, crap.
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by Andrew Berkshire on Jul 2, 2011 11:27 AM EDT up reply actions
Cheap- Dumont
Overpay- Gagne, Connoly
Should not be interested in : Arnott, Prospal, Langennbrunner, Samsonov, Kovalev, Stillman, Morrison
Miettinen will fetch alot.
thinking it Will be down to Stewart and Dumont
by Cruisin4aBruisin on Jul 1, 2011 11:57 PM EDT reply actions
a winner
Gainey & PG have been smart about adding guys who’ve raised the Cup – Gionta, Gomez, Gill, and now Cole. Other than injury risk, there’s nothing not to like about Cole
I don’t see DD playing 3rd line at RW … he may play C on 3rd/4th line, but the wings will be AK, Darche and/or Moen, or TBD player acquired this summer.
DD looked very good on Eller’s wing in the playoffs in his limited time until he got kneed.
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by Andrew Berkshire on Jul 2, 2011 12:22 AM EDT up reply actions
They have the luxury of having a bunch of guys that could fill that spot well. Whether its Desharnais’s skill, Moen’s defense and cycle game or Darche’s bottom six power-forward style.
by Stephan Cooper on Jul 2, 2011 12:46 AM EDT up reply actions
It’s so nice to have options :-)
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by Andrew Berkshire on Jul 2, 2011 11:28 AM EDT up reply actions
I welcome these guys getting cameos on the 3rd line rather than the second and first.
by Stephan Cooper on Jul 2, 2011 11:40 AM EDT up reply actions
Amen to that
shows a team moving from top 12 in the league to top 8-9-10. Depth and talent to choose from … guys competing for ice time and having to earn it.
When you have to play Moen or Halpern on the 1st line (or Darche), you’re not where you want to be in terms of depth/talent
And add T Moen to that list
but with White emerging to play similar role, I could see Habs trading Moen for a 3rd line player with more scoring ability and/or speed to match with AK and Eller …
Richards is signing in New York for a reasonable cap hit apparently. Something like 6.5 for 9.
Not liking Buffalo and New York making additions.
Yeah, well, you knew he was going to the Rangers.
I do wonder what Montreal offered.
At least the Flyers self-destructed.
Hoping for a more crippling cap hit. But I think Richards learned from Tampa how that prevents his team from competing.
Dallas looks pretty terrible right now. Lottery likely there, lose best forward and shooting talent regression is going to kill them.
by Stephan Cooper on Jul 2, 2011 11:45 AM EDT up reply actions
It just occurs to me that the Habs are going to be out of the playoffs in MSM predictions. Unless they swing a big hypeful trade.
Have to figure they’ll put Pittsburgh, Washington, Boston, Philly, Buffalo, the Rangers, Tampa and New Jersey in front of them. A few hacks might even put the Habs 10th with Florida ahead of them.
Yeah. In reality I think Florida’s lineup is worse than what they started with last season if they don’t retain Vokuon’s services. The forwards they brought in only Fleichmann and borderline cases Versteeg and Upshall look like top-6 guys. Add that to the 3 top 6 guys they had last season in Booth, Weiss and Santorelli and you have the makings of a forward group that yells “mediocrity”
I can’t be the only one who looks at that a sees a jumble of spare parts
by Stephan Cooper on Jul 2, 2011 11:54 AM EDT up reply actions
lol
Jersey definitely is an interesting case as to where they spot in, though.
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nice to be under-rated
the hacks won’t realize how improved the Habs will be in the bottom 6 as guys like Eller, Moen, DD, Darche and AK will only get recognition if they play with Bruins or Flyers or NYR, at which time they’d be the 2nd coming of Messier, Kurri and Gretzky
The story of the team since the rebuild has been the youth-lead gradual improvement of depth. They should go one step further next year.
by Stephan Cooper on Jul 2, 2011 4:34 PM EDT up reply actions
New Jersey is very interesting, I have no idea how to peg them. They were screwed by percentages and Parise’s injury last season but have a very weak defensive group especially on puck movement and Brodeur is in serious decline.
Kovalchuk-Zajac-Parise
Elias-Rolston-Zubrus
Is a pretty good top 6 but after that they heavily rely on youth to patch holes in the lineup.
Structurally they are a lot like Anahiem last season but with better depth and worse top defenders and goaltending.
That top 3 is as good as any in the East. The second trio is seriously old, though.
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Like I said, their forwards are Anaheim East in depth terms.
by Stephan Cooper on Jul 2, 2011 4:32 PM EDT up reply actions
Does anyone else see the Rangers as a prime example of a team that’ll get offseason rave reviews and then miss the playoffs?
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by Andrew Berkshire on Jul 2, 2011 4:10 PM EDT reply actions
The Rangers need a couple of defenseman before I can really judge their lineup but Lundqvist at least should keep them in the playoff hunt.
Their defense has a bunch of pretty good younger guys lead by Staal but no one who can dominate like a Subban or Myers.
Richards’ concusion would be a worry for them, as is Gaborik’s precarious health situation. They do have a nice tough minutes line with Dubinksy-Callahan to put Richards in a similar situation as he was in Dallas.
They look like a playoff team on paper but who knows, its New York.
by Stephan Cooper on Jul 2, 2011 4:30 PM EDT up reply actions
I just feel like they’re the ones this season that everyone is going to say was massively improved, simply because Richards was the ‘big’ signing this summer, and they’ll disappoint.
Then again on Jul1 by 6pm I already saw people on twitter saying Buffalo would win the east with ease and dominate in the playoffs, and I don’t think they’re even a lock for the playoffs. So who knows.
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by Andrew Berkshire on Jul 2, 2011 5:33 PM EDT up reply actions
Richards is on the down side of his career at this point so who knows if he keeps it up in New York. Loui Erikkson was a pretty soild complement to him as well.
by Stephan Cooper on Jul 3, 2011 1:12 AM EDT up reply actions
Erickson is an excellent player. Criminally underrated. Did you read this breakdown on Richards: http://www.hockeyprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=826 ?
It doesn’t exactly look like a great move under that light for New York, especially when you consider they’re also paying Drury over 3.7M this season against the cap NOT to play for them. Essentially it makes Richards’ cap hit look more like 9.8M this year and not 6.5.
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by Andrew Berkshire on Jul 3, 2011 1:17 AM EDT up reply actions
Yes, I remembered that.
He should be in a good situation for his talents in NY though. Callahan and Dubinsky will take the toughs like last year just as Riberio-Morrow did in Dallas and NY doesn’t have a good PP QB so his PP time will also be high.
I think Sather may have randomly blundered into a player that fit his needs pretty well.
by Stephan Cooper on Jul 3, 2011 2:36 AM EDT up reply actions
You’re right. I’m still not sold on the Rangers until they can upgrade their defense a bit though. They need a vet to stabilize the young ones. Staal can’t do everything.
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by Andrew Berkshire on Jul 3, 2011 2:42 AM EDT up reply actions
Gagne to LA, Connolly to T.O. Both for 2 years. Gagne at 3.5m per, Connolly at 4.75m per.
Gagne would’ve been nice. Oh well. Connolly gives Toronto some much needed centre help. They’re still out of the mix right now, though if he’s healthy they are definitely improved.
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You who I’d like? Zherdev. The guys over at Broad street hockey did some scoring chances stuff during the season and Z looked pretty darn good. Qualcomp says he was sheltered, Zone starts says he wasn’t given a lot of OZone starts, had a shitty on ice shooting %, still managed to put 1.2+ goals/60 at ES and the team massively outshot the opposition when he was on the ice.
He also had some good times with gomez in NY back in the days.
I’d bet my left nut he’d make that third line rain fire and brimstone on the opposition.
Seriously, I’d love teh following forward group:
Cammalleri-Plek-Cole
Pacioretty-Gomez-Gionta
Zherdev-Eller-Akost
Darche-Desharnais-White/Moen (and Palushaj takes over at the end of november)
No?
I wanted the Habs to claim Zherdev off waivers before the trade deadline and I wouldn’t say no to him at the right price for the third line. Any quality 3rd-line winger (Zherdev, Miettinen, or even Bergfors) would be nice to have though. Bumping Darche and Moen from 3rd-line duty (when the lineup is healthy) to 4th-line would be huge.
Zherdev seems to have been black-listed for some kind of off-ice problem and Montreal has become allergic to dressing room problems. On paper he’d be fantastic on a Phlly-style third line.
by Stephan Cooper on Jul 2, 2011 7:51 PM EDT up reply actions
That 3rd line looks downright scary. I’ve never got the Zherdev hatred. I know Columbus was expecting a Russian Rick Nash and he hasn’t put up the same points, but he’s still very solid. He’s obviously not the mythical Russican greedy player because he took 2M to play for Philly last year. I’ve also never read anything specific about teams not liking him or him being a personality problem, just that teams have cut him loose.
side note: why does everyone always bet their left nut?
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by Andrew Berkshire on Jul 2, 2011 11:46 PM EDT up reply actions
Tim Sassone (Chicago writer) is saying Hawks and Habs are talking trade, heard Moen’s name is involved. Speculates Chicago could be moving one of their RFA’s, but has no basis. Chicago’s RFA’s are Frolik, Stalberg, and Campoli.
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I’ll take Frolik or Stahlberg, wouldn’t touch Campoli.
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by Andrew Berkshire on Jul 2, 2011 5:44 PM EDT up reply actions
I think I’d rather have Moen than Stalhberg… not that I know much about Stahlberg but anytime I see a player with an Ozone% of 60% I get a little weary.
Frolik would be a coup in my opinion, which is why I don’t see it happening.
I’m thinking long term. Moen won’t be re-signed by the Habs either way.
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by Andrew Berkshire on Jul 2, 2011 7:08 PM EDT up reply actions
Probably need him for the PK next year though.
Currently I think the forward pairings go
Plekanec-Moen
Desharnais/Cammaleri-Cole
Gomez-Gionta
by Stephan Cooper on Jul 2, 2011 7:48 PM EDT up reply actions
I think White could get some time there. Hopefully just to rest our top guys. Eller could also get time there.
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by Andrew Berkshire on Jul 2, 2011 11:47 PM EDT up reply actions
They’re going to need to develop a couple of the bottom guys as PKers, losing Pyatt and Halpern removes an entire top unit.
I definitely see Eller and White having the requisite skills to learn though, but faceoff improvement is a must.
by Stephan Cooper on Jul 3, 2011 12:27 AM EDT up reply actions
Faceoffs is probably the most worrying aspect of this forward group going into next season for me. I guess that’s a good problem if that’s the biggest issue with your team. Hoping Eller and Desharnais work on faceoffs a lot, and I think Plekanec had an off year, he’s usually around 50%.
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by Andrew Berkshire on Jul 3, 2011 12:36 AM EDT up reply actions
If Sherman GM’ed in Montreal he’d be hung in effigy right now and hung for real awfully soon.
by Stephan Cooper on Jul 2, 2011 7:48 PM EDT up reply actions
WOW.
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by Andrew Berkshire on Jul 2, 2011 7:08 PM EDT up reply actions
Washington deserves the Cup. Love their moves. I think we should’ve kept Hamrlik at 3.5m for 2 years and then played hardball on Gill. I can see why Kent Wilson didn’t like letting Hamrlik walk because of that.
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Really?Moen for Stalberg?? Leaf cast away? Not liking the sounds of that….
by Cruisin4aBruisin on Jul 2, 2011 10:02 PM EDT reply actions
for more scoring?
Habs do need some toughness up front, but w Darche and White playing like Moen, I could see PG looking for more skill on 3rd line wing
New line I’ve been seeing crop up independantly from other fanbases about the upcomming season. “Habs always over-achieve for some reason.”
That the reason is they consistently under-rate Montreal doesn’t seem to register.
by Stephan Cooper on Jul 3, 2011 1:06 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Haha that’s awesome.
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by Andrew Berkshire on Jul 3, 2011 1:13 AM EDT up reply actions
To be fair, over-achieving perfectly describes the 2007-08 and 2009-10 teams. 07/08 actually wasn’t as much overachieving as the beneficiaries of weird circumstance (no cream in the East that year, we rose to the top with a slight outlier year of 104 points, which isn’t a massive total by any means, propelled by an 8-0 record against a playoff team).
09/10 we probably should’ve been closer to a lotto team than an EC finalist. Weirdest year by the Habs post-lockout for sure.
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I know, but its a nice bit on human psychology there.
Last year may have been the wierdest year for any team since the lockout. 09/10 was legitimately bad with fantastic goaltending tandem (Price was better than most remember, especially in the first half). If the league went by straight record Montreal should have drafted 11th instead of 27th that year. Random good fortune gave us 3 playoff rounds and Tinordi instead of Fowler and say Toffoli. Prefer the playoffs wins to the prospects though.
The 1st place team really was based on an extraordinary year on the powerplay and the emergence of Streit, Plekanec and Kostitsyn making the team respectible at even strength. The lack of signifcant injury like Philly this year also helped.
Last year they were legitimately good but seemed to have to pay back the positive jo-jo they used last spring and didn’t get their share of the hockey gods favour, I’m still waiting for the year they are both lucky and good.
93 was like that, but I was just a kid then and didn’t appreciate it like I could have.
by Stephan Cooper on Jul 3, 2011 2:56 AM EDT up reply actions
That’s because they are heavily conditioned by the media who constantly drill the idea that the Habs are a low-talent club. It starts with the French media and the English are only too happy to pick up that cue.
It probably doesn’t help that the Habs have no flamboyant big names on their roster, no one that would be immediately recognizable as a superstar by the average fan. There is a tendency to evaluate a full team based on how good their top guy(s) is, and Markov and Plekanec are not hype machines (ask the average fan and he’ll probably name Cammalleri, or even Gomez, as the Habs’ best forward and Subban as their best defenseman). Finally add to that the coach with a reputation as a defense-first trapping coach, and Montreal looks a lot like a talentless team that only lives on a super-defensive system backed by an excellent goalie.
Which is brilliant if it was a deliberate policy because then later they can sell the story of what plucky little (emphasis there) underdogs they are.
by Stephan Cooper on Jul 3, 2011 3:19 PM EDT up reply actions
On that same topic, Anaheim is my team expects will surprised is so bad pick for next year.
There best players over preformed, had the highest team shooting and didn’t fix their tremdously bad forward depth. They could even be in the lottery.
Dallas’s sink will be anticipated by and blamed more on Richards and Neal although that will help sink a bad team ridding the percentages. Philadelphia’s shooting regression will be blamed on chemistry problems.
by Stephan Cooper on Jul 3, 2011 5:31 PM EDT up reply actions
You know what I'm thinking...
Double offer sheet time on the Capitals. Karl Alzner and Troy Brouwer. They have $6.8m in cap space right now with the 10% offseason coushin on. They traded a late 1st for Brouwer, offer sheet him in the 2nd round pick range ($3.1m). Offer sheet Alzner higher (1st and 3rd range – $4.7m). That’s $7.8m. They couldn’t sign both without making a panic trade.
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I still think someone should offer sheet Simmonds as well.
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by Andrew Berkshire on Jul 3, 2011 3:13 AM EDT up reply actions
I agree. Screw the gentleman’s agreement. Its one thing to not make it a matter of policy to pursue RFA’s but if the other GM’s are going to game the system by not locking up their own guys before going after UFA’s then they deserve to be hit with offers.
by Stephan Cooper on Jul 3, 2011 3:59 AM EDT up reply actions
Agreed 100%. You guys have fun on EOTP while I’m gone, heading to Mexico in a couple hours, leaving for the airport now!
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by Andrew Berkshire on Jul 3, 2011 4:35 AM EDT up reply actions
Have fun on your honeymoon (I assume)!
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