Josh Gorges, Roman Hamrlik and Hal Gill are all playing for new contracts, with the latter two set for unrestricted free agency. Most would agree that it's vital to keep Gorges, and many are in favor of extending Hal Gill. As for Hamrlik, because he's finishing a deal that paid him 5.5 mil/season, there's been little talk about the club potentially re-signing him.
Without getting into potential contract values, because this season has plenty of bearing on those figures, it is entirely possible that the Canadiens elect to extend Hamrlik for another season.
Hamrlik's value to the Canadiens success has been seriously underestimated. According to
behindthenet.ca, here are Hamrlik's shot-blocking stats over the last three seasons:
2009-2010:
133 blocks, tied with Chris Pronger for
5th in the league, but technically ahead of him for having put up the same total in 7 less games. Hamrlik's average of 6 blocked shots/game last year actually put him tied for 4th.
2008-2009:
141 blocks, good for 6th place on the list, having played 81 games. Average of 6.2 blocked shots/game.
2007-2008:
136 blocks over 77 games, good for 3rd in the league. Average of 6.3 blocked shots/game.
Over those three seasons, Hamrlik had 85 points and had played
233 out of 246 games. He was +9, having played for the most part against the opposition's best players, on a nightly basis.
His ice-time over those three seasons:
2009-2010: In the regular season, Hamrlik's ice-time
dipped below the 20-minute mark just three times last season (twice below the 19-minute mark). When Spacek got sick two games into last year's playoffs, Hamrlik was docked, well below the 18-minute mark for four games of the Washington series (which was normal considering the load Gill and Gorges were given). If you'll recall, Hamrlik and Spacek were the go-to pair to start that series, and did a great job in game 1.
2008-2009: Under Guy Carbonneau and Bob Gainey, Hamrlik dipped below 20-minutes fifteen times, but under 19:00-- just seven times.
He averaged 25:00/game in the playoffs.
2007-2008: Under Carbonneau, Hamrlik's ice-time
dipped under 20-minutes once all season, a game in which he played 18:44. He averaged over 23:00/game in the playoffs.
Hamrlik was brought in to stabilize the Canadiens defense, and though it would be hard to argue he's worth 5.5mil/season, he certainly earned his keep in Montreal, helping the team to the top of the Eastern Conference standings in 2007-2008, and to the Conference Finals in 2008-2009.
He'll be 37 in April, though there are very few signs that he can't be as effective as he's been over the last three seasons.
He's played 22 of 24 games, having missed training camp for the second straight year. He has 9 points and he's +5. Though his ice-time has dipped below 20-minutes nine times already (only twice under 19) he's still averaging nearly 28 shifts/game, which means he's spending less time on the ice/shift because that number is consistent with his average shifts/game over the last three seasons.
Before any games were played this season, too many fans were asking if the Canadiens could bury Hamrlik and his contract in the minors.
Meanwhile, he, Gorges and Gill have been the Canadiens' most dependable blueliners over the last three seasons. As for Andrei Markov, he's missed nearly 50% of the team's games over the last two years.
Again, I won't speculate on what a new deal for Hamrlik might cost as it's early in the year to do so. But if the team could sign him for one more season at a cap-hit below 2.5 million they should very seriously consider the option.
It could be the difference between a disastrous final season of Spacek's contract and a solid, reliable one. Then both players will be off the books, and the Canadiens will have money to play with.
Hal Gill won't cost an arm and a leg, and Gorges is a lock for new contract in Montreal--likely a long-term one.
As for Andrei Markov, his future with the team is in serious jeopardy. His future in the league is potentially in jeopardy, considering his injuries over the last three seasons, and the undetermined status of his current dilemma.
Montreal Canadiens Blogger • 
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