Watching Briere this year with the Habs has been very disappointing, he looks like a lost soul out on the ice. I truly believe that he is not the only one to blame and we need to question MB for bringing him to Mtl. Rumors are that he may be traded, is this the move that Mtl should be looking at? Or is there someone else that we should be looking to move?
I am tired of seeing Bourque in the line up, playing on the so called first line, playing his invisible game. He would be first on my list to trade.
Not sure I would let Briere go, not yet, maybe at the trade deadline if he haven't found the right place for him.

Briere has no chemistry with anyone on the team. I'd MAYBE give him another shot with DD and Pacioretty now that those 2 have figured out how to play hockey. The signing was always a bad one and he never would have been signed if not for his name.

As for Bourque, I don't get what's wrong with him. He completely lacks interest in the game. He would be a solid 3rd liner if he would just throw his weight around instead of trying to be a finesse guy. Maybe, like Horton in FLA, he needs to be on a big team so he isnt expected to provide toughness. I could see him doing very well in Boston...


I still hope MB does something big like getting Kane out of the Peg. Curious to see what our lineup looks like next October without Gionta and (hopefully) briere

Watching Briere this year with the Habs has been very disappointing, he looks like a lost soul out on the ice. I truly believe that he is not the only one to blame and we need to question MB for bringing him to Mtl. Rumors are that he may be traded, is this the move that Mtl should be looking at? Or is there someone else that we should be looking to move?
I am tired of seeing Bourque in the line up, playing on the so called first line, playing his invisible game. He would be first on my list to trade.
Not sure I would let Briere go, not yet, maybe at the trade deadline if he haven't found the right place for him.
- Slimvinnie

Can Briere be traded is the real question.

Can Briere be traded is the real question.
- Cape Breton Bruins

It's amazing how many people in Buffalo want him back and would trade for him, not just take him off the Habs hands for Leino

Who would you give up to get Kane?

Who would you give up to get Kane?
- Slimvinnie

They reportedly want a young center capable of playing big minutes. That would have to be Plek or, more likely, Eller. I suspect Pacioretty would also work as the centerpiece of the deal. I wouldn't trade Tinordi but Bealieu would probably go a long way towards making it work...

It's amazing how many people in Buffalo want him back and would trade for him, not just take him off the Habs hands for Leino
- muffin_man

Might be a good spot for him.

Personally I would keep Briere and look to see what I can get for Bourque and Gionta instead. I admit that briere has done very little with the Habs but I think keeping him and getting bigger around him would be a better move.

Personally I would keep Briere and look to see what I can get for Bourque and Gionta instead. I admit that briere has done very little with the Habs but I think keeping him and getting bigger around him would be a better move.
- willey101

You don't build around a 36 year old who blows and has shown zero chemistry with any other forward on the team.

Gionta is gone after this season, Briere is not. Bourque is a 3rd liner. Use him as such, don't expect scoring, and he's fine. We need to get bigger. Trading Bourque for nothing doesn't help that.

You don't build around a 36 year old who blows and has shown zero chemistry with any other forward on the team.

Gionta is gone after this season, Briere is not. Bourque is a 3rd liner. Use him as such, don't expect scoring, and he's fine. We need to get bigger. Trading Bourque for nothing doesn't help that.
- muffin_man

I agree with Willey, I am much more concerned with keeping Bourque then Briere. We know that Briere has much more talent then Bourque, shorter contract but a +/- $700,000. over Bourque, and experience that can be of great value for the younger players. I don't think that we are building around Briere, like or not we are still in a rebuilding phase.

I'm fine with Gionta, don't think he will be back, but I would like to move Bourque and Diaz. I think it's time to bring up Tonordi, we need to be bigger and more physical on D. MB needs to decide what to do with Subban and Markov, if he signs Subban, I can't see him signing Markov to the money and length of contract that Markov is going to ask. If that's the case, we better bring one of the youngsters up from Hamilton soon, they will need the NHL experience while the Vets are still here.

I agree with Willey, I am much more concerned with keeping Bourque then Briere. We know that Briere has much more talent then Bourque, shorter contract but a +/- $700,000. over Bourque, and experience that can be of great value for the younger players. I don't think that we are building around Briere, like or not we are still in a rebuilding phase.

I'm fine with Gionta, don't think he will be back, but I would like to move Bourque and Diaz. I think it's time to bring up Tonordi, we need to be bigger and more physical on D. MB needs to decide what to do with Subban and Markov, if he signs Subban, I can't see him signing Markov to the money and length of contract that Markov is going to ask. If that's the case, we better bring one of the youngsters up from Hamilton soon, they will need the NHL experience while the Vets are still here.
- Slimvinnie

So wait, it's time to get bigger and tougher but we should dump Bourque and keep Briere???

So wait, it's time to get bigger and tougher but we should dump Bourque and keep Briere???
- muffin_man

Yup!

The idea is to get bigger, and I don't only mean size. I know Bourque is big, but let's be real, does he play big? A perimeter player, never drops his gloves, never crashes the net, and never scores...not my idea of a big player. Bourque at best plays as a 3rd line winger, I only see him on the 4th line. It's not what we need, we have those spots already filled. For 3.3 mil a year and a little more we could do better then that

Briere, does not fit in on this team.

Gio, is a lost cause and is not a leader.

Bourque, i couldn't agree more, just looks like he has no interest playing hockey.

Murray, even though he demolishes anything that comes near him, is slow and also does not fit in on this team.

and as far as im concerned, Louis Leblanc can go as well.....

So wait, it's time to get bigger and tougher but we should dump Bourque and keep Briere???
- muffin_man

Bourque is bigger but not tougher.
He also has a grand total of 0 goals and 0 assists on the road this year. He has been utterly useless.

He has a grand total of 35 hits this season.

Keeping him does absolutely nothing for this team and I have been a big Bourque supporter since he got here.

So yes I would trade him.

Bourque is bigger but not tougher.
He also has a grand total of 0 goals and 0 assists on the road this year. He has been utterly useless.

He has a grand total of 35 hits this season.

Keeping him does absolutely nothing for this team and I have been a big Bourque supporter since he got here.

So yes I would trade him.
- willey101

I'm not advocating for him just pointing out that saying briere should stay, bourque should go because we need more size was funny.

Yes, Bourque has been a heartless mess. At least he isnt getting pushed around like everyone else. Theres something to having size even if youre not physical (Galchenyuk, Sundin, Lemieux, Horton).

The habs need to stop giving up on head cases and try to help them get focused like they did with price but didn't bother with Ribeiro, Kristo, Theo, Higgins, etc...

I'm not advocating for him just pointing out that saying briere should stay, bourque should go because we need more size was funny.

Yes, Bourque has been a heartless mess. At least he isnt getting pushed around like everyone else. Theres something to having size even if youre not physical (Galchenyuk, Sundin, Lemieux, Horton).

The habs need to stop giving up on head cases and try to help them get focused like they did with price but didn't bother with Ribeiro, Kristo, Theo, Higgins, etc...
- muffin_man

I am thinking that Briere is a much better player and has put up double the points despite being shifted all around the line-up whereas Bourque has been utterly useless.

I'd keep Briere and try to build with size around him by freeing up roster spots by dealing Bourque and Gio.

I'm not advocating for him just pointing out that saying briere should stay, bourque should go because we need more size was funny.

Yes, Bourque has been a heartless mess. At least he isnt getting pushed around like everyone else. Theres something to having size even if youre not physical (Galchenyuk, Sundin, Lemieux, Horton).

The habs need to stop giving up on head cases and try to help them get focused like they did with price but didn't bother with Ribeiro, Kristo, Theo, Higgins, etc...
- muffin_man

I never advocated keeping Briere over Bourque, but if I needed to move someone up front it would definitely be Bourque. The one statistic that smacks me in the face is that he has only one assist this year. For me, this speaks volumes of a player! Where in the world is he on the ice? You just don't see him in any aspect of the game. How can he sit in the dressing room and look across at a kid like Gallagher? Half his size, less experience, who plays hard hockey every single night. Everyone is impressed with the resurgence of DD and Patch, but it is all attributable to Gally, he plays the role of a power forward. This is what I expect from Bourque and unfortunately will never get. That is why he is FIRST to go on my list.

I also stated that to get bigger I would move Diaz and bring in Tonordi.

I never advocated keeping Briere over Bourque, but if I needed to move someone up front it would definitely be Bourque. The one statistic that smacks me in the face is that he has only one assist this year. For me, this speaks volumes of a player! Where in the world is he on the ice? You just don't see him in any aspect of the game. How can he sit in the dressing room and look across at a kid like Gallagher? Half his size, less experience, who plays hard hockey every single night. Everyone is impressed with the resurgence of DD and Patch, but it is all attributable to Gally, he plays the role of a power forward. This is what I expect from Bourque and unfortunately will never get. That is why he is FIRST to go on my list.

I also stated that to get bigger I would move Diaz and bring in Tonordi.
- Slimvinnie

Why don't we just try to get rid of both Briere and Bourque since they both suck?

Why don't we just try to get rid of both Briere and Bourque since they both suck?
- muffin_man

I would wait with Briere until chucky gets back from injury. If he still struggles by then I would see if he can be moved at trade deadline. Bourque...mañana

I say go for Ryan O'Reily from the Avs, and Evander Kane from the Jets. Especially with chucky going down along with both Briere and Bourque playing the way they are.

I say go for Ryan O'Reily from the Avs, and Evander Kane from the Jets. Especially with chucky going down along with both Briere and Bourque playing the way they are.
- TogaNY

To get one of those guys would cost young talent not veterans. So yes we can land a ROR or Kane but the cost would be Gallagher plus a prospect. This is not the time to do that. I mean look at the team now. Galchenhyuk goes down with injury and the best we can do is recall Leblanc??

Habs are lacking alot of prospect depth.

To get one of those guys would cost young talent not veterans. So yes we can land a ROR or Kane but the cost would be Gallagher plus a prospect. This is not the time to do that. I mean look at the team now. Galchenhyuk goes down with injury and the best we can do is recall Leblanc??

Habs are lacking alot of prospect depth.
- willey101

up front we are. The D prospects are fine for 2nd-5th dmen.

Trading Eller/Gallagher/Plek + a pick or prospect for a young player like Kane or ROR or Skinner puts us in a better position in the short and long term

up front we are. The D prospects are fine for 2nd-5th dmen.

Trading Eller/Gallagher/Plek + a pick or prospect for a young player like Kane or ROR or Skinner puts us in a better position in the short and long term
- muffin_man

Depends on what the return is i guess. Personally I want to see the Collberg's, De La rose, etc....arrive before we start pulling the trigger on something significant.

Right now I would like to see maybe the towel thrown in on Thrower since he isn;t yet signed and it looks like Habs gave up on him. Maybe package him with something for a nice return?

Depends on what the return is i guess. Personally I want to see the Collberg's, De La rose, etc....arrive before we start pulling the trigger on something significant.

Right now I would like to see maybe the towel thrown in on Thrower since he isn;t yet signed and it looks like Habs gave up on him. Maybe package him with something for a nice return?
- willey101

Not sure why he hasn't been signed, but from what I've read I liked what they were saying on Thrower. But hey! If packaged with someone else it could be a good return.

Depends on what the return is i guess. Personally I want to see the Collberg's, De La rose, etc....arrive before we start pulling the trigger on something significant.

Right now I would like to see maybe the towel thrown in on Thrower since he isn;t yet signed and it looks like Habs gave up on him. Maybe package him with something for a nice return?
- willey101

That's an endless cycle. We like our draft class so we can't trade them until we see how they develop. Then, once they've developed, they are either good and we won't trade them because they are too good or we can't trade them because they didn't pan out and no one wants them. No one in our prospect pool is going to become a superstar. the risk isnt that big to trade some while they still have value instead of waiting for the leblancs, fishers, valentenkos etc to rise to the top