Kamal Panesar: Canadiens - Blues: Jaroslav Halak Shuts Out Habs in Bell Centre Return

Was Halak traded by a french or english GM?

Kamal Panesar: Canadiens - Blues: Jaroslav Halak Shuts Out Habs in Bell Centre Return
- Kamal Panesar

Did the Habs make a mistake trading Halak? Should they have traded Price instead? What could have been the potential return for a goalie of Price's caliber? MAJOR CONTROVERSY BREWING IN MONTREAL!

Quite frankly I respect the fan base and the history of the organization, but the Habs were over-achieving for the past few years and I'm glad they came back down to earth.

Did the Habs make a mistake trading Halak? Should they have traded Price instead? What could have been the potential return for a goalie of Price's caliber? MAJOR CONTROVERSY BREWING IN MONTREAL!

Quite frankly I respect the fan base and the history of the organization, but the Habs were over-achieving for the past few years and I'm glad they came back down to earth.
- leafscrazy22

I don't think the controversy is whether they should have traded Halak or Price. The way it was, they had to trade one, and either way they would have been left with a good goalie. The problems with the Halak trade is as follows:

Halak is coming off a season where he was stellar all season, stellar in the Olympics and stellar in the playoffs. He was a pending RFA and had arbitration rights. Because of this, Montreal decided to dump him because they figured that he was going to ask for a large raise, and if they went to arbitration he'd get a large increase. The problem arises when Pierre Gauthier admits after the trade that they did not talk to Halak in the off-season about his desire to stay in Montreal or what he was looking for in terms of salary. It seems to me that Gauthier basically assumed that Halak was looking for top goalie dollars (5mil +) and in the long run never got a good grasp of Halak's trade value.

Because Montreal is trading him as a RFA, teams are weary to give Monreal any value for Halak. They are scared that he wants Luongo dollars, and that if it goes to arbitration, he might get it. At this point in the offseason, there are plenty of teams looking for goalie help, but are probably not not willing to take the risk. I won't pretend to know what St. Louis' mindset was, but they look at the risk and probably think that if they give up very little, get Halak and try to sign him to a reasonable contract. If it goes to arbitration and he gets awarded a boatload, they walk and they're still not down a whole lot. Or in other words, the positives of the deal outweigh the negatives.

Now, if you look at St. Louis and the young talent they have, and you look at Halak and the season he had, you would think a trade involving Halak to St. Louis would include one of Oshie or Perron. I know that's what I was thinking when it was announced Montreal traded Halak to St. Louis. However they get Lars Eller, who up until that point had 7 NHL games played, and 2 goals and St. Louis get Halak who they sign at a Cap hit of 3.75 mil/season. This was such a bonehead deal, and it all comes down to the poor management of Montreal. They had no idea what the value of their player was, the had no idea of the market for the player was, and they pulled the trigger on a very lopsided trade because of it.

I don't think the controversy is whether they should have traded Halak or Price. The way it was, they had to trade one, and either way they would have been left with a good goalie. The problems with the Halak trade is as follows:

Halak is coming off a season where he was stellar all season, stellar in the Olympics and stellar in the playoffs. He was a pending RFA and had arbitration rights. Because of this, Montreal decided to dump him because they figured that he was going to ask for a large raise, and if they went to arbitration he'd get a large increase. The problem arises when Pierre Gauthier admits after the trade that they did not talk to Halak in the off-season about his desire to stay in Montreal or what he was looking for in terms of salary. It seems to me that Gauthier basically assumed that Halak was looking for top goalie dollars (5mil +) and in the long run never got a good grasp of Halak's trade value.

Because Montreal is trading him as a RFA, teams are weary to give Monreal any value for Halak. They are scared that he wants Luongo dollars, and that if it goes to arbitration, he might get it. At this point in the offseason, there are plenty of teams looking for goalie help, but are probably not not willing to take the risk. I won't pretend to know what St. Louis' mindset was, but they look at the risk and probably think that if they give up very little, get Halak and try to sign him to a reasonable contract. If it goes to arbitration and he gets awarded a boatload, they walk and they're still not down a whole lot. Or in other words, the positives of the deal outweigh the negatives.

Now, if you look at St. Louis and the young talent they have, and you look at Halak and the season he had, you would think a trade involving Halak to St. Louis would include one of Oshie or Perron. I know that's what I was thinking when it was announced Montreal traded Halak to St. Louis. However they get Lars Eller, who up until that point had 7 NHL games played, and 2 goals and St. Louis get Halak who they sign at a Cap hit of 3.75 mil/season. This was such a bonehead deal, and it all comes down to the poor management of Montreal. They had no idea what the value of their player was, the had no idea of the market for the player was, and they pulled the trigger on a very lopsided trade because of it.
- BruHAWK

Agree and well said!
It almost look like the Ribeiro trade. Thank god, Eller future looks promising but we obviously could have got a lot more. New blood is needed in the management department

I didn't see the game, but please tell me the Bell Center faithful didn't give Halak a standing O before the game even started. That was my biggest fear for their fans at home, having to scream at the TV to stop pumping up the opposition goalie.

There are a lot of analysts (including the main insiders we all know and love) who said they were contacted shortly after Halak was dealt to St Louis suggesting Gauthier didn't shop around... at all. I think most people looked at the deal and said "that’s it?" and assumed he did his due diligence and shopped the player but it sounds like he didn't. That is really the issue, not so much dealing Halak.

I didn't see the game, but please tell me the Bell Center faithful didn't give Halak a standing O before the game even started. That was my biggest fear for their fans at home, having to scream at the TV to stop pumping up the opposition goalie.
- TommyDeVito

He got a nice ovation during the lineup intro's and then a standing ovation from many in the crowd as he came off the ice.

It was actually a really cool moment.

In between, it was utter and complete Blues domination.

Class act by the fans in Montreal last night. TRUE fans ofthe game!

Class act by the fans in Montreal last night. TRUE fans ofthe game!
- Stricknasty's Hero

+1

54 pts needed in the next 40 games to even have a sniff at the playoffs
Let's face it - mathematically we are done

Time to move the following
1. Gill [2nd or 3rd pick]
2. Campoli [4th or 5th pick]
3. Cammalleri [1st and prospect]
4. Kaberle [anything]
5. Darche [down to Hamilton]
6. Gauthier [Siberia]
7. Gomez [send him anywhere and take back a bad contract as well] possibly Havlat in SJ

Start fielding offers for Plekanec

54 pts needed in the next 40 games to even have a sniff at the playoffs
Let's face it - mathematically we are done

Time to move the following
1. Gill
- MTL1[2nd or 3rd pick]
2. Campoli [4th or 5th pick]
3. Cammalleri [1st and prospect]
4. Kaberle [anything]
5. Darche [down to Hamilton]
6. Gauthier [Siberia]
7. Gomez [send him anywhere and take back a bad contract as well] possibly Havlat in SJ

Start fielding offers for Plekanec

SJ will never take Gomez and you forgot Gionta for pick and prospects. You can also entertain offers for PK. He can land you a star player.

I can see PG and company starting to warm up the phones for dumping players to playoff teams.

We just can't roll with the good teams skill wise, never mind when they play like that last night.

Seriously.. is there some behind the scenes stuff going on bringing this team to play like this?

Halak didnt have to make a ton of good saves because the Habs blow and the Blues are playing on a completely different level.

Take notes. That is how to run a system to near perfection and dominate a game.

It was awesome to see the love for Halak in Montreal. He deserved it. Now if only we could get St Louis fans to do the same.

I can see PG and company starting to warm up the phones for dumping players to playoff teams.

We just can't roll with the good teams skill wise, never mind when they play like that last night.

Seriously.. is there some behind the scenes stuff going on bringing this team to play like this?
- Arcnail

Look at how all the players do after they leave Montreal - there must be something going on

Grabovski
Pouliot
Latendresse
D'Agostini
Ryder
Riberio

Habs kept the wrong guy.

There are a lot of analysts (including the main insiders we all know and love) who said they were contacted shortly after Halak was dealt to St Louis suggesting Gauthier didn't shop around... at all. I think most people looked at the deal and said "that’s it?" and assumed he did his due diligence and shopped the player but it sounds like he didn't. That is really the issue, not so much dealing Halak.
- Lohaus

But seriously. This is bang on.

«And it's not just that he was shutdown by the opposition, but that he has become a perimeter player. He seems like he never makes any attempt to get to the dirty areas.»

He has become? He always been a perimeter player. He has a nice shot and that's it.

Class act by the fans in Montreal last night. TRUE fans ofthe game!
- Stricknasty's Hero

Yes, but who have to deal with a team full of crap!

I think St.Louis is making the playoffs this year, Habs will miss but they will not get a lottery pick this year.

SJ will never take Gomez and you forgot Gionta for pick and prospects. You can also entertain offers for PK. He can land you a star player.
- Champ

well, Cammy got traded for rene bourque, former 7th rounder and a 2nd round pick in 2013.

should have waited until the trade deadline.