The Hockey News: Ryan Dixon's blog: THN.com Blog: Montreal misses mark with free agent buys

THN.com Blog: Montreal misses mark with free agent buys

Michael Cammalleri was one of three smallish forwards the Canadiens picked up this week. (Photo by John Russell/NHLI via Getty Images)

Ryan Dixon
2009-07-02 12:20:00

One thing we know for sure about the Montreal Canadiens’ off-season is it won’t include a team-bonding trip to an amusement park.

After all, “You must be this high to go on the rides.”

In truth, if I were a Habs supporter the size of the players brought in by GM Bob Gainey over the past couple days wouldn’t even be my biggest concern. While you’d always prefer your skilled players to come in a large package, it’s by no means required in today’s game. Neither Pavel Datsyuk nor Henrik Zetterberg hit the six-foot mark and Detroit seems to be getting by just fine with those two as its top forwards.

Then again, they posses the kind of dynamic front-line talent you can build a team around – unlike anybody brought in by Montreal recently.

You could make a convincing – though not overwhelming – argument that Montreal upgraded its top-six forward supply by replacing Saku Koivu, Alex Kovalev and Alex Tanguay with Scott Gomez, Mike Cammalleri and Brian Gionta.

What can’t be argued is that the Habs chewed threw the one valuable resource they possessed – cap space – and failed to land the franchise-defining player they’ve lacked for years.

By the time they take care of their RFAs, the Canadiens will be pushing up against the cap, yet still without a big No. 1 center or stud defenseman in their midst.

The unknown element in all of this is what Gainey’s options were. Maybe he made the play of his life for Vincent Lecavalier and the deal just wasn’t there to be made. Maybe he tried to pry Chris Pronger out of Anaheim with some variation on the package he eventually used to get Gomez and the Ducks simply said, ‘Thanks, but no thanks.”

Perhaps he made strong overtures for Marians Hossa and Gaborik and both, like many prominent free agents before them, chose to take a pass on La Belle Province.

But by bringing in the players he did, Gainey has committed to going with second-liners as his lead horses. Ultimately, it comes down to a question of having the courage to rebuild versus being content with life in the middle.

Since the Canadiens seem incapable of attracting top-level UFAs, the only way they can hope to get a dynamic player in their midst is through trade or the draft.

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By making the acquisitions they did, the Habs have hampered their ability to absorb the big contract a star player brings, while simultaneously ensuring they’ll be just good enough to miss out on a drafted prospect who can genuinely invigorate the franchise down the road.

Montreal won’t be any worse on the ice next season and could even be marginally better. The overarching point, though, is the Canadiens are as far away from being really good as they’ve ever been.

THN.COM SHOOTOUT
Host Ken Campbell sits down with writers Adam Proteau and Ryan Dixon to discuss... Winners and losers on free-agent day… The Habs facelift… The Dany Heatley saga… And Brian Burke’s moves. Producer: Ted Cooper.

Ryan Dixon is a writer and copy editor for The Hockey News magazine, the co-author of the book Hockey's Young Guns and a regular contributor to THN.com. His blog appears Thursdays and his column, Top Shelf, appears Wednesdays.

For more great profiles, news and views from the world of hockey, subscribe to The Hockey News magazine.

COMMENTS (14)

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iginlaizthashizzz Posted
(2009-08-31 23:28:50)

I have to agree with Dixon. Mike Cammalleri, although very talented,is not a franchise player. He is a very good complimentary player along side a true superstar, but Gainey paid him as such and i believe the players he surounded him with are of the same variety. Who is the leader on this team? Thats whats missing. Top teams will have they're way with the canadiens this season.

mrlargo Posted
(2009-07-17 22:33:11)

So lets see...impact player needed.. ok Lecavalier great player won cup with..St Louis, Richards, Khabibhulin, himself and Boyle. Before and after that TB is ordinary team. Minnisota ..Gaborik ya.big zero Hossa...Ottawa nothing Thrashers nothing Detroit nothing Rangers ...Jager and a host of " A " players over the years..ZIP oh wait they won with Messier oh and Leetch and 2 very good golies and Noonan and Stephan Matteau and and and. LA, Stlouis, NYR with Gretzky yep nothing but wait LA got to final with.........never mind you get the idea. Hockey is a team game with many many variables. From injuries to chemistry to coaching styles slumps streaks etc. Believing for one moment that by looking at stats and rosters you can predict where a team will finish is at best comical and at worst dishonest. The best way to ensure a competitive team for as long as possible is depth. Depth is obtained through drafts and developments and modified through UFA and trades. Gainy hs done a very good job with the team or have you forgotten what it was like after Savard left. The changes he made with the development of the players already there give this team the POTENTIAL to be a winner. That is the only thing within a GM's hands. We got some very good players to add to very good potential young talent. If they gel and stay healthy they will be good. YOU WONT WIN ....EVER with one super star or even 2 if the rest is garbage.

gohabsgo Posted
(2009-07-06 04:19:54)

Ryan Dixon, How can you say the Habs new top line does not have the dynamic to build a team around? Gomez and Gionta have played together on and off since the age of 16, They've won cups together in NJ. And Cammalleri was a very highly sought after player on the UFA market. Oh and, no stud defenseman in their midst??? Andre Markov.

gohabsgo Posted
(2009-07-06 04:12:10)

whatisthatsmell, Gainey is not destroying Price's career. Bringing in a Jacques Martin system into the fold will dramatically strengthen the defensive play in front of him. As will the signings of Jaro Spacek and, well, the jury is a bit out on Hal Gill, but they will still play better in front of him. Gainey also fired the goaltending coach Melancon in favour of finding a more suitable fit for Price.

gohabsgo Posted
(2009-07-06 04:05:26)

Briere - No thanks.

ike_spurlock Posted
(2009-07-04 06:12:57)

I wonder if Gainey tried to get Daniel Briere from the Flyers. That would have been a good fit.

whatisthatsmell Posted
(2009-07-03 19:08:21)

They are the same damn team for crying out loud. If anything, they lost scoring potential. They are still too small. They are still lacking defensively. I am still not sold on Price. Gainey may have completely ruined this kid's career. All this under a new coach. What a year this is gonna be. If Montreal tanks early, you can bet Gainey will the first GM shown the door.

kozzomozzo Posted
(2009-07-03 16:55:44)

Mr Ryan Dixon do you reasearch what you say before you say or do you just run your mouth like everyone else. Truth of the matter is there isn't 30 better centers then gomez there is not 30 better lw then cammaleri and there isn't 30 better rw then gionta. Just go check the production out its there. Cammaleri 4th in lw scoring gionta 17th in rw scoring and gomez having a bad year still gets 28th in scoring down the middle. Now not everyone gonna malkin ovechkin or crosby dude. AT LEAST GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT IF OYUR GONNA COMMENT ON GUYS BEING SECOND LINERS.

joefromtennessee Posted
(2009-07-03 09:00:41)

Looks like the Habs, by fan concensus< didn't do anything to drastically change the possible end results. I happen to agree! It just goes to show that you can't build a team through free agency. You can only add the pieces that will get you over the Top. I also believe that Gainey should go. This mess all started 5yrs ago. After 2 AHL Championships with the Bulldogs which seemed to set up a solid stream of young talent headed the Habs way, we literally have Zero to show for it. IF we were planning to have 10 UFA's where's the farm to fill the gaps? We have a few good players coming up, but not enough to say we're on the way to the Cup. The Habs have lost their identity. So big deal we couldn't get Vinny. I really would like to see Beauchemin in Montreal. We missed out on Ian Laperiere, A character player! Our draft history since Gainey has been there is not good. In every instance you can point out a better player who has already impacted their teams who were chosen AFTER a Habs choice. As a lifetime Habs fan, it is killing me to see no future. I like the way the Bruins have built their team Congrats to them. It may be 25yrs btwn cups for us.

zbokchoy Posted
(2009-07-03 07:48:58)

In my humble opinion Gainey should've been out. Somethings wrong there. For being such a true blue Montreal Canadian Gainey seems to be missing something. There is, I believe, a cultural identity necessary to building a team, especially a team like Montreal. It should have the stamp of the French Canadian like all their great teams of yesteryear (okay, that I'm assuming, mostly thinking back to the teams I remember) and if not French Canadian then for sure Canadian. I truly believe their fans would have something to really cheer about! Being traditionally a Bruins fan I have however always admired the Canadians, but now it's hard. I feel sorry for their fans, something is definitely wrong there! Good luck Canadians! Hockey just isn't the same when Montreal is floundering!

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