Samsonov demands trade...

[TheHabsfan]

According to JdM and Team990, Sammy's agent has demanded a trade from Montreal. Is anyone surprised?? I say good riddence, he's obviously not a team player!!! I hope we don't end up with another head case coming back!

The rumor is to Chicago for Aucoin. I am on the fence on this one.

THF

[ropoflu]

A similar rumor from La Presse this morning:

Samsonov + Rivet
for
Aucoin + Smolinski

EDIT : old news

[legaspesien]

I won`t be suprise to see him gooing to the Hawks but not for Aucoin for Matin Lapointe... similar contract

[Doc Holliday]

...it's not surprising at all, Carbonneau obviously no longer knows what to do with Sammy as he has lost confidence (rightly so) in the Russian. Samsonov is not a finished player, far from it, by he is finished in Montreal and has been, IMO, for quite a while. Bob has to find him a new home but unfortunately the return will not be too great...

Aucoin? I don't like Aucoin at all but many here feel that our defense absolutely has to be upgraded and I guess he's an upgrade over Rivet who will no doubt be the sacrificed dmen if a new one is added. Hawks would take on Rivet only to balance out the deal and let him go this summer. Can we afford Aucoin cap wise ? Well, he's only making 500k more than we already have committed on Samsonov and he's replacing Rivet. We can say that Samsonov/Rivet (6M) are replaced in the lineup by Aucoin/Latendresse (4.8M) which, in theory, saves us some cap space to afford Souray/Markov.

[TheHabsfan]

legaspesien said:

I won`t be suprise to see him gooing to the Hawks but not for Aucoin for Matin Lapointe... similar contract

Aucoin is having a bad season, but I still like the idea of having an extra D with a wicked shot for our PP...that should open up Souray to lauch his rocket more often. Sammy is utterly useless to us, if Aucoin is playing 50% of his ability, we'd still be ahead.

I wouldn't say no to this deal, especially with Rivet possibly on his way out, sooner or later.

I personnally don't like Lapointe. He showed pretty clearly that he doesn't want to play here when he signed with Boston. I'd rather have players who want to be here and help.

THF

[Doc Holliday]

legaspesien said:

I won`t be suprise to see him gooing to the Hawks but not for Aucoin for Matin Lapointe... similar contract

How about Aucoin/Lapointe for Rivet/Samsonov

Begin - Lapierre - Lapointe
crash - boum - bang

Now I'm excited !

[TheHabsfan]

docholliday said:

...it's not surprising at all, Carbonneau obviously no longer knows what to do with Sammy as he has lost confidence (rightly so) in the Russian. Samsonov is not a finished player, far from it, by he is finished in Montreal and has been, IMO, for quite a while. Bob has to find him a new home but unfortunately the return will not be too great...

Aucoin? I don't like Aucoin at all but many here feel that our defense absolutely has to be upgraded and I guess he's an upgrade over Rivet who will no doubt be the sacrificed dmen if a new one is added. Hawks would take on Rivet only to balance out the deal and let him go this summer. Can we afford Aucoin cap wise ? Well, he's only making 500k more than we already have committed on Samsonov and he's replacing Rivet. We can say that Samsonov/Rivet (6M) are replaced in the lineup by Aucoin/Latendresse (4.8M) which, in theory, saves us some cap space to afford Souray/Markov.

I have a feeling that Gainey's freeing up cap space to do another move Doc, not necessarily for Souray/Markov. I say this because we have quite a few UFAs at the end of this season, and BG can make choices at that point. Plus, I have heard a few times already (can't remember where) that there's a good possibility that the cap will be going up next season, which should give Gainey some flexibility.

If Gainey deals Sammy/something for Aucoin (I don't believe Rivet is part of that deal....too much IMO), we still have a need for a center IMO. Although Pleks is playing well, I don't think he's the long term solution for our second line.

THF

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

ropoflu said:

A similar rumor from La Presse this morning:

Samsonov + Rivet
for
Aucoin + Smolinski

EDIT : old news

Sounds like they're just picking up rumours from yesterday's Chicago press, detalied in this thread.

[Disgruntled70sHab]

I was saying this on another board earlier this morning.

You guys know yourselves, the Habs really haven't played with any consistency since before Christmas. It's possible we might be seeing a more focused team once the trade deadline passes.

Don't get me wrong, I hope they can sort it out before the deadline. But, remember BC's reference to an unhappy dressing room. Right now Samsonov is extremely unhappy probably for a number of reasons. What does a guy like that do to the dressing room?

Now, I'm not saying this is the case. How would I know? But, one distraught player can really gum up the works.

I hope Samsonov gets his wish. Not because I'd like to get rid of him, but because he'd rather be somewhere else.

Hypothetically speaking, if that trade goes through and Rivet and Samsonov go to Chicago, how will that affect the team? Aucoin and Rivet are about the same kind of defenceman. I don't know Aucoin's leadership skills, but he'll need time to earn his teammate's respect. It might take longer getting Koivu's. Rivet's leadership would fit any team and the Hawks would win in that category. The only edge Aucoin has might be his shot from the point.

How will Rivet's departure affect his best friend, Koivu? We know that Koivu hasn't been himself for quite a while now. He doesn't have that jump in his step he did earlier in the season. And if Koivu decides to sink because of the loss of his friend, how will that affect the team?

Samsonov would do well in Chicago. He won't be under the media microscope the way his is in Montreal.

Smolinski would bring a veteran presence to the club but he's a 3rd-line centre at best. Who knows, it might give Gainey another option to Bonk next season. But he is a right-handed centre and not a bad one at that.

Whatever happens I just hope this team can sort themselves out. Right now there's only a few players playing their game and we'll need all hands on deck if we hope to go anywhere in the playoffs.

Cheers.

[HabSolute]

Unfortunately, Samsonov at 3.5M will not be an easy sale. The only way, I think, we can get ride of our deadwood, is to take someone else's deadwood. Chicago might be willing to take a chance on Samsonov only because they seem to desperately want to get ride of Aucoin (like us with Sammy).

No way we get something good for Sammy. Hey, I'd be willing to give him for a pick just so we can save the money and spend it somewhere else, but I don't even think someone will do that.

Oh, and if he did come out and asked for a trade, the longer Gainey waits, the less Gainey will get; so I would expect this to be done quickly (if he did ask for a trade).

[HFTO]

Some new blood whatever the return would be welcomed that's for sure.Sammy is mentally cooked so if Gainey can get anything serviceable at this point the Habs will be better off in the short term.
HFTO

[insomnius]

I don't think Rivet is going anywhere. The game where he was benched the team mailed it in. Is it possible that Carbo has lost his room?

[CentreHice]

P.J. Stock is convinced that the problem isn't Samsonov but that it's Kovalev. Stock played with Sammy in Boston...so his opinion is tempered.

Stock:
Until somebody "grows a sac" in Montreal and benches this guy for floating through regular season games....Habs fans can get ready to just squeak into the playoffs year-after-year.

[HabSolute]

centrehice said:

P.J. Stock is convinced that the problem isn't Samsonov but that it's Kovalev. Stock played with Sammy in Boston...so his opinion is tempered.

Stock:
Until somebody "grows a sac" in Montreal and benches this guy for floating through regular season games....Habs fans can get ready to just squeak into the playoffs year-after-year.

I heard that too.

However, like you said, I think he's just avoiding to deal with the Samsonov thing and diverts the attention on Kovalev. (Because of his friendship with Samsonov)

IMO, the "Kovalev case" is not related to the "Samsonov case".

PJ is saying that Samsonov is right to do what he's doing because it should have been Kovalev on the bench ?



PS: Just read that it looks like Sammy isn't dressing again tonight (Francois Gagnon's blog). Like I said earlier, I hope he never gets the honnor of wearing our jersey ever again. Take your 3.5M and 22 pts and go whine in the media somewhere else. Habs fans were patient with you. It's over now !....

Could have been love, but it's over now.... ;D

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

centrehice said:

P.J. Stock is convinced that the problem isn't Samsonov but that it's Kovalev. Stock played with Sammy in Boston...so his opinion is tempered.

Stock:
Until somebody "grows a sac" in Montreal and benches this guy for floating through regular season games....Habs fans can get ready to just squeak into the playoffs year-after-year.

Dear God, say it ain't so!

[CentreHice]

mrbozo said:

centrehice said:

P.J. Stock is convinced that the problem isn't Samsonov but that it's Kovalev. Stock played with Sammy in Boston...so his opinion is tempered.

Stock:
Until somebody "grows a sac" in Montreal and benches this guy for floating through regular season games....Habs fans can get ready to just squeak into the playoffs year-after-year.

Dear God, say it ain't so!

I hear ya. As much as I respect Kovalev's talent...I can't believe a guy is allowed to float like that.

Stock just said Kovalev hasn't had a player stay with him for the past two years who's had success....and it's everybody else's fault? Stock knows how good he is, and how good he can be, but we let him off the hook too easily in this city.

My question is: are we expecting too much? After all, Gainey got him for Balej straight up, correct? Other than clearing up some money, why would the Rangers give up a "phenomenal game-breaker" (what most of us seem to expect) for an unproven prospect?

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

centrehice said:

mrbozo said:

Dear God, say it ain't so!

I hear ya. As much as I respect Kovalev's talent...I can't believe a guy is allowed to float like that.

Stock just said Kovalev hasn't had a player stay with him for the past two years who's had success....and it's everybody else's fault? Stock knows how good he is, and how good he can be, but we let him off the hook too easily in this city.

My question is: are we expecting too much? After all, Gainey got him for Balej straight up, correct? Other than clearing up some money, why would the Rangers give up a "phenomenal game-breaker" (what most of us seem to expect) for an unproven prospect?

Don't get me started. It will get ugly.

[CentreHice]

mrbozo said:

centrehice said:

I hear ya. As much as I respect Kovalev's talent...I can't believe a guy is allowed to float like that.

Stock just said Kovalev hasn't had a player stay with him for the past two years who's had success....and it's everybody else's fault? Stock knows how good he is, and how good he can be, but we let him off the hook too easily in this city.

My question is: are we expecting too much? After all, Gainey got him for Balej straight up, correct? Other than clearing up some money, why would the Rangers give up a "phenomenal game-breaker" (what most of us seem to expect) for an unproven prospect?

Don't get me started. It will get ugly.

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

habsolute said:

Could have been love, but it's over now.... ;D

Ah, a blast from the past:

youtube.com/watch?v=MJa8f9tyr8E

[franko]

mrbozo said:

habsolute said:

Could have been love, but it's over now.... ;D

Ah, a blast from the past:

youtube.com/watch?v=MJa8f9tyr8E

Whew! I was worried for a minute . . .

[jkr]

centrehice said:

mrbozo said:

Dear God, say it ain't so!

I hear ya. As much as I respect Kovalev's talent...I can't believe a guy is allowed to float like that.

Stock just said Kovalev hasn't had a player stay with him for the past two years who's had success....and it's everybody else's fault? Stock knows how good he is, and how good he can be, but we let him off the hook too easily in this city.

My question is: are we expecting too much? After all, Gainey got him for Balej straight up, correct? Other than clearing up some money, why would the Rangers give up a "phenomenal game-breaker" (what most of us seem to expect) for an unproven prospect?

I think a lot of people on this board have overestimated Kovalev for a long time. I support him but people have to take a hard look at his numbers. His career PPG is about .8 which projects to 64 points in a season. He has been over 70 points twice in the course of his career and that was with a very strong Penguins team. Why do people keep expecting him to produce more when his career stats tell a pretty clear story?

Maybe all the so-called experts that tell us how much talent he has are wrong. He has rarely produces at more than an average level. He is a talented player with flashes of brillance - not a superstar. And I like the guy.

[blny]

I don't have much interest in Aucoin. I honestly don't see him as an upgrade to our top four. He's overpaid, more slow-footed than anyone we have now, and had two years of recurring injury problems.

Truth be told, there isn't much in Chicago that is of a realistic return on Samsonov that interests me.

[Deleted]

I hope Samsonov enjoys his time in Hamilton.

[Gogie]

mattdhf said:

I hope Samsonov enjoys his time in Hamilton.

More importantly, I hope Hamilton enjoys Sammy's time in town!

[Toronthab]

jkr said:

centrehice said:

I hear ya. As much as I respect Kovalev's talent...I can't believe a guy is allowed to float like that.

Stock just said Kovalev hasn't had a player stay with him for the past two years who's had success....and it's everybody else's fault? Stock knows how good he is, and how good he can be, but we let him off the hook too easily in this city.

My question is: are we expecting too much? After all, Gainey got him for Balej straight up, correct? Other than clearing up some money, why would the Rangers give up a "phenomenal game-breaker" (what most of us seem to expect) for an unproven prospect?

I think a lot of people on this board have overestimated Kovalev for a long time. I support him but people have to take a hard look at his numbers. His career PPG is about .8 which projects to 64 points in a season. He has been over 70 points twice in the course of his career and that was with a very strong Penguins team. Why do people keep expecting him to produce more when his career stats tell a pretty clear story?

Maybe all the so-called experts that tell us how much talent he has are wrong. He has rarely produces at more than an average level. He is a talented player with flashes of brillance - not a superstar. And I like the guy.

I may well be an overestimator of Kovy. I may be wrong about him.

It's pretty much up to Kovy to show us that he does indeed have a sense of what the team needs that only he can deliver, and then help us all by giving it.

One reviewer over a month ago, pointed out that a lot of his assists and goals came at critical times, implying that he stepped it up as the circumstances dictated.

I think his last game for instance was a good one, not his all-out ass on fire best, but a good solid effort. He's not frenetic and doesn't look like he's doing a lot when he is sometimes, but I liked him a lot in the last game where others just didn't see it.

I may be seeing things that aren't there, but voila!

Go Kovy Go! Be the leader and save our tushes.

[Habs_fan_in_LA]

Be careful what you ask for.
Sometimes you get it.