Habs make a splash
Montreal, which has upwards of 10 free agents going to the market Wednesday, used some of that free cash to acquire center Scott Gomez from the New York Rangers. Chris Higgins is the biggest name going to Broadway, and four prospects also switched teams.
Gomez is best remembered around here as the man who injured Ryan Miller's ankle in February. Now he'll be facing the Sabres six times a season.
---John Vogl
Why should the Sabres get into the game of paying over-rated free agents more than they're worth?
Posted by: Don H | July 01, 2009 at 10:03 AM
@Buffalo Excuses, I gotta disagree with you. I think Bouwmeester getting only $6.6 shows the market is down. You cannot even begin to compare Campbell to him. I liked Soupy but on Chicago he's a 2nd pairing defender and power play specialist who you would hardly ever see on the penalty kill. Bouwmeester is a minutes eating, 1st pairing guy who will play the power play and be one of your top penalty killers. He got less and for fewer years than Campbel. That speaks loudly, IMHO.
It won't matter though that a lot of the big boys like Philly and Detroit are on the sidelines because Darcy won't even try to play the game. Unfortunate that is.
Posted by: Rip | July 01, 2009 at 08:48 AM
Doesn't sound like a HUGE discount in the "stressed marketplace" does it? Campbell got $7.1 last year. You can argue who is better but there is not much difference in talent, or dollars.
Early indications are this market will not soften that much. With the cap actually rising a tad, it doesn't make sense to believe, like our man Darcy, that it is going to.
Darcy, the market is solidifying in front of your tired, weary eyes. Dream all you want that you can get Spacek for under what you paid him last year, but it simply aint so.
Check Please!
Posted by: Buffalo Excuses | July 01, 2009 at 08:38 AM
I can't believe Sather found someone to take the most overrated overpaid center in the history of the NHL off his books. Hee scores like 13 goals a year! I don't see how this makes Montreal a better team internally, or within the conference. I was enjoyed watching the Rangers suffer from doling out too much for UFAs the last two seasons only to suffer from the weight of them. Now they get to do it again. Thanks Bob Gainey.
Posted by: GmR | July 01, 2009 at 08:34 AM
Boumeester - 6.8 per for 5yrs
Posted by: tubbytreats | July 01, 2009 at 08:13 AM
Habs in toilet! Gomez has his worst year in awhile and has a big contract and Habs trade for him. Maybe Regier is not the worst GM!
B.T.W. Bouwmeister signs with Calgary for $6.6 per for I believe 4 years.
Posted by: Soupy | July 01, 2009 at 06:28 AM
Awful deal for Montreal. It's almost like they wanted to do the Rags a favor by taking that bloated, horrific contract off the books...
Posted by: Sean | July 01, 2009 at 12:04 AM
Bad trade for Montreal. Deal gives Sather room to make a splash tomorrow and get a top prospect.
Posted by: World Be Free | June 30, 2009 at 10:32 PM
The Gomez, Drury and Redden contracts have been consistently pointed to as some of the worst deals of UFA since the lockout, and they put the Rangers in salary cap hell. Why on earth would another GM take on a universally panned contract and in so doing free his opponent/trade partner to go out and compete for free agents? And why in Montreal of all places, who had money to burn and a need for a big center, not a small, soft playmaker who takes nights off?
Posted by: Dan | June 30, 2009 at 10:29 PM
And The Excuses sit and wait for "The Market to solidify".
It's like skating on quicksand...
Darcy? Darcy!?! Darcy!!!
Nether of these teams will be competitive next year either I suppose.
Welcome to the cellar sportsfans. We're so gald you could attend!
Posted by: Buffalo Excuses | June 30, 2009 at 09:11 PM
This looks like an NBA-style trade. Rangers dump a big contract for far less than the value of the player.
Posted by: Jeff | June 30, 2009 at 06:41 PM