Muller93 wrote:

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This team is far far from cup contention. Which makes me wonder. Will Koivu be used as trade bait to grab a cup a couple of contending teams top prospects? Especially if the habs fall out of the playoff race here in the next 2-4 weeks? Right now Koivu is the habs best player. Period. And he desrves the captaincy(hello And-o and AB). But if the habs are 3-4 years away from a real contender, I don't think Koivu will be in those plans. He is getting older and has logged a lot of ice time for our Habs(some hab fans have no respect for how much he has given---And-o and AB). Gainey is not likely to do much in the way of trades I don't think. Other than getting rid of over-rated fruitcakes( i.e Ribeiro) and maybe having a fire sale on some vets to land some decent prospects to bolster a bright future in 2-3-4 years. IMO Thus no Weight...he's 35 years old. A rent a player and that's all.

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FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!! A KOVU FAN THAT SPEAKS COMMON SENSE!!!!!!!!!! Yes they are out there folks!!!! This is what I have been saying all along. Koivu needs to either be relegated to number 2 status on the habs or go to a team that will use him more sparingly. I say this, not as a knock against #11 but as a hockey coach who looks at hoe I could best utilize his talents and prolong his career. He has had to play as a number one center for too long and it has become very obvious to me this year that it has caught up to him and he is playing tired. Not a knock against him. On the contrary, a tribute to how hard he plays most nights.

To sign him to a long term contract and keep him in his current capacity (ie logging number one ice time, playing the PP and PK) would be a mistake. THere are good young players coming up that should be given that role and spend that money (or on a trade of Saks) to go get a number one guy. Saks and his agent will look out for number 1. This is a business and rightly so. Do you think he will stay with the Habs if Gainey offers him # 2 Center money? No. Of course not. He will go to a team that will offer him # 1 money and again, rightly so. But to me, the situation in Montreal dictates that he move on. That is business. I will miss him in a habs uniform but will wish him well.

Muller93 wrote:

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I don't think Koivu will be in those plans. He is getting older and has logged a lot of ice time for our Habs

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...the above thought was absolutely unspeakable here in this forum before Christmas (with the exception of a few of us).

And-o agrees!

Well I don't think it is as bad as all that, Muller93.  I don't think we need to start over and I don't think the prospects are that bad.  Komo is a huge D who has to learn how to adjust to a smaller, quicker NHL and he is still very young.  Kostitsyn is also very young and speaks little English.  Ribs and Dags have stunk, but Higgins, Pleks, Danis and Ryder  are all developping well.  Even late 20's guys like Markov, Begin and Bulis have been very strong.  What has killed us and the confidence of the team to push forward is the goaltending and the failings of team leaders like Souray, Zednik, Bonk and Kovalev to step it up.  I think it is pretty unheard of for so many past performers to tank in the same year.  All is not lost and I see us turning a corner... especially if we can remove certain elements that are bringing down the team and get solid goaltending for now and the future.

Habtastic

Hey Barry. You know I think the only thing you and I disagree on is Koivu's ability to be a number one center. I actually think he is a number one center. Kinda like Alfredsson now with Spezza to back him up.

If you put Koivu on most contending teams right now, I truly think he would automatically be their number one. Or at least within 2 weeks prove that he should be. The problem in Monteal is, right now, they have nothing to offer. Sure, guys like Higgins, Chipchura, Plek are all going to help build this team down the line. But right now, I see nothing in the way of a slolid offensive center coming through the system to give Koivu that needed support. That's sad.

For Habtastic, I agree with you. The habs have some solid prospects in the ranks. With Bulis, Begin, Higgins, Plek, Markov, Chipchura...you have solid prospects for many years. But, I think the likes of Ribeiro, Komi, Kostitsyn, and even Theo, have stunted the growth and their progress has set Montreal back one or two years. So if all the really good prospects will be around in 3 years, and Koivu may not be able to contribute as much in three years...why not cash in on Koivu and pick up some solid future prospects to add to that team in three years?

I guess it all depends on if you think the habs are capable of cup contention within the next 1-2 years...or if you are like me and figure more like 3-4 years.