Window of Opportunity

Hkydude_77 · Member

Window of Opportunity

Desi · Senior Member

Good observations, Dude. But we can also develop players who will keep the puck out of our net -- on defense and in goal? Remains to be seen. I've always felt that you can develop a forward, but that great goalies and D-men are born, not made. Not sure we have what it takes there, but over the course of a year or two there will be time to augment in our own end, for sure.

Welcome to the board.

Les Canadiens sont la

Key Lime · Guru

Hkydude_77 wrote:

In this new era of the "Salary Cap" any team that wants to win a Stanley Cup needs financial flexibility - either by clearing salary cap space or by having cheap players play key roles. I know this is forward thinking a season or two, but with our young players proving they can play important roles at the NHL level and hopefully continuing to develop, and with MTL having $12M in cleared cap space with the Theo trade, Gainey can build a cup contender within a season or two. Here's why: Higgins, Perezhogin, Plekanec & Komisarek are all cheap players. Higgins is getting better by the game, and he'll only get better next year and the year after. He's a greak skater, hard working, determined, and proving he can finish around the net. Plekanec is developing into a solid 3rd line player (before the wing injury), with great speed and lethal shot - I can see Carbo really molding this guy into a player similar to himself, but with a better set of wheels. And Komisarek is playing 20 minutes a night, and is proving when partnered with a player who handles the puck (Markov) he can be effective using his biggest asset: size, aggression & mobility for a big man. With these "kids" on there first & second contracts - they are cheap, cheap players counting against the cap. IF and a big IF they can continue to develop, and Gainey spends his money wisely, we'll have a legit cup contender in a season or two and that is EXCITING NEWS!

Good post dude...I didn't know Higs was greek...

It's the first year in a long time that we can honestly get excited about our young players. We surely have a solid bunch and there are more to come. We have a couple of very interesting years ahead of us.