What I'm wondering about is Beauchemin. How did we let him get away? (it may be pre-Gainey)

You know Ando, you're right about the centres and everything, but it strikes me that we were just one among many teams who could've used a top-flight centre at the deadline, and not too many moves were made. I wonder if it was just a question of noone being available, or the price being ridiculous. Looking at Calgary last night: there's a team that could have used a #1 centre, and had the cap room.

Key Lime wrote:

---

We seem to forget Theo's trading value at the time. It was close to nada. Trading JUST Theo for a top center still would of been impossible, unless you are saying we would have to include a Zednik, Souray, Ribeiro, or Bulis. I don't even think a team would trade a TOP center even if you offered Theo with one of these guys in return.
In any case, the only reason this trade happened is because Pierre Lacroix was on a mission.
 

---

That trade has haunted me too. Key Lime, you're right, Theo's value was too low to get much, but a 3-way involving Aebischer and a forward might have got us something. Could Gainey have gotten Aebby as contract insurance? To put some pressure on Huet to sign, and if he didn't we wouldn't be completely screwed? Just a thought.

Ando wrote:

---

…the trading of a former Vezina and Hart Trophy winner for a back-up goalkeeper, as opposed to landing a top line centre!   And-o has mulled this move over-and-over-and-over…but, it still doesn’t make sense!!!   The Habs had Huet playing “lights out” in goal.  They had Yann Danis in Hamilton seemingly busting his chops to get to the NHL.  They also had Carey Price (and a few others) in the system.  So, what was the point of acquiring Abby?   And-o thinks that this single decision basically cost the Canadiens at least one round of playoff hockey this season!!!  Also, this wound is made worse by the acquisition of Todd Simpson (who didn’t touch the ice in any critical game) as “insurance”.  And-o’s question is ~ insurance for what???

---

I don't getting Aebischer (or any goalie) was the goal of that transaction, And-o.  It was simply (a) a salary dump to open up some cap room, and (b) to get rid of Theo, who had clearly worn out his welcome in Montreal.  The trade met those two goals. 

Now the "B part" is to move Aebischer (presumably) and promote (presumably) Danis, and use the new money to address the real needs - centre and defense.

Doesn't that make sense?

 

Ando wrote:

---

~ what about this year!?!?!?! 

---

Well, there's no point debating what might have been.  We can do that forever just on the series against the Canes alone (funny no one mentioned those two goal posts in the final game!), let alone the rest of the year.

So we'll all be keeping an eye out this summer to see what magic Gainey can weave, if any.  I hope we get what we want (or at least what we need, to quote Mick Jagger).