I wrote last week ago about six potential happenings during the 2010 NHL Offseason, and one of the six has already been checked off the list. The Montreal Canadiens, strapped by the cap, faced the task of moving one of their young netminders. With Carey Price and Jaroslav Halak, the crease was just too crowded. Despite his play in the playoffs this year, Halak was the one to be moved, and the Canadiens will move forward with Price as their building-block (much to the chagrin of Montreal fans, I'm sure). The Habs were proactive in trade negotiations and their Slovakian netminder to St. Louis for two of the Blues' top young forwards, Lars Eller and Ian Schultz.
Halak's playoff surge, coupled with his late-season surge to get the Habs to the postseason, resulted in his value sky-rocketing. And while it's a steep price to pay on the Blues' end, they now have a legitimate franchise goaltender around which to build. Success in the NHL starts between the pipers, and the Blues now have the piece they need to compliment their great core of forwards and talented D. Meanwhile, Montreal will hope that Price's mental commitment to the sport will catch up to his physical tools. But, if Price continues his nonchalant ways, this could turn out catastrophically for the greatest franchise in the NHL.
No comments:
Post a Comment