Confirmed with Link: Desharnais signed to a contract extension (4 years @ $3.5M/yr)

[Colezuki]

Not a fan, especially in the middle of a season where everybody is overachieving.

Couldn't we wait until after the POs?

Isn't DD struggling this year though? Realistically if Bergevin got a good cap hit he may be able to trade him down the road. For once the center position isn't an issue, let's keep it that way

 

[PricePkPatch*]

Isn't DD struggling this year though? Realistically if Bergevin got a good cap hit he may be able to trade him down the road. For once the center position isn't an issue, let's keep it that way

He did at the beginning of the season. But he's been great for the last 10 games and nothing shows him slowing down

 

[Hackett]

The timing of this deal screams a bargain signing for the habs.

Its never a bad idea to have depth down the middle. Injuries happen... we should know that by now.

In the longer run, I see him as a capable filler for the top 2 lines if line shakeups are required or injuries happen. He can serve as a guy who is capable enough that he can keep the other talented centres like galchenyuk, eller, and plekanec on their toes and limit their complacency.

Yeah, he's small, but he's a fierce battler, and often doesn't get enough credit for his board play. He's not conventional in the trenches, but he does a reasonable job in there.

 

[PricePkPatch*]

If I had to guess, DD was the single biggest question mark for our FA next year. The question of whether or not he'd cost us more or less than 3M probably added too much uncertainty to MB's planmaking.

Now all of his upcoming FA of importance are signed. He can afford to make a big trade and sign an upcoming FA before the 1st of July.

It's, lacking a better name, a Cap Clarity move. We know what will be MB's wiggle room, and he does as well.

 

[durojean]

Not a fan, especially in the middle of a season where everybody is overachieving.

Couldn't we wait until after the POs?

DD is underachieving this year compared to last so I'd say it doesn't really matter.

I like the kid a lot and I find he's stronger on the puck than he was at the beginning of the season.

Pretty sure he could play winger and if not he's still on the first 3 lines of our team. 3 lines that seems to have offensive potential on each. Really not worried.

Plus it's not because he have a contract that he becomes untradable.

 

[ThaDevilGirl]

Is MB suffering from insomnia?

 

[25get]

Four year ago:

Plek was coming out of a 39 points season, Koivu was gone and Grabovski was traded.
Gomez was going to be the next center...

In defense: Hammer, Spacek, Gorges, Oby, Gill, Mara and MAB.

Wingers: AK, SK, Cammy and Gionta.

Let's compare:

• Centers;
• Wingers;
• Defense.

Going back to DD, he is on pace to have 49 points, Plekanec on a pace to 58 points, Eller to 49 points and Gally to 39 points.
Just to put things in perspective, last season, there was 37 centers with 49 points... and 55 centers with 39 points.

 

[Natey]

Awesome!!! Very happy to wake up to this news!! Hope it's a cheap contract.

Pacioretty is probably happier than Desharnais. Patches was so upset when he missed chances from DD.

Very smart to sign him now - he's playing good but right now he's a piece of depth, not the entire team like he was last year.

Hoping for 4-years/$10M.

$3.5 is my ceiling to a great deal though if we are trying to keep this team deep.

 

[Tuggy]

Should be very interesting to see the numbers.

 

[Analyzer*]

Is MB suffering from insomnia?

He signs people in the middle of the night... He'll probably sleep right through the trade deadline and the draft.

Gainey

 

[Natey]

The crazy part is DD literally just changed agents. Maybe DD was interested in signing a cheap deal hometown deal and his old agent was against it? Seems crazy to change agents and have a deal done a week later.

 

[WhiskeySeven*]

The crazy part is DD literally just changed agents. Maybe DD was interested in signing a cheap deal hometown deal and his old agent was against it? Seems crazy to change agents and have a deal done a week later.

You're giving him credit for something that might not have even happened at all.

He's a good player, he's an NHL player - I just don't see why we had to extend him in the middle of a season where everyone is overachieving, where he hasn't had to deal with the grind of 82gp+playoffs, where he's only produced when with Pacioretty and where he hasn't even performed in the playoffs. It's what a middling franchise does that really wants to keep its players but we have a surplus of centres now and DD is the one that is the least capable of contributing on both ends of the ice or in a diminished role.

That said if he's signed for under 4m it's good value for a hard-working player. I just don't want to sing him before the dust has settled.

Here's hoping that boob Dreger is wrong.

 

[Natey]

You're giving him credit for something that might not have even happened at all.

He's a good player, he's an NHL player - I just don't see why we had to extend him in the middle of a season where everyone is overachieving, where he hasn't had to deal with the grind of 82gp+playoffs, where he's only produced when with Pacioretty and where he hasn't even performed in the playoffs. It's what a middling franchise does that really wants to keep its players but we have a surplus of centres now and DD is the one that is the least capable of contributing on both ends of the ice or in a diminished role.

That said if he's signed for under 4m it's good value for a hard-working player. I just don't want to sing him before the dust has settled.

Here's hoping that boob Dreger is wrong.

Wrong.

I'm not giving him credit - I was speculating. Big difference. Do I think that Desharnais is the type of player to take a hometown discount? Yes. Did he just switch agents? Yes. Does a mid-season deal scream discount? Yes.

I didn't pass it off as a fact, just a thought. Speculation.

Maybe it had nothing to do with a discount and DD just wanting a deal done as soon as possible. Speculation.

However, I see no reason that Bergevin would sign him mid-season unless it was a deal he couldn't pass up.

As for overachieving? He's not. He's less depended on than last year.

Signing during the year does so many things. He'll probably get DD locked up for a cheaper salary than arbitration and a longer term at said cheaper salary. It also gives a hard working player an even bigger kick in the rear because the team has faith in him.

 

[DAChampion]

You're giving him credit for something that might not have even happened at all.

He's a good player, he's an NHL player - I just don't see why we had to extend him in the middle of a season where everyone is overachieving, where he hasn't had to deal with the grind of 82gp+playoffs, where he's only produced when with Pacioretty and where he hasn't even performed in the playoffs. It's what a middling franchise does that really wants to keep its players but we have a surplus of centres now and DD is the one that is the least capable of contributing on both ends of the ice or in a diminished role.

That said if he's signed for under 4m it's good value for a hard-working player. I just don't want to sing him before the dust has settled.

Here's hoping that boob Dreger is wrong.

Bob Gainey tried that strategy and it was a dismal failure.

Losing players is fine, losing them for nothing is not.

The point of negotiating earlier is that you can get a discount.

 

[Habsfannick]

He could have 3M for a year as a RFA.

If we had a deal, MB must have offered at least 3 or 4 years.
DD has the toughness needed that MB is looking for.

At this point, DD could be compared to Little...
I like Prospal and Marchand as comparables.
If you prefer Handzus, Malhotra, Wheeler, Gleencross.

Just look at the list of comparables to Little and find one who scored 60 points...
So basically, anything below 3M is a deal and we should have a deal since we are offering a contract before RFA.

BTW: Given his RFA status (last RFA), he should get longer. Less than MaxPac and less $.

I'm sorry but toughness and DD in the same sentence... Go watch women's boxing and you'll see more toughness this is a huge mistake and waste of cap room and I'm so terrified he makes 3mil+

 

[MXD]

Hopefully it's not above 3.5.

Too early to call whether it's a good move or not.

 

[onebighockeyfan]

maybe sign and trade.

 

[MXD]

That said if he's signed for under 4m it's good value for a hard-working player. I just don't want to sing him before the dust has settled.

Here's hoping that boob Dreger is wrong.

...That's odd.

First, you bring all sort of facts (and opinions) about why DD's signing doesn't appear to be good.

Second, you put a figure that is definitely too high for DD.

 

[MXD]

maybe sign and trade.

Number #1 candidate for stupid post of the day.

 

[Mr. Hab]

Not a fan, especially in the middle of a season where everybody is overachieving.

Couldn't we wait until after the POs?

+1, but...hope it's a cheap deal.
It is a feel good story (5'5 - 5-6 DD makes it to the NHL and definitely has talent...very crafty/creative offensively...I just worry a ''little'' for the playoffs and whether or not he can stay healthy with his ''little'' frame in the long run...we'll see).

And...
For those who think Pleks is gone...we're in deep **** without the experience of Pleks in playoffs Bergevin better not be thinking of moving him...and why? he's quite consistent and never complains about anything (+ has a good/fair contract). He always has difficult defensive tasks and still has good playoffs pts (29pts out of 47 playoff games...not too bad at all for a two-way center that has defensive tasks...you don't trade that unless a team overpays like CRAZY...has to be VERY VERY TEMPTING...maybe Toronto's 1st Rnd Pick, their 2nd, Rieilly and Gardiner....just obviously giving a VERY CRAZY example of what it'll take to get Pleks if I were GM).

For once we have solid depth at CENTER:
<Pleks (consistent/experienced/underrated two-way center)
<Galchenyuk (will be star 1st line center one day, no rush)
<Eller (2nd or 3rd line center)
<DD (center and maybe winger one day?)
<Leblanc (winger/center...great in case of injuries to our centers)

 

[Habs 4 Life]

Greats news, hopefully it's not over 4 per year

Bergevin is on top of things!

 

[Natey]

Number #1 candidate for stupid post of the day.

Anytime we sign, waive, acquire from waivers, or even just put a player back in the line-up (the classic showcasing a player) - there's going to be a trade on this boards.

In actuality, we rarely see a trade triggered by any of these things.

4 centres going forward is huge. If we lose a center to injury, we have someone to jump in immediately. We have no offensive centers in the pipeline.

Expect Galchenyuk to continue playing wing.

 

[MXD]

+1, but...hope it's a cheap deal.
It is a feel good story (5'5 - 5-6 DD makes it to the NHL and definitely has talent...very crafty/creative offensively...I just worry a ''little'' for the playoffs and whether or not he can stay healthy with his ''little'' frame in the long run...we'll see).

And...
For those who think Pleks is gone...we're in deep **** without the experience of Pleks in playoffs Bergevin better not be thinking of moving him...and why? he's quite consistent and never complains about anything (+ has a good/fair contract). He always has difficult defensive tasks and still has good playoffs pts (29pts out of 47 playoff games...not too bad at all for a two-way center that has defensive tasks...you don't trade that unless a team overpays like CRAZY...has to be VERY VERY TEMPTING...maybe Toronto's 1st Rnd Pick, their 2nd, Rieilly and Gardiner....just obviously giving a VERY CRAZY example of what it'll take to get Pleks if I were GM).

For once we have solid depth at CENTER:
<Pleks (consistent/experienced/underrated two-way center)
<Galchenyuk (will be star 1st line center one day, no rush)
<Eller (2nd or 3rd line center)
<DD (center and maybe winger one day?)
<Leblanc (winger/center...great in case of injuries to our centers)

What happens with Plekanec probably depends on Lars Eller's developpement at this point.

And of the offers we can get for him.

 

[MXD]

Anytime we sign, waive, acquire from waivers, or even just put a player back in the line-up (the classic showcasing a player) - there's going to be a trade on this boards. In actuality, we rarely see a trade triggered by any of these things.

Here, sign and trade definitely meant sign DD, then trade him for a 5th rounder.

 

[Natey]

Greats news, hopefully it's not over 4 per year

Bergevin is on top of things!

If it's over $4M, its a weird move. But during the season, it has to be the type of deal that MB cant refuse.

Hopefully Bergy continues to sign during the season. It'll stop Subban-like situations from happening.

I don't see anything over a 200% raise ($2.85M). Here's hoping.