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

[Et le But]

A role player at $3.5M!! Sorry but that does not fly. $2.5M Prust is a role p[layer. $1.8M Moen is a role player.

$3.5M is borderline top 6 player. However, if DD cannot play in the Habs top 6 he is worthless, as he is defensively bad and not physical at all. Just a bad signing with no 'hockey' logic.

47 points in a regular season is second liner territory.

Of course what makes Desharnais limited is that he's a liability in a hard minutes role, when the same couldn't be said about fringe 2nd liners like Kostitsyn who could play in multiple roles, but Desharnais is a bit more reliable offensively.

 

[Milhouse40]

I'm not saying DD has been signed because he is french (So am i) as many do here.


But here's the question:

Do Bergevin, in his first year on the job, after claiming he will take into consideration the need for Quebecers on the team, can trade or not sign the fan's favorite, almost only "gars de chez nous"on the team, David Desharnais?

I'm just saying: it's almost a professionnal suicide for Bergevin to NOT keep and signed Desharnais at this point in his career as GM in MTL. Seriously, Bergevin NEVER HAD THE CHOICE HERE....but that doesn't mean Bergevin didn't want to keep DD.

 

[NHLFutureGuy3]

I'm not saying DD has been signed because he is french (So am i) as many do here.


But here's the question:

Do Bergevin, in his first year on the job, after claiming he will take into consideration the need for Quebecers on the team, can trade or not sign the fan's favorite, almost only "gars de chez nous"on the team, David Desharnais?

I'm just saying: it's almost a professionnal suicide for Bergevin to NOT keep and signed Desharnais at this point in his career as GM in MTL. Seriously, Bergevin NEVER HAD THE CHOICE HERE....but that doesn't mean Bergevin didn't want to keep DD.

Bingo! Bergevin is handcuffed because he can't get rid of Desharnais until we get a Francophone to replace him.

 

[Alexdaman]

I'm not saying DD has been signed because he is french (So am i)

But here's the question:

Do Bergevin, in his first year on the job, after claiming he will take into consideration the need for Quebecers on the team, trade or not sign the fan's favorite, almost only "gars de chez nous"on the team, David Desharnais?

I'm just saying: it's almost a professionnal suicide for Bergevin to NOT keep and signed Desharnais at this point in his career as GM in MTL. Seriously, Bergevin NEVER HAD THE CHOICE HERE....but that doesn't mean Bergevin didn't want to keep DD.

I think I understand what you're trying to say. But I don't think Bergevin *had* to sign DD, since he was going to be a restricted free agent next year. He could of signed him on a 1-year deal this summer. I think Desharnais fits in MB's mid to long term plan.

I really disagree with the argument that the fact Desharnais is Quebecois changes anything in MB's decision. DD is only playing his second full season in the NHL and he has 101pts in 161 games. Of course the plan is not to have him as our #1 C for the next 5 years Eller or Galchenyuk should eventually get the role.

 

[Saundies]

I'm not saying DD has been signed because he is french (So am i) as many do here.


But here's the question:

Do Bergevin, in his first year on the job, after claiming he will take into consideration the need for Quebecers on the team, can trade or not sign the fan's favorite, almost only "gars de chez nous"on the team, David Desharnais?

I'm just saying: it's almost a professionnal suicide for Bergevin to NOT keep and signed Desharnais at this point in his career as GM in MTL. Seriously, Bergevin NEVER HAD THE CHOICE HERE....but that doesn't mean Bergevin didn't want to keep DD.

This kind of thinking is what's going to keep us from winning a cup anytime soon. Why does it really matter for French players to be on the team? I understand if they're actually good and help the team out a certain way, but this isn't the 40's - 80's where Montreal was able to dominate with all of the French Canadian players.

To say Bergevin didn't have a choice in keeping Desharnais because he's french is really stupid if it's true. And if it's true, we're in trouble.

 

[missthenet]

I'm not saying DD has been signed because he is french (So am i) as many do here.


But here's the question:

Do Bergevin, in his first year on the job, after claiming he will take into consideration the need for Quebecers on the team, can trade or not sign the fan's favorite, almost only "gars de chez nous"on the team, David Desharnais?

I'm just saying: it's almost a professionnal suicide for Bergevin to NOT keep and signed Desharnais at this point in his career as GM in MTL. Seriously, Bergevin NEVER HAD THE CHOICE HERE....but that doesn't mean Bergevin didn't want to keep DD.

So what is the answer if you are trying to build a stanley cup contender sign a guy because of where he is from? 3.5 million for a third line center is way to much money, he does not win many faceoffs, does not throw body checks, does not play when they are short a man and probably will not score 20 goals. If he is worth 3.5 million Plecanec is worth is worth 6 million dollars, 3 years 2.5 million a year should of been the maximum. We need to resign Eller in a year what will he want and we cannot afford to lose him.

 

[Hoople]

No it does not raise questions about the judgement of said person.

I normally don't speak for everyone who is on my side of the argument but I will in this case because it is so obvious. No one here is a Francophone hater. There wouldn't be one word of criticism of this contract if we just signed Claude Giroux or Patrice Bergeron. We just doubt that the small framed Desharnais is much better than Eller or that he can avoid getting physically dominated in a playoff series.

I dont understand the last part of your post that I highlighted.

Isnt Eller's competition playing for Pittsburgh and Boston this week?

Didnt Eller get 15+ minutes last night?

You make it sound like Desharnais is forcing Eller to sit on the bench.

Its not a zero sum game between Desharnais and Eller. Both are centers. Both get significant ice time. It is up to Eller to score when he is on the ice, not for you to worry about Eller not scoring when Desharnais is on the ice.

Eller with only 4 goals is not showing clear dominance over Desharnais. And I certainly hope that Eller steps up his scoring as we will need it for the rest of the season and the playoffs.

They are teammates.

 

[TYLENOL]

DD is definetly are best center when it comes to playing offense. He doesnt have the defensive game of Pleks, but when he's on his game he is by far better than Plekanec and Eller offensively. In the end, the only midgets i would keep, are DD and, Gallagher. Plekanec's should be shipped for a big winger while Gionta can basically go for a 3rd round pick. After that, us hab fans can shut up and stop complaining about midgets.

 

[Saundies]

DD is definetly are best center when it comes to playing offense. He doesnt have the defensive game of Pleks, but when he's on his game he is by far better than Plekanec and Eller offensively. In the end, the only midgets i would keep, are DD and, Gallagher. Plekanec's should be shipped for a big winger while Gionta can basically go for a 3rd round pick. After that, us hab fans can shut up and stop complaining about midgets.

So yeah.. ship out our best defensive center who scores 20 goals a year for a big winger... (who?) and a steady 25 goal scorer for a 3rd round pick. Sounds legit. That big winger we get for Pleks better be able to score 45 and play against the teams top lines.

Please don't ever try to be a GM of any team.. not even a fantasy one.

 

[Et le But]

DD is definetly are best center when it comes to playing offense. He doesnt have the defensive game of Pleks, but when he's on his game he is by far better than Plekanec and Eller offensively. In the end, the only midgets i would keep, are DD and, Gallagher. Plekanec's should be shipped for a big winger while Gionta can basically go for a 3rd round pick. After that, us hab fans can shut up and stop complaining about midgets.

Plekanec and Desharnais have similar offensive outputs. I'm sorry, where has he proven to be "far better" offensively? By putting up the same amount of points Plekanec averaged at the same age, in a softer role?

The difference is one does it in a two way, tough matchup role, the other does it in an exploitative role. Neither Desharnais or Eller has shown they can replace Plekanec. Since when was 5'11" 'midget' anyway; is Crosby a midget?

 

[Milhouse40]

This kind of thinking is what's going to keep us from winning a cup anytime soon. Why does it really matter for French players to be on the team? I understand if they're actually good and help the team out a certain way, but this isn't the 40's - 80's where Montreal was able to dominate with all of the French Canadian players.

To say Bergevin didn't have a choice in keeping Desharnais because he's french is really stupid if it's true. And if it's true, we're in trouble.

Why is the reason a great organisation will hire guys like Houle, Gauthier, Martin, Gainey?
Because they were the better option, or because they were the only option who can speak french?

We are in 2013, media is running a part of the show....hockey teams needs them so bad (on their side as much as possible). It's reality.

What would you think the media will have said if Bergevin would have trade DD?

 

[Saundies]

Why is the reason a great organisation will hire guys like Houle, Gauthier, Martin, Gainey?
Because they were the better option, or because they were the only option who can speak french?

We are in 2013, media is running a part of the show....hockey teams needs them so bad (on their side as much as possible). It's reality.

What would you think the media will have said if Bergevin would have trade DD?

Yeah, and how did the hiring of Houle, Gauthier, Martin, and Gainey work out thus far? 20 years later and no cup.. and even '93 was the craziest OT run in the playoffs ever.

We are in 2013, and that's my point; it shouldn't matter what the media says at all. If you have a chance to trade DD in a package for a bigger, better player to make the team better, are you really going to say no because he's French and you're scared of the media? If the answer to that question is yes, then it's going to be a hell of a long time before we win number 25.

Should every single French player that signs with the Habs automatically get tenure and preferential security because they speak the language? No.

 

[TYLENOL]

So yeah.. ship out our best defensive center who scores 20 goals a year for a big winger... (who?) and a steady 25 goal scorer for a 3rd round pick. Sounds legit. That big winger we get for Pleks better be able to score 45 and play against the teams top lines.

Please don't ever try to be a GM of any team.. not even a fantasy one.

Its smart, we need a big winger, we got galchenyuk coming up and Eller, so we should trade Plek's while he still has value. and please dont defend Gionta, everyone hates his guts on this board and would love to see him go including myself. With his contract and diminished scoring abilities, are 3 rd round pick seems legit.

 

[Saundies]

Its smart, we need a big winger, we got galchenyuk coming up and Eller, so we should trade Plek's while he still has value. and please dont defend Gionta, everyone hates his guts on this board and would love to see him go including myself. With his contract and diminished scoring abilities, are 3 rd round pick seems legit.

If the plan is to keep Desharnais to ship out Plekanec, that's a non-starter in the smart department. Whether you "like" Gionta or not, you can't deny his production. I'm not the hugest fan of Gio but he gets a pretty bad rap for how much he actually produces. Habs fans don't appreciate the guys who get 20-25 goals a year if they don't do it in a spectacular fashion.

 

[Alexdaman]

Its smart, we need a big winger, we got galchenyuk coming up and Eller, so we should trade Plek's while he still has value. and please dont defend Gionta, everyone hates his guts on this board and would love to see him go including myself. With his contract and diminished scoring abilities, are 3 rd round pick seems legit.

Yeah sure, mr. Pierre Gauthier. Let's get rid of our 2nd best goal scorer and captain right before the PO for nothing.

 

[Et le But]

Its smart, we need a big winger, we got galchenyuk coming up and Eller, so we should trade Plek's while he still has value. and please dont defend Gionta, everyone hates his guts on this board and would love to see him go including myself. With his contract and diminished scoring abilities, are 3 rd round pick seems legit.

It's smart to play a 20 year old Galchenyuk as center against top 2 lines?

 

[LyricalLyricist]

People need to get over the quebecois thing. None of our GMs have done this. Back from Gainey sticking to game plan and even Gauthier and now Bergevin. Man, it's stupid, give it a rest. The media and some fans want more francophones but Bergevin let darche go for example. He has no french bias, let it go.

 

[durojean]

3.5 is mid range salary... It's not like he's paid 5 or 6 million.

It's fair value, get over it. The guy is in his prime and will help the team. Every players has defficiencies. What does matter is how you get the maximum of your player.

If in 3 years he's on the third line it means he's eating alive his competition and we are in A good shape.

It is as simple as that. This contract shouldn't even be a debate.

He is not making first line players salary. As simple as that.

 

[WakeUpNHL]

This kind of thinking is what's going to keep us from winning a cup anytime soon. Why does it really matter for French players to be on the team? I understand if they're actually good and help the team out a certain way, but this isn't the 40's - 80's where Montreal was able to dominate with all of the French Canadian players.

To say Bergevin didn't have a choice in keeping Desharnais because he's french is really stupid if it's true. And if it's true, we're in trouble.

Of course the french media angle comes into play for any Montreal GM. I remember when Ribeiro was shipped out of Montreal... it was the day after Habs mangement told Latendress he had made the team. The french media was in such an orgasmic frenzy over Latendress they barely mentioned Ribeiro. lol

 

[lamp9post]

For all the talk in this thread of what Desharnais can't do, there is very little mention of how good he is in a very important part of the game: forechecking. While he doesn't have the best top speed, he's probably got the quickest 1st two strides on our team and constantly breaks up clearing attempts and retains offensive zone possession. Previous "offensive" players on this team like Kostitsyn, Cammallari, and Gomez had nowhere near the pressure game that DD does.

 

[LyricalLyricist]

3.5 is mid range salary... It's not like he's paid 5 or 6 million.

It's fair value, get over it. The guy is in his prime and will help the team. Every players has defficiencies. What does matter is how you get the maximum of your player.

If in 3 years he's on the third line it means he's eating alive his competition and we are in A good shape.

It is as simple as that. This contract shouldn't even be a debate.

He is not making first line players salary. As simple as that.

Yah I really don't get it. 3.5 mil? OH NO

 

[WatchfulElm]

What? So people still argues that DD should be traded or sent in the minors or be in the stands or be moved to the wing and that the only reason why he plays in the NHL or is with the Habs is that he speaks French? REALLY?

Funny how the same things were said here about Latendresse, Lapierre, Bégin, Ribeiro, Bouillon and so many others, but apparently these guys didn't need a French loving GM (like some of you guys believe MB is) to succeed in other NHL teams.

I thought this weird debate would finally die after DD signed a 4 years contract with the Habs. But apparently, the nationality of Desharnais is bothering a lot of people around here.

I guess it should be no surprise since it has always been the case on the Habs board.

I can't imagine how crazy this board would turn up if the guy MB picked on waivers this week was, let's say, Éric Bélanger instead of Jeff Halpern. People accept that Halpern can make it here in Montreal as a very average old 4th line plug, but if his name had been French, obviously, these same conspiracy theory believers would argue that he would be here only because MB is a racist and because the team is ran by RDS and Gaston Therrien.

Seriously guys, get a life.

 

[NHLFutureGuy3]

I dont understand the last part of your post that I highlighted.

Isnt Eller's competition playing for Pittsburgh and Boston this week?

Didnt Eller get 15+ minutes last night?

You make it sound like Desharnais is forcing Eller to sit on the bench.

Its not a zero sum game between Desharnais and Eller. Both are centers. Both get significant ice time. It is up to Eller to score when he is on the ice, not for you to worry about Eller not scoring when Desharnais is on the ice.

Eller with only 4 goals is not showing clear dominance over Desharnais. And I certainly hope that Eller steps up his scoring as we will need it for the rest of the season and the playoffs.

They are teammates.

Desharnais has to play with at least one or two big wingers. Desharnais gets to play with Pacioretty (our best sniper) and Gallagher ( the calder candidate) while Eller is forced to play with Galchenyuk ( A rookie who is trying to find his scoring touch again ) and Armstrong ( A role player who contributes very little offensively. Also, Desharnais gets more powerplay time than Eller. This is because Desharnais cannot play a defensive role like Eller can so Desharnais gets to play the soft minutes and focus on his offence.

If we didn't sign Desharnais and signed a bigger second/third line centre that can play defence, we would be much better off. Instead Bergevin is handcuffed.

 

[WakeUpNHL]

3.5 is mid range salary... It's not like he's paid 5 or 6 million.

It's fair value, get over it. The guy is in his prime and will help the team. Every players has defficiencies. What does matter is how you get the maximum of your player.

If in 3 years he's on the third line it means he's eating alive his competition and we are in A good shape.

It is as simple as that. This contract shouldn't even be a debate.

He is not making first line players salary. As simple as that.

3rd line for Desharnais??? And if he can't handle third line do we move him to the 4th line?
That's ridiculous! Show me a soft 5'6' defensively weak player on any third line in the NHL or AHL for that matter? If Desharnais cannot play on the first or second line he is useless. He only has value if he can keep his two 6'2, 210lbs plus wingers scoring.

 

[Et le But]

People need to get over the quebecois thing. None of our GMs have done this. Back from Gainey sticking to game plan and even Gauthier and now Bergevin. Man, it's stupid, give it a rest. The media and some fans want more francophones but Bergevin let darche go for example. He has no french bias, let it go.

This.

I'll agree RDS has an agenda and would go to war against Bergevin if he shipped DD out much as they did when Gauthier let MAB(!) go, but I'm not sure if nationality ever played a role in who the Habs signed. Maybe under Savard when they were competing for ratings with the Nordiques, but not in recent memory.

Desharnais is Quebecois, unless you work for RDS there's no reason to obsess over that one way or the other. It's not why he's on the team (well it is in the sense that some other team probably would have scouted him first...but besides that), regardless of his faults.