Fournier: Habs shopping own Top-6 Forward for D

[WhiskeySeven*]

This has been debunked so many times at this point that it's tiring explaining it.

You're smarter than that.

It was actually a half attempt at sarcasm that missed the point. I'm so sorry.

I've had a rough couple of nights, lots of drinking. Some details on my twitter.

As for Leblanc, well, I still believe in him.

 

[Goldthorpe]

Oh wow.. Random poster goes "show me proof", not expecting proof to come and boom... proof.

It's one of the rare case where we actually have solid evidence that Leblanc was exactly picked as expected by the habs brass. Yet, people have been harping otherwise since he's been traded.

 

[Mr Jackpot]

Hi, I had a quick question about the forum, how do you block some members?

 

[Surge101]

By top-6 forward, do they mean top-6 in the league?
Could that be ANYONE except for Patches on the team?

 

[68*]

Hi, I had a quick question about the forum, how do you block some members?

Click on the username and select Add to Ignore List.

 

[deandebean]

It was actually a half attempt at sarcasm that missed the point. I'm so sorry.

I've had a rough couple of nights, lots of drinking. Some details on my twitter.

As for Leblanc, well, I still believe in him.

Still on a drinking binge, I see. Mmmm...

 

[Stripper]

By top-6 forward, do they mean top-6 in the league?
Could that be ANYONE except for Patches on the team?

It's obviously a top 6 foward in our team... not the league...

 

[JusticeBeaver]

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=4gp7uo&s=3#.U5350V7NblI

9. Louis Leblanc
10. Ryan Ellis
11. Zack Kassian
12. Scott Glennie
13. Jordan Schroeder
14. John Moore
15. Dmitry Kulikov
16. Jacob Josefsson
17. Chris Kreider
18. Nazem Kadri

What an awful draft year.

 

[GTA]

Oh wow.. Random poster goes "show me proof", not expecting proof to come and boom... proof.

Random poster? Sorry I don't have time to post on here 3 times a day to get myself known, chief.

By the way, I think you need to look up 'proof' in the dictionary if you think a partial list qualifies. Leblanc could still be rated much higher on their list given his french status...the list doesn't really change that.

Again, not that I buy into that argument, given how unlikely it is, but it hasn't been 'debunked' and there is no real 'proof'

Thanks for the condescension though, E=MC2.

 

[GTA]

It's one of the rare case where we actually have solid evidence that Leblanc was exactly picked as expected by the habs brass. Yet, people have been harping otherwise since he's been traded.

solid evidence? If they moved him up the list because he was french, this is exactly what you would expect to see. Did you think they would have his name at #1 highlighted with an asterix next to it? What does this solid evidence prove?

 

[bobholly39]

Per Ron Fournier on 98,5FM just now, the Habs are shopping one of their impact forwards for a good defensemen. He didn't say who, but he said the guy had reached the end of the road with Montreal.

I say Plekanec. But the way he talked about, the guy was a goal scorer. Maybe Pacioretty?

He said it would be done before the draft.

He also said that many teams were inquiring about Ryan White, that the Habs were through with Leblanc and that Gionta wouldn't be the captain next year.

In what way? When you say that are you just saying he's not going to play with Montreal next year. Or are you implying that said player asked for a trade/wanted out of montreal, or that the team doesn't want him back for w\e reasno?

Because if it's the latter, only 2 players qualify, and they Pacioretty and Plekanec.


- Desharnais - no way he would ask for a trade, he had a very strong year despite a slow start and has had no real issues. The team should also be happy with him, as he certainly hasn't played bad

- Gallagher/Galchenyuk - too young. Both are awesome, i can't imagine any of them wanting to leave nor MTL wanting to get rid of one

- Vanek is UFA so he doesn't count

- Pacioretty - he didn't perform great in playoffs. Recently publically criticized by Lafleur (i could see him being pissed). Tons of pressure, and altho majority of fanbase love him a lot of fans did turn on him during playoffs. I could see him wanting out

- Plekanec - same as Pacioretty a lot of fans turned on him in playoffs.


I like them both so hope it's untrue.

 

[NHLFutureGuy3]

How Seinfeldian. A trade about nothing.

LOL

Leblanc should be the go-to example of this team catering to the French media in an obstructive way.

Absolutely! This is why I'm skeptical when we either draft, sign, or trade for a French player.

 

[Scintillating10]

Quite sure this involves the Black Hawks. On 690 yesterday, they were saying Hawks blamed their playoff failure due to lack of depth down the middle compare to LA. Plekanec would be an awesome #3 center. Not sure who the d-man coming back would be but you know it is not Keith or Seabrooke. Maybe Leddy or Hjalmarsson?

 

[Sterling Archer]

solid evidence? If they moved him up the list because he was french, this is exactly what you would expect to see. Did you think they would have his name at #1 highlighted with an asterix next to it? What does this solid evidence prove?

I guess you don't know how a draft list works either. It's the FINAL ranking of the players the Habs want. The will draft which ever player is highest ranked on their list that is still available when it's their turn to pick.

They won't all of a sudden say "hey, we can draft a guy we have in our top 5 but wait, Leblanc is till there so let's take him even though he's 9 on our list." Kind of defeats the purpose of having a ranking before walking into the draft, doesn't it? If they thought higher of him, he'd be ranked higher on their list.

 

[Monctonscout]

Quite sure this involves the Black Hawks. On 690 yesterday, they were saying Hawks blamed their playoff failure due to lack of depth down the middle compare to LA. Plekanec would be an awesome #3 center. Not sure who the d-man coming back would be but you know it is not Keith or Seabrooke. Maybe Leddy or Hjalmarsson?

Plekanec would be #2 in Chicago. That's the main weakness in their roster. Stick him behind Toews with guys like Hossa/Kane and Saad on the wings and you have an excellent 2nd line.

 

[Natey]

Quite sure this involves the Black Hawks. On 690 yesterday, they were saying Hawks blamed their playoff failure due to lack of depth down the middle compare to LA. Plekanec would be an awesome #3 center. Not sure who the d-man coming back would be but you know it is not Keith or Seabrooke. Maybe Leddy or Hjalmarsson?

No interested in Leddy for Plekanec at all.

It would have be Hammer.. but we'd have to add to Pleks. I'm not sure what though....

Maybe something like Plekanec + Tinordi for Hammer + Hartman or Hayes or Danault

 

[vokiel]

By top-6 forward, do they mean top-6 in the league?
Could that be ANYONE except for Patches on the team?

It's Ron Fournier speculating. For all we care, he was probably talking about Leblanc. (or Bouillon )

 

[waffledave]

No interested in Leddy for Plekanec at all.

It would have be Hammer.. but we'd have to add to Pleks. I'm not sure what though....

Maybe something like Plekanec + Tinordi for Hammer + Hartman or Hayes or Danault

The Hawks would have to add, not the other way around. Pleks is stupidely underrated here, we would get a few pieces for him.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

I guess you don't know how a draft list works either. It's the FINAL ranking of the players the Habs want. The will draft which ever player is highest ranked on their list that is still available when it's their turn to pick.

They won't all of a sudden say "hey, we can draft a guy we have in our top 5 but wait, Leblanc is till there so let's take him even though he's 9 on our list." Kind of defeats the purpose of having a ranking before walking into the draft, doesn't it? If they thought higher of him, he'd be ranked higher on their list.

You clearly don't understand what the previous poster was trying to say......you actually are supporting his case.

 

[WestIslander]

I think it's Pacioretty, I do not think he is happy in Montreal and I do not think Bergevin saw much from him in the playoffs this season.

We have a franchise goalie, we have a franchise defenseman and now we need to build from the goalie out so we need Markov's replacement in a shutdown, hard to play against defenseman that can play on the PP as well and then we can focus on offense as well, I would love a Dougie Hamilton type in Montreal.

 

[Lebowski]

Pacioretty and Plekanec are the two most likely candidates, but I think it would make a whole lot more sense if we traded Plek at this point in time.

 

[Intangir]

I hate to break it to you guys but center depth is the las thing the yotes need. Ribs, vermette, hanzal as the top 3 centers make pleks kinda useless... Also after yandle, OEL and Michalek, there isn't much D there... Gormley hasn't taken that step yet

That is absolutely false. Ever heard of Michael Stone? Seriously, the guy is propbably one of the most underrated young defensemen in the league today. He also shows tons of upside as a two-way d-man.

Here's a Hockeydb link for Michael Stone if you aren't familiar with the guy:
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=96696

The guy only just became 24 this month, is huge, fast (acceleration moreso than top speed) AND agile, strong along the boards, physical, has a good first-pass and decent arsenal of shots (his slapshot in particular is very strong though not very accurate), displays good poise with and without the puck (could still improve obviously), has decent positionning (his biggest ''weakness'') and is actually that elusive right-handed defenseman.

In other words, I'd LOVE for us to somehow manage to acquire the guy (I'd even be willing to part with Beaulieu or Tinordi if necessary). He'd be perfect as a #4-5 for next season and could develop into an extremely solid #2-3.

 

[Monctonscout]

I think it's Pacioretty, I do not think he is happy in Montreal and I do not think Bergevin saw much from him in the playoffs this season.

We have a franchise goalie, we have a franchise defenseman and now we need to build from the goalie out so we need Markov's replacement in a shutdown, hard to play against defenseman that can play on the PP as well and then we can focus on offense as well, I would love a Dougie Hamilton type in Montreal.

We have a Hamilton, his name is Beaulieu.

No way is Pacioretty going anywhere.

 

[BigHabs]

If the Habs were to trade Plekanec and it was to Chicago.

Leddy
Morin
1st round pick

For

Plekanec
Prospect

Would be the package the Habs would need to go. If salary was an issue, I would take Versteeg off their hands. Bergevin doesn't seem like a GM who would retain salary in a deal.

I don't really think Bickell is a fit considering we have a Bourque who plays exactly like him in huge season and then up their level come playoffs.

I do like the idea of a Sharp - Plekanec deal too, but some say that they don't think Sharp would be the player he is now without the top level centre he has in Toews which Montreal technically doesn't have at the moment.

Maybe a:

Leddy
Teravainen
Versteeg

For

Plekanec
Pateryn

Versteeg basically offsets half of Plekanec's salary.

 

[Monctonscout]

If the Habs were to trade Plekanec and it was to Chicago.

Leddy
Morin
1st round pick

For

Plekanec
Prospect

Would be the package the Habs would need to go. If salary was an issue, I would take Versteeg off their hands. Bergevin doesn't seem like a GM who would retain salary in a deal.

I don't really think Bickell is a fit considering we have a Bourque who plays exactly like him in huge season and then up their level come playoffs.

I do like the idea of a Sharp - Plekanec deal too, but some say that they don't think Sharp would be the player he is now without the top level centre he has in Toews which Montreal technically doesn't have at the moment.

No way I'd do that.

If Plekanec is moved there has to be a top 6 forward coming back, not 3 lesser pieces.

Maybe one day Leddy is a good top 4 d-man, but right now he doesn't really fit a need.