Revolving Door of RWs: Cole, Ryder, Briere and PAP

[Andy]

Now that Cole's contract will be done at the end of this year, and that we have now seen the host of right wingers that MB attempted to replace him with...my question is: Would you have rather have kept Cole, assuming he wanted to stay and that his "character" fit the team?

If not, which of the his 3 replacements did you enjoy most? (Unfortunately I did not now how to include this aspect into the poll.)

Personally, I think I would have just kept Cole with the benefit of hindsight. Ryder did produce well in his short stint here, however, he seemed like one of those guys who produces, but doesn't bring much else. If I'm being honest, I liked the trade for Ryder, but since it was so fleeting, I think I would have just kept Cole considering PAP and Briere made around the same money as Cole, and haven't really fit the club's needs.

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[LyricalLyricist]

Loved trade for Ryder, didn't like Briere signing.

If it's all or nothing I guess I would've rather kept Cole and put him on 3rd line.

 

[CupInSIX]

I would have loved to have kept Cole but he sounded like he wasn't going to be the same player after the lockout, and possibly going to retire if he wasn't traded.

 

[CHaracter79]

Cole was finished.

Ryder wasnt much better but had a great year that half season for us before the whole team stank it up int he playoffs.


As for Briere, didnt like the signing much but did his part in our playoff run last year which arguably couldve have been epic had Price not gotten hurt.

Pap is a plug that can still offer something more then the other three ( present day) and doest really hurt the team as a third liner along with Sekac and Eller.

Second line needs help though

 

[Rockomax]

I would have loved to have kept Cole but he sounded like he wasn't going to be the same player after the lockout, and possibly going to retire if he wasn't traded.

He wanted out that badly?

 

[Ezpz]

Cole regressed into a fourth liner after we traded him and doesn't bring anything aside from offensive play. He's had a minor resurgence this year but not worth the two years of poor play in between. His attitude was cancerous with his crying over the lockout about retiring.

 

[Devourers]

Briere signing was just plain bad. That trade was a blessing even if PAP is struggling lately.

I'm not sure I'd rather have Cole over PAP just because Cole hasn't been great either and he was a big crybaby during the lockout. I loved him when we had him but honestly he hasn't be stellar since leaving. At the end of the day, we picked up picks out of it.

 

[Sterling Archer]

So keep a guy who was finished rather than try to improve that position. Makes sense to me!

 

[Blind Gardien]

Well, if you could have the Cole that "wanted to stay and fit the character of the team"... that's basically the Cole we signed and got 1 excellent season out of, and of course you'd want that guy.

But that Cole ceased to exist during the lockout, he got himself twisted up and disgruntled and didn't really seem to want to play anymore. So it's kind of a moot point. He got 16 goals last year, though, and should get about that again this year, which is still better than the rest of these band-aid players are likely to get.

Parenteau seems like a decent fit. Not a very good player, but good on shootouts and seems to have a good attitude and all that.

Ideally I don't want any of these 4 guys right now, but we don't have an ideal lineup yet, so I'm ok keeping Parenteau, and frankly we probably could use 1 more winger who can score even a little bit, so if another of these guys was available cheap enough (like, dirt cheap) we, sadly, probably have room and I'd take them if they wanted to be here.

 

[ArtPeur]

I'd rather have Ryder over any of these guys. Cole was pretty much done. I wasn't happy about Brière's signing and I was even less happy with the trade. I didn't want PAP when he was a Free Agent years ago and I cry every night thinking that he'll be a Habs 'till next year. (alright, I'm not really crying you know)

If MB would be able to trade PAP++ to get a real top-6, I'd be happy. Jagr could have been a great fit and might still be able to play some nice hockey 'till next season while playing on Plekanec's wing. I wouldn't mind MB trading PAP for Jagr straight up.. but the Habs would still need a winger for next season..

 

[the]

I think that the best is yet to come with Parenteau so I'm sticking with him.

 

[habsfanatics*]

Liked the Cole trade actually, it was everything afterwards that I could live without. I'd rather be Coleless, Briereless and Papless, I'm not sure where that leaves me in the poll.

 

[Jeffrey]

We did get an extra 3rd (cole trade) and 5th round pick (brière trade).
Se we did not do that badly altough we should have done better with that pick than Connor Crisp !

IMO Cole,Ryder, Brière or Parenteau are all interchangeable and there are no impact player in that bunch!

 

[LyricalLyricist]

Maybe I misunderstood the question.

I thought it meant would you rather have stayed with Cole or went through the WHOLE process of Ryder, Briere, PAP.

Because if it's just keeping Cole or ending up with Briere/PAP I'd keep Cole. If it's trading Cole for Ryder and not signing Briere, that's my choice.

 

[jpchabby]

Cole was finished.

The guy just came out of a season where he scored more than 30 goals... I understand he had a bad start the seaosn we traded him, but I don't think many people would have thought he was "finished" at that time...

His stats the following seasons tell you're right, but we definitely couldn't know, at that time, that he was "finished" as you say it.

But to answer the OP's question, I think PAP is my favorite since Cole. He doesn't have amazing stats (really not in fact), but he's not actually bad.

 

[Monctonscout]

I would have loved to have kept Cole but he sounded like he wasn't going to be the same player after the lockout, and possibly going to retire if he wasn't traded.

If Cole had stayed the same player he was in 11-12, for sure, but he hasn't been the same since...

11-12 82 GP 35-26-61
Since 160 GP 34-18-52

Even if he was the 10-11 Cole from Carolina I'd take him at 26-26-52 for 4.5 mil AAV.

 

[Bob Cole]

None of the above.

Jaromir Jagr was and is still is the answer. Wake up Bergevin.

 

[Teufelsdreck]

No one mentioned Vanek, who didn't want to stay. Although the Habs lost Collberg and a 2nd for the rental they more than made up for it by signing Sekac. Parenteau was a better fit than Briere but I think Bergevin would like a further upgrade. It may not be easy. Why is there a shortage of capable RWs? The Habs aren't the only ones on the hunt. I'd even take loui, but only if he were avaikabke as a UFA (I wouldn't give the Bruins anything of value for him).

 

[Analyzer*]

Cole was done ?

Cole still played decently for the bottom 6. He brought speed and some physicality.

Briere brought no speed, or physicality, but brought timely scoring in the playoffs.

Ryder brought no speed, physicality, or timely playoff scoring.

PaP brings no speed, physicality and timely shootout goals.

Funny how people say that when it's not true.

 

[Markov4Captain]

Cole's attitude towards Subban is what made me dislike him. He always felt like youngsters should 'respect' and be 'obedient' to the veterans which really put me off. Other than that you could tell her loved to play for this team and city but with the direction new management was going in I don't see how he would ever be a fit.

 

[Habitant#1]

None of the above.

Jaromir Jagr was and is still is the answer. Wake up Bergevin.

He's terrible in the playoffs when games actually matter. And at any minute his age is going to hit him like a ton of bricks and he's going to be useless. I don't get the Jagr love around here.

 

[Harpo]

Cole was one of my favorite player before his last season here. He was terribad before being traded.

The Ryder trade was very good. I would've kept him instead of signing Briere. Trading Briere for PAP was good, in the circumstances.

Ryder > PAP > Cole > Briere.

Then again, the difference between Ryder and Briere is not that much. And I was OK with the Briere gamble, even if it didn't turn out well.

 

[CupInSIX]

He wanted out that badly?

Yes and no. I think he just wanted the whole season locked out to spend time with his kids.

 

[LyricalLyricist]

He's terrible in the playoffs when games actually matter. And at any minute his age is going to hit him like a ton of bricks and he's going to be useless. I don't get the Jagr love around here.

Jagr is fine but more of the same for Montreal. He won't produce 60 points unless he's the go to guy and he just isn't.

Only reason I'd even put him on a top line with max and galchenyuk is he probably can teach them a few things. Otherwise he's not as dominant as he once was so wtv.

 

[lou4gehrig]

As bad as you may think PAP is, he's much better than Cole or Briere. Not to mention the shootout ability.