When is the last time the Habs landed a "big fish"?

[BRAD HABSFAN]

Ok let me think.. were we complaining when gomez, gionta and the crew took us to the conference finals? now maybe im nuts but name a big fish any team grabbed that CARRIED a team. Or do teams usually have a nucleus that a big name player fits in. When I think of big name signings how many of them usually work out?? Would we of been a better team with nash? parise [wait too small], suter? a older injured lecavalier? richards? Teams to me now build and succeed and add role players along the way. chicago prime example, detroit, pittsburgh. even LA had the nucleus and added from there. Look at the big splash teams--toronto, ny rangers, philly.

 

[Peace]

According to OP, Le dernier gros poisson ES TURGEON

 

[M.C.G. 31]

From free agency, Cammalleri. He would definitely be considered a 'big fish' back that summer. 40 goals in the previous season, and his first season, especially playoffs with Montreal was tremendous.

 

[Lionel Mandrake]

Sounds like you're upset that our franchise isn't as stupid as Philadelphia. Who just paid $40M for 1.5 seasons of Bryzgalov. So unless we're as stupid, then we're not going to land the "big fish" as you call them without massive overpayment.

Our endeavours to compete with such franchises (Gionta, Camm, Spacek, Hamrlik, etc) have been unmitigated failures.

Don't agree about Hamrlik but agree with the overall idea of the post. Gems are kept and built around. The others hit free agency. They're often (not always) talented mercenaries. No wonder they often can't live up to the insane pressure that comes with the ridiculous contract the overinflated market just got him.

 

[Natey]

2013.... Danny Briere!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[S Bah]

I don't get why fans here get their hopes up anytime a big time player is on the block or a UFA. For whatever reason, they just don't seem to come to Montreal.

Thinking back....I'd say the last big fish was Turgeon? Maybe I'm missing a name or two.

Wait what ? Cammaleri ....? Prust was one of the big fish in his own right also

Cammalleri, absolutely. Gionta was a moderately big fish that offseason too (size aside)

Prust was coveted too.

Alex Kovalev
Erik Cole
Scott Gomez
Brian Gionta
Mike Cammalleri
Jaroslav Spacek sarcasm
Sergei Samsonov sarcasm: )
Bryan Smolinski sarcasm: )
Chris Campoli sarcasm: )

Say what you want about each of those players, but we did win out on them.

I guess you can throw Brandon Prust in there, since he was pursued by numerous teams too.

Brandon Prust was the best catch last summer for the Habs and depending on your outlook IMO he was a big fish. Clarkson this year is the big fish and Stephen Weiss is a close 2nd IMO, either of these players would be huge for the Habs.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Big fish are almost never available. Chara, Pronger... that's all that really come to mind in terms of UFAs anyway.

Cammaleri is about as big a UFA fish as you'll usually find. And I'd argue that he was a bigger fish than Vinny is now. People need to get the whole 'Vinny is a superstar' thought out of their mind. He's not a superstar and hasn't been for a while now.

 

[CHarlie]

PK Subban, Carey Price, Alex Galchenyuk, Max Pacioretty... All drafted !

And that is how you build a championship

 

[SpeedDemon]

my opinion ..... drafting Sakku Koivu

 

[Dharvey33]

According to OP, Le dernier gros poisson ES TURGEON

I see what you did there a fisherman joke.

Cammalleri was a big fish.

Then resigning Plekanec was a big fish too that guy could have gotten 6 mil on the ufa market.

 

[Dharvey33]

Zach fucale, Pk Subban, Alex Galchenyuk, Max Pacioretty... All drafted !

Yep indeed

 

[Kimota]

Cole. Not because he was a big fish? But because it's the only UFA signing that we won, we wanted him, we got him. Cammy an Gio we overpaid, that's why they came here. But Cole we won him fair and square.

 

[ProspectsFanatic]

With overpayment we landed on many "big fishes"

 

[MXD]

Michael Calamarri?

 

[Mrb1p]

Roman Hamrlik was a big fish. How often do we get to sign a D of his caliber ? He was an outstanding number 3 and a really good number two for us. Same thing with Cole who was a pretty big fish that year. Not as big as Calamari though.(Hey... If we're in fishes jokes... better go all in !)

 

[Montreal Impact FC]

Seriously we didnt sign anyone with a true star status since God knows when... Kovalev already had his foot in place wich doesnt count as a free agent imo. But he was still a tremendous player when we got him.

 

[Agnostic]

Michael Calamarri?

You've got to be squidding.
(yeah I know I've used that before)

Good one

Edit : what about Pierre Sturgeon

 

[Juve]

From free agency, Cammalleri. He would definitely be considered a 'big fish' back that summer. 40 goals in the previous season, and his first season, especially playoffs with Montreal was tremendous.

He was a semi big fish. Cammalleri never scored 40 goals.

 

[Orange]

We're not a contender and we don't have enough firepower to make any big fish think that we will in the near future.

 

[Mrb1p]

He was a semi big fish. Cammalleri never scored 40 goals.

.... 39 goals is one goal away from 40. Are we going to nitpick like that ?

 

[Juve]

.... 39 goals is one goal away from 40. Are we going to nitpick like that ?

Yes, because 39 doesn't equal 40. He was once close to becoming 40 goal scorer.

 

[Agnostic]

Yes, because 39 doesn't equal 40. He was once close to becoming 40 goal scorer.

You missed the point.

 

[Juve]

You missed the point.

How did I miss the point? You can't say he's a 40 goal scorer if he's never scored 40 goals. He's off by one goal, that still does not qualify him as 40 goal scorer.

 

[hockeyfan2k11]

Sounds like you're upset that our franchise isn't as stupid as Philadelphia. Who just paid $40M for 1.5 seasons of Bryzgalov. So unless we're as stupid, then we're not going to land the "big fish" as you call them without massive overpayment.

Our endeavours to compete with such franchises (Gionta, Camm, Spacek, Hamrlik, etc) have been unmitigated failures.

Upset? How? It's an honest question.

And as much as you want to harp on big fish that didn't work out..there are others that did. Gionta, Spacek, Kovy were not "big fish". Cammy was moderately big...but still secondary player. Hamr was a good signing. He wasn't a big fish either. The problem are the secondary players who get big fish contracts.

 

[hockeyfan2k11]

We're not a contender and we don't have enough firepower to make any big fish think that we will in the near future.

What really lures players to Montreal? Really? When we become a contender and have good players that others want to play with...that's when we'll land big fish players and not just good players who command big fish money.