Tanguay Traded to Habs

The rumors begain surfacing early this past season. Approximately eight months later they were proven true: Montreal (finally) successfully acquired the rights to former Calgary Flames and Colorado Avalanche star Alex Tanguay.

Kovalev for Tanguay?

It's true. When Tanguay was first on his way to Montreal from Calgary, in the eyes of the media, anyway, Montreal's leading scorer from this past year, Alex Kovalev, was seen as gong the other way to reunite with former New York Rangers head coach Mike Keenan. Considering Kovalev's ressurection from apathy and his breakthrough into the hearts of Habs fans everywhere this year, consider again this deal a huge coup for Gainey and the Bleu-Blanc-et-Rouge nation. Not only did they keep their star player, but they got another in Tanguay, only giving up two draft picks in the process.

Of course, Montreal was only able to spearhead the winger because Calgary gm Darryl Sutter foresaw his team running into salary cap trouble with Jarome Iginla, Miikka Kiprusoff, and Dion Phaneuf all projected to be under contract for the foreseeable future. Tanguay became expendable, and, so, Sutter went searching for a replacement. He got his in a cheaper and younger, and arguably just as talented scorer from the Los Angeles Kings, Mike Cammalleri. While the Los Angeles lost a Hollywood star in the making, Calgary and Montreal each came out as winners. Count the trades as plusses for both teams.

While many Montreal fans might be disappointed that Gainey didn't reach out for the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's Nicolas Deschamps (from the Chicoutimi Sagueneens) in the first round instead (who went to the Anaheim Ducks in the second round), fans should remember that, for a team usually starved for local talent, they are not only getting a fully developed Frenchman in Tanguay, but one who has an excess of talent.

Lineup Shakeup

Now comes the question as to where Tanguay will play in a lineup that proved itself very deep during the regular season. He is coming off a relatively disappointing 58-point season, but, it should be noted, he was playing largely on Calgary's second line, which meant less power-play time and less time playing with Hart Memorial Trophy finalist Iginla. Tanguay still netted better than a point per game in the three seasons prior. Now on a team that had seven 50-point scorers, it's not totally irrational to assume he will pick up right where he left off in Colorado as a first liner.

While Chris Higgins is a left winger as well, it conceivable that he will move over to the right side to appease Tanguay and help form a Tanguay, Saku Koivu, and Higgins trio. Such a line would give the Habs the playmaking abilities of Koivu and Tanguay and the scoring and willingness to go to the net of Higgins. Keeping the second line of Andrei Kostitsyn, Tomas Plekanec, and Kovalev together is only logical as that line was the team's most consistent this whole past season.

Sergei Kostitsyn will then likely drop down and give more of a passing punch to a third line that could include any number of players from Maxim Lapierre and Guillaume Latendresse to Kyle Chipchura, and, should they be resigned, Mikhail Grabovski and Michael Ryder (not likely in the case of Ryder, though).

In other words, Montreal has a whole lot of options and a whole lot of talent to spare.

Montreal Canadiens' Centenary Just in Time

This upcoming season is being celebrated as the Habs' 100-year anniversary, and, just as scheduled, the Montreal Canadiens are playing out to be a favourite to repeat as regular-season Eastern-conference champions. While the Pittsburgh Penguins are perhaps a better bet to come in first, Montreal is not going away quietly, and this move by Gainey is evidence of that. Getting the chance to exclusively negotiate before the free agency period with the Toronto Maple Leafs' captain Mats Sundin is even more. With the all-star game scheduled to take place in the city as well, 2008-2009 is already shaping up to be a very special season indeed.

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