Halak to the Blues

[stewza]

http://twitter.com/TSNBobMcKenzie/status/16409966480

Halak to the St. Louis Blues. Done deal.

 

[snipezo]

Wow. I really thought the Habs were gonnna keep him considering the fact that he had a great playoff run. I guess he was asking for too much money that Habs can't afford him. I'm anxious to see who the Blues trade.

 

[stewza]

Eller and Schultz to the Habs, not sure if thats it but Pierre Lebrun confirmed those two.

 

[Brick.]

Wow. I really thought the Habs were gonnna keep him considering the fact that he had a great playoff run. I guess he was asking for too much money that Habs can't afford him. I'm anxious to see who the Blues trade.

I heard that it was Perron and STL's 1st round pick.

 

[A.E]

This is a shocker, I fully expected the Canadiens to get a new deal done with Halak and send Price packing. Not that I don't like Price, he's still an outstanding goalie, but Halak was so hot late season and into the post-season. Curious to see who St. Louis gives up, once details are released. I am all but sure that 1st round pick is part of the deal and now I need to scratch Jack Campbell off my mock draft, at pick #14. Only reason I see Montreal parting with Halak over Price is because of a higher return....which I am sure they have with this deal.

 

[Brick.]

This is a shocker, I fully expected the Canadiens to get a new deal done with Halak and send Price packing. Not that I don't like Price, he's still an outstanding goalie, but Halak was so hot late season and into the post-season. Curious to see who St. Louis gives up, once details are released. I am all but sure that 1st round pick is part of the deal and now I need to scratch Jack Campbell off my mock draft, at pick #14. Only reason I see Montreal parting with Halak over Price is because of a higher return....which I am sure they have with this deal.

Put him at #17

 

[stewza]

This is a shocker, I fully expected the Canadiens to get a new deal done with Halak and send Price packing. Not that I don't like Price, he's still an outstanding goalie, but Halak was so hot late season and into the post-season. Curious to see who St. Louis gives up, once details are released. I am all but sure that 1st round pick is part of the deal and now I need to scratch Jack Campbell off my mock draft, at pick #14. Only reason I see Montreal parting with Halak over Price is because of a higher return....which I am sure they have with this deal.

One good prospect and one mediocre prospect for the goalie that carried your team through to the conference finals isn't higher return.

 

[A.E]

One good prospect and one mediocre prospect for the goalie that carried your team through to the conference finals isn't higher return.

Nobody knows exactly what the return is yet, so far we're hearing speculation that paints 2 different portraits. As good as Carey Price still is, I love the rumors of St. Louis shipping David Perron and a 1st. Halak was good but he didn't "carry" the Canadiens into their post-season run. Their scoring, forechecking, and aggressive defense did a ton to support Halak.

 

[stewza]

Nobody knows exactly what the return is yet, so far we're hearing speculation that paints 2 different portraits. As good as Carey Price still is, I love the rumors of St. Louis shipping David Perron and a 1st. Halak was good but he didn't "carry" the Canadiens into their post-season run. Their scoring, forechecking, and aggressive defense did a ton to support Halak.

No, Eller and Schultz have been confirmed.

 

[A.E]

No, Eller and Schultz have been confirmed.

Where at? I can't find any credible sources.

 

[stewza]

Where at? I can't find any credible sources.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=531923

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2010/06/17/halak_blues/

and tsn has a story up but their site is lagged out for me

 

[A.E]

Nevermind:

TSN.ca

The Montreal Canadiens dealt the goaltender who led them through their postseason run, as the club has traded Jaroslav Halak to the St. Louis Blues.

In return, the Habs receive defenceman Lars Eller and forward Ian Schultz.

Halak, 25, spent the last four seasons with the Canadiens and shared the goaltending duties with Carey Price after being called up from the American Hockey League's Hamilton Bulldogs in February of 2008. He made his NHL debut in place of injured goaltender Cristobal Huet during the 2006-07 season with a 10-6 record, 2.89 goals-against average and .906 save percentage.

This past season, Halak's incredible play between the pipes led the Canadiens on deep run into the playoffs before they were eliminated by the Flyers in the Eastern Conference final.

The native of Slovakia, drafted 271st overall by Montreal in 2003, will become a restricted free agent in July and is eligible for salary arbitration.

eeew, I feel like the Canadiens could have and should have gotten more. Perron and a 1st is a great deal...this deal isn't though. I'd love to hear the organization justify this.

 

[stewza]

Nevermind:


eeew, I feel like the Canadiens could have and should have gotten more. Perron and a 1st is a great deal...this deal isn't though. I'd love to hear the organization justify this.

He's an unsigned RFA. According to Bob Mackenzie neither the Habs or Blues even contacted Halak or his agent about a contract after the season ended.

 

[A.E]

He's an unsigned RFA. According to Bob Mackenzie neither the Habs or Blues even contacted Halak or his agent about a contract after the season ended.

That's jacked up <Censored>. I can't wait to hear the Canadens' fans backlash about this one.

 

[snipezo]

Wow absolute steal by Pleau imo. Bad move by Gauthier. Perron and their first for Jaro would have been a lot better for the Habs.

 

[playmaker7]

You guys lashed at me when I said Halak wouldn't return next year

Glad to see Montreal breaking down.

 

[A.E]

Also buried deep in the NHL news today:

The Blues also acquired forward T.J. Hensick from the Avalanche in exchange for forward Julian Talbot.

 

[Brick.]

Also buried deep in the NHL news today:

The Blues also acquired forward T.J. Hensick from the Avalanche in exchange for forward Julian Talbot.

Decent deal for both teams.

 

[playmaker7]

Decent deal for both teams.

Scrub trade if you ask me lol

I think the Blues got the best of it though

 

[A.E]

Allow me to help spread the hype on this absolutely pewtrid trade pulled off by the Canadiens today:

Who is Lars Eller?

Anyone can tell you he's a first-rounder, but who is Lars Eller, really?

For starters, he was the second European player chosen at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft and one of only two non-North Americans selected in the opening round that year. A big centerman who can put points on the board, the book on Eller hasn't changed since draft day.

"Our evaluation of this young player is still the same," said Habs GM Pierre Gauthier via conference call following the trade. "This is a player who has always been projected to be a second line center."

A playmaking pivot who was busy honing his skills in the Swedish Elite League before making the jump to the AHL this past season and even making his NHL debut with the Blues, Eller is a player Gauthier has high hopes for.

"I think Lars is almost ready to contribute for us as early as this year," revealed Gauthier. "He's been developing nicely, we watched him excel at the AHL level and with his experience now in the NHL. He's a big centerman with a good shot who really competes."

Who is Ian Schultz?

The dust may still be settling on the trade that sent Jaroslav Halak to St. Louis on Thursday, but what the Habs got in return could end up paying dividends for years to come.

Calgary co-captain Ian Schultz led the Hitmen to a semifinal finish at the Memorial Cup championship this season, racking up 55 points in 70 regular season games, including 10 power play goals to go with two shorthanded markers. But despite posting career-high numbers across the board in his fourth WHL season, it's not Schultz's offensive prowess that had opponents running scared in Western Canada.

Dropping the gloves 18 times this year, the gritty power forward finished second on the team with 150 penalty minutes. Schultz will be looking to carry that sandpaper approach with him to the Hamilton Bulldogs next season, hoping to get his first taste of pro hockey in the AHL in 2010-11.
"When you get young guys who can last a long time with your franchise and build themselves as part of the community and the team, you have to really look at those players," described Habs general manager Pierre Gauthier. "That's what we're hoping to get from Schultz down the road."

While the 20-year-old doesn't have any pro experience under his belt just yet, with his older brother Jeff currently patrolling the Washington Capitals blue line, Schultz has the perfect tutor to teach him the ropes before he lands in Montreal for training camp next fall.