How much action will Halak see behind Price?
Posted 9:39 PM ET | Comments 0
After today's announcement of the resigning of Jaroslav Halak to a 2 year deal worth a reported 1.55 million, the questions and rumors will no doubt begin again. How many games will he play? Will he be traded? Is he happy in his role as number 2? Personally i am a big Halak admirer. You have to respect a player who came in in the last stretch of the 2006-2007 season, in what was in all honesty a sinking ship, and stepped up to the point of almost leading the Habs into the playoffs in a very close playoff race. To have been able to cope with the pressure in what is arguably the most media-scrutinized hockey market at such a young age (he was 21 at the time) in the midst of the Huet injury, is admirable and goes a long way in showing his character.
He is now the confirmed number 2 and will probably play 20-25 games at the most, unless Carey Price gets injured or plays horribly, which i don't see happening. If he is to be traded i would not like to see it this season. Can you imagine the Habs 2 netminders being Marc Denis and Cedric Desjardins in the event of a Price injury? The idea of Denis being the Canadiens starting goalie would be downright scary to me if i was Gainey or Carbonneau, considering his horrible play in Tampa Bay. Obviously Halak will eventually want a shot at being a number 1 goalie somewhere in the NHL, an opportunity he will most probably never see in Montreal due to the presence of Price. Halak will have control over his own destiny, if he performs well when given the chance, Bob Gainey will undoubtedly receive offers from his fellow GM's approaching next season's trade deadline or during the summer.
He is now the confirmed number 2 and will probably play 20-25 games at the most, unless Carey Price gets injured or plays horribly, which i don't see happening. If he is to be traded i would not like to see it this season. Can you imagine the Habs 2 netminders being Marc Denis and Cedric Desjardins in the event of a Price injury? The idea of Denis being the Canadiens starting goalie would be downright scary to me if i was Gainey or Carbonneau, considering his horrible play in Tampa Bay. Obviously Halak will eventually want a shot at being a number 1 goalie somewhere in the NHL, an opportunity he will most probably never see in Montreal due to the presence of Price. Halak will have control over his own destiny, if he performs well when given the chance, Bob Gainey will undoubtedly receive offers from his fellow GM's approaching next season's trade deadline or during the summer.