Well folks, the 2010/2011 Habs are starting to take shape.
On Monday, June 28th, the Habs announced the signings of Tom Pyatt and Benoit Pouliot.
Pyatt was acquired as part of the blockbuster trade that brought Scott Gomez to the Habs. He played 40 games for the Habs, picking up five points in the process. While not a major offensive component, Pyatt was a strong two-way player in the season/playoffs and was especially valuable on the penalty kill. RDS is reporting Pyatt signed a 1 year 1 way deal for $500,000. This is a slight decrease from last season, however, we should expect him to get raise next season when the Habs have more cap room to play with.
Pouliot was acquired last year in a trade that sent forward Guillaume Latendresse to the Minnesota Wild. He recorded 15 goals and 9 assists in 39 games with the Canadiens but has his production fall off in late March. He was originally the 4th pick overall in the 2005 entry draft, picked one spot ahead of Carey Price. Pouliot has great hands and a big offensive upside to go with his size ( 6'3" ). Many reports have stated that his goal this summer is to put on 15 pounds of muscle. RDS is reporting Pouliot signed a 1 year 1 way deal for $1.35 million. However, we should expect him to get raise next season if he provides consistent production and good defensive play.
All in all, I love both of these signings. Grit and Scoring! To me, the signings show just how much both of these players want to be a Hab. If everything works out and both players have good years, you can be sure the Habs will reward them in 2011.
Who will the Habs sign next? Will they go after any UFA's?
What do you think?
Stay Tuned!