So the trade deadline is soon and we are better off than we expected. Still we need some work. Our needs are mostly of a center who can actually win draws. So far, we've had Chipchura - 43.84%, Koivu - 53.82%, Lapierre - 50.21%, Plekanec - 46.98%, Smolinski - 47.83%. Not that great. I could see use bringing back Yanic Perreault merely for the fact of power play faceoffs that we need desprately. Jarret Stoll has been another name Gainey has looked into though it is tougher than it looks. It's worth the hastle though if we come away with his 54% winning mark. Michael Peca has lost the offensive touch but still is amazing in that second the puck drops. He has almost a 55% winning mark. Robert Lang is also doing that well but also gives us the size we don't have with our other centers standing barely 6 foot. Some other names include, Ryan Johnson of the Blues, Radek Bonk of the Preds and Keith Tkachuk of the Blues as well. Another need that could be addressed is lack of veteran defensemen. We have Patrice but he is often out injured due to his age. The likes of Rob Blake having a low season on a low ranked team has brought the interest of many General Managers to watch a game or two but the Kings have been greedy and Blake has a No-Trade-Clause which will be waved if he wants to enter the 2008 playoffs. Ed Jovanovski of Phoenix has had a nice year being the man on the power play setting up 27 goals while Adam Foote of Columbus has had only 13 points in 51 games, he still would be a nice pick-up for the Canadiens. What may the Canadiens offer to get such players? We have too many good young players which means they will never have a chance with our squad. The list is long: Carey Price, Ryan McDonagh, Kyle Chipchura, Max Pacioretty, Ben Maxwell, David Fischer, Sergei Kostitsyn, Jaroslav Halak, Mikhail Grabovski, Alexei Emelin, Ryan O'Byrne, PK Subban, Pavel Valentenko, Ryan White, Matt D'Agostini, Mathieu Carle, Ryan Russell and Mathieu Aubin. Out of that list, Price, Chipchura, Maxwell and Kostitsyns and O'Bryne are the only ones I see making a roster spot right away. That talent is what the teams like LA and bottom feeders like. Throw in a pick or two and you have a deal.
