UFA Mike Komisarek

According to CKAC Martin McGuire, Washington is presently leading the way as far as UFA Mike Komisarek is concerened.

On April 30, 2008, I, along with fans from Montreal, travelled to Philadelphia for game 4 of the Stanley Cup playoffs between the Canadiens and the Flyers. While waiting for the players to board the bus who would take them from the hotel to the Wachovia Center, I witnessed Bob Gainey while he proceeded slowly to walk by the fans. All he heard from most of them was “thank you Mr. Gainey”. The fans were excited with their team and were hoping for the Stanley Cup. And so after a heartbreaking loss to the Flyers, Gainey acquired Tanguay and Laraque, and then later on Lang in the offseason, hoping that they would fill up the needs of the team who would then have a true shot at lord Stanley’s graal.
“Fans in Montreal, said Carey Price, can put you very high when things go well, and then throw you under a bus when the team loses”. And so, at the end of this season, Bob Gainey found himself as the target of criticisms from the angry fans and media. What happened to make this team from a Dr. Jekyll to a Mr. Hide? And what is the true value of the team that was on the ice those past two seasons. I strongly believe that the Canadiens can be defined between their 1st place, 104 points season and their 8th place, 93 points season. Last season, the team was plagued by numerous wounds to its key players. The previous year, it had been spared. Last season, many players found themselves in the media for the wrong reasons. The previous year, it was total harmony and team spirit in the dressing room. Last season, the team lost all 6 games against the brilliant Bruins. The previous, they had won all 8 games against Boston. Last season, many key players, deprived from their teammates, underachieved. The previous, they all had a good season. Add to that the extremely high expectations due to the Centennial year and you had the perfect recipe for disaster. So I believe that it is safe to say that the Montreal Canadiens had more of a 4th rank, 99 points team. Which in the NHL, is not so bad. But in the ever demanding Montreal fans, not nearly enough.
This summer, Bob Gainey is now in a very risky business as General Manager. Once more, fans have high expectations for their Habs. Gainey should find ways to retain free agents Tanguay and Kovalev to name just those two. And Komisarek should be back, but not at any price. Since the word went out last winter that Lecavalier was almost a Canadians at one point, fans have been showing their excitement at the possibility of seeing the big number four with a Montreal jersey next season. Would the hockey men draft a few French speaking young talented players next week-end at the Bell center, the crowd would cheer.
So far, Bob Gainey has done things his way. Quietly. But efficiently. He has hired experienced Jacques Martin as head coach, insuring that the dressing room will be dealt with firmly and with discipline next year. He has let go all assistant coaches in both Montreal and Hamilton but Muller, failure no longer being an option. He has also managed the salary cap so efficiently that the team now has the greatest margin in the NHL to hire free agents. Not a small achievement by any means since what made him a contender in the past years might now make him a big winner in that game. There are many reasons to hope it seems. So, it’s time to let this great leader we have in Bob Gainey, show us the way to a new promising season.