11 Thoughts On The Jaroslav Halak To St. Louis Trade

- Trading Halak was the first roster move of significance executed by Pierre Gauthier, and it’s made him a villain to Canadiens fans. To begin the offseason, Gauthier makes a highly controversial move which doesn’t earn the respect of fans, nor does it help his credibility as GM. Unless Gauthier makes some very astute moves this summer, it won’t be until Carey Price gets a winning streak under his belt that Jaroslav Halak lovers will be (temporarily) silenced.

- Looking for a great way to tease a Canadiens fan? Have a t-shirt made with the word “Price” inside of a yield sign.

- While not a Vezina candidate or a Stanley Cup Champion, Jaroslav Halak is the hottest goaltender in the NHL. Making the move all the more unpopular is Halak’s mammoth playoff performance having occured just weeks ago; heroic showings against Washington and Pittsburgh endeared Halak to the fans of Montreal, who then watch as he’s shipped to St. Louis such a short time later. Timing really isn’t your thing, Pierre.

- Speaking of St. Louis, the Blues will make the playoffs next year and finish third in their division. After a sixth place finish in 08-09, the Blues finished 9th in the West in 09-10. They perhaps over-achieved finishing sixth, while 9th place was a good indication of their talent level this past year. Halak will give the organization a new sense of confidence; he is now the best goaltender in the Central division.

- Don’t think Gauthier got enough for Halak? You’re right. On Draft Day in 2007, Maple Leafs GM John Ferguson Jr. Traded the 13th overall pick and the 44th overall picks to San Jose for Vesa Toskala and Mark Bell. Bell was in the midst of a controversial drinking and driving incident and carried an inflated contract. Toskala had platooned with Evgeni Nabokov and posted decent numbers. The Blues swapped picks with the Sharks and ended up selecting Lars Eller at 13th, then Aaron Palushaj at 44th. There’s little separation between the projections of Palushaj and Schultz as NHLers. Regardless, the fact that Vesa Toskala garnered a similar return as Halak speaks volumes about a) John Ferguson’s ineptitude as a GM, and b) Pierre Gauthier’s ineptitude as a GM.

- Despite the trade backlash, everything could eventually be okay in Montreal if Carey Price turns it around. Don’t forget (Gauthier certainly hasn’t) that Price has won a Calder Cup and shown flashes of brilliance in his young career. If he can sharpen his focus and cope with the pressure of Montreal, there is no reason why Price can’t be a perennial all-star. But until that happens, he’s best represented by a yield sign.

- But to dampen the optimism, Carey Price’s 13-20-5 record this past season is absolutely horrid compared with Halak’s record of  26-13-5. Price had 0 shutouts; Halak had 5. In only 4 more starts, Halak doubled Price’s win total.

- They still have quite a few players to sign, but at the moment, the St. Louis Blues have the most cap space in the NHL. Halak’s contract will likely fall between the 4.5-6 million dollar range, but that price is well worth it to solidify the goaltending position. While only 11 Blues are currently under contract, 5 of them are top-6 forwards, so there will be plenty of buck leftover once the roster is filled out.

- If the Canadiens were concerned about paying Halak, that’s an odd stance because Montreal is one of the handful of teams who always spend to the cap. Why cut corners on goaltending? Halak just proved once again to the hockey world that great goaltending can steal rounds. The Canadiens have 7 million per season invested in Scott Gomez — a contract they stupidly took off the hands of the Rangers — but they tremble at the idea of paying their best goaltender over a million dollars less than that?

- If all other 29 teams knew about Halak’s availability, couldn’t someone have pitched a better offer than Eller and Schultz? The Blues are rich in prospects, but considering the lack of true number one goaltenders on the UFA market, it’s hard to believe another franchise didn’t make a stronger pitch. (Lookin’ at you, San Jose and Colorado)

- It doesn’t help Gauthier’s appearances when he publically projects Eller as a future second line centre. When you take away your franchise’s hero, at least build up the assets you’ve garnered in return. Nobody gets excited by the idea of a potential second line centre and a potential top-6 winger in exchange for a franchise goaltender. Credit to Gauthier for his honesty in appraising the trade return, but it’s easier to calm your fuming fanbase when they can get excited about their newly acquired players.

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