Ann 2Canadiens Trade Christopher Higgins For Rangers' Scott Gomez
July 1st 2009 18:22
Gomez - in, Higgins - out
24 hours before the start of free agency, GM Bob Gainey made an unexpected trade, acquiring overpaid center Scott Gomez from the New York Rangers in exchange for perennial underachiever Christopher Higgins. Multiple players were involved in the deal as the Rangers' Tom Pyatt and Mike Busto also make their way to Montreal while Doug Janik, Ryan McDonagh, and Pavel Valentenko go the other way.
Looking at the two main players switching teams, the trade makes sense. Glen Sather was desperate to move Scott Gomez's massive contract with a cap hit of more than $7.35 million to give some maneuvering space to his team. As for Higgins, although he recorded three straight seasons of 20 goals, his reputation as a party animal along with his inability to hit the net on a consistent basis made him expendable in the eyes of Canadiens management. The fact that he's been involved in every trade rumor in the past two years shows that he was bound to move at some point. Going to the Rangers also brings him closer to home, a fact often overlooked when talking about players' movement.
Where the trade hurts though is the inclusion of top defensive prospect Ryan McDonagh, Montreal's first-round pick in 2007, who was touted to become a top-3 defenseman in the league. Since Sather needed to move Gomez, there was no point in including a prospect as promising as McDonagh unless something has gone very wrong in his development. Doug Janik was useless and Valentenko is currently playing in the KHL so those losses are sustainable, but you have to wonder about the sudden change of attitude concerning McDonagh. He went from untouchable to being included in a trade for a overpriced center who has had the worst season of his career in 2008-2009, registering 16 goals and 58 points in 77 games.
One thing is clear, with Gomez in the fold, Saku Koivu is surely gone. Although the Canadiens' longest-standing captain is also its bravest player with the heart of a lion, Koivu's injuries and cancer have taken their toll as he is now unable to play more than 15 minutes per game. There is no doubt that he'll find another team in the league – probably in the Western coast – that won't make him the go-to guy, leaving him with more manageable minutes than in Montreal.
Now we'll see what Gainey will make of his defense and first line which still lacks two wingers. Contract offers have been made to Mike Komisarek and Alex Kovalev with no response so far. July 1st is looking to be a long day for Canadiens fans everywhere.
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