New Faces, New Questions: My "New" Montreal Canadiens Review

Mike Komisarek...Look at it this way, he accepted a deal, worth 500k more per year from the Leafs. Komi and his agent knew very well Gainey would certainly match if not surpass that offer. But they simply never gave him the opportunity to do so. Komisarek actually never replied to Gainey's offer.

In Montreal, Komi was treated like a king and as the probable next captain. Fans loved him even through all the problems. Management hoped to build around him, they even placed him behind the bench during his injury. Gainey even offered more than what he thought defensemen the likes of Komisarek are worth.

If this isn't indication of how important you are to an organization then I don't know what is. But he turned his back on what was to be his team to lead and signed with the rival Leafs no less. So yes I'm more than disappointed.

The next reunion should be very emotional. Komisarek should expect his next visit to the Bell Center to be tough and leave with a ringing in his ear that goes "boooooooooooo." Sorry, but I just can't wish him luck. He's a great defensemen, but in my own opinion he now officially sucks!

As far as the new guys go, on paper, the team looks a bit better. But not by much. Gomez is a younger version of Koivu. A playmaker, younger and more resistant, he may be a slight upgrade but lacks the size Gainey was probably looking for in a first line center.

He's grossly overpaid but I guess there was nothing else on the market available without giving up too much in return. He was regressing in New York. Maybe a fresh start with good scoring wingers will jump start his production back over the 70 points.

Mike Cammalleri basically replaces Alex Kovalev as the scorer. He's expected to score lots of goals and it's exactly what he wants to do. This responsibility might take some pressure off Andrei Kostitsyn a bit and help him get back on track. He's small, but feisty and fast. It seems Gainey decided to bank on speed and skill rather than size.

Can he be a point per game player along side Scott Gomez? Can he score 40 goals in Montreal? it's been a long time since it happened so I certainly hope so. He might be Gainey's best signing this year.

Then there is Brian Gionta. A lot of people question Gainey for taking on Gomez's huge contract but for me this is where there is a big problem in management.

How can you offer $5M for a regressing player hoping an old chemistry suddenly resurfaces when Alex Tanguay, a fan favorite and french speaking player, would likely play here for less and offer just as much? Let's just say Gionta better score lots of goals next season or Gainey will have lots to answer for.

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