Montreal Canadiens Off-Season Update

The NHL 2008-2009 regular season is slowly creeping up on the 30 GM's around the league. So I thought it would be a good idea to take a look at the moves that Montreal Canadiens GM has made up to this point.

In: LW Alex Tanguay. Acquired from the Calgary Flames for the Canadiens first round pick (25th overall).

Tanguay is a solid playmaker with great speed. He will be used most likely along Christopher Higgins and Saku Koivu. He gives the Canadiens another quick player with decent size and puckhandling skills. He will most likely post 50 points.

In: RW Georges Laraque. Acquired via Free Agency (Class III). Signed a three-year contract.

Laraque will bring the Canadiens that grit they missed in the post-season. Because of him, Komisarek will no longer have to fight as much, and neither will Kovalev. He is also one of the most respected and community involved athletes in the NHL. This move was made in hope of giving our skilled players more room on the ice. He will most likely post 15 points and 150 penalty minutes.

In: G Marc Denis. Acquired via Free Agency (Class III). Signed a one-year, two-way contract.

Denis is at the end of his career. He was brought in to play with the Bulldogs and back up Halak if Price goes down with an injury. Not a huge signing by any means, but certainly adds depth and experience at a young goaltender position.

In: D, Shawn Belle. Acquired from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for C Corey Locked.

Belle has a bright future in the NHL, a large mobile defensive defenseman who is not afraid of dishing out a big hit. He was drafted 30th overall in the first round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the St. Louis Blues. He earned a gold with Carey Price in the 2005 World Junior Hockey Championships. He will be the Canadiens spare or 6th d-man this season. He will post three goals, 16 assists and 50 penalty minutes.

In: D, Greg Pateryn. Acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for C Mikhail Grabovski.

Pateryn is a highly regarded late round pick. He has decent size and is apparently one of the best shutdown d-men in the ECHL.

In: RW, Mike Glumac. Acquired via Free Agency (Class III). Signed to a one-year, two-way deal.

Gainey was obviously going for size and experience in his off-season moves. Now all we can do is hope for Sundin and that everything goes according to plan.