Stars trade Sergei Gonchar for Travis Moen from MTL

[derblaueClaus 1,668]

Source : http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=738665&navid=DL|NHL|home

That's an odd trade. Dallas has problems regarding their GA right now and you'd think a veteran like Gonchar helps more in that regard than a old Winger like Moen. I wonder whats going on there there has to be another trade in the making for the Stars.

[GMRwings1983 8,802]

LOL. Trading for a tough guy is certainly not something Nill picked up from Holland.

[Son of a Wing 1,644]

Montreal's PP sucks and Therrien used to coach Gonchar in Pittsburgh.

Plus he's a UFA at season's end and Moen (who's been awful) has a year remaining.

[T.Low 1,011]

Myers packing for Texas?

[GMRwings1983 8,802]

Gonchar will now play with another Russian in Markov. Forgot both of those players are still in the league.

[rick zombo 3,739]

What a pointless trade.

Also, I'm surprised to see Dallas dead last in the west considering Nill is supposed to be twice the GM Holland is. Or at least that's the talk around these parts no?

[toby91_ca 620]

I forgot Gonchar was still playing as well. Odd trade for Montreal though....Gonchar's biggest attribute is his big shot from the point.....and they already have that (RH - Subban and LH - Markov)

[LeftWinger 5,067]

at least Nill is trying to improve his team...he could just sit on his hands and not do a damn thing to inject a bit a of life in his team. Sometimes you need to make a deal for a shakeup. Not saying I would take Moen, but Gonchar would be an improvement over Kindl...but so would a lot of defensemen out there. But, other than that, again, at least Nill is attempting to make his team better by adding players that he needs to improve positions, not holding on to the same garbage hoping that on some miraculous day they return to their form from years ago... Kudos to Nill for trying.

[Hockey13Playa 240]

What a pointless trade.

Also, I'm surprised to see Dallas dead last in the west considering Nill is supposed to be twice the GM Holland is. Or at least that's the talk around these parts no?

I wouldn't call it pointless. The Stars just freed up 4.6 million in cap space off Gonchar's 5.0 million cap hit. Nill probably has bigger plans to bring in a defenseman. Now in terms of pointless from Montreal's standpoint, then yes more of a head scratcher.

[Echolalia 2,961]

I wouldn't call it pointless. The Stars just freed up 4.6 million in cap space off Gonchar's 5.0 million cap hit. Nill probably has bigger plans to bring in a defenseman. Now in terms of pointless from Montreal's standpoint, then yes more of a head scratcher.

Well Montreal got something for Moen, whom they've been trying to get rid of. Both teams got what they were looking for by taking each other's garbage.

[Son of a Wing 1,644]

Now these two players are linked for something other than this...

[number9 3,297]

Dallas is incredibly thin at D. I see this as a possible retool year for them. And they'll benefit from a possible high draft pick that could be a Dman. Those claiming Nill has immediately turned them around are mad. They still have building to do.

[martinezsvsu 240]

Speaking of Dallas, NHL.com has their top line listed as Benn, seguin, and our boy eaves! For tonight's game

[DickieDunn 2,571]

Isn't Gonchar in the last year of his contract? That gives les Habs some cap flexibility.

Gonchar over Kindl is not an upgrade. He's barely played and when he has he was the 6th d.

Edited November 12, 2014 by DickieDunn

[number9 3,297]

Speaking of Dallas, NHL.com has their top line listed as Benn, seguin, and our boy eaves! For tonight's game

AWWWWW yeah love me some patty eaves. HE'S RIGHT FREAKING HANDED! WHAT WAS HOLLAND THINKING?

[Euro_Twins 4,485]

AWWWWW yeah love me some patty eaves. HE'S RIGHT FREAKING HANDED! WHAT WAS HOLLAND THINKING?

Didn't he score in the shootout too? All our problems could be solved with some patty sunshine.

[number9 3,297]

Didn't he score in the shootout too? All our problems could be solved with some patty sunshine.

Shoulda never let Bertuzzi and Eaves go. Loved those guys, even loved their faults.

#TrueLove

Edited November 12, 2014 by number9

[VM1138 1,921]

From talking to fans of both Dallas and Montreal, it sounds like they both unloaded unpopular players who weren't doing much for their clubs.

[number9 3,297]

From talking to fans of both Dallas and Montreal, it sounds like they both unloaded unpopular players who weren't doing much for their clubs.

Exactly what I expected to here

[kliq 3,763]

at least Nill is trying to improve his team...he could just sit on his hands and not do a damn thing to inject a bit a of life in his team. Sometimes you need to make a deal for a shakeup. Not saying I would take Moen, but Gonchar would be an improvement over Kindl...but so would a lot of defensemen out there. But, other than that, again, at least Nill is attempting to make his team better by adding players that he needs to improve positions, not holding on to the same garbage hoping that on some miraculous day they return to their form from years ago... Kudos to Nill for trying.

That is one of the biggest mistakes a GM can make, doing a deal just for the sake of doing a deal. I'm not against trading or free agent signings, but I would take what Holland has done over bad trades and bad signings any day.

Moves can be great for a team, but the key to being a good GM is making the right moves at the right time for the right players.

You want to see a team that makes moves for the sake of making moves, look at the Leafs over the last 10 years for a perfect example of that.

Unfortunately some fans need immediate gratification (not saying you, this is a general statement) and if things aren't changed immediately, or if there isn’t a major move made, they freak out.

[martinezsvsu 240]

That is one of the biggest mistakes a GM can make, doing a deal just for the sake of doing a deal. I'm not against trading or free agent signings, but I would take what Holland has done over bad trades and bad signings any day.

Moves can be great for a team, but the key to being a good GM is making the right moves at the right time for the right players.

You want to see a team that makes moves for the sake of making moves, look at the Leafs over the last 10 years for a perfect example of that.

Unfortunately some fans need immediate gratification (not saying you, this is a general statement) and if things aren't changed immediately, or if there isn’t a major move made, they freak out.

the difference is nill traded away the old washed up guy and freed up 4.6 mil in cap space.

[LeftWinger 5,067]

well, this team is going nowhere with its current makeup. There are a few tradable players currently on the team, a few in GR, a couple guys that need to be waived. I do think that we are nicely stocked with young talent and I'd hate to lose another prospect, I think that this could be a year that maybe we could dangle a 1st rounder out there either in this years or next years draft. We are amassing a plethora of young talent, and pretty soon there will be no room for them...just look at the kids that are out of options next season, we have a lot of kids here now and a few more with no options next year with only a couple of spots opening up...it may be time to let loose of a couple older guys for the greater good along with a 1st rounder. A nice combo trade package of maybe 2 NHL players and a 1st could solve a huge gap in our defense.

I do understand your point about making too many trades, but sitting still and hoping one day the team is 100% healthy (which will never happen this year) or hoping that certain players return to their former (WAY former) glory, is NOT making this team any better. We having gaping holes up front and on D. Hoping doesn't win Cups, doing does. Maybe nobody wants to dance with us, we all know nobody wants our scraps, but maybe up the offering. Include established NHL'rs and some high draft picks. I am all for winning with the players I know and love (well, love most of them.) But if a trade is made for the greater good (and I don't mean a 1st rounder for KFQ) and I have to say goodbye to an established player to better my team? It has to be done...

Ya, and all Holland does re-sign washed up players and refuse to cut losses where losses need to be cut even when better players become available, he still keeps the worse ones in hopes that they haven't already peaked....but they have. But that is fine, he is the greatest GM of all time and he will bring us a Cup.

[rick zombo 3,739]

well, this team is going nowhere with its current makeup. There are a few tradable players currently on the team, a few in GR, a couple guys that need to be waived. I do think that we are nicely stocked with young talent and I'd hate to lose another prospect, I think that this could be a year that maybe we could dangle a 1st rounder out there either in this years or next years draft. We are amassing a plethora of young talent, and pretty soon there will be no room for them...just look at the kids that are out of options next season, we have a lot of kids here now and a few more with no options next year with only a couple of spots opening up...it may be time to let loose of a couple older guys for the greater good along with a 1st rounder. A nice combo trade package of maybe 2 NHL players and a 1st could solve a huge gap in our defense.

I do understand your point about making too many trades, but sitting still and hoping one day the team is 100% healthy (which will never happen this year) or hoping that certain players return to their former (WAY former) glory, is NOT making this team any better. We having gaping holes up front and on D. Hoping doesn't win Cups, doing does. Maybe nobody wants to dance with us, we all know nobody wants our scraps, but maybe up the offering. Include established NHL'rs and some high draft picks. I am all for winning with the players I know and love (well, love most of them.) But if a trade is made for the greater good (and I don't mean a 1st rounder for KFQ) and I have to say goodbye to an established player to better my team? It has to be done...

Ya, and all Holland does re-sign washed up players and refuse to cut losses where losses need to be cut even when better players become available, he still keeps the worse ones in hopes that they haven't already peaked....but they have. But that is fine, he is the greatest GM of all time and he will bring us a Cup.

I’m sure you made some good points, but I just can’t keep reading after that opening sentence.

Edited November 12, 2014 by rick zombo

[kliq 3,763]

the difference is nill traded away the old washed up guy and freed up 4.6 mil in cap space.

I never said Nill made a bad move, if thats the case then that's a good move on his part!

well, this team is going nowhere with its current makeup. There are a few tradable players currently on the team, a few in GR, a couple guys that need to be waived. I do think that we are nicely stocked with young talent and I'd hate to lose another prospect, I think that this could be a year that maybe we could dangle a 1st rounder out there either in this years or next years draft. We are amassing a plethora of young talent, and pretty soon there will be no room for them...just look at the kids that are out of options next season, we have a lot of kids here now and a few more with no options next year with only a couple of spots opening up...it may be time to let loose of a couple older guys for the greater good along with a 1st rounder. A nice combo trade package of maybe 2 NHL players and a 1st could solve a huge gap in our defense.

I do understand your point about making too many trades, but sitting still and hoping one day the team is 100% healthy (which will never happen this year) or hoping that certain players return to their former (WAY former) glory, is NOT making this team any better. We having gaping holes up front and on D. Hoping doesn't win Cups, doing does. Maybe nobody wants to dance with us, we all know nobody wants our scraps, but maybe up the offering. Include established NHL'rs and some high draft picks. I am all for winning with the players I know and love (well, love most of them.) But if a trade is made for the greater good (and I don't mean a 1st rounder for KFQ) and I have to say goodbye to an established player to better my team? It has to be done...

Ya, and all Holland does re-sign washed up players and refuse to cut losses where losses need to be cut even when better players become available, he still keeps the worse ones in hopes that they haven't already peaked....but they have. But that is fine, he is the greatest GM of all time and he will bring us a Cup.

Waiting also wins cups. You can’t just go out and trade for Hasek, and sign Brett Hull & Luc Robitaille anymore, it’s not the early 2000’s. We are developing our young talent while maintaining competitiveness.

You are saying that we are going nowhere, but you also say that we are amassing a plethora of young talent, aren’t these two statements contradicting each other? I believe that bringing up young talent is a better direction to move in then going out and trading picks and prospects for vets as well as signing average players for too much money in Free Agency. I admit we are not built to win a cup this year, but that’s okay. Making moves now for the wrong player can hurt a team moving forward.

You are also saying we should not lose any more prospects, but that we should trade a first rounder. Isn’t that essentially the same thing? How is trading Dylan Larkin for example any different then trading next year’s first round pick?

I'm not trying to put words in your mouth, but it sounds like you are frustrated that we are not winning NOW. I totally get that, I would love to win now as well. I think every person who posts on this board feel this way. The problem is the NHL is different then it used to be. The two main factors being the Salary Cap, and long term contracts which are stopping the elite players from hitting UFA. Then when an elite talent actually does hit UFA, you have 29 other teams bidding for his services, not 5 like in the early 2000’s.

It seems when bashing the direction of this team, everybody always falls back on Cleary and Quincey. If signing Cleary is the biggest mistake we have made, we have a pretty damn good GM. I would take Cleary at 1 year/2.5 million to David Clarkson 7 years/36,750,000 or the 50 other horrible contracts given out in Free Agency any day. Now if Holland signed Cleary to 5 years 25 million this past summer, sure fire Holland lol.

You talk about moving the older guys….who? Datsyuk may miss the window for when we again become contenders, but what can Holland do? Datsyuk was set to become a UFA and when Holland signed him Datsyuk wanted to play here or in Russia, he has a No Movement Clause. Plus, does anyone want to trade him even if we could? I don’t want to trade Z or Kronwall, I think they will still be good once our young guys are ready to compete for a cup, plus you need vets to guide these kids. Who are we to trade? Franzen? Helm? Teams aren’t offering Bobby Ryan for Franzen & Kindl, or Tyler Myers for Qunicey and Helm etc.

My point, just be patient, winning appears to be coming. If we are lucky, it will be sooner then later

Edited November 12, 2014 by kliq

[PavelValerievichDatsyuk 1,935]

I do understand your point about making too many trades, but sitting still and hoping one day the team is 100% healthy (which will never happen this year) or hoping that certain players return to their former (WAY former) glory, is NOT making this team any better. We having gaping holes up front and on D. Hoping doesn't win Cups, doing does. Maybe nobody wants to dance with us, we all know nobody wants our scraps, but maybe up the offering. Include established NHL'rs and some high draft picks. I am all for winning with the players I know and love (well, love most of them.) But if a trade is made for the greater good (and I don't mean a 1st rounder for KFQ) and I have to say goodbye to an established player to better my team? It has to be done...

Ya, and all Holland does re-sign washed up players and refuse to cut losses where losses need to be cut even when better players become available, he still keeps the worse ones in hopes that they haven't already peaked....but they have. But that is fine, he is the greatest GM of all time and he will bring us a Cup.

Well actually we are pretty much 100% healthy - Weiss and Datsyuk say they're ready this weekend. The monster is out, but it doesn't really matter since we've got Mrazek to cover for him.