Gionta Signs with Habs

People talk about the size of these players, but they don't talk about how smart Gionta and Gomez are. They're not going to allow themselves into bad positions, they know where everyone is on the ice at all times. Plus, this new NHL is great if you have big, fast dudes, but most teams settle for just mid-sized fast dudes with skills. All three of these guys have skills out their arse. I'd rather Spezza over Gomez obviously, and I'd rather Alfie over Gionta and I'd rather Heatley over Cammelleri, but it's a lot closer than when it was Koivu, Kovalev and Tanguay. A lot faster, a lot more skilled and two of them are Cup winners (which I don't really care about, but it's a bonus).

If Montreal can sign some semblence of a 2nd and 3rd line, they'll be fine. A.Kost. is the good brother, he'll be fine, Latondresse faces a bit of a make or break season here, but he's got skills, Plekanic is a skilled player who has to shake out of his year long funk.

They're actually a pretty good team now - again, after a few more signings or trades. Their D is nice - overpaid (Hamerlik, Spacek), but quite good nonetheless.

Their goaltending is what it is. Price will continue to grow. Not sure how much he'll bounce back, but he will. And Halak is a very solid young tender.

Should be a decent team as long as Gainey maybe adds some size and skill (easier said than done obviously). Bertuzzi might go well there. I'd certainly be talking with Tanguay to come back. Some more skill and size and they're well on their way.