Futures present: Scott Gomez

"Time. Patience. Faith."

That's what Brian Wilde of CTV sports wrote recently in his excellent blog posting of the same title.
In his article (which I encourage you to read here) Brian explains that with many contracts set to expire after the 2013-2014 season, timing will be ripe in September 2014 for many of the Habs young prospects to start venturing into the big leagues.

Players like Tinordi, Ellis, Beaulieu, Kristo, Collberg, and Bournival will be ripe. "What does that mean now"? you may ask."Does that mean we get Gallagher, Galchenyuck and Leblanc now?" no. No it doesn't mean you get them now.

Look at recent examples in L.A, Chicago, and Pittsburgh. Those teams became dominant by allowing their players to develop together. However, in all three cases there came much losing in the NHL together, and by the time those teams won the cup, they had to start shedding players who coming up on UFA or RFA status. What if I told you it didn't have to be that way? What if I told you there was a better way?

If I am Marc Bergevin, I let the players develop at the Junior level, or in the American hockey league. I let those players dominate at those levels - and then I bring them in to the NHL. I bring them in not when the fans want them, but when they are ready. That way I don't burn up their NHL time.

"Time. Patience. Faith."

Alex Galchenyuck was injured much of last year. His hockey development will not be hindered in the slightest by playing Junior hockey this year. After that he can spend 1 season in Hamilton, and then we get to Sept.2014.

Brendan Gallagher has yet to play at the American hockey league level. Why must we have him here now? We have Brian Gionta. Brian Gionta is still a top 6 forward at the NHL level. Do we need to see Brendan Gallagher get 4th line minutes at the NHL level? Let him get top 6 minutes in Hamilton and dominate there.

Rick Springhetti of McKeen's Hockey supports the theory that Bergevin is looking towards the future"(Bergevin) has a great amateur scouting staff and wants to give them more of an opportunity to do their thing."

Now that we've gone over idea of giving time to the youngsters, you're again going to ask:"What does that mean for the Habs now"? It means more of the same.

Yes. You read me right. That means, that for better or worse Scott Gomez, Rene Bourque, Tomas Kaberle and Andrei Markov will be in Montreal this season.

Following up on his Blog posting, Brian Wilde exclusively told "The breakdown" that fans can expect a lean season. "Not as lean as last year but lean. (Former General Manager) Pierre Gauthier acquired some awful assets." Wilde continued "Normally it would be wrong to ride it out with those crap assets and let them play out the string but nothing is happening now on this big transformation to greatness, so this season is always going to be limited."

Should Hab fans be worried? Maybe. Is it possible some of those awful assets will continue to be awful? or is it possible that they may be viable NHLers with bad contracts?

If I am Marc Bergevin, my attitude is simple. I am going to ride those assets till the end of their contracts. If they perform, and the team does well - fantastic, maybe they earn themselves a new deal. If they don't perform, then the team can end up with more high draft picks leading up 2014 - the beginning of the future.

Springhetti believes that in the short term "the plan for Bergevin was to sign a few players that can begin to shape a new identity for Montreal as a team that will have some bite to their play and will have the courage to impose their system instead of passively reacting to what their opponents are doing." 

"Time. Patience. Faith".

Today we will begin looking at some of the "awful assets" and discuss what we can expect. Today, we discuss Scott Gomez.

Scott Gomez is overpaid. There's no nice way to say it. There were two teams however - New York and Montreal - that saw some value in him. New York gave him the contract to start, and later the Habs picked it up. Whether Canadiens' brass at the time felt he was overpaid or not could be up for debate. What cannot be debated however, is that Canadiens brass felt that Scott Gomez could be their number 1 Center to replace Saku Koivu.

Scott Gomez came to the National Hockey league just in time for the 1999-2000 season. With 19 goals and 51 assists, Gomez was named an all-star and eventually won the Rookie of the year. His numbers tailed off in the playoffs that season where he notched 10 points en route to his first of two Stanley Cups with the Devils. In 2003-2004, Gomez tied for the league lead in assists with 56.



After the NHL lockout in 04-05, Gomez came back to the Devils in 05-06 and had a career year. 

Things started pretty well for Gomez in NJ. Rookie of the year, 2 stanley cups, and a career year in 05/06. He scored 33 goals and had 51 assists, that led to an arbitrator awarding him a $5 Million salary for the 06/07 season before he went on to become a UFA following that season.

As an Unrestricted free agent, Gomez was offered a 32% increase in salary (based on AAV cap hit of $7,357,143) to jump ship to the Rangers. A lucrative offer, but not a crazy increase for a player who has 2 Stanley Cups, a rookie of the year, and at only 27 years of age and entering his prime is already considered to be one of the elite passers of the game. At the time most lauded the deal.



"It's pretty exciting." Rangers General Manager Glen Sather said at the time. "We ranked them both (Gomez & Chris Drury) as number ones, and we never expected to get both of them."

When  Canadiens General Manager Bob Gainey acquired Gomez 2 years later in Montreal he described Gomez as "an outstanding playmaker and an excellent skater. Having won the Stanley Cup twice with the New Jersey Devils, he brings our team a lot of playoff experience. Scott is an elite player who will certainly contribute to the success of our team for years to come."

So, what happened?

Colin Stephenson has been a reporter at the New Jersey Star-Ledger since December, 1997. He covered Scott Gomez during his tenure with both the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers. "(Gomez) had great vision, and soft hands, and he was clever. He really was an elite playmaker. He could find people and get the puck to them. He always seemed to have a chemistry with Brian Gionta -- they were linemates on Team USA junior teams before they were on the Devils.But when he was on the Devils, it didn't seem like a strictly Gomez and Gionta thing. He made plays for everyone he played with."

"(With the Rangers) they paid him big money and put him with Jagr on the top line and that never worked, for whatever reason." 

Former Canadien Hal Gill discussed Scott Gomez with the Montreal Gazette's Dave Stubbs shortly after this past season. "The message (from the coaching staff) was we need to play as a team with their system. I tried to preach it but the hard part was we didn't play to guys’ strengths. With Gomez, you don’t expect him to chip it up the boards, you want him to come back and pick it up. If he can’t do that, he can’t be effective."

Stephenson seems to think that Gill's assessment is a reasonable one, echoing what the hulking defenseman had to say. "With the Devils, other guys chipped the puck out, but he was the guy who skated with it."

McKeen's Rick Springhetti believes the issues that have plagued Gomez in recent years are mental. "I think things went downhill after he signed that huge deal with the Rangers. It's as if he knew that he just couldn't justify his huge deal and started to run around the ice trying to do everything at once."

Stephenson and Springhetti's views on Gomez over an interesting contrast on Gomez the Player. When describing Gomez at his best in New Jersey, Stephenson says that Gomez "carried the puck through the neutral zone and dished off. He actually slowed the game down and found holes in the defense."



Springhetti however counters that since signing his deal with the Rangers, "everything seems rushed when he gains possession of the puck. He complicates his game by running around the ice and  with little actual results. If anything, he too often loses control of the puck especially near the opposing blue line because he is not slowing the play down looking for passing options. Also, he has become very hesitant defensively."

Springhetti's evaluation sides with the idea that under the right situation, Gomez could once again be an effective player. Stephenson agrees feeling that the Rangers gave up on him too early "when it didn't work with Jagr."

Springhetti feels that the approach with Gomez for the coming season is a simple one. "(Gomez) should simplify his game, play very good defensively and work his way up from there." He feels that playing a more simple game should allow Gomez to regain confidence, alleviate the mental pressure of his contract and allow him the freedom to get back to his greatest asset. An asset that had 3 NHL General Mangers dub him as a first line center.

As far as being a disruption in the locker room, Stephenson is pretty clear "(Gomez is) a happy guy who loves to laugh and rarely seems to take anything seriously. Most of his teammates like that."

For more from Colin Stephenson, follow him on Twitter @Ledger_Nets
For more from Rick Springhetti, follow him on Twitter @Rick1042
For more from Brian Wilde, follow him on twitter @BWildeCTV

HABS-TOWN: "It would be wrong to ride it out with those crap assets"

Often times during the evening I sit on the couch after my day of work. The dishes are done, dinner has been eaten, and it's time to veg. Sometimes I have my smartphone in hand and the wife will ask: "What are you doing?", my usual answer "I'm on Twitter".

The conversation usually ends there, because the phone goes away, but when it doesn't - it's usually because I am having a long drawn out discussion with CTV's Brian Wilde.

For those of you who follow @BWildeCTV on twitter, you already know that he is a very active tweeter. He is passionate, articulate, and opinionated on many things. Movies, Music, Tennis, The Impact, but mostly The Habs.

Brian Wilde has been with CTV Montreal since the mid-90's, and he has been on the Habs beat that entire time. Before that he covered the great Gretzky led Oilers dynasty in Edmonton.

Being a reporter is different from being a fan. Reporting requires someone to be impartial, and yet Brian Wilde in his impartiality is also passionate. He frequents Randy Tieman's TSN 990 show when there is something Habs related to talk about and he speaks with unwavering conviction about his point of view.

Whether you like him or dislike him, whether you agree with his opinions or not - Brian Wilde is an asset to the Montreal sports scene - and in particular an asset to this HABS-TOWN.

What got you into hockey, or later on more specifically the Habs?

Growing up I was just another kid who wanted to play hockey and loved it but who wasn't talented enough. Later on, I worked firstly with the Oilers as their host and then moved to Montreal. I Got the Habs gig when the previous guy quit but it wasn't too surprising because I am passionate about it.

You grew up in Edmonton, so I doubt your first NHL fan experience was at Habs game. Or was it?  Do you remember your first NHL game? when was it? who took you? What do you remember about it....

My first best memory is actually an Edmonton Oil Kings junior game. Al Hamilton was the best player. My dad took me. It was at the Edmonton gardens which has since been demolished - a real old barn. I just Thought it was the greatest thing ever. One of the moments where you are looking around all the time. Time flew. 

First NHL experience was the Oilers first game in the league or close to it. Against Detroit. I remember thinking "how much are Oilers gonna get killed?" They did by 3 if memory serves. Greatest memory was the red wheel uniform. Looked so red!!!

Do you have a favorite Habs player ever on ice? if so, whom, and why?

My favourite players are not conventional. I usually like them as people and not players. So my favourite player though we never became close at all and all conversations stayed on hockey is Hal Gill. Just so obvious that he sees the bigger picture! The one about team and commitment and winners are winners because they stand up and care for each other. 

I've seen the great Oilers cup winners and lousy teams up close and Hal gets what becomes obvious over time. Josh (Gorges) too. Matt Darche too. Gotta have players who want a "team to be proud to be a team" as Ken Dryden says.

I was a fan in the seats the night Saku Koivu made his triumphant return from cancer. What was it like covering that moment?

Saku. 

The fans stick out most. It was that kind of Montreal welcome that is so famous. The fans appreciation can be the story even when a guy comes back from cancer. It is just that way here. Saku tried to minimize the moment in clients about cancer. Natural from him.

Anyone who follows you on Twitter can tell you're a big fan of the Impact. Are you able to be a Habs fan?
I don't cover the impact so I've let myself have a little fun there. I don't have contact with the players so I don't worry about it.

With the Habs I most definitely have to and find it easy to keep an objectivity. I talk to the players every day. I can't let them believe at all that there is a line I am willing to cross. As far as being a fan -  no way. I am however a fan of my more enjoyable life so there is a natural hope that I can travel in the playoffs. But that pervades in only a very general sense but doesn't impact the day to day. The love of the soccer team is also a love of the city. If this city has another Expos moment I will actually feel crushed.

If someone asked you to fill in the blanks: "My ideal place to watch a game is______ with _____" how would you fill the blanks, and why?

I'm a very nostalgic person. I have a high value for things older and simpler - so I wish I could have time back with my dad because inward robbed of too much of it and I wish I could have it back. So my dad and I'd combine that with another trip down memory lane and say the old Chicago stadium. Wow what a place to see a game. I opened a telecast at the organ loft once. Incredible.

What's the best game you ever went to? what do you remember about it?

Best game I ever went to? Man. You'd think I'd pick out an Oilers game having season tickets for 4 of the 5 cups but Habs comeback vs NYR from 5 goals down. The press box went from "these guys aren't that good" to "holy these guys can do anything". At 5-3 everyone knew the Habs would win. 

Then 2nd would be take 7 in Pittsburgh to beat the penguins in the playoffs. That was memorable because of my cameraman Jason Clarke who was so stoked that he could barely control his enthusiasm. Just his reaction was priceless.  

I seem to recall you talking on air with (Mitch) Melnick or Randy Tieman that you had a bleak outlook for that Pittsburgh Series. That you just didn't see any way that the Habs could possibly beat the Penguins. Somewhere deep down inside, do you think you may have felt something like what Jason was feeling?

I saw Pittsburgh as a more complete team. Playoff ready.

Well, it meant traveling another round in the playoffs which is fun work to do. 

What do you think of the hiring of Marc Bergevin and his moves so far?

Bergevin has done perfectly for me. He seems to get it in every way and my initial impression is he is going to be an all timer at it. Yep I said it. He seems to understand about overvaluing an asset. He passed up on Jagr and Parenteau when it would have been easy to seek more strength short term.

He is going to be a great one. People need to let him plan. That's all.

You wrote a fantastic blog posting about 2014-2015 being the year for the Habs. Many veteran contracts expire then, many younger players may be ready to step in. What do you think fans can expect to see in the interim? 

Short term before all the money and assets come available I think it s going to be lean. Not as lean as last year but lean. (Former General Manager) Pierre Gauthier acquired some awful assets. No one talks about Markov and I have stopped too because of the flak but I am on record maintaining that there is little left in that knee. He played very fearfully so that besides Bourque, Gomez, Kaberle is a 4th big money suspect asset. Sorry but teams don't win in the face of stupid issues like that. That is 4 of 20 players and almost 20 million in payroll. That's scary. There is a lot for Marc Bergevin to patiently get off the books.

Are you scared to see how much room those assets are given this season? I'd personally rather let the prospects dominate in Junior or in Hamilton and let the assets that are here bring what they got in the interim. 

Normally it would be wrong to ride it out with those crap assets and let them play out the string but nothing is happening now on this big transformation to greatness, so this season is always going to be limited. 

If you have a long term view on how to win the Cup, then you just quietly don't worry about this season. Just don't jeopardize any long term plan and have the money available when you need to fill the gap. Just don't tell the fans who shell out the big money to attend your limbo season.

For more from Brian Wilde, I encourage you to follow him on Twitter: @BwildeCTV

I also strongly urge you to listen to Randy Tieman on TSN990 weekdays 12-2pm

and of course, catch them both nightly on CTV Montreal News at 11:45pm for Sports night.