NHL:Montreal Canadiens re-sign Plekanec
It’s a match made in heaven. Tomas Plekanec professed his love for the Montreal Canadiens, the Canadiens proposed, Plekanec said yes and they lived happily ever after. Maybe not ever after, but they would be standing by each other ‘in sickness and in health’ at least for the next 6 years after Plekanec signed a 30 million dollar contract with the Canadiens.
Plekanec had made it abundantly clear that he wanted to stay in Montreal saying that he had talked with their General Manager, Pierre Gauthier, before the summer. “We both felt that we would reach a deal,” Plekanec said. If you think playing for his dream team is something he should be ecstatic about then you are not paying close enough attention to his pay check. Under the new contract the 27 year old has managed quiet a leap from his 2.75 million dollar previous contract. We can only speculate how much he could have raked in had he reached unrestricted free agency. “I’m happy with the deal,” Plekanec said. We are happy for you too.
The Czech centre ended the 2009-2010 season at a career best of 70 points with 25 goals and 45 assists. An improvement from his previous season which Plekanec himself considered disappointing. He said he wanted and got a good start for the season. “I knew I had to be stronger mentally”, he said. Good for him that his 39 point 2008-2009 season was not the year his contract was to be signed. His 2007-2008 season success, it was suggested, was because of linemate Kovalev. “I had a lot of success with Kovy and Andrei (Kostitsyn) but I wanted to prove that I could play well without Kovy”, said Plekanec.
Plekanec played 8 seasons for one of the best teams in the NHL. With more Stanley Cup wins than any other team, a spot on the team is a sought after affair. The Canadiens have made quite a commitment in offering him a pricey 6 year contract. Plekanec, Gomez, Gionta and Cammalleri Gionta constitute not only the forward lineup for the Canadiens but also a combined investment of 23 million dollars. No small amount even considering the upcoming salary cap increase.
Canadiens also offered forward Mathier Darche a one year, 550,000 dollars contract. Native to Montreal and veteran of 130 games, the 33 year old has 13 goals and 21 assists to his credit. Darche was the first free agent the Canadiens have re-signed. As of the first of July, forwards Maxim Lapierre, Tom Pyatt, Sergei Kostitsyn, defence man Mathieu Carle and goal tender Carey Price would become restricted free agents. The Montreal Canadiens have already made offers to all of them.
Forward Benoit Pouliot however was not made an offer. Nine goals off his first 13 games, he finished the season with 17 goals and two assists.
Price is now in the spotlight after elite goal tender, Halak, was traded to the St. Louis Blues in a strictly Salary Cap move. Price now becomes the starting goal tender for the Canadiens. Fans are looking to him to prove that Gauthier made the right choices for the team. “We have two good young goaltenders and we have confidence in both of them”, Gauthier said.
Plekanec and Gomez make for a formidable frontline. Last postseason they led the team to Conference finals. Plekanec holds the centreline. “The team has asked me to be a two-way player and that’s what I am. It’s about [that] more than scoring goals”, he said.
Plekanec was drafted in the third round by the Canadiens in 2001. In contrast to some higher rated draft choices, his contributions and success in the team over the years is more noteworthy. He attributed his success to his work ethics and in part to his health, missing only four games in the past four years where Cammalleri missed 17 and Kostitsyn missed 23 games.
How advisable were the choices Gauthier made we would still have to wait and see.
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