St. Louis Blues 2010 Offseason Thread

[MrCrowesGarden]

Starting off early... acquiring the RFA rights to Jaroslav Halak from Montreal for Eller and Schultz.

[phins]

That's really solid if they can sign him. Carey Price will now be the guy with Montreal, and they get a forward with size and some skill.

Blues get a potential front line goalie for not much more than a contract. Will let Mason walk now.

[StL Dan]

SOURCE

The Blues have made a trade with the Montreal Canadiens, acquiring goaltender Jaroslav Halak. Club president John Davidson has confirmed the deal, but wouldn’t discuss the players the Blues are sending to Montreal until they are notified.

“We’ve traded for him,” Davidson said. “We’ve got him.”

NHL sources say the Blues are sending forwards Lars Eller and Ian Schultz to the Habs.

Halak was one of the most spectacular goaltender in this year’s NHL playoffs, compiling a record of 9-9 with a 2.55 goals-against average and a .923 save-percentage for the Canadiens, who lost in the Eastern Conference finals.

In his NHL career, Halak, 25, is 56-34-7 with a .262 and a .919. He was drafted in the ninth round (271st overall) in the 2003 NHL draft. He has played three years in the NHL, overtaking the No. 1 job from Carey Price this past season. Many observers will be amazed that the Canadiens chose to keep Price over Halak.

Halak, who made $775,000 last season, will be a restricted free agent.

[TheoSqua]

I'll miss Lars Eller, he looked like he could potentially be a PPG player. That said, if you have a chance to get a 25 year old goalie with the potential Halak has shown for an undersized center with some speed, you go for it.

[MrCrowesGarden]

That's really solid if they can sign him. Carey Price will now be the guy with Montreal, and they get a forward with size and some skill.

Blues get a potential front line goalie for not much more than a contract. Will let Mason walk now.

I've been reading the Blues if nothing else can take him to arbitration to get one more year out of him.

That said, I'd be shocked if they don't get something worked out contract-wise.

[Popeye_Card]

Bold move. I like it. Best goalie we've had since...CuJo?

[MrCrowesGarden]

Bold move. I like it. Best goalie we've had since...CuJo?

Fuhr was an MVP candidate for that season we had him. Long-term... yeah, probably.

[TheoSqua]

Yeah what I like about this trade is that Halak is 25. Not 35, 25. We've got a goalie who has yet to peak in potential.

That's awesome.

[JCShutout]

nice move! eller will be a fine player, and shultz is a decent throw in, but a goalie like halak should be worth it.

we need an upside scorer now...

[MrCrowesGarden]

Blues keep up the busy day... getting TJ Hensick from the Avalanche for Julian Talbot.