Habs Land Kreider: Are More Moves Coming?!

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1:00Give your pet the best with Little Bear pet supplies, a proudly family business here in Montreal for over 30 years. Chuck Eddie and their All Star staff have you taken care of with all the top brands at the best prices and they really care for your pets. Shop online at LittleBareOnline.com or visit them on St. Catherine across from Westmount Square. It's Little Bear pet supply. Brought to you by McClain's Pub. Head over to McClain's Pub, 1210 Peel Street in the heart of downtown Montreal. Great food, cold drinks and big games on all the screens. McClain's Pub, good times and great company. Welcome back to Star and D'Amico. There's Marco. I'm Sean, no guest host today. Nice to see everybody. Hope you're enjoying your weekend. As we were hit with, I don't know, unexpected news, expected news. What about Marco's guest host? When do we ever have a guest host? Well, I just felt it redundant. It's the Star and D'Amico show and I introduced Marco and I introduced myself. So it's like, hmm, well, of course. Who else would be here? The last time you came in here, basically like, hello fellow kids, lit this and you had

2:05got to go and fire that and no cap. But now you're starting with we don't have guests. That's right. It's a professional show. Shadow to our friend and YouTuber extraordinaire Whiskey Lung who I noticed in the comments section, liked that I dropped the What's Up Sucker? Like the unexpected surprise. So thank you. Thanks for the shadow. Whiskey. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I don't know like what would you classify this as with the news that broke on Saturday afternoon that Chris Criter has taken his talents to the blue blonde Rouge, signing a one-year, $2.15 million dollar deal. bonuses as Marco laid out the groundwork in an early episode last week about the 35 and over clause and how we can hit his bonuses and everything else. Well, dive into Criter's numbers. We'll dive into Criter's potential role. Where do we see him fit? What type of presence does he bring for a player of his stature? That categorizes for me. When you finally learned of the news, I'll share my point of view. I mean, I was kind of surprised. I'm optimistic again about where the Canadians are going and how players see the Montreal

3:08Canadians through their eyes. I think this is very good news. Was this a surprise to you or did you kind of expect Chris Criter to choose the Montreal Canadians? I knew the Montreal was going to be one of the interested teams. Like, we talked about there's going to be a handful of teams in the east that make sense. Boston made sense. The islanders make sense. The Sabers made sense. But seeing the way he just signed his contract, it would not have worked out in Florida because they wouldn't have had the cash space to fit him in. So, you know, again, maybe four or five teams, Ottawa senators would have made a ton of cents that are probably really ticked off right now in Ottawa. But I would say, notwithstanding just the team on ice, the fact that there was that relationship with Jeff Gordon who drafted him and gave him the contract that he just terminated yesterday or the day before, sorry. You know, Marty St. Louis, the relationship they already have, you know, with the trainers that have come over, Ramsey, for example, that have come over from the New York Rangers,

4:12there was a lot linking him to Montreal. And that's why I never shot it down because I had heard that Montreal is going to be interested. But there's interest as we know, and then there's winning the Derby. And so I kind of just left it in the neither there and we were going to see what's going to happen. However, you know, when I saw that signing yesterday, it's the structure of that contract. Right. They really stuck out to me. So, start date cap hit of 2.15 million, which is excellent considering what the Canadians are trying to do right now. We'll get to that in a sec. But it comes with $3.25 million in potential performance bonuses. So at the end of the day, the maximum earning potential of this contract is about 5.4 million. Why is that important? Because performance bonuses that it be for rookies, injured players or 35 plus contracts,

5:13if you don't have enough room in your salary cap or you're using LTIR in the season in which the player earns that bonus, it can carry over to the next year. I know a lot of people are going to be like, but but the Canadians need cap space next year. Potentially yes, but they have a boatload of it and they don't have any major names to resign. So they could afford it if they would need if they feel they need to spend to the cap. All I'm saying is it gives them flexibility because they still at this time have a lot of money. So we're just roughly over 7 million with Zachary Bozak and Arbor Jack, I left a sign. We'll see how this signing impacts their signing. But it gives them ultimate flexibility and to get Chris Criter on day one when when you have to submit your roster to the NHL at 2.15 million, it's a really strong offer for the player, but it's really strong flexibility for the team. We're going to dive into Criter's numbers and elaborate on what was that?

6:18What was that? We're going to dive into Criter. Oh my god stop. I didn't do that intentionally just like Criter 12 years ago. Don't shoot me in the comments. Don't shoot. Don't shoot me into comments. It's funny because I watched his I watched his collision again this morning before we hit the Internet today's episode. I watched it again today just because you know. And I'm going to bring it back up to the table here when we did our Criter video last week. And the comp I made, I don't believe Sedena Chara when he said after he ran Max patch ready into the stanchion so many years ago that he didn't know 67 was on the ice, right? I don't believe him. I think it was intentional. I watched the Criter into Kerry price at 2014 again. I mean, I can't I don't know. I can't get there. I understand how fans are going to react to it and everything else they're going to believe what they're going to believe. And I did see some kind of like regrets that the Montreal Canadian signed this enemy of the state and Chris Criter.

7:21I mean, it was 12 years ago. I don't know. I don't see it that way, but to each their own, I suppose. When we look at Criter's performance with anime last year. 75 games. 22 goals, 28 assists, 14 even strength goals, eight power play goals, three game winning goals. Tell me why Chris Criter fits with this version of the Montreal Canadians and what you took away from his season and anime a year ago. Yeah, I spoke to a couple of folks in Anaheim this summer, not knowing that Chris Criter was going to have his contract tournament. I don't know which of the veterans that be Vatranau that it be Chris Criter that it be Alex Kaloren. We didn't know which one was going to be sacrificed in Anaheim. So they could cut her goats. And I was told, you know, although he wasn't a. What you would call like a glue guy, like a guy that brings everybody together. He was a guy that went on the ice.

8:21And this isn't to say he's any any problem in the locker room. He's just not a, a glue guy as they call him. But on the ice, the way he insulated the youngsters, right? Like he started the season playing a law with Leo Carlson. And that's where a lot of his offense came was playing with Leo Carlson. He was really strong in playing with Beckett Senica, you know, there's a few power for is in the league that you can learn from as a rookie to teach you how to be one. And then Chris Criter and Beckett Senica. So, you know, play with Mason, McTavish played a little bit with cutter goat. Yeah, on and off here there five on five. And, you know, just perfect couple of mentoring power forward style player. And I think that's exactly what you'd be looking for on the second line is is exactly that kind of an impact. And to a degree, I mean, you think about it. This is a player that has. Throughout his career, just been a consistent 20 plus goalscorer, even if he's at the point now where he's 35 and over.

9:28He still has that speed. His legs are he's still that quick. He still has that body. And he still plays that style. So I just find that even at that salary, expecting him to be the top six guy. I mean, he can be for the time being, unless the Canadians go out and make a move between now and the start of the season or now and, you know, Christmas break or now or the trade deadline. But to start the season. Yeah, I think the Canadians just got better in their middle six. And it gives a guy like Ivan Demadov a true shooting option through left shot shooting option for them to go with that the coaching staff will actually trust to put in those five on five situations. So this is how I see it. I'm curious where you follow on this. Let's put together the Canadian second line, which is the top, the top line is the top line. Ivan Demadov on the right side outlooks new hook down the middle Chris Criter on the left side.

10:29What do you, what do you make the likeness that that perhaps on September 29th and Toronto. What that top six is going to look like. And I also want to tackle the topic that we brought up in the Criter video again last week about if the Canadians are going to get Criter. You know, what does that do to the conversation we had again about the 13th forward, you know, who's sweating here Alexander taxi a Kirby doc again injuries are a thing, right. Mark will brought that point up in that in that episode last week. Right. So I also want to tackle that topic. Like who's kind of sweat now the arrival. I want to bring up the fact that you know when you mentioned glue guy and I wonder how beneficial this is going to be to certain haves player so stick with us through it. The course of today's episode we're going to tackle those topics and and go into them as opposed to dive into them or collide with them. But what about what about my second line outlooks new hook down me to often Chris Criter in Toronto September 29th. What do you think? I really honestly like you have a really good glut of middle six guys right not a beautiful top six but a really good glut of middle six guys and I haven't demidov.

11:40So you can you can go many ways with this you can go Criter doc demidov you can go Criter capin and demidov you can go Criter new hook demidov you like there's so many options here that you don't. I mean that's the last of the options no like at this point Marco like my only problem with your your line I believe Chris Criter is a left shot yes. You're going to go lefty lefty lefty with I don't know I don't like that I don't like I don't I know a lot of people are going to be like what it's not that big a deal. It is it is ask a goalie it's all easy when they're all they're all they're all left handed I understand they're all left shots right you sometimes you want a little bit of diversity I heard it's an old old wooden ship used during civil war era but either than you know lining them all up I think that's where like a capin and kind of makes a little bit more sense right and then you kind of have new hook on the third you know playing with I would assume to be filled to know.

12:42And and we see who completes it on the other side that it be a taxi a Anderson etc etc but I think it just pushes everybody down a peg which is good. Where I think I'm going to enjoy watching Criter is the potential five on five scoring right like that's really what I think held demidov back last year is when when you hook got injured. Really until they until they had those moments where they slid so fck off ski onto that second line it was very difficult for Ivan to get five on five consistent five on five scoring because the rest of that line was dragged down by you know diminishing performances I feel like now you're putting a veteran on that line a guy that knows how to read the plays goes to the net and I think that's the biggest biggest thing is. Criter goes to the net right think about it in the playoffs how periphery oriented the Canadians were you know this is a guy that's going to go to the net we know we have a large portion of the fan base that's still talking about it but he goes to the net he drives in that that is his calling credit all has been all will be.

13:54And I think in doing so that opens up the ice that opens up possibilities that opens up passing lane shooting lanes and I think that's where you have a players talented is Ivan that's going to be able to take advantage of that and i'm not saying you know that the Canadians went and got Chris Criter and can't use as done now and he's not looking to improve at all. I heard the exact opposite from that the moment that signing came in so we're talking about what lines can look like. There's a serious possibility that would they are could be more shuffling because. You know Sean the way I see it he's a perfect plug and play top six player for them second wave of the power playing net front presence with they've been looking for a while huge now you can put on your top your top wave if there's an injury knock on wood. So I think he covers a lot of bases he plays a style that they don't necessarily have all throughout their lineup so to me it makes a lot it makes a ton of sense and the most important thing fun you paid nothing to make that acquisition correct.

15:04I think that's the way that's you know he did sign on what your deal the Canadians are as competitive as they were last year this year and they you know they go. A good little bit in the playoffs who's to say he doesn't re up again the year after right and even if you were to regress it's still Chris Criter that you'd be a very valuable bottom six player just like we've seen Corey Perry be for the last seven years right so. I honestly I have negative no problems with this deal like this is this is a value acquisition low cost low risk I think that you know the same thing happened with text to a lesser degree last year where he terminated in the St. Louis on the Canadian sign them and that turned out pretty good for them last year as well so all I gotta say is these kinds of moves it goes to show what you can do when you have the power to. Attract certain players in certain situations and it just allows you to build the rest of your roster without having to sacrifice pieces that other teams are spending seconds thirds prospects packages to go and get.

16:13So you brought about Alexander text his name you know again referencing the Carter video we published on the channel last week right about the level of interest the Montreal Canadians potentially had in Chris Carter well we know it was rather significant because he signed a one year. 2.15 million dollar deal if he hits all his bonuses close about the $5 million salary in that one year deal so let's tackle this topic now when it comes to the addition of Chris Criter player in. Who's who's perhaps sweating their their role on this team that perhaps 72 hours ago I don't know how much they were sweating is a Kirby doc is that Alexander taxi a. Zachary bull duck who there is who moved up and down the lineup walking through your thoughts I think this is. I think this is a significant impediment to Zach bullsick. I wasn't expecting that sir Chris Criter is what yes is that is that vision of what they want bullsick to be and now the older version of that player is going to be taking that spot and we've heard can't use they're not in the business of blocking their young players.

17:33But this negotiation has needlessly dragged on till mid September yeah and i'm like I love Zach I think he's a phenomenal player to talk to in the room he's got all world potential but his contract negotiations had no business dragging to mid September he's. A middle six player with great potential that doesn't have much leverage why are we in September when we're talking about a three to four year deal in the four million dollar range like what are we doing why have we waited this long and the only thing that could lead me to believe that we're waiting this long because i'm not putting the fault on the player here at all he probably signed a marmorning if he could. I think can't use as a bigger plan and this is what we were talking about all summer when people were telling me stop talking about it we get it yes can't use has not stopped when it comes to trying to figure out ways to to move you know this team forward I think Criter is an easy first step. But I think there's more in the works and when you go and get a guy like Criter.

18:37You know if you can get a guy like Criter knowing you have a guy like Michael H coming. Is another top six potential acquisition enough to maybe tell let you know put the Canadians in a position to say. Maybe we won't have room for Zach and whatever top six acquisition they make now. Inclusive right because there's a GM that's looking to replace a certain low low salary high performing goal score with more goals on salary so you know like i'm of the mind that. There's a possibility at this stage because he is in sign that and i'm saying i'm not saying like start the trade rumors that he's on his way out here but i'm saying Chris Criter signing even if it's a one year deal. Makes Zach Budswick expendable now and that doesn't mean that the Canadians necessarily need to trade Zach.

19:42But it certainly gives them an extra kick of leverage when it comes to negotiating with him at the table because he's negotiating as if he had you know a legitimate bona fide spot waiting for him on the second or third line this year. And you go and get a guy like Criter and now he's probably going to be relegated to starting the season on maybe the fourth line if not being the 13th forward. Well that changes the conversation entirely and if you're if you're can't use you be like well listen. You know what kind of impact do you think you're going to have this year look at the depth that we have. So you see where like how that can sway things like i was talking about it with Boston as well they signed mint and they're talking to Pavlsacca. Like well listen Pavl you yes you had a lot of negotiate leverage power and you still do. But we have your replacement already signed now so like if you don't want this then we're okay and we'll just replace you with minting down the line you know like that's the conversations that have that happens so.

20:45I'm going to be very interested to see over the next 24 hours from the publication of this video now what ends of happening with that in this regard because I know yes there is arbor jack as well but i'm very curious if Zach is signed and someone else is moved out because we do know the Canadians tried to move on from from curvy doc didn't happen. I wonder if a trade another trade shakes loose not to liquidate these players for futures but to package them to improve at a position of need while still having that depth. In a way you kind of just like answered my next question because that was the out to me that was the follow up right I mean does it make certain members i.e. Zach Bulldog expendable and you you tackled that topic and you know listening to your point of view I can't help but feel if that were the case and listen don't don't miss hear me here Zachary Bulldog is not an untouchable player as far as i'm concerned right.

21:51And if it is hypothetically speaking part of a package that gets career marchenko to Montreal and Zachary Bulldog becomes a blue jacket you're not going to hear me complaining about how the Montreal Canadians made a bad decision right so in that context i'm good with it but in the context of Zachary Bulldog being a 13th forward or whatever. I would be a little disappointed because he's so young and I think he can still be molded into the culture and the player that the Canadians hope that they acquired when they traded Logan Maillou to St. Louis to bring him over and that's why I shared that point of view and i'll bring it back to the table again like for me Alexander Texas the guy you know I think Chris Criter is a better option than curvy doc but they're locked into curvy doc and he has in terms of asset management value I mean. One of them play center exactly well. Not really yeah exactly and and Alexander taxi a i'd much rather see the organization devote time in developing and getting Zachary Bulldog ingrained into what this team hopes to be and his role within it then someone like Alexander taxi and so i'm.

23:01I don't disagree I would be a little just a point of the case you got a give to get I just I understand yeah yeah and if they want to replace goals in Columbus as as was said yeah i think. You know we everyone's going to look at Zach buzzer stats and just be like yeah you know 30 points 78 games was okay in the playoffs seven points and 19 games. But in St. Louis when they were putting him on the first power play was a rookie at 19 goals is a point for game player I think yeah you see it was a second half where you went he went bonkers yeah because he was given the opportunity to play top top minutes the problem with Zachary Bulldog is he was traded to a team that included an Ivan Demadov yeah. So there he remember he started on the first wave of the power play in where Demadov eventually took that spot. And you know I think Zach is a 20 20 like at least a 25 a regular 25 goals core in this NHL if you play like put him with Adam Fantilly for a full season and I think he pops off on the first wave of the power play this is your young guy you're building around amongst others I think he could put up 25 goals so I have I have no.

24:18I am not sitting here selling low in my opinion of Zach buzzer I'm just saying that it opens up the possibility that did not exist before this what I was talking about acid management right and respectfully if a career Marchenko acquisition is made where would buzzer end up playing down the line anyway even if you were to max out his potential he be doing to the third line is that max. Yeah I mean that's why maybe they're reluctant to trade out over capital because maybe they see him as the guy waiting for when filled to know arguably let's say walks is a whole new much deeper, more robust team in that scenario in my opinion. 100%. But start mapping out your third line of the future. New hook 100% needs to be on it. Yeah. I mean, that's what maybe they're reluctant to trade out overcapitan because maybe they see him as the guy waiting for when filled to know arguably, let's say walks as a UFA

25:18in his contract, a year and he's not re-upped overcapitan and takes his spot. I would be reluctant to trade all of our capitan too quick unless the salary demands are out of this world. Right. Right. He's also doing new contract at the end of the season, but is an RFA. Like Evans and Capitan as bottom six centers. I don't hate it. Even Evans, I would personally down the line would move Evans to the wing, Florian down the middle or Owen Beck. Just to get a little bit of juice. But again, you map out your bottom six moving forward after that. Yeah. You know, ideally, who's playing on your third line? You have Alex New Hook, you have Oliver Capitan and probably is your third line center. You got to worry about who you're right when you're is. And then you could have conversations about who that right wing or maybe. But I don't want to talk about the future. Josh Anderson was dropped in what 2014?

26:20Something like that. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So he's 30, 32. I don't think you can go that far into the future. When it comes to building, you know, long term, I think you'd be great to extend Josh Anderson, you know, on a short term deal once this one expires at the end of the year as a fourth liner. But again, like we're getting into the fourth liner in the long term vision. Never mind the short term vision. So that's why I'm saying if you're looking to improve, right? You know, like for example, if the Canadians go and do trade from March, Enkel, for example, and it's it's main roster pieces like a buzzer, a defenseman, a first round pick. And Zorowski's not traded. Maybe Zorowski would be the one to probably slot into the third right to the third line right wing, right? Or you throw New Hook onto his offside. You know, either way, you see what I'm going with. Like I've certainly got all these guys that you have are not all. They're all going to play for you. So you have to pick and choose. And if it's between that and going to get a bonafide top six player that you can then extend.

27:26That's why that's why the first thing I thought about when I saw Criter sighing was that. But I cut all I'm saying here guys is it opens up the possibility. I don't necessarily think that a trade is on the horizon. 100%. And I think it's more likely it's likely or now than it was 24 hours ago. Last last point on on the Criter discussion. We're going to dive into Alexander Zorowski on the channel tomorrow in the season that he's currently having with UFA in the KHL. So make sure to like and subscribe to the channel for ongoing updates as we talk. You know, Canadian acquisitions, Canadian prospects in their development. But as we wrap today's discussion up, how important do you believe it to be that a guy like Criter can come in and you know, again, with the context being that like he's not the raw raw glue guy, right? I mean, he's here. He's going to play his role. He plays a lot of hockey. He's generally pretty healthy. But guys like Kirby doc guys like Slavkovski a player like Florian Jacki to have a player

28:32that plays that role on this team. How beneficial is it to their development? Oh, I said it before. I think it's going to be monstrous for a guy like Ivan Demadov. I think if they stick with that combination, I think it'll be significantly impactful for a guy like Oliver Capinan. You know, I think that it actually will help the Canadian second wave of the power play. Agreed. You know, I think that that gives him a little bit more punch where his last year, you were kind of like trying to like with respect. The upgrade that you get in the net from presence going from Brendan Gallagher last year to Chris Criter is a world of a difference here with respect to Brendan Gallagher. I think that this opens up a whole lot more. Like having a net front of Chris Criter while you have no adopson shooting from the point. Now, that's scary proposition on the second pair on the second power play way.

29:32So I do enjoy that. And again, like I mentioned, not necessarily a glue guy like again, this is not a knock on him as a person. It's just not like a leadership veteran, but he's a good veteran in terms of being able to round out a line, being able to be that perfect complimentary player. He reads plays at an elite level and is able to play as we've seen in his time with New York. We saw with the ducks with the with their young elite, you know, players in Carlson and Senna, and all that. He is very able to read a line, jive with the line, instant chemistry, go to work. And he will go to those dirty areas. He'll make space on the ice. He'll use his body. The puck protection is all as nice. And I think that just creates more opportunity for skill players to then go to work. And I think that's exactly what this team has been missing. It's a category category, category type player, the characteristic of a player that Jeff

30:34Gordon has been looking to add for a while. That's one of the main reasons why they liked Zach Buzek is because he combined the shooting with the the gnarliness, the physicality, which we saw in the playoffs. More of that is what Jeff Gordon is looking for is looking for it because again, like even at points last year, they just felt like the Canadians didn't have enough bark didn't have enough fight. So this brings it. And we put this up on the screen here as quickly as I can. Marco's point. Marco's favorite. Oh, that didn't work out nearly as well as I was hoping it was going to work out. What are we looking at? There's the that's basically the heat map. Those are his goals. That's the front of the. Oh, good God. That's hilarious. Yeah, yeah. I thought you were showing us an infrared of Pluto. I don't know why that didn't work out nearly as well as I was hoping it was going to work out. But nevertheless, I think we get it. What's that goes to the net? Yes, he does. Yes, he does. Put this up here.

31:35Oh, baby. There we go. There it is. Yeah, I mean, it's not it's this is not you Chris. I think you want to mention. Yeah, goes to the net. And I think that's exactly the persona that the Canadians were missing. Yeah. And I think that's really in the playoffs. Well, I remember last year, how many times you're like, go to the net, you know, you know, it's just again, and I think who better to teach some of these other youngsters coming into the league to pay the price than the guy that's going to so like that's what I'm saying, he doesn't lead in the dressing room, you know, by standing up and making big speeches. He leads by example. Yeah. And I think that is exactly what you're looking for in an acquisition like this. Good stuff as always. Make sure to like and subscribe to the channel as we continue to march towards 20,000 subscribers, massive shout out to our sponsors, the cheapest t-shirts dot CA, the best in the business locally owned and operated right here in Montreal order today, shipped tomorrow and great customer

32:40service so they can walk you through order one order one thousand. They can handle any size order at cheapest t-shirts dot CA McLean's pub is the real deal on peel. And then the car goes home for chicken tendies before after any major event or listen, it's a perfect spot to go for a drink for a date night and a great atmosphere and a wonderful menu selection and just the best staff in the industry. Check them out on peel the real deal on peel is McLean's pub capital tell for the best in home security. Check out their website for more information on their state of the art technology without state of the art technology pricing. They've been servicing Quebec and Eastern Ontario for more than 20 years. The trusted source in protecting your home's valuables. It's capital tell dot com instacustons dot com for all your customized gear and our friends Chuck and Evie at Little Bear pet supply on St. Catherine across from westbound square. They care about your pet as much as you do visit their store on St Catherine or shop online browser vast array of items at Little Bear online dot com. All right, Chris Criter and the Chris Criter era has officially begun in Montreal.

33:43I doubt he'll be at the golf tournament on Monday, but I know for certain. Mark will be there. He's going to be I have confirmation that yeah, I have confirmation that he'll be there on Monday. All right, so I guess we'll see you on the radio on Monday. You're going to you have a couple minutes to come by and shoot the breeze with the Connor and I because we'll be broadcasting live on TSN 690 and Mark will be there as well with the BPM. I'll see what I can do. All right, man. We'll see you later. Don't forget we got Alexander Zorowski stuff to talk about. So make sure you like and subscribe and we'll see you tomorrow.