Jaroslav Halak: Mayor of Montreal to hockey obscurity

Today I was texted by a friend who works all summer at a rather remote location asking "Hey man, any update about NHL rumblings?" My reply went something like "not really man, it's all just kind of speculation til the draft next Friday." About an hour later, news of this trade broke:

To Montreal: Prospects Lars Eller and Ian Schultz

To St. Louis: Jaroslav Halak

I'll take that sound as your jaw hitting the floor.

A month ago, Halak was God in Montreal, literally. His playoff performance was being compared to Dryden and Roy, no small feet. Today he finds himself dealt into hockey obscurity, but possibly the franchise goalie for a team on the rise. In return Montreal receives Eller, a 20 year old from Denmark, who is playing decently in the AHL, and Ian Schultz, who for lack of a better word is a goon. So we could go on and on all day about how bad of a deal this is for Montreal, but let's look how this is going to change things going forward:

1.) For Montreal: Apparently they believe in Carey Price. Well let me tell you one thing, Canadiens fans don't! OR is Montreal simply clearing house in the goalie department and Halak is just the first domino to fall? Because with open cap space, Montreal could be looking at Nabokov? Or even Mason? Heck, this could be Montreal trying to silently rebuild, cause they can't be crazy enough to rely on Price, can they?

2.) For St. Louis: Goodbye Chris Mason. Hello playoffs. As great as Mason has been, needless to say, his play at this years World Championships was brutal. But with the team we see in St. Louis with the addition of Halak could be a legitimate playoff team in the West. But what about Chris Mason? This certainly looks like he won't be back in a Blues uniform, and means places like Philly, Tampa, and Dallas will be calling come July 1st. 

This deal really is as bad as it looks, but who knows what Montreal can work in the next month, cause this deal really hurts them. How do you say "I will not make the playoffs!" in french?

Other quick updates:

-Derek Boogard won't return to Minnesota. The heavyweight champ is looking for a new home, Montreal just got rid of Laraque? (Wait, no, I just had a vision of him beating the stuffing out of Colton Orr)

- The Coyotes Ownership Saga continues: Ice Edge Holdings, as the lone remaining group looking to keep the Coyotes in Glendale have until tomorrow to show they have the funds to buy the team and keep in in Arizona, if they do not, the city goes back to the drawing board and has a year to find a potential buyer. Basically here is the less complicated break down: The Coyotes will be in Pheonix next year, if Ice Edge falls through, Winnipeg here we come!

Keep those fingers crossed Jets fans. There is hope in this.