Morgan Ellis (Photo by Amy Johnson | Rocket Sports Media)
SYRACUSE, NY. — On Sunday night the best players in the AHL gathered to take part in the 2016 Skills Competition. Defenceman Morgan Ellis and forward Michael McCarron were the representatives for the St. John’s IceCaps. Former Canadiens goaltender Peter Budaj was selected to represent the Ontario Reign as one of the top goaltenders this season in the AHL.
Eric Tangradi (Photo by Marianne Helm/Getty Images)
CANADIENS ACQUIRE TANGRADI FROM JETS IN EXCHANGE FOR PETER BUDAJ AND PATRICK HOLLAND
Hamilton Bulldogs Media Release
Eric Tangradi (Photo by Marianne Helm/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QUE. – Montreal Canadiens and Hamilton Bulldogs general manager Marc Bergevin announced today the Canadiens have acquired forward Eric Tangradi from the Winning Jets in exchange for goaltender Peter Budaj and forward Patrick Holland. Tangradi will report to the Bulldogs.
Tangradi spent the 2013-14 season in the National Hockey League with the Jets. In 55 games with Winnipeg, the 25-year-old recorded six points (three goals, three assists) and 21 penalty minutes. A veteran of five professional seasons, the Philadelphia, Pa. native has played more than 300 NHL and American Hockey League regular season games combined. In 136 career NHL regular season games with the Jets and Pittsburgh Penguins, he has recorded 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) and 69 penalty minutes. In 178 career AHL regular season games with the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins, he has recorded 121 points (60 goals, 61 assists) and 214 penalty minutes. Tangradi was originally selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the second round (42nd overall) in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.
Holland spent most of the past two seasons with the Bulldogs. In 2013-14, played five games with the Canadiens, recording no points or penalty minutes. In 126 career AHL regular season games with the Bulldogs, he recorded 45 points (16 goals, 29 assists) and 10 penalty minutes. Originally selected by the Calgary Flames in the seventh round (193rd overall) in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Holland was acquired from the Flames on Jan. 12, 2012 with forward Rene Bourque and a second round selection in 2013 (Zachary Fucale) in return for Mike Cammalleri and a fifth-round pick in 2012 (Ryan Culkin).
The Bulldogs open the 2014-15 regular season on Saturday, Oct. 11 when they will visit the Rochester Americans at Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial at 7:05 p.m. The puck drops for Hamilton’s home-opening weekend on Friday, Oct. 17, when the ‘Dogs host the Toronto Marlies at FirstOntario Centre at 7:30 p.m.
Hamilton Bulldogs 2014-15 season tickets, flex tickets, group tickets and single-game tickets are on sale now. For more information, call 1-866-DOGS-TIX or visit hamiltonbulldogs.com.
Listen to all Bulldogs regular season and post-season games live on Hamilton’s AM 900 CHML, on www.900chml.com or watch live on www.ahllive.com. Catch every Friday night home game live in high definition on Cable 14.
About a year and a half ago, Montreal Canadiens fans thought the goaltending position was weak. But now the Habs have Carey Price, Peter Budaj, Dustin Tokarski and Zachary Fucale in the organization. Pretty good, eh?
MILTON, ON. — The Montreal Canadiens will have to decide what they are going to do with their back up goaltending situation this summer. Carey Price, Montreal’s starting netminder, was injured in Game 1 of third round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Head coach Michel Therrien made the gutsy decision to start rookie Dustin Tokarski over NHL veteran Peter Budaj.
Although, the Habs lost Game 6 to the New York Rangers and were eliminated, I fully believe Therrien made the right call by giving Tokarski the chance to shine – and boy oh boy, did he look good out there! Tokarski played very well and he was able to give the Canadiens a legitimate shot at winning the series when many fans thought there was very little chance doing so.
So the question is, do the Habs send Tokarski down to the Hamilton Bulldogs and risk losing him to waivers, or do they trade him before, or after the draft? Another option is to send Budaj down to Hamilton to make room for Tokarski, or they can trade him for a draft pick. It is pretty obvious that the Canadiens will not get much in return for either goaltender, but it’s better to receive a draft pick than losing one of them to waivers and get nothing in return.
At this point, I think if they trade Budaj and keep Tokarski, the Habs are making the better decision. I know some fans believe Tokarski’s value is higher than the market would suggest, but if he is traded this offseason, the club won’t get as much as they would if they trade him within the next year or two. That’s if he plays well with the Habs in that time. With Zach Fucale in the pipeline, Tokarski will not be nothing more than just a backup in Montreal. So, I say build up his stock and then trade him within the next two years.
Budaj has one year left on his deal and I think his days in Montreal are numbered. It should be considered what Tokarski has done with the Habs this season. It has been incredible. There’s a reason why Montreal inked him a new two-year deal in early April, and it makes you wonder what the Habs are thinking about in goal. Tokarski has proved himself this season that he can handle the pressure and can jump into a game at any time.
There’s no doubt in my mind if the Habs decided to send Tokarski down to the Bulldogs he would be claimed off of waivers. And what would be the point in that, right? So, if Budaj is moved not much is lost and the club would gain a draft pick – which will be used in the future.
The summer in Montreal should be interesting, that’s for sure.
