Koivu For Jokinen?

Ken Campbell of The Hockey News, has suggested that if the Montreal Canadiens wanted to get Olli Jokinen from the Florida Panthers it would probably cost them Saku Koivu, possibly the rights to Alex Perezhogin, Jaroslav Halak, and possibly a first round draft pick.

Ken also goes on to suggest that after that deal Bob Gainey General Manager of the Habs could then trade Michael Ryder and a pick to the Calgary Flames for winger Alex Tanguay.

If this deal were to happen I’m sure Habs fans would be jumping for joy at the Canadiens finally doing something big at the trade deadline, and getting the big skillful and gritty center they have been lacking for too long a period of time. Would Bob Gainey actually do a trade of that significance?

The loss of Koivu would be overshadowed by the new presence of Jokinen, a bigger, younger, and more skillful center than Koivu. The loss of Perezhogin, well he is still playing in Russia as he opted to join the European hockey league this year so he wouldn’t be missed, as for Halak, the young Czech net-minder has helped the Canadiens in the past, but with Carey Price expected to be the next Patrick Roy, Halak has no room to come up in the NHL.

As for the Alex Tanguay trade, no one knows if Bob Gainey will do the Jokinen trade so let’s wait and see what happens. Although Tanguay would be a great acquisition when coupled with Jokinen, Tanguay by himself would not be the impact player the Canadiens so desperately need, he would undoubtedly help, but not enough to carry the Habs on his back which Jokinen could do.

I hope for all Montreal Canadiens fans something notable happens, maybe these trades proposed by Ken Campbell could be a possibility. In either case for the time being anyways “In Bob We Trust”.