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OTTAWA — Bob Gainey could never been depicted as reckless in his time as an NHL general manager, but the Montreal Canadiens' boss sure shed his conservative ways last night.
Before the beginning of the 2008 NHL entry draft and the Tampa Bay Lightning's selection of Steven Stamkos of Unionville, Ont., as the first overall pick, Gainey received permission from the rival Toronto Maple Leafs to try to negotiate a contract with potential unrestricted free agent Mats Sundin for the next nine days. The Habs also acquired top-six forward Alex Tanguay from the Calgary Flames.
For the exclusive rights to talk to Sundin, the Canadiens and Leafs have worked out a conditional trade that would be consummated only if Montreal can persuade Sundin to continue his career with the storied franchise. For Tanguay and a fifth-round pick, the Canadiens gave up their first-round pick (25th overall) and a 2009 second-round choice.
These two significant transactions were made less than four months after Gainey exhibited a reluctance to make a major move at the trade deadline. But after watching his club win the NHL's Eastern Conference regular-season title and flop in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, Gainey has a go-for-it-now outlook.
Kelowna defenceman Luke Schenn was selected No. 5 overall by the Maple Leafs on Friday. (Andre Ringuette/Getty Images)
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"In making a list of needs, our main ones had to do with forwards," Gainey said. "[Sundin] is an experienced player. Our team is not inexperienced, but it is younger. Our goal is to play longer in the Stanley Cup playoffs, and we need more experience."
With the addition of Tanguay and his $5.375-million (all figures U.S.) contract, the Canadiens now have 17 players under contract and a payroll total of just less than $41-million. Besides trying to fit Sundin under the salary cap, Gainey is expected to make potential unrestricted free agent Mark Streit an offer next week.
Tanguay, 28, was a player the Canadiens and the Flames talked about throughout last season. The native of Sainte-Justine, Que., scored only 18 times in 78 games last season and now has a chance to get back on track in his home province.
The Leafs also are trying to get back on track. Besides their deal with the Canadiens, Toronto interim GM Cliff Fletcher also moved up in the draft to snatch the fifth overall selection in a deal with the New York Islanders for the Leafs' seventh overall selection and two conditional picks. Fletcher coveted Kelowna Rockets defenceman Luke Schenn, a member of the Canadian junior team, and he drafted the solid defender with the fifth pick.
"He's a hard-nosed two-way player who takes the body and plays with composure and makes a good first pass," Fletcher said. "I'm not sure at 18 he's ready for the NHL, but he'll get a shot."
Flames GM Darryl Sutter certainly tried to improve his club. He made several moves, shifting draft picks around in a three-way trade with the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks that landed him skilled forward Mike Cammalleri from the Kings. Calgary moved back to the 25th spot and selected Greg Nemisz of the Windsor Spitfires, the OHL club that Flames prospect Mickey Renaud played for when he died suddenly last February.
The Vancouver Canucks chose Brampton Battalion forward Cody Hodgson 10th overall. The Ottawa Senators traded up to the 15th spot to draft Swedish defenceman Erik Karlsson. Before the Edmonton Oilers selected Regina Pats centre Jordan Eberle 22nd overall, recently elected Hockey Hall of Famer Glenn Anderson paid tribute to Oilers long-time scout Lorne Davis, who died last December.
There was little drama with the first overall selection. As expected, Oren Koules, the front man for the Lightning's new ownership group, tapped Stamkos on the shoulder.
The forward from the Sarnia Sting of the OHL had been the top-ranked player all season and Lightning GM Jay Feaster confirmed last Wednesday that Stamkos would be the No.ƒ|1 pick, a decade after Tampa Bay selected Vincent Lecavalier first.
"I'm not going to a team that is rebuilding," Stamkos said. "They still have a lot of skill with a player like Lecavalier and they have a lot of young talent there."
Three OHL defenders went next. The Kings took Drew Doughty of the Guelph Storm second, the Atlanta Thrashers drafted Zach Bogosian of the Peterborough Petes third and the St. Louis Blues selected Alex Pietrangelo of the Niagara IceDogs fourth.
