Montreal Sports - Montreal Canadiens

Amidst unfounded rumours that Alexander Frolov was being traded to Montreal, the Montreal Canadiens did make some changes to their roster, but none of the “splashy” kind, surprise, surprise. 

Lately, any moves the Habs have made appeared to be of the luke-warm variety or the root cause of a rift between Habs loyalists. This move is no exception. 

The Canadiens have just announced yesterday that they have acquired 29 year old Centre Dominic Moore from the Florida Panthers in return of a 2011 2^nd round pick. At the same time, they announced that Ben Maxwell Had been sent back down to Hamilton.

If one looks at this as a straight trade off, then I guess the Habs are better off with an NHL veteran who wins more face-offs than he loses. Moore now becomes the team leader in face-off win percentage of any player having taken over 300 face-offs at 55%.

As for Maxwell, after 8 games with the Canadiens, he was held pointless with 4 shots and a -1 rating with an average of just under 10 minutes of ice time per game. there were times when it appeared that Maxwell was a boy playing in a man's game, but you did see some signs of some good skill. Maybe it's just not his time yet. Maybe some more time with 'Dogs head coach Guy Boucher will better prepare hiom for the next big op^portunity, which he will get on day. 

But then, some would ask why the Canadiens would give up a second round pick for a player who is now on his 7^th team since 2005, who is a career -5 and had it not been for the Panthers throwing him a bone this season, could have been watching games from home, rather than playing them. Not only that, but with Plekanec, Gomez, Lapierre and Metropolit already filling the orle of centre, why would the Canadiens need a 5^th?

Could be that Pierre Gauthier is looking to send a message that no spot is safe if the effort isn’t there and while Bulldogs Centres Tom Pyatt, Ryan White and David Desharnais already with the team, Gauthier’s experience and perhaps new lease on life will make every shift more competitive.

In either case, Moore is now a Hab and while his acquisition will not cause the same media buzz that the opening of the Habs Hall of fame did, only time will tell if that second round pick will be classified as one of the wonders or blunders in the Pierre Gauthier scrapbook.

Please read on for the Habs press release on Moore.

MONTREAL (February 11, 2010) – Montreal Canadiens’ General Manager Pierre Gauthier announced tonight the acquisition of forward Dominic Moore from the Florida Panthers, in return for the Canadiens’ second round selection in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

The 29-year old Moore suited up for 48 games this season with the Florida Panthers recording 17 points (8 goals and 9 assists), serving 35 penalty minutes and shooting 81 times on the opposing net. The 6’ and 196 lbs centerman scored two of his goals with the man advantage and added another goal playing shorthanded.

A native of Sarnia, Ontario, Moore earned 117 points (43 goals, 74 assists) in 353 regular season games in the NHL with the New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Minnesota Wild, Toronto Maple Leafs, Buffalo Sabres and Florida Panthers.

Moore was a third round selection, 95th overall, by the New York Rangers in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. A Harvard graduate, Moore played with Crimson from 1999 to 2003 and was voted to the ECAC All-Rookie  Team in 2000, a member of the ECAC Second All-Star Team in 2001. In 2003, he was selected to the ECAC First All-Star Team and the NCAA East First All-American Team.

The Canadiens also announced tonight that forward Ben Maxwell has been assigned to the AHL Hamilton Bulldogs. Maxwell, 21, was held pointless in eight games with the Canadiens this season. He had been recalled from Hamilton on January 24.    

Tags: acquired \ announced \ Ben Maxwell \ Dominic Moore \ Florida Panthers \ habs \ Hamilton Bulldogs \ Montreal Canadiens \ NHL \ trade