Canadiens Acquire Mathieu Schneider

[duda.radek]

MONTREAL – Montreal Canadiens General Manager Bob Gainey announced today the acquisition of defenseman Mathieu Schneider from the Atlanta Thrashers, as well as a conditional draft pick from the Thrashers at the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, in return for a second-round pick at the 2009 draft (Anaheim’s pick previously acquired by the Canadiens from Washington) and a Canadiens third-round pick at the 2010 draft.

“ We were looking for a defenseman who could contribute offensively. Mathieu, an experienced player with a lot of offensive upside, will bring depth to our core group of defensemen and will be an asset on our powerplay,” said Bob Gainey.

Schneider, a 20-season veteran, made his NHL debut with the Canadiens in 1987-88. The 39-year-old, New York City native recorded 717 points (216 goals, 501 assists) and posted a plus-63 rating in 1,241 NHL regular-season games, with Montreal, the New York Islanders, Toronto, the New York Rangers, Los Angeles, Detroit, Anaheim and Atlanta.

Selected by the Canadiens in the third round, 44th overall at the 1987 NHL Entry Draft, Schneider won the Stanley Cup with the Canadiens in 1993. During his first stay with the Canadiens, Schneider registered 199 points (63 goals, 136 assists) in 360 regular-season games. The 5’11’’, 195-pound blueliner also played 109 career NHL playoff games, totaling 53 points (10 goals, 43 assists), including 21 points (5 goals, 16 assists) in 44 games with Montreal.

Schneider, second this season among Thrashers defensemen with 15 points (4 goals, 11 assists) in 44 games, won the gold medal with Team USA at the 1998 World Hockey Championship in Switzerland. The two-time NHL All-Star (1996, 2003) also represented the United States twice at the Olympic Games, in Nagano, Japan, in 1998 and in Turin, Italy, in 2006.

[Thrillhouse]

Good on Gainey for grabbing one of the better rentals, but with Schneider's contract, I'd say this would pretty much leave the Habs with no cap space so this is it going forward.

[Killah_punk]

A 2nd and 3rd pick seems like a bit much for 39 year-old Schneider.

[Chiefs for Life]

Originally Posted by Thrillhouse

Good on Gainey for grabbing one of the better rentals, but with Schneider's contract, I'd say this would pretty much leave the Habs with no cap space so this is it going forward.

Wrong.. Robert Lang's salary has come off the books because he is on the IR, making room for Schneider, an giving Gainey room for some future moves, with the fact that Tanguay was on IR also makes more room to carry rental players at the end of the season......

[Tucker_316]

They are gonna move bodies anyway following this so there probably will be more moves. They still need a centreman very badly.

[YO-EL]

nothing wrong with a mobile defenseman who shoots the puck

[Dave_42]

I don't see anything wrong with this acquisition. Good for the Habs.

[bengino]

BOO! not a fan of this trade at all, didn't care for Schneider back then, still don't care for him now... plus, WAY too much given up for a old fart...

[Machinehead2k5]

habs fans, have fun with his 2 penalties a game. Hooking and/or holding and if he is beated by 1/4 step by someone, he's not going to catch up. On a side note his brother coaches the Atlanta Knights junior hockey team here.

[Redtown]

Originally Posted by YO-EL

nothing wrong with a mobile defenseman who shoots the puck

Unless that mobile D mans shots hit the glass wide of the net.

[Grittzkey]

wow.. bad trade

Atlanta basically traded away Brad Larsen, defenseman Ken Klee and forward Chad Painchaud for a 2nd and a 3rd.. wow..

Honestly come on now Canadiens.. If you need a puck mover.. look for the cheap ones.. Schneids isn't going to bring you anything else then what a guy like Derek Meech could bring you.. and at a fraction of the salary and trade value..

wow.. just wow.. what a bad trade

[Isles4life]

The Habs did need another offensive defenseman to try and jump-start their power play which has comparably been in shambles with the departure of Mark Streit. But they gave up an awful lot for a guy as old as Schneider is. I think Schneider can still play, but I don't see him making a very big impact impact in Montreal.

[forsberg21]

I like this for the Habs. They get a solid puck moving, veteran d-man, which they needed bad. Deciding once and for all whether or not this was a good trade for either side depends on the outcomes of a few things. How does Montreal's season end up? If they take a cup, then no one can argue this wasn't worth it. And of course what those picks turn into. If those picks are busts then they essentially gave up nothing.

[AVALANCHE FAN]

Lucky pricks I wish one of my teams would have made that deal!

[brandonh19]

well that trades just what the habs needed