Canadiens Acquire Tomas Kaberle

[Thrillhouse]

MONTREAL – Montreal Canadiens general manager, Pierre Gauthier, announced today the acquisition of defenseman Tomas Kaberle from the Carolina Hurricanes, in return for defenseman Jaroslav Spacek.

The 33-year old Kaberle played 29 games with the Hurricanes this season. He registered nine assists, 38 shots on goal and 27 blocked shots, playing an average of 19 minutes and 14 seconds per game.

The 6’01’’, 214 lbs defenseman has collected 538 points (84 goals, 454 assists) in 931 regular season games in the NHL. He scored 31 goals on the powerplay and 16 were game-winning goals. He displays a career +19 plus/minus differential. Kaberle added 39 points (6 goals, 33 assists) in 102 playoff games, along with a +16 plus/minus ratio.

A native of Rakovnik, Czech Republic, he played in the 2002, 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympics. Kaberle was drafted in the eighth round, 204th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs at the 1996 NHL Entry Draft.

Jaroslav Spacek played 12 games this season with the Canadiens registering three assists. He has a +2 plus/minus differential, with 12 hits and 25 blocked shots, playing an average of 15 minutes and 29 seconds per game.

Since joining the NHL, Spacek has recorded 343 points (77 goals and 266 helpers) and maintained a +45 plus/minus ratio in 846 NHL regular season games.

[Thrillhouse]

Haha, unless there's picks involved, terrible deal for Montreal. Love it!

[I_am_Belak_2]

According to Sportsnet, its for Spacek.

I liked him as a Leaf, but ever since he rode the coat tails of the Bruins to a Cup, he's been pretty non-existent. I like Joe Colborne more anyway

EDIT: TSN, too.

Canadiens Acquire Tomas Kaberle

[Loosey]

Montreal needs less huge *******, not more

[nilan30]

For christ sakes, they finally found a way to get rid of spacek who's contract was over at the end of the year, but they do it by getting a guy with a higher cap hit who is going to be here for two more years. What a joke. Although Kaberle is better than Spacek and this should help the team for now, I don't think it was a trade that should have been or needed to be made.

[Ciccarelli]

I don't know but the Canadiens start to remind me the Islanders some years ago. They seem to make a lot of wrong moves and don't have a real plan to build a team around the building blocks they have. IMO they still haven't realized that you have to build a team patiently with youth to win a Cup, with short term fixes you are not going to win anything.

[Mr. America]

Bwaahahahhahahaaaaa!!!!

[Cat Smasher]

Kaberle was a healthy scratch a few times in Carolina, shame for Montreal. I know it's to "fill a void", but you're not really filling anything unless he turns it around completely.

[GaryRobertsFan]

Keep on getting tougher, Montreal.

[nilan30]

Originally Posted by GaryRobertsFan

Keep on getting tougher, Montreal.

Getting Kaberle for Spacek doesn't make them any less tough.

[fcm]

Overpaid damaged goods that we were about to get rid this summer (Spacek)

VS

More overpaid damaged goods with a longer contract (Kaberle)

Way to go, Pierre Gauthier. Your job of destroying the most historical franchise of the league is done. Now you can get back your job with the Senators and beat the Habs 6 times a year.

Gauthier didn't have enough of Scott Gomez, he wanted Kaberle and Cole too.

Originally Posted by Mr. America

Bwaahahahhahahaaaaa!!!!

Oh, you'll see, Spacek is a crappy player also. IMO, he should be playing somewhere between the ECHL and the AHL.

The difference is that Spacek's contract is ending, and Kaberle's contract will make it a pain in the ass for many more years.

[Orr4]

His first few games with Boston were good. He makes great passes across the blue line on power plays. Then... he was kind of lost, luckily Seidenberg stepped up and played like a horse.

[Mr. America]

Originally Posted by fcm

Oh, you'll see, Spacek is a crappy player also. IMO, he should be playing somewhere between the ECHL and the AHL.

The difference is that Spacek's contract is ending, and Kaberle's contract will make it a pain in the ass for many more years.

I couldn't care less what kind of player Spacek is. It's not like I've never seen him play either

I am super glad that JR managed to get rid of that clusterfuk contract he signed TK too!

[MattBurger]

Congrats to the Canadiens for acquiring a new traffic cone.

[I_am_Belak_2]

Originally Posted by nilan30

Getting Kaberle for Spacek doesn't make them any less tough.

Spacek will fight once in a blue moon if he's suckered into it. Kaberle, never.