Habster:

Here’s a surprisingly candid quote from Bob Gainey who told many cold reporters that there is no free pass or guaranteed contract for any Habs player including the team captain or any of the UFAs.

I certainly hope Mr. Gainey makes an exception with Mike Komisarek and starts negotiations with his agent before or during the season as it is essential to get his name on a contract before he has another monster season. This archaic, out dated notion Gainey has about not negotiating contracts during the season is ridiculous. He puts himself at a disadvantage with most of the other NHL general managers who happily agree to contracts during the season.

Gainey has a limited window of opportunity and with no less than 8 UFAs on the Canadiens roster, Gainey needs to alter his system and adapt……at least for this upcoming season.

Then he dropped this cute little Carbo bomb in French with no elaboration at all. He would be equally verbose in English.

There was more. On his captain, Saku Koivu, an impending unrestricted free agent: “(The Canadiens) are ready to add an element (of consideration) with players who have done well and spent much time with our club. But finally, they are in competition with the others. We cannot direct the competition. I believe that a player like Saku or the others are ready to live with their performance on the ice.”

There will be no free pass in Koivu’s case. Or any case.

“I cannot. I cannot,” Gainey said. “Not for me, or the others.”