Amidst all the hoopla surrounding the Laraque fiasco, a minor deal went down involving a player that many expected to be the “The Next French Hope” of the Habs; one that this writer didn’t expect to see.

Guillaume Latendresse, who has been known as everything from an overrated 4th liner to a province’s prodigal son, is off for relative obscurity (or at least, compared to what he had in Montreal) in the Twin Cities. In return, the Habs get what could be considered a horse with a different name in the form of Benoît Pouliot. For a trade that for most would be just a swap of no-name players, the similarities between the two players go further then just the French sounding last names. Both players were selected in the same draft (Pouliot 4th, Latendresse 45th), their birthdays only nine months apart, their towns of origin only ninety minutes to go. Pouliot even had his first goal against his now current employers. An odd sort of linking between two players that in most papers would be a one line blurb in the transaction column.

So why would the Habs want to move a player that just a few years ago was being heralded by more “enthusiastic” fans as the next Guy Lafleur?  Well it seems that Gainey thinks the Habs are up for competing now. As posted on TSN:

“We’ve shifted out of a plan where we showed patience and waited for a group of young players that had been drafted,” said Gainey. “We’ve moved into a time where we need production from what could be considered mature players.”

So why the change? Well with a fanbase that demands a Stanley Cup every year (and demands a sacrifice when it doesn’t happens), I’m sure that Gainey would like to stay employed just a little bit longer. And as the usual scapegoat card of firing the head coach has already been played, sending a message is probably enough to buy a bit of time. However, I think it’s more then just that (although it sure doesn’t hurt.). Latendresse has never lived up to expectations since arriving in Montreal, although he’d have to channel Maurice Richard to meet some of them, but there was more to it then that. Many folks were wondering why he was called up when he was, with casual fans and former Hab legends disagreeing with his promotion. As found on wikipedia:

Roy had said he thinks the only reason 19-year-old rookie Latendresse remains with the Canadiens is because he’s a francophone, suggesting if he was named Smith or Brown he’d be back in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Guillaume talked briefly about it. ‘”It’s me who’s supposed to be 19, not him,” said Latendresse. “I will act like a man. I’ll leave it to him to act like a child. I don’t know why he’s acting like that. I’ve never spoken to him. He should be delighted by the success of young Québecers in the NHL instead of making stupid comments.”

A few years later, those “stupid” comments have born fruit. Although he’s proven to be more adept at scoring then the man he was traded for (82 vs 56 goals for Latendresse), he also has earned a reputation for not trying to elevate his game. Dubious work ethic, a lack of intensity in his play and skating abilities that one writer aptly described as having “regressed to Laraque-ian levels.” has helped to fuel that reputation, even for those outside Montreal. And with Martin behind the bench, who has seen his fair share of slackers (his term with the Ottawa Senators alone would cover it.), his stock dropped even further.

Now Montreal isn’t getting an amazing deal with Pouliot. Outside of a few posters on various hockey sites out on the internet comparing him to a young Mike Modano, Montreal’s newest arrival shares the same reputation as the former, only with a bit more weight behind the disappointment due to his draft position. So in the end, is this on par with shuffling chairs on the Titanic, only with better news coverage? Pretty much. While I dont’ agree with the trade (IMO Latendresse  has had a better track record statswise), its’ probably for the best. Sometimes players just need a new change of scenery, and for both players its probably needed. No-one is going to say that Gui never got a fair break; his three seasons in the NHL in his hometown team is a lot more than what the majority of players would have received in his position (I guess I’m part of stupid comments group as well). In the end, both players will need to grab the bull by the horns, or be looking for a job in Kazan.

And it would be nice to have the press to learn how to evaluate a player by more then the name and location on his birth certificate.