Habs – Lightning Swap Goalies.

What is that beeping noise coming from your radio right before the evening news?

It’s the sound of The Tampa Bay Lightning continuing it’s evil crusade to rid The Montreal Canadiens of their  young talent.

The latest ploy from Dr.Evil…aka Steve Yzerman – is to remove Hamilton Bulldog goaltender Cedric Desjardins from his crease and implant him to the unfrozen waters in Tampa. The Lightning’s farm team – The Montreal Canadiens, recieved goaltender Karri Ramo in exchange.

Desjardins , 25,  joins ex – Hamilton coaches  Guy Boucher, Martin Raymond and Dan Lacroix  along with ex-Habs, Dominic Moore and Brett Clark. The Bulldogs along with Desjardins in goals led the American Hockey League in goals against last season with Cedric boasting the league’s best G.A.A – 2.00.

Ramo, 24, toiled  last season in Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League. He posted a 2.11 G.A.A with a record of 21 – 17 – 4. in 44 starts for Avangard Omsk. Karri also has something that Desjardins does not, NHL experience. In 48 games, Rammo holds a record of 11 – 21 – 10 with a G.A.A record of 3.35 and a save percentage of .895

Given the relative uncertainty in Montreal – not knowing how Carey Price will respond to pressure and Alex Auld ‘s seemingly recent status of  journeyman , the move is baffling. Desjardins was one of the best young goaltenders in the AHL while Rammo on the other hand, has not shown an ability to pay with the big boys although he did play his handful of games on a defensively challenged Lighning squad.

Les Habitants scouting staff have seen something in Rammo and they probably believe that with a superior defence in front of him – Karri ‘s stats will improve if and when he is called up to the big club. In Rammo the Habs know what they are getting while Tampa receives a top prospect with no idea how the youngster will perform against the likes of Ovechkin,Crosby et al.

Desjardins was a victim of numbers in Montreal, with Price and Halak before him, there was no chance of him gaining an opportunity to strut his stuff. The question now becomes – have the Habs now traded away two goaltenders that will come back to the Bell Center and haunt them.

French Version Next Page