Breaking News: Canadiens trade Halak to the Blues

[DontToewsMeBro]

The Montreal Canadiens have traded the 2010 NHL Playoff Stud Goalie Jaroslav Halak to the St. Louis Blues for Lars Eller and winger Ian Schultz. This is the first blockbuster trade of the NHL's 2010 Offseason.

Montreal Canadiens trade goalie Jaroslav Halak to St. Louis Blues - ESPN

[DontToewsMeBro]

The Blues shall be a tough team to beat in 2011 and will give the Blackhawks that much more of a fight throughout the regular season and maybe even in the playoffs if they make it.. Should be very interesting next year.

[ChicagoBreakingSports]

Tribune News Services

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Blues have acquired goaltender Jaroslav Halak, whose stellar play helped the Montreal Canadiens reach the Eastern Conference finals, for former first-round pick Lars Eller and another prospect.

The 25-year-old Halak won a pair of Game 7s and helped Montreal bounce heavily favored Washington and Pittsburgh out of the playoffs. He won three straight games and eliminated the Capitals by stopping 131 of 134 shots.

Both Canadiens goalies, Halak and Carey Price, are due to become restricted free agents on July 1. Chris Mason, the Blues' starting goalie the last two seasons, is due for unrestricted free agency.

The 21-year-old Eller, a center, was among of the Blues' top prospects. St. Louis also sent forward Ian Schultz, who was a third-round pick in 2008, to Montreal on Thursday.

"Jaroslav's play in this year's regular season and Stanley Cup Playoffs was remarkable," Blues president John Davidson said. "He has had very impressive numbers in the NHL and we are thrilled that he will be wearing the Bluenote for us."

Halak, a Slovakian, was originally picked by Montreal in the ninth round (271st overall) of the 2003 entry draft. He was 26-13-5 last season and ranked fourth in the NHL in save percentage (.940), ninth in goals against average (2.40) and was tied for fifth with five shutouts.

St. Louis missed the playoffs last season and was just 18-18-5 at home, among the worst marks in the NHL. Mason got most of the starts in goal for the Blues, sharing time with Ty Conklin.

Canadiens general manager Pierre Gauthier will get two players who toiled mostly in the minors last season.

Eller played in seven games with the Blues in 2009-10, scoring twice. He spent most of time with the Blues' AHL affiliate in Peoria, Ill.

The 20-year-old Schultz played for the WHL's Calgary Hitmen last season. His older brother, Jeff, plays for the Capitals.



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[Diehardfan]

This is surprising. Im not sure what the cap situation is with Montreal but Halak was as impressive...almost as much as Cary Price was unimpressive. The Blue's Mason played well vs the Hawks last year but Im betting he'll be gone in the near future. I guess most people would be back slapping Blues management on this one....but I think I'll wait to see how it plays out for them. As for the Habs, they need scoring and now, IMOP...they need goaltending. Maybe the two kids well help offensively but Cary Price has not shown much of anything so far. So for Montreal, I have to say this trade was................

[HighJump31]

YES! go blues!

[Captain Iago]

Tough division with some good young tenders.

[DMelt36]

I certainly don't enjoy the fact that the Blues just acquired a guy like Halak ..

But I'd love to see what the Hawks offense could do against him. A great strength vs. strength battle.

[DewsSox79]

halak is not a lock to stay with the blues. he is an rfa july 1 and i see a sign and trade

[Captain Iago]

Restricted means that IF, and that's a big IF, Halak wants to try the market, the Blues can match or let him go for draft picks depending on the amount of dough. I believe they've already begun talking.

You're being silly. They let go their #2 prospect. He will be a Blue in the coming season.

[DMelt36]

I'm a little bit surprised Montreal let Halak walk. They've given Price a few opportunities to lock down the #1 position in Montreal, and he never seems to do it.