Koivu Unsure of Future with Montreal
April 23, 2009 by Jeanne Dupuis
Filed under Montreal Canadiens, NHL, Players, Rumors, Signings and Contracts
I never thought I would type those words but Montreal Canadiens captain, Saku Koivu, doesn’t know if he will be returning to the team. This comes after 14 seasons with the Habs.
Koivu will become an unrestricted free agency (along with nine of his teammates) on 
July 1, 2009 but contract negotiations have not been initiated. "If I’m not signed by July 1, I don’t think I’ll be back in Montreal," Koivu said. "Finishing your career with one team would be awesome in a way, but it’s too early to say because I don’t know what the team’s plan is. We lost yesterday, so I need time to sit down with my family and figure out what’s best for us."
"There’s a lot of question marks right now, so I have to get away from the game for a while before making a decision," said Koivu. "It would probably be a pretty interesting and exciting morning to wake up on July 1 and see what the offers are and which teams would be there."
I guess that means Koivu is also considering leaving the team. I don’t blame him after that embarrassing playoff loss and the uncertainty of the team’s future.
Depending on what happens, the roster could look very different at the start of next season. With the team possibly up for sale and a new coach on the horizon, the Habs could reinvent themselves but I’m hoping it won’t go the same way as the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Here’s a list of the players who will become free agents:
- Alex Kovalev
- Alex Tanguay
- Robert Lang
- Tom Kostopoulos
- Mike Komisarek
- Mathieu Schneider
- Francis Bouillon
- Patrice Brisebois
- Mathieu Dandenault
There are some big names on this list so I hope the Habs don’t wait too long to make a decision. Lang, Tanguay and Schneider have all expressed a desire to return to Montreal and I think these players, along with Koivu, are completely worth signing.
image: TSN
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