The Hab that might have been

Various reports have surfaced that the Canadiens were actively pursuing Canucks forward Todd Bertuzzi, but the deal with Vancouver didn't go through because the Canucks were asking for a high-quality forward prospect in return. Apparently, the Canadiens were offering up Richard Zednik and a defenseman. As well, The Fourth Period reports that a Canucks-Habs deal was in fact in the works for quite some time, and would have involved Zednik, José Theodore, Dan Cloutier, and Bertuzzi, but talks fell through when Cloutier got injured. I'd say the Habs are lucky that deal didn't go through, because they would have been trading one distraction (Theodore) for another (Bertuzzi), and would have gotten a pretty bad goaltender in return in Cloutier.

The Canadiens are much better off with the more talented David Aebischer, and without the presence of Bertuzzi. That doesn't mean that Montreal doesn't need a power forward, and Bob Gainey will hopefully use the cash he saved in the Theodore deal to acquire one.