Horcoff For the Kostitsyns?

RUMOUR			2009/2010 NHL Statistics			2010 Cap Hit
To Montreal	Position	Age	GP	Goals	Points	Years	Per Year
Shawn Horcoff	Forward	31	19	5	10	6	$5.5 million
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To Edmonton	Position	Age	GP	Goals	Points	Years	Per Year
Andrei Kostitsyn	Forward	24	23	2	9	2	$3.25 million
Sergei Kostitsyn	Forward	22	0	0	0	1	$817,000

I saw this rumour in a tweet on Monday and thought I would have a look at it. Just to see how it might work out.

Well, on the surface of this deal, you can acknowledge the fact that we are dealing with three underachieving players, especially for the money that is getting doled out between Horcoff and the older Kostitsyn.

Horcoff is a medium-to-small type of centre that can move the puck pretty well and skate with quick wingers, which is exactly the kind of team that the Canadiens are. Horcoff would sit as a number two centre behind Scott Gomez and there could be a little bit of balance given to the top two lines, putting Mike Cammalleri on one line and Brian Gionta to the other. There is a certain ring to it that seems rather appealing here.

The Kostitsyn brothers are very much offense first kind of players, that skate well and have a little bit of dangle to their game. Edmonton is filled with smallish forwards and two more just couldn't hurt the team more, right? Both brothers would be able to try out a number of centres that the team has to try and find some chemistry, plus they shouldn't be able to get into too much trouble in Edmonton.

I don't think that this is a terrible deal either way. Cap-wise, it will be pretty tight on both ends of the deal, but it does show some bits of relevance, enough so that it can't necessarily be shot down right away citing anything in particular.

The Habs should be looking to take on more salary in this cap era for moving these two players, that would be the easiest thing to do to facilitate a deal for kicking the Kostitsyns out of town. Maybe a low round pick would go with Horcoff, just to seal the deal, but that's just my own speculation.

I'd give this potential deal some legs... see what happens.