For most of this decade Montreal Canadiens fans have believed the salvation of their faded franchise rested upon rebuilding with the young players drafted and developed by the team. 

Habs fans for the past several years have trotted out the high rankings their organization received from websites and publications tracking prospect development for the club's supposed depth in promising talent. 

A quick look however at the fate of most of the players considered top prospects within the Canadiens system from 2000 to 2007 suggests those rankings may have been inflated. 

2000: The top three picks were Ron Hainsey, Marcel Hossa and Jozef Balej. Of the three only Hainsey is still playing in the NHL but in Atlanta, not Montreal, where he faces being relegated to second line defense

With a blueline corp ravaged by injury the Montreal Canadiens bolstered their depth today, plucking defenseman Jay Leach off re-entry waivers from the New Jersey Devils. 

The Devils placed Leach, 30, on recall waivers hoping to shore up their own defense corps, which has lost regulars Paul Martin (broken arm) and Johnny Oduya (lower body injury). They'll likely have to call up someone else with Leach now gone. 

Leach played 24 games with the Devils last season, notching one assist and 21 PIMs. At 6-4 and 220 lbs he'll provided some valuable size to a Canadiens blueline which has lost Andrei Markov, Hal Gill and Ryan O'Byrne to injury in recent weeks and has another regular in Jaroslav Spacek hobbled by an undisclosed injury.

As he was claimed off re-entry waivers his NHL salary

The Boston Bruins locked up one of their rising young forwards to a new contract extension but it could also put them in a tight squeeze for next season's payroll. 

Rugged power forward Milan Lucic, who was eligible for restricted free agency next summer, re-signed a three-year, $12.25 million contract extension with the Bruins, which counts as $4.083 million per season against their cap starting in 2010-11. 

It's a worthwhile signing by the Bruins as the 21-year-old Lucic is a growing force as a power forward and could become one of the best in the league over the next three-five seasons, and it was best for management to get him under contract now rather than risk a potential contract hassle similar to that they had with winger Phil Kessel, whom they wound up shipping to the

The Montreal Canadiens added depth to the goaltending today signing former Vancouver Canuck Curtis Sanford to a one-year, two-way contract. Financial terms weren't disclosed.

What makes this signing significant is it's being seen by some folks as a potential precursor to a much larger deal by the Canadiens whereby they shop Jaroslav Halak in a possible package deal for a big first or second line center. 

Perhaps, but the reality is more likely Sanford is merely a replacement for veteran Marc Denis, whom the Habs parted ways with at season's end.

GM Bob Gainey wanted a netminder with NHL experience who could be a tutor to the young goalies on the farm and at the same time be capable of call-up duty should injuries arise to the tandem of Halak and starter Carey Price. 

Reality's

Montreal Canadiens general manager Bob Gainey was busy today, for only hours after announcing the signing of defenseman Paul Mara the club announced the signing of former Anaheim Duck and San Jose Shark Travis Moen to a three-year contract. Financial terms weren't disclosed.  ESPN reports it's for $4.5 million, or $1.5 million per season.

The knock on the Canadiens were the lack of size on their forward lines so the addition of Moen is a good one. Last season he had 16 points in 82 games split between the Ducks and Sharks. 

He's a sound, hard-working defensive forward, especially on the penalty kill, and doesn't shy away from physical play. Moen also was part of the Anaheim Ducks team which won the Stanley Cup in 2007 so he'll bring valuable post-season experience to the Canadiens. 

The Montreal Canadiens further bolstered their defense corps today, signing veteran blueliner Paul Mara to a one-year contract. Financial terms weren't disclosed but it's likely less than the $1.95 million he earned with the Rangers last season 

Mara spent the past 2 1/2 seasons with the Rangers. The Canadiens will become his fifth team in his NHL career. 

At 6'4 and 212 lbs Mara will bring additional size and experience to the Habs defense corps. He has good two-way skills and will likely be on their second defense pairing next season. 

He's netted 20 or more points seven times in his 10 NHL seasons, including two 40-plus performances with the Phoenix Coyotes in 2003-04 and 2005-06. 

The Canadiens may be lacking size up front but they're in pretty good shape on

Having acquired Scott Gomez the day before the opening of the NHL free agent market on July 1^st the Montreal Canadiens have reunited him with a former linemate whom he’d had his best seasons with by signing former New Jersey Devils winger Brian Gionta to a five-year, $25 million contract worth $5 million per season against the cap.

Gionta and Gomez were linemates with the Devils, forming with Patrik Elias the “EGG line” powered the Devils offense from 2005 to 2007. Their best seasons were in 2005-06 when Gomez had 84 points and Gionta 89.

Once Gomez left the Devils for free agency in 2007 Gionta’s production declined although he still posted solid numbers over the past two seasons (53 points in 2007-08, 60 in 2008-09).

Canadiens GM Bob Gainey is obviously hoping

When the Montreal Canadiens acquired playmaking center Scott Gomez from the New York Rangers the day before the start of this summer’s UFA market it was widely believed they would try to land a first line scoring winger for the Gomez line.

Only hours into the first day of the UFA market Canadiens GM Bob Gainey acted quickly, bypassing talented but oft-injured stars Marian Gaborik and Martin Havlat in favor of a more durable scorer in Mike Cammalleri.

The price tag wasn’t cheap: five years, $30 million, which will count as $6 million per season against the Habs cap and taking another huge bite out of their cap space.  Combined with the acquisition of Gomez ($7.357 million), and the signings of Hal Gill ($2.25 million) and Jaroslav Spacek ($3.83 million) Cammalleri’s

The Montreal Canadiens continue to sign unrestricted free agent defensemen in the opening hours of the NHL UFA market.

After signing former Buffalo Sabres blueliner Jaroslav Spacek earlier today to a multiyear contract Canadiens GM Bob Gainey signed former Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Hal Gill to a two-year, $4.5 million contract, worth $2.25 million per season against the Habs cap.

Gill, 34, was a key player on the Penguins during the past two seasons, as his shutdown defensive style helped that club to back-to-back Stanley Cup final appearances, including the Penguins championship last month.

He’s a huge defenseman (6-7. 250) who uses his size and reach well, particularly on the penalty kill, but he’s also not a swift skater and at times can get caught out of position.