Unwanted in Montreal, Scott Gomez Signs with San Jose

The pride of Anchorage, Alaska has landed on his skates again. Centre Scott Gomez — labelled a bust with the Montreal Canadiens, who have bought him out of his ludicrously large contract — has been picked up by the San Jose Sharks. Terms of the one-year agreement were not disclosed publicly by the club, but reports indicate it’s a pro-rated deal for approximately $700,000.

It took a reported $10 million ($5.5 million this year and $4.5 million next year) for the Habs to move Gomez off their roster permanently via the “compliance buyout” and clear space in their salary cap. Originally they sent him home to AnchorTown and would have bought him out in the summer, but the buyout window was moved after talks between the NHL and the players’ union. Not only is he now reunited with assistant coach Larry Robinson, for whom he played in New Jersey, but Gomez must feel like he’s just been released from jail.

A crush of expectations accompanied Gomez’s arrival in La Belle Province two years ago after coming over from the New York Rangers, where he averaged 16 goals and 48 assists in a two-year stint. Before that he spent seven seasons with the New Jersey Devils, and had a career year in 2005-06 when he established personal bests of 33 goals and 84 points. He hasn’t had more than 70 points since then, yet some remained convinced that he could be a top-six player for a team.

Certainly the Rangers and Canadiens convinced themselves that he could be a second- or even a top-line centreman, and they paid him like one. In 2007 he signed a seven-year, $51-million deal with New York; they then traded him to Montreal in 2009 along with Tom Pyatt and Michael Busto for Chris Higgins, Ryan McDonagh, Doug Janik and Pavel Valentenko. The hope was that Gomez and newly-signed Brian Gionta would recreate the Cup-winning chemistry in Montreal that they had in New Jersey.

It didn’t work out that way. Gomez reached rock bottom last season, when he tallied just two goals and nine assists in 38 games. The calls for Montreal to get rid of him grew louder, and now they’ve done so. Sometimes a mutual parting is best for both sides. Now, according to San Jose head coach Todd McLellan, Gomez appears to be “a very hungry player, a guy that would love to prove himself right before he proves everybody else wrong.”

It’s not clear at this point whether the 12-year veteran, two-time All-Star and Stanley Cup champion (1999-2000, 2002-03) will make his Sharks debut at home against the Phoenix Coyotes Thursday night. During the lockout, Gomez played 11 games for the Alaska Aces of the East Coast Hockey League, recording six goals and seven assists. So at least he’s kept on playing somewhere, and could be called upon to stabilize San Jose’s third line right away or at some point very soon, and see ice time on the power play. He’s sure to appreciate this shot at redemption.