Music: {allcanada} ELLIS HOPEFUL A DEAL CAN BE WORKED OUT WITH CANADIENS

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

{allcanada} ELLIS HOPEFUL A DEAL CAN BE WORKED OUT WITH CANADIENS

Dan Ellis is excited to be a member of the Montreal Canadiens, even if it's for a very small window of time.

The soon-to-be free agent goaltender, who was acquired by the Canadiens on Tuesday with forward Dustin Boyd for winger Sergei Kostitsyn, told NHL Network that the Canadiens were already a definite candidate for his services.

"Montreal is a team that we (Ellis and agent Mike Liut) were looking at," he said Wednesday. "But you don't know what you'll get from other teams."

And the Canadiens wasted no time contacting to their newest acquisition in an effort to beat the countdown to Noon et on July 1.

"I talked to (general manager) Pierre Gauthier and (head coach) Jacques Martin yesterday and got their ideas from a hockey standpoint," said Ellie. "And hopefully things can work out."

Until recently Montreal has long been considered a tough sell for free agents because of taxes and a bit of a culture change. But that doesn't seem to be a hinderance for Ellis to get a possible deal done.

"Obviously in Montreal with the culture and the language there's a lot to think about - I haven't taken French lessons since Grade 9," said Ellis with a chuckle. "But my wife and family are excited about the possiblilty of playing there and I've had lots of friends and relatives call to say how exciting that can be. Right now, Montreal is the present situation and hopefully something can be worked out."

Ellis added that he had no issues potentially sharing the net with 22-year-old Carey Price, amid speculation that he wants to go to a team where he can be the No. 1 goaltender.

"My biggest thing is playing on a team that wins," he said. "You don't always have to be the guy with that title and it's nice to play a lot of games, but you want to put yourself in a place to win a Stanley Cup."