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Top 15 Habs prospects: positions 9 to 7 | Who would I choose instead of Zharovsky?

Slowly but surely, we’ve already reached the halfway point of our annual countdown. As you know, the peculiarity of this ranking is largely based on the scarcity and anticipated use value of the Habs’ various prospects, as well as on ensuring that they can reach their full potential.

A young player will always need a high enough level of potential to make it to the NHL, but he still needs to develop and, when the time comes, land an enviable role in order to be considered “important” and, at the same time, improve the team. So, the three players we’re presenting today in positions 9 to 7 all possess a fair amount of hockey talent. But will they be able to make an impact in the NHL? Will they be able to find THE chair they were “destined” for when they were drafted?

9. L.J. Mooney | AD | 18 years old |113rd, 2025

Potential: 34.5/40Insurance: 14.5/20 Usefulness/rarity/use value: 22/30 Trade value: 5.5/10 Total 76.5/100

I have to admit, I had a little less time than expected this year to evaluate prospects for the latest draft.

So, after catching a quick glimpse of Mooney at the Prospect Challenge in November – he was just coming back from a knee injury – he no longer appeared on my radar screen of the 40-45 or so players I dissected in greater detail.

Among other things, I should have looked more closely at the Under-18 championship, where he was certainly one of the USA’s good players, finishing tied for first among American scorers with 11 points in 7 games.

[content-ads]In retrospect, if I had been more alert in his case instead of focusing too much on his teammate Jack Murtagh, Mooney would probably have deserved a place in the honorable mentions of my top-20.

Having watched him more closely since his draft, he is to my mind very close to Cameron Schmidt, whom I liked a lot and whom I ranked 19th….

In short, as many think, just by watching him play, you can see right away that Mooney does indeed have first-round talent.

So, again and again, it’s size, size and size that discredits players like him and Schmidt, because, yes, let’s remember that the latter – for all his dynamism, his fiery shot and the fact that he was tipped as a late first-round pick by many analysts – ultimately went out at… 94th!

Call it the “Florida Panthers effect”.

[content-ads]Now, speaking of fire, Mooney seems to be playing with that holy fire. He’s quite a competitor. And that’s clearly what we saw at the development camp. There’s also a subtle, joyful ember in his eyes in interviews, especially when we talk about his size.

Mooney may be small, but he’s big enough, solid on skates and not afraid of contact.

Quick as that, we won’t go away in fear, but he reminds us a little of Martin St-Louis, Brad Marchand… and Lane Hutson.

Not convinced? Take a look.

[content-ads]It’s simple, Mooney is already one of the best skaters and puck-handlers in the organization. Add to that his vision of the game, and you’ve got one of the most dynamic prospects of the last draft

So you can put me on the believers’ side in his case, and I won’t have a problem with it.

If we then want to discuss his assurance of reaching his full potential and, by the same token, the NHL, the keenest observers will have noticed that, unlike in basketball, the object that has to be put in the net in hockey rests – like the net itself – more often than not on the ice!

So if you’re fast, talented and tough enough, being “small” isn’t necessarily a big disadvantage. In fact, the opposite is often true. Among other things, you can accelerate faster and take advantage of that famous lower center of gravity, as Radio-Canada’s excellent analyst Gilles Tremblay frequently reminded us back in the days of Mats Naslund and 8 p.m. Saturday night games!

For what it’s worth, at 6’4, Vincent Lecavalier has always found it harder to contain 5’7 guys than taller opponents.

[content-ads]That said, the road to the NHL probably won’t be a smooth one for Mooney.

He’ll have to avoid the kind of injury he suffered last season by not getting hit hard as often.

He’ll then have to dominate fairly quickly in the NCAA, where he’s expected to play a minimum of two years.

After that, he’ll have to force the organization’s hand, either by breaking the bank in Laval and/or proving himself superior to the competition in Montreal at a practice camp, sometime in 27-28 or 28-29..

In terms of use value, currently much better than his trade value (113th pick…), if Mooney successfully completes all his steps, albeit in a completely different style, I could very well see him eventually replacing a guy like Brendan Gallagher in the Habs lineup on the3rd line and on a second powerplay unit of a powerful team.

But Mooney also has the talent to play on a 2nd line if need be… or on merit.

A kind of spark plug that increases the tempo of the players around him.

[content-ads]8. Alexander Zharovsky | AD | 18 years old | 34th, 2025

Potential: 34.5/40 Insurance: 14/20 Use value, utility, rarity: 22.5/30 Trade value: 6.5/10 Total: 77.5/100

Here’s a ranking that seems appropriate in this countdown for the “jewel”, the ” Demidov light “, the ” Zhar ” of Lapointe and Bobrov’s last draft.

The latter were quick to point out that Zharovsky would have been selected 16th or 17th if the Habs had kept at least one of these two picks in the last draft.

That’s a very bold statement, and we’d certainly like to have a Dolorean trafficked into the future to see if Zharovsky will live up to their expectations, if he will indeed become, let’s say, one of the top 20 players of 2025.

There’s no doubt that the young Russian, a good competitor, has a sense of the game and hands worthy of the very good players in the last auction.

[content-ads]But he’s also one of the least explosive skaters selected in the first two rounds.

Acceleration and raw speed on skates can be corrected, and there are worse shortcomings, but in our viewings we found him downright slow in a straight line, and it will be very surprising if the Barbara Underhills of this world turn him into a rocket.

If Zharovsky can become a Kia Niro, that’s something. Surprising acceleration!

You’ll have gathered that, while I don’t dislike his selection, I do have certain reservations about Zharovsky, and so the time has come for me to reveal who would have been my choice if I’d had to make up my mind at number 34.

I would have chosen Jack Murtagh, the dynamic winger and very good scorer from the USNTDP.

This isn’t second-guessing at all, as I had ranked Murtagh 17th in my final top 20 a few weeks before the draft. I had also identified him as one of my three realistic targets a few days before the auction.

Murtagh is a powerful skater with good size, an excellent shot and an adequate sense of play that fits more with a north-south style.

I still don’t understand why he was selected as late as 40th by the Flyers (who had already been able to select Martone and Nesbitt!).

Based solely on his play on the ice, I find it hard to see what NHL scouts were missing.

Perhaps his personality and character didn’t appeal to everyone?

Who knows?

[content-ads]Anyway, this time I hope I’m wrong and that the Habs didn’t pick Zharovsky just to please their friend Ivan Demidov, as they did with Filip Mesar in 2022 to make Slafkovsky’s night even more magical..

Since then, we’ve seen that Jiri Kulich(my choice in place of Mesar) has risen rapidly in the Buffalo forward hierarchy..

One of the rare missteps of the Gorton-Hughes duo, Mesar..

Now, if we return to Lapointe and Bobrov’s perspective on Zharovsky, they anticipate a future top-6 forward, perhaps one who will complete that famous and dangerous core that all champion clubs possess..

With that in mind, we’d much prefer his chances of getting there to those given to Mesar in 2022… but in this case, the bar really isn’t very high!

First of all, Zharovsky will have to assert himself in the KHL next season and find a way to get appreciable ice time in this league, which is often one of the strangest with the youngsters destined to leave it quickly..

[content-ads]Secondly, it would be a good idea for the Habs to buy out Zharovsky’s contract and bring him to America quickly, probably to Laval, so that he can acclimatize to hockey here; a more “direct” style, a faster, more sustained pace than the KHL.

That’s when we’ll have a better idea of whether we’ll see the young Russian reach his full potential in the best league in the world. Until then, I’ll remain cautious.

That said, Zharovsky certainly already has some value around the NHL, since we’ve learned that one team (Nashville?) was preparing to draft him 35th, hence the trade the Habs had to make with the Hurricanes to secure his services.

In short, we have a talented player and an interesting project; exciting for some, somewhat intriguing for others.

[content-ads]7. Jacob Fowler | G | 20 years old | 69th, 2023 | Last ranking : 5th

Potential: 35/40 Insurance: 15/20 Use value, utility, rarity: 22.5/30 Trade value: 7/10 Total: 79.5/100

After another absolutely brilliant season in the NCAA for elite Boston College, Fowler was enthusiastically welcomed to Laval last spring.

[content-ads]Fowler didn’t miss a beat in the post-season and the playoffs, where he won in the first round without having to steal any games; the opposition from the Cleveland Monsters really wasn’t that strong..

It was much harder for him in the second round, when Cayden Primeau had to come in and win the three games needed to eliminate the Rochester Americans.

Then, in the third round, both goalies collapsed against the Charlotte Checkers, a club that seemed clearly superior to the Rocket in the playoffs.

As a result, Fowler didn’t repeat Carey Price’s great feats of 2007 with the Hamilton Bulldogs.

That doesn’t stop us from thinking that he could one day become a good number one in the NHL, but it does invite us to put a few things into perspective.

Drafted5th overall in 2005, Price was nothing less than a generational goalie, the archetypal modern goalie

The Habs and, in particular, their scout Billy Ryan, may have loved him and considered him the “best goalie” available in 2023, but Fowler remains a “project” drafted in the third round (69th), the sixth goalie selected that year.

As with just about every goalie not named Price or Vasilevskiy, who knows what Fowler’s career will look like in 5 years’ time?

[content-ads]If we’re still prepared to give him a better chance of success than other goaltenders in the organization on the basis of his draft rank and his convincing performances since the draft, we have to do so with a certain amount of caution.

Firstly, in general, it is now very rare for goaltenders to establish themselves in the NHL before the age of 24. A lot can happen during his 5-6 years of development after the draft..

Secondly, many of the best goaltenders now come from Russia and the surrounding area. In Volokhin and Radkov (Belarus), the Canadiens have recently invested in two slender, athletic guys from this part of the world.

Both are slightly taller than Fowler, and their skating skills are quite impressive.

Who’s to say these two won’t be better than Fowler by 23-24?

Sorokin and Shesterkin, to name but two, were picked 78th and 118th respectively in 2014…

It seems that there are quite a few diamonds in the rough hidden in “Uncle Vladimir’s” lands, and that the more “holistic” way of developing them into excellent athletes first often yields good results.

In this respect, it will be interesting to visit Blainville next year to follow the progress of Radkov, who has decided to continue his development in the QMJHL.

[content-ads]That said, the United States is no slouch when it comes to goalkeepers (Helleybuck, Swayman, Ottinger, among others), and it could well be that Fowler, who has already represented his country with some brio at the 2024 WJC, will follow in the footsteps of his illustrious compatriots and enjoy a very successful career.

Finally, if we are to say a few words about his trade value, Fowler undoubtedly has the most of any goalkeeper in the team’s bank of prospects at the time of writing.

But, all it would take is for the American to stumble a bit in Laval, for Dobes to warm Montembault’s ass in Montreal, for Radkov to burn up the QMJHL or for Volokhin to land a #1 spot and dominate in the KHL for all this to be quickly called into question..

Such is life in the world of goaltending..

Of the lot, there’s sure to be at least one who’ll find a place in the sun.

That’s clearly the Habs’ strategy in front of the net

[content-ads]Conclusion

With Mooney, Zharovsky and Fowler scoring between 34 and 35 out of 40 in terms of potential, in the best-case scenario we’re anticipating future impact players, perhaps even a “star” goalie in Fowler’s case.

But, in all three cases, it’s the assurance of reaching this famous potential and occupying these preponderant roles that was a bit tricky and that we preferred to remain conservative. None did better than 15 out of 20 in this category. As for the players themselves, I’m really not so sure that Zharovsky will become a better player than Mooney. But given his draft rank and the fact that he seemed to be coveted by other teams early in the second round of the last draft, he can certainly be considered more important to the Habs. He’s simply more valuable to the team… right now. But, who knows, by going for the long ball in rounds 2 and 4, perhaps the Canadiens have simply drafted the best Russian and American forwards of the 2025 auction? He who lives will see… [content-ads]Fowler, for his part, has dropped two spots from last year. The competition has perhaps never been so intense among the organization’s many young goaltenders, and that has no choice but to affect his value in use, his scarcity. And it’s not his fault that Kent Hughes pulled off another masterstroke and found himself a place in our top 6…So here we go again next week with positions 6 to 4!Departures, Graduations and Honorable Mentions Positions 15 to 13Positions 12 to 10

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Chances of induction among active players: No Habs player, according to The Athletic

The next Canadiens player to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame is sure to be Carey Price. He hasn’t been inducted in his first year of eligibility, but it’s only a matter of time. But what about the Canadiens’ active players? could any of them be considered for the Hall of Fame? Could any of these players be considered for the Hall of Fame? According to Peter Baugh of The Athletic, no.

Players are classified into tiers. The first tier includes players who could be inducted even if they retire today. In this list of 16 players, we obviously find Sidney Corsby, Alex Ovechkin, Patrick Kane and company, but there’s also Connor McDavid, who is the youngest player in this tier at 28. The list of tiers is long, but there are no Canadiens players. In fact, that makes sense, because most of the big names in Montreal are 25 or younger. You have to have been extremely exceptional to be considered for the Hall of Fame at 25. Nick Suzuki would probably be the candidate with the best chance of entering the Hall right now. Brendan Gallagher could also make an interesting case, but, in terms of talent, he’s a long way from the names on this list. The tier that could welcome names from the Canadiens in the next few years would be tier five: “Let’s get back to it in a few years”. It’s all very well, but the Canadiens haven’t even finished rebuilding yet. The team’s players can try to make history once the Habs are playing big, important games [content-ads] After Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield comes to mind. Both of these players have had good times in the NHL, but they’re going to have to give a lot more before they earn a place on this list. In the long term , it would be realistic to think that Ivan Demidov or Lane Hutson could earn a place on the list. If he plays the rest of his career as he did during the 2023-24 season, Noah Dobson could clearly hope to see his name on this list one day. Predictions are fine, but let history write itself. In a few years’ time, we’ll be able to ask ourselves again whether a Canadiens player deserves a place in the Hall of Fame. Here’s hoping the answer is “yes”. [spacer title=’Overtime’] – There are a lot of good players in this batch.

Oops.

Wow!

– We’re going to have playoff basketball.

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NHL Network analyst sees the Canadiens in the playoffs this season

The Canadiens qualified for the playoffs on the back foot last season. A return to the playoffs is possible, but nothing is guaranteed. The good news for Montreal is that Kent Hughes went out and got reinforcements during the off-season with the arrival of Noah Dobson and Zachary Bolduc. It seems that this is enough to convince many people that Montreal can return to the playoffs, including NHL Network analyst Stu Grimson. The former NHL player gave his thoughts on the subject on Thursday night on NHL Tonight.Grimson definitely sees the Maple Leafs, Panthers, Lightning and Senators as the top four teams in the Atlantic Division, but believes that if one of these teams has a bad season, Montreal could take advantage of it to take its place. Of these four teams, Grimson identified the Senators as the one that could take a step back this year. The former NHL strongman also believes that a full season from Patrik Laine could greatly help the Canadiens. Again, that would be extremely surprising. Even if he stays away from serious injuries, Laine has been absent on numerous occasions due to “flu-like symptoms”. Grimson has made some good points, but his latest may not be the best. In his opinion, the center line of Nick Suzuki, Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook is a solid one to help the Canadiens.Oops… not sure about that one.Kirby Dach can still surprise, but with his great injury history and roller-coaster performances, he may not be the man for the job at center of the second line. Alex Newhook at center of the third line isn’t a bad idea, though. He’s a good player at times and could improve over the course of the season. Montreal will definitely still be “in the mix” this season, but thanks to last season’s performances, we now know that the playoffs are attainable. [spacer title=’Overtime’] – Kings contract extension.

– It’s the end for Diallo in Toronto.

– Interesting.

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WJSS: Aatos Koivu leads tournament with six goals in four games

All eyes were on Michael Hage’s performance at the World Juniors Summer Showcase, but Aatos Koivu stole the show! Hage has nothing to be ashamed of with three goals and an assist in three games, but Koivu simply exceeds all expectations. On Friday, Finland faced the United States, and Saku’s son had some fun scoring two goals. Here is

What’s most impressive about all this is that the Canadiens’ prospect has six goals in just four games since the start of the tournament. His closest pursuer, Jasper Kuhta, has four goals, but Koivu may need to work on his game-building skills. He’s scored six goals in four games, but hasn’t picked up a single assist. I don’t think the Finns will be complaining, though, after their 6-3 win over the Americans. Koivu had scored three of his first four goals of the tournament on the powerplay. This time, he didn’t need the man advantage for his two goals against the U.S. [content-ads] LJ Mooney, for his part, took advantage of the powerplay to score! The Canadiens’ little prospect was able to break free in the left circle to unleash a powerful, precise shot on the rebound.

A good Patrik Laine goal! Finland will be back in action on Saturday against Sweden. The U.S. will also be in action on Saturday, with a game against Canada. spacer title=’Overtime’] – Hard to say.

– A solid bomb.

– DuPont will be an interesting player to watch.

Cool!

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Olympic orientation camp: only three goalkeepers invited to Team Canada

In the absence of the 4 Nations Confrontation in 2025-26, the Olympic Winter Games will be held in Milan. This is even better than the Confrontation (which was still a great success), since we’ll also be able to see some excellent players from other countries who weren’t part of it. And we know that NHL players love representing their country on the Olympic stage: it’s the biggest international event in the world, and we get to see some very high-caliber play.

Hockey Canada recently released a list of 92 hockey players (men’s, women’s and Paralympic) for the Olympic orientation camp. Of the lot, only three goalies have been invited for the Canadian men’s team, and they’ll be the same three goalies from the 4 Nations Confrontation.

[content-ads]Samuel Montembeault will therefore (once again) have the opportunity to shine on the international stage.Monty has proved that he’s not just an ordinary goalie and that he has what it takes to represent Canada.

It’s encouraging for the Canadiens de Montréal to see that their goaltender (who was claimed in the waivers, remember) will be at the Olympics for Canada, and even more encouraging that two other players from the Montreal organization have also been invited.

With his most recent season, Suzuki seems to have a very good case to infiltrate Canada’s bottom-6 in a “support” role. It’s funny to say that a guy with 89 points will have a support role, but that’s what happens when you’re talking about a team as well-stocked as Canada’s. Robert Thomas could also heat up Suzuki, but the latter seems to have the best chance. As for Dobson, it’ll be more difficult, knowing that there will certainly be Cale Makar on the right side. Guys like Evan Bouchard, Aaron Ekblad and Colton Parayko (not to mention Drew Doughty) are likely to have a strong case for themselves. And on the left side, Devon Toews, Shea Theodore, Josh Morrissey and Thomas Harley all have a very good chance of being there. Dobson will have to prove that he deserves his place. [spacer title=’Overtime’] – There are several good choices.

– Interesting.

– Finally.

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Mike Matheson: A new contract that also comes with a new role

If Jeff Gorton says Mike Matheson is an important player in Montreal, it’s not for nothing. And if Kent Hughes says he sees himself continuing with Mike Matheson in Montreal, it’s not for nothing either. Management likes him a lot. And that’s not necessarily complicated to understand… because the Québécois defenseman has proven his worth to Martin St-Louis’ team. We know that the time for decisions is fast approaching, because Matheson will be as free as a bird as of July 1. And I’m willing to bet that the Canadiens don’t want to see him leave “for free” via the free agent market, but if the Habs want to offer him a new contract, they’ll have to sit down with the principal interested party to discuss it. Because it also comes with another aspect: with the young defensemen moving up in town, Matheson’s role is going to change, and he needs to understand that he may no longer have the “importance” in the defensive brigade that he had in recent years, as discussed by Tony Marinaro and Pierre McGuire(Sick Podcast).

[content-ads] Telling a player that he’s going to have a less important role and that he’s going to take up less space in the line-up can be insulting in a way for a veteran who gives everything for the club. Mike Matheson is a pro. A good veteran who wants to help his team succeed, which is why he wouldn’t have a problem adjusting his role either. We know that he loves playing here and that his long-term goal is to play for the Canadiens.He’s never made any secret of it, after all. And knowing all that, and knowing the personality of the main man involved – who’s also well-liked by the guys in the dressing room – that doesn’t worry us.

And it’s logical to believe that Matheson will sign a new deal with the Canadiens (whatever that means) if they want to follow through with that plan. There can never be enough good veterans in a club…

[spacer title=’Overtime’] – Nice.

– I like this.

– Indeed.

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Hutson and Struble on the 2nd pair: DailyFaceoff’s (illogical) projection

Noah Dobson’s arrival has changed the Canadiens’ defensive brigade in a big way. The addition of a defenseman like him really improves the club’s top-4… but there’s one question in particular to ask in view of next season:what will Martin St-Louis’ defensive pairings be? Lane Hutson, Noah Dobson, Mike Matheson and Kaiden Guhle will (most likely) play on the top-4. We agree that this makes a lot of sense. After all, when you look at the team’s projection at the blue line, you see Lane Hutson playing with… Jayden Struble on the club’s second defensive pair.Is that… special? They played together at one point last season, but with Dobson here, I have a hard time agreeing with that idea, especially in the context of Struble and Xhekaj fighting for the 6th defenseman position:

(Credit: DailyFaceoff)

[content-ads] Guhle with Dobson, I like that. The former has defensive qualities that allow him to be really solid… and the second has offensive qualities that allow him to be among the NHL’s elite at that level. That said, by pairing these two guys together, it’s consistent to think that Matheson and Hutson will play together. The idea of pairing Matheson with Carrier isn’t crazy, though, because it could help the left-hander be a little freer on the ice. Carrier is in charge and could back Matheson up if the latter wants to bring the puck up or make more offensive decisions, but the reality is that Matheson needs to play on the top-4. The Canadiens need to exploit his speed and skating stroke if the defenseman is to be successful. And we also know that he needs to have a “big” role to help the Habs more, as he has done since his arrival in Montreal. It remains to be seen, then. But Martin St-Louis will have some pieces to put into his puzzle… and his choices are likely to be the talk of the town, given the talent the Canadiens currently have on defense.

[spacer title=’Overtime’] – That’s right,

The Penguins could be on the move.

– Allez!

– Bogdan Konyushkov’s team has a new logo.

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Bank of prospects: The Habs’ prospects rank 2nd in the NHL (according to Bleacher Report)

When you think about the future of the Canadiens, it’s exciting to think about. The club has some good young players – who have already proven themselves – in place right now, and there are some good prospects within the organization as well. Since the arrival of Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton… things are being done in a different way, because the goal is to see the team succeed over the long term, and the Canadiens’ management is preparing that plan to perfection. Since 2022, when Kent Hughes was first drafted in Montreal, the Canadiens have really improved their bank of prospects: David Reinbacher, Ivan Demidov, Michael Hage, LJ Mooney, Alexander Zarhovsky, Owen Beck, Jacob Fowler, Florian Xhekaj, Bogdan Konyushkov, Aatos Koivu.and you’ll understand that I didn’t include the names of Juraj Slafkovsky and Lane Hutson because they’re already in the National League.That said, the Canadiens are loaded with prospects right now. And that’s why Bleacher Report ranks the Habs’ prospect pool 2nd in the entire NHL, behind the Sharks’ and ahead of the Blackhawks’

[content-ads] This is really encouraging for Canadiens fans. After all, the club has been struggling on the ice for years.

And it’s also been years since the Habs have been able to count on a number of good youngsters for the future. But this is different. The Habs made the playoffs last season, they’ve improved with the acquisition of Noah Dobson and Zachary Bolduc, the youngsters they’re developing right now are talented… It doesn’t mean that Montreal is guaranteed the Stanley Cup in a few years’ time. But it does mean that the Habs are in a good position to be one of the good clubs in the National League… for a long time to come. [spacer title=’Overtime’] – The Armada are on the move.

– Bravo!

– Happy reading.

– Finally.

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Jesperi Kotkaniemi in Vancouver: Jeff Marek thinks it can be done

Jesperi Kotkaniemi now has seven NHL seasons under his belt. He’s played almost 500 games (476)… and at this point, it’s safe to say he’s never become the player you’d hoped for.And I don’t think I’d be throwing tomatoes at anyone if I said he’s a flop. The Hurricanes are stuck with him, with five years left on his contract ($4.82 million), and trading him will be a tough task… because at this salary, teams certainly won’t be lining up to take him out of Carolina. But in Jeff Marek’s eyes, there is a world in which KK can continue his career in the West… in Vancouver.

He raised the idea (twice) on the recent episode of the Sekers and Price podcast, and it’s an idea that – let’s not forget – has refused to die for some time now…

[content-ads] Marek explains his point by saying that the Canucks are in a bit of trouble at center. And he’s right.

The club tried to attract center players this summer (like Christian Dvorak), but multiple attempts proved to be failures. And now… when you think about the fact that there really aren’t that many centers available in the four corners of the league, Marek argues that KK may be some solution in Vancouver – like Marco Rossi. Because it’s true that looking at the Canucks’ top-9, at center…. it’s more than thin:

(Credit: DailyFaceoff)

The Canucks can’t hope to make the playoffs with a paper lineup like this, which is why the idea of strengthening the center line makes sense… but we do agree on one thing: Jesperi Kotkaniemi isn’t going to be the one to change the Canucks’ game.

Maybe it’s too late, even, for the Canucks to be in a position to improve between now and the start of next season… [spacer title=’Overtime’] – Be there!

– Will they come to an agreement?

– This bodes well.

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Agent blames owners for lack of hostile offers

The summer of hostile offers isn’t going as planned. I haven’t given up on the idea of a hostile offer being made in the next few weeks (it doesn’t have to be on July 1, you know), but let’s just say that things aren’t looking good right now. Why? Besides the reasons already mentioned (teams have the resources not to be taken advantage of, executives don’t want to risk an unprotected first-round pick in 2026, etc.), there seems to be another.an

[content-ads]Why? Because the two scenarios are not necessarily advantageous. The first scenario is a club that succeeds in its hostile offer sheet. The result? You’ve probably overpaid for a player to get what you want, which isn’t ideal for an owner.Note that, with the cap rising fast, teams at the bottom of the standings won’t necessarily spend all the way to the cap in the absence of playoff revenues.Andtheother scenario is to miss out.

If the other team matches the offer, all you’ve done is drive up the market for no reason. And I don’t want to be that guy in the eyes of the other owners, who are going to give me trouble.

– Mason McTavish’

s

example is an interesting one. After all, it’s one thing to miss out because of the Ducks’ lousse, but it’s quite another to drive up prices elsewhere. Take your lumps if you want action on this front, then.

[spacer title=’Overtime’]- The Oilers share a photo of their stars’ private lives.

– Étienne Boulay talks about his hockey club.[BPM Sports] – Blue Jays trade deadline analysis.