Author: Dose

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Kaiden Guhle and Noah Dobson wear regular jerseys to practice

For the past few days, we’ve been waiting for news on Kaiden Guhle and Noah Dobson, who are being considered day-to-day due to a groin injury. Nothing had been released publicly yet. And since both guys are in the injured category on the Canadiens’ roster as of this morning, we had to wonder.

On the sheet, there are six healthy defensemen (Lane Hutson, Mike Matheson, Alexandre Carrier, Arber Xhekaj, Jayden Struble and Adam Engstrom) and four injured backs: This led us to believe that Dobson and/or Guhle weren’t in too bad shape. But this morning, we got some answers: Guhle and Dobson showed up on the heels of practice wearing regular jerseys.

Obviously, it’s hard to have answers right now in view of tomorrow’s game in Quebec City.If they hadn’t been there, the concerns would have been greater.Details to come…

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Valérie Plante will have neglected sport until her exit

Boy, am I tired! Tired of what? Two weeks ago, I railed against the cuts made by the CAQ government, which, on the ground, forced me to cut young students who were hoping to participate in an extracurricular sport at Repen. I won’t play the same tape again, you already know it. This morning, it was a text by Alexandre Pratt (La Presse) that made me say “os*i que je suis tanné!”Pratt spoke with a top MLS executive and then revealed information that follows up on the news I broke three weeks ago, namely that CF Montréal is in seduction mode with the various leaders of Montreal’s municipal political parties. #Elections #NovemberBasically, Pratt told us this morning that :1. CF Montréal is not for sale/move-out, but the Ville de Montréal will have to get more involved if the adventure is to continue. It couldn’t be clearer:

“The club has a bright future in Montreal, but for that to happen, elected officials will need to better support the team.”

–

Charles Altcheck, MLS

2

Executive VP.

A national team could have set up shop in Montreal for the entire World Cup (3 weeks), but Valérie Plante’s administration said no, as it would cost around $600,000. However, 62 North American cities are ready to host a team during the competition. Since Valérie Plante is in her last days as mayor, we can assume that her entire party was in agreement with this refusal.Reminder: at least, the Canadiens team will hold its practice camp in Montreal… [content-ads]3. CF Montréal is not the only sports organization hoping for better collaboration with the City of Montreal. There are plenty of them, and they’re less and less shy about saying so loud and clear.4. The Montreal CF has no intention of building a new stadium, winterizing the one on Sherbrooke Street East or putting a roof over it; the primary objective is to improve thecustomer experience for people who buy VIP/premium tickets. Yikes…5. This isn’t the first time the club/league has demanded a better partnership with the City. Just think of Joey Saputo’s interview in Italian…6. The club would like the area around the Nutrilait Centre to be more welcoming/accessible. Me too…

The street in front of the Nutrilait Center looked better on the construction plans. (Credit: Montreal Impact)

[content-ads]I’m not one of those people who wants the government to subsidize and pay for everything. Far from it! But I do believe that the government should build more bike paths and support entrepreneurs who dare to invest in the city’s development, both at home and abroad.

We already knew that Montreal wouldn’t be hosting any World Cup games, since each match cost around $100 million to finance… But Montreal recently had the chance to host a national team for three weeks (150 to 200 wealthy people who would be spending a lot of money in our businesses, especially on accommodation and food); the City said no, unlike 62 of the 63 teams who wanted to host a team for three weeks.

Do the (simple) math: Montreal is the only North American city to have said no to financing the transportation and logistics of a base camp ($600,000). Wouldn’t Montreal have shone and pocketed $600,000 worth of revenue with a 20-day camp on magnificent rue Létourneux? Especially since , according to my colleague Sofiane Benzaza’s sources, it would be the French team that would have taken up residence in 514. The current mayor and her team don’t like investing in sport, as their actions demonstrate. Is that why the Roses, FC Supra and the Rocket have all moved to Laval’s North Shore? Is that why Geoff Molson and France Margaret Bélanger are now investing in Toronto’s professional sports? Is that why Tony Marinaro was right when he said Montreal wasn’t a sports city last year at the Georges Laraque show? A sports town, by definition, loves sports, doesn’t it? When we see major Québécois cities paying fortunes for road signs, rented orange cones, bike paths, slides at the municipal pool, traffic lights or ghost construction sites, I’m outraged that these same cities refuse to do their bit to host large-scale sporting events. When they’re not literally scrapping the Grand Prix weekend… The more I think about it, the more I say to myself that Laval should step up and acquire a natural field so that it can host international soccer events. Youknow, the metro goes to Laval – when the STM isn’t on strike – and the streets are wide on Montreal’s North Shore. And there’s plenty of parking…[content-ads]The joke’s on Laval vs. Montreal: I hope Montreal’s next mayor will have a better medium/long-term vision for the sport. I hope that the various matches held at Stade Saputo will pay dividends not only for CF Montreal, but also for Soccer Canada and other sports organizations. Although I don’t think enhancing the Premium sections should be CF Laval Montreal’s #1 priority right now…You know, Joey, where are we going to play and practice if the next winter calendar is approved for 2027?

[spacer title=’Prolongation’]If CF Montreal ever leaves the province, we’ll say the same thing we did with the Nordiques and the Expos: the government didn’t act when it was time.Let’s act now, not too late, as we did with the Centre Vidéotron and the Nordiques…Oh yes! Nor should we be indignant about one sport, but not another, because we like one more than the other. In the end, history seems to repeat itself, and all sports must be supported. Denis Coderre had 1,001 faults, but he was aware of the importance for a city that calls itself international to host international sporting events. When will Montreal’s mayor see some vision in this direction?

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The Canadiens’ second line isn’t just the talk of Montreal: it’s the talk of Toronto too

The Canadiens’ top-6 is the talk of the town… but the two lines aren’t the talk of the town for the same reasons. Obviously, there’s not much to say about the first line. Apart from the fact that Juraj Slafkovsky could give more, we know that Nick Suzuki’s line is going to produce, andwe know what Cole Caufield and the captain are going to offer the Habs.But it’s not the same for the second trio. Why not? Because, alongside Ivan Demidov, we really don’t know whether Patrik Laine and Kirby Dach will deliver the goods.Especially Laine, infact.Obviously, that’s the talk of the town. But it’s also interesting to note that the subject has even made its way to Toronto, where every mention of the Canadiens and not the Maple Leafs is a miracle, in the last few hours. Mike Johnson and Craig Button (TSN), in a video clip on the Habs, raised the potential problems of a second line the way it’s currently formed. The

[content-ads]The more time passes, the easier it is to wonder whether Zachary Bolduc, who is capable of bringing a different style of play to Patrik Laine, should take a place on Ivan Demidov’s line.

Bolduc has a good shot, he’s more active on the ice than Laine… and he knows how to fall back.We hinted at it this morning, but Bolduc and Demidov should be tested together at camp, to see what the two guys have in common. Colleague Maxime Truman is clearly no longer the only one questioning Laine’s play in camp, so… [spacer title=’Overtime’]- Read

– The playoffs begin tomorrow afternoon in baseball.

– What’s

Panthers

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Three issues to watch for the rest of the Canadiens’ camp

The Canadiens’ training camp is in full swing, with tomorrow night’s game in Quebec City against the Senators, and Saturday night’s game at the Bell Centre against the Senators. Then, next Wednesday, the season begins. That’s pretty fast, isn’t it?Of course, in the meantime, there will also be a number of training sessions. Of necessity, all these moments will represent chances to see some of the guys stand up and try to improve their lot for the coming season. And we’ll be keeping an eye on a few things. What are they? 1. Of necessity, one of the big issues right now is the health of Kaiden Guhle and Noah Dobson. Will they be able to skate today? Will they be able to play this week? Who knows, given that the last update is starting to date, in their case.

[content-ads]2. One has to wonder which players will be able to make the club. If we take for granted that the five players submitted yesterday to the waivers will either go to Laval or elsewhere in the NHL as of 2pm this afternoon, we see that there are 29 guys left in camp.

That leaves six or seven cuts to make to get down to 22 or 23 guys. Five or six, actually, since David Reinbacher is one of the guys still in camp, but won’t be able to start the season. #InjuryOne goalie will be cut among Montembeault, Dobes and Kahkonen. Put an old $2 on Kahkonen, if nothing changes. Defensively, Carrier, Dobson, Engstrom, Guhle, Hutson, Matheson, Reinbacher (injured), Struble, Trudeau and Xhekaj are still here. Trudeau and Engstrom should start at the bottom and Reinbacher will go on the injured list. But what about the forwards? Anderson, Beck, Blais, Bolduc, Caufield, Dach, Demidov, Evans, Gallagher, Kapanen, Laine, Newhook, Slafkovsky, Suzuki, Veleno and Xhekaj are still here. Owen Beck, Samuel Blais, Oliver Kapanen, Joe Veleno and Florian Xhekaj are the players fighting for two positions. I say two positions because I don’t see the Habs going with 14 forwards at the moment. Samuel Blais has a good chance of starting as the 13th forward, and therefore of being in the press gallery on October 8. But which player will be on the ice? I wouldn’t be surprised if Joe Veleno is the lucky one. I see a path to Oliver Kapanen. I think the Canadiens are really considering Florian Xhekaj. And I’d be surprised if Owen Beck starts the season in town. But… anything’s possible[content-ads]3. How much does Martin St-Louis want to test? Clearly, the Canadiens’ coach is banking on stability in camp for his trios and defensive pairs. But doesn’t he want to see if Zachary Bolduc has any chemistry with Ivan Demidov, for example?

That might be good to know before the season starts. We give this example because it’s often asked for, but it applies to a few cases, if need be. Wouldn’t Martin St-Louis like to have some data on hand to see, if need be, if Demidov and Bolduc can develop chemistry?Because who knows how much Patrik Laine has on the top-6….[spacer title=’en rafale’]- It’s not right that the Mets are already on vacation.

– It’s a tough blow for Finland.

–

– Notice to interested parties.

– MLS wants better support from the City for CF Montreal. [LP] – Please note

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Luke Hughes could sign for $8 x $9M: We should expect $8 x $10M for Lane Hutson

In Montreal, fans are eagerly awaiting Lane Hutson’s new contract, which is expected to be an eight-year deal, given that Hutson wants to stay in Montreal, but the annual salary has yet to be determined. The Montreal Canadiens are possibly waiting to see the contract of Luke Hughes, who is still without a contract for the 2025-26 season. His contract will give a good idea of what Lane Hutson can get, but the situation between the two defensemen, who play similarly, is different. Hutson has a contract for this year, unlike little brother Hughes, Hutson has a Calder in his pocket and Luke would like a contract that would help him join his other two brothers eventually. Jack Hughes still has five years left on his current contract, so we could see Luke Hughes extending his contract for another five years.

Ryan Novozinsky

[content-ads]It’s still surprising that it’s heading towards an eight-year contract, given how much the three Hughes brothers really want to play together. There’s been a lot of talk that the Hughes brothers would “work it out” to join up and play together, and to see Luke heading for an eight-year deal is peculiar. The youngest of the Hughes brothers must be pretty confident that Quinn will come to New Jersey at the end of his contract (after the 2026-27 season). After all, the Vancouver Canucks defenseman will be as free as a bird in the summer of 2027, so he can choose where he wants to sign. There’s a good chance that the Devils will arrange to have the money to sign him in July 2027, or acquire him via trade before then [content-ads]On the other hand, if Luke Hughes signs for $9 M per season on a long-term contract, we can certainly expect Lane Hutson to extend his contract with an annual salary equal to or higher than Luke’s. 10 M$ per season for Hutson wouldn’t really be surprising, but we know that Hutson really wants to stay in Montreal, and he could very well sign at a discount to give himself the best chance of playing in Montreal on a competitive team for a long time to come. spacer title=’Overtime’] – Excellent contract for the Maple Leafs with their #1 goaltender. Four years at $3.75M per season with the cap skyrocketing, that’s quite a deal

– A Zharovsky/Demidov duo in the future would certainly be electrifying.

– Must read.

– Indeed.

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Patrik Laine will never change

Patrik Laine is having a rather ordinary practice camp. As my colleague Maxime Truman wrote, the Finn hasn’t been convincing so far. Yes, it’s only two preparatory games, but after hearing Laine say several times over the summer that he was at the top of his game physically and mentally, you’d have expected to see him come out with the knife between his teeth even in pre-season.

In fact, Nicolas Cloutier, who reposted a video posted by Mike Lemieux, thinks that Laine has simply slowed down due to his injuries, which have made him less mobile and less agile.

In the video, which shows the forward when he played with the Jets, he does indeed look a little more fluid on his skates, but I don’t find his dekes particularly fast compared to what we saw last year with the Canadiens.

The speed of his dekes is even said to have been a source of mockery from his Jets team-mates, contributing to his departure from Winnipeg. However, where I disagree is when people say that Laine was more effective at five-on-five.

He wasn’t in Winnipeg, he wasn’t in Columbus and it would be utopian to think that he will become so in Montreal [content-ads] In 2018-19, the 6′ 4″ forward had his worst offensive season with the Jets with 50 points, including 30 goals, in 82 games. He finished the campaign with a minus-24 differential, and in his first season in Columbus, he did even worse with a minus-29 record in just 45 games during which he scored 21 points, including 10 goals.

Moreover, Laine finished with a negative differential in all four of his seasons in Columbus, although he had two campaigns of close to a point per game. Even in his most productive years with the Jets, his best finish was a plus-8 record on two occasions, so it’s hard to talk about a guy who was effective five-on-five in the past.

So don’t expect Laine to suddenly become a good five-on-five player with the Canadiens, where he was used less and less by Martin St-Louis at the end of the 2024-2025 season. If he can stay in shape, I think the Finn can score 30 goals and 50 points this season, but I also know he’s going to get me sacred often by his lack of involvement on defense.

What’s more, if Kirby Dach has the same difficulty at five-on-five as last year, with a minus-29 differential in just 57 games, this line could struggle at even strength, no matter how talented and brilliant Ivan Demidov is.

[spacer title=’Overtime’] – He should go to Laval.

– He’ll be joining the Armada

– Grand slam for the Jays!

– Read on.

– A michigan to go!

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Pavel Zacha officially available, according to Frank Seravalli

The Montreal Canadiens are once again at the heart of discussions surrounding the position of second center. For some time, it has been rumored that Pavel Zacha of the Boston Bruins could be traded. A post on X from NHLRumourReport confirms that the Czech player is indeed available if a quality offer comes on the table, according to Frank Seravalli.

“I think someone stepped

.”

–

Frank Seravalli

Pavel Zacha isn’t a star player, but he’s still an interesting one. With his physical game and versatility, he has often shown that he can hold his own on a second line. His presence could bring some stability to a second line made up of promising youngster Ivan Demidov, who doesn’t have much NHL experience, and Patrik Laine, who also has a lot to prove this season. For the time being, the position has been given to Kirby Dach. For his part, the question remains open. Can he really take on the role of second center without the experiment turning into a disaster? Martin St-Louis would like to give him the chance, but his injuries and uneven development suggest caution. For a team that wants to progress and make the playoffs again, relying solely on Dach is an obvious risk. Even with Frank Seravalli’s confirmation of his availability, it’s clear that the Boston Bruins won’t trade their center for a pittance. As my colleague Marc-Olivier Cook recently reminded us in one of his articles, the Bruins organization has shown a marked interest in young defenseman Jayden Struble, but that alone wouldn’t be enough. If Arber Xhekaj has sufficiently convinced the organization that he belongs in the NHL on a regular basis, why not let Jayden Struble go for a player like Zacha, who can fill a weakness in the lineup? If such a deal were to materialize, it would be a major move for the Canadiens. It would allow Martin St-Louis to better distribute his roster. Kirby Dach, for his part, would then be able to progress without being crushed by the high expectations that have accompanied him since his arrival in Montreal. One thing is clear: the search for a second center will remain a priority if Dach doesn’t quickly meet expectations. And now that Zacha’s availability has been confirmed, the file takes on a new dimension. It remains to be seen whether Kent Hughes will try to take advantage of this opening to strike a blow that could improve his team before another team in the market for a center, like the Vancouver Canucks, steals the targeted player.[spacer title=’Overtime’]- Connor Bedard shows off his passing skills.

– A hat trick for Frank Nazar.

– Connor McDavid picks up where he left off.

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Masked singers: Georges Laraque sings disguised as a hippopotamus

Ahh, dear Georges Laraque. BPM Sports’ star radio host, renowned for his flamboyant personality, was on the “Chanteurs masqués” show tonight, dressed as a hippopotamus for the occasion. And he sang this:


For those who don’t know the show, we see celebrities, who are dressed up, sing in front of judges. And there’s a process of elimination among the worst singers in the group. I won’t hide anything from you tonight: Georges wasn’t the best. Like when he was rapping alongside Maxime Truman, in the background?But he knows it. He’s the first to admit it: he’s not a singer. It’s easy to talk since I certainly couldn’t have done any better, but it was Laraque who was the singer who left the competition tonight following his performance. content-ads]It’s no surprise to anyone that the former NHL player didn’t say no to the opportunity to go on the show, and that he had fun doing it. He had this to say on the subject

: “It was really sick. You have another proof that I’m not afraid of the ridiculous.”

–

Georges Laraque

(Credit: Chanteurs masqués)

If I’d been in his shoes, I’d have needed even more editing to sound “right”, I think. But even so, I’ll say this: Don’t give up your day job, big! [spacer title=’prolongation’]Jean-François Mercier, Simon Boulerice and Hugo Girard were names that came up when it came time for the judges to guess Laraque’s identity. AnoukMeunier (half) and Stéphane Rousseau guessed his identity.

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Grant McCagg: “Kaiden Guhle is no better than Jayden Struble”

Jayden Struble continues to surprise. In a recent episode of the HabsCast podcast, Grant McCagg took the time to praise the Canadiens’ young defenseman, going so far as to put him above Kaiden Guhle. You can listen to the video here. https://youtu.be/l0CeoxGc-GE?si=cmPxwkjJejTxHD9d&t=598

“Kaiden Guhle is no better than Jayden Struble” – Grant McCagg

A bold statement that highlights his potential and training camp performances rather than questioning Kaiden Guhle’s talent. Over the past two seasons, an internal competition has developed between several defensemen for the position of 6th defenseman in Montreal, but more particularly between Struble and Arber Xhekaj. According to McCagg, this battle is no longer really a draw, as Struble has taken the lead. For him, it’s unthinkable that the Canadiens’ No. 47 will be left out of the lineup this season, given the stability and well-structured play he brings. Grant McCagg didn’t stop there. McCagg went so far as to say that Jayden Struble is by far the most underrated player on the team right now. In his eyes, his all-around game, mobility and toughness make him a more reliable defenseman than many believe. McCagg even praised the defender’s work on X when he came to Lane Hutson’s defense after a Max Domi hit in last Saturday’s warm-up game.

One important point that came up in the podcast was the fact that he’s only 24. While many young defensemen take time to establish themselves, the Habs’ #47 proved skeptics wrong by demonstrating a consistency that appeals to coaches. In McCagg’s words, it’s no longer a question of “whether he’ll play regularly”, but of recognizing that he already deserves a regular spot this season. For the former scout, it’s even preferable to put Jayden Struble in the line-up ahead of defenseman Alexandre Carrier. In Grant McCagg’s eyes, Jayden Struble is not only a depth defenseman, but also an element that could prove crucial to the future of the Habs’ brigade. If his progress continues, he could quickly go from being an underrated player to an essential part of the Canadiens’ defensive brigade. spacer title=’Overtime’] – The Blue Jays are division champions, and

– The Habs’ final line-up according to Anthony Martineau.

– Frank Nazar celebrates his goal with the 67.

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Sean Couturier goes after John Tortorella (again)

Former coach John Tortorella is far from unanimous, among journalists and players alike. Known for being very demanding and leading with an iron fist, he was not shy about criticizing his stars in public and skipping games if he wasn’t satisfied with their performance.

Let’s just say that in the modern NHL, where coaches are much more communicative, Tortorella’s old-fashioned coaching methods were increasingly archaic. Among those you’ll never see at a Torts fan club meeting is Sean Couturier. In recent weeks, the forward has launched several arrows at his former coach, often talking about his preference for Rick Tocchet and his new system of play.

He notably blamed his former coach for the Flyers’ poor results on the power play last year, when players lacked freedom and creativity.

Well, Couturier is adding another layer today when he says he’s already had more conversations with his new coach in three months than in two years with Torts.

As we all know, communication wasn’t exactly a strength with the fiery coach, but it was a particular problem between these two[content-ads] Even though Tortorella had named the Arizona native captain of the Flyers, he had also left him on the bench for a few games without really giving him a reason.

Let’s just say that while other players are less vocal about their former coach, many seem relieved about Tortorella’s departure to Philly, not least how Matvei Michkov began to produce more regularly after Tocchet took the helm.

Have we seen the last miles of Tortorella at the helm of an NHL team? His last two dismissals in Philadelphia and Columbus seemed to bring relief to many players who didn’t like playing under him, and many wondered if this wasn’t his last stint in the League.

However, he says he still wants to coach, so maybe we’ll see him back behind an NHL bench, but for now, he’s mostly focused on his work with Team USA in preparation for the upcoming Olympics.[spacer title=’Overtime’] – Not the game of the year in Quebec City.

– Toronto at the top of the list.

– Jays finish on top of the East.

– The Yankees tried until the end.

– MLB in Brief.

– NFL results.