Author: Dose

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Caleb Desnoyers really took his interview with the Habs seriously

I’m going to start my text with a statement.

Although the chances are slim, I’d really, really like to see the Canadiens draft Caleb Desnoyers in less than two weeks.

He has the profile of a guy who can succeed in a big market. He’s got a calm head, he can handle pressure… and on the ice, he’s got such interesting qualities. Especially since he plays center!

Incidentally, the principal interested party could also see himself playing in Montreal, alongside Ivan Demidov.

The prospect spoke about this in an interview with Anthony Martineau (TVA Sports):

I could see myself playing with Ivan Demidov. After that, no matter who you put with us, it’s going to be a good line-up. – Caleb Desnoyers

I hear Caleb Desnoyers has confidence in himself.

Talented guys want to play with talented guys. Desnoyers knows he’s got skills… and putting himself next to a player like Ivan Demidov, who has impressive skills, proves just how confident he is in his abilities.

That said, we know that the chances of him being selected by the Canadiens aren’t great, because Kent Hughes will have to pull a rabbit out of his hat to get into the top-5 – where Desnoyers will (most likely) be selected.

But still: Desnoyers took his interview with the Habs seriously because he still wanted to give himself a chance of being selected by the Canadiens.

I like his attitude.

What happens next will be interesting because there’s likely to be a lot of interest in Desnoyers at the draft.

But… if the Canadiens can pull off a magic trick, I have a feeling a lot of fans in town will be happy.

And I have a feeling he’d like that, too.

Overtime

– It’s a party!

– Seen the same.

– Machine.

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Brad Marchand: his playoff performances will help him sign a monster contract this summer

All right, then.

We have to talk about it… right?

Right now, Brad Marchand is doing something special. And I’m not exaggerating…

At 37, he was the best player on the ice last night in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final… and his two goals helped the Panthers to a 5-2 win over the Oilers.

Oh, and he also has 20 points (including 10 goals) in 22 playoff games so far this season. I’ll say it again: the guy’s 37 years old.

The result?

Marchand’s performance means that the Florida team is just one win away from lifting the precious trophy.

And the next game is on the Panthers’ home turf…

The crazy thing is that none of this would be possible without #63. He scores important goals, he brings a different element to the clubhouse with his leadership, and you can feel it on the ice when you watch the Panthers play.

In five games since the start of the final, Marchand has already scored six goals. And two of those goals are game-winners…

More than ever, Marchand is building a case for a BIG contract this summer.

This week, we heard rumours ofa four-year contract at $8 million per season…

But do you know what?

No matter how long it lasts, the man we love to hate in Montreal is going to break the bank.

Because teams pay attention to what happens in the playoffs, and everyone can see right now that Marchand is still so good, so effective and so important to a club’s success.

Then again, the fact that Marchand is 37 makes it all the more special. Seeing him be so successful – with a new club no less – wasn’t necessarily guaranteed before the deal that brought him to Florida… but clearly, he’s found his feet and we can see how much he’s still able to help even at his age.

I can’t wait to see how much it will cost this summer for the club that welcomes him into its ranks…

Overtime

– Hey, boys!

– Bravo!

– Nice.

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Free agents: Mitch Marner could sign a four-year contract, according to Elliotte Friedman

The biggest file to watch when the free agent market opens on July 1 will obviously be that of Mitch Marner.

Now that it seems confirmed that he won’t be staying in Toronto, we want to know where Marner will decide to sign.

It’ll be really interesting to see the Leafs’ star wear the colors of another team.

Right now, we know that the Anaheim Ducks and Carolina Hurricanes are planning to be very aggressive in this matter, and we also know that the Vegas Golden Knights will once again try to steal the show, while the Florida Panthers will have their noses in this too.

So there are plenty of options on the table for Marner, as the rumours fly.

However, we won’t know for sure until at least July 1.

In fact, we don’t even know what kind of contract Marner will sign.

Logically, we’d all expect him to sign for the maximum number of years, i.e. seven, but we shouldn’t rule out other options.

Indeed, according to Elliotte Friedman, Marner could very well sign a four-year contract.

That’s what the renowned tipster said on the most recent episode of his “32 Thoughts” podcast, when he said that such a small contract really is a possibility.

Marner, 28, could very well decide to do as Auston Matthews did and sign a shorter contract, in order to pocket even more in a few years’ time.

At 32, Marner could once again break the bank.

In short, there’s no guarantee that Marner will sign for seven years, and thus commit virtually the rest of his career to his new team.

He could very well decide to cut that into two contracts, in order to pocket more money in four years’ time.

So the former Leafs star doesn’t just have options in terms of teams, he also has options in terms of contract longevity.

And in all this, the annual salary attached to Marner’s next contract might not vary so much depending on the number of years.

Marner is already expected to sign for between $11 and $14 million

This will be an interesting story to follow in the coming weeks, and we shouldn’t necessarily expect to learn of Marner’s decision on July 1.

The star player could take his time and wait to properly evaluate each of the options on the table.

Overtime

– Don’t miss the race today at 2 p.m.!

– It’s been a long time!

– To be continued.

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Sidney Crosby file: he’ll probably have a list of three teams, including Montreal

Every Habs fan’s dream when it comes to acquiring a center for the Habs is Sidney Crosby.

Of course, there are many interesting options for the Habs to improve their team, and especially to find a center for Ivan Demidov.

But the many options are of no interest to anyone in Montreal if Sidney Crosby is available.

For now, aside from some logical speculation, there’s no indication that the Pittsburgh Penguins captain would be looking to be traded.

He has a two-year contract with the Penguins, starting next season, and even though the Penguins are entering a rebuild, there’s no confirmation yet that Crosby would want to jump ship to somewhere competitive.

But, should the Penguins’ 87 ever wish to leave, he’s likely to have a very slim list of teams, and Montreal should be one of them, according to Renaud Lavoie.

Indeed, as he reported yesterday on TVA Sports prior to Game #5 of the Stanley Cup Finals, Renaud Lavoie believes Sidney Crosby would likely have a list of three teams, if he were looking to leave Pittsburgh.

And among those three teams should be the Canadiens de Montréal, or at least Lavoie strongly believes that the Habs will manage to find themselves among the most serious contenders.

Crosby has always loved Montreal and the Bell Centre, so the connection is easy to make, especially considering that the Habs are heading for a very promising future, as the 2024-2025 season has shown.

“He always mentioned that the Centre Bell was his favorite place to play other than Pittsburgh.” – Renaud Lavoie

It’s not for nothing that Mise-O-Jeu has Montreal as one of Crosby’s most likely destinations.

In short, the connection between Crosby and Montreal is easy to make, but don’t get too carried away.

The Colorado Avalanche will probably also be an option for Crosby, if he asks to be traded.

As for a third team on his list, I’ll let you choose the team that would make the most sense to you.

Personally, I see Crosby liking either the Los Angeles Kings or the New York Rangers.

Overtime

– Always the comedian, Brad Marchand.

– The Trois-Rivières Lions Kelly Cup Parade takes place today!

– Very cool.

– Bravo.

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Lauren McDavid’s “anti-rat” sweater didn’t slow Brad Marchand down

Brad Marchand has always been a hated player throughout the National Hockey League, while he’s always been known as a pest with the Boston Bruins.

Aside from Bruins fans, no one liked Marchand throughout his career, even earning him the nickname “The Rat”.

Now that he’s with the Florida Panthers, Marchand may be a little less hated, but he’s still the same pest he’s always been.

And right now, if there’s one team and its fans who hate the Panthers’ plague, it’s the Edmonton Oilers.

Marchand is in great form in this Stanley Cup Final, so any means are good enough to slow him down, even going so far as to wear anti-Marchand jerseys.

Last night, none other than Connor McDavid’s wife, Lauren, was spotted wearing an “anti-rat” sweater that read “Rat Patrol” on the back.

It’s all quite comical, but in the end, this Lauren McDavid sweater will have accomplished absolutely nothing, while Brad Marchand scored two magnificent goals last night to bring the Panthers within one win of the Stanley Cup.

We don’t know how long Lauren McDavid has been wearing this jersey, but it’s clearly not slowing down the Panthers rat, who is simply on fire in this Stanley Cup Final.

He has six goals in five games, and two of them are game-winners. He sealed the outcome of two of the Panthers’ three victories in this final.

Marchand is truly a clutch player once again, as his history proves.

In short, Lauren McDavid’s sweater does absolutely nothing, on the contrary, while right now, the famous rat is just one win away from hurting Lauren’s husband VERY badly.

I don’t think we’ll be seeing that sweater again.

Overtime

– The Oilers remain confident.

– Finally another win for Montreal CF. It’s only their second win in 18 games this season.

– Indeed.

– To be continued.

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Brad Marchand takes Panthers to within one win of 2nd straight Stanley Cup

Last night saw the first game of the final 2 of 3 in the Stanley Cup Final, as Game #5 was played in Edmonton with the series tied 2-2.

Game #5 is always a very important one, especially when the series is tied, as it pushes the losing team to the brink.

So it was absolutely a game to watch last night, and above all a game the Oilers had to win.

Unfortunately for them, they escaped by a score of 5-2, while the Panthers were very opportunistic at the right moments.

And the players who were opportunistic for Florida are those who have been so since the start of the playoffs.

Brad Marchand opened the scoring midway through the first frame with a superb individual effort that made Mattias Ehkolm look like a pee-wee defenseman.

None other than Sam Bennett then added to his tally late in the first period with his 15th (!!!) goal of the playoffs, and his 13th away from home.

In short, after one period, it really looked like a copy-paste of Game #4, with the only difference being that the Panthers had scored one less goal.

We all knew that the Oilers were capable of coming back into this game, and they tried to do so in the second period, but to no avail.

We had to wait until the third period to see a third goal in this game, and unfortunately, it didn’t come from the Oilers, as Brad Marchand added to it with another magnificent individual effort.

It’s his 10th goal of the playoffs, but more importantly, it’s his 6th of the finals in just five games. He really got the ball rolling when it mattered most.

The Oilers found themselves with a huge mountain to overcome in a very short space of time, and although Connor McDavid scored his first goal of the final moments later, it was too little too late for Edmonton.

Sam Reinhart restored the Panthers’ three-goal lead less than a minute later.

Corey Perry closed the gap again, but Eetu Luostarinen sealed the game with a goal in an empty net.

In short, the Panthers won 5-2 and are now just one win away from a second consecutive Stanley Cup.

As for the Oilers, they’re on the brink of the abyss, and simply have no room for error.

See you Tuesday for Game #6 in Florida, starting at 8 p.m.

The Panthers lead the series 3-2.

Overtime

– He’s really incredible.

– They’re too good on the road.

– Here are the top scorers from Game #5.

(Credit: NHL.com)
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“If you offer Martin Necas $9 million a year, he won’t sign.”

So far, the Mikko Rantanen trade to Carolina isn’t looking good for Colorado Avalanche management.

A few weeks after the trade, the Finn found himself with the Dallas Stars, the Avalanche’s sectional rivals, and virtually single-handedly eliminated his former club in Game 7 of the series.

Well, this trade might not age so well.

Martin Necas was the centerpiece of the Carolina deal in return for Rantanen.

At the time of the deal, Necas had 55 points in 49 games, finishing the campaign with 83 points, including 27 goals, in 79 games.

This was the 26-year-old center’s first season with more than one point per game.

While the Czech forward showed great improvement over the past year, I believe he has yet to prove that he can do so on a regular basis, and for the moment, he’s not at the level of a player like Rantanen.

However, Necas doesn’t seem particularly interested in staying with the Avalanche for the long term.

Next season, he will complete the final year of a 2-year contract worth $13 million, or $6.5 million per year.

In The DFO Rundown podcast with Frank Seravalli and Jason Gregor, we learn that the Czech is not ready to sign in Colorado for $9 million a year.

9 million is already a lot of money for a guy who has only had one 80+ point season in his career.

However, the Avalanche can’t afford to lose him for nothing at the end of the season if the team doesn’t want to take a serious step backwards.

If Necas has another good season, Avs management will have to get out their checkbook and offer him the amount he’s asking for.

Because if the team lets him go without a good return, the Rantanen trade will make team general manager Chris MacFarland look even worse.

Overtime

– Brad Marchand (who else) opens the scoring.

– Sam Bennett doubles the Panthers’ lead.

– The only one to do it with two different teams.

– CFM opens the scoring.

– A double for Prince Owusu!

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Jason Robertson: Stars are a rare and logical trade partner for the Habs

Many expected the Canadiens to acquire a second center during the off-season.

However, at the end of the season, Kent Hughes and the organization said they were open to acquiring some forward help, without it having to be a center.

Could that player be Jason Robertson, a left-winger?

Arpon Basu and Marc Antoine Godin discussed this possibility in the latest episode of The Base & Godin Show podcast.

The Dallas Stars forward will complete the final year of a four-year, $31 million contract (average annual salary $7.45 million) and become an uncompensated free agent at the end of next season.

At 25 years of age, Robertson should enjoy a healthy salary increase with campaigns of 79, 109, 80 and 80 points. He has also scored 35 or more goals in three of the last four seasons.

The problem for the Stars is that they have little wiggle room with their salary cap.

According to Puckpedia, the team has $4,955,084 to spend this summer, and several Dallas players will be unrestricted free agents: forwards Jamie Benn, Matt Duchene, Evgenii Dadonov, Mikael Granlund and Colin Blackwell, as well as defensemen Codi Ceci and Brendan Smith.

That’s a lot of people to sign for just under $5 million.

The Stars will have to make some tough choices, as many of these players were at the heart of the Stars’ success last season, but they’re all field hockey players past their thirties who could quickly decline in the years to come.

On the other hand, the Stars can’t afford to let everyone go either, and they’ll have to bring back at least some of their veterans.

This is where we start to see how Mikko Rantanen’s $12 million per year contract (not to mention Tyler Seguin’s $9.85 million per year for two more years) could quickly force Dallas to sacrifice some of its depth.

Which brings us to Robertson: I don’t see how the Stars will have the money to sign him at the end of the next campaign.

Will the Texans risk taking him on the free agent market for nothing? I think it would be the worst move for them.

And the Canadiens could be a good trade partner for the Stars, as the team has several quality young players still on their NHL entry-level contracts

However, the price to pay for a player of Roberson’s caliber is going to be high, probably two or three good prospects, as he’s been an elite forward for four seasons already, but it would definitely be a solid acquisition for our top six.

Overtime

  • The city is in hockey mode!

– A nice visit.

– Last Saturday of hockey for a while!

– The coach ‘s speech after the win.

– Jays loss.

– The end for Zack Wheeler?

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“If Lane Hutson signs for eight years this summer, it would be more like $9M a year.”

Ever since Lane Hutson won the Calder Trophy this week, the subject of his contract has once again become the talk of the town. Just about everyone expects him to sign a huge contract, but no one can agree on when it will happen, and more importantly, what his annual salary will be.

The idea of him earning $12 million a year has been raised… and even as high as $12.5 million.

That said, these amounts don’t necessarily make immediate sense. At $12.5 million a year, Hutson would be the 4th-highest-paid player in the entire NHL… and as good as he’s been this season, he doesn’t yet have what it takes to get that kind of money, regardless of whether or not the cap goes up.

He’s not the one who’s going to reset the market: Cale Makar will do that within the next two years.

And Alexandre Gascon, who was on Tellement hockey yesterday, agreed: he doesn’t really see Hutson going for such a big contract if he signs long-term this summer:

If Lane Hutson signs for eight years this summer, it would be more like $9 million a year. – Alexandre Gascon

Such an amount would make Hutson the player with the second-biggest contract in the Canadiens’ history, just behind a certain Carey Price. Price got $10.5 million a year back in the day, and if Hutson signs for “within $9 million”, he’ll have a smaller contract than Price.

And to my mind, it makes a lot more sense if we’re talking about a contract for Hutson this summer. If we take the example of Makar, for example, he got $9 million a year on his second contract… and he had just finished second in the Norris Trophy voting.

It might take a little more than that to sign Hutson long-term this summer… but not necessarily much more.

And that’s why Hutson might be better off waiting another year before signing his contract. By waiting until the summer of 2026, he can give himself even more ammunition with another big campaign… and possibly wait for Makar to reset the market to negotiate his own pact.

The Avalanche will probably want to deal Makar, who becomes a free agent on July 1, 2027, as early as the summer of 2026. The club clearly doesn’t want another Mikko Rantanen situation, and traded Rantanen with a view to paying the most recent Norris Trophy winner.

That said, if Hutson wants to ensure financial security this summer, it’s possible he’ll decide to settle without necessarily wanting to wait. But if that happens, don’t be surprised if his annual salary stays in the seven figures.

Overtime

– Nothing less.

– George Russell will start on pole tomorrow in Montreal.

– She’s amazing.

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Dante Fabbro: the Habs could correct last winter’s mistake on July 1

Last November, the Nashville Predators put defenseman Dante Fabbro’s name on the waivers. The team’s early-season failures (after an aggressive summer) forced GM Barry Trotz to make a move, and Fabbro was traded.

And at the time, the Habs seemed like the obvious team to ask for Fabbro. With only David Savard and Justin Barron as right-handers (Alexandre Carrier wasn’t in town yet), there was a crying need for an NHL-capable right-handed defenseman.

In the end, though, the Habs didn’t ask for him. Instead, he headed for Columbus… where he revived his career.

Nine goals and 26 points in 63 games with a +28 rating: he played some great hockey with the Blue Jackets.

On July 1, Fabbro will become a free agent… and the Habs will have the opportunity to correct last winter’s mistake if they can reach an agreement with Fabbro.

Arpon Basu (The Athletic) has identified Fabbro as the Habs’ perfect target on the free-agent market.

There’s a very real chance that Fabbro won’t reach the autonomy market (the Blue Jackets have a lot of money and could decide to sign him), but if Fabbro does reach the market, he definitely has the profile to interest the Habs. A right-handed defenseman who’ll be 27 in a week wouldn’t be out of place in the city.

Especially since David Savard’s retirement leaves only Alexandre Carrier as the only experienced right-handed defenseman in town. David Reinbacher and Logan Mailloux could make the jump to the NHL next year, but who knows if they’ll be able to hold their own.

Fabbro isn’t likely to cost a fortune, and picking him up would buy time for guys like Reinbacher and Mailloux if they’re not yet ready to play in the Bettman circuit. And in the longer term, he could be the perfect kind of player on a third pair (who could fill in on the top-4 in the event of injury).

The Habs undoubtedly want a defenseman to replace Savard, and if they can reach an agreement with Fabbro, they’ll have the opportunity to correct their mistake of last winter.

Let’s see what happens.

Overtime

– Patrik Laine is at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve today.

– I’m thinking the same thing.

– News from Anthony Santander.