Author: Dose

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100-point season: “Lane Hutson is one of three defenders who could do it”

In 2022-23, Erik Karlsson, then playing for the Sharks, scored 101 points in a single season, becoming the first defenseman since Brian Leetch (1990-91) to score 100 points in a single campaign. That‘s a feat achieved by only six defensemen in NHL history.Of course, to achieve all that, you need a defenseman with exceptional offensive skills. The other two big names at this level in the league in recent years, Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar, collected 92 in one campaign, but not 100. In the eyes of many, therefore, they are the most logical candidates to register 100 in one season… but Frank Corrado(TSN) puts another name on that list: Lane Hutson.And for him, they’re really the only three players who could do it.

[content-ads]Last season, in his rookie year, Hutson scored 66 points in 82 games. This came in a context where he wasn’t playing on the first powerplay wave from Day 1… and in a context where he was part of a young, immature lineup that was also without Ivan Demidov for almost the entire year.

Thelast time a Canadiens player scored 100 points in a single season was when Markus Naslund scored 110 in 1985-86. It’s been a long time, then, and Hutson has the potential to do it,as do Nick Suzuki and Ivan Demidov, we agree… but to place Hutson, a defenseman, in that group, is a testament to his immense offensive talent.In a few years’ time, it’s far from impossible that the Habs defenseman will manage to score 100 points in a campaign.Let’s see if he ever does.spacer title=’Overtime’]- Interesting.

– Great opportunity for the Québécois.

👀🎾

– Will he select himself?

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If Artemi Panarin really hits the market, the Habs have the right man for the job

The New York Rangers didn’t have an easy season in 2024-25. After three great seasons, the club was in the midst of countless sagas that ultimately resulted in a playoff miss.It was far from goals and expectations… and Peter Laviolette, who led the club, lost his job.So now it’s up to Mike Sullivan to step in as coach… but there’s one of his players whose future is already the talk of the town: Artemi Panarin: The Russian forward will enter the final year of his contract in 2025-26… and right now, there’s no indication that a contract extension is on the way, so David Pagnotta, appearing on Campbell vs Gallo(TSN 690), speculated: if the Rangers stagnate again this year, is it possible to see a world in which Panarin is traded this season?

–

[content-ads]At 33, Panarin is nearing the end of his career. He might want to look elsewhere if he doesn’t see a successful future with the Rangers… and that’s interesting in that, should it happen, the Habs have the perfect person to lure him away: Remember that in 2019, when Panarin signed with New York, it was Jeff Gorton who was the club’s GM. Among other things, he had lured Panarin by extolling the virtues of playing in a big market… but also by extolling the special group he was building.It’s funny, but a big market with a promising young core, that reminds me of something, that.

Panarin, in reality, is quite a bit older than the rest of the Habs core. That said, we’re talking about a guy with 96, 92, 120 and 89 points in his last four seasons. If theRangers decide to trade Panarin later this year, Gorton would be crazy not to seize the opportunity and try to chat up his biggest career signing to see if the Russian might be interested in coming to town. And maybe Gorton will also have the opportunity to sell him on July 1 if he reaches the free-agent market,because after all, it’s worked once before… and this time, Gorton also has the Ivan Demidov card in his deck, which could be of interest to Panarin. It won’t be easy and there will be quite a bit of competition, but…[spacer title=’Overtime’]- So much the better.

– Indeed.

– Well done.

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“If Lane Hutson could sign for 16 years today, he would”

There’s been a lot of talk about Lane Hutson’s contract situation in recent months. After all, seeing him break it all in his first year in the NHL has made him a (very) quick crowd favorite in Montreal… and no one wants to see him go.There are plenty who’d like to see him sign for, say, eight years.That said, as of today, the defenseman still hasn’t signed. It’s not the end of the world, but for some, it’s still a cause for concern… Except that, according to Marco D’Amico, who talked about it on The Shaun Starr Show, there’s really nothing to worry about. Far from it:

“My feeling is that if Lane Hutson could sign a 16-year contract today, he would.

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Marco D’Amico

https://youtu.be/q0D4D0nF3U4?si=2TpUvEpe_Bfok8rd&t=1455 [content-ads]What seems clear at the moment is that there’s no lack of desire for Hutson to stay in Montreal, far from it. The kid wants to be in town for many, many years to come… but his agent is making sure that the defenseman’s emotions don’t get the better of the rational aspect of the thing.We want to avoid that in a few years, for example, the defenseman gets frustrated at having a contract that’s ridiculously too low for what he brings to the ice.On theother hand, if Hutson really wants to sign a long contract right now, he’ll have to hurry: under the new collective agreement, a player will no longer be able to sign an eight-year contract extension: the maximum will be seven years.

However, just because Hutson wants to stay in Montreal doesn’t necessarily mean he wants to sign for eight years: he might prefer to sign several shorter contracts, too… especially if his agent sells him on the idea.We’ll see how this file develops, but don’t worry about the fact that the defender still doesn’t have a contract in his pocket. It’ll all work out eventually.[spacer title=’Overtime’]- Colleague Marc-Olivier Cook praised Zachary Bolduc’s shot on Tony Marinaro’s Sick Podcast last night.

– Jack Eichel’s future continues to be the talk of the town.

– I love it.

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Dossier Mason McTavish: “The Habs have the resources to interest the Ducks”

Mason McTavish’s name is one that has been the talk of the NHL this summer. The Ducks’ young center, who is still without a contract for next season, seems to be at the heart of some rather complex negotiations in Anaheim… so much so that the idea of seeing him change teams has had its day.Especially when you know that the player’s clan was hoping that an offer sheet would be submitted.And obviously, the Habs have been linked to this file. The club is looking for a second center… and McTavish ticks just about every box Montreal is looking for. And in recent days, David Pagnotta discussed McTavish’s case on Campbell vs Gallo (TSN 690), and here’s what he had to say about the rumors sending him to Montreal:

The Habs have a ton of young talent. I’m sure there’s enough to interest the Ducks.

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David Pagnotta

[content-ads]The question, of course, is whether the Ducks are interested in trading McTavish. That said, in a world where negotiations continue to stagnate, perhaps the club will then be tempted to look elsewhere to try and find an interesting alternative.And that’s something Kent Hughes can offer the Ducks. On the other hand, a guy like McTavish is likely to cost a lot in a transaction. It’s hard to imagine the Habs getting McTavish out of Anaheim without giving away one of their top prospects –Michael Hage and David Reinbacher come to mind, for example. But for a center like McTavish, trading Hage becomes easier to digest: McTavish would be today what Hage could become in a few years.One also wonders if a trade would involve draft picks, which the Habs also have in abundance. The club has the resources to pay… but it still needs to have the best offer on the table for the Ducks to send him to Montreal rather than elsewhere.And that’s assuming he’s available in the first place, you know.[spacer title=’Overtime’]- I love it.

– Wow!

– Quite a performance.

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Pat Maroon on Caufield: “Sometimes size doesn’t matter”

Smaller players sometimes have a hard time building a reputation in the NHL. Some see them as “useless” in the playoffs… because they can’t stir up the pot. We’ve heard this before from Cole Caufield, but in Pat Maroon’s eyes, Caufield is more than just a small player: he’s a very, very good NHL player. But in Pat Maroon’s eyes, Caufield is more than a little player: he sees him as a very, very good National League player. Maroon made a point of complimenting Cole Caufield during a segment(NHL Network) dedicated to the best young American players born since the year 2000. And the NHL veteran, who retired at the end of last season, had this to say:

Sometimes size doesn ‘t matter. He finds a way to succeed. Ijust love his game.He’s a small guy, but he gets in the zone and finds a way to score […] His shot is exceptional.

–

Pat Maroon

Clearly, Caufield’s talent is recognized:

[content-ads] Cole Caufield is 5’8 and 175 pounds.

Granted, that’s not the kind of frame that would usually allow a guy to be dominant in the world’s best hockey league, but… we’re talking about a player who has 219 points in his first 287 career NHL games, and a guy who is averaging 0.41 goals per game since joining the NHL… which is pretty impressive, thanks. And what explains it all, as Pat Maroon mentioned… is the quality of his shot.Caufield is dangerous when he uses his favorite weapon:

His years in the NCAA had allowed us to really discover his scoring talents, but we wondered if he’d be able to fill the net in the NHL too. So far, he has. And that’s likely to be the case for many years to come… provided the Canadiens have plenty of talented players to surround him and give him the puck when needed. [spacer title=’Overtime’] – When’s McDavid’s next contract?

– Great news for the Remparts.

– I’m surprised

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New contract for Patrik Laine in Montreal: “interest from both sides”

Patrik Laine’s future in Montreal is the talk of the town. When the playoffs came to an end, many people wanted to see Laine leave Montreal. He hadn’t been the most useful of men at the end of the season, let’s put it that way, but despite everything, the main player wants to stay in Montreal. He confirmed it in an interview, even explaining why he likes playing in Montreal so much.

But what does the Canadiens think? After all, the emphasis is often on the player these days when it comes to his future. But you know what they say: it takes two to dance, so do Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton want to continue dancing with Laine, who is a prolific scoring dancer? Marco D’Amico, who was on BPM Sports yesterday, discussed the subject with FX Bénard. And according to D’Amico, who’s well connected in town, the door is clearly open.

At the moment, I don’t think it’s necessarily hyper-deep negotiations. But I think there’s definitely [interest] on both sides. But at $8.7 million, we’ll have to review the salary.

–

Marco D’Amico

[content-ads]Obviously, nothing’s done yet. Just because the player wants to stay in town doesn’t mean the Canadiens are going to give him a contract. Especially not at $8.7 million a year…And that’s despite the fact that he’s healthy (it’s been a long time since he’s been this fit, to be honest) and more motivated than ever for several weeks now.

I get the feeling that the Canadiens are in no hurry to extend his contract. After all, the Finn hasn’t yet proved that he can be a good part of the club’s future, in the medium or long term. Laine, if he wants to sign right now, would have to take a huge discount. It would therefore be to everyone’s advantage to let the situation play itself out and see, during the season, how it plays out. The player could show his true worth to everyone – something we haven’t yet seen in Montreal because of his knee – and the club could decide on his importance based on what it will offer in 2025-2026.That would make more sense.[content-ads]But in reality, his future in town will also depend on the club’s organizational chart. Because if Zachary Bolduc joins Ivan Demidov, Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky among the indispensable wingers in the top-6, it’ll be a game-changer for Laine.The Habs didn’t go looking for Bolduc not to give him a chance.

So it all boils down to one thing: it’s still early to make any decisions in Laine’s case. Everyone needs a little more time to make up their minds, in all likelihood. We’ll see in due course, then. [spacer title=’en rafale’]- Enjoy listening

– Wow.

– To read.

– Like it or not?

– To be continued

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Jake Evans’ father-in-law has over 500 NHL points

Not only did the Canadiens’ center get married, but he also signed a four-year contract to stay in Montreal, helped the club get back to the playoffs… and became a father. #Ican’t wait to see what impact his new life as a father will have on his game on the ice. After all, it’s safe to assume that he and his wife won’t be getting much sleep in the short term.One baby keeps you awake. Butspeaking of his wife, it’s interesting to note that in Emily Evans’ entourage, her husband Jake isn’t consistently the best hockey player of the bunch. Emily Evans, whose birth surname is Flatley, is the daughter of Patrick Flatley, a former NHL player who rolled his hump in New York for 14 years. Stu Cowan wrote about the Canadiens’

[content-ads]Patrick Flatley was a first-round pick in 1982. He played 13 years with the Islanders before finishing his pro career with the Rangers in 1996-1997. Flatley is from Toronto and his family is based in Ontario since his daughter Emily met Jake Evans when they were both in high school. Flatley played 780 games in the show and collected 510 points. His career earnings are estimated at over $3.5 M. One thing’s for sure: as much from their father’s side as their mother’s, Jake and Emily Evans’ twins do have hockey in their blood. [spacer title=’Overtime’]- A machine.

– Read on.

– To be continued.

– ÉCJ file: an upcoming conflict between the NHL and the Players’ Association? [

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Francis Bouillon likes Nick Suzuki’s evolution as leader of the Canadiens

Nick Suzuki has established himself as an ideal captain in recent seasons with the Canadiens, leading by example both on and off the ice, and supporting his teammates and prospects.When asked by RDS’s Éric Leblanc about Suzuki’s leadership, Francis Bouillon had nothing but good things to say about the captain.

Bouillon has noticed an evolution in Suzuki’s leadership, not only over the past few seasons, but also over the past few weeks. While most players are heading back to their hometowns or taking vacations around the world, Suzuki has remained in Montreal, attending the Habs’ development camp to support the prospects. Bouillon finds it very pleasing to see the captain caring, not only about his team-mates, but also about the young prospects. The player development coach even confessed to Éric Leblanc that he would have loved to have had the captain spend time with him when he was still a young prospect with the Canadiens. A few days ago, Suzuki spoke about the Stanley Cup during an interview with RDS

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[content-ads] Bouillon and Alex Burrows, both of whom attended the Canadiens Children’s Foundation golf tournament, liked what Suzuki had to say. They also believe that the team is at a point where it can really compete, and that this is the right attitude to have on this issue. Suzuki not only has influence over his teammates, but also over his general manager. He was able to convince Kent Hughes not to sell at the last trade deadline, and that decision paid off. He’s able to convince those around him, but his actions always follow his words. Suzuki continues to improve as a leader of the Canadiens each season. With an even more competitive team than last year, he could accomplish great things this season.[spacer title=’Overtime’] – Speaking of Suzuki.

– Fowler the star.

– Bridgewater is officially back in the NFL.

– Wow.

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Patrik Laine: “Fans won’t have to stress until the last game of the season”

After missing out on the playoffs for three consecutive seasons, the Canadiens were back in the spring tournament last season. There was, however, a mountain of stress in the last few games, with Montreal losing three consecutive games before finally winning its final game of the season to secure a playoff spot. This season, there will be no stress. That’s what Patrik Laine assured us in an interview shared by 98.5 Sports

“Fans won’t have to stress until the last game of the season.”

–

Patrik Laine

People won’t have to stress because, according to Laine, the Canadiens will already be in a position to make the playoffs in April. It’s meant to be reassuring, but it’s above all a statement filled with confidence on the part of Laine, who has no shortage of it. What we like to hear most in this interview excerpt is Laine saying that the Habs will no longer be in the “mix”, but rather “in the playoffs”.It’s time to move on from the expression “being in the mix”.One of the things that will go a long way to helping the Habs qualify comfortably for the playoffsishaving Patrik Laine healthy for most of the season. If he can stay healthy and consistent, Laine can be a big part of the Canadiens’ season. Say what you will about his first season in Montreal, but without him, the Habs wouldn’t be in the playoffs. Rest assured, Laine is full of confidence and predicts a comfortable playoff spot for the Canadiens. It’s something achievable after this summer’s additions. Now it’s time for the boots to follow the chops. [spacer title=’Overtime’] – Nice look!

– Wow!

– Interesting.

– Bad news for Texans,

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“It wasn’t always pleasant to play on Ivan Demidov’s line”

Ivan Demidov is a guy bursting with talent. As we saw last year, the Habs’ first-round pick in 2024 is possibly the most talented prospect we’ve seen in Montreal in a long, long time.Expectations for him are high… and to see him put his shoulder to the wheel this summer is encouraging.

The fact that he’s so good means that sometimes, you have to expect him to take control of the situation in a game. In an interview with the MHL website, a former teammate of CH forward Maxim Ilyichyov was asked what it’s like to play on the same line as Demidov. And his answer is… interesting:

It wasn’t always pleasant. All he did was pick up the puck and outwit the five players. Every time he passed me the puck, I was the happiest guy in the world.

–

Maxim Ilyichyov

[content-ads]You can tell from his comments that he’s being a bit sarcastic, as he says he’s still in touch with Demidov and wishes him all the best… but then he goes on to say that, in his eyes, Demidov didn’t deserve the KHL Rookie of the Year award last year, despite his historic season.He would have preferred to see forward Artyom Nabiyev win, who collected… 14 points in 62 games. Demidov, meanwhile, collected 49 points in 65 games, so it’s all a bit peculiar… and one has to wonder whether Ilyichyov’s comments aren’t based on a hint of jealousy. After all, this is the first time we’ve heard any real criticism of Demidov in this regard…but it’s interesting to get the perspective of a former linemate of the young Habs forward.[spacer title=’Overtime’]- Hi, David!

– He continues to prepare for next season.

– Interesting.