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“The Habs may be holding back so as not to risk blocking a Crosby deal”

Ever since Price was traded to the San Jose Sharks, Habs fans have been eagerly awaiting another trade to add a 2nd center to the roster. Now that the Habs have more wiggle room under the salary cap, everyone is waiting for a trade to fill that famous need. With the rookie face-off starting last night and training camp getting underway soon, time is running out before the season begins to add that second center, and several names have been rumored to fill the need, including Mason McTavish and Sidney Crosby. McTavish is still without a contract for next season, and that’s what keeps the rumour mill rolling. As for Crosby, the chances of him being traded before the start of the season seem pretty slim. Onthe most recent episode of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Elliotte Friedman had his own thoughts. According to the renowned tipster, Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes are probably holding back so as not to risk blocking a potential Sidney Crosby deal. This excerpt can be found at the 60th minute of the episode.

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“Gorton and Hughes… Do you sit there and say you’re not going to do anything with such-and-such a player because it might block a Crosby deal?”

–

Elliotte Friedman

That would indeed be a possibility, because if the Habs acquire a player, it’s bound to increase the club’s payroll and would greatly complicate things for adding Crosby’s services. But on the other hand, if the Habs were to add a player to their roster, it would most likely be a second center, so Crosby’s services wouldn’t be needed as much. Let’s take the example of a guy like McTavish being acquired from the Habs to fill that second-line center position. The salary of his next contract will bring the Habs dangerously close to the salary cap, even if a contract is sent in return (e.g. Kirby Dach at $3.362 M per season). And acquiring Crosby in addition to McTavish would be rather… ridiculous, knowing that they wouldn’t be cheap and that quality players/prospects and picks would be sent in. So, if the Habs really want to keep their chances of getting Crosby between now and the deadline, they’ll have to keep a lid on the trade market to facilitate a deal. In short, we’ll have to wait and see what Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton come up with.

[spacer title=’Overtime’] – No Ivan Demidov on the horizon,

– The former Trois-Rivières Lions and Laval Rocket player is enjoying his KHL debut.

– Obviously, several teams would be interested in adding the services of a Kirill Kaprizov.

– DeBoer walks back his words.

– To read.

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Emil Heineman very excited about the deal that made him leave the Canadiens

The start of training camp is fast approaching, with the Montreal Canadiens’ annual golf tournament starting on Monday, and the first pre-season game the following Monday, September 22. The Pittsburgh Penguins will be at the Bell Centre, and that’s where the real action will begin.

A number of players will be looking to make their mark, in order to cause a surprise and secure an NHL spot for the start of the regular season. It will be interesting to see who this year’s Emil Heineman will be, the young surprise of the camp. Speaking of Heineman, he will soon be attending his first practice camp as an established NHL player, when he takes his first steps with the New York Islanders.

The 23-year-old Swedish forward is thrilled to be in New York, and explained that he was very excited about the Noah Dobson trade that sent him to the Islanders.

[content-ads] Indeed, that’s what Heineman explained ashe spoke to the New York media for the first time since the deal. The Habs alumnus says he’s thrilled about the new opportunity, while explaining that it’s a great new adventure for him and his girlfriend.

Heineman explains that, having heard from his agent that his name was being considered for the Islanders, he immediately started looking at and analyzing New York on his phone, while at a soccer game. The Swede had to calm down, however, as he was so excited by the idea of New York as a rumor.

In the end, the deal went through, and Heineman said he was more than ready for the new challenge, and that he was really excited about it. Heineman now heads into training camp as an established player, who should confirm his place in the Islanders line-up. He’s confident that he can bring a lot to the Islanders, and that he’ll be able to adjust to his new team.

In short, we wish Heineman all the best, and he’ll be back at the Bell Centre on February 26, 2026. spacer title=’En Rafale’] – An excellent start to the season for Filip Eriksson.

– The complete trade.

– To be continued.

– That’s a good thing.

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Adam Engstrom was the Habs’ best defenseman (ahead of David Reinbacher)

Finally! Hockey was back in full swing last night, with the first game for the Montreal Canadiens’ prospects, as they took on the Winnipeg Jets’ hopefuls. The atmosphere at the Bell Centre was absolutely insane for a simple prospects game, which must have left many of the Habs’ and Jets’ young players speechless. It was a good hockey game, which the Habs’ prospects unfortunately lost 4-3.

It’s a shame we lost, or that we didn’t get to go to overtime, but the important thing was to see the Habs’ best prospects in action so we could analyze them. And in general, the big names all had a good game, apart from Ivan Demidov, who was simply in a class of his own, as he seemed to be playing against pee-wees.

Florian Xhekaj was very good alongside Demidov, as was Oliver Kapanen, and on the defensemen’s side, it went well too. In fact, for me, Adam Engstrom was the Habs’ best defenseman, ahead of David Reinbacher.

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[content-ads] The Swedish defenseman showed great things last night, bringing out all his qualities in every appearance. His excellent skating, his vision of the game, his calmness with the puck and his good defensive stick are all elements that stood out for me yesterday. And I repeat, for me, Engstrom was better than Reinbacher.

Obviously, the Austrian defenseman didn’t have a bad game, on the contrary, as we saw several flashes from him, but I found that he was caught out much more often, including on this sequence where he looked like an orange cone.

[content-ads] It’s only a rookie game, sure, but getting pantsed like that by a 23-year-old who just finished five seasons in the U.S. collegiate ranks and has scored just 10 points, including five goals, in 37 games isn’t ideal.

Maybe I’m being hard on Reinbacher, but I just have a hard time seeing him as a fifth overall pick, when a guy like Adam Engstrom (3rd round pick – 92nd in 2022) stands out more.

Reinbacher’s going to be good, but will he be as good as a fifth overall pick should be? That remains to be seen. Anyway, back to Engstrom, I really loved his fluidity on skates, and especially his calmness with the puck. He never panics, and he almost always makes the right decision, without getting out of position. If he keeps this up, he could seriously muddy the waters at training camp, as he really plays like a defenseman who can aspire to an NHL position as early as this year.

[spacer title=’En Rafale’] – Unbelievable,

– Former Habs player fined.

– To be continued.

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– To be noted.

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“The Flames would really like Kirby Dach to get back into shape”

The Kirby Dach issue has been the talk of the town this summer, with many questioning whether the center will start the season on time due to his knee injury. But more importantly, people are wondering whether, when he returns to action, Dach will be able to be the pivot of the second line and complement the work of Ivan Demidov and Patrik Laine.

That’s what Marco D’Amico discussed on The Shaun Starr Show podcast.According to D’Amico, while many fans have already thrown in the towel in the case of the 6’4″ player, that’s far from the case for the Canadiens. The organization paid dearly to pick up Dach, giving the 13th and 66th picks to the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2022 draft. The 13th pick had just been acquired from the New York Islanders in a trade for defenseman Alexander Romanov. That first-round pick became Frank Nazar, a 21-year-old center with 27 points in 56 NHL games who signed a seven-year extension worth $46.2 million (annual average $6,599,991) with the Hawks. [content-ads]Let’s just say the Habs would love to have him as their second center.

It’s clear that Kent Hughes will want to maximize his return on Dach and not lose him for nothing. What’s more, according to D’Amico, the center could be of interest to a team like the Calgary Flames, who are looking for this type of right-handed, big-player. If Dach has a good start to the season, this is the kind of club that could be interested in acquiring him during the next campaign.

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However, if the 24-year-old performs well this year on the second line, the Habs might also be less inclined to trade him since it would partly solve the team’s second-center problem.

Ultimately, it depends on Dach’s performance. If he can reach his full potential, produce regularly and feed his linemates well, the solution for the second line could already be with the team.

What’s more, D’Amico also believes that the Habs are in no hurry to acquire a second center, as the trade market is likely to get busy at the end of November when several teams, not thinking of making the playoffs, will quickly become sellers, notably to maximize their chances of winning the Gavin McKenna lottery.

[spacer title=’En rafale’] – Today

captain and his assistants

– What a deke by Ivan Demidov!

X

– A departure to be expected?

– Another Jays comeback.

– Nice visit.

– Wow!

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“Adam Engström, he could draw interest from other NHL teams”

When you think of the Habs’ top prospects, Adam Engström isn’t necessarily the name that catches your eye. After all, it’s easy to forget him in a group that also includes Ivan Demidov, Michael Hage, David Reinbacher and Jacob Fowler. But the fact is, without being as flashy as the other names, Engström has been steadily improving since he was drafted. Seeing him have a big year in Laval last year has boosted his popularity in town… to the point where his coach in Laval, Pascal Vincent, sees him on the doorstep of the NHL,no less.The problem, though, is that the Habs already have a surplus on the blue line, so it could be hard for him to break through. But on the Tellement hockey podcast (Radio-Canada Sports), Marc Antoine Godin reminded us that even if there isn’t room for Engström, a big camp on his part could help the Habs:

He could spark interest from other teams across the NHL.

–

Marc Antoine Godin

https://youtu.be/zHJJPf_Xi40?si=W2WoqZtYH2SzFIdg&t=1790 [content-ads]This isn’t the first time we’ve heard such a thing: earlier this summer, Marco D’Amico also mentioned the fact that scouts across the league are starting to show more and more interest in Engström. His big season in Laval last year really caught the eye, and while we wonder how the Habs could get their hands on a center to round out their top-6, seeing Engström become a real quality trade chip would be helpful for Kent Hughes. After all, good young defensemen are the envy of many teams,as we saw in Montreal as recently as this summer: Logan Mailloux enabled the club to acquire Zachary Bolduc. Engström doesn’t yet have the same status as Mailloux, but he could eventually get it if he continues to impress.Obviously, there’s a limit to how many defensemen the Habs can afford to trade. But with Kaiden Guhle and Lane Hutson part of the team’s core of left-handed defensemen, plus Arber Xhekaj and Jayden Struble (who are good young defensemen), there’s a long-term surplus.And that’s not counting a scenario in which Mike Matheson signs a new contract in town.So it’ll be interesting to watch the Swede’s camp, but it’s not crazy to think that it’ll also be a great opportunity to put him in the shop window.

Because if the Habs can (still) dip into their defensive surplus to solve their attacking problems, it’ll be a good move by the club.[spacer title=’Overtime’]- The guys are ready for tonight.

– Indeed.

– Well done.

– Signing for the Cowboys.

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“If Sidney Crosby leaves Pittsburgh, it will be to play in Montreal”

Since the start of the week, Sidney Crosby has been the talk of Montreal. The subject of his future came back to the forefront following his interview with Pierre LeBrun… in which he and his agent did nothing to quell the speculation. in which he and his agent did nothing to quell the speculation.It would have been easy to do so… but it didn’t happen.Of course, the Canadiens keep coming back to this issue. We know that Crosby was a Habs fan when he was young, and we sense that he has a special bond with that crowd. That said, there are other teams that are the talk of the town, whether it’s the Avalanche (where Nathan MacKinnon plays), the Kings (Pat Brisson and Luc Robitaille are good friends) or the Lightning (for Jon Cooper).

However, on yesterday’s episode of his Worst Seats In The House podcast, Michael Russo(The Athletic), who is very well connected in the U.S., mentioned this at the end of the episode:

[Sidney] Crosby, if he goes anywhere else, it will be to play in Montreal.

–

Michael Russo

[content-ads]For those less familiar with him, Russo is primarily assigned to covering the Wild, but he’s one of the best-connected journalists at The Athletic. That’s why it’s so interesting to hear him say this.Because yes, the noise linking Crosby to the Canadiens is also heard far from Montreal.We know that the Canadiens are in a special position in this matter, given that they’re both on the way to becoming competitive soon, but also in a position to give some good young players to the Penguins.

That’s not the case for the other teams that have been linked to Crosby… although, in reality, I agree with colleague Tony Patoine that it probably won’t cost too much: wherever Crosby wants to go, the Penguins will honour his request, even if they don’t get a fortune in return.Of course, for that to happen, Crosby himself will have to decide to leave Pittsburgh. We don’t yet know if he will, but there’s a growing feeling that, if he does, the Habs will leave with a (big) head start.That’s not likely to make too many people in town unhappy. [spacer title=’Overtime’]- Quite an entrance for the Habs’ prospect.

– It’s not just the CH that changed the design of its centre ice logo this summer.

– Interesting.

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Spencer Knight’s new contract: further proof that Samuel Montembeault is a bargain

Just under two years ago, Samuel Montembeault signed a new three-year contract with the Canadiens. We’re talking about a pact that began last season and pays him $3.15 M per year.Remember that, at the time, Montembeault was stuck in a three-way partnership with Jake Allen and Cayden Primeau, but he was establishing himself as the club’s true #1.And since then, Monty has really become the club’s #1. He’s just had a great season, and he’s clearly established himself as the starter in town. And the more time passes, the more his contract looks like a bargain. In the last few minutes, for example, we learned that Spencer Knight and the Blackhawks have agreed on the terms of a three-year contract.We’re talking about a pact that will pay Knight $5.83333 per year starting next season.

[content-ads]It’s worth remembering, however, that last year in Chicago, Knight maintained a 3.12 goals-against average and a 0.896 save percentage. We know he didn’t have a big club in front of him, and the Blackhawks are banking on his (great) potential, but this contract shows just how much of a bargain Montembeault is in Montreal.When you look at the annual salaries of new contracts for starting goaltenders in the NHL, they’re rarely under $5 million. The Habs have one… for $3.15 M.All of which makes Monty a very interesting player to watch next summer. The Québécois will be eligible to sign a contract extension as of July 1… and with another fine season under his belt, he’ll have a strong case for a handsome salary.The Habs will probably want to keep him… but we know that the club also has Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler as young goaltenders who could establish themselves full-time in the NHL one day.It’sstill too early to say which way the Habs will go… but next summer will be an interesting one for the club’s future in net. Because if the club really has faith in Fowler and Dobes, it’ll be hard to justify a long-term contract for Monty if he can almost double his salary on his next deal.

[spacer title=’Overtime’]- Of note on Spencer Knight’s contract:

– A workhorse, that Sergei Bobrovsky.

– Jack Eichel: it could soon be settled in Vegas, believes Chris Johnston.

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Six to eight weeks’ absence: Corey Perry to miss start of season

Last night, we learned that Corey Perry had suffered a serious injury during an on-ice practice. The Kings’ newest member had to leave the rink in a wheelchair… and there was cause for concern about his health,especially since the season starts in less than a month. That doesn’t leave a ton of time to recover from a serious injury,so we wondered if his start to the season was in jeopardy… and this morning we learned that Perry would indeed miss the start of the campaign.

The Kings have announced that Perry underwent knee surgery yesterday and will be out for six to eight weeks –and with the Kings kicking off their season on October 7, it’s safe to say he won’t be there.

[content-ads]An absence of six to eight weeks means we can expect to see Perry somewhere in the first half of November. The Kings have 12 games on the schedule in October, so Perry will miss a considerable portion of the calendar,and that’s assuming he’s ready to return as early as November 1 (so, in about six weeks instead of eight) and doesn’t suffer a setback in his rehabilitation. Because, after all, at his age (40), the body often takes longer to recover.Of course, we hope Perry recovers quickly from his injury. But with less than a month to go before the start of the season, it’s an injury that really, really hurts the Kings.A tough blow, then.[spacer title=’Overtime’]- Here’s the Jets’ lineup for tonight’s game against the Habs.

– Wow!

– Joel Bouchard will be behind the Lightning bench this weekend.

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Practice camp: fighting for an encore rather than a position

After many long months of waiting, it’s finally game day for the Montreal Canadiens. Although it’s not yet the start of the preparatory schedule or the regular season, it’s still a game at the Bell Centre, featuring, among others, Ivan Demidov. And that’s something we’ve been wanting to see for a long time. The Canadiens will be holding two prospect games this weekend, followed by the official start of the real training camp.

The only downside for the vast majority, if not all, of these prospects (aside from Ivan Demidov) is that they’ll be fighting more for a potential NHL call-up than for a starting spot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHJJPf_Xi40 [content-ads] As Marc-Antoin Godin explains in the latest episode of “Tellement Hockey”, the Habs have a few young players who could aspire to an NHL job. Oliver Kapanen, Owen Beck and Florian Xhekaj could all deserve an NHL position, but in the end, they’ll probably be fighting over who gets called back to Montreal first in the event of injury.

Clearly, we’d like to see at least one of these three guys with the Habs to start the season, but the Habs already have a lineup that could overflow: Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Patrik Laine, Ivan Demidov, Zachary Bolduc, Kirby Dach, Alex Newhook, Brendan Gallagher, Josh Anderson and Jake Evans are already guaranteed to make the team.

That’s 11 forwards already, and there’s one spot left on the ice, which is likely to go to Joe Veleno, at the expense of Samuel Blais [content-ads] So there are 13 forwards in Montreal, and it’s clear that the Habs aren’t going to keep Kapanen, Beck or Xhekaj in Montreal and leave him in the stands as an extra forward.

So, unless Kirby Dach isn’t fit to start the season, we’re likely to see these three prospects start the season with the Laval Rocket, which wouldn’t be a bad thing in itself. All three guys will have to give 100%, because when a door opens in Montreal, they’re all going to be first on the recall list. The same situation exists on defense, where the Habs have seven NHL defensemen, which is likely to push David Reinbacher and Adam Engstrom back to Laval by default.

Still, you never know, but that’s how it’s shaping up just days before the opening of training camp [spacer title=’En Rafale’] – To read.

– To follow for those interested.

– Bravo!

– Too bad.

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Much to Pascal Vincent’s surprise, Filip Mesar wants to fight next season

The Laval Rocket had an absolutely terrific season in 2024-2025, finishing first in the AHL under Pascal Vincent. What made the Rocket such a great team was, of course, the perfect mix of veterans and young talent, but it was also the rugged side of the team with guys like Florian Xhekaj.

And with a view to next season, Pascal Vincent explained yesterday that he wanted to toughen up his team even more, so the players will have to be ready to give their all physically, and Filip Mesar has understood this to the letter, and perhaps even a little too literally. Indeed, the 21-year-old Slovakian prospect said yesterday that he wanted to throw down the gloves at least once in the 2025-2026 season.

And when Pascal Vincent learned of Mesar’s wish via journalists, let’s just say he was extremely surprised and unsettled.[content-ads] As can be seen in the excerpt, the Rocket head coach is somewhat stunned, as he questions whether we are indeed talking about Filip Mesar. The journalists confirm this, adding that it is Mesar’s wish, following Vincent’s request for a tougher, more robust team for next season.

Vincent went on to say that if this was Mesar’s wish, so much the better, but that in the end, he was going to go and talk to him to understand this statement, which gave the journalists a good laugh.Because let’s just say that at 5 foot 10 and 184 pounds, Mesar isn’t the first player we’d think of to throw down the gloves.

In short, it’s nice to see the Slovakian prospect’s motivation and determination for next season, but the fact remains that he really doesn’t need to fight to restore his image and potential.Injuries have slowed Mesar down a lot, and he’s aware that as a first-round draft prospect, he’ll have to give a lot more, and very soon.

Juraj Slafkovsky’s childhood friend seems to have the right mentality, and we can only hope that everything clicks in his game so that he can have a good season in the AHL. [spacer title=’Overtime’] – It’s game day ladies and gentlemen!

– What do you think

– This will be a very interesting new circuit to follow.

– Bravo!

– Stay tuned.

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