Author: Dose

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Playing with the Maple Leafs: Michael Pezzetta realizes “a little boy’s dream”

On July 1, Michael Pezzetta signed a contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The forward, who spent nearly a decade in the Habs organization (he was drafted in 2016), surpassed expectations by playing 200 games in a Habs uniform.For a sixth-round pick, regardless of production, that’s a nice accomplishment. The Canadiens, that said, didn’t really have room for the right Pezz anymore, so he decided to leave. And because he grew up in Toronto, he quickly became a Maple Leafs fan as a youngster… and today, when he’ll be wearing the club’s uniform, he admits it’s all still a bit surreal.That’s what he said in an interview for the NHLPA website, claiming he’s fulfilling “a little guy’s dream”.

[content-ads]Pezz explains that those around him are also excited to see him become a member of the Maple Leafs. One of his friends recently wrote that he “still can’t believe it” that Pezzetta is now with the Leafs, and one senses that the main interested party shares some of that sentiment. But what’s also interesting is to see him see how similar the Montreal and Toronto markets are. This means he’s on familiar ground: he knows what it’s like to play in a market that eats hockey, andalso one in which there’s a ton of pressure.Aswesaw in Montreal, Pezzetta is a guy who gives 110% on the ice. Andwhile he won’t be the one to make Mitch Marner forget him, he could be a great piece of support in Toronto. We wish him the best of luck… except against the CH, of course, hehe.

– What do you think?

– He’ll face Deon Nicholson on November 22,

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“Michael Hage is five years away from possibly making a significant impact with the Habs.”

Excluding NHL veteran Ivan Demidov, Michael Hage is the Canadiens’ best forward prospect. A guy like Alexander Zharovsky, as talented as he is, is still far from Hage’s level, who is seen as a top-quality prospect on the Bettman circuit.Scott Wheeler, this summer, placed him 51st in his ranking of the NHL’s top prospects, after all.And in light of the Canadiens’ current search for a 2nd center, Hage is a name that has people talking. The forward plays center, and has a number of interesting attributes that could make him the answer to the Habs’ need any day now. But not everyone agrees… and Eric Macramalla ( TSN 690 contributor), on The Shaun Starr Show, agreed:

[Michael Hage] is five years away from making a significant impact with the Canadiens.

–

Eric Macramalla

https://youtu.be/ImpQNAqVSdI?si=QQCooQi7xyhg3Hok&t=1082 [content-ads]Hage, who just turned 19, scored 34 points in 33 games in his first NCAA season. He’ll play another year in the American college circuit… and we expect to see him make the jump to the pros for the 2026-27 season.Or at the very end of the 2025-26 season, but his first full-time season in the pros won’t be until 2026-27.In the event that Hage spends another year in the NCAA and needs a season or two to take off in the NHL, it’s possible that his real impact in Montreal won’t be felt for a few years. And I think that’s the point: we can’t (yet) consider Hage a sure bet for the second center position.Hage definitely has the potential to become the team’s second center, but he still has some way to go in his development. And in reality, it wouldn’t be surprising if he didn’t become an excellent second center until, say, 2027-28 or even 2028-29.Can the Canadiens afford to be so patient? Inan ideal world, Kirby Dach would have developed sufficiently to be minimally a good transition option. But in the real world, his health is unclear… and he really hasn’t proven to be the solution to that problem.No, there’s a reason Mason McTavish is so linked to the Canadiens… and one wonders if sooner or later, the Habs will have to try to bring in reinforcements from the outside while waiting for Hage… if he really does become that much-sought-after second center, of course.[spacer title=’Overtime’]- I like it.

– Incredible.

– It happens every summer, that.

– Things are bad in the Bronx.

– Ah.

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Staying in Charlevoix: the Habs come close to imitating the Kings for their game in Quebec City

On September 30, the Canadiens will be in Quebec City for a warm-up game at the Centre Vidéotron. On the28th, the Sens will play another game in Quebec City, this time against the Devils.Last year, it was the Kings who came to Quebec City in a saga that caused quite a stir. The public money invested in the project (while part of the public sector was on strike) didn’t go down well, but the Kings also visited the Charlevoix region when they were in the province. And today, CIHO FM reports that the Habs came very close to doing the same thing this year.There were talks… but it all fell through.Remember that the Habs have already visited the region in the past. It was in 2010, when Jacques Martin was at the helm of the team.

[content-ads]

“After going on a “closed retreat” to Teen Ranch, in Caledon, Ontario, last year, the Canadiens will be sticking together in La Malbaie, Charlevoix” (La Presse article, October 2010) (Credit: Capture d’écran/La Presse)

In the CIHO FM text, we learn that the club had initially asked for arrangements to spend two days on the ice, arrangements that the local authorities seemed willing to offer.

It’s also worth noting that the Senators didn’t get in touch with the people in Charlevoix to arrange a stay there.Obviously, this is a shame for the region, which could have benefited from a good turnout for a few days. For the Canadiens, though, the question is whether their change of heart about a stay in Charlevoix opens the door to the possibility of a stay elsewhere in Quebec during their camp.We’ve seen the club hold closed retreats in Mont-Tremblant in recent years: could we see the Habs in the region again? It‘s possible,but what seems clear at the moment is that the Habs won’t be coming to Charlevoix for their practice camp. Too bad.[spacer title=’Overtime’]- I can’t wait to see him this season.

– I’d be extremely surprised.

– Really?

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“I would really consider the idea of Arber Xhekaj playing on the wing in the NHL.”

Arber Xhekaj is a very popular player in Montreal. The defenseman, who has never been drafted, has been a great success story for the Montreal organization in recent years.To see a guy invited to a development camp and force management’s hand to become an NHL player is a great story.That said, Xhekaj is in a special position in Montreal. We know he’s an extremely tough guy with some interesting assets… but he’s a victim of the organization’s surplus of left-handed defensemen. And when everyone’s healthy, it’s not absurd to think that he’s only the team’s seventh defenseman.But in the eyes of some, Xhekaj is a player who brings too many positive elements to be left on the press gallery… and that makes the idea of sending him to the wing one that simply won’t die. And just yesterday, Brian Wilde talked about it again on Tony Marinaro’s Sick Podcast:

I would definitely consider the idea of Arber Xhekaj playing wing in the NHL.

–

Brian Wilde

https://www.youtube.com/live/uFb7iWOyINE?si=b9XgzehpkFxoiDJJ&t=1498 [content-ads]And in fact, the idea of sending Xhekaj to the wing is defensible. We know that his defensive game has been criticized at times, but above all, we know that he has a tendency to be undisciplined.Losing a defenseman for two minutes (or even more, if he fights) hurts… but losing a winger for a few minutes is easier to handle.And of course, the idea of seeing Arber play on the same line as his brother Florian one day would be a great story.That said, Xhekaj still has to be interested in making the switch.It‘s an idea that, for better or worse, simply won’t die. I have a feeling that, for the time being, considering the fact that the Habs have more NHL-calibre depth on the wing than on the blue line, we won’t be giving it a try…But I wouldn’t be surprised if, one day, we see him playing on the wing. And I have a feeling that if the Canadiens sell him on the project (the idea of playing on the same line as his brother could tip the balance, in my opinion), there’s a way of convincing him to give it a try.[spacer title=’Overtime’]- Luke Hughes: we’re aiming for a long-term contract.

– Well deserved.

💪

– Too bad

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Top-5: the Canadiens’ unrestricted free agents in 2026

We often talk about the 2025 off-season these days… because it’s 2025. It makes sense, I guess,but the Canadiens need to think ahead. Who, a year from now, will be in a position to leave the Habs as an uncompensated free agent if nothing changes between now and then? Here are five players to watch within the organization. Marc Del Gaizo and Nate Clurman, who will be in Laval until proven otherwise, didn’t crack my top-5.5. Alex BelzileWe don’t know what role awaits him in 2025-2026, but it wouldn’t be illogical to see him go to Laval. The Québécois is a good veteran who chose to return home this year, and wherever he plays, he’ll have a positive impact on others.

[content-ads]4. Samuel BlaisThe Québécois has been brought to town to bring sandpaper. If he plays his part well, he might be able to bring some toughness to the Habs’ fourth line, but his place in the NHL isn’t assured.3. Kaapo KahkonenEven if he has a chance of playing in Laval, he’ll have an important role to play: providing depth in front of the net. Because if a goalie gets hurt in Montreal and Kahkonen is down there, he can help out in the NHL by letting Jacob Fowler develop with the Rocket. And by (potentially) playing in Laval, the veteran would be supporting one of the organization’s diamonds. It’s a role not to be taken lightly, in my eyes.

[content-ads]2. Patrik LaineWe don’t need to remind you how much pressure Laine will be under this year, do we? He’ll want to prove to everyone – not just the Habs – that he can be an impact player. But to do that, he’ll have to be consistent and fight for his place in the sun.1. Mike MathesonMike Matheson is a top-notch defenseman who has been eating up minutes for the past three years in Montreal. I’m of the opinion that the Habs can’t let him go and that he’s very important despite the arrival of Noah Dobson and the emergence of Lane Hutson.The Canadiens need to extend his contract.

We’ll end this by reminding everyone that Carey Price’s contract is also a year away from expiring. Management must be looking forward to getting him off the club’s books, which could happen next month. Otherwise, on July 1, 2026, it will surely be over. [spacer title=’en rafale’]- Interesting.

– His return will be one to watch.

– I love this.

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Operations: Kirby Dach has to ask Andrei Markov what he put in his cereal

I don’t understand why colleague Maxime Truman is being criticized for what he said about Kirby Dach. Earlier this week, he mentioned that Kirby Dach had not yet recovered from knee surgery. He never said he’d suffered a setback in his progress,but he’s the one who’s been credited – wrongly – with the opposite of what Eric Engels said, that the Canadiens’ center forward hasn’t suffered a setback in his rehab. It’s easier to criticize Max than to find the source of the setback story, I guess…In fact, everyone right now is wondering whether Dach will be able to be fully fit at camp. That’s the worrying part about the center: no one has stood up to say he’ll be 100% ready for the start of camp and the season.But hey.All that to say that on yesterday’s Sick Podcast, Tony Marinaro approached the subject with an interesting angle: since Dach is on his second knee operation, he should talk a little to a player who’s also had two knee operations… and recovered well. We’re talking about Andrei Markov here.

[content-ads]Marinaro is right: after his second knee operation, Markov was back in top form. He was playing better than ever and clearly had found THE recipe for a comeback, despite his age and the operations.And Brian Wilde points out: after his first operation, Markov wasn’t playing well. That made his magnificent comeback after the second operation even harder to understand.Do you see any links with Dach, who has had two knee operations in the last two years and still looked bad last year, after operation #1? I do, anyway. Marinaro is right: Dach should give Markov a call to see what helped him recover. Because if the Russian put something special in his cereal that helped him, Geoff Molson would have to free up some budget to send Dach a case…But for that, Dach has to know what it is. Iknow that Markov, who we saw again in Montreal in the last few months for the first time in a long time, isn’t the most talkative of the lot. But seeing him help Dach at this level would be worth its weight in gold. After all, the Canadiens need to see Kirby Dach take it to the next level.[spacer title=’Overtime’]- That was crazy, that.

– Wow.

– Sidney Crosby turns 38.

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“You inspired me”: Martin St-Louis tells Patrik Laine after scoring his first Montreal goal

The Montreal Canadiens have released a video to look back on the 2024-2025 season, in which the club quickly goes over several important moments of the season. It’s pretty fast-paced (even if it’s over 20 minutes long) in terms of pace, but it’s a reminder of what happened on the ice, basically. Here’s the YouTube link, for those interested. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIfxTH7Z4N4 But between the many moments on the ice, there are also moments where we see some of the discussions in the dressing room between Martin St-Louis and his players.It’s a good move on the part of the Habs to show this, since fans like to go behind the scenes of the sport. It also helps to get the word out about the club at a time when the off-season is… really dead.And on that subject, there’s one scene that’s particularly striking. In the seventh minute of the video, we see Patrik Laine’s return from his knee injury. He scored a goal in a 2-1 win over the Islanders. #PatrickContrePatrikAfter the game, Martin St-Louis made an emotional speech about Laine[content-ads]

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Basically, the Canadiens’ coach stressed that, although he didn’t know everything the Finn had done to get back into the game (there was the injury with the Habs, but also his difficult last few months in Columbus), he was impressed by his return to action. St-Louis handed him the puck for his first goal as a member of the Canadiens, saying this:

In my eyes, you’ve inspired me. Thank you very much.

–

Martin St-Louis to Patrik Laine

Laine won’t have it easy in 2025-2026. He’s in the last year of his contract, and he’ll have to fight for playing time on the top-6 and the first wave of the powerplay.Nothing’s guaranteed.But a video like this one, in which we see him scoring in spades on his return from injury, reminds us just how much he can help a club… when he plays the right way. He’s not the player we saw at the end of the season and in the playoffs last spring. But it’s up to him to bring that player back to the ice, and into the hearts of the fans as well [spacer title=’Overtime’]- Enjoy.

– Really.

– Roger McQueen’s turn to leave the CHL for American colleges.

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Mason McTavish: the Canadiens among three teams on his case

Do I think the Anaheim Ducks will trade Mason McTavish? In the short term, no. But with the youngster still unsigned, the rumors refusing to die down and clubs calling frequently to see if it’s possible to get him out of Anaheim, the file isn’t dead yet.It won’t necessarily involve a hostile offer, since the Ducks have the salary cap room, but hey,we know the Montreal Canadiens are on the case. Just a few days ago, the Ducks’ player and the Montreal club’s names were linked together in rumours, but is the Habs alone in the matter? No. In addition to the Canadiens, the Hurricanes are also said to be keeping an eye on the matter. But according to Jimmy Murphy (RG Media), the Red Wings are also worth keeping an eye on. According to the journalist, this is a club that could well manage to uproot (even if the roots aren’t too deep) McTavish from California if ever a transaction were to take place.

[content-ads]It was an NHL executive who told him about the three teams. Pat Verbeek and the Steve Yzermans, who run the Ducks and Red Wings, know each other very well. They’ve worked together in Detroit and Tampa Bay in the past, and that could make a deal happen. Interestingly, we have a better idea of what it would cost to get McTavish out of the Ducks’ organization, since an executive involved in the talks said:

It would take a right-handed, top-4, first-pair defenseman.

For the Red Wings, that

would

probably mean Axel Sandin-Pellikka. But for the Canadiens, I can only think of one name that fits into the Ducks’ potential demands for their third overall pick in 2021. And no, I don’t see the Habs trading David Reinbacher. So, barring a hostile offer sheet, forget it?[spacer title=’Overtime’]- Of note:

– To be continued.

– Well, let’s see about that.

– Nice bet.

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Tony Marinaro compares Owen Beck to Phillip Danault

With all the picks Nick Bobrov and his group have accumulated in recent years, some prospects, who a few years ago would have been considered the team’s top prospects, have been overlooked. I’m thinking in particular of Owen Beck, who has done very well everywhere he’s been during his career. On last night’s Sick Podcast, Tony Marinaro’s guest Brian Wilde said Beck’s ceiling resembles Jake Evans’. This isn’t a disavowal of Beck, on the contrary, but Marinaro was more optimistic.Indeed, the host believes he’ll be more like a Philip Danault. In fact, he sees him somewhere between Danault and Evans, which isn’t bad at all. Danault may have been a number-one center with the Canadiens, but he was there by default. As for Beck, he’s more suited to a defensive role. That’s why Tony doesn’t think Beck will have 50-point seasons, but he will have 40 or so points at some point in his career. Wilde, on the other hand, who believes Beck will be an excellent player at 200 feet and good at killing penalties, sees him putting up 30-35 points [content-ads]. One thing is certain, both agree that Beck is an underrated prospect for the organization and that, for a third or fourth center, drafted 33rd overall, Montreal should be happy. In its 2022 draft year, the Habs also selected Lane Hutson and Juraj Slafkovsky. If Beck becomes the team’s third-best player in this draft, that’s a big win. Speaking of Hutson and his draft, the podcast guest is of the opinion that Nick Bobrov might be abysmal for the rest of his head scouting career, but that he’ll always be known as a good one, because he went looking for the little defenseman. I understand his point, but I hope he doesn’t miss out on all his next picks, hehe.

[spacer title=’Overtime’] – No Habs winger in the NHL’s top-20.

– Evan Bouchard continues to be a mixed bag.

– She’s not giving up.

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If Kirby Dach really hasn’t suffered any setbacks, something doesn’t add up

On Monday morning, colleague Maxime Truman published an article in which he reported that Kirby Dach has not yet recovered from knee surgery. Obviously, all this is cause for concern… especially since he’s seen as the Habs’ default second center for next season.Will he be able to play alongside Ivan Demidov? Thepeculiar (and worrisome) thing, though, is that when Dach went under the knife, the Canadiens noted that a full recovery was expected before the start of next season.

That’s why the information shared by Eric Engels this afternoon is intriguing. First of all, the tipster notes that it was “never guaranteed” that Dach would be ready for the start of camp… even though the club claimed that he would be fully healed “before the start of the season”.Unless you expected him to be healthy exactly 2 days before the start of the season, that is. But do you really believe that version?The question is whether Dach suffered a setback in his recovery. It’s a legitimate question… but here too, Engels is reassuring: he says Dach hasn’t suffered a setback and is progressing very well [content-ads]

So, to sum up, the Habs said Dach would be ready before the start of the season… but according to Engels, who maintains that Dach hasn’t suffered the slightest setback in his rehabilitation, that was never guaranteed.There’s something somewhere that’s not working, isn’t there?Is it possible that Dach is recovering a little more slowly than expected? It’s possible, yes… and you’d think the Canadiens would be better off keeping this under wraps. It would put less heat on Dach’s shoulders… but it would also allow the club not to give too much leverage to another team if it wanted to trade for a second center(like Mason McTavish, forexample).If the Ducks knew that Dach wasn’t recovering well from his surgery, for example, they could afford to increase their demands to the Habs for McTavish.So,right now, there’s something hanging in the balance.And that’s cause for concern.[spacer title=’Overtime’]- Well done.

– This will be one to watch tonight.

– He’s seriously tearing it up.

– First woman to umpire in MLB this weekend

– Nice lineup.