Author: Dose

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The Canadiens have (by far) the youngest team in the NHL

The Canadiens have been rebuilding for some time now. Over the past few years, they’ve pulled out all the stops to bring in young talent… and the club now has some excellent young players.

In addition to Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Kaiden Guhle, who were already there before the arrival of Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton, guys like Juraj Slafkovský, Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov have been added to the group. And that’s not counting prospects like David Reinbacher, Michael Hage and Jacob Fowler, who will arrive eventually.

And once again this summer, the club has been rejuvenated. Christian Dvorak, Joel Armia and David Savard left, while Noah Dobson (25) and Zachary Bolduc (22) joined the group.

This means that the Habs, who were already among the league’s youngest teams last year, will be even younger this year. And according to NHL Rosters, Montreal’s roster is the youngest in the entire league…

And it’s not even close: there’s almost a full year’s difference between the average age of the Habs players (25.75) and those of the next youngest team, the Sabres (26.51).

Of course, it’s possible that all this could change between now and the start of the campaign (perhaps the Habs will add 27-year-old Jordan Kyrou or an experienced left-handed center), but all indications are that the Canadiens will still be in first place when the season kicks off.

And that makes sense, after all, because if nothing changes, the Habs will only have three thirty-somethings on their roster: Brendan Gallagher (33), Josh Anderson (31) and Mike Matheson (31). Behind them, Jake Evans and Samuel Blais are both 29, while Samuel Montembeault and Alexandre Carrier are 28.

In a context where the team is still at the height of its reconstruction, this wouldn’t be a problem at all. That said, having seen the Habs to the playoffs last year, there are aspirations to see the club back there next year… and it makes you wonder if the team won’t be too young to make it.

The good news is that many of these youngsters already have plenty of experience… but when times are tough, having veterans to lean on is worth its weight in gold.

Nick Suzuki, who will be 26 at the start of the season, will have to lead a very young team, and he’ll need to be able to rely on Gallagher and Matheson, his two assistants.

It’ll be a big challenge, but there are some good young veterans in the dressing room despite it all. It remains to be seen whether the loss of a guy like David Savard will hurt the dressing room, that said.

Overtime

– Speaking of departed veterans.

– Alex Belzile turned down offers to return to the Habs. [La Presse]

– Indeed.

– Still.

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Norris: the Habs have two of the 12 favorites (according to the bookies)

In 2024-25, Lane Hutson broke all records in his first year in the NHL. The Habs defenseman racked up 66 points in 82 games, and in the process won the Calder Trophy, awarded to the best rookie.

That said, he also made some noise in the voting for the Norris Trophy, awarded to the best defenseman in the Bettman circuit. He finished ninth in the standings… and beat out some big names.

So it makes sense to see Hutson as a good candidate for the trophy in 2025-26, but he won’t be the only one. In fact, he might even have some competition… from within his own team.

According to FanDuel, a sports betting site, Hutson is the eighth favorite to win the Norris next season. A little further down the list is Noah Dobson, tied for 12th.

(Credit: Screenshot/FanDuel)

Note that the Habs aren’t the only team with two defensemen in the top-12: the Dallas Stars, who are betting on Miro Heiskanen and Thomas Harley, also have two… but Hutson is the biggest favorite among these four.

We all know that offensive defensemen usually have the best chances of winning the trophy. There’s a reason why Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes are (by far) the two favourites: they’re in a class of their own.

That said, the Habs have two defensemen with a real chance should Makar and Hughes stumble. And with Dobson saying he can’t wait to learn from Hutson (which is pretty cool considering Dobson has quite a bit more experience than his young teammate), it’s clear the two guys could help each other get to the next level.

Obviously, it’s a safe bet that it’s going to be tough for both of them to be at the peak of the race. It’s far from impossible that one of them won’t get any time on the first powerplay wave(though the Habs’ second wave won’t be ugly either), so that would limit their point totals.

But the most important thing for the Canadiens is that both players help the club win games. And when you see how respected they are for their skills on the ice, you realize that the Habs really do have two star defensemen in their lineup.

Overtime

– Can’t wait?

– If he was that keen, it seems to me he would have announced his decision sooner, wouldn’t he?

– Indeed.

– They’re not a bad team.

– Nice gesture.

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The end of emergency goaltending (as we know it) in the NHL

When a team has to call on an emergency goalie in the NHL, it always makes for a great story.

We all remember, after all, David Ayres and his victory over the Leafs in 2020… hehe.

How could we forget?

On the other hand, we won’t be able to witness moments like that in the NHL.

In fact… the rule is no longer the same.

From now on, for a goalie to be used in this situation, he’ll have to be part of the organization and a team employee who follows the club to every game.

Basically… it’s no longer one goalie per amphitheatre who is assigned to this role: each team will have to designate someone to have the opportunity to play.

Oh, and the goalkeeper chosen by each club must not…

  • Have played one game in the NHL
  • Have played 80 games at professional level
  • Have played professionally in the last 3 seasons
  • Have another contract that would allow him to play elsewhere
  • Be on the NHL’s reserve list or free agent list

It’s going to be different:

What this means is that a guy like Marc-Andre Fleury (for example) couldn’t be used as an emergency goalie even if he becomes a Wild employee – which is expected.

Because he’s played in the NHL, because he’s played at least 80 games at the pro level… and because he’s played at the pro level in the last three seasons.

All in all, it’s going to be a little different because each club will have a goalie designated for that role.

Things won’t be the same… and I think that’s a shame in a way, because seeing an emergency goalkeeper on the bench or on the ice in case of injury was always a bit special.

Patrick Chèvrefils was called upon in the Montreal playoffs when Montembeault was injured (and it caused quite a stir, as we all remember):

Maybe this will help teams have a better alternative when they’re in a situation like this.

And it makes sense, in a way… even if the previous rule was rather peculiar.

Overtime

– Jeff Skinner goes to San Jose.

– That was sick.

– Great McDave.

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Former figure skater (a Québécois) hired as assistant in Dallas

Does the name David Pelletier ring a bell?

We’re talking about a former figure skater from Quebec… who won the gold medal at the Salt Lake City Olympics in 2002.

But we’re also talking about a man who worked for the Oilers as their skating coach for the past 11 years.

Today, we learn that Pelletier is no longer with the Edmonton organization… because he has been hired as an assistant with the Dallas Stars.

He will work from the press gallery, joining Glen Gulutzan’s group, which was hired in recent weeks following Peter DeBoer’s dismissal.

Still, the news is special.

The Stars saw something in David Pelletier… and maybe bringing in a former Olympic figure skating gold medalist as an assistant coach brings a different element to the organization too.

But let’s not forget that he knows the NHL, having spent so many years with the Oilers in Edmonton.

I wonder what his role will be from the press gallery onwards.

Will the Stars ask him to monitor the qualities and shortcomings of their players’ skating techniques?

Will he be used in practice to fine-tune the skating of the guys in Dallas?

All in all, it’s interesting.

The Stars are getting creative… and I can’t wait to see how it turns out, too.

Overtime

– Really?

– Great news for the former Alouettes kicker.

– Also seen.

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Justin Carbonneau to stay in the QMJHL

Big news in the QMJHL.

Justin Carbonneau has finally made up his mind: the St. Louis Blues prospect won’t be playing in the NCAA in 25-26.

He’ll be staying with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada:

This is good news for the QMJHL and the Armada, but also for the CHL.

A number of fine youngsters have opted to take the NCAA route in recent weeks for the rest of their respective careers, and it’s hurt the Canadian Hockey League product.

And that’s why knowing that Carbonneau has decided to stay must be a relief of sorts.

Let’s not forget that the Armada is going to have a wicked good club for next season.

The team has added guys like Bill Zonnon and Spencer Gill… and is already counting on several talented players, including defenseman Xavier Villeneuve, who is seen as one of the NHL’s good prospects for the 2026 draft.

What I’m saying here is that playing for a big club and having the chance to win the Memorial Cup must have had an impact on Justin Carbonneau’s decision.

The idea of joining the NCAA ranks was clearly attractive for obvious reasons too, but clearly, he felt it was better for him and his development to play with a good team that can be very successful in the coming campaign.

And let’s not forget that he discussed this decision with the Blues, after being selected by St. Louis with the 19th pick of the first round in 2025.

Good for the Armada, good for the QMJHL… and good for the CHL, too.

Extension

Note that if Carbonneau had made the jump to the NCAA, it would have been with Boston College, where Jacob Fowler played in the last two years.

That said, I wonder if Boston is surprised by the Québécois’ decision…

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The Canadiens will not offer Evgeny Kuznetsov a contract (according to Louis-André Larivière)

We’ve been hearing about Evgeny Kuznetsov in Montreal for some time now.

Many have wondered whether the Russian could be a target for the Canadiens, who are looking for a second (preferably left-handed) center…

But, all in all, let’s forget it.

Because, according to Louis-André Larivière (who used to work for TVA Sports), the Habs won’t be offering a contract to the man who spent the last year working alongside Ivan Demidov in Russia.

He talked about this in a recent article (La Page Sportive).

Is this a bad thing?

In my eyes… no. Not at all.

In reality, Kuznetsov may no longer be capable of producing on a top-6 NHL team because he’s really not the player he used to be.

He’s not always intense on the ice, he has a certain reputation off the ice… and to surround Ivan Demidov in the right way, you need to find a guy who can do it properly.

I find it hard to believe that Evgeny Kuznetsov was the perfect guy for the job.

That said, it also suggests that the search for a 2nd center continues in Montreal.

Kent Hughes has his nose in the file, and is actively trying to find a quality player before the start of next season… but that doesn’t mean he’ll succeed in his mission either.

It remains to be seen, then, whether the Canadiens’ GM will be able to fulfill the objective he set himself after the Canadiens’ season ended last April.

And Evgeny Kuznetsov’s name obviously needs to be removed from the equation.

In Overtime

– Brad MacKenzie is the new coach of the Los Angeles Kings’ feeder club.

– Please note:

– A great story.

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Ryan Reaves: Controversial comments at the heart of his transaction

It’s no secret.

Ryan Reaves isn’t the player he once was… and he’s not contributing much on the ice.

He hasn’t scored in 35 games this season in Toronto (two assists), and at one point, the Leafs even decided to send him to the minors. He’s reached that point in his career at the age of 38.

But if the Leafs did trade him, it wouldn’t just be because he slowed down.

Rather, it was because he made comments that Leafs management didn’t like on the Cam & Strick Podcast.

In particular, the forward said that in Toronto, the media is (very) intense and that this doesn’t necessarily help the team on the ice… and he also said he hated Evander Kane.

TVA Sports also wrote an article on the subject.

Honestly, at this point in his career, Reaves probably should have thought twice before criticizing his club’s media.

And to me, that’s the main reason the Leafs decided to send him to San Jose.

After all, he wasn’t used very often last season because he wasn’t able to help his club on the ice. And now, in spite of everything… he’s been talking trash about the media, which is never a good idea for a guy in an intense market like this.

It’s not ideal, really. And the Leafs don’t need someone criticizing journalists for their coverage of the club.

All in all, Ryan Reaves – never one to mince his words – may have gotten himself out of trouble.

At 38, he’s at the end of his career… and it’s hard for me to believe that he has a very good chance of playing next year, even if the Sharks need to fill some jerseys.

Overtime

– I love it.

– His turn to play.

– Great saves.

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Finding a second center won’t get any easier in 2026

It’s July 11 and the Canadiens’ two biggest needs are still unmet: #2 center and toughness.

Although some insiders believe that transactions will take place in the next few days, we have to face the facts: the chances of Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton getting their hands on a second center in the opening days of next season are relatively slim.

Let’s just say that if I had to bet $100,000 on he’ll succeed or he’ll fail, I’d put my money on he’ll fail. Evgeny Kuznetsov may be available late in the summer, much like Patrik Laine last year, but I personally don’t see the Canadiens making him a contract offer.

Otherwise, the only center players with more than 20 points last season still without a contract are Jack Roslovic and Jeff Skinner. That’s it.

Could the Canadiens acquire their second center during the season, like they did Alexandre Carrier? I don’t think so.

Trading a diminutive #4 defenseman and trading an established second center are two different things.

At the deadline?

The center players who move at the trade deadline are likely to move to a city whose team aspires to win the Stanley Cup. Montreal isn’t there yet. #Crosby #Denver

And let’s leave transactions involving at-risk players who haven’t yet reached their full potential. What the Habs need, in the short to medium term, is a second center who brings certainty to the position. Not another project..

Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton don’t need to find a new project; the club needs certainty.
(Credit: Joe Sargent/Getty Images)

Clearly, this second center isn’t coming this year. And we’ll have to hope that it will arrive in 2026. Probably during the summer..

No, Michael Hage won’t be ready to occupy that chair anytime soon. He may never be, but we’ll see, except that in 2026, he won’t be playing center in the top six.

So what are the options for Hughes and Gorton?

A number of quality center players will reach the end of their contract in 2025-26: Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, Martin Necas, Anze Kopitar, Evgeni Malkin, Charlie Coyle and Christian Dvorak Alexander Wennberg, among others..

Who among these players will still be without a contract on July 1? Very few..

Don’t dream too much about Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel!

There’s a good chance they’ll sign a new deal with their current team or be traded before April.

In short, the solution to filling the coveted second-center position remains either in-house (Bolduc, Dach, Newhook or Slafkovsky) or via the transaction market.

The salary cap may rise by several million dollars again next season, and Carey Price’s contract – like Patrik Laine’s – may be up, but it’s unlikely that the Habs will find their second center via the free agent market. The GMs of the other teams will be spending aggressively.

In short, there won’t be any easy ones, as the old saying goes.

And Jeff Gorton already knew that when he met the media at the end of last season. Go back and listen to what he had to say; he knew that finding a top-six center is (really) not easy. Talk to Marc Bergevin..

That’s why, if a GM somewhere is willing to give a number 2 left-handed center in return for Michael Hage and something more, we’ll have to give it serious consideration. The Habs need certainty.

Overtime

– We spoke to Marco Donadel this morning. He talked about Samuel Piette, a player on trial, Vrioni’s elbow and more.

– The guy who ate a volley from Nick Tarnasky tries to save face online. [HFans]

– Bryan Woo had a scoreless, hitless game after seven innings.

– There are several incongruities behind some of the decisions made at CF Montreal.

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Mikhail Sergachev at the heart of a story against Jeff Blashill (but it doesn’t add up)

At DLC, we sometimes report what’s happening on social networks – when it makes sense.

But this morning, there’s a story making quite a bit of noise, and we wanted to tell you about it from the following angle and message: beware of the veracity of what’s being said in the Mikhail Sergachev story.

That’s our warning for the day.

Basically, since yesterday, Mikhail Sergachev’s comments have been circulating. In a podcast in Russia, he was quoted as saying that Jeff Blashill’s system for Lightning defensemen wasn’t working.

Blashill was an assistant to John Cooper from 2022 to 2025, when he became coach of the Chicago Hawks.

The defenseman is quoted as saying that Blashill wanted the Lightning to play like the Golden Knights, even though the system in place had taken them to the Stanley Cup Finals three times.

Here’s what’s floating around right now.

But there are problems in all of this that make us raise our red flag. Sergachev may have gotten his story mixed up, but the dates don’t coordinate.

Sergachev would talk about Blashill’s arrival as an event that derailed everyone’s differential. But his went up in 2022-2023…

(Credit: Hockey DB)

When Sergachev is reported to have mentioned that defensemen regressed under Blashill, does that take into account that he improved his differential one year and had his best offensive season under the former Red Wings?

Does it take into account the fact that Victor Hedman has improved his differential in recent years? That Nick Perdix and Erik Cernak were in the plus column?

Yes, Sergachev regressed in his final year in Tampa Bay. But in his first season with Blashill on Cooper’s staff , he was still able to progress en masse.

So the reported comments don’t completely hold water, and the timeline is bizarre. Pay attention.

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Rocket: John Sedgwick named AHL GM of the Year

The honors keep piling up for Laval.

After seeing Pascal Vincent named AHL Coach of the Year, now his boss, John Sedgwick, has been named AHL Executive of the Year.

This was announced by the league.

This is the first year this award has been offered in the AHL. And to see that the Rocket GM was able to win it is no surprise, considering that the club dominated during the regular season (Laval finished first) and made it to the final four in the playoffs.

It was a logical choice.

The fact that he’s an assistant to GM Kent Hughes in Montreal was also highlighted. After all, the Habs made the playoffs and the ECHL’s Lions were crowned league champions.

Sedgwick has been recognized for his work.

It’s also worth noting that the press release mentions that the Rocket is the organization of the year and that the club also won the title of best team in the East for fan experience.

It’s true: few people complain about Place Bell.

The Canadiens are one of those teams that emphasize their club school, and it shows. Not a bad idea for a club that’s rebuilt in recent years, of course…

So much the better if the work of the people at Laval is recognized.

overtime

– The Hurricanes would have liked to sign Claude Giroux.

– Of note.

– Indeed.