Author: Dose

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Christian Dvorak: the Canucks were (very) interested in him

Christian Dvorak has signed a big contract with the Flyers.

In fact…

The former Habs player signed a contract that will pay him a lot of money next season. 5.4 M$ for D-Vo is pretty intense…

But the Flyers weren’t the only ones in the world who wanted to offer him a contract.

Because, according to David Pagnotta… the Canucks were also in the running for his services.

And the Vancouver outfit really had their eye on him:

Rick Dhaliwal reported that Granlund was Vancouver’s main target, but also indicated that the club was very interested in Christian Dvorak. – David Pagnotta

It’s understandable in a way.

Because in Vancouver… the center line is pretty thin.

On the third line, we currently have Aatu Raty, who has the potential to be a good player. That said, he never became the player we thought he was going to be, and if the Canucks really want to give themselves a chance of great success next season, they need to add depth to the line-up.

That’s why adding Dvorak to this team could have helped too.

It would have been an interesting fit, at least:

(Credit: DailyFaceoff)

If the Canucks have a big season and want to get their hands on some quality players at the deadline, Dvorak could turn out to be an interesting choice.

Because here’s the thing: D-Vo may have signed a big one-year contract in Philly… but that doesn’t mean he’ll spend all of next season there either.

It also depends on how the Flyers perform in the regular season. But Daniel Brière has given himself a good option, because reliable players like Dvorak at the trade deadline aren’t running around all the time either.

It also shows one thing: there was interest in the center from all four corners of the National League. And it makes sense, in a way, because he had such a great end to the season in Montreal.

Overtime

– I love it.

– It goes without saying.

– Oh.

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The Habs would like to see Zachary Bolduc’s competitiveness rub off on Ivan Demidov

The addition of Zachary Bolduc brings offensive punch to the Canadiens’ lineup.

He’s got a special talent for scoring goals, and he’s proven it since his junior days.

But he has other qualities, too. And the Habs know it.

His strengths include his strength of character and fighting spirit. We’re talking about an intense player on the ice who can give body checks and who can hurt opponents when needed even if he’s not the tallest at 6′.

Here’s proof:

It’s interesting because the Canadiens don’t have many physical players in their lineup. Josh Anderson hits… and that’s it.

But that’s also why the Habs would like to see Bolduc’s competitiveness rub off on a guy like Ivan Demidov, who already has all the talent in the world to become a dominant National League player.

Arpon Basu talked about it on the radio (TSN 690):

I don’t hate this at all.

Because if Demidov can add this aspect to his game… he’ll be even more complete. We know he’s got the hands and the vision to succeed quickly in the National League, but he can always get better too, even if he’s already as talented as can be.

And Bolduc, who loves to hit opponents, could teach him a few tricks too. Hehe.

I mentioned this in a recent text, but I’d love to see Bolduc play on the same line as Demidov.

And the reason is simple: Bolduc excels in forechecking because he gives it his all. This can create space for Demidov, and if the Russian finds himself alone in the offensive zone on several occasions… that’s when it could cause havoc for the other teams in the league.

Especially since Demidov is an excellent passer, while Bolduc has a lightning-fast shot…

Overtime

– Nice .

– Love this.

– Oh well.

– Wow.

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Justin Carbonneau has a real chance of starting next season in the NHL

Justin Carbonneau has been the talk of Montreal in recent months. The forward, who was seen coming out in the middle of the first round, was a popular choice for the Habs when the club held the 16th and 17th picks in the draft.

But you know the rest: those picks were traded (along with Emil Heineman) for Noah Dobson.

This means that Carbonneau, who was still available at 16th, was not selected by the Habs. Instead, he ended up in St. Louis, where the Blues picked him 19th. And in the last few days, he’s been a real eye-catcher at the team’s development camp.

And obviously, he caught the eye of Blues GM Doug Armstrong. In fact, Armstrong was on 101 ESPN St. Louis talking about Carbonneau.

He also talked about Logan Mailloux, saying he’s 6’5″ (which isn’t true, unless he’s gained two inches since last year), but I digress.

And what’s interesting is that, listening to the GM talk, you have to believe that Carbonneau has a real chance of making the club to start the year :

I used to look at [Jim Montgomery] and say, “He’s going to make it hard for us, him.” – Doug Armstrong

Armstrong noted that it’s rare for kids this age to carve out a position with the Blues, but the GM really likes what he’s seen from Carbonneau. This means that if the kid is at practice, he’s likely to start the year in St. Louis.

And that’s great news for the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, Carbonneau’s junior club. The reason is quite simple: if Carbonneau stays in the QMJHL, he’ll be able to take part in the Blues’ camp… but if he opts for the NCAA, he won’t be able to be there.

He hasn’t yet made up his mind between the QMJHL and the NCAA… but if he really has a chance of playing in the NHL this year, it would be hard for him to turn his nose up at it. And in a world where he doesn’t spend the whole year in the NHL, he’d end the year in the QMJHL (with a big team in Blainville-Boisbriand).

We’ll be watching closely, but it would be impressive to see a 19th overall pick start the year in the NHL. Especially if he exceeds the nine-game limit, which would burn a year off his entry-level contract.

Overtime

– Alex Barré-Boulet reaches an agreement with the Avalanche.

– Interesting.

– He’ll be interesting to watch.

– Hard blow for the Yankees.

– A July 4 classic.

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“The Canadiens aren’t even sure Michael Hage will play center in the NHL”

Over the past few days, Michael Hage has been stealing the spotlight at the Habs’ development camp. That’s not necessarily a surprise, given that he was (by far) the biggest name at the camp, but it did attract attention.

He looked (a bit) like a man among children, hehe.

And all of this has meant that more than ever, just about everyone is already placing Hage’s name as the team’s second center of the future. We know it’s a need in town, and Hage looks promising to the point where it’s easy to assume he has what it takes to be the solution….

But.

Yesterday afternoon, Arpon Basu was on TSN 690 to talk about a number of topics… and towards the end of the interview (around 24:40), he noted something interesting about the young forward:

The Canadiens aren’t even sure Michael Hage will play center in the NHL. – Arpon Basu

When you look at what he brings to the table, you see Hage as a player who has what it takes to play center. His hockey IQ and on-ice skills make him a player with the profile to get there, but he still has a few things to work on if he really wants to be a center in the NHL.

He’ll have to get better at the face-off circle, for example. But the good news is that he knows that.

That said, at the moment, the Habs can’t operate on the assumption that they’ve already got their second center. Hage has the makings of a very good forward, but who knows whether it’ll be at center or wing that he can make his mark in the pros.

For the Canadiens, let’s hope it’s center, because that would solve a lot of problems around town. But as promising as he is, wait before assuming he’ll be the Canadiens’ second center in a few years: you might be disappointed.

Overtime

– Very cool!

– I highly doubt it.

– Sidney Crosby: things could move in the file after the Olympics, according to Nick Kypreos.

– It’s been four years since the death of Matiss Kivlenieks.

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Bob Hartley returns to KHL coaching

Bob Hartley has had a busy coaching career. The 64-year-old has coached the Avalanche, Thrashers and Flames in the NHL, but was also seen in Russia with Omsk Avangard a few years ago.

That said, after the 2021-22 season, Hartley announced his retirement. He remained an advisor with Avangard, but was no longer a full-time coach.

Well, all that has just changed, because according to reports from Russia, Hartley has just accepted a new position as head coach. He’ll be taking the helm of Lokomotiv in the KHL.

We’re talking about the defending champions.

Sport-Express, a Russian-based media outlet, shared the information.

Of course, all this comes as a surprise, because we know that the coach didn’t seem to want another job behind the bench. But at the same time, when you get to know the man, it’s not necessarily a surprise to see him accept a new coaching position: after all, Bob Hartley eats hockey.

Lokomotiv is also Alexander Radulov’s team. There had been rumors of a possible retirement for the forward, but in recent weeks we learned that he would play another year with Lokomotiv.

This means that, after Ilya Kovalchuk, Hartley will be managing another former Russian forward for the Habs.

You have to wonder what all this means for Hartley’s various media collaborations in Quebec. We know he’s a regular on RDS and BPM Sports, and we’ll have to see if he retains those positions now that he’s back as head coach.

But for now, let’s wish him the best of luck in his new role. Because when Bob Hartley is behind the bench, all is right with the world of hockey, hehe.

In Overtime

– Christian Fischer announces his retirement at the age of 28.

– Nick Suzuki enjoying his summer.

– Coming up.

– They sorely need it.

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Lionel Messi expected in Montreal early this evening

Yesterday, I was given an interesting piece of information, which I rushed to share with you: Inter Miami were planning to fly Lionel Messi to Montreal for msaedi’s match.

This morning, Inter Miami’s coach confirmed the news. He expects Lionel Messi to travel AND be available against CF Montreal.

Even though Messi played a lot of minutes at the Club World Cup, the guys have had two days off and no games for almost a week. That’ll do!

This morning, Samuel Piette, Dawid Bugaj and Marco Donadel – who met the media live from the Nutrilait Centre – were all preparing to face Lionel Messi.

All thatremains to be seen is whether he’ll be in the starting line-up or whether he’ ll come on board during the match. After all, you don’t fly Messi to Canada just to sit on the bench for 90 minutes..

Messi will be in Montreal tomorrow, but how many minutes will he play?
(Credit: Getty Images)

Where will Messi be staying?
Last year, Lionel Messi and Inter Miami arrived in Montreal in the evening, before setting off for the Ritz Carlton. The entire team requisitioned an entire floor, and if my information is correct – she smells it, hehe – we even had the conference room converted into a temporary gym so the guys never had to leave their floor.

Messi had a suite all to himself. And many rooms are rented, paid for… but not used!

So we can expect to see Mesi and his gang arriving at the Ritz Carlton after suppertime today, on their afternoon flight to Montreal. Security, police, fans… it’s all going to be on Sherbrooke Street West.

According to people familiar with the situation, even people from the Ritz Carlton will not have access to the floor reserved by Inter Miami.

“It’s so complicated that in the end, we give ourselves more trouble than anything else when Messi comes.” – Anonymous source

Tickets gaining in value
There are still around a hundred dynamic regular-price tickets on the official CF Montreal website. However, good $100 and $170 tickets can still be found on sites like StubHub and Billets.ca.

Yes, I know, it won’t be as “special” as last year’s game tomorrow night, but it’s still an official match against Lionel Messi and his team. Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez..

Prices could explode between now and tomorrow.

Extension

– Facing Ousmane Dembélé, Nuno Mendes, Achraf Hakimi and company, then Victor Loturi, Tom Pearce and Brandon Craig, will be different for Inter Miami players.

– Even if he’s not at 100%, Samuel Piette expects to have to make some big defensive plays against the best player in history tomorrow at the Stade.

– Marco Donadel will send out his best possible XI to start the game tomorrow, even though Wednesday’s match against Forge FC will be of paramount importance.

– It’s already been twice this year that the Alouettes and Montreal CF have played on the same night, both in Montreal (even though the Sparrows ‘ season has just begun). Why not talk to each other before making your schedules, guys?

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“Logan Mailloux is a top-10 draft pick

Logan Mailloux has been on his way to St. Louis for a few days now. The defenseman, who was traded for Zachary Bolduc, will continue his career with the Blues, where he should have a better chance of establishing himself in the NHL.

Noah Dobson’s arrival in Montreal meant that Mailloux no longer really fit in with the Habs, and he was sacrificed for forward help.

In St. Louis, however, prospects for Mailloux appear to be high. We know that GM Doug Armstrong praised him on trade day… and coach Jim Montgomery also spoke highly of his new defenseman yesterday.

And clearly, he sees the defenseman as a high-quality young player:

[Logan Mailloux] is a top-10 draft pick. – Jim Montgomery

Montgomery’s point isn’t necessarily that Mailloux should have gone top-10 in his draft year, but that players like him usually go very early in the draft. And he’s not wrong: a right-handed defenseman is a position considered premium in the NHL, and we know that these players (especially when they have great potential) come out early in the draft. #ReinbacherDevantMichkov

But clearly, Montgomery seems to love his new protégé. In particular, he insisted that the kid dominated in the AHL (which is true… to a certain extent), but also that he sees him being a solid player on the Blues’ blue line for a very long time.

Losing Bolduc hurt, but he likes what he’s got in Mailloux.

We’ll see how things go for the defenseman in St. Louis, but remember that he arrives there with a position to lose at practice camp. The Blues want to see him in the NHL next year, and as long as he doesn’t do too badly in camp, he should get his chance.

Now it’s up to him to seize it.

Overtime

– Oh!

– Interesting stuff.

– The Penguins had interest in Brock Boeser.

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Development camp: Canadiens prospects learn about the club’s history

The Montréal Canadiens’ development camp is over.

In the last few days, some of the Canadiens’ top prospects showed up in Brossard to test, practice and play an intra-squad game in front of hundreds of fans.

Our colleague Marc-Olivier Cook has written an article on the subject.

But those weren’t the only things that took place on the heels of the camp. The boys were also given courses on the history of the Canadiens and how to behave like a pro.

That’s what Marc De Foy reported, in addition to talking about a “code of conduct” made available to players to teach them what it means to wear the Canadiens logo.

Clearly, in 2025, at a time when social networks are taking over more and more space and there are more and more ways to slip up, educating young people is a good thing.

Learning the history of the Canadiens and how to behave is important. Knowing where the club comes from and the direction you have to take to have a chance to go down in history makes a lot of sense.

Over the years, so many youngsters have come into the Canadiens organization and done a bit too much of what they wanted to do, that getting the basics right can’t be a bad thing.

Obviously, not everyone will get the message, we agree. But passing it on at the development camp is the first thing to do, in my opinion.

overtime

– Wow.

– Patrick Roy impressed by Matthew Schaefer. [RDS]

– Well done.

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Sean Farrell will now have to go through the waivers to go to Laval

Sean Farrell arrived in the NHL in 2022-2023 after a successful career in the collegiate ranks.

At that time, Kent Hughes had him burn a year of his entry-level contract by playing a few games in the NHL. But he hasn’t played in the NHL since.

He has spent the last two years exclusively in Laval, with Jean-François Houle and Pascal Vincent. He’s improved in recent months, but it hasn’t always been easy otherwise.

As we reach 2025, his first NHL contract expired in the last few days. The Habs made him a qualifying offer and also signed him to a one-year, two-part contract.

He’ll earn $775,000 if he plays up top, but “only” $90,000 if he returns to Laval.

Warning: a two-part contract doesn’t mean he can go to Laval. It simply means that if he ends up with an AHL club, his salary won’t be the same as in the NHL.

The waivers are determined by other factors, including years of experience. And Farrell has reached this point: he can no longer go to Laval easily, as he must now go through the waivers.

And that inevitably changes the game.

After all, I’m not saying he’ll start the season at the top – quite the contrary. But the way his case is handled by management will tell us a lot about HuGo’s intentions regarding the little forward.

Kent Hughes doesn’t like losing assets for nothing… but he will have a line-up to make official, at some point.

And clearly, it won’t be easy for Farrell to break into a lineup of 13 or 14 forwards when Suzuki, Caufield, Slafkovsky, Laine, Bolduc, Demidov, Dach, Newhook, Gallagher, Anderson and Evans are guaranteed a spot.

That can change quickly, though… #Injuries #Transactions

Samuel Blais, Lucas Condotta and Alex Belzile are in the same waivers situation. But the difference is that these guys have NHL experience.

And more importantly, they’re better equipped to play a fourth-line role, which is probably what the Habs will be looking for in terms of depth players to make the club last.

To be continued in due course… but if I were Farrell, I’d be going to the gym in droves this summer.

overtime

– Good question.

– JJ Peterka in Salt Lake City: André Tourigny is proud. [BPM Sports]

– Why?

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With Nikolaj Ehlers signed, the Habs must be patient with a top-6 forward

Despite all the trades that took place before the free agent market opened, it was an eventful day, especially for the Habs.

There was, however, one big name who didn’t find a buyer: Nikolaj Ehlers. In the end, it was the Carolina Hurricanes who won the bidding, but the interesting thing is that his signing could create a domino effect.

As TVA Sports’ Vincent Duquette writes, the teams who couldn’t get him will turn to other options.

Jason Robertson’s name is one that’s circulating as a possible target for a deal. Marco Rossi is another player with a complicated situation. Could Nazem Kadri be available?

Teams like the Maple Leafs need a top-6 forward and could pull the trigger.

What about the Canadiens? Kent Hughes doesn’t seem ready to acquire his famous second center, and especially with the sky-high prices, patience is the best thing for the organization.

Michael Hage is progressing in the right way and there’s no hurry for next season; no one expects a long playoff run anyway.

The current team has everything it needs to progress, and who knows, to win in the first round. It’s important not to lose sight of the goal, and not burn any bridges. Kent Hughes has both hands on the rebuild right now, so now is not the time to overpay, but rather to wait until next year.

Who knows, maybe Kirby Dach will come up with better answers than expected this year. It’s looking more and more like he’ll have a chance to play at Demidov’s center, and it’s up to him to take it.

Overtime

– The next few years could be exciting.

– Good quotes from Rob Ramage.

– They’re back in action Saturday night.