Author: Dose

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Kaiden Guhle: his name circulates in deal rumors, according to JiC

Kaiden Guhle, as we all know, is a very, very good defender. The 23-year-old is a big part of the Habs defensive brigade… when he’s healthy.

Because, yes, unfortunately, that’s a problem in his case: injuries don’t let him go.

All of which makes him a special case. The club knows that Guhle is an important part of their long-term plan, but they can’t count on him as often as they’d like.

And to me, that’s part of what explains what JiC reported tonight: from what he hears, Guhle’s name is circulating in trade rumors.

He mentions that Guhle could be the price to pay for Ryan O’Reilly.

We know the Habs love O’Reilly, and the club’s need at center is pretty glaring. That said, trading Guhle would be a big risk considering he’s currently in the first year of a six-year contract that pays him $5.55 million a year.

That’s a more than reasonable salary for a defenseman of his calibre.

It’s worth remembering, however, that the Canadiens actually have depth to spare in terms of left-handed defensemen. Lane Hutson is in town to stay, Mike Matheson could extend his contract in town and there’s also Arber Xhekaj, Jayden Struble and Adam Engström around.

Maybe the latter actually gets an audition so the Habs can evaluate whether a Guhle-less future is viable, y’know….

And since the depth on the left is more impressive, dipping into it instead of sending David Reinbacher elsewhere is also defensible.

Clearly, we’ll be keeping a close eye on all this.

Overtime

– Huge signing for the Blue Jays.

– What do you think?

– Jared McCann is back.

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Jordan Binnington in Edmonton: It rhymes… and makes a lot of sense

The Edmonton Oilers have had the same damn problem in front of the net for several years now.

But it looks like it’s worse than worse right now.

Last night, Stuart Skinner (the club’s #1 goaltender) gave up four goals on eight shots against the Dallas Stars. The Oilers lost 8-3, and it’s clear from the team’s season-to-date performance that the goalies aren’t getting the job done. It’s worse than in Montreal…

I feel bad for Connor McDavid. The best player in the world can’t do everything on his own in Edmonton, he’s just signed a new contract (at a discount, no less) and his club isn’t helping him.

Perhaps, that said, the solution to the Oilers’ problems lies in St. Louis. Nick Kypreos (Sportsnet) wrote about it: the Blues seem to want to turn the page on Jordan Binnington because they don’t see the goalie being part of the team’s “re-tool”.

Reminder: Binnington and McDavid know each other well, having won the gold medal together at the 4 Nations Confrontation…

Would Binnington solve ALL the Oilers’ problems in Edmonton? Probably not.

But…

But I’m willing to bet everything I’ve got… saying that picking him up in St. Louis might help. We’re talking about a guy with experience because he has a Stanley Cup ring and a gold medal on the international scene.

That’s what the Oilers need right now. A guy who can help the club stay calm and who knows how to make the big saves in the most important moments. Binnington has proven that he can do just that…

You’ll tell me that things haven’t gone well for him in St. Louis since the start of the season, and that’s true. But at the same time, it’s not as if the team in front of him is helping him… and that’s something to consider, too.

Jordan Binnington in Edmonton, that rhymes. And it seems to make a lot of sense in my head…

Overtime

– Tristan Jarry could be another target…

– Oh.

– That’s right.

– Big win.

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The Habs are far from the only aggressive club on the market at the moment

Will Kent Hughes succeed in his mission to add a talented player to his roster so that he can help the team?

We know that the Canadiens’ GM is working hard to make this happen, and has been for a long time. He acquired Noah Dobson and Zachary Bolduc in the summer of 2025, but then pushed to get another player.

It didn’t happen. And right now, Kent Hughes isn’t the only hungry GM in the four corners of the National League…

I say this because, according to Elliotte Friedman(Real Kyper and Bourne), these are the clubs that are particularly aggressive on the market: the Devils, the Hurricanes, the Senators, the Stars… and the Avalanche.

And the tipster also believes that there are other teams waiting to see what happens before making a move. The Habs may want to improve, but they’re not alone on their island either…

What does this mean?

It means there could be a bidding war for players who become available in the National League. There will be several clubs vying for their services, and there will be several quality offers as well.

That’s where things could get complicated for Hughes and the Canadiens…

At the same time, we know that the Habs GM is a good negotiator. He didn’t have to give up the earth to acquire Noah Dobson – a 25-year-old #1 defenseman who throws from the right – and he’s never had to give up the earth to get a player either.

But things could be different the way they are on the market today.

And the Canadiens could or will have to get creative if they want to get the player they really want…

Overtime

– Great news for the Bengals and their fans.

– Makes sense.

– Bon.

– Whew.

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More productive, less flashy: Alex Kovalev criticizes Ivan Demidov (and that bothers me)

Alex Kovalev gave an interview to Sergey Demidov of RG Media.

And in the text, we learn that the former Habs player refused to be honoured at the Bell Centre. Our colleague Charles-Alexis Brisebois wrote an article on the subject earlier today.

But in the interview in question, Kovalev also talked about Ivan Demidov, and his comments are a little… odd. You’ll understand.

The man nicknamed “The Magician” in Montreal knows that Demidov is a talented player. He sees that his style of play appeals to Canadiens fans because the youngster is capable of putting on a show when needed.

That said, according to Kovalev, Demidov needs to be less flashy… and score more goals. He’d like to see him be more productive on the ice:

His style of play is spectacular, and Montreal loves that, but he also needs to be productive: score more goals and get more points. – Alex Kovalev

Eum…

Kovalev’s exit bothers me for two reasons in particular.

1. Coming from a guy who relied on his skills to produce in the NHL, it’s a bit ironic. Kovalev has always had the same style of play: that of a player who used his skills to be spectacular on the ice.

That’s how he’ll be remembered, after all.

2. Ivan Demidov “needs to produce more”… but he scored 17 points in his 21 games with the Canadiens this season. He has 19 points in 23 games so far in his NHL career, and is on track for a 66-point rookie campaign if he can keep up the pace.

It took Alex Kovalev a long time to produce like this in the NHL…

(Credit: Screenshot / HockeyDB)

Seriously… Can we give Ivan Demidov a break?

The kid does what he has to do without bothering anyone, he accumulates points at a more than interesting pace, he helps the Canadiens win games in his own way…

Ah, and he’s only 19. He’s not playing badly enough to be criticized, and that’s what bothers me about Alex Kovalev’s comments.

Overtime

– Of note.

– Yikes.

– It’s your turn to answer.

– Love this.

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Samuel Blais is placed in the Toronto waivers

Samuel Blais signed a contract with the Canadiens this summer.

He took part in the Montreal practice camp before being placed in the Habs’ waivers. The Leafs claimed him, and the Québécois started the season in Toronto.

But… here he is (again) in the waivers. Blais has one goal and two assists in eight games with the Leafs this season.

What you need to know is that forwards Auston Matthews, Matthew Knies and Nicolas Roy will be back in action Wednesday night for the Leafs against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Matthews had to be made room in the 23-man roster, as he was on the injured list… and Blais was the obvious choice.

Will the Canadiens be interested in asking for him back, even with the recent signing of Alexandre Texier? Hmm…

The question arises because Blais has the qualities of a player who can help the Canadiens right now. He plays tougher, he’s not afraid of upsetting opponents and he’s known for his more physical style.

Florian Xhekaj fits that bill for now… but Blais also won the Stanley Cup in St. Louis. He has more experience than Arber’s little brother, let’s put it that way.

That said, I’m inclined to believe that Blais will be given another chance. He really wasn’t bad during his time in Toronto, and he was just as good at the Canadiens’ practice camp a few weeks ago.

We know what he can bring to the rink, after all. And we know that players like him can help every NHL team when needed.

Extension

Remember that Cayden Primeau was also placed in the waivers by the Leafs in early November… and was claimed by the Hurricanes.

Will Blais be claimed?

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Adam Engström to play in place of Arber Xhekaj tonight against Mammoth

Big news from the Canadiens.

Tonight… Arber Xhekaj will pass. Adam Engström will take his place in Martin St-Louis’ lineup.

Obviously, this will be the Swede’s first NHL game. He deserved his chance and now he has the opportunity to show what he’s got. I don’t hate it.

I can’t wait to see Engström in action.

He’s been excellent since the start of the season in Laval, and I hear he’s got a lot of confidence right now. Engström did pick up five points in his last AHL game: the defenseman is on a roll and the Canadiens obviously want to take advantage.

And against the Mammoth, it’s a good test for him.

We know that André Tourigny’s team has several quality forwards. And we know that Arber Xhekaj has struggled defensively in recent weeks with the Canadiens.

Engström is a more complete player. Has this prompted Martin St-Louis to make his decision?

One thing’s for sure, this news proves just how well Engström has developed since being selected 92nd overall in the 2022 draft.

He spent two years in Sweden fine-tuning his game, had a fine first pro season in North America in 24-25, performed well at the Canadiens’ camp this year, and got the AHL season off to a good start…

And now, tonight, he’ll be playing his first career game in the National League. I can’t wait to see what happens.

Extension

There’s something about all this that worries me.

I really hope this doesn’t break Arber Xhekaj, who already seems to have lost his mojo. To see him lose his confidence even more would be… really not ideal.

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The Canadiens have gained another 10% in value in one year

As is often the case, the value of NHL franchises has been revealed publicly.

CNBC has managed to compile the data and we see that, once again, the Canadiens are the third most valuable franchise in the NHL.

The Maple Leafs, Rangers and Canadiens are in the top-3. The Habs are worth $3.4 billion and have (again) increased in value.

The Canadiens’ revenues are estimated at $324 million (good for fourth place in the NHL) and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization are valued at $112 million.

Nothing less.

The club is growing in value and the revenues are there. Geoff Molson, who sees his team improving year on year, must theoretically have plenty of reasons to smile.

The new TV contract also helps the Habs’ cause.

But there is something to note. When we look at the percentage increase in team value, we see that the Habs are among the worst performers.

Here are the rankings in reverse:

  • Penguins: 0% increase
  • Islanders: 3% increase
  • Blackhawks: 6% increase
  • Maple Leafs, Stars, Lightning: 8% increase
  • Rangers: 9% increase
  • Canadiens, Blues, Predators, Kraken: 10%

It’s important to note, however, that a club worth this much can’t really increase in value by 40% or 53% in one year. And these aren’t random numbers just to prove my point. The Blue Jackets and Hurricanes have increased in value by 40% and 53% respectively.

In short, Geoff Molson’s business seems to be doing well, when you look at the numbers.

overtime

– Good news.

– Of note.

– Read more.

– Interesting.

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Players (and owners) are stupid

On November 4, Nick Suzuki blocked a Flyers shot in overtime, helping his team force a shootout. Suzuki was able to try his luck in the shootout, but missed (as has happened all too often over the past two years).

Since then, Suzuki has missed a few practices, but has been able to play all of his team’s games.

Except he’s not the same, and it shows. He has only four points in eight games since that blocked shot, whereas he had 19 in 13 games before that.

You’ve got to applaud a guy like Nick Suzuki who, despite injuries, insists on playing every game for his team. He hasn’t missed a game since turning pro (476 in the regular season and 37 in the playoffs).

But we also have to ask: why don’t players, who are increasingly called upon to block shots in today’s NHL, wear extra protection on their skates(skate fenders)? Kirby Dach wouldn’t be on the injured list right now, if he were..

It’s not just athletes’ feet that could do with more protection; Charlie McAvoy suffered a badly broken jaw when he took a deflected shot to the face. A full grille, full visor or visor stocking would have prevented him from going under the knife and possibly missing the Olympics. McAvoy will have to eat soft food for two to three months..

And I haven’t even mentioned the names of Saku Koivu or David-Alexandre Beauregard..

Add kevlar socks, which are too little used. Kaiden Guhle, Erik Karlsson… many of them have suffered severe cuts to their legs during a match.

Why do so few players wear neck protectors? Hasn’t Adam Johnson’s death two years ago in Europe awakened some guys’ zest for life?

And what about players who wear gloves with as little protection as possible, in order to be more comfortable with their stick and the puck? It seems to me that Brendan Gallagher’s fingers should be enough to convince anyone of the wisdom of wearing the right gloves…

All about looks, efficiency and acceptance
I asked a former player why the guys weren’t protecting themselves more yesterday. His answer?

“Guys think it’s a small risk. There aren’t that many injured on the sequences you’re talking about. They also want to be like everyone else, and not be called names on the ice because they’re scared. That’s just hockey culture. They also claim – rightly or wrongly – that these pieces of equipment make them less good. And less beautiful! Because yes, it can make them lose sponsorship revenue, the grilles and visors.”

That conversation confirmed one thing for me: it’s not the players who are going to turn on the lights themselves. And no, the Players’ Association isn’t going to step in and force its members to do something they don’t want to do.

The solution will have to come from the owners, who one day will be fed up with losing money on investments that don’t pay off. It’s up to them to say, “Okay, I’m going to do everything I can to protect my investment.”

Don’t you think Geoff Molson is happy to see Kirby Dach miss a month and a half when a piece of equipment would have kept him healthy?

Or Kaiden Guhle missing several months (last year) when a Kevlar stocking could have kept him out?

Or the Bruins owner watching Charlie McAvoy keep his jaw wired shut on the TD Garden catwalk?

We’re going through exactly what the field hockey players of the ’80s went through with helmets, and yet, today, no one will tell you that helmets aren’t useful and necessary.

The NHL is going to have to put its pants on and force players to protect themselves, because history has taught us that no, you can’t count on players to protect themselves.

After that, we read tweets from agents repeating ad nauseam that the NHL is putting their players’ safety at risk… when it would be so easy to have players protect themselves in the first place.

overtime

– Here are the American hockey jerseys for the upcoming Olympics.

– Logical.

– His return to the NHL is approaching.

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“The Canadiens are interested in Ryan O’Reilly”

Let’s talk about the Canadiens.

The Habs need help at forward, center and in a pool of veteran players who have already won something significant. Ideally, it looks like this. No?

What are the targets? There are undoubtedly… many.

But for now, we need to focus on the teams that have a real chance of selling. Sidney Crosby is all well and good, but right now, it’s just not realistic.

Case in point? The Preds, for whom nothing is going right.

The Predators have center players. The Predators often send scouts to Canadiens games. The Predators want young players to rejuvenate themselves.

And yesterday, on the Insider Trading segment, Pierre LeBrun (TSN) had this to say:

“The Canadiens have interest in Ryan O’Reilly.” – Pierre LeBrun

We know that the Nashville club, in return for Ryan O’Reilly (if he’s traded, obviously), will want to get a first-round pick and a good quality prospect.

Will the price be the same in March? Would Kent Hughes be willing to pay that for a guy like O’Reilly? Would the main interested party (who doesn’t have a no-trade clause, but could be treated with respect) like to play in Montreal?

These are some of the questions that arise with regard to someone who’s on the salary cap for $4.5 million a year for another 19 months.

I wonder how much the Predators, renowned for knowing how to develop defensemen, like the profile of David Reinbacher or even Adam Engstrom…

overtime

– Interesting.

– True.

– It’s coming.

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Canadiens: Alex Kovalev turned down an evening to be honoured at the Bell Centre

Alex Kovalev was an excellent player for the Canadiens.

No, he didn’t spend 10 years in town. No, he wasn’t necessarily here in his prime. Yes, he left for Ottawa because of a contract dispute. And yes, he only gave of himself when he felt like it.

But what a player he was.

Through his great talent and some memorable moments, he has his place in the history of the Canadiens in the 21st century. And Geoff Molson is fully aware of that.

Why do I say this?

Because, according to Sergei Demidov, who interviewed Kovalev for RG Media, Geoff Molson and the Canadiens have offered to prepare a tribute evening for Kovalev at the Bell Centre.

But Kovalev refused.

Please note: #27 didn’t say no because he doesn’t want anything to do with Montreal. He said no because, at the time, he was a head coach in the KHL.

It’s not that he didn’t want to: it’s that he couldn ‘t. #Nuance

Now that Kovalev has lost his KHL job and has more time on his hands, one wonders if he’ll be tempted to say yes to a ceremony in the future.

Remember that in the short term (next Wednesday), it’s Andrei Markov (next week) who will have one.

Seeing players from the past receive an honor is nice. It happened for P.K. Subban recently… it will be Andrei Markov’s turn… Alex Kovalev is being considered…

And we imagine Sharks legend Carey Price will get his tribute when his contract expires.

overtime

– Yes.

– They deserve their chance.

– They certainly do.