Author: Dose

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Rafaël Harvey-Pinard: The Canadiens would not have made him a qualifying offer

It’s been a tough season for Rafaël Harvey-Pinard.

He came back from a major injury, played only 40 games with the Rocket… and didn’t break anything in the AHL.

The forward scored five goals and 19 points for Laval.

Today, we learned that his stay with the Canadiens is over.

According to Marc Antoine Godin, the Habs have not made him a qualifying offer… which means that as of tomorrow, Harvey-Pinard will be as free as a bird.

He can sign a contract with any team he wants.

I expect there will still be interest in him – especially in the AHL.

Harvey-Pinard showed in 2022-2023 that he was capable of producing in the NHL (14 goals in 34 games), and his style of play may allow him to agree with a team on the terms of a two-part contract.

Of course, he would have liked to stay in Montreal, because we know he loves playing here. But that’s part of the game…

Maybe there’s a logical candidate to replace him right now.

Because according to reports… the Flyers haven’t submitted a qualifying offer to Jakob Pelletier either.

Pelletier in Laval to replace Harvey-Pinard and Alex Barré-Boulet (who is also leaving)… wouldn’t that make sense?

At the same time, Pelletier was available for waivers at some point last season and the Habs decided to pass.

That said, it’s with the losses at the Rocket that the idea of bringing him back to Quebec makes sense: we know that in Laval, management likes to bet on Québécois.

Pelletier comes from the province, he’s determined to make his mark in the National League… and even if he still has things to prove, he’s not the oldest at 24 either.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the Canadiens / Rocket decide to offer him a contract.

Overtime

– Really?

– Wow.

– Beautiful moment.

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New contract: Aaron Ekblad to earn less than Alexander Romanov

The NHL free-agent market opens tomorrow. We’ll be keeping an eye on a number of players who are about to hit the market… but in the meantime, we’re keeping an eye on the Panthers.

We know that the club, which has just won the Stanley Cup twice, had three big names about to hit the market. Sam Bennett signed an eight-year contract on Friday, but Brad Marchand and Aaron Ekblad were still without an agreement.

And in Ekblad’s case, he seemed like the player most likely to leave Florida… but in the end, the defenseman is clearly in Sunrise to stay.

Bob McKenzie reported this afternoon that the defenseman and his team were making progress in discussions for a long-term deal.

And we understand he’s left money on the table to stay in Florida (where the tax reality is more advantageous for those who leave money on the table).

And what we understand is that the defenseman will sign a very advantageous contract for the Panthers. Many saw him signing a contract worth at least $9 million a year on the open market… but that’s (really) not going to be the case in Florida.

In fact, we’re talking about an eight-year contract for… $6.1 million a year. That’s less money than Alexander Romanov, who signed a big contract earlier today.

Ekblad, the very first overall pick in the 2014 draft, has been a member of the Panthers since the start of his career. He is fully established as one of the NHL’s best right-handed defensemen, and in the last playoffs, he amassed 13 points in 19 games.

At 29, therefore, the defenseman will remain with the only team he’s ever known… and above all, he’ll continue to pair with Gustav Forsling, a duo that works extremely well in Florida. And when you consider that the club is also banking on Seth Jones, you realize that Florida’s defensive brigade will be good for a long time to come.

The Panthers are therefore sure to retain the services of their defenseman, but above all, they are taking advantage of the fact that Ekblad really didn’t want to leave. After all, accepting so little money shows that he wanted to stay where he has been since 2014.

Extension

Now that Bennett and Ekblad are under contract, the Panthers will have to try and sign Brad Marchand. And with Ekblad only signed for $6.1M, there’s good reason to believe that the Panthers will be able to make Marchand a very competitive offer.

No, the (two-time) defending champions aren’t going anywhere.

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Jordan Kyrou: The Canadiens will have to give “a lot” if they want to acquire him

The Canadiens have their noses in the Jordan Kyrou pie.

The Habs and Blues held talks over the weekend about a possible deal, but the two sides were unable to reach an agreement in the end.

And there may be a reason for that.

According to Pierre LeBrun, Kent Hughes is still interested in the Blues’ forward.

But… to get Kyrou out of St. Louis, the Canadiens will have to give “several pieces” in order to acquire him.

Is that what’s holding up a Habs/Blues deal right now?

The Blues aren’t rebuilding.

They’re not interested in picking up prospects for Kyrou because right now, in St. Louis, we want to win.

Which makes sense, because the Blues have good players and a good club on their hands.

The fact that Kyrou’s no-trade clause kicks in tomorrow also plays a role in all this, and perhaps it could encourage Doug Armstrong to be more generous in his demands too. We know that the Blues GM would like to acquire one or more players who can help the team right away, and this may also be where Kent Hughes says he’s reluctant to pull the trigger.

Because the Habs’ general manager doesn’t necessarily think it’s a good idea to part with one of his current core players in order to acquire a Kyrou-style forward.

You have to give to get… but Kent Hughes has said it many times: he’ll stick to his plan, and he won’t empty the club in desperation.

It’s not like the Noah Dobson situation, where Dobson had some leverage because of his contractual situation. Kyrou, on the other hand, already has a deal in the bag… and it’s only natural that the Blues want a big return for him.

It all depends on what the Blues are asking… but if the price is too high for Kent Hughes, we can forget about this project pretty quickly.

Overtime

– I’ve rarely seen the Habs captain smile so much.

– Happy reading.

– The photos are really beautiful.

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Evander Kane was forward in Vancouver last weekend

Last Wednesday, June 25, Evander Kane was traded.

The Oilers sent him to Vancouver in return for a 4th-round pick (2025) to free up salary on the block.

For Kane, it was a homecoming, having grown up there and played for the Vancouver Giants in junior (WHL).

But Kane’s homecoming didn’t turn out the way he’d hoped.

And the reason is simple: the forward was attacked over the weekend and needed medical attention.

It must have been an emotional last week for the main man involved…

According to reports, the events took place in a bar.

Kane came to the defense of his friends… who were being mobbed by an intoxicated guy.

Video footage of the incident should also be released shortly.

All in all, it was an unfortunate situation for Kane. He was happy to return home, he was happy to join the Canucks in Vancouver… and just a few days after knowing he was going to be able to return to where his life began, he was forwarded by someone.

Must be… great. #OuPas

Having said that, let’s note that Kane wouldn’t have suffered any major injuries and that’s the good news in the end.

I imagine the Canucks’ management must have been a little stressed after hearing this news… and that’s normal too.

Overtime

– Of note:

– Oh good.

– Hello, Bogdan.

– Good point.

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Jordan Harris to become an unrestricted free agent sooner than expected

Last summer, the Canadiens acquired Patrik Laine from Columbus. The forward, who was acquired with a second-round pick, didn’t cost the Habs much: in fact, only Jordan Harris went the other way.

Harris isn’t a bad defender, but he’s not exactly indispensable either, we agree.

That said, in Columbus, Harris wasn’t exactly able to establish himself as a regular at the blue line. He played just 33 games with the Blue Jackets, collecting one goal (against the Habs, of course) and five points.

Best of all, he didn’t play a single game between February 8 and April 12. That’s saying a lot.

The defenseman didn’t really seem to be in Columbus’ plans… and today we learned that the Jackets won’t even be making him a qualifying offer.

He’ll be free as a bird tomorrow.

Remember that if the Blue Jackets had submitted a qualifying offer to Harris (which would have been $1.4 million for one year), the club would have made him a restricted free agent. In other words, he could have signed an offer sheet elsewhere, but Columbus could have matched the offer or obtained picks based on the salary he was offered.

But obviously, Columbus didn’t want anything to do with having him under contract for $1.4 million. That doesn’t completely close the door on him returning to the Blue Jackets with a smaller contract, but it would be pretty unlikely.

So, in the end, the Habs got a second-round pick and Laine, who scored 33 points in 2024-25 (i.e., as many points as Harris played this season), in return for a single year of Jordan Harris, who didn’t even play half his team’s games.

It should be pointed out that the Habs took Laine’s contract out of their lot, which is worth a lot. But we all agree that, one year later, even those who want to see the Habs send Laine elsewhere have to admit it was a good move.

Extension

So, tomorrow, Harris will be free to come to terms with any NHL team. No, the Habs, who already have a huge surplus of defensemen, aren’t a logical team for him… although Kent Hughes, who has an excellent relationship with him, could be in the market for a seventh defenseman.

We know that the 24-year-old defenseman is a Massachusetts native, and that he was a big Bruins fan in his youth. I wonder if a return home might not be a possibility in his case.

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8 years at $6.25 per season: Alexander Romanov’s lucrative new contract

There was disappointment among some when the Canadiens traded Alexander Romanov in 2022.

The defenseman had quickly become a fan and crowd favorite in Montreal, and seeing him traded wasn’t expected.

Even though, in the end, the deal brought Kirby Dach to Montreal…

Romanov has become one of the most important pieces of the Islanders’ defense, and there have been rumors about his future on Long Island in recent weeks.

But, obviously… the Russian won’t be leaving the Isles organization because he’s just signed a big contract.

We’re talking about an eight-year deal that will pay him $6.25 million per season.

That’s more than Kaiden Guhle…

If you asked me to choose between Guhle and Romanov, my answer would be easy.

But never mind, that’s not the point here.

Romanov has secured his future, and since he’s having fun on Long Island, he’s decided to sign a big deal there. Good for him… and good for the Islanders, who’ll have a quality defenseman on hand for the next few years.

I wonder how much the Noah Dobson deal has changed things within the organization…

I mentioned Kirby Dach at the start of this article, and it’s worth revisiting the subject. Because, in reality, you have to wonder whether the Canadiens would have been better off with Romanov than with a guy like Dach.

The forward struggled to establish himself as an impact player last season in Montreal, and we can’t yet speak of him as a regular top-6 player.

Romanov, on the other hand, is likely to play on the first pair in New York for a while…

We agree that the Habs’ current needs are different because Martin St-Louis’s line-up now includes several left-handed defensemen. But, still: if we take a step back… we realize that Romanov really could have become an important player in Montreal.

Overtime

– It’s going to be interesting.

– Nice signing.

– Keep an eye on the Mammoth for Marchand.

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Bryan Rust interests the Canadiens (according to Arpon Basu)

The Canadiens have managed to improve in recent days.

The acquisition of Noah Dobson on defense is a game-changer, and by next year, the Habs will have one of the NHL’s best defensive brigades when you look at the lineup on paper.

But… we also know that the Habs would like to add a forward who can produce offensively. Will Kent Hughes be able to do it?

At the moment, Jordan Kyrou is one of the most talked-about players in Montreal.

Seeing the Habs conclude a trade with the Blues doesn’t seem impossible… especially when Kyrou’s no-trade clause kicks in tomorrow.

But according to Arpon Basu, there’s another player in particular the Habs are interested in: Bryan Rust.

The journalist wrote about him in an article published on The Athletic website.

Pittsburgh’s Bryan Rust is of interest to the Canadiens, as is St. Louis’ Jordan Kyrou, and surely others. One thing’s for sure: the Canadiens keep trying. – Arpon Basu

If Basu’s words are anything to go by, the Canadiens really haven’t finished their search.

And the name of Rust, a 33-year-old winger who can give it his all offensively, is still intriguing.

(Credit: HockeyDB)

We’re talking about a 5’11, 198-pound right-hander who plays big.

Bryan Rust likes to get into the corner, he sticks his nose in traffic to create scoring chances and he’s capable of putting it in. He’s been producing at a very respectable rate for several years now, and well surrounded, he can be dangerous offensively.

Oh, and he also has two Stanley Cup rings. So he knows how to win.

But even if he plays big, it may be his size that’s the problem… because the Canadiens would like (and need) to get bigger to avoid the kind of shuffling we’ve seen in recent series.

He’s not the shortest at 5’11, but he’s not the tallest either…

All in all, adding some offensive punch to Martin St-Louis’ line-up makes sense, because you have to score goals to win in the National League.

But you have to wonder if Rust’s profile is really what Montreal needs to fill that need.

Overtime

– Transaction in the NHL.

– Nice.

– Nice transaction for the Leafs.

– The Islanders won’t have to wait too long to see Schaefer in action.

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Canadiens development camp: five prospects to keep an eye on

The Canadiens’ development camp kicks off tomorrow.

There will be 31 prospects in attendance, none with NHL experience. This means that Ivan Demidov is one of the big names who could have shown up.

Alexander Zharovsky is also a big name who’s absent due to his work visa. But here’s who will be there.

Of the lot, there are bound to be some more interesting (or intriguing, no disrespect to anyone) names for fans to follow. I’ve picked out five to keep an eye on.

The first is Aatos Koivu, who wasn’t present at the 2024 camp.

He didn’t break the bank in his first year after the draft, but the fact that he’s the son of one of the Canadiens’ most memorable players of the 2000s (former captain Saku Koivu) means we’ll be keeping an eye on him.

The Koivus are in town as we speak.

By necessity, Michael Hage is the big name in camp. In the absence of Ivan Demidov and David Reinbacher, he will be the only first choice to take the ice at the CN Complex in Brossard.

Without Alexander Zharovsky, he has to be the one who stands out. He’s got to burn up the competition.

We could also name the eight players drafted this weekend, but there are two in particular that catch my eye. LJ Mooney, the talented little player drafted on Saturday, is bursting with talent.

Will Le Petit Jean be as explosive as we think?

Conversely, Hayden Paupanekis is a big-name center. Will he stand out? Will he be agile? Will his skating be fluid for a youngster of his age and size? How talented is he?

As the second prospect drafted by the Habs on Saturday, he’s sure to attract a lot of attention.

And finally, goaltender Yevgeni Volokhin is one to keep in mind. He’s been practicing in Montreal for some time and we’ve been told to keep an eye on him. The Habs hold him in high esteem…

He recently trained in the environment of Quartexx, the former Kent Hughes agency. The day he leaves Russia, we’ll have to keep an eye on him.

extension

Bogdan Konyushkov is another name attracting attention in Montreal. We know he wants to play for the Habs one day, and he’s never really hidden that fact.

Will he be any good this week?

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Brad Marchand: Let’s keep an eye on the Mammoth

With his playoff performances, Brad Marchand reminded all NHL clubs that he can still be an important part of a team that wants to win the Stanley Cup.

The timing was perfect… since he’s out of contract for next season.

And according to Darren Dreger, there are three clubs in particular that have shown great interest. One of them may surprise you…

In a tweet, Dreger talks about the Leafs and Bruins being interested in the veteran.

In Toronto, the addition of a player like him could prove interesting… and in Boston, we know that the Bruins organization likes him (still) a lot.

But the journalist also says that we’ll have to keep an eye on the Utah Mammoth in the race to obtain Marchand.

The Mammoth wants to add a top-6 caliber player – even after acquiring JJ Peterka – and Marchand has what it takes to fill a hole like that.

I’d be surprised to see Marchand sign a contract with the Mammoth, though.

At 37, he could be looking for a team with a real chance of going all the way before he retires… and even if the Mammoth have some good players on paper, there’s still work to be done before they think about lifting the precious trophy.

But on the other hand, if the Mammoth comes in with a big offer (the club has $15m to manoeuvre), maybe it can entice the veteran to sign there.

This is his last chance to sign a big contract, and if he wants to make as much money as possible with a club that still has a good roster, it could make sense in a way too.

All this to say, then, that we’ll have to keep an eye on the Mammoth tomorrow, as the free agent market opens at noon.

And I can’t wait to see which other teams decide to invite themselves into the Marchand derby.

overtime

Good deal.

– He’s ready to move on.

– Still, a big change.

– Now that’s funny.

– Stability in Vancouver.

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Michael Pezzetta: look out for the Maple Leafs tomorrow (among several clubs)

I don’t expect to see Michael Pezzetta back in Montreal in 2025-2026.

Pezz had a very, very small role this season and warmed the bench more than anything else. He no longer belongs in the city and deserves the chance to get a fresh start.

And that goes for any league.

But now, according to Pierre LeBrun, we shouldn’t be surprised to see “several teams” interested in the services of someone who can bring strength to a lineup.

I’m not completely surprised… if the price is low and the possibility of going to the AHL exists.

But the tipster did name one team that should be interested in his services tomorrow: the Toronto Maple Leafs. They’re a team to watch, in fact.

So we’ll be keeping an eye on them. We’ll be watching them mostly for Mitch Marner and the Vegas situation, but still.

It’s important to remember that Pezz is from Ontario and that the Maple Leafs are Montreal’s enemies. If he’s playing there, he’ll surely be fully motivated when he faces the Canadiens.

And that’s only natural.

Let’s not forget, though, that Pezzetta hasn’t scored a point this year, hasn’t played in the playoffs and isn’t the biggest – for a guy who plays his part. But in a dressing room, for the guys, he’s an asset because he’s got a good attitude.

Finally, still in Toronto, the Steven Lorentz file is one to watch.

overtime

– The AHL in Hamilton in 2026-2027?

– To watch.

– What will he do?

– Really?

– A name to keep in mind.