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“I want to force them to keep me on the team” – Joshua Roy

Last season was full of positive elements for the Montreal Canadiens, especially given that for the first time since the start of the rebuild, the team was competitive all season long. However, if we overlook the fact that the Habs made the playoffs, that Lane Hutson was extraordinary, and that Ivan Demidov came to town, there were more negative elements.

And one of these was clearly Joshua Roy’s performance. Indeed, we all had pretty high expectations of the Québécois winger last season, after seeing him finish the NHL season in 23-24. We saw him making the team easily at practice, when he clearly had a position to lose.

In the end, Roy didn’t perform up to expectations, and worse still, he didn’t even do enough to keep a job that seemed predestined for him. So it was clear that the Habs’ #89 didn’t arrive ready for training camp, didn’t have the right mentality and didn’t have the knife between his teeth. But this year, things seem different listening to Roy talk, as he explained that he wanted to force the Habs to keep him in the NHL.

[content-ads] Indeed, as can be read towards the end of theabove article by Sébastien Deschambault, Roy seems to have a much better mentality ahead of the fast-approaching training camp.

This time around, Roy will arrive as an underdog rather than a guy with a job to lose, so the pressure will be off him, and he’s bound to surprise and make management think long and hard about him. And that’s exactly what Roy wants, when his goal is to play in the NHL and prove that he belongs there.

What’s even more striking about Roy’s comments is that he really does sound like a guy who will play in the NHL, or at least has a good chance of getting there, when yet, several guys have passed him by. Zachary Bolduc is the first name that comes to mind, when he was clearly acquired to fill the role that Roy failed to fill and keep.

[content-ads] Indeed, in the eyes of many fans, the Québécois has fallen in the club’s hierarchy, and he’s clearly not one of the names that comes to mind when we think of youngsters who could carve out a position with the Habs.And even in the eyes of management, we know he’s lost a lot of feathers, so it’ll be hard for him to force them to keep him after disappointing them last season.

Owen Beck, Oliver Kapanen and Florian Xhekaj are the guys we’re hearing a lot more about right now, not to mention Joe Veleno and Samuel Blais, two Québécois who’ll be desperate to carve out a place for themselves in Montreal. Nevertheless, Roy remains fairly confident that he has the same goal as his compatriots:

“All three of us want the same result, which is to play with the Canadiens. We’ve got competition, but we’re still chums in the same way.”

–

Joshua Roy

In short, even if it’s going to be very difficult for the Québécois to make his mark in Montreal, it’s good to see him with a good mentality, which is still encouraging for what’s to come. Roy knows that this is his last year of contract, and he knows that it’s going to be a big year and that he’ll have to prove a lot.

Spacer title=’En Rafale’] – That’s for sure.

– Well said.

– Very good news for soccer.

– Very tough game for Sealy.

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Patrik Laine says he’s in much better shape than at this time last year

Today, Patrik Laine was taking part in his annual charity golf tournament in Finland with Aleksander Barkov, and the Habs forward gave an interview to the Finnish daily Helsingin Sanomat in which we learned a number of interesting tidbits.

The best news is that Laine says he’s in great shape both physically and mentally. Compared to this time last year, the Finn feels much better in body and mind.

In order to be ready for next season, he has been training much harder than usual on an almost daily basis, including numerous on-ice exercises. Last summer, Laine trained just three weeks before the start of the campaign.

The 27-year-old is also aware that he can give the Canadiens more, especially in a five-on-five situation for a player with only three goals at even strength [content-ads]. For the man who once considered quitting hockey due to mental problems, this is an important subject and a cause that is particularly close to his heart, and one in which the athlete is deeply involved.

Laine has long struggled with depression following the death of his father in 2021, which manifested itself in a problematic addiction to video games. The Finn had to work hard and make many changes in his life to get back to normal, and decided to part with all his classic cars and settle for less ostentatious rental vehicles.

Since then, he and his wife have helped many people with similar problems, insisting on the importance of sharing their experiences and spreading the word. During the summer, Laine also spent a lot of time in Montreal and with his team-mates, including numerous weddings.

The forward’s time in Finland will be short-lived for Laine, who says he’s feeling more and more like a North American. However, he’s also aware that he could be traded by the Canadiens during the season, but prefers to concentrate on the things he can control, such as his choice of destination next year, as he becomes a free agent without compensation.

Let’s just say that it’s reassuring to see the Habs player in top form a month before practice, and who knows, maybe we’ll see the Patrik Laine of his heyday, when he scored 44 goals and 70 points in his second season?

[spacer title=’En rafale’] – A draw for CF Montréal.

–

do you think

– Victory for Canada.

🇨🇦🇺🇸

– What a pass!

– And what a catch!

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Patrik Laine and Aleksander Barkov at their charity golf tournament in Finland

Patrik Laine has been hard at work this summer, training and frequently on the ice in Brossard. But every summer, Laine, along with fellow Finn Aleksander Barkov, organizes a charity golf tournament in Nokia to raise money for sick Finnish youth.Laine left for Finland last week, following practice in Brossard. This year, the aim is to help Finnish youth with mental health, who will donate all their profits to a clinic covering mental health.

And today’s the day.

In the photo above, you can see that there is a large quantity of hockey pucks to be signed by the two Finnish stars and given to the children on site.

We know that Patrik Laine isn’t afraid to get involved in the community of the city where he plays, but he obviously still takes time out to help his own community.

To find out more about the event, here’s the official website (you can translate to French with your browser to help you understand the Finnish language). Last year, according to the official website of the charity event, they raised over 100,000 euros, and we can expect an equally big sum this year, if not even bigger. The ticket to get in seems pretty expensive (1,000 euros), but it includes several things.

There’s lunch and dinner included, equipment (clearly signed pucks, but possibly sticks and jerseys or something?) and giveaways. On the website, it also says that companies will receive visibility. Here are more details on the rewards for each third party:

(Credit: Patrik Laine and Aleksander Barkov Charity Golf Tournament)

So each package gets polo shirts (in addition to lunch and dinner included) and giveaway packages. Even if he’s no longer practicing while in Finland and can relax with his loved ones, Laine is keeping busy and taking advantage of the opportunity to support a worthy cause. spacer title=’Overtime’] – Great company at the Lasso Festival at Parc Jean-Drapeau.

– A first gold medal at this tournament for the Americans in 22 years (!!!).

– Must read.

– Myles Straw is on fire.

🚀

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Pascal Vincent is still head coach of the Rocket

Even though the Laval Rocket suffered a bitter elimination by being swept in the conference final by the Charlotte Checkers, the season of the Habs’ club-school can be seen as a success.

The Rocket was dominant throughout the season, even finishing first in the AHL to win the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy, and it was with a team full of young prospects and led by those same young players that the Rocket performed so well, which is really encouraging for the future of the Canadiens de Montréal.

And much of this success can be attributed to the excellent job Pascal Vincent has done at the helm of the team. He has been excellent and led the team masterfully, earning him a lot of praise throughout the season, and boosting his image too, after a very difficult season in Columbus in 23-24. And often, when a head coach enjoys success like this in the AHL, he receives job offers in the NHL, whether as an assistant or head coach.

In Vincent’s case, by the end of the season, even though we knew he was attached to the Rocket, we were sad to see him leave for a better opportunity in the NHL. The chances of him remaining at the Rocket’s helm were pretty slim after such a season, and so fans were preparing to mourn the loss of the Québécois coach.

But here we are in the middle of August, about a month before the opening of rookie camp and the start of all hostilities for the 2025-2026 season, and Vincent is still the Rocket’s coach.

It’s an ideal scenario that’s coming true.

[content-ads]About two months ago, Marc-Antoine Godin stated that Pascal Vincent would be back in Laval.

Obviously, there’s still some time to go before the season starts, but with all the head coaching positions now filled in the NHL, and the 25-26 campaign fast approaching, there’s every reason to believe that Pascal Vincent will be back at the helm of the Laval Rocket for a second season. This would really be great news for the team. Vincent was successful last season, and he knows the team’s key players – the most important young prospects for the Canadiens.

He treated them well last season, and got the best out of each and every one of them, which is really ideal for the further development of all these young players – Florian Xhekaj, Jared Davidson, Sean Farrell, Joshua Roy, Owen Beck, David Reinbacher, Adam Engstrom and Jacob Fowler.

[content-ads] There are others, of course, but these are the main ones that came to mind and that were very successful under Vincent last season, so it’s ideal that the various young Rocket players who aspire to a position with the Habs in the near future benefit from the same head coach under whom they enjoyed success.

In short, if Vincent is indeed at the helm of the Rocket for next season, we can really look forward to another successful season. Of course, several veterans have left, but in general, the Rocket still has the same core, and it will be highly competitive once again.

[spacer title=’En Rafale’] – Indeed.

– Montreal will be favourites for the first time in a long time, with

– To be continued.

– After just one match!

😳

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Gerard Gallant wanted to go to Dallas

Every off-season in the National Hockey League, there’s a merry-go-round of new coaches, and every summer, as many teams fire their head coaches and bring in a new one, either recently fired or from elsewhere. In general, we’re used to the same names coming back and forth across the NHL from one team to the next.

The NHL still remains a clique with a small variety of head coaches, but things are changing with hires like Martin St-Louis in the last few years. Still, we often hear the same names coming back, and one of those we expected to see return to the NHL was Gerard Gallant.

The former assistant coach of the Montreal Canadiens, and former head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers, Vegas Golden Knights and New York Rangers, was hoping to return to the NHL as head coach after two years without a job, and it was recently revealed that he was very interested in the position in Dallas.

[content-ads] Indeed, Gallant was hoping for his chance to lead the Dallas Stars, but in the end, it was Glen Gulutzan who stole the job, after spending the last seven seasons as an assistant with the Edmonton Oilers.

“The last available NHL job was in Dallas and I was hoping for an opportunity for that, but it didn’t happen.”

–

Gerard Gallant

The 61-year-old coach was disappointed, as he explained in an interview on TSN radio, but quickly came around as he evaluated the other options he had on the table. He knew he had an offer in the KHL, and took a few days to think it over, before his desire to coach a team again drove him to accept.

Gallant has signed a two-year contract (with possible release after one season) with the Shanghai Dragons in the KHL, and he’s excited about this new challenge, as he knows it’s different to coach a KHL team.

Inshort, Gallant will be looking to take a team that usually finishes at the bottom of the KHL standings to the playoffs, which will be quite a challenge for the 61-year-old head coach. Let’s see if his potential success in St. Petersburg (where the Dragons play), could help him return to the NHL before long. [spacer title=’En Rafale’] – To be continued today.

– These will be two cases (Rossi and McTavish) to watch closely.

– Check it out.

– A good shower!

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The Habs will give Kirby Dach every opportunity to produce

Kirby Dach’s situation is the talk of the town these days, with many questioning his health and hoping he’ll be ready for the start of the season. However, whether or not he starts the campaign, he needs to make sure he’s 100% physically and mentally, because as my colleague Marc-Olivier Cook wrote, this could be Dach’s last chance.

Despite some good flashes, the Alberta native has failed to produce consistently and establish himself as a top-6 forward with the Canadiens. Last season, which was cut short by injury, was particularly difficult for the 24-year-old center, who scored just 22 points, including 10 goals, in 57 games.

Worse, Dach finished with a minus-29 rating, and his struggles in his defensive zone often put the Habs in trouble. Now, the center is approaching the final year of his four-year, $13.45 million contract ($3,362,500 per year), and should he experience another difficult campaign, it could well be his last with the Habs.

However, as Brian Wilde says on The Sick Podcast, Dach could also benefit from a very favourable situation as the organization looks to maximize his chances of success.

[content-ads] We’re going to give him every opportunity to come through and be a good hockey player this year. Remember that the acquisition of Dach, in return for Alexander Romanov, was one of Kent Hughes’ first major transactions, and also one of his worst so far.

It’s safe to assume that the Habs won’t want to let Dach go for nothing at the end of the season, which leaves the club with two options: trade him or re-sign him. And in either case, to make it worthwhile, the Canadiens need to ensure that the center has a good season, ideally as the pivot of the second line. This should translate into time on the power play, quality wingers and offensive zone face-offs.

So if Kent Hughes and the organization want to make sure they don’t look too bad in the Dach trade, he should be given some good playing opportunities this season and it’ll be up to him to take advantage of them.

[spacer title=’Overtime’] – Alejandro Kirk puts the Jays on the scoreboard.

– Two-point home run for Marcus Semien.

– A little football.

– Record for the Valkiries.

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Luke Hughes’ next contract will give a good indication of Lane Hutson’s next contract

Luke Hughes’ next contract will give a good clue to Lane Hutson’s Unless there’s a surprise deal, the Canadiens’ next big announcement should be the signing of Lane Hutson. Next season, the defenseman will complete the final year of his three-year NHL entry-level contract worth $950,000 a year. Needless to say, the 21-year-old should see a substantial salary increase.

However, as negotiations between the Habs and Hutson remain at a standstill, one wonders why they are taking so long to reach an agreement. On this subject, Marco D’Amico, who spoke to BPM Sports, is reassuring on several points: “I want to be clear on this, Lane Hutson absolutely wants to stay in Montreal, it’s not even a debate. He’s in love with this city and he’s in love with you, the fans

[content-ads] So no worries there.

According to D’Amico, the organization and the Hutson clan are in constant conversation to reach an agreement. Both parties want to find a middle ground where the young defenseman will be paid what he’s worth without feeling ripped off by the team a few seasons from now.

Current negotiations between players and their teams are more complicated, given the significant increase in the salary cap that began this year and is expected to continue until at least 2027-28, when it could reach $113.5 million. This makes some players reluctant to make long-term commitments in the hope of earning a little more in a few years’ time.

As I explained recently, the signing of Connor McDavid and Kirill Kaprizov should establish a new salary scale across the NHL. In Hutson’s case, he and the Canadiens organization must instead keep an eye on the negotiations between Luke Hughes, who is still a compensated free agent, and the New Jersey Devils. This contract could establish a good basis of comparison for Hutson’s.

Don’t be surprised if the young defenseman becomes the Habs’ highest-paid player when he signs his next contract. Personally, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see the American earn at least $10 million a year, and if the Canadiens can sign him for eight years, it could quickly become a good deal for the club. Especially since Hutson hasn’t yet reached his full potential. [spacer title=’Overtime’] – What do you think?

– Solid three-point shot.

– Already 100 points produced for Cal Raleigh.

– It’s far, far away!

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Beto-game: Hutson, Heiskanen and Fox have almost the same odds to win the Norris

Lane Hutson has it all for Canadiens fans. He’s (very) talented, electrifying, likeable and a hockey fanatic, and Habs fans were very pleased with his Calder Trophy-winning performance. He certainly surprised many in his rookie season, and has what it takes to exceed expectations in his second NHL season.

He’ll be more experienced, just like the rest of the young core, plus he’ll have Ivan Demidov on the ice to create some two-man magic. And it’ll be interesting to see where he stands among the NHL’s top defensemen, as we know he’s bound to pick up a lot of points, once again. Can we talk about the Norris Trophy? It’s still early days, but he could certainly get some votes, having received a third-place vote in the last poll in his rookie season. I decided to take a look at the odds for the Norris on Mise-o-jeu, and something surprised me greatly (and pleasantly). Hutson’s odds are 30 (so, you’re making 30 times your bet if he wins the trophy). But some very big names in #1 defensemen really aren’t that far off the odds for the little habs defender.

In fact, Miro Heiskanen, Adam Fox and Evan Bouchard all have similar odds, at 25.

(Credit: Mise-o-jeu)

[content-ads]It just goes to show, once again, how much Hutson’s reputation has risen after just one NHL season.

I say again, because NHL Network recently ranked Hutson among the NHL’s top 20 defensemen (19th). Notice in the photo above that Hutson has exactly the same rating as Roman Josi. Although Josi is 35, he’s still an excellent defenseman and scored 85 points, including 23 goals, two years ago. And that’s without mentioning his 96-point season in 2021-22. In short, Hutson is certainly in good company for next season. Let’s see how many points he collects and where he ranks among the league’s best. My prediction: 71 points. And yours? [spacer title=’En rafale’] – Shea Weber is part of NHL Network’s Quarter Century Team.

– Read on.

– What a relay.

– How about a techno song by Connor McDavid?[HockeyFeed]

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David Reinbacher: Habs is excited… but he’ll take his time with it

When you think of the Canadiens’ top prospects – especially on defense – the name David Reinbacher comes to mind. Which, in fact, makes sense. The Canadiens didn’t select him with the 5th overall pick in 2023 for nothing, after all. And we know the Habs like him a lot. But even if they see him becoming a good defenseman in Montreal, that doesn’t mean they’re going to rush things. Far from it, in fact. Kent Hughes(NHL.com) is aware that Reinbacher could cause a bit of a surprise at camp – especially since right-handed defensemen aren’t exactly a dime a dozen in Montreal right now.But if the Austrian is going to start the season in Laval… so be it:

[content-ads] Seeing the Habs wanting to take their time with Reinbacher is a good thing.

And I say that… especially when I think of the defenseman’s last two seasons. Because let’s not forget: in 23-24, it was extremely difficult for him in Kloten because of his club’s situation. It ended well in Laval, but he may not have had as much opportunity to progress as we would have liked on the Habs side, and… we know that he wasn’t able to play much last season because of the serious knee injury he suffered during the Canadiens’ 2024 practice camp.

The important thing is to give him the chance to progress at his own pace. It can take longer for a defenseman, everyone knows that… and the Canadiens know they have to give him the opportunity to take his time.That’s a good thing.

[spacer title=’Overtime’ – Will Lane Hutson ever spend one of these players?

– Canada defeated.

– Oh.

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Ivan Demidov: a projected 61 points this season

How many points will Ivan Demidov get this season? Obviously, we know that several factors (besides his performance) will affect his point total: his powerplay role, his linemates, etc. But the question still arises. After all, we agree that the quality of his performances will make the Canadiens a more dangerous team or a more ordinary one.No pressure, kid… it’s just a fact.

It’s interesting to note, at a time when everyone has an opinion on what would be a good or bad rookie season for Demidov, that the NHL website has made its projections in connection with the file, and here they are projecting 61 points for Demidov, five less than Lane Hutson in 2024-2025.

[content-ads]61 points would put him just behind the 63 points projected for Juraj Slafkovsky. It would also put him behind Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki, who could score 72 and 90 points, respectively, according to the same projections.Lane Hutson is also projected at 70 points, by the way. But otherwise, no other Habs forward is projected at more than 50 points, among those in the rankings. Zachary Bolduc (45), Patrik Laine (48) and Kirby Dach (42) are all under 50.Dach at 42 points, can we believe it?So theoretically, unless the NHL model is very much in love with Alex Newhook or Josh Anderson, Demidov should be the Canadiens’ fifth-best scorer. That’s pretty conservative. And I think it’s realistic.[spacer title=’Overtime’]- Read on.

–

– To be continued.

– Team Canada: Nazem Kadri wanted his chance.[TVAS] – Oh yeah?