Author: Dose

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Jesperi Kotkaniemi: “Teams have called Carolina regarding his availability”

An undrafted prospect has to prove every day that he can play to make the cut. A first-round pick has to show you every day that he can’t play to decide to pack him in.

It’s a cliché, but it’s true.

After all, a talented player can always, for some reason, explode elsewhere. That’s why teams are often patient with these players in the sports world.

And Jesperi Kotkaniemi is no exception.

The Hurricanes gave him an astronomical contract because he was talented. It certainly wasn’t for what he’d managed to prove in the National Hockey League.

And today, we have to believe they regret it.

But even so, much to my surprise, there are teams who apply the idea of considering giving too many chances to a third overall pick since the Canes GM has been getting calls for KK. This is what Frank Seravalli (DFO) reports.

It’s crazy to think that after seven years in the NHL and nearly 500 games (!) under the tie in the regular season, there are still teams who think they have the Caramilk’s secret to taking him to another level.

At $4.82 million per season for five more big seasons, KK isn’t the biggest financial liability. Especially with a rising ceiling.

But there’s still a nasty gap, in my opinion, between “thinking about buying him out” and “thinking about getting him on his current contract” when it comes to Kotkaniemi.

If I’m a GM, I don’t touch that contract.

overtime

– Something to keep in mind for the draft.

– Logical.

– Interesting.

– Can the Habs take risks in the draft? [NYT]

– Wow.

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Temple: it’s okay if Carey Price has to wait another year

Yesterday, we learned that Carey Price was not inducted into the Hall of Fame.

The eight inductees are a fine crop. We’re talking about two builders and six players, including four from the National Hockey League.

Danièle Sauvageau’s inclusion is particularly welcome news.

But of course, the one we were keeping an eye on in Quebec was Carey Price. Would the goalie, still under contract with the Habs for one year, be inducted into the Hall of Fame?

And finally, as you know, he didn’t make it into the Hall on Midsummer’s Day 2025.

We could look for comparisons all we wanted (with comparables in other sports or with Shea Weber, for example), but we have to say that it’s not the end of the world if Price has to wait a year before entering the Hall.

But why? Because it also depends on his vintage.

If you look at the people Price was up against among NHL players, you’ll see that there was the big defenseman of the Blackhawks dynasty, the Bruins’ #1 defenseman in 2011 and another Cup champion who had long been forgotten.

The Stanley Cup weighs quite heavily in these cases… in addition to the fact that they were top players for many years, of course.

And Joe Thornton, who never won? I think the big center also deserved his place in the sun this year, which means that places were limited for Price.

Does Price deserve his place? In my eyes, the answer is yes. He’s had a great career, won everything (except the Cup, of course) and leads the Canadiens in regular-season wins.

But you can’t bring in eight or nine NHL players every year. Otherwise, it lowers the value of the positions acquired by the others.

Next year, I think his chances will be good. Patrice Bergeron will be eligible and he should get in, but I think Price has an advantage over Phil Kessel and Eric Staal, two other newcomers on the ballot.

Because the mistake that is sometimes made is that of comparing players instead of vintages. For example, Henrik Lundqvist might not have made the cut had he been on the 2025 ballot, but he did in 2023.

Price’s turn will come. He’ll just have to be patient – and that’s all right.

overtime

– The Blues won’t give him away.

– Interesting.

– Really?

– Of note.

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Daniil Prokhorov: a big 6-foot-6 bet in the draft

The draft is not an exact science. Sometimes you have to fall back on the best player available, but you also have to take risks to hit home runs.

This year, one player who represents a huge gamble for NHL teams is Russian forward Daniil Prokhorov.

When I say “big”, I mean it literally. The player who plays for St. Petersburg Dynamo in the MHL is 6’6 and 220 lbs.

In the text above, TVA Sports’ Nicolas Cloutier reveals a few messages he shared with Prokhorov’s coach, Igor Efimov.

During their conversation, Elfmov compared his player with Valeri Nishuchkin and Dmitry Voronkov. We’re talking about two well-established NHL players who can have a major offensive and physical influence on their teams.

Prokhorov is ranked 18th by NHL Central Scouting for European skaters and around 40th by various experts.

That’s good timing, because the Canadiens will be drafting 41st overall with the Penguins’ pick, and at that rank, it’s a good idea to take a little risk.

The only problem is, when Nicolas Cloutier made the trade with Prokhorov’s coach, he was told that Nick Bobrov had not approached the young Russian.

Although he’s bursting with talent as well as imposing stature, Prokhorov isn’t the unanimous choice of prospect scouts and analysts. According to some, he’s a player who often plays alone and doesn’t often pass the puck.

Nicolas Cloutier pointed out that the young player had just completed his Russian junior season with 20 goals, but only seven assists in 43 games.

Other people like Grant McCagg adore this player. He sees so much potential in this player that he calls him a 6’6 Chris Kreider who can help you score and win in the playoffs.

It’s also worth noting that his hockey skills are truly impressive. He even earned an honorable mention for his shot, strength and physicality in The Athletic ‘s analysis at the NHL Combine .

We can even draw some similar lines between Lynden Lakovic’s style and that of Prokhorov. Two players with imposing stature and remarkable hockey skills.

Who knows? Maybe the Canadiens will be able to offer both of them at the draft.

Overtime

– Irving stays with the Mavericks.

– It will be difficult for Vegas to trade Hertl.

– For “only” $1.5 billion.

– That’s probably what the Oilers want, too.

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Caufield projected on U.S. team, but not Hutson

When the U.S. team was selected for the 4 Nations Confrontation, many Canadiens fans were disappointed not to see Cole Caufield’s name on the list.

The good news is that his name is finally on NHL.com’s projected roster for the upcoming Olympics.

Except that last season, a young American proved his worth in Montreal. We’re talking about defenseman Lane Hutson, who doesn’t see his name on this list.

It’s just a prediction list months before the official U.S. selection, but it’s a bit of an insult to the Canadiens’ defenseman, who’s coming off a fantastic season.

Eight defensemen were chosen before him for this list.

  • Brock Faber
  • Quinn Hughes
  • Seth Jones
  • Charlie McAvoy
  • Brett Pesce
  • Jake Sanderson
  • Jaccob Slavin
  • Zach Werenski

Hutson obviously has plenty of competition ahead of him with so many talented defensemen in the U.S., but based on Norris Trophy votes from last campaign, Hutson was ahead of many of the defensemen on this list.

In his rookie season, the Canadiens’ defenseman finished fourth among Americans in Norris Trophy voting.

The only three American players to overtake him were Hughes, Werenski and Slavin. All the others were behind him in the voting!

Understandably, the U.S. would like more physical defensemen on their team following Adam Fox’s fiasco at the 4 Nations Confrontation, but there’s definitely a place somewhere for Hutson in this lineup.

The decision not to select Caufield could always be justified by the fact that he is a small offensive player and would have difficulty standing out on the last two trios of the American formation, but Hutson has proved that he can work both ways of the rink despite his small size.

Lane Hutson should be given a few weeks at the start of the next campaign to prove to the U.S. coaches that he belongs with the national team, even though he is a small, young player.

Overtime

– Big deal for Victory.

– As long as it’s not Skinner.

– La Victoire improves its defense.

– Funny idea.

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Two players from Mighty Ducks films to announce Ducks’ first pick

The 2025 NHL Draft is fast approaching (three days).

There are just three days to go until the day hockey fans have been waiting for, for all sorts of reasons.

First, it’s a reason to get together with friends and family, now that the season and playoffs are over.

What’s more, all fans will know a little more about their favorite club. Many rumours are circulating about the draft, and we’ll finally have some answers.

For Canadiens fans, we’ll finally know what the club will do with first-round picks #16 and #17.

But what we do know for Friday is who will announce the Anaheim Ducks’ first pick, and many will be thrilled.

Anaheim will be speaking at #10, and the club has unveiled two people who will be announcing the pick.

They are Charlie and Connie from the Mighty Ducks movies. These films have left their mark on many hockey fans in the past, and we’ll have the chance to see two of the main actors.

The HabsolumentFan site wrote about them earlier today.

This news will get a lot of attention and could clearly help the ratings for this decentralized draft… at least, for the first 10 picks in the first round.

Still, I’m pretty excited about this news, it’s going to be good to see again two faces that have marked so many hockey fanatics.

The first film came out in 1992, the second in 1994 and the third in 1996, but even if I wasn’t around when they came out, these films still left their mark on me.

After Céline Dion announced Ivan Demidov for the Habs (as a surprise), now the Ducks are going with Charlie (Joshua Jackson) and Connie (Marguerite Moreau) for their 10th overall pick. It’s rare that you know something like that in advance.

I’m looking forward to this draft even more, even though I’m already very excited.

Overtime

– You can never go wrong with Dairy Queen.

– Another CF Montreal player leaves for Europe.

– Flagg may settle for lucky to join a team like the Mavericks by being selected at the very top (if he’s the one the Mavs choose, although there’s very little chance of that not happening).

– Another major trade in the NBA. The Brooklyn Nets would have five first-round picks for tomorrow’s NBA draft.

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Rumor mill: Devils interested in Jason Robertson

We’re getting closer and closer to the draft and the free agent market, and rumors are flying everywhere.

It’s always interesting to know what’s going on throughout the NHL, especially at this crucial time for all the clubs.

Earlier today, my colleague Marc-Olivier Cook talked about the situations of Erik Karlsson, Thatcher Demko and Elias Pettersson, among others.

But with rumors flying all over the NHL, it’s important to clear the air about what’s going on.

There are frequent developments on certain players at this time of year, with the draft only three days away.

Tonight, we’ll discuss Jason Robertson, JJ Peterka, the Rangers and Brad Marchand.

Devils interested in Jason Robertson

Recently, we told you that the Stars aren’t necessarily looking to trade Jason Robertson, but are listening to offers nonetheless.

Well, now we’ve learned that there’s already one team in the running for the 6-foot-3 winger: the New Jersey Devils.

That’s what Pierre LeBrun reported in his latest article on The Athletic.

All it took was for the Stars to mention the possibility of trading the author of a 109-point season for a team to come forward.

A guy like Robertson changes the face of a franchise pretty quickly, even if his last two seasons were somewhat disappointing (80 points nonetheless).

And the Devils need to make some changes, having been eliminated in five short games against the Carolina Hurricanes.

New York Islanders and Buffalo Sabres discuss Peterka and Dobson

JJ Peterka of the Sabres and Noah Dobson of the Islanders have certainly been the talk of the town for some time.

The Islanders really seem to want to draft Matthew Schaefer, even if it means trading existing defensemen for offensive support.

At the same time, I can understand why, because Schaefer really does seem to be in a class of his own, even if he hasn’t hit the pro ranks yet.

According to Frank Seravalli, the two clubs have discussed a possible trade involving Peterka and Dobson.

It would make a lot of sense for both teams.

First, the Sabres really need support on the right side of the defensive brigade, and Dobson would certainly be their first right-handed defenseman.

He would also provide good support for Rasmus Dahlin, Bowen Byram, Owen Power and Mattias Samuelsson.

As for the Islanders, they would get a very promising young forward who has just collected 68 points, including 27 goals, and who scored 28 goals the year before.

He’s only 23, mind you.

If there’s one trade I’d be willing to bet a couple of bucks on, it’d be this one, because everything makes sense on both sides. It remains to be seen what the details of the transaction would be, should it go through.

Rangers want to move up in the draft

Why would they want to move up in the draft after making it official that they’re letting the 12th overall pick go to the Penguins?

It’s a question I’ve been asking myself, but that’s exactly whatElliotte Friedman said in his 32 Thoughts Podcast.

I can understand the Rangers letting this year’s #12 pick go, rather than risk losing a pick that could be part of the lottery, and thus, risk losing Gavin McKenna.

But let’s face it, the chances of the Rangers finishing in the 11 worst teams in the NHL (because a team can’t advance more than 10 spots in the lottery) are pretty slim. It’s even more unlikely knowing that they have to win the lottery with very little chance.

But I’m clearly not the only one who was surprised by the Rangers’ disappointing season this year, and with Chris Drury still GM, it’s hard to know what to expect.

Brad Marchand in line for contract extension in Florida

After Sam Bennett said out loud at the Stanley Cup parade that he wasn’t going anywhere, we wondered what would happen with Brad Marchand.

He seems to have enjoyed his stay in Florida (and, of course, his Stanley Cup ring), as well as his new teammates.

Chris Johnston told TSN 1050 that Marchand’s contract extension in Florida is looking more and more likely.

If the Panthers can secure Bennett and Marchand, they’ll be one step ahead of all the other teams.

Only Aaron Ekblad seems to be more on his way out among the free agents on the roster, but nothing is certain yet at this level.

Let’s see what happens with the two-time champions.

Overtime

– With the depth of the draft, it makes sense.

– Indeed.

– A beautiful moment.

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Sharks interested in “swallowing” salary: An opportunity for the Habs to trade Price’s contract?

Even though Carey Price is no longer playing, his contract is still on the Canadiens’ books.

That’s why the option of trading him to help the club’s payroll has been raised many times in the past.

And maybe the opportunity will present itself this summer for Kent Hughes.

I say this in the context that Mike Grier has a plan in mind for the coming months.

The Sharks GM is open to the idea of gobbling up salary this summer because he has room to do so… and he wants to take advantage of the fact that he has $53 million (!) available under the payroll to pursue this option.

Even with Price’s contract, the Sharks would have lots and lots of money to spend…

What may help is that the Sharks will have to find a way to meet the salary floor next year.

The club in San Jose isn’t likely to be super-dominant… and there won’t be many (maybe any) players making big salaries.

That’s where the option of adding Price’s contract ($10.5 million for the 25-26 season) might make sense.

And it fits in well with the Sharks’ timing, who won’t be competitive until AT LEAST the 26-27 season.

I wonder, though, if Kent Hughes is interested in giving something to get rid of Price’s contract. We know there’s no chance of Price’s contract being bought out by the Canadiens… but that doesn’t mean his contract will never be traded, either.

That remains to be seen.

Overtime

– Can’t wait to see this.

– Happy reading.

– The party’s on !

– Good.

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Eric Engels: If Hutson wants to win, he’ll have to take less money

In his first season in the National League, Lane Hutson was… great.

The Canadiens’ (little) defenseman racked up 66 points – which is exceptional – and won the Calder Trophy, awarded annually to the NHL’s top rookie.

That’s something, isn’t it?

But when we talk about Lane Hutson, there’s also the subject of his next contract.

Because we know: it’s going to be expensive. How expensive? That’s the question right now.

That said, Eric Engels talked it over with Tony Marinaro(Sick Podcast) and the journalist is convinced of one fact in particular: if Hutson wants to win, he’ll have to agree to take less money.

By deciding to earn less, Hutson would help Kent Hughes.

At the very least, it would allow the GM to have more money under his payroll… which would also allow him to have more money to spend elsewhere to improve the lineup.

And there’s one more thing: Ivan Demidov’s contract will come up at some point… and it’s likely to break the bank, too.

But, ultimately, Hutson has proven he deserves a big payday.

He’s already among the National League’s elite (he did receive a 3rd-place vote for the Norris) and it’s only going to get better because he’s… 21.

That said, Hutson may be thinking it’s better to wait another year before signing his contract. By waiting until next year, he could give himself even more of an argument if he has another big season… but I don’t get the impression that Kent Hughes wants to follow that plan.

We know the GM of the Canadiens. Juraj Slafkovsky didn’t take long to sign his new deal, and I find it hard to believe that Hughes doesn’t want to do the same with Hutson – precisely because it could cost even more in a year’s time.

So we’ll have to wait and see. But, whatever happens… one thing’s for sure: with the salary he’ll be earning, Lane Hutson will be able to sleep soundly, and he shouldn’t have any financial worries.

In Overtime

– Retirement for Matt Martin.

– Oh.

– I love this.

– Things are brewing (or will they?) in Toronto.

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No, Carey Price has not been inducted into the Hall of Fame

Carey Price has never won the Stanley Cup.

But he…

But he did have a wickedly good career. Olympic gold medals, the Calder Trophy (as a rookie no less), a Hart Trophy, a William M. Jennings Trophy, a Vézina Trophy, a Ted Lindsay Trophy… you get the idea.

That said, the Hockey Hall of Fame welcomed seven new members… and no, Price isn’t one of them.

They are: Zdeno Chara, Joe Thornton, Duncan Keith, Alexander Mogilny, Jennifer Botterill and Brianna Decker, Danièle Sauvageau and Jack Parker.

It would have been deserved because Price has his place among the greats.

He was one of the best goalies of his generation and he helped the Canadiens succeed when the team in front of him was bad.

Without Price, the years 2010 to 2021 would have been truly catastrophic in Montreal…

Ultimately, we also know that Price did everything he was supposed to do in his career apart from lifting the Stanley Cup. That’s the only achievement he’s missing… and maybe that’s what hurt him in the end.

Although, it was the same speech for Shea Weber last year…

More details to come…

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Rumor mill: Erik Karlsson is ready to lift his clause to leave the Penguins

We know it’s tough in Pittsburgh.

That’s why we hear a lot of rumours about the Penguins and some of their players.

That said, the latest guy to find himself at the heart of some whispers… his name is Erik Karlsson.

The Karlsson experience was never really crazy in Pittsburgh, and both sides seem to be open to a fresh start.

Because according to David Pagnotta… the defenseman would be willing to waive his no-trade clause to join a Stanley Cup contender.

The problem with Karlsson is his salary.

He has a $10 million cap hit, and that’s a lot for a player who’s slowing down. At least he’s only got two years left on his contract, and maybe that’s what might entice a club to make a move to acquire him…

But knowing that Karlsson wants to join a team that has a chance of going all the way is no surprise.

He’s 35… and still looking for a Stanley Cup ring.

Thatcher Demko on his way out?

It’s been a tough year for Thatcher Demko.

He’s had trouble staying healthy – the goalie played in 23 games last season – and he hasn’t had much success either.

We can’t say it’s 100% his fault, for example… because it’s been hell in Vancouver in recent months.

But now, the goalie could be available on the trade market.

Still according to David Pagnotta, teams are listening to calls right now about Demko:

Demko has proven himself to be a good #1 goaltender in the National League.

When he’s in shape… he’s also one of the best goaltenders on the Bettman circuit.

That’s why I’m thinking that any team looking to improve in front of the net should give the Canucks a call and see what they can do.

What if that team was called the Oilers?

I say that all the same, but we all know what the problem is in Edmonton…

Another Canucks player in the news

In addition to Demko, Elias Pettersson has been the talk of the town for some time now.

The Canucks aren’t happy with Pettersson’s performance (with good reason), and the idea of trading him to take advantage of his current value seems to be on the table.

Especially since Pettersson is relatively young, it might be a good time to send him elsewhere before he regresses any further…

Farhan Lalji (TSN) even thinks there’s a chance the Swede could be traded before July 1:

In 22-23, Pettersson scored 39 goals and 102 points.

Last season… the main man had his worst career offensive output with 45 points (15 goals) in 64 games.

Again, it’s understandable that the Canucks want to see more from him.

But if Pettersson is really available, Patrik Allvin’s phone will be ringing off the hook.

Because, in reality… Pettersson has all the talent in the world not to be able to explode again.

And maybe a change of scenery would do him some good…

A crazy draft to come?

What I love most about the draft… is when Gary Bettman comes to the podium to say he has a deal to announce.

I’m still thinking about the draft that took place in Montreal and the commissioner who had all the fans at the Bell Centre screaming!

That said, according to Elliotte Friedman… maybe we should expect a lot of movement at the next draft.

At least, the tipster thinks(32 Thoughts Podcast) that there’s a good chance this year’s draft will be “crazy”:

It would be cool, for real.

It’s always nice to see clubs on the move… and we know that there are several rumours involving several players this year.

Promising, at least. And that’s why the excitement is so high right now!

Overtime

– Coming up.

– A beast of nature.

– I love it!