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Florian Xhekaj: a tremendous performance in his first game back in Laval

With so many mid- and long-term injuries to the Montreal Canadiens, a few Laval Rocket players were given the chance to demonstrate their NHL skills.

Among those recalled from the Rocket, Florian Xhekaj is one we’ve all been looking forward to seeing play with the Habs, and who showed us some great things in seven games before recently being sent back to Laval.

Arber’s little brother has had a taste of the NHL, and now that he’s back in the AHL, that NHL stint seems to have motivated Xhekaj even more.

Indeed, sometimes a return to the AHL can be depressing and disappointing, but in Xhekaj’s case, on the contrary, it looks like he’s already doing everything he can to get back to Montreal.

The proof is that last night, in his first game back with the Laval Rocket, Xhekaj scored three points, including two goals.

The Rocket won 5-2 over the Belleville Senators.

In his return to Laval, Florian Xhekaj was placed at center on the second line with Joshua Roy and Samuel Blais, a very interesting combination.

And Xhekaj wasted no time in making his mark, as he opened the scoring by redirecting a shot from Adam Engstrom, who was also back with the Rocket after a stint in Montreal.

Then, again in the first period, Rocket #63 served up a solid check to Carter Yakemchuk, as he completely picked off the Ottawa Senators’ top prospect.

Xhekaj left his mark on the game early on.

And it continued for Florian, as he was an accomplice on the Rocket’s second goal, Joshua Roy’s.

Xhekaj then gave Pascal Vincent’s team an insurance cushion late in the third period, scoring the first of two goals in an empty net.

In short, an excellent game for the Rocket unicorn, who showed that his stay in Montreal has motivated him even more, and that he can’t wait to get back.

And it’s clear that with this kind of performance, Xhekaj could very well be back in the NHL soon.

Finally, a quick word on Jacob Fowler, who last night earned his tenth win of the season by turning aside 18 of 20 shots directed at him.

Fowler is having an excellent season, as he finds himself among the best goaltenders in the AHL, all while being a rookie.

Fowler’s development continues to be very positive and interesting, and we can’t wait to see him in Montreal one day, especially now with the difficulties experienced by the Habs’ goaltenders.

Overtime

– It’s a shame.

– The most important pole position of the season.

– A good read.

– To be continued.

– To watch.

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“I don’t think Michael Hage is untouchable.”

The Canadiens want to improve their center position.

Yes, Oliver Kapanen exists, and he forms an unlikely and successful duo with Ivan Demidov. But we know that regression is almost inevitable in his case.

And we agree that behind them, it’s thin. If Kapanen were the #3 center, it would help.

So the Canadiens will keep on looking to see if they can find their second center of the future elsewhere. Kapanen, Kirby Dach, Alex Newhook, and Michael Hage are the best in-house possibilities right now. It’s possible to do better.

But you know as well as I do that in order to receive, you have to give.

If the Canadiens had to give away a big prospect in order to get their hands on a top-6 center, would they be willing to give (among others) Michael Hage in return?

We agree that this is certainly not the Canadiens’ plan A… but Darren Dreger, who spoke to TSN 690 about the trade market, doesn’t think Hage is untouchable in the organization.

Interesting stuff.

No one is saying that the Canadiens want to trade Michael Hage. On the contrary: it’s possible to believe that the club hopes he’ll one day develop into a top-notch center.

But to receive, you have to give. We keep repeating ourselves, but it’s all the same.

I don’t feel that there’s a high enough quality center on the market right now to make Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton say that parting with Hage (or any other top prospect) is worth it.

But I also think that, compared to Alexander Zharovsky, David Reinbacher, and Jacob Fowler, it’s Hage who potentially has the best chance of leaving. Especially if it’s for a second-line center…

Ah, while we’re on the subject of the Habs on the market: let’s also note that right now, it’s debatable whether Frank Seravalli’s eyes have anything to do with the Canadiens.

overtime

– Of note.

– Seen the same.

– Sports fans in Toronto: it’s all about perception.

– Um…

– File to follow.

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Top 5: Beckett Sennecke takes the lead in rookie scoring

With five games in the National Hockey League yesterday, it was a good Friday’s hockey, even if the Canadiens weren’t playing.

We got to see some good games between good teams that we don’t always take the time to see in action.

Here’s a rundown of the highlights of this hockey Friday.

1. Beckett Sennecke at the top of the rookie class

The battle for the Calder Trophy is absolutely incredible this season, as various rookies stand out with excellent performances since the start of the campaign.

Several rookies are producing at an excellent pace, making the race very interesting.

We talk a lot about Matthew Schaefer and Ivan Demidov, but we often forget about Anaheim Ducks forward Beckett Sennecke.

Well, the third overall pick in 2024 just took the rookie scoring lead last night with two points in the Ducks’ 4-3 shootout win over the Washington Capitals.

That gives him 22 points in 28 games, ahead of Schaefer and Demidov.

In short, it’s going to be a very interesting race right to the end.

2. Jacob Trouba picks up Ryan Leonard

In the same game, another highlight caught the eye, as Jacob Trouba, known for his toughness and borderline checking, picked up Caps rookie Ryan Leonard.

It was a hard, violent check from Trouba, as Leonard was forced to leave the game and did not return.

A scrum followed the check, and Tom Wilson said after the game that he had asked the Ducks defender to fight, but that he had refused.

In short, a violent gesture that has no place, especially on a 20-year-old rookie.

3. Nikita Zadorov slams a beer into the giant screen

Even though the Boston Bruins weren’t in action yesterday, they got a lot of attention.

Several Bruins players were at the Boston Celtics basketball game, so they were shown on the giant screen at one point.

And for the occasion, Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov chugged his beer for all to see.

David Pastrnak can be seen at his side, cheering him on and looking proud of his teammate.

4. Karel Vejmelka makes two fine saves in a row

The Utah Mammoth won 4-1 over the Vancouver Canucks yesterday, but things could have been a lot different for the Mammoth.

André Tourigny’s team managed just 18 shots on goal to the Canucks’ 32, in a game that could have gone either way had it not been for Karel Vejmelka in front of the Mammoth net.

Vejmelka was very solid, and he especially stood out when he made two superb saves in quick succession.

In short, a fine performance for the Czech goaltender.

5. Puck stuck in skate

In the Dallas Stars’ 4-1 win over the San Jose Sharks, a funny moment occurred when the puck got stuck in Alex Wennberg’s skate.

The San Jose Sharks forward received a lobbed pass with his skate, but the puck went exactly into the crack between his boot and blade.

A rather unusual scene, let’s say.

Overtime

– Here are yesterday’s results.

– Here are yesterday’s top scorers.

(Credit: NHL.com)

– Today’s NHL schedule: 12 games.

(Credit: Google/NHL)
(Credit: Google/NHL)
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J.O.: The Athletic’s four panelists place Nick Suzuki in their lineup

With the Olympic Games just around the corner, speculation about who would play for the various nations continues apace.

The panelists on The Athletic Hockey Show podcast got in on the act, and we can see their lineup projected here:

Interestingly enough, all four panelists included Nick Suzuki in their lineups.

Not necessarily a surprise, the Habs captain is off to a great start this season with 31 points, including 8 goals, in 26 games, plus a plus-11 rating.

However, Suzuki’s selection is no longer really up for debate, but is increasingly the talk of the pundits.

And the way the center-forward has been playing lately, he’s making a strong case for a Team Canada invitation.

There are also a few notable absentees among the Habs players.

Unsurprisingly, Samuel Montembeault’s name isn’t on the projected Canadiens roster, and I’d be very surprised if he got a call-up to the Olympics.

The Québécois goalkeeper would probably have had the role of third goalkeeper with the team, but his performances since the start of the season will certainly cost him his place in Milan in favor of a better goalkeeper.

A little more surprising is the absence of Noah Dobson.

Despite some struggles in the Habs’ last few games, the defenseman has been playing good hockey so far this season, with 16 points in 26 games.

What’s more, the Canadiens’ thinkers seem to like combinations of players who are used to playing together and who already have chemistry. Dobson completes Mike Matheson’s highly effective duo since the start of the season.

The two defenders could form a good third-back pairing for Canada.

On the other hand, Canada has plenty of depth on defense and several good options on the blue line.

Overtime

– Sixth straight win for the Rocket.

– A nice goal from the Habs prospect.

– Fans are getting impatient.

– It’s shaking.

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Rumor Corner: Steven Stamkos’ name linked to the Devils

With the NHL’s December 20-27 holiday freeze approaching, we could see teams getting busy on the trade market.

One team whose name often comes up in trade rumors is the Predators.

The club is going through its second difficult season in a row, and could soon be in selling mode. Nashville has some good veterans who could be of interest to a team looking for reinforcements or depth to finish the season.

Although he has a no-movement clause, Steven Stamkos is a player who could change addresses between now and the trade deadline.

According to Pierre LeBrun, the Devils would be interested in acquiring the forward, who has plenty of postseason playoff experience, even if he has slowed down over the past two years.

New Jersey was among the teams that attempted to sign Stamkos as a free agent in 2024.

Artemi Panarin could end the season elsewhere

The Rangers are another team in the midst of a second consecutive difficult season, and could well make a move between now and the trade deadline if the club is not in a position to make the playoffs.

According to Frank Seravalli, the Blueshirts have a good chance of trading Artemi Panarin this season if they move to the sellers’ side.

The forward is currently completing the final year of a seven-year contract worth an average of $11.64 million per year, and all indications are that he will offer his services to the highest bidder.

We can therefore expect the Rangers to try to monetize his value if they don’t think of him as a spring hockey player. Especially since, with 30 points, including 9 goals, in 29 games this season, Panarin could give a good return on a trade.

The Wild ready to buy

Also according to Frank Seravalli, the Wild, who have twelve wins in their last sixteen games, could well be aggressive at the trade deadline and even this summer.

Even if Seravalli doesn’t name names, the Minnesota team could well be looking for a little more punch up front, particularly on its third and fourth lines, as it ranks 23rd in the NHL in goals scored with 79 goals in 28 games.

The Wild also need reinforcements and depth to hope to make a deep run in the playoffs when they haven’t made it past the first round of the playoffs since 2015.

This will definitely be a team to watch in the weeks and months to come.

Overtime

– An assist for Micheal Hage.

– A beautiful piece of play.

– On the rebound.

– No change for the Kings.

– Hockey like the old days.

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28 goals and 150 hits: Slaf is in the same group as Wilson, Forsberg, and B. Tkachuk

Juraj Slafkovsky has been playing great hockey since the start of the season. Whether on the first or second line, the Slovakian is able to help his linemates.

His goal was to get the season off to a good start, as Slafkovsky had become accustomed to starting in the second half of the calendar in his first seasons.

So far, he can say mission accomplished.

In 26 games this season, the first pick of the 2022 draft has nine goals, the team’s second-highest total, and 15 points.

It’s not as impressive a production as Nick Suzuki or Cole Caufield, but statistics aside, Slafkovsky plays good, efficient hockey and is less hesitant to use his imposing physique to deliver shoulder shots.

He’s also much more solid along the ramps and doesn’t mind getting in front of the net to create traffic.

The 21-year-old forward is tied with Joe Veleno and Arber Xhekaj for the team lead in checking with 48 so far this season.

In fact, if he keeps hitting and scoring at this rate, he could end the season with 28 goals and 151 checks.

As Anthony Martineau pointed out on The Sick Podcast, last year only three players in the entire NHL managed the feat of scoring 28 or more goals and hitting the opposition more than 150 times. They are Tom Wilson, Brady Tkachuk, and Filip Forsberg.

Not the least of these players are 31, 26, and 31, respectively.

Slaf could do it at 21 without yet having reached his full potential.

I think we finally have a real power forward in Montreal and we haven’t yet seen the best of the Slovak forward.

Let’s just say it’s very promising for the future.

Overtime

– Florian Xhekaj opens the scoring.

– Joshua Roy doubles the Rocket’s lead.

– Two assists for the Habs prospect.

– Kyle Connor scores first for Jets.

– Read on.

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Goaltender of the Month in his conference: Quentin Miller is dominating the NCAA

Quentin Miller was drafted by the Canadiens in 2023.

The goaltender, selected with the 128th overall pick in the 4th round, has been in the news for the past year… because he decided to leave the QMJHL.

After a stint in the BCHL, he’s now playing for one of the big universities in the United States, Denver. And let’s just say he’s breaking all NCAA records so far.

The Montrealer has an 8-4-1 record, but that doesn’t do justice to the fact that he’s having a monster season because his team hasn’t been super-good since the start of the season. Miller has an efficiency rate of .928 and a goals-against average of 1.96… which is impressive.

He was particularly impressive in November. And that earned him the title of goalie of the month in his conference.

He’s proving one thing: he’s not to be overlooked in the Canadiens’ hierarchy of prospects.

At 20, his stats are impressive… and he could continue to improve over time too. We know that Jacob Fowler is seen as the goaltender of the future in Montreal and that developing a goaltender can be more “complicated,” but Miller is doing some great things right now and that’s something to talk about too.

Things have been going well for the Habs’ prospects lately. And so it is with Quentin Miller:

We haven’t talked about him much in the past, but clearly… the kid is putting his name on the map.

And that’s a good thing for him. It remains to be seen whether he’ll be able to keep the momentum going.

Overtime

– Sick!

– Fine words for Xavier Villeneuve.

– He’s having a great season.

– News in the MLB.

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LJ Mooney: His future may not be in Montreal

LJ Mooney isn’t the biggest guy on the ice.

At 5’8 and 165 pounds, let’s just say he doesn’t have the frame of a power forward. But…

But his offensive qualities and intelligence with the puck make up for all that. Mooney is capable of producing offensively, and it shows in his NCAA stats this season. He still managed 13 points (four goals) in 18 games with the Minnesota Gophers, and at 18 years of age, that’s a lot of production:

That said, perhaps the future of the main interested party lies elsewhere than in Montreal.

Because Mathias Brunet and the Snake are right in one sense: the Habs already have a few small players. Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson aren’t big, and in the NHL, you can’t win with a small team.

We’ve seen it time and again in recent years, after all.

Simon Boisvert sees Mooney establishing himself as a potential third-trio player… if he has two big wingers next to him to surround him in the right way.

And I don’t hate that projection, because it’s true that Mooney has the qualities of a guy who can fill a chair like that. 3rd trio center, a few minutes on the power play per game…

But with all the youngsters growing up in Montreal, it might be hard for Mooney to fit in and shine the way he’d like to. The Habs have guys like Michael Hage and Alexander Zharovsky coming up… and we know that the young guys in the club right now – Suzuki, Bolduc, Caufield, Slaf and Demidov – are here to stay.

It’s going to get interesting, to put it another way. Because, in reality, maybe Mooney can become an interesting piece of the puzzle for a trade if he continues to develop properly.

The good news? The CH still has time to make a decision with him. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him stay two more years (after the current season) in the NCAA to improve his tool bag… and if that happens, Kent Hughes will have plenty of time to see what he wants to do with his prospect.

Breaking news

– Oh.

– Nice goal.

– Yes.

– His smile is contagious.

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Laurent Brossoit is available: A solution for the CH in front of the net?

Jakub Dobes and Samuel Montembeault have both struggled in front of the net this season.

That’s no secret.

The Habs may be looking to improve their goaltending, and that’s no secret either. Rumours (including those involving Jordan Binnington) have begun to circulate in Montreal in recent days, and they won’t abate if Monty and Dobes continue to be so inconsistent.

In Chicago, there’s one player available right now: Laurent Brossoit. Elliotte Friedman talked about this earlier this week, saying that if a team is willing to take on his $3.3M salary (he’s in the last year of his contract), the Hawks will let him go for very little.

But if the Hawks were to withhold salary in a potential deal, it would cost a little more. But… it wouldn’t cost the moon either.

Laurent Brossoit is from British Columbia. He didn’t play in 24-25 because of an injury, and he hasn’t played a game since the start of the season because of another injury.

We agree: if the CH wants to go after him, it wouldn’t be to send him in front of the net this weekend. Brossoit was sent back to the AHL in recent weeks to get back into shape, but he hasn’t played yet.

That said, this is a guy who had some very good moments before falling off the wagon. His stats in 22-23 and 23-24 are still interesting, as #2 goalie:

  • 7-0-3, .927 and 2.17 in 22-23 (and he won the Stanley Cup with the Golden Knights)
  • 15-5-2, .927 and 2.00 in 23-24 with the Winnipeg Jets

The question now is: if the CH is interested in acquiring Brossoit… who do we cup between Monty and Dobes?

Would the Habs have the luxury of sending Dobes to the AHL to make room for Brossoit? It would be frowned upon… But on the other hand, maybe packing Montembeault would be frowned upon by some people, too.

Hm…

In short

– Nice club.

– Sick.

– Wow.

– Yeah.

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Samuel Montembeault: Darren Dreger wonders if he worked hard enough this summer

We’re all trying to figure out why Samuel Montembeault has been struggling since the start of the season.

Has he lost his confidence? Does he doubt his own abilities? Is there a problem with his pre-game preparation?

Whatever the case, the results so far are not good enough, and his performance is starting to worry many. He really doesn’t look like the same Monty we saw last season…

Darren Dreger, on TSN 690, wondered if the goalie had worked hard enough this summer to prepare for the season. Dreger went on to say that he’s convinced the answer is yes… but it’s interesting to see him question himself at this level.

We know that Monty, after all, had to deal with an injury in the off-season too. It may have affected his practice, even though the Québécois has been working hard to be ready for training camp…

It’s weird in a way to see Monty play like this because he’s not a shadow of his former self.

In 24-25, we saw a confident goalie in front of his net. A goalie who played big, who wasn’t afraid to face shots and who was solid in his movements.

So far this season, it’s been quite the opposite. He’s often out of position, he doesn’t control his rebounds properly… and as a result, after 14 games since the start of the campaign, his efficiency rate is truly atrocious at .861.

That puts him 46th (out of 47) among all NHL goalies who have played at least 10 games this season. You can’t make that up…

(Credit: Screenshot / NHL.com)

I don’t know where the solution lies, but Monty will have to find it pretty quickly before it’s too late.

Because it can’t go on like this either. For his sake… and for the sake of the team on the ice. I really hope he’ll be able to get back on his feet before too long.

Overtime

– There’s a lot of activity today in the waivers.

– Yes.

– I love it!

– Enjoy your reading.