Author: Dose

Categories
Uncategorized

Ivan Demidov didn’t change his number this summer

Ivan Demidov, in 2024-2025, wore #91 with SKA. When he arrived in Montreal, we wondered if he would take his #91, which belonged to Oliver Kapanen. Kapanen wore #91 in both Montreal and Laval,but in the end, he didn’t do it. He didn’t want to ask Kapanen to change his number, so he took the #93 to finish the season. He didn’t want to cause a squabble or create controversy at the end of the season, when he’d just landed in town. # Butthis summer, we wanted to keep an eye on the matter. After all, it had been the talk of the town during the season, and we noticed that every time we saw Demidov in a Canadiens jersey this summer, he was wearing the #93 with which he finished the 2024-2025 season

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by RDS (@rds)

Is it possible that Demidov has changed his number and that it hasn’t yet been announced or made official? Bof.But from what we’ve heard through the grapevine, at the moment there are no plans underway in Montreal to change the Russian player’s number. content-ads]It’s important to know that to change a player’s number, he has to request it. And it’s also important to know that if he wants to do so, he has to say so early enough in the summer. After all, companies that sell jerseys have to prepare accordingly. It’s not clear whether the date for doing so has passed or not, but what we do know is that when Cole Caufield changed his number in early September 2024, he had passed the deadline for doing so.

He was allowed to go ahead, however, since the NHL understood that he had taken #13 to honor the memory of his good friend Johnny Gaudreau, who tragically passed away in August 2024.So we can assume that the date isn’t just a few days away from training camp in 2025, so…

Cole Caufield, who wears No. 13 in honor of Johnny Gaudreau, met with Guy Gaudreau after Montreal’s Game 3 win last night.

❤ #StanleyCup

(📸: IG/kgaudreau13)[image or embed]– NHL (Bot) (@notnhl.bsky.social) April 26, 2025 at 1:39 PM

[content-ads]Let’s remember that Oliver Kapanen isn’t guaranteed to start the season in Montreal, and there’s a chance that #91 will simply be available at the start of the year. But in the event of a recall, until proven otherwise, #91 belongs to Kapanen. Iguess keeping #93 (the year of the 24th Stanley Cup) is a personal choice for Demidov, but it’s also possible that Kapanen is holding on to his number.In my opinion, Demidov just hasn’t made a case for it.

The many fans who bought Demidov a #93 jersey in April should be happy to see that, for the time being, there are no plans to change that. Remember that, before Kapanen, Sean Monahan and Scott Gomez wore #91. As for #93, Demidov dusted off a number that had belonged only to Doug Gilmour until then.

[spacer title=’Overtime’]- To read.

– All’s well that ends well.

– The Preds want to bounce back.[TVAS] – Enjoy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6Fp-TojA_0

Categories
Uncategorized

Lane Hutson will have 19 more points than Noah Dobson, according to NHL projections

Lane Hutson could hardly be more beloved in Montreal than he already is. Hisprowess this season has quickly made him a crowd favorite. Will it be the second-year jinx? If we look at what the NHL website projects for the defenseman, we can clearly expect Lane Hutson’s second season to live up to expectations. I say that because,in fantasy terms, the American is ranked eighth among NHL defensemen. And when it comes to projecting his point total, Chris Meaney’s NHL article tells us that we can expect 70 points this season.

That’s more than all the players quoted in the article (which talks about the Canadiens only) who aren’t Cole Caufield (72) or Nick Suzuki (90), which is no mean feat.

[content-ads]When you compare him to Noah Dobson, who is an established NHL defenseman, you can see that Hutson is well regarded. After all, the Habs’ new defenseman ranks 20th among defensemen in fantasy… and is projected to score 51 points. That’s 19 fewer than Hutson, though. His agent must be happy to read this, as he’ll want to play comparison games.Remember that Dobson signed a contract worth $9.5 million a year for eight years in Montreal. But that doesn’t mean Hutson will earn more, as he has only 84 games of experience in the show. #NegotiatingPower #AutonomyBut let’s say if Hutson waits to sign and really goes for 70 points… he’ll help his cause.[spacer title=’Overtime’]- Wow.

– To be continued.

– To read.

– Why?

😳

Categories
Uncategorized

Kent Hughes “hopes” Kirby Dach will be ready early in the season: it doesn’t look good

A few days ago, our colleague Maxime Truman mentioned that forward Kirby Dach had not yet recovered from the knee injury he suffered over the past few months. This left us wondering whether Dach would be available for the start of practice next month.Because whether he’s available or not, it’s a game-changer for the Habs. #TheFamousSecondCenterBut finally, it’s the Canadiens’ GM, Kent Hughes, who has provided an answer to the question of the center. And let’s just say he doesn’t sound the most confident of men, the GM.

We’re hoping he’ll be ready, either at the start of the season or at some point early in the fall.

–

Kent Hughes on Kirby Dach

So not only is the GM unable to say he’ll be 100% ready for camp, he’s also unable to confirm that he’ll start the season. He’s “hoping” he’ll be ready.This leads us to believe that, no, Dach hasn’t recovered from his knee injury, has he?

[content-ads]The observation was made by Kent Hughes on the heels of an interview with NHL.com, which rounds up the league’s 32 teams this summer. Adam Kimelman’s articleeven suggests ways to restructure the center line if Dach can’t start the season. Alex Newhook, unsurprisingly, is the prime candidate to move up to the top-6, so yes, there’s plenty to worry about right now with Dach, who could not only start the season late, but will need time to build confidence in his knee. Remember, the center is at the end of his contract, eligible to become a restricted free agent in July 2026. [spacer title=’Overtime’]- A new name for the Lightning arena.

– He’ll be in demand.

– True.

– The neck guard issue is the talk of the town. [NYT] – Really?

Categories
Uncategorized

Marc-Édouard Vlasic: He wasn’t tempted to return to San Jose

Marc-Édouard Vlasic’s NHL stint in San Jose didn’t end well. The Sharks bought out his defenseman contract, and now the man who is expecting a child with Frédérique Guay is free as a bird.Vlasic was drafted by the club in 2005 and played 1,323 games for the Sharks.andI say that… because this sentence, taken from a text by Stéphane Cadorette(Journal de Québec), is quite revealing: “

I wasn’t tempted to go back there for another season. I could say more, but I don’t want to put anyone off.

–

Marc-Édouard Vlasic

The text was also published on TVA Sports:

[content-ads] Let’s not forget that in the last two years, Vlasic hasn’t played every game for the Sharks.

The defenseman has been left out on several occasions and at this level… it played a role in how he felt because he doesn’t want to repeat what he did this year.

Vlasic is currently out of contract and it makes you wonder if any club will decide to call him up. If they do, I expect it to be with a PTO… because we’re still talking about a 38-year-old player who’s slowing down year by year and who’s only played 84 games in the last two seasons.

He’s proven himself in the National League, he’s been one of the league’s good defensive players for several years… and maybe that’ll encourage a club to give him a chance too. To be continued. [spacer title=’Overtime’] – Too bad.

🇨🇦🇺🇸

– Sick.

– GSP having fun.

Categories
Uncategorized

Kirby Dach: It’s now… or never

Do you remember your reaction when Gary Bettman took the podium at the 2022 draft to announce the Alex Romanov deal? In fact… Do you remember your reaction when Gary Bettman took the podium at the 2022 draft to announce the Alex Romanov deal, just before saying that the Habs had moved to acquire Kirby Dach?

At the time, many were excited (and rightly so) to see a 3rd overall pick come to Montreal to help the team in the long term. But at the time, we didn’t know that Kirby was going to experience a number of physical difficulties, even though we clearly knew he had a significant injury history. Today, we can safely say that Dach “disappoints” in the context where we expected more from him. It’s a shame, but… that’s the way it is. This may be his last chance to make a name for himself in Montreal, as Marco D’Amico(The Shaun Starr Show) pointed out:[content-ads] Two things are important here.1. Jeff Gorton said at the end-of-season review that time is running out for Dach. He needs to step up, he needs to show that he can help the Habs in the short (and long) term… and he needs to show that the organization made the right decision in paying good money to get him from Chicago.2. Dach, at 24 (25 in January 2026) is entering the final year of his contract. He’ll be an RFA next summer… but he needs to give himself the chance to show that he deserves a new deal with the Montreal Canadiens. It’s now or never for Kirby Dach. We’ve seen him succeed in his first season with the Canadiens, as he has some really interesting – and intriguing – qualities for a player of his size. He’s got good hands, good vision… and he’s 6’4 and 221 lbs. Talented players like him are a rarity in the NHL these days. But Dach also has to prove himself in a way, even though he’s had a tough time with injuries over the past two years. It’s up to him to take things in hand… and that’s why it’ll be interesting to see how he fares at the team’s next training camp. It’s up to him, then. [spacer title=’Overtime’] – Oh, yes!

– Good question.

– Papa Shea!

Categories
Uncategorized

Scorers of 20 goals (or more): There could be a lot of them for the Habs in 25-26

For a team to win games in the NHL, it has to be able to score goals.We all agree: it’s not rocket science.But the Canadiens have struggled with this in recent years. The club couldn’t count on many quality players, which made things difficult in the end. It’s different today, though. Things are different because, at the time of writing, the Canadiens have several players who have reached that plateau in recent years. Let’s go by enumeration

  • Nick Suzuki (24-25)
  • Cole Caufield (24-25)
  • Brendan Gallagher (24-25)
  • Patrik Laine (24-25)
  • Juraj Slafkovsky (23-24)
  • Josh Anderson (22-23)

To this list, we could practically add Zachary Bolduc, who put 19 in his first full season in the National League. And we could add Ivan Demidov, who has the talent to quickly become one of the National League’s good players.It makes me realize… this: There could be a lot of 20+ goal scorers on the Habs in 25-26, andit also makes you believe that the Canadiens are really well built offensively right now:

[content-ads] Offensively, the Canadiens have the option of offensive players.

And again, at the risk of repeating myself… this wasn’t necessarily the case in recent years. It’s good, that said, because it makes the whole thing even more exciting for fans of the Montreal Canadiens. It’s been really tough since the start of the rebuild, and the club’s performance has disappointed many… but clearly, things are moving forward in the process.

And if the Canadiens end up with several 20-goal scorers or more this season (and in the next few years), that’s going to help things move forward in one direction. In fact, I can’t remember a time when the Habs have had so many quality players on the offensive end… [spacer title=’Overtime’] – Absolutely.

– He got crushed, even.

– Well done.

Categories
Uncategorized

Brady Tkachuk is happy to see his club in the playoffs, but…

For the first time since 2017, the Senators made the playoffs this past season, and even though they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Toronto Leafs, there was one player who was “satisfied” to see his club progress: Brady Tkachuk.

We’re talking about Brady Tkachuk, who wears the “C” on his jersey in Ottawa, and we know that he gives a lot on the ice. But knowing that he’d never had the chance to play in the playoffs before last season… it must have been frustrating. Bruce Garrioch said it best on TSN(One Drive): there would have been a lot of frustration in the Tkachuk camp if the Sens hadn’t been able to participate in the spring dance. That said, you have to wonder if it really makes a difference…

[content-ads] A team’s success can change a player’s mentality.

Because there’s no doubt that constantly losing, not being able to enjoy good moments collectively and seeing the club go nowhere… it can be frustrating for a professional athlete. Especially for a guy who gives his all every night for the team logo. That said, at 25 – 26 in September – Tkachuk will (already) be in his eighth full season in the National League. He wants to start being able to win, and even though the Sens have booked their ticket to the recent playoffs, the team needs to be able to enjoy more success if they hope to keep him in Canada. We know that too, after all: Tkachuk is proud to be from the United States, and the idea of playing for a club in the States must be appealing. Much as it was with his brother Matthew, who has won two Stanley Cups and played in three Finals since arriving in Florida… That said, Brady still has three years left on his contract ($8,205,714 per season) in Ottawa, and the Sens had better start moving if they don’t want to see him leave, either by trade or via the free agent market…. [spacer title=’Overtime’] – Oh yeah?

– Interested parties:

– He went under the knife for his wrist

– Boom Boom Geoffrion Hutson.

Categories
Uncategorized

The Hurricanes would rather convert a winger to a center than see KK on the 2nd line

When you look at the Hurricanes’ line-up on paper, you can come to an easy conclusion: at center, it’s thin. Sebastian Aho will play on the team’s first unit-no surprise, because that’s been the case for several years-but Rod Brind’Amour has a little problem: he needs to find a guy to play at center on the 2nd line. The Hurricanes are in much the same situation as the Habs… But instead of giving that role to Jesperi Kotkaniemi, a 3rd overall pick who aspired to fill a chair like that, the Canes have other plans. Chip Alexander, who covers the club’s activities in Carolina, talked about it on the Jason Gregor show: The Hurricanes would rather convert a winger to center than see KK on the 2nd line.

The Habsolument Fan site also wrote on the subject:

[content-ads] That says… a lot. But at the same time, we can’t act like it’s really surprising either. Since arriving in Carolina, Jesperi Kotkaniemi has played a total of 305 games with the Hurricanes. That’s not enough for a guy who wants to play in the top-6 of a National Hockey League club. And it’s not enough for a guy who wants to play in the top-6 of a National League club that has been aspiring to greatness for several years now. It’s strange to say, but it’s as if KK had reached the bottom of the barrel. He still has five years left on his contract ($4.82 M per season) and on DailyFaceoff, he’s projected as his club’s 4th center. To say that the Hurricanes are stuck with him is an understatement… and it’s ironic because they thought they were doing the right thing by making him an offer sheet in 2021. Too bad… [spacer title=’Overtime’] – Classic.

– It was quiet today in Brossard.

– Oops.

Categories
Uncategorized

Samuel Montembeault may be the only Québécois goaltender in the NHL in October

The position of Québécois goaltenders is increasingly in jeopardy in the NHL. Last year, six of our goaltenders played in the NHL – and not all on a regular basis. And the more you look at it, the more you realize that five of those guys aren’t likely (or aren’t going) to start the year in the NHL.And it’s not as if many youngsters are pushing to take their first steps in the NHL this fall…Marc-André Fleury has retired. Olivier Rodrigue and Louis Domingue are off to the KHL. Already there, half of the guys who’ve played at least one game won’t be in the Bettman circuit in 2025-2026. And as we read in a TVA Sports piece, there’s a chance we’ll see Yaniv Perets and Devon Levi start the season down under.

[content-ads]If all this takes place, it would leave Samuel Montembeault, who is guaranteed to start the NHL season if healthy, as the only goaltender from here to play in the NHL in October.Crazy stiff, the same.Montembeault is the #1 goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens and has taken his club to the playoffs in 2025. He also represented Canada at the Four Nations in February. His position is not in jeopardy in Montreal, but that he’s the only one is horrible. We’re a long way from the days when the world’s best goalies were systematically guys from here. Times have changed and we’ve been aware of that for a long time, but Flower’s departure means that, more than ever, we can see how catastrophic the situation is. [spacer title=’en rafale’]- She’s learning.

– Ah well.

– Weird.

– Iconic.

– Of note.

Categories
Uncategorized

KHL: Bob Hartley to be paid more than most players

Bob Hartley, as you know, is back in Russia: the French-speaking pilot, who had announced his retirement, is back in the KHL. A number of reasons, including his love of hockey, prompted him to take the job with Lokomotiv –the 2024-2025 champion club, for those who had forgotten.

But there’s also one aspect to consider, in all this: Bob Hartley won’t be volunteering in Russia. In fact, he’ ll not only be a better-paid coach than his peers, he’ll also earn more money than the vast majority of his players. We’re talking about a salary of over two million US dollars a year, as tweeted by Andrew Zadarnowski. That’s more than a few coaches in North America, by the way,so yes, clearly, he was coveted AND in a strong negotiating position. So much the better if he took advantage of it. content-ads]

Looking at his salary in Russia, you’d think that Hartley, who for years said he was well retired, was waiting for the right opportunity to get back behind the bench.

Lokomotiv must be lucky to have such an experienced man who knows Russian hockey and has won outright wherever he has been. He’ll help his club defend its crown, and if he also raises salaries a little for his colleagues… [spacer title=’Overtime’]- Good question.

– Reminder: he’ll be playing tonight.

– Oh well.