Author: Dose

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If Pascal Vincent leaves… Who will replace him in Laval?

The Montreal Canadiens have made a good move in hiring Pascal Vincent as head coach of the Laval Rocket.

But with Vincent reportedly on the verge of leaving the organization to return behind an NHL bench, the Habs must now think of a solution to replace him.

And that might not be so easy.

Clearly, it will be necessary to find someone who can work with the youngsters and ensure the growth of the Canadiens’ prospects.

Pascal Vincent was able to do it this year in Laval: the Rocket had a good season and some of the youngsters shone. Among them?

Owen Beck, Sean Farrell, Florian Xhekaj, Jared Davidson, Adam Engström… these guys were good and we saw a certain progression in their respective games.

But to replace Vincent, maybe there are logical candidates too. Because it’s worth remembering that in the summer of 2024, some QMJHL coaches were interviewed for the Rocket head coaching position.

We’re talking about :

  • Sylvain Favreau – Drummondville Voltigeurs
  • Carl Mallette – Victoriaville Tigres
  • Gilles Bouchard – Sherbrooke Phoenix
  • Louis Robitaille – Cape Breton Eagles

If we exclude Carl Mallette from the discussion, the other three coaches took their clubs to the playoffs this year in the QMJHL.

Will they get another chance to be interviewed for a bigger AHL job in Laval?

Of those four names, I feel like Sylvain Favreau’s seems to make the most sense.

And I say that for one reason in particular: in 2024, we were talking about him as a potential candidate for Laval as head coach… but we were also talking about him as a potential candidate to become one of Martin St-Louis’ NHL assistants with the Canadiens.

We know that the Canadiens like him a lot, and that Favreau, for his part, is waiting for his chance.

He took his club to the Memorial Cup in 2024 after winning it all in the QMJHL with the Voltigeurs, and he’s never missed the playoffs in the QMJHL either since becoming head coach.

I really have a feeling that this name is going to become popular around town in the coming weeks. At least, if last year is anything to go by… it would make sense.

Overtime

– I like his attitude.

– Yikes.

– Coming up.

– It’s the right mentality.

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Pascal Vincent to leave the Rocket (according to Marco Normandin)

This information is huge.

Especially for the Canadiens.

According to Marco Normandin of Habsolument Fan, Pascal Vincent will be leaving the Habs to return to the NHL.

Again according to Marco Normandin, it wouldn’t be as head coach, but as assistant coach.

Marco Normandin tweeted about this, and also published an article on the Habsolument Fan website.

In his tweet, Marco Normandin makes links with the Lightning and the Islanders.

We know that Jon Cooper is very fond of Pascal Vincent… and we know that Tampa Bay GM Julien BriseBois is a Québécois like the head coach of the Laval Rocket.

And as for the Isles, we also know that Patrick Roy could pick the Rocket to complete his group of assistants, as we discussed earlier today on DLC.

It makes sense on that level too.

In all of this, you have to wonder if it’s going to have any effect on the Rocket’s post-season. The club trails the Checkers 0-3… and Game 4 of the series is tonight in Charlotte.

But it’s also worth remembering that there was some risk of Vincent leaving after a year (or quickly) because the Canadiens still hired a top-quality coach for their club-school. Pascal Vincent has already been a head coach in the NHL, after all, and we know he has a good reputation in the NHL.

And having seen him lead his club to 1st place overall in the AHL regular season is no mean feat either. It’s been tougher lately in the playoffs because he’s had to juggle tougher decisions with his goalies, but he’s proven himself in the end.

Extending

We also knew that his goal was to return to the National League.

That’s how it is for every coach and player in the AHL, after all: the guys want to get to the highest level possible.

And if Pascal Vincent has the opportunity to return to the NHL – even as an assistant – he’ll seize it like anyone else would.

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Maxime Talbot: Nashville’s facilities don’t impress Marchessault

There are rumours about Jonathan Marchessault.

He finished his first season in Nashville with 56 points (21 goals) in 78 games, but the Preds had a tough time overall.

The club had a miserable year… and now, even though he’s only completed one year of his contract, Marchessault seems open to the idea of leaving the organization.

There are a number of factors at play here, and Maxime Talbot, on the Entre la Poire et le Fromage podcast, talked about the club’s facilities in Nashville.

And the former player – without shouting too loudly – maintains that Marchessault isn’t too impressed with the Preds’ facilities.

Do you assume the guys have taken a leap, or do you know? – Louis Morissette

A bit of both. – Maxime Talbot

Maxime Talbot goes on to say that there’s “not even a sauna” in the Preds dressing room, which is common in the hockey world to allow guys to recover their energy levels.

The HabsolumentFan site also wrote on the subject.

The club losing even after signing big guys in the summer of 2024, the organization’s facilities disappointing…

At 34, Jonathan Marchessault is at a stage in his career where he needs to be happy. He wants to play in a winning environment, and he wants to feel comfortable where he’s playing.

But when there are little things to worry about, like the team’s disappointing performance and the fact that he was expecting better facilities, it weighs in the balance.

Which is to be expected.

Presumably, Marchessault is having second thoughts about his decision to join the Preds organization.

The team’s offer was attractive because there were several years to the deal (five years)… but the longer it goes on, the more likely it is that he’s not happy with what’s going on there.

And if that’s the case, it’s also normal to know that he’s looking to leave for an environment that suits him better.

Overtime

– Yep. Does it end tonight for Pascal Vincent’s men?

– I really like how we’re building the club over there.

– McDavid vs Tkachuk 2.0: This is going to be good.

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Bogdan Konyushkov wasn’t surprised to see Ivan Demidov join the Habs in April

When we learned that Ivan Demidov was coming to North America in early April, the excitement in Montreal was palpable.

Fans were delighted, since he wasn’t necessarily expected this season.

It created a buzz around town… and the Bell Centre exploded when he scored his first two NHL points after only a few appearances on the ice.

But while everyone here and around the NHL was surprised to see him arrive, it was no surprise to Bogdan Konyushkov.

The Canadiens prospect – who will be spending time in Montreal this summer – had already discussed the situation with Demidov when the two guys played together with the national team.

Konyushkov discussed the matter inan interview with RG Media.

We’d talked about the possibility when we played together for the national team, so it was no surprise to me. – Bogdan Konyushkov

The interview can be found here:

This is interesting, as it shows that the possibility was already on the table even if we didn’t necessarily know it.

Then again, Demidov was under contract with SKA, and the club wasn’t expected to allow him to leave Russia so “easily”.

Everyone really thought he’d have to fulfill his entire contractual agreement in St. Petersburg… and that’s why everyone was happy to know he’d have the chance to come and play in the NHL and finish the season with the Montreal Canadiens.

It would have been nice to see him arrive in North America for the 25-26 season.

But now Demidov has had a chance to familiarize himself a little with NHL hockey, and that’s sure to help him at the start of the next campaign. What’s more, he played in the playoffs, which gave him some valuable experience for what’s to come.

It’s really the best-case scenario that could have happened under the circumstances of his SKA contract, when you think about it.

Overtime

– What a surprise! #Sarcasm

– Good news.

– Wow!

– Go time.

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Here’s why a Carey Price buyout would not be advantageous

Carey Price could be traded this summer. The possibility has already been raised to help the club’s payroll.

Price, who hasn’t played in three years, hasn’t played regularly in four and won’t play again in 2025-2026, is open to lifting his no-trade clause if it would help the Canadiens.

Either way, he wouldn’t physically have to move if his contract is traded.

Because yes, for many reasons, Kent Hughes will try to assess whether the option of taking Carey Price off his payroll is worth it. He’ll certainly be working on it, anyway.

But it won’t be through a buyout.

Why do I say that? Because, in addition to the fact that you can’t buy out an injured player without his consent, the structure of Price’s contract makes the project too disadvantageous to contemplate.

Here’s what it would look like if he were bought out. Data taken from PuckPedia.

(Credit: PuckPedia)

As you can see, Price will earn $7.5M in real money in 2025-2026, but will receive $5.5M in bonuses. So during the season, he’ll earn just $2 million.

This is the amount that would be bought back. The club would save $666,666 in real money (a buyout is paid at 2/3 of the amount remaining to be paid to the player) since Price would now earn $666,667 in 2025-2026 and $666,667 in 2026-2027.

But the problem is the impact of such a buyout on the cap.

In 2025-2026, instead of an impact on payroll of $10.5 million, we’d be talking about $9,166,667. And in 2026-2027, instead of $0, it would be $666,667 on the Canadiens’ cap hit (i.e., on the payroll).

At first glance, you might think that the amount is smaller in 2025-2026 and easy to absorb the following year. But there’s an important detail to consider.

The $9.17 million would be considered dead money, not an active contract. The result? The amount could not be placed on the club’s long-term injured list. It would just… be counted against the lot at all times, with no possibility of benefiting from it on the LTIR.

So I can assure you that no, it’s not a possibility, since it would take away the club’s flexibility. There’s no chance of Price’s contract being bought out by the Canadiens.

For Price, the options are as follows: either he’ll be placed on the injured list like in other years, or he’ll be traded… or he’ll do the club a favor by announcing his retirement. But a buyout is out of the question.

overtime

– The good thing is, it’s not dramatic at all.

– Jonathan Toews comes back to win. [TSN 690]

– Interesting.

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Patrick Roy could draw from the Rocket to complete his group of assistants

As you know, Patrick Roy will remain the Islanders’ coach for the upcoming season. GM Mathieu Darche has confirmed this.

Benoît Desrosiers, whom Roy brought with him and knows well from their years together with the Remparts, will remain at his side… but all his other assistants have lost their jobs.

In other words, Darche and Roy will be able to build a coaching staff in their own image. And the same goes for the LAH club’s staff, who were recently let go.

But who will support Roy?

Because the former Avalanche and Canadiens goaltender also put his faith in Québécois when he took the helm of the Avalanche in 2013, you’d think it could happen again.

And that’s where a lot of names could be circulating.

In this regard, Stephan Dupont, who does radio in Quebec City on Cogeco’s “Dupont le matin” program, raised a few names that might make sense among Québécois. The InfoLNH site also mentioned them.

The first name that came up was Pascal Vincent.

Of course, you have to wonder how much the last few days have hurt his chances of becoming a short-term head coach again in the Bettman circuit, as my colleague Maxime Truman said yesterday. But assistant is a different kettle of fish.

But if not?

Another name that might make sense is Martin Laperrière, who is an assistant to Vincent in Laval. He has long worked with Roy in Quebec City (and even with Benoît Desrosiers, in fact) and a bond of trust exists.

The idea makes a lot of sense on paper. It’s easy to see why Stephan Dupont brought it up.

Several names (and not just Québécois) will be circulating in the file and I can’t wait to see who will be chosen. But one thing’s for sure: Patrick Roy won’t forget Quebec when he’s brainstorming.

overtime

– Let’s face it: Paul Maurice dropped the ball on the Carolina handshake. It’s not profoundly serious, but it’s still a mistake in my eyes.

– Calder: we should know next week.

– Nice contract for the player.

– Will Matt Duchene want to leave Dallas? [BPM Sports]

– To be continued.

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CH: prospects Bogdan Konyushkov to join Ivan Demidov in Montreal this summer

Ivan Demidov’s arrival in Montreal has been the talk of the town, not only because the guy is talented, but also because the process of bringing a player from Russia to North America is not a simple one.

There are often complications.

So, in a way, it’s reassuring to know that Demidov will spend the summer in Montreal. The Habs will have no trouble getting him to North America for the next camp.

In fact, by spending the summer in Montreal, Demidov will have the chance to see Bogdan Konyushkov.

Bogdan, a Canadiens prospect drafted in the fourth round in 2023, will have the chance to attend the Canadiens’ development camp in Montreal this July. This is what the RG media site, via the pen of Daria Tuboltseva, tells us.

You have to know that for a Russian, it’s pretty rare to see this.

You should also know that Bogdan wanted to do this last year, but wasn’t able to show up due to the fact that he didn’t have a passport. But now he has a passport and even his visa.

We must remember that the 6′ (right-handed) defenseman has never hidden his desire to play in the National League with the Habs. That’s his goal, and he’s got the talent to make it happen.

His GM in Russia in 2024 said he believed in his chances of making it.

Bogdan is currently 22 and has played three full seasons in the KHL. If he plays one more before potentially making it to the NHL, he’ll have plenty of pro experience.

Will it happen? Who knows. But his name is one to watch.

overtime

– Another name to watch.

– Interesting stuff.

– Will Louis Domingue stay in North America after all? [TVAS]

– Good question.

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Samuel Montembeault listened to the Lions at a rally in Trois-Rivières last night

With the Canadiens out of the picture and the NHL in no hurry to play games, you have to look elsewhere to watch hockey right now.

For many, that means the Rocket.

The Canadiens’ AHL club is currently 0-3 in its series against Charlotte. Tonight, Jacob Fowler will have the job of saving his new team’s season.

But the Lions are still alive.

The Rocket’s training club is in the ECHL finals. And yesterday, Ron Choules’ men tied their series 1-1. The Trois-Rivières Lions won by a score of 5-1.

And on that subject, it’s very interesting to note that Samuel Montembeault, who is the #1 goalie in the Canadiens organization (excluding Carey Price, who obviously doesn’t play hockey anymore), follows what’s going on in Trois-Rivières in terms of hockey.

And he may be the only one to do so…

According to what journalist Matthew Vachon mentioned on social networks, Monty was present at last night’s Lions rally at La Chambre in Trois-Rivières to listen to the game.

And it wasn’t the first time the goalkeeper had travelled for the Lions.

You rarely hear about the Habs traveling to the ECHL. To see that the big club’s goaltender does it for his own pleasure, to me, is still significant.

He may live in the region during the off-season, but it’s still significant. He doesn’t have to do it, but he still chooses to make the effort.

It shows his passion and respect for hockey.

The Lions will play tomorrow (7pm), Friday (7pm) and Saturday (3pm) at home. And if need be, the club will return to the road for the final game(s) of the finals.

overtime

– Interesting stuff.

– Ouch.

– Read on.

– Until he signs a long-term contract somewhere, the issue will be the talk of the town.

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Lane Hutson contract: “What makes the most sense for him is the Auston Matthews model”

Lane Hutson absolutely killed it in his first NHL season in 2024-25. The diminutive defenseman racked up 66 points in 82 games this season before adding five more in five playoff games.

There’s a reason he’s considered the favorite for the Calder Trophy, you know.

Inevitably, then, in Montreal, there are quite a few fans who’d like to see Hutson sign a long-term contract in town. And since he’ll be eligible to do so in a month’s time, the subject has been the talk of the town lately.

That said, the defenseman’s case is different from that of Juraj Slafkovský last year: here, both Hutson and the Canadiens don’t necessarily have an incentive to settle this summer… and in the most recent episode of The Basu & Godin Notebook, Arpon Basu even proposed another avenue than the long-term contracts we’ve seen in recent years:

What makes the most sense for Hutson is the Auston Matthews model. – Arpon Basu

In fact, what Basu explains is that it’s pretty unlikely that the defenseman will sign long-term as early as this summer because it doesn’t really sit well with anyone. In fact, the only scenario in which it would make sense is if Hutson wants to buy himself some financial security and is willing to sign this summer, knowing that he wouldn’t necessarily get his full value.

And if that’s the case, the Habs won’t be slow to sign him… but it’s not as simple as that.

In a world where Hutson wants to maximize his value, it’s in his best interest not to sign this summer and (once again) go out and break everything next year… before signing a transition contract to get as close as possible to autonomy.

That way, he’d earn a more than respectable sum over the next few years… and just before reaching autonomy, he’d have excellent arguments to sign a monstrous contract that would be much bigger than what the Habs would offer him this summer or next (if he signs for eight years).

And obviously, if the player wants to maximize his value, this is the most logical avenue for him. The case of Cale Makar is another good example: he signed a six-year contract at $9 million a year… and from 2027-28, he will receive a huge salary increase.

And with the salary cap only set to soar over the next few years, players are well advised to be patient before signing an eight-year contract.

But of course, there’s also a world in which Hutson isn’t necessarily keen to go for every penny possible… and seeing the other pieces of the core who signed before him opt for a more team-friendly approach could help the Canadiens’ cause if they want to sign him for eight years this summer.

And we know: when Kent Hughes gets along with a player, it’s because he got what he wanted.

Overtime

– Interesting.

– According to Anthony Beauvillier, the party was pogued on the plane when Alex Ovechkin broke Wayne Gretzky’s record.[HF]

– Read more.

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If the Habs want to trade Mike Matheson this summer, the free-agent market will help

Although it’s a little under the radar, one of the Canadiens’ big summer projects will be that of Mike Matheson. The defenseman, who will be a free agent in a year’s time, will be eligible to sign a contract extension next month… and that will be a big decision for management.

Will they sign him to a new contract? Keep him in town and risk losing him on the open market in a year’s time? These are the two scenarios in which Matheson is still in town at the start of next season.

That said, there is another scenario that exists: that of him being traded this summer. It’s probably not ideal in the sense that the Habs have already lost David Savard and would be short of veterans in town, but if the club deems Kaiden Guhle and Lane Hutson ready and wants to maximize Matheson’s value, it’s not a scenario to rule out.

And today on The Shaun Starr Show, Marco D’Amico made a good point: in the event the Habs want to trade Matheson, the free-agent market will help.

Because if we exclude Ivan Provorov and Vladislav Gavrikov (both of whom have a good chance of staying with their current teams), top-4 left-handed defensemen are almost non-existent on the market.

Unless a team sees Matt Grzelcyk or Dmitry Orlov as the kind of player who could give them big minutes on their top-4, Provorov and Gavrikov seem to be the only two real options on the free-agent market who could fill that role for a team.

Inevitably, then, some teams are likely to look to the trade market for reinforcements… and if the Habs are ever willing to take the gamble of trading Matheson (which, I repeat, would be a big risk for their young defensive brigade), the defenseman is likely to be in demand.

He’s not a perfect defender, certainly, but he’s capable of pulling his weight in big, tough minutes. And that’s worth its weight in gold, especially if a team sees him as an option to help its powerplay as well.

I have a hard time seeing a world in which Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton would trade Matheson over the summer… but if the club is able to pick up a good veteran (the names of Cody Ceci and Nick Perbix, who are right-handed, come up often) and has real confidence in Guhle, Hutson and Alexandre Carrier, it could be a defensible move.

And it would open up a bit more room for Arber Xhekaj and Jayden Struble… but then again, we’re not talking about veterans… and that could become a problem.

Overtime

– Well done.

– Good question.

– What do you think?