Author: Dose

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“Hockey isn’t a real sport”: an ESPN journalist blurts it out on air

It’s been four years since ESPN took over the rights to broadcast the NHL in the United States. After nearly twenty years on the NBC network, ESPN took over the rights on the heels of the 2021-22 season.

And of course, we know how big a player ESPN is in the world of sports media south of the border.

Because no, ESPN isn’t just about hockey, of course. The media behemoth has its nose in a ton of sports, and it employs journalists to cover it all.

Of the lot, Tim MacMahon covers basketball, as he’s on the beat for the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA. And clearly, he doesn’t seem to be a big hockey fan.

Why do I say that? Because this weekend, on The Hoop Collective, MacMahon picked on Texas hockey fans by saying that, basically, hockey “isn’t a real sport”.

Basically, according to MacMahon, hockey fans in the state are following all this “because they don’t know football, basketball or baseball.” He thinks it’s simply a sport for the local “hipsters”… and he even goes so far as to say that hockey fans are stupid.

Nothing less.

Obviously, these are pretty standard remarks… but they don’t come across so well when you consider that MacMahon is an employee of the NHL’s U.S. broadcaster. Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean he can’t express his opinion… but we can all agree that he’s got it pretty thick.

Do you think Gary Bettman is happy to see an ESPN employee make such comments publicly? I don’t think so, no.

It’s a bit like Marc Griffin in Quebec calling Canadiens fans stupid on a baseball podcast. And we understand that in Quebec, the pool of people such comments can reach is smaller than in the United States.

I imagine there are people in the ESPN and NHL offices who found this rather ordinary. After all, he directly attacked a clientele that his employer is trying to attract.

In Overtime

– Selke: here’s who put Nick Suzuki on the podium.

– Are we trying to convince him not to go to the NCAA?

– News from Zach Hyman.

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GM: if Jeff Gorton were available, he would have been the Islanders’ choice

Mathieu Darche really came out of nowhere.

I understand he had a lot of duties in Tampa Bay, but he was never a GM in the NHL. And one of the criteria the Islanders’ owners were looking for was experience in the field.

So, yes, the Québécois came out of nowhere and stole the job from Jarmo Kekalainen and Marc Bergevin.

But it’s important to note that he wasn’t the first choice, or even the second.

According to Elliotte Friedman on the Real Kyper & Bourne podcast , Jeff Gorton would have been the choice had he been available, and Ken Holland turned the job down.

The Habs executive, who continues to attract eyeballs across the NHL, was closely linked to the Islanders early on in the process.

But fortunately, Geoff Molson didn’t let his man go. Gorton is very important to the Habs and it’s about time the club treated him the right way.

Still, we must give credit where credit is due: he was more impressive in interviews than Bergevin and Kekalainen, who have a much more colorful background than Darche.

Bergevin, who almost had a job in New York too, is still in Los Angeles, and the Finn has found work in Buffalo as a senior advisor to GM Kevyn Adams.

The Islanders’ new boss has just been named, and already he has to work on the draft, which will take place at the end of the month. He and his team have been given a gift from heaven and will be drafting at the very top. Less than two months after his hiring, he’ll be faced with a decision that could completely change his franchise.

The free agent period will begin a few days later, and many of his new employees will be out of contract.

I’m thinking of Noah Dobson, Simon Holmstrom, Alexander Romanov and Maxim Tsyplakov, who will be restricted free agents.

A big summer ahead, in any case. I hope he’s ready.

Overtime

– He won’t even be playing there next year.

– Ah good.

– Minnesota contract.

– Québécois leaves for the university ranks.

– Absolutely.

– Good.

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Several Stars players are unhappy with some of Peter DeBoer’s decisions

Peter DeBoer is an excellent coach.

In Game 7, he’s unbeatable, but in the playoffs, he’s unable to make his team’s run count.

Again this season, his team fell short in the conference final. That’s happened six times since 2019. At least he’s getting there, you might say…

And even if his team goes far, his days may be numbered in Dallas. Indeed, despite another season left on his contract, he could be on his way out.

According to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, the players aren’t necessarily happy with the way he handled certain situations in the conference finals.

And when a coach loses his room, it can be very difficult to find it again.

Some players have voiced their displeasure in internal conversations. I imagine the decision to remove Jake Oettinger after he allowed two goals on as many pitches in game five was one of those decisions.

Other decisions were not unanimous, presumably.

In addition to DeBoer’s potential departure (a possibility flatly ruled out by Jimmy Murphy and Pierre McGuire on the Sick Podcast), Jason Robertson could be traded. Matt Duchene, Jamie Benn, Mikael Granlund and Evgenii Dadonov, meanwhile, will become free agents in a month’s time; this team could change considerably starting next year

Will the Stars be the 2024-2025 powerhouse in 2025-2026?

Overtime

– Joel Armia comes in at 43rd.

– Scott Gomez gets a job.

– No, it’s not.

– No, they can’t.

– Ah well.

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Rumor mill: Jason Robertson available in Dallas

Jason Robertson has quickly established himself as one of the National League’s top offensive players.

He has scored 296 points in his last three seasons (246 games) in Dallas, and even though he’s relatively young, he already has a good reputation.

On the other hand…

On the other hand, it seems he’s not necessarily untouchable right now with the Stars.

Because, according to Rick Dhaliwal (The Athletic), the Stars will be listening to calls for the forward in the next few months.

I’m a little surprised… because we’re talking about a 25-year-old player who could become the face of the organization in Dallas.

TVA Sports also reported the news:

The reason is as follows: the Stars are looking to save room on their payroll and are looking for a right-handed defenseman to back up Miio Heiskanen.

Robertson earns “only” $7.75 million per season… but he’s entering the final year of his contract and we know his next deal will be lucrative.

He has the arguments on his side to ask for $10M per season on a long-term contract. Especially with the cap set to rise over the next few years.

The Stars want to save cash… but parting with a player of this calibre is risky too.

Stay tuned!

One thing’s for sure about Matt Duchene

Matt Duchene is poised to test the free agent market on July 1.

And he’s still capable of giving it his all on the ice.

He’s been rolling at the famous point-per-game pace in 24-25 (82 in 82), and we know his offensive skills are helping him succeed in the National League.

But one thing’s for sure: his next contract won’t be a short one.

Duchene is looking for stability because, at his age, he no longer wants to roam around the NHL.

It’s normal, in a way.

Matt Duchene is 34 years old and has moved around quite a bit since the start of his career.

Colorado, Ottawa, Columbus, Nashville, Dallas… That’s a long way.

But knowing that Duchene wants a long-term contract, maybe that’s where we should take the Canadiens’ name out of the discussion.

I love Matt Duchene as a player. But I’m not ready to give him a lot of years – and a lot of money – because I really feel the contract could age badly.

That said, he’ll find a place to finish out his career. No worries there… especially with the season he’s just had.

Islanders look to trade two defensemen

The Islanders have a new GM in Mathieu Darche.

The club will have the opportunity to select first overall in the upcoming draft, and Darche has said he wants to ensure some quality in his lineup for next season.

No complete destruction to rebuild the club, to put it another way.

But that doesn’t mean that the Isles are going to keep all their beautiful people around.

Because right now, the names of Scott Mayfield and Ryan Pulock – two defensemen – are popular on Long Island.

There will be interest if both guys are made available.

Pulock ($6.15 M per season until the summer of 2030) and Mayfield ($3.5 M per season until the summer of 2030) are somewhat similar in style: we’re talking about two really solid defensemen who can play on a top-4, who have defensive qualities and who can contribute offensively if needed.

Ah, and both throw from the right. Which, as we know, is attractive to any National League team.

These two players will also be interesting to watch in the coming months.

Overtime

– Really?

– Jake Debruff… Wow!

– J’adore.

– Good.

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Patrik Laine is feeling good and ready to practice hard this summer

Has Patrik Laine’s first year in Montreal been a resounding success?

I’ll let you answer that one.

The forward found a way to contribute to the team’s success by scoring 20 times, but he didn’t play every game because of his health. He was injured and sick during the season.

But the man who broke his finger in the playoffs is feeling good right now.

At least, that’s what his wife said in an Instagram story where she was answering questions… saying that the Canadiens player is feeling great and that he’s ready to attack his practices this summer in preparation for next season.

The Trade Rumors site also wrote about the subject.

(Credit: Instagram screenshot)

Seeing Patrik Laine arrive at training camp in top form would be great news.

He hurt himself during camp last year, and while he scored some powerplay goals on his return to action, we knew he didn’t necessarily look 100% either.

Because let’s face it: at 25-26, Laine has to play an important role for the Canadiens if the club wants to win games on a regular basis.

We may not like the fact that he doesn’t give his all every night and that his level of commitment is often desirable, but when you look at the other side of the coin, you know that he has certain elements in his game that can really serve the Habs well on the ice.

His shot on reception is one of them.

And the art of scoring goals with a certain “ease” in the best hockey league in the world… it’s not for everyone.

With Ivan Demidov now here, I can’t wait to see what Martin St-Louis wants to do with Laine.

But anyway, it goes back to what I said earlier in the text: if the sniper finds a way to collaborate on the Canadiens’ success in 25-26, it’ll help things along.

And if he arrives at camp in top form, the chances of that happening are even better.

Overtime

– Great news for the former Habs player.

– Another one leaving the CHL. That’s a lot…

– Good for the Jays.

– 😅😂

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Simon Boisvert hired as Gatineau Olympiques scout

In December, Simon Boisvert said he had signed up with a junior club.

And we didn’t have any more details.

But today… the Gatineau Olympiques announced his hiring as a scout.

A position that suits him well, given his expertise in the field of hockey prospects.

In the club’s press release, Serge Boisvert states that the Snake will help the club – which is in the process of rebuilding – in the coming years with his knowledge.

The Olympiques GM maintains that the hiring of Simon Boisvert represents a major addition to the organization, and it’s clear that Serge Boisvert is proud of his shot.

That goes without saying.

There’s one thing to remember in all this.

Last December, the Snake said that he didn’t want to reveal the name of the team that had hired him because he wanted to “continue the podcast” Processus that he hosts alongside Mathias Brunet.

This begs the question: does the Olympics’ official announcement imply that it’s all over for Snake with the podcast?

At the same time, the Olympiques press release reads… this:

He (Simon Boisvert) is currently at the helm of the ” Podcast Processus “, which largely covers the various prospects around the globe. – Gatineau Olympics

It remains to be seen, but I have a feeling he’ll have the opportunity to navigate between the podcast and his role within the Olympiques organization.

This would be a good thing for fans, by the way… because we know that Processus is popular with fans because there’s quality information coming out week after week.

But, all in all, it’s interesting to see that the Snake is officially back in the QMJHL as a scout, a role he’s had in the past with the Val D’or Foreurs and Cape Breton Screaming Eagles.

Overtime

– Interesting.

– Let’s hope for his sake that this time it’s the right one!

– Will he be able to keep up the momentum?

– I love this tradition.

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Logan Mailloux’s name is getting a lot of attention in the NHL right now (according to Elliotte Friedman)

Logan Mailloux’s potential is intriguing.

We know he has impressive offensive qualities – as he demonstrated during his short stint in Montreal this season – but we also know that he’s not the most consistent player and has certain shortcomings in his defensive game.

He didn’t have the greatest year in Laval, but still: his attributes make him an interesting player. He’s big, he’s strong, he’s offensive, he throws from the right…

In a recent episode of his podcast, Elliotte Friedman talked about the defenseman.

And why?

Because, right now, Mailloux’s name is one of the most talked-about around the NHL.

Friedman maintains that “all the clubs” are looking for right-handed guys, and he named Mailloux among the players who are getting a lot of attention at the moment(like Marco Rossi and Nic Hague, for example) :

This summer, the Canadiens want to make a big splash – and it could be via the transaction market.

That’s where Mailloux’s name becomes even more relevant. It would be natural to think thathe could be used to build a deal for a quality player… and let’s not forget that Mailloux was drafted under the old management.

It’s not as if Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes have a huge sense of ownership over him, unlike a guy like David Reinbacher.

But just knowing that Logan Mailloux’s name is out there right now, that’s got to make management in Montreal happy.

Because it could make it easier for Kent Hughes to include him in a trade, since his value increases if he fills a club’s needs.

All in all, we’ve been hearing a lot about him lately, and we know that in the NHL, there’s never smoke without fire.

So, my feeling?

Mailloux will no longer be a member of the Canadiens organization at the start of next season because the Canadiens will use him (along with other picks and/or prospects) to get their hands on a top-6 player.

And in that case, it would also give Reinbacher more room in the Habs organization.

Overtime

– Oh.

– Really?

– Good news for the Oilers.

– Trop cute.

– It’s going to stir.

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Yanni Gourde signs six-year contract extension with Tampa Bay

Yanni Gourde is a familiar name to Québécois.

The Lightning player, who spent a few years in Seattle, returned to Tampa Bay last season via the trade market.

And it looks like he’s here to stay.

The feisty forward signed a six-year extension with the Lightning, a deal that will pay him $2.33 million per season.

We agree that’s not a lot of money annually for a guy who plays as big as he does. We know that Gourde gives his all every night, that he can play an important role in a team and that he’s already proven himself in the NHL.

We’re talking about a great contract for the Lightning – and for the player. Gourde will get money, he’ll secure his future, he’ll live in Florida – which is attractive because it’s warm during the winter -… and the club will be able to count on a quality player at a good price in the coming years.

You might say that the contract could possibly age badly because Yanni Gourde is 33.

He’ll be 39 at the end of his contract.

But on the other hand, at that age, it’s far from being a super-risky gamble. If Gourde is too injured to play in year 5 or 6 of his contract, the Lightning can put him on the long-term injured list.

And at the extreme, if Gourde is still able to play and really isn’t producing as much as he’d like, his salary won’t have a huge impact on the payroll because we know that the cap is going to go up in the next few years.

A good deal, then, for both parties. #Win-win.

And that’s typical Lightning, by the way: sign a guy at a low price over several years to build the club. If it works out…

Extension

Remember that Yanni Gourde had the best seasons of his career in Tampa Bay before being drafted by the Kraken in the expansion draft.

He won two Stanley Cups there… and to see the Lightning bring back a guy who’s already had success in town and then put him on a long-term contract makes sense.

(Credit: HockeyDB)
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Nick Suzuki received 10 votes for Selke

The NHL, without doing so in a grandiose fashion, has just announced that Aleksander Barkov has won the Selke in 2025.

Recognized for his defensive excellence, the Panthers player’s 200-foot game was recognized for the third time in his career. He also won in 2021 and 2024.

It’s well-deserved for the man who also won the King Clancy, which rewards a player’s leadership qualities.

Sam Reinhart and Anthony Cirelli, two other Florida-based players, were the official finalists for the Selke. But you know as well as I do that they weren’t the only three players to receive votes.

The three official finalists are simply the three with the most votes.

But now it’s also possible to see which players have also received votes in the Selke race. And in 13th place, we find the Canadiens’ captain, Nick Suzuki.

Now that’s something.

Of all those who didn’t get a first-place vote, he ranks first in terms of points. In other words, the top 12 all received at least one first-place vote.

So we can see that he got one second-place vote (no mean feat) as well as two third-place votes, two fourth-place votes and five fifth-place votes.

Even so, this is less than last year.

Last year, he received 14 votes. However, he didn’t get a third-place vote, as this was divided into one second-place vote, five fourth-place votes and eight fifth-place votes.

Given that the Canadiens’ captain is getting better every year and is often compared to Patrice Bergeron, I wouldn’t be surprised if one day he’s in a position to win one.

But for that to happen, he’ll need to gain more experience.

overtime

– Finally.

– Confirmed.

– He had a great career.

– Of note.

– To be continued.

– Really?

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Pascal Vincent: his final week will keep him in the American League

No, Carolina is not soft on the Rocket. #SweetCaroline

5 to 1, 5 to 2, then 5 to 1; Pascal Vincent’s (too young) men have just suffered three humiliating defeats at the hands of the Florida Panthers club-school. No, it’s not only in the NHL that clubs from the American Southeast are more successful than Québécois teams..

And I wasn’t even referring to Inter Miami and CF Montreal!

Back to the Rocket.

A few things stand out from these first three defeats.

1. Logan Mailloux, Owen Beck, Florian Xhekaj, Sean Farrell and Alex Barré-Boulet aren’t playing like guys who are doing everything they can to make the NHL in October. It’s a shame to see them all crash at the same time at such an important moment..

2. Injuries are hurting the Rocket. Big players are missing, and the guys called up to replace them aren’t up to snuff.

3. Cayden Primeau bounced back in the best possible way when he was sent back to Laval in the middle of the season… but he crashed out of the playoffs just fine.

He took part in eight playoff games this year… and only completed two of them with a save percentage over .900.

Against the Charlotte Checkers, it was .789, .778 and .750, and he was thrown out of the game twice.

He is the worst goaltender to have played at least four games in the playoffs this year.

I wrote it on Friday and I’ll say it again this morning: it’s time to turn the page on Cayden Primeau. I would have turned the page before yesterday’s game, but..

Pascal Vincent has already announced that Jacob Fowler will be defending his club’s cage tomorrow night. No, Fowler won’t win four games in a row, but as long as he wins, he’ll get the next start.

This means that, barring injury, Primeau won’t get another start in this series. Because as soon as Fowler loses, the Rocket are out. And if Fowler does manage four consecutive wins, he’ll get to play in the Grand Finals, we agree..

Primeau, 25 years old and RFA with arbitration rights, needs to get another chance somewhere other than Montreal. We’ve seen too much of the guy’s shortcomings in Montreal/Laval. Especially under pressure..

4. The Rocket’s long playoff run didn’t allow Pascal Vincent to interview for NHL vacancies.

It’s now June 2 and only two jobs remain unfilled: Boston and Pittsburgh.

And both organizations are in the process of making their final decisions, according to Pierre LeBrun.

The Bruins have completed their final interviews and reportedly have two candidates still in the running. An announcement is expected early this week. According to the latest information, Marco Sturm seems to be the favourite to succeed Joe Sacco. Mitch Love, Jay Leach and Jay Woodcroft have also been interviewed for the job, according to Elliotte Friedman.

In Pittsburgh, it’s the same story according to David Pagnotta: only two candidates remain, including D.J. Smith. Mitch Love and Jay Woodcroft have also been interviewed, according to Elliotte Friedman. An announcement could even be made today, according to Pagnotta, but Friedman believes it could take a little longer.

In short, everything points to Pascal Vincent not returning to the NHL next season. Unless, of course, the Stars fire Peter DeBoer and replace him with Pascal Vincent, but I have big doubts..

Let’s just say that his goaltending choices in the semi-finals and his team’s recent results don’t argue in his favor right now.

Vincent signed a three-year contract with the Rocket just under a year ago. He therefore has two years left on his contract (now fully paid by the Rocket).

Wecan’t wait to see if he can have as good a season next year. Even though the Rocket completely crashed out against the Checkers, they still finished the regular season at the top of the AHL overall standings.