Author: Dose

Categories
Uncategorized

No, Alex Ovechkin doesn’t know if he’ll retire at the end of the 25-26 season

Earlier this week, Capitals fans got a scare.

An e-mail was sent to season ticket holders stating that the 25-26 season would be Alex Ovechkin’s last in the NHL.

And his wife followed up by saying that it could very well be Ovechkin’s last season in North America.

But now a source has confided in RG Media to set the record straight, without necessarily denying the rumours.

What we do know, for the moment, is that the player doesn’t really know what to expect next.

He’ll play next season… and then make a decision.

What will matter in his choice is his health and his performance in 25-26.

Alex has not made the decision to retire from the NHL in 2026. – Source from RG Media

It makes sense.

This September (the 17th), Ovechkin will celebrate his 40th birthday. He may have scored 44 goals in 65 games last campaign, but maybe his body will stop keeping up too.

We know, after all: to play in the NHL, you have to be in shape. The guys have to be in shape, because the travelling, the games, the checking… it can be a lot.

Let’s not forget that there’s still a year left on his contract, and that’s another reason to believe that this is his last year in the show.

He’s always said he wants to play in Russia at the end of his career, and we know he’ll get that opportunity because he’s recognized as a real star in his country.

So it remains to be seen. But all in all, we’ll have to make the most of Alex Ovechkin’s moments in 25-26, because this could be the last time we see him play in the NHL.

A big page in the league’s history would be turned, if that happens…

Overtime

– Will he be able to help his club?

– It’s going to be a bumpy ride.

– Oh.

– The Oilers captain will be at his post.

– Varsho on the injured list: bad news for the Jays.

Categories
Uncategorized

Roope Hintz has played with a fractured foot in the last two games against the Oilers

In Game 2 of the Oilers vs Stars series, Roope Hintz got hurt.

The Stars player was hit with a stick by Darnell Nurse and had to be helped off the ice by his teammates.

Hintz did not return to the game, and was forced to miss game #3 of the series.

Basically, we agree that the hit didn’t seem to be super dangerous and that the Stars player’s reaction was perhaps a bit over the top.

But…

But Hintz confirmed after his club’s elimination that the blow in question fractured his foot.

That’s why it was so difficult for him to get off the ice:

What’s special about all this is that the Finn found the courage to return to action in games #4 and #5.

He played the last two games of the series with a fractured foot, and we hear it’s pretty intense.

Especially since the Oilers players welcomed him back in their own way in the fourth duel of the series…

It just goes to show – once again – that hockey players are different.

They hurt, they’re injured… but they do everything in their power to try and help their respective clubs on the ice.

The Stars’ doctors had to work hard, too, to allow him to play, but it’s still a pretty remarkable feat.

And hats off to Hintz, even if his club wasn’t able to beat the Oilers in the end.

He gave it his all… even if it wasn’t the result he would have liked at the end of the day.

Overtime

– That would be different.

– Another one…

– Montreal CF practice news:

Categories
Uncategorized

Gavin McKenna: rumors send him to the NCAA with Michigan State

More and more, the NCAA is becoming THE most popular junior league in the world, and this explains why more and more big names are coming out of the American university system.

Add to this the fact that even Canada’s best young prospects (from the CHL) are now starting to think about continuing their development in the NCAA.

American universities will be adding more and more top Canadian prospects over the next few years, which isn’t ideal for the CHL, but hey.

We already know that one of the top prospects in the 2025 draft, Michael Misa, is likely to join Boston University, but now the rumors are intensifying about the top prospect for 2026, Gavin McKenna.

Rumors have it that the generational talent could leave the Medicine Hat Tigers in the WHL to pursue his development in the NCAA, potentially with the Michigan State Spartans.

This would be a huge coup for Michigan State and the NCAA, because as we all know, McKenna is probably an upcoming National Hockey League headliner.

Medicine Hat could also lose Cayden Lindstrom, drafted just ahead of Ivan Demidov in 2024 by the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Rumors suggest that Lindstrom could also join the Michigan State Spartans.

Decisions on McKenna and Lindstrom could come very soon, as the Memorial Cup Final takes place tonight at 7pm between the Medicine Hat Tigers and London Knights.

Should Medicine Hat come out on top tonight, it could further amplify the chances of McKenna and Lindstrom making it to the NCAA.

If they’ve won it all, which is possible in the CHL, they’ll want to try a new challenge.

In short, we’ll be watching closely.

Overtime

– Piastri wins in Spain, ahead of Norris and Leclerc.

– A wild finish to the race with a dangerous move by Max Verstappen.

– Hats off to Tommy Paul.

Categories
Uncategorized

Québécois in the finals: there will be more in the NBA than in the NHL

Like every year, almost always at the same time, the playoffs have come to an end in two of the five major sports leagues.

Indeed, in both the NBA and the NHL, we’ve reached the finals, with only two teams left in each league.

So, in both basketball and hockey, a 2025 champion will be elected in the coming weeks.

What interests us now, when comparing the two leagues, is the presence of home-grown Québécois in the finals.

And in the NBA, well, it’s a truly exceptional and unexpected situation, with two Québécois, and even Montrealers, facing off in the Finals.

Luguentz Dort with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Bennedict Mathurin with the Indiana Pacers will have the chance to win the championship.

This is really great for Québécois basketball, which is really on the rise, and is now guaranteed to see one of its products win the sport’s most prestigious trophy.

Now, when compared with the NHL, surprisingly there are more Québécois in the NBA Finals than in the Stanley Cup Finals.

In fact, only A.J. Greer represents Quebec in the Stanley Cup Finals, playing for the Florida Panthers. He is injured, however, having left the last game against the Carolina Hurricanes.

It’s really quite astonishing, and obviously there’s a combination of circumstances at play here, but it’s still crazy that in a sport where Québécois can practically be counted on the fingers of one hand, there are more of them in the final than in the final of the sport that prevails in Québec.

It just goes to show that Québécois are not as widely represented in the NHL as they used to be, and that they are less of a determining factor in their team’s success.

Québécois hockey has been in decline for a number of years, and this is just one example.

Fewer and fewer impact players are Québécois, leading to finals without any Québécois headliners.

In short, it’s a simple comparison, and in the end, it’s good news for Québécois basketball, but it’s still surprising to see a single Québécois in the Stanley Cup Final.

Overtime

– The Stars’ summer will be very interesting to follow.

– What do you think?

– Read more.

– It’s true.

Categories
Uncategorized

NHL Combine: “Who cares about the scores?

The National Hockey League’s famous Combine is fast approaching.

It will once again be held in Buffalo, where all the NHL teams and the top prospects in the 2025 draft will be there in the next few days, from June 2 to 7.

It’s an event we look forward to every year, because it shows that we’re getting closer and closer to the draft, and so we know more and more about each prospect.

The problem with this event, however, is that it’s often seen as overrated or pointless by fans, given that on-ice skills aren’t evaluated, and that it’s simply various physical tests.

However, it’s important to look at the relevance of each of these tests, and above all, to understand what teams want and are looking for with these tests.

Because at the end of the day, well, teams don’t give a damn about the scores, i.e. the best scores in each of the tests.

Indeed, as you can read in Nicolas Cloutier’s excellent latest piece, it’s pretty clear in the mind of Dan Marr, Director of NHL Central Scouting, that scores don’t matter.

Teams aren’t looking to draft the one who benchmarks the most, or the one who jumps the highest.

What teams want is to get as much data as possible on each of the prospects at the combine, so they can place each of those prospects on their athletic growth curve.

Teams want to know where each prospect is in their physical and athletic progression, based on age, weight, height and other factors, so they can then assess where they should be in a few months and years.

It’s a way for each team’s decision-makers to get a much better overall picture of the type of player each prospect is, and the physical skills he’s likely to have in the future.

“We can conclude that he can add 8 to 10 lbs and that he can become more explosive. There’s an arsenal of information to use to build the player’s athletic profile.” – Dan Marr

In short, the NHL Combine may be more important than we sometimes think, so it’s important to understand that the bottom line really isn’t what determines the quality of a prospect.

Overtime

– The Lions unfortunately lose the first game of the Kelly Cup final.

– Read on.

– Bravo.

– A favorite eliminated in the Round of 16.

Categories
Uncategorized

The Panthers took part in the Gaudreau5k to pay tribute to the Gaudreau brothers

Last year in the National Hockey League was sadly marked by the sudden death of Johnny Gaudreau and his brother.

It was an event that completely shocked and petrified the entire hockey world, and obviously threw a huge shower of cold water on the last season.

The two Gaudreau brothers will forever be etched in everyone’s memory.

We can never pay enough tribute to men as exceptional as these two brothers, and it’s by organizing various events in connection with this tragedy that we can honor the Gaudreaus in many good ways.

Yesterday, for example, the Gaudreau 5-kilometre walk was held in New Jersey and around the world of hockey.

And for the occasion, the Florida Panthers participated virtually.

Players, staff and their families all gathered to walk five kilometers in honor of the Gaudreau brothers.

It’s really a huge gesture of respect and kindness to take this time after a practice in preparation for the Stanley Cup Final.

The Panthers, who have no direct connection to Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, really didn’t have to participate in such an event, especially not in the middle of the Stanley Cup Final, but they took the time to do so.

And that, seriously, is very honourable.

In short, it was a wonderful event that took place last night, and brought many people together to honour the lives of two wonderful people.

Overtime

– A fine achievement for the captain. Unfortunately, CF Montréal lost again, this time 3-1.

– Bravo.

– It’s all very clear.

– Awesome. Two guys from Montreal to boot.

– Well done.

Categories
Uncategorized

Ivan Demidov admits: the series against Washington was (really) tough

Ivan Demidov quickly got his first taste of the NHL playoffs.

After playing just two regular-season games, the Russian got his first taste of post-season hockey against the Washington Capitals.

For a player making his NHL debut, Demidov didn’t do badly, picking up two assists in five games. Those two points came in Game 4 of the series on the powerplay.

However, as my colleague Félix Forget explained to us a few weeks ago, at five-on-five, the Russian prospect has been much more discreet.

In five games, the Habs forward had the fewest chances on the power play, for a grand total of zero.

It may have disappointed those expecting a savior, but there’s really no reason to worry about the young player.

Series hockey is intense and fast-paced. There’s not a lot of room to make plays and create offense, and it’s only natural that the Russian had a harder time adapting to the level of play.

If there’s a good level of adaptation between the KHL and the NHL, there’s also another level between the regular season and the playoffs.

And Demidov himself admits that playing in the playoffs against the Capitals was difficult for him, as there was a lot of pressure and little space on the ice.

However, this early playoff experience could be a blessing in disguise for the Habs prospect, because now he knows what to expect.

While most rookies enter their first season aiming to adapt to the NHL level, Demidov already knows the intensity level of the playoffs and can already start preparing physically and psychologically for the upcoming campaign.

It’s definitely a wealth of experience that will help him as he adapts to the NHL and North American hockey.

I really think it will give him an edge over the other rookies in his upcoming season, and the Habs could well have two Calder Trophy winners in a row.

Overtime

– Another night to forget for the CFM.

– A timely break!

– Great Messi!

– What a sequence!

– Alley-oop!

Categories
Uncategorized

Trade: Next draft increases Logan Mailloux’s value

Many expect the Canadiens to make a move this summer to acquire a second center.

It’s a logical situation. The Habs have a specific, well-identified need and the team has a good bank of prospects and draft picks, as well as a lot of money on its payroll.

We have all the ingredients for a trade.

One of the main lures for the Habs are their two back-to-back first-round picks with the 16th and 17th picks in the upcoming draft.

However, these two picks may not be as attractive as some think.

On The Shaun Starr Show podcast, Marco D’Amico explains that, because the 2025 draft is considered by experts to be of average quality, the value of the first picks is a little lower.

According to him, Logan Mailloux, in the current situation, has more value on the trade market than our first two picks.

You can listen to the extract here :

In other words, uncertainty about the next amateur auction increases the value of prospects already drafted, like Mailloux, but also Jacob Fowler and David Reinbacher.

It makes sense.

What’s more, Mailloux is a right-handed defender, which adds to his value.

However, I think the price to pay for a good second center is likely to be at least one prospect AND at least one of our top picks, possibly both.

Because you’ve got to give if you want a good return, and I think Kent Hughes and the Habs have to do their utmost to get their hands on a quality second center.

Of course, you don’t want to overpay in a trade, but I think a player like Mailloux and our two picks are an offer that could interest several general managers.

I’d be disappointed to see the young defenseman go, as he has a number of attributes, including toughness, that could help the Canadiens next season, but as I say, sometimes you have to sacrifice a little if you want to get a good return.

And I think the trade market remains a safer avenue for the Habs than the free agent market.

Let’s not forget that, in the past, Montreal has never been a popular destination on July 1st, and that the risk of overpaying for a center, offering a contract that’s aging poorly or simply staying put is even more of a possibility than via a trade.

Overtime

– Lions line-up.

– 200th game with the CFM for Samuel Piette!

– Several cuts for the Alouettes.

– Nice gesture!

– Read on.

– Money for Canada.

Categories
Uncategorized

“Patrik Laine is more likely to replace Nikolaj Ehlers than to play with him”

Nikolaj Ehlers is one of the most talked-about names in Montreal these days. The Jets’ forward, who is due to hit the independent market in a month’s time, will be one of the big names on the market… and Montreal is a destination that keeps coming up in his case.

The reason? He’s good friends with Patrik Laine, who might try to convince him to join the Habs.

For a club looking for offensive punch like the Habs, a guy like Ehlers is one of the options the club should consider. He’d cost nothing in assets (unlike a player who’d be acquired via trade), and even though he’d cost a lot in money, he’s proven he’s capable of producing offensively in the NHL.

That said, all of this isn’t necessarily unanimous either… and in the most recent episode of The Basu & Godin Notebook, we understand that Arpon Basu doesn’t really see the fit… and more importantly, that he seriously doubts a world in which Ehlers and Laine will play together in Montreal in the fall:

Patrik Laine is more likely to replace Nikolaj Ehlers in Winnipeg than to play with him in Montreal. – Arpon Basu

And that’s an interesting sentence in that Basu raises a good point: what is the Jets’ contingency plan in the (increasingly likely) event of Ehlers leaving Winnipeg?

Basu notes that Ehlers plays very little 5-on-5 with the Jets. In fact, seven forwards got more playing time than Ehlers at 5-on-5 with the Jets last year, so he’s mostly used as a powerplay specialist.

And that’s just as well, because that’s Patrik Laine’s bread and butter.

We don’t know if Laine, who ended up in Winnipeg , would agree to go back there, and his no-trade clause means he’ll have a say in all this. But in a world where the Jets are letting Ehlers go, maybe picking up a guy like Laine would make sense.

We know that over there, the third line (Adam Lowry’s) plays a lot, which makes it easier to “hide” a player like Laine in the line-up and deploy him mostly with the man advantage. And if the Habs are willing to withhold 50% of Laine’s salary, who knows if the Jets wouldn’t be interested in bringing him back at a rather modest cap hit of $4.35 million.

Obviously, this scenario is unlikely… but it does show that we shouldn’t necessarily expect Ehlers to land in Montreal. And if he does, it won’t be because a player who is likely to have left Montreal within the next 13 months convinced him to come here.

Especially as that player may already have played his last game in town…

Overtime

– Well deserved.

– PSG win the Champions League.

– Very cool.

– Worrying, all that.

– Lance Stroll will miss the Spanish Grand Prix. His bike accident a few weeks ago has unfortunately left its mark.

Categories
Uncategorized

“There are teams keeping a close eye on David Reinbacher, just in case

David Reinbacher had a rather unusual 2024-25 season. The defenseman, who suffered a serious knee injury in training camp, had to miss several months of activity… but in the end, he returned to action this season.

That said, his return to the game was also a little complicated. His knee continued to bother him, and he had to follow a fairly strict return-to-play protocol. It cost him some games, but he’s still 21 games into 2025 (season + playoffs).

For a guy whose season seemed lost, that’s already a lesser evil… especially since he’s solid when he’s on the ice.

On the eve of a summer where the Canadiens could try some big moves, the idea of trading Reinbacher is far less popular than trading Logan Mailloux, for example… but on the most recent episode of The Shaun Starr Show, Marco D’Amico shared an interesting tidbit:

Teams are keeping a close eye on Reinbacher, just in case he should become available in a trade. – Marco D’Amico

D’Amico explains that when Reinbacher jumps on the ice, there are scouts present at Rocket games who take quite a few notes. What’s clear, then, is that there are definitely teams interested in the young defenseman.

After all, such a promising young right-handed defenseman is bound to interest teams.

But even if there is interest, it seems unlikely that Reinbacher will leave during the summer. After all, the kid ‘s value has taken a beating recently due to his health problems… and maybe that’s why teams are taking notes in droves: maybe there’s a window across the league to try and lure him away from the Habs without him costing too much, should the club be worried.

Could this happen? I suppose… but I like the odds much better in the scenario where Reinbacher is with the big club next year.

It makes you wonder if, in the event the Canadiens want to try and improve in the immediate future, other teams will want to start the conversation with Reinbacher, who represents a rare commodity in the NHL being a young right-handed defenseman with a ton of potential.

But without saying he’s untouchable, I’d be very surprised to see him leave this summer. It would take quite an offer to get him out of Montreal, but clearly, there’s no shortage of interested teams.

Overtime

– Phew.

– It’s still the talk of the town.

– Fair enough.