Author: Dose

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Vincent Damphousse had his Stanley Cup AND Hall of Fame ring stolen

A Stanley Cup ring is precious.

Very precious.

We’re talking about an unforgettable souvenir for those who have one, and we agree that having a Stanley Cup ring must be pretty special. P

But, unfortunately, Vincent Damphousse wasn’t able to get his.

Why not?

Because burglars came to his house to steal it. The thieves also made off with his Hall of Fame ring, Damphousse’s hockey card collection, a watch and $10,000 in Canadiens money.

Great stuff. Ah, that’s got to suck…

The feeling must really be excruciating.

Players work their whole lives to earn something like this, and it’s sad to see Vincent Damphousse have his stolen by someone else.

Especially since he won “just” one Stanley Cup…

Note that an investigation is currently underway in the hope of finding the ring in question and finding those who committed the theft. Here’s hoping for a happy ending…

But let’s not forget that over the past few months, there’s been a trend in the sports world for certain players and alumni to be robbed.

This happened to Evgeni Malkin a few months ago, when his three Stanley Cup rings were stolen – and eventually recovered.

And I imagine Vincent Damphousse would like his story to end like Evgeni Malkin’s.

Overtime

– It goes without saying.

– Indeed.

– I love the Panthers culture.

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Rumor mill: Frank Seravalli wonders if Owen Power can be traded

Rumour season has begun!

Things are going to get moving around the NHL this summer, and we’re already hearing rumors about certain players.

For example? In Buffalo, the Sabres seem ready to clean house. And as mentioned in a TVA Sports article, Frank Seravalli even wonders if a guy like Owen Power could get traded…

That’s a big one.

Because in reality, Owen Power was selected with the first overall pick in the 2021 draft and he’s only 22 years old.

The left-handed defenseman finished last season with a career-best 40 points in a single season, and he seems poised to explode. But… with Rasmus Dahlin ahead of him, he doesn’t necessarily have the space to become the elite defenseman we want him to be in Buffalo.

And that’s why other teams might call the Sabres to discuss Power.

Again, his age, potential and ability make him a really attractive player, and if the Sabres say he’s available on the market, there’s going to be interest all over the NHL.

The Mammoth could trade its 4th pick

André Tourigny’s team was unable to make the playoffs this season.

But, in fact, Utah HC – which has now become the Mammoth – still improved on last year. The club picked up 89 points in the overall NHL standings and gave itself a playoff chance for a good chunk of the season.

That’s already a lot better than what we saw from the team in Arizona.

That said, the plan now is to move forward even more. And to that end, David Pagnotta reports that the Mammoth are open to trading their 4th pick in order to pick up a top-6 forward who can help right away.

There are some good players in this club.

Dylan Guenther, Logan Cooley, Clayton Keller, Barrett Hayton, Nick Schmaltz, Mikhail Sergachev… and there are some good young guys coming up too with guys like Tij Iginla, Cole Beaudoin, Dmitry Simashev and Daniil But.

What I’m trying to say here is that the future is bright there. It’s time to add a really talented guy who can help the team get to the next level, and the 4th pick could help make that happen.

The Mammoth is “lucky” because it moved up 10 spots in the lottery to get the 4th overall pick in the upcoming draft.

Might as well make the most of it… right?

Canucks fan: forget about Boeser staying

Brock Boeser is a good hockey player.

He’s been one of the NHL’s good snipers for a few years now, and at 28, he’s having the time of his life.

But Boeser will be as free as a bird as of July 1, and although the Canucks are aiming to add some attack to their line-up, the right-hander is no longer in the plans.

As David Pagnotta said in the article above, forget about the idea of him signing a new contract in Vancouver.

Boeser is ready to embark on a new phase in his career and will be the subject of intense interest this summer, especially given the tight market. – David Pagnotta

The forward will generate interest because there won’t be a million offensive players available this summer.

He scored 40 goals in 23-24 (25 this season)… but he’s also capable of taking his game up a notch in the playoffs.

And this aspect will certainly be of interest to the various teams who will also be looking to add some offensive punch to their top-6:

The million-dollar question: should the Canadiens be interested in him?

In my eyes, not really. The Habs already have Cole Caufield and Patrik Laine as scorers – both are right-handed like Boeser, to boot – and you don’t just have to build a club with guys who can put it in.

But… if Laine leaves for reason X, Boeser could perhaps prove to be a nice alternative.

Overtime

– The Avalanche’s goaltender of the future is now under contract.

– It’s going to be a busy weekend in the MLB.

– He doesn’t have much of a choice.

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Pavel Zacha, a more realistic target for the Canadiens this summer (according to Arpon Basu)

We’re entering an exciting time of year for hockey fans.

The Stanley Cup Final kicks off next week, and the 24-25 season will officially come to an end shortly… but the next few weeks will be just as special.

The draft is coming, after all, and so is the opening of the free agent market.

The Canadiens have seven picks in the first three rounds of the next draft (two in the first, two in the second and three in the third), and Kent Hughes will also have room to manoeuvre on the free agent market.

And we also know that the club’s GM has a plan to improve his team. That’s why we can expect some changes in town.

The important thing, in the eyes of many, is to find a quality second center. And in this regard, Arpon Basu (speaking to BPM Sports) spoke of Pavel Zacha as a more realistic target for the Habs.

On paper, the idea makes a lot of sense.

In Zacha, we’re talking about a 6’3, 206-pound center (remember, the Habs want to get bigger) who collected 57, 59 and 47 points in his last three seasons with the Bruins.

He’s been a top-6 player in Boston for the past three years – which wasn’t the case in New Jersey – and this allows him to play a little more offensively. He’s done well alongside David Pastrnak and, ultimately, it’s true that the option of picking him up could prove quite interesting.

Especially when he’s earning “only” $4.75 million a season and still has two years left on his contract.

(Credit: HockeyDB)

Zacha is big, he can play physical and he can be used for everything too.

He played on the first wave of the powerplay in Boston this year and was also on the second wave of the powerplay. He’s got some interesting qualities for a big center because he’s good with the puck – as well as having great vision -, and seeing him paired with Ivan Demidov on a second line could make sense for the Canadiens.

But it also depends on what the Bruins want to do with him. We know that in Boston, the organization seems to be going nowhere, and that a rebuild seems somewhat inevitable at this point.

Will they decide to trade Zacha to pick up some pieces to help rebuild? Or would the Bruins rather keep him to keep a number of quality players on the roster?

That remains to be seen. But in the NHL, if the offer is right… anything can happen.

Overtime

– Sick!

– Really.

– He’s going to be good.

– Oh…

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Jonathan Marchessault: the tax advantage will play a role if he is traded

Earlier this week, Frank Seravalli stirred things up a bit by saying that Jonathan Marchessault would agree to be traded… and that the player would like to play in Montreal, for the Canadiens.

Understandably, the news caused quite a stir.

And having Marchessault tell the Poche Bleue that Montreal has a special place in his heart also helped liven things up.

In the latest episode of his 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman revisited the Québécois’ situation in Nashville. The tipster said that Marchessault could indeed be traded, but that the financial aspect of his contract also comes into play.

Because let’s not forget: playing in Nashville allows him to earn more money, since there’s no income tax in the state. This was also the case in Vegas.

Friedman points out that this is a fairly important wrinkle in the equation… and without directly naming the Canadiens, it’s easy to draw connections with the fact that in Montreal, the tax rate is really higher than in some other places in the National League.

It makes sense because Jonathan Marchessault is 34 years old.

He wants to make as much money as possible by the end of his career to ensure a quality retirement, and like it or not, the financial aspect is important here.

At the same time, the guy has already earned an estimated $39.1 million since the start of his career…

Still according to Friedman, there is a certain list of teams interested in his services – but it’s not as long as an arm either.

After all, there are criteria: he wants to play in a place where he can win, he has to be interested in the place in question… and he doesn’t want to sacrifice part of his $5.5 M per season salary to play in a city where the tax rate is too high.

The combination of all these factors may make it difficult for the Preds to find a dance partner.

Barry Trotz will have his work cut out for him if he wants to trade his player, and he’ll also have to respect the fact that Marchessault has a no-trade clause that implies a list of 15 teams he doesn’t want to be traded to.

To be continued.

In Overtime

– I’d like to see him lift the trophy.

– Wow.

– Minor contract in Philadelphia.

– He has one goal in mind.

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Mathieu Darche won’t trade Bo Horvat or Mathew Barzal to the Canadiens

The Mathieu Darche era is now well underway on Long Island. The former Habs player, who is now GM and VP of hockey operations for the Islanders, was introduced to the media yesterday and is beginning to take the pulse of his team to determine the next steps.

And this morning, he made his first signings: he offered new contracts to Kyle Palmieri and Adam Boqvist… but as we understand it, he simply honored agreements already reached with Lou Lamoriello and the players.

But of course, the bulk of the work will take place over the next few months, when he will have to restore the Islanders to their former glory. And in many people’s eyes, a rebuild wouldn’t hurt a club with a dearth of raw talent.

But when you listen to Darche’s appearance on JiC yesterday, you realize that the GM sees things differently: he thinks his club is too talented to languish in the bottom half of the standings, and he sees the Islanders in the running to make the playoffs this year.

What we understand, then, is that a rebuild doesn’t seem to interest him… and that guys like Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal aren’t likely to be traded this summer.

Darche notes that he doesn’t rule out a retool, but he seems to believe in his current core. He sees it being in the playoff race, after all… and he even names Horvat and Barzal as important pieces of his core.

Will he really trade the pieces he himself identifies as important to his stated goal of making the playoffs? Unlikely, we agree.

Of course, it’s possible that all this could change if an offer he can’t refuse comes along… but we understand that Darche isn’t coming to town to destroy everything in order to better rebuild. There’s work to be done to get this team back on its feet… and clearly, he believes he can do it without a fire sale.

And, above all, without having to make a coaching change, given that he has reiterated his confidence in Patrick Roy and asserted that he has carte blanche to bring in his own coach if he so desires. But at the same time, whether it’s true or not, he wasn’t about to say the opposite publicly, you know…

If the Habs want a second center, then, they might have to look far from Long Island to find one. And no, trading Cole Caufield for Sidney Crosby wouldn’t be my solution.

Overtime

– Wow.

– Ah.

– Great news for the Angels.

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“Cole Caufield is not untouchable and I would think about trading him for Sidney Crosby.”

Cole Caufield has been rolling his hump in Montreal for several years now. Now a young veteran, he has found his way to the Bettman circuit, scoring 37 goals and 70 points last year.

He is undoubtedly Montreal’s leading goal scorer at the moment.

And at just 24, Caufield is an important part of the team’s future. He’s on a long-term contract (he just completed the second year of an eight-year pact), and at $7.85 per year, he really doesn’t cost a fortune, especially with the salary cap about to skyrocket.

That’s why I was a little surprised to see that, during his appearance on Tony Marinaro’s Sick Podcast, Denis Gauthier stated that he’s not ready to place Caufield among his untouchables in town… and that he’d even be willing to trade him for none other than Sidney Crosby.

Nothing less.

Let’s be clear: I understand the reasoning behind Caufield not being an untouchable, and I agree with it to a certain extent. Trading such a talented young forward who’s agreed to sign with Montreal for the long term isn’t my goal… but I’m not necessarily closed to the idea either.

And I think Gauthier’s on the same wavelength: he doesn’t want to trade Caufield, but at the right price, he’d be willing to do so.

That said, in my opinion, it’s the whole Crosby thing that’s the problem here. And the reason is quite simple: I don’t think the (very young) Habs core is there yet, because that would put a ton of immediate pressure on them to win.

Is it a good idea to put that kind of pressure on youngsters like Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov, who have barely set foot in the NHL? Because if Crosby comes to town and Caufield leaves in return, it will send a clear message that the club wants to win now.

If Hutson and Demidov were a few years older and the club was well established among the teams guaranteed to make the playoffs, that would be one thing. But right now, the Habs are more among a group of teams in the mix, and not necessarily ready to assume contender status right away, especially if Caufield leaves on top of it.

And when he is (ideally in 2-3 years), Crosby will be 40… and who knows if he’ll have hung up his skates. It’s up to you to decide whether it’s worth trading Caufield for a player who, exceptional as he is, will be 40 by the time the Habs’ core has finally matured.

Overtime

– Nice touch.

– Brock Nelson refused to join the Winnipeg Jets.

– Incredible.

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Cayden Primeau: time to turn the page

The Laval Rocket was the only team in the entire AHL to finish the regular season with 101 points.

No team in the Howson Circuit had allowed fewer goals than the Rocket (178).

In short, Pascal Vincent’s men were the overwhelming favourites to win the Calder Cup before the start of the playoffs.

They beat the Cleveland Monsters, then the Rochester Americans..

But since the start of the series against the Charlotte Checkers, things haven’t been going well. The team lost the first two games in front of their fans by scores of 5-1 and 5-2.

First, the team stopped scoring.

Second, the team is giving away far too many goals.

Third, the state of health of the troops is enough to scare any therapist, I’m told.

Back to point two, though: goals allowed.

Cayden Primeau let in four goals on 19 shots alone on Wednesday, then was no better yesterday, when he allowed another 4, this time on 18 shots. Let’s just say it’s a far cry from his performances of recent months…

(Credit: X/capture d’écran)

When you’re up against a 28-year-old goalie with 140 games of NHL experience in Kappo Kahkonen, you’ve got to be better than that.

And when you’re the Rocket and you dominate your opponent in shots on goal two games in a row at home, you’ve got to pick up at least one win before hitting the road in Carolina.

The series continues Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday (if necessary) in Charlotte. Which goaltender will Pascal Vincent send into the fray?

I don’t think he has a choice: he has to go with young Jacob Fowler. Because if he gets Primeau back in front of the net and Primeau gets off to a third consecutive bad start, Vincent will be challenged.

Cayden Primeau could end his career with the Canadiens in the worst possible way, after a historic season in Laval (and a catastrophic one in Montreal).

But that’s Cayden Primeau: a goalie who seems to have trouble with pressure.

Can’t wait to see what uniform he’ll be wearing come September..

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SKA: Roman Rotenberg is no longer on the Board of Directors and his work is deemed unsatisfactory

What goes on in the KHL is sometimes shady.

Take the recent example of the Rookie of the Year award. Did Ivan Demidov really almost miss out on the title because he won’t be on hand to accept his award at the ceremony? That’s how we understand it.

He’ll be the recipient after all, but…

Also in the shady category is the fact that at SKA, all the members of the club’s board of directors tendered their resignations at the same time.

This includes Roman Rotenberg.

However, as Nicolas Cloutier of TVA Sports notes, he remains SKA’s head coach. His work as coach, however, is deemed “unsatisfactory” for the time being.

Don’t be surprised if another coach magically replaces him next year. That’s my prediction, at least.

Rotenberg was the coach of a certain Ivan Demidov in 2024-2025. But I’m sure everyone remembers that, since he was always the talk of the town for all the wrong reasons.

His treatment of Demidov, in which he played very little, caused quite a stir in Quebec throughout the most recent season.

Nevertheless, Ivan Demidov managed to become his team’s top scorer in his first year after being drafted into the NHL. That’s quite a feat considering the conditions in which he was placed.

I imagine that right now, the Russian, who will be spending the summer in Montreal to prepare for next season and who has started skating again in Brossard, is just happy to be out of that situation.

overtime

– Note to soccer fans.

– Yes, I could.

– Logical.

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Logan Mailloux and a first-round pick: hints at the Canadiens’ summer (on The Athletic)

Every year, when the off-season arrives, The Athletic unveils its trade board, its list of players to watch out for on the market.

It’s interesting, because even though we know that many of these items are in play on the market, it puts things into perspective.

After all, if a Chris Johnston puts something on his list, it’s something that’s out there, right?

I use the word “element” instead of player, since it’s possible to see choices on the list. And in point #8, we find a first-round pick (16th or 17th, in other words) of the Montreal Canadiens.

Are you surprised? I’m not surprised either.

In fact, the real surprise comes from the fact that in The Athletic’s top-20, only the Canadiens’ picks are in play. The other 19 are players, not picks.

Is the Habs the most likely team to trade a first-round pick between now and the draft? We’d have to say yes, in fact. For now, at least…

But that’s not the only thing about the Canadiens in the top-20.

At #19, we see that Canadiens prospect Logan Mailloux is there. The defenseman, who couldn’t finish yesterday’s game in Laval, is available at the right price, according to Chris Johnston.

My takeaway from all this is that the top-20 is made up of 18 players established elsewhere in the NHL, a Habs pick and Logan Mailloux. The only two non-established NHLers are from Montreal.

That tells me a lot about the kind of summer Kent Hughes could have.

Of course, it’s no surprise to anyone to see a pick and Mailloux on the list. But then again, the surprise is that no other prospect / pick is in The Athletic’s top-20 right now.

It could get bumpy…

Overtime

– Well-deserved.

– He’ll report to the Sabres GM.

– Really?

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If the trend continues, Connor McDavid will win the Stanley Cup

The Oilers and Panthers are back in the Stanley Cup Final.

It’s rare for two teams to meet again 12 months later in the Stanley Cup Final. But in 2025, it will be exactly the same scenario as in 2024.

Will the Oilers beat the Panthers this time?

If the trend continues, it’s a safe bet that yes, the Oilers can bring the Stanley Cup back to Canada for the first time since the Canadiens in 1993.

Why do I say that?

Because since 1980, there have been two other similar situations in the NHL: the Islanders and Oilers in 1983-1984, and the Red Wings and Penguins in 2008-2009.

Each time, the honours were divided.

But let’s go a step further. In 1983, Wayne Gretzky lost in the final, and the following year, he won his first Stanley Cup. In 2008, Sidney Crosby lost in the final and won his first Stanley Cup the following year.

In 2024, Connor McDavid lost in the final and the following year… we’ll see.

Connor McDavid, who has 120 points in the playoffs since 2022 (!) and was voted player of the playoffs last year despite his team’s loss, has touched the Clarence-S.-Campbell Trophy this season.

Last year, he didn’t. Is this another clue or not?

Clearly, the player has put the club on his shoulders recently in order to get to the finals – and in order to put himself in a position to avoid reliving the same ugly emotions as in 2024.

He’s incredible, when he wants to be.

Of course, what could come into play against the Edmonton Oilers is the fact that Corey Perry has been unable to win the Stanley Cup since leaving the Anaheim Ducks, where he won in 2007.

Whether in Dallas, Montreal, Tampa Bay or Edmonton, he’s lost four times recently.

Will his strong playoff performances this year change things? We’ll have to wait and see. After all, McJesus and Leon Draisaitl can’t do it all on their own, and it takes depth to win in hockey.

Stay tuned, starting next Wednesday. But I think the Oilers, in six games, will succeed in bringing the Cup home.

overtime

– Hats off to him.

– Incredible.

– This, too, could help the Oilers.

– And this will help who?