Author: Dose

Categories
Uncategorized

Peter DeBoer: sixth third-round loss since 2019

All bets are off: the Stars and Hurricanes are officially eliminated. Mikko Rantanen, who was given a bye in the third round, will not face his former club in the final.

It’s the Panthers and Oilers, once again, who will pay the price for the Stanley Cup Final.

The difference this year? The Oilers will have home-ice advantage. But it’s going to be quite a series… and it’s going to be a series that Matthew Tkachuk predicted last year.

It’s worth noting that parity in the NHL has not been the strongest in recent years.

For the sixth year in a row, a Florida club (Lightning from 2020 to 2022 and Panthers since then) is in the finals. The Hurricanes have reached the Final Four twice since 2023, as have the Oilers.

And the Stars? Like the Panthers, they’ve been to the last three Final Fours.

But the difference is that the Panthers are 3-0 since 2023. But the Stars are 0-3. They lost to Vegas in 2023 and to the Oilers (who also have the Kings’ playoff number) since last year.

But there’s more to it than that.

For the sixth time in seven seasons, Peter Deboer (Mr. Match 7) made it to the Western Finals, but was unable to reach the Stanley Cup. He did so with the Sharks (2019), Golden Knights (2020, 2021) and Stars (since 2023).

It’s crazy, too.

Early in his career, he’d already reached the finals twice: with the Devils in 2012 and with the Sharks in 2016. Both times, however, he lost (to the Kings and Penguins) on hockey’s biggest stage.

I wonder how far DeBoer, who is a special guy, will go to see his bosses debate the merits of getting another coach to take him to the next level.

Between you and me, I wouldn’t be completely surprised if a change came about.

What won’t help his cause? His goaltending yesterday. Taking away his regular to give Casey DeSmith the net after only two goals allowed got people talking.

Seeing him evoke Jake Oettinger’s difficulties in front of the cameras certainly didn’t please the main interested party.

While the Oilers make it to the finals, there should be a period of soul-searching in Dallas. After all, the Texan club is an NHL power and has a good base, but…

But there’s something missing.

overtime

– Read more.

– Really?

– Interesting.

– Incredible.

Categories
Uncategorized

Rocket: Logan Mailloux didn’t play in the third, but he did better than the referees

Last night, the Laval Rocket played their second game of the AHL Eastern Finals. And let’s just say it didn’t go well.

Cayden Primeau was pulled after giving up four goals. The club was unable to settle in the offensive zone. There was no rhythm to the game.

And the club lost 5-2, leaving them trailing 0-2 in their series, which will travel to the U.S. for the next three games – barring a Checkers sweep, of course.

Those who watched the game will know that the refereeing left a lot to be desired.

Mind you, I’m not saying the Rocket lost because of the referees. After all, Pascal Vincent’s men simply weren’t up to the task during the match.

It’s unacceptable to play that way. – Rafaël Harvey-Pinard

But I’ve rarely seen a refereeing body handle a match so badly. The Rocket’s 68 penalty minutes (and the opponent’s 48) show that, in the end, the referees were handing out penalties like candy.

Things got heated right from the warm-up, and the referees quickly lost control.

But clearly, the Checkers could do whatever they wanted on the ice. Often, Laval players were the victims of dirty hits and nobody moved on the ice.

There’s a reason why the “ref you suck” chant was so loud in the arena (I’ve rarely heard it so loud in an AHL arena) and why fans often threw objects onto the ice.

There was no control at the end.

Xavier Simoneau is a good example. Why does he get pushed on the goalie, get a stick in the face… and the Rocket find themselves shorthanded anyway?

That puts the Rocket in trouble right now. The next game (with Jacob Fowler in net or not?) will be a tough one on the road due to injuries.

Case in point?

In addition to the guys already banged up, Laurent Dauphin was injured even more yesterday. He was tackled hard (the game went on even though he was tackled so hard he left the game).

What’s more, according to the coach, Logan Mailloux didn’t play in the third because of injury. He was still on the bench.

Note that at one point, during a commercial break, he went to stretch his legs before retreating to the dressing room. Did he realize he was injured or was he sent off?

The way the match unfolded, the question arises. After all, the referees had lost control and had a worse game than Mailloux, a guy who couldn’t finish the game due to injury.

overtime

– From what we understand, there are a lot of injuries in this locker room right now.

– If you’re looking for good news, here’s some: apart from his mistake on the Checkers’ last goal, David Reinbacher looked like a veteran on the ice as he played so well. He also showed he’s got a good shot…

– Don’t shoot the messenger.

Categories
Uncategorized

Oilers vs. Panthers in the final, for the second season in a row

On Wednesday night, the Panthers beat the Hurricanes in five to reach the Stanley Cup Final.

Last night, the Oilers could also defeat their opponents in five to reach Florida.

And thanks to a 6-3 victory, that’s exactly what they did.

For the second season running, the two teams will face off in the Stanley Cup Final.

A final that doesn’t begin until next Wednesday… Ouch.

Here’s a quick recap of game number five in Dallas.

Good old Corey Perry opened the scoring on the powerplay.

On the goal, Connor McDavid earned an assist and became the second player to reach 100 playoff assists the fastest.

It took him 90 games. Wayne Gretzky needed 70 games.

Moments later, Mattias Janmark doubled his team’s lead.

Two goals on two shots, Jake Oettinger’s night’s work was over. He became the sixth goaltender ever to start a playoff game and finish without a single save.

Presumably, whether it’s Oettinger or Casey DeSmith, it makes absolutely no difference.

Jeff Skinner, in his second playoff game, scored his first goal.

Need I remind you that he was drafted in 2010 and has 1078 games of experience?

Jason Robertson brought the Stars back to life a little later.

His third straight game with a goal.

Robertson scored another goal later in the game, but it wasn’t enough.

Connor McDavid stole the show.

Dallas, despite the powerful team it has, is still unable to bring a Cup to Texas.

The Sharks, who have their first-round pick this season, will draft 30th.

As for the Oilers, they have another chance to bring the Cup back to Canada. Incidentally, this is the third time in five years that a team from north of the border has made it to the finals.

Extension

– Poor Jake.

– Still.

– When it goes wrong, it goes wrong.

– Scorers of the game.

(Credit: NHL.com)

– The finals get underway on Wednesday.

(Credit: NHL.com)
Categories
Uncategorized

Trailing 0-2, Rocket leaves for three games in Charlotte

After a heavy defeat last night, the Rocket wanted to even the series.

But in all likelihood, the Checkers were too strong. For the second time in as many nights, Charlotte crushed Laval.

This time, the club won by a score of 5-2.

Before the game, tempers flared and there was almost a free-for-all.

That intensity carried throughout the match (and the officials let it).

Last night, the visitors scored within the first two minutes of each period.

Laval got off to a better start this time, not allowing a goal in the first two minutes of the first period. However, Pascal Vincent’s team allowed one in the final minutes of the period.

Primeau saw nothing.

In the second period, the visitors took off.

They scored three goals, including this shorthanded goal.

From that point on, the momentum shifted and Laval was never in the game again.

Jacob Fowler even took Cayden Primeau’s place (eight goals on 37 shots in the series) after the fourth goal.

The goalkeeper change made no difference in the end, as the club lost 5-1.

Rare bad play by David Reinbacher (who scored a goal in the loss) on the Checkers’ fifth goal.

The Rocket will try to close the gap in the series on Sunday afternoon, 4pm.

Fowler or Primeau in net?

Note that Laurent Dauphin did not return to the game after being the victim of this check late in the second period :

Overtime

– A frustrating match for everyone.

– Nice save.

– It’s raining penalty burgers.

– This is crazy.

– Tough night for the officials, too.

Categories
Uncategorized

Pascal Vincent has no confidence in his club, believes Renaud Lavoie

Ahead of game number one against the Checkers, Pascal Vincent unveiled his goalie at the last minute.

To everyone’s surprise, Cayden Primeau started the game. Surprise, because Jacob Fowler had been practicing in front of the starter’s net in the morning.

And today, Vincent was slow to unveil his goalie. And according to Renaud Lavoie, it’s not necessarily smart of him to delay his decision. According to the journalist, it’s a sign that he doesn’t have confidence in his club.

The aim of this strategy is to deceive the opponent.

But is this really the case? Whether it’s Jacob Fowler or Cayden Primeau, does it really change the opponents’ strategy drastically? I don’t think so. Otherwise, everyone would unveil their starting goaltender minutes before the game…

Panthers coach Paul Maurice wasn’t afraid to announce in the morning that Sam Reinhart, A.J. Greer and Niko Mikkola would play game five against the Hurricanes.

The Rocket coach is very evasive when asked about his starting goaltender. He has already said he would send Ken Dryden. Renaud Lavoie believes his focus is “on deceiving the media and the opposing team”.

You’re in the wrong place. – Renaud Lavoie

Not revealing your starting pitcher in baseball (although the identity of the starter is rarely unknown minutes/hours before the game) or your quarterback in football, I can understand.

But in hockey, I don’t think it makes too much difference… Especially when both your goalies end up playing in the game.

Overtime

– The Kraken finds its pilot.

– Could be interesting.

– The Oilers can reach the final tonight.

– Wow.

– Things are going well in Toronto.

Categories
Uncategorized

Transition for Anton Lundell: Marco D’Amico’s idea

Acquiring a second center is the Canadiens’ priority this summer. It’s the biggest hole in the team’s lineup.

Several names have been thrown around, such as Sidney Crosby, Sam Bennett and Bo Horvat, but perhaps we should be aiming a little lower. Acquiring a player of their calibre would either cost Kent Hughes a lot of money, or force the Habs to offer a huge contract in the case of Bennett.

If Kent Hughes wants to avoid sacrificing too much, he could turn to an alternative: Anton Lundell.

That’s what Marco D’Amico explained on The Shaun Starr Show podcast.

Everyone wants Sam Bennett to add “sandpaper” to the Canadiens’ game, but if the Panthers ever offer him a contract extension worth around $8 million per season, Montreal will have to look elsewhere.

You don’t have to look far, as the Panthers’ Anton Lundell could get a new contract from Sam Bennett. By offering Bennett a raise, Florida will have to make some roster changes to stay under the salary cap, and that’s where the Canadiens could take advantage, as D’Amico explains.

Anton Lundell is currently a third-line center with the Panthers, but his contract is worth $5 million to the team. Florida could trade him, but Bill Zito and his gang would have to be offered an attractive return.

This is where D’Amico is a little less confident. He’s not sure that Montreal has anything interesting to offer the Panthers, who will probably want to improve on the blue line.

His idea is to offer a first-round pick and Logan Mailloux to the Panthers. This would give the Panthers another first-round pick to trade at the next trade deadline and allow them to pick up a young defenseman with some potential, but who costs next to nothing.

Marco D’Amico explained, however, that Lundell doesn’t really have the makings of a second center on a competitive team, but that he could be a good solution for now. The Panthers’ center has collected around 40 points in each of his four NHL seasons.

At 23, Lundell is exactly the kind of player Kent Hughes, who often looks for youth in his acquisitions, might be interested in.

You also have to wonder whether Lundell’s 40-odd points per season might be due to the fact that he plays third center. Perhaps in a better position in Montreal, he could blossom and score even more.

Overtime

– Florida clearly won this deal.

– They’ll have to do better than they did last time out.

– Above all, don’t overpay!

– MLB deal.

Categories
Uncategorized

Cayden Primeau to start for Rocket in game #2

Once again, we waited until the warm-up period to find out the identity of the Rocket’s starting goaltender.

Cayden Primeau led the team out of the tunnel for the warm-up period, which means he’ll be the starting goalie.

Logically, a change of starting goaltender was to be expected. Teams usually alternate goaltenders when playing two games in as many nights.

But the opposite was true!

Primeau must be forgiven for his performance in the first game of the series. His 15 saves against 19 shots were not enough.

So it looks like the end of the musical chairs in front of the Laval net.

Pascal Vincent was reluctant to reveal the identity of his goaltender at his press conference prior to Game 2 against the Checkers. The Laval head coach chose to use a touch of humor with reporters.

“We’re going to have a goalie in the net!” – Pascal Vincent

Vincent has been keeping his goaltending under wraps since the start of the playoffs. This is a good thing, since it forces the team to study two different goalies.

The only downside is for Rocket fans, who are left debating which goalie is more deserving of a place in front of the net.

For tonight, one thing is certain: it’s Primeau in front of the net.

In Overtime

– Flyers contract extension.

– Impressive.

– Wow!

– Well deserved.

Categories
Uncategorized

Kashawn Aitcheson, a prospect who could really interest the Habs

This morning, Nicolas Cloutier published a text (TVA Sports) in which he talks about Kashawn Aitcheson.

Who is this player?

We’re talking about a 6’2 (196 lb.) left-handed defenseman who could emerge in the top-20 at the next draft. And we’re talking about a guy who could really interest the Habs.

In the article, Nicolas Cloutier reveals that he spoke to Aitcheson’s coach with the Barrie Colts and that the latter sees him a bit like Florian Xhekaj.

Why is that?

Because Aitcheson – like Florian – has qualities that make him look like a unicorn. He plays big, he hits, he can fight if need be because he’s feisty…

The only difference is that Arber’s little brother plays forward:

The two don’t play the same position, but Aitcheson reminds me of Florian. – Marty Williamson

The article in question can be found right here:

In the majority of pre-draft lists, Kashawn Aitcheson is between 14th and 18th.

He’s got some really interesting potential… and maybe he won’t be there either when the Canadiens step up to the podium to announce their pick with the 16th selection (if they still have it).

But if the Habs like him, that doesn’t mean they can’t go up and get him either. Kent Hughes has the resources to step up if need be, and we know it.

Kashawn Aitcheson is a left-handed defenseman, and the Habs are already well equipped in that position right now.

Guhle and Hutson already have a place in the top-4 and that’s not going to change… and elsewhere, there are also guys like Matheson, Xhekaj and Struble who could play for a long time to come in Montreal.

We could even add Adam Engström’s name to the group…

But hey. If the Canadiens feel that Kashawn Aitcheson is the best player available and that they should draft him, it’s up to them.

Because you can never have too many quality players in any organization, regardless of position.

Overtime

– It was to be expected.

– Anyone know what happened to him? Hehe.

– In Pittsburgh, we don’t see Mitch Marner joining the Penguins. [The Athletic]

– Too bad.

– A name to watch.

– That’s right.

Categories
Uncategorized

Jonathan Marchessault adds: “Montreal has a special place in my heart”

Yesterday, Frank Seravalli set Montreal ablaze when he mentioned that, in his opinion, Jonathan Marchessault would probably like to join the Canadiens and return home. We know that the club wanted him last year on the independent market, but he preferred to go to Nashville.

And over the past 24 hours, everyone has had their say on what the Habs should do about it.

That said, even though Seravalli mentioned all this, we didn’t know if it was really what the main interested party was thinking… until he took his turn at La Poche Bleue last night.

Coincidence? Your guess is as good as mine.

And what’s interesting is that, as TVA Sports noted, Marchessault was asked about it… and he added a little fuel to the fire:

For sure, Montreal has a special place in my heart. – Jonathan Marchessault

Marchessault, who is still under contract for four years at $5.5 million a year, insisted that he’s still happy in Nashville, but that he “never knows what the future holds.” And that’s about all a guy can say about a team when he’s under contract to another.

At the moment, it seems as if Marchessault is playing a PR game to try to attract the interest of the Canadiens, who already liked him last year. It makes you wonder whether the club, which didn’t want to give him such a long pact last year, would be open to going after him this summer.

After all, while he doesn’t have the size, Marchessault has proven he can perform in the playoffs, and he’d be a welcome addition to the forward group in town. And $5.5 million a year for a guy who scored 21 goals and 56 points in 78 games isn’t the end of the world in the NHL’s new salary reality.

What’s interesting, though, is that the veteran isn’t doing anything to quiet the rumor that he’s headed to Montreal. Instead of saying he “doesn’t think about it”, for example, he insisted that Montreal has a special place in his heart.

Let’s see how all this progresses over the next few weeks.

Overtime

– This name comes up a lot.

– Oh how interesting it will be to follow Brendan Shanahan and Mikko Rantanen.

– Interesting.

– Will the Oilers get their ticket to the final tonight?

– Incredible.

Categories
Uncategorized

“If I were the Habs, I’d give Nikolaj Ehlers $9.5 million a year.”

It’s no huge surprise that the Canadiens are in for a big summer. The club surprised everyone this year by making it to the playoffs… and now they’ll have to try to correct some of their weaknesses if they hope to return to the spring dance in a year’s time.

Do I think the club will make it? Not necessarily, no… but the next few weeks will be crucial.

Obviously, just about everyone would love to see a center come to town… but there’s also a world in which the club will be looking for reinforcement up front in the form of a winger. And yesterday, on Tony Marinaro’s Sick Podcast, Brian Wilde mentioned Nikolaj Ehlers.

This isn’t necessarily anything new (we know he’s good friends with Patrik Laine, after all, and there are logical connections to be made)… but the amount is enough to raise eyebrows.

In fact, according to Wilde, the Jets forward can be expected to command an annual salary in the neighborhood of $9.5 million… and he’d be willing to pay that much to bring Ehlers to town.

At first glance, this amount is surprising. After all, we’re talking about a guy who’s never scored more than 64 points in a season (though he did score 63 in just 69 games this season)… and more importantly, a guy who could play on the second line in Montreal.

That’s a salary nearly $2 million more than the three guys on the first line… but there’s the nuance.

Yes, such a contract would make Ehlers the highest-paid player in town in 2025-26 (behind Carey Price, if his contract isn’t traded this summer), but it would be signed in a salary reality quite different from that of the other players: the salary cap is about to explode over the next few years.

Previously signed contracts won’t be able to be used as comparisons because the reality won’t be the same… and above all, the Habs can’t help paying top dollar for players just because they have good contracts on their payroll.

The real question is whether the Habs should go for Ehlers. He’d certainly help the team’s top-6 and he’d be a great complementary piece to the current core… but he’s not a center and he’s not a big guy, so he may not be the ideal fit.

On the other hand, the ideal fit may never materialize. And that’s where management will have to make some big decisions: is it worth passing up Ehlers (if he’s interested in signing for Montreal, of course) to wait for a bigger fish who may never come along?

Did I mention that it’s going to be a big summer for the Canadiens?

Overtime

– Here’s Ivan Demidov’s thank-you video for being named KHL Rookie of the Year. As you may recall, he won it in a twist of fate.

– Jonathan Toews is ready to return to the NHL. I have a feeling the Jets are the favorites to sign him.

– Tyson Foerster reaches agreement with Flyers.

– Interesting.

– Interesting.