Author: Dose

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Patrick Roy will keep his job, says Chris Botta

When Lou Lamoriello stepped down as GM of the New York Islanders, it was questionable whether Patrick Roy would retain his position as head coach.

After all, it was Lamoriello who brought Roy to New York, and it was unclear whether he would be the man for the future boss.

Presumably, Roy and new GM Mathieu Darche are on the same wavelength. Islanders reporter Chris Botta says the Québécois will keep his job, at least for next season.

It’s good news, then, and Roy will have the opportunity to lead a team in his own way.

He has the confidence of his new boss.

And, as Botta says in his X post, it’ll give Darche time to evaluate his team under the former goalie.

Will this be Roy’s last NHL season as head coach? The Islanders don’t necessarily have a championship team, but neither do they have a team that can afford to miss the playoffs.

If I had to bet on the coaches most on ejector seats, he’s definitely at the top of the list.

Last season, New York finished with a 35-35-12 record, 14 points out of the playoffs.

Even so, the club won the lottery and will have the opportunity to get their hands on (probably) Matthew Schaefer.

This pick will be the first big challenge of the Darche era.

Overtime

– My guess.

– Well done.

– Deserved.

– Ah well.

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Rumor mill: Rangers test the market for K’Andre Miller

At the end of May, it’s obviously the end of the NHL playoffs, but it’s also a good time to discuss trade rumors.

Last Monday, my colleague Marc-Olivier Cook wrote an article on the NHL rumours of the moment.

Now, on May 28, there are a number of other rumours about players who could be changing addresses in the near future, and we’re going to take a look at them together.

New York Rangers want to test the market for K’Andre Miller

Top-4 defensemen are often in demand across the NHL.

Left-handed defensemen are a little less in demand than right-handed ones, but some teams may want to improve the left flank of their defensive brigade.

As for the Rangers, we know they’ve had a miserable year, and there have to be changes to the line-up, otherwise we can expect another disappointing season.

In fact, they want to test the transaction market with their big left-handed defenseman K’Andre Miller.

Elliotte Friedman talked about this in his most recent 32 Thoughts Podcast.

At 6 feet 5 inches, Miller is one of the NHL’s good defensive AND physical defensemen, and that’s worth its weight in gold. He’s often been paired with Adam Fox to provide defensive stability, and he’s had his share of success.

However, he may have to pursue his career elsewhere.

Penguins, Sabres, Blackhawks and Flyers interested in Marco Rossi

Marco Rossi is a 5’9″ center who blossomed this season with the Minnesota Wild.

After Joel Eriksson Ek’s injury, Rossi got his chance to shine, playing center for Kirill Kaprizov.

And let’s just say he impressed. So much so, in fact, that he remained on the first line, even though Eriksson Ek had returned to the game.

Last year, the 23-year-old Austrian amassed 40 points, but this season he’s racked up 60, including 24 goals.

He’s been in the rumor mill lately, but no team seemed more interested than another.

According to Jimmy Murphy of RG Media, there are four teams showing more interest in the young center: Flyers, Sabres, Penguins and Blackhawks.

The Flyers are in desperate need of a top-notch center, and Rossi is definitely an interesting option.

Tatcher Demko could be traded in the off-season

Demko had a slightly more disappointing season than last year, but he remains one of the NHL’s top goaltenders.

The Canucks were six points out of the final playoff spot in the West with a total of 90 points.

According to Frank Seravalli, Demko could change addresses this summer, and the Flyers seem a perfect fit for the San Diego native.

As we all know, the goalkeeping situation in Philadelphia has been precarious for some time. The city has been seen as a keeper graveyard for too long, and Demko could come in and fill that need to bring the club to another level.

Overtime

– Suzuki is perfect as Habs captain: the pressure is 10 feet over his head.

– Read on.

– Can’t wait to see what happens. Will we get a beating from the Americans?

– Chelsea as dominant as ever.

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F. Xhekaj and Mailloux to start next season in Montreal (according to Anthony Marcotte)

At the next training camp, there are players who will want to make their mark on the Canadiens’ roster.

Of the lot?

I’m thinking of guys like Adam Engström, Logan Mailloux, David Reinbacher, Sean Farrell, Filip Mesar, Owen Beck, Logan Mailloux, Florian Xhekaj, Jared Davidson…

Among all these names, some seem to be closer to the NHL than others.

And here, you’ll understand that I’m talking mainly about Mailloux, Reinbacher, Beck and Xhekaj.

Perhaps we could add Engström to the list, because he’s been having a really good time since the start of the AHL playoffs.

But if Anthony Marcotte(BPM Sports) had a choice to make among the players who could make the club, it would be Mailloux and Xhekaj.

For him, these two guys are pretty close to Montreal:

The timing might be interesting for Mailloux because he’s in the process of completing his second season in the pros – mostly in the American League.

He’s played eight NHL games so far (one in 23-24 and seven in 24-25) and has seen what it takes to play at this level. At the same time, Mailloux didn’t have a great year in Laval, and it’s safe to say he still has a ways to go before establishing himself as an NHLer .

Mailloux has trouble being consistent, as we saw in Game 5 of the series against the Americans, when he had a tough night.

And he knows it:

For Xhekaj, I mostly feel like it could happen if he comes to practice camp hungry as a lion.

He’s got the toughness we’re looking for in the Habs, he’d add grit to the bottom-6 at 6’4″ and he was excellent in his first AHL season, scoring 24 goals.

But then again, it’s all going to come down to camp, and that’s what’s important here. If the guys don’t show up with the knife between their teeth, it’ll be hard for them to impress management enough to start the season in Montreal.

A bit like what happened with Joshua Roy last year.

Overtime

– Hard to ask for more.

– Jesse Ylönen leaves North America.

– Go !

– Can’t wait to see this…

– News in the MLB.

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CH culture: Mailloux and Engström stayed with Paul Byron last summer

Since the arrival of new management at the Canadiens, we’ve been trying to install a new culture in Montreal.

A culture that unites players outside hockey – and on the ice.

We saw it this year: the guys pushed hard in the final stretch of the season because they wanted to play for their teammates. Many of them said it a few times during the season, but they want to give their all together to achieve better results.

But it all starts with management. Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton are able to see what kind of player is capable of fitting in with the current group, and that helps move things forward.

On the other hand, we mustn’t forget the work of the Habs’ employees, who go a little under the radar. Of the lot?

Paul Byron… who hosted Adam Engström and Logan Mailloux for a few weeks last summer. He talked about it on Tony Marinaro’s Sick Podcast:

The man nicknamed “Tit-Paul” also arranged for David Reinbacher and Emil Heineman to move in with his neighbors.

So Engström, Heineman, Reinbacher and Mailloux lived really close to each other, and off the ice, that can help create a certain chemistry between the guys.

All four are young, after all, and they all dream of the same thing: settling down for good in the National League, with the Montreal Canadiens.

Heineman seems to have succeeded in that mission, but the same cannot be said for the other three.

All in all, it’s really interesting to see the Canadiens get involved in youth development in this way.

It changes the approach that was a bit old school (?) before the arrival of Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton, and it’s funny, but I really feel it played a role in the club’s success this season.

And if the culture can develop further to the point where it can entice guys to come and play in Montreal, Hughes and Gorton will really have succeeded in their mission.

Overtime

– See you soon!

– Oops.

– It’s true that Bill Zito is doing an exceptional job.

– It’s changed!

– Well done.

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“I think Marchessault would love to join the Canadiens and go home”

In the summer of 2024, Jonathan Marchessault’s name was circulating in Montreal.

The Canadiens were interested in offering him a contract and were among the finalists to acquire him, but the Québécois ultimately chose the Nashville Predators.

He signed a five-year contract, valued at $5.5 million per season. The Habs weren’t ready to give him that many years, because Marchessault was still 33 at the time.

But now, even though the player has a no-movement clause, it seems he’s ready to leave the Preds organization after just one season.

It’s hard to blame him… because in Nashville, things seem to be a bit all over the place at the moment.

And if the player decides to exercise his clause to go elsewhere, Frank Seravalli thinks the Québécois would like to come to Montreal to play with the Habs.

I think Jonathan Marchessault would love to join the Canadiens and go home. – Frank Seravalli

What’s a little more complicated?

Let’s go through the list:

1. Clearly, you have to look at his contract. Marchessault has four years left on his current deal, he’s 34 years old (35 in December) and that’s what could scare Kent Hughes.

Because in two or three years, if Marchessault stops playing because of his age, his contract will go negative on the Habs’ books. And if the Canadiens want to give themselves the best chance of being dominant…

Unless Kent Hughes can convince Barry Trotz to keep some of his salary?

2. Jonathan Marchessault isn’t the biggest player in the National League.

He’s 5’9, weighs 185 pounds… and in light of the Canadiens’ playoff shattering loss to the Capitals, it might be illogical to look for “another” little player. Especially since his style resembles Cole Caufield’s: two little guys who like to score goals and have a truly offensive style.

Does the Habs really need two Cole Caufields in the line-up? Especially since Marchessault doesn’t play center: he plays wing. And it’s at center that the Habs really want to improve.

3. The Preds aren’t going to let him go for free because he’s good-looking or thin.

Kent Hughes will have to pay – probably a pretty hefty price – to get him out of Nashville… and it makes you wonder if the Habs GM is willing to part with picks / prospects to acquire a 34-year-old who preferred the Preds to the CH not even a year ago.

If Marchessault were to tick an important box in Montreal – that of adding a forward who can help offensively – the idea might make sense on paper.

But it’s clear that there are downsides too. And if there’s uncertainty… staying away from a scenario like this might be more ideal for Kent Hughes and the Canadiens.

Remember, in all this, that the player openly said after signing with the Preds that he didn’t want to be pressured by the market in Montreal. Did his club’s miserable year in Nashville change his mind?

Or… is he thinking that, at his age, he’d like to return to a big market to enjoy it for the rest of his NHL career?

There are questions to be asked in this case. And it’s likely to be the talk of the town in the months to come…

Overtime

– What do you think?

– It’s lining up for this.

– I love it .

– They do good work.

– The Jets captain has undergone surgery.

– Wow…

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Montreal: Carter Bear’s name keeps coming up in the draft

The 2025 NHL Draft is just one month away.

The Canadiens, for the first time since 2021, won’t have a top-15 pick (unless that changes between now and then), and they won’t be drafting first or fifth.

Inevitably, there’s less suspense this year.

In the past, it was easier to guess who was going to be “selected” by the Habs. But with the 16th and 17th picks overall, things can really go either way.

There are, however, some names that come up more often. That of Justin Carbonneau, the product of the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, is bound to come up quite often.

But in the eyes of fans, Carter Bear’s name is also increasingly important.

It’s interesting to note that, in a mock draft, The Athletic placed him 16th overall to the Canadiens. And it’s becoming increasingly clear that he’d be a “popular” pick, given the number of tweets we’ve seen about him in recent weeks.

Note that on our side, we’ve heard, between the branches, that the Canadiens are considering him. So yes, there’s still a chance we’ll see him in Montreal next month.

We’re talking about a winger, but one who’s productive. He’s 6′ tall and has scored 40 goals this season in 56 games, which is no mean feat. He hates to lose and he plays with dog. Alexandre Carrier must already be salivating when he hears this. #WithRaison

Obviously, the fact that he suffered a major Achilles tendon injury just before the playoffs is a big negative. But he’s said to be recovering very well from the injury and his popularity rating isn’t too affected.

The Everett Silvertips’ WHL product recently started skating again. So he’s doing better.

What can help the Canadiens? With two picks in the top 17, they have the luxury of “taking a chance” on Bear if they want. If he fits in with what the Habs want, he could be a candidate.

To be continued.

overtime

– Speaking of the draft.

– Still.

– Yes.

– The #99 speaks out.

– And the Goal!

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Corey Perry one win away from a fifth Stanley Cup Final in six seasons

We all know the Corey Perry story.

After winning his Stanley Cup early in his career with the Ducks, Perry went on to lose in the Stanley Cup Final in 2020 to Dallas, in 2021 to Montreal and in 2022 to Tampa Bay.

After a short stint in Chicago, he also went on to lose in the 2024 finals with the Oilers.

That brings us back to the present. And what we’re seeing is that, once again, Perry is well positioned to play in this year’s Stanley Cup Final.

He’s one win away (the Edmonton Oilers are 3-1 against Dallas and clearly in the driver’s seat) from returning, for the sixth time in his career and fifth time in six seasons, to the Finals.

It would be the first time he had done so with the same team as the year before. He has played for six clubs in his career and, apart from his short stint in Chicago, has taken all his teams to the final. #Wow

In fact, he has 230 games of playoff experience.

It’s also worth noting that, unlike last year, Perry is performing well. Last year, in 19 games, he scored once and earned just two assists.

This year? In 15 games, he has six goals and nine points. He’s even tied with Jean Béliveau and other players (Teemu Selanne, Mark Recchi and Ron Francis) for the most goals in a playoff run for a guy at least 39 years old at the start of the playoffs.

In short, he’s on a roll. And his experience is worth its weight in gold.

I’m sure a lot of people would be happy to see him win a second ring… and to see him, by necessity, help Canada bring home the Stanley Cup.

overtime

– It could be the wrist.

– Colleague Maxime Truman is on the case.

– Well done.

– He’ll get back up.

– The Mammoth signs his first pick of 2023. He had been drafted by the Coyotes after David Reinbacher, but before Matvei Michkov.

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RUMOR! Sam Bennett hesitates between Florida and Toronto

It’s May 28. The NHL’s Association Finals are likely to be over by the end of the weekend.

Then comes June, with its Stanley Cup Final, trade rumors, amateur draft… and July, with the opening of the free agent market.

Catch your breath now, because in a few weeks, it’s going to be intense. Especially since the Canadiens’ management is aware that the summer of 2025 will be its most important since taking office.

Sam Bennett in Toronto?
Even though they almost never land in Montreal, many people try to predict where the major unrestricted free agents will end up each year.

Mitch Marner is likely to opt for a team in a low-tax state . In short, he shouldn’t come to Quebec.

John Tavares could stay in Toronto, Mikaël Granlund(5’10) isn’t necessarily what’s on Kent Hughes’ shopping list, Nikolaj Ehlers is a winger and the Jets would really like to keep him, I can’t believe Montreal would be a fit for Brad Marchand and I can’t see Brock Nelson choosing La Belle Province. Although he could help out for a year or two, while we wait for Michael Hage..

The most interesting player in the eyes of Canadiens fans is probably Sam Bennett. The guy has nine goals (1st in the NHL) and 14 points since the start of the playoffs, in addition to hitting and disturbing opponents.

The problem is, his team isn’t eliminated yet… and he’s going to be asking a lot of money.

I was recently told that he wants at least $8 million per season… in a tax-friendly environment. That means at least $9.5 or $10 million in a place like Quebec.

Bennett is 28 years old and a 40-50 point per season guy in a quality lineup like the Panthers. Do we really think he deserves to make more money than Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, when he’ll be turning 30 in just over a year? Guys like Bennett, they become less effective with age, having generally accumulated numerous injuries over the years.

Anyway, talk is cheap. According to John Shannon, it’s either Toronto or Florida for Bennett. Florida at around $7 or $8 million… or Toronto at $9 or $10 million.

We agree that if you want to change the culture of your organization, the option of replacing a guy like Mitch Marner with Sam Bennett is an interesting one. #MapleLeafs

But then, we have to forget Sam Bennett, Montreal..

Marco Rossi in Montreal? Not so fast!
For a few weeks now, we’ve been hearing Marco Rossi’s name as a potential candidate to be traded to Minnesota. Strange, when you consider that the Wild will get back some $15 million in accounting flexibility. #Suter #Parise

Rossi is loaded with talent, but he’s 5’9. Not exactly the kind of center Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton are looking for right now..

According to Jimmy Murphy, the Flyers, Sabres, Penguins and Blackhawks are the teams currently interested in Rossi. The list could grow.

The absence of the Habs from this list is not surprising; Martin St-Louis already has enough little players to coach. We saw in the playoffs that small players, you can have one, two or three, but not 17!

Rossi, eligible for a hostile offer sheet, is not expected to return to Minnesota, according to an executive who spoke anonymously to RG.org.

K’Andre Miller on the market?
The Rangers changed the face of their team last season… and that’s likely to continue this summer.

One of the players who could leave New York according to Elliotte Friedman.

Who? K’Andre Miller?

I thought the same thing, especially since Miller averaged 22 minutes per game in 2024-25, his highest career total. He also finished the season with 27 points, and since his arrival in the NHL, he’s never completed a season in the minus.

Could Jeff Gorton, who drafted him in the first round in New York, be tempted to offer something interesting to bring him to Montreal? It would cost more than Logan Mailloux, Joshua Roy and a two-round pick, by the way..

Note that K’Andre Miller is dating Caden Clark’s sister (CF Montreal).

Except that Caden Clark’s future may not be in Montreal..

Whatever. If K’Andre Miller is on the market, the Canadiens have to take a chance. Even if he’s left-handed..

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Surprise: Jacob Fowler may play tonight’s game

For the Rocket, Cayden Primeau won all three games in the series against Rochester and Jacob Fowler lost both. In the previous series, it was the other way around: 3-0 for Fowler and 0-1 for Primeau.

We therefore expected to see Cayden Primeau, who finished Game #4 against the Amerks and blanked the opposing club in Sunday’s final game, back in net tonight, on the heels of Game #1 of the semi-final series against the Checkers.

But Pascal Vincent is likely to send Jacob Fowler. At least, he’s been practicing as a starter, which is often a very big clue.

You’d think the alternating system would come to an end, but clearly the Canadiens are keen to see what’s in Fowler’s body after his nasty outing against Rochester last Friday.

And I don’t hate it. I think Primeau deserved the net until he stumbled, but sending Fowler back to see what he’s got is a good thing for his development as a young goalie.

If he ever drops it, there’ll still be time to catch up. This series is a 4-de-7.

Clearly, Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton have made the decision, since it’s safe to assume that Cayden Primeau would have been Pascal Vincent’s choice tonight. But we’re speculating here.

As for the rest of the line-up, don’t expect to see any changes. Filip Mesar has taken Laurent Dauphin’s place on the first line, but that’s just to warm his seat while the Québécois undergoes treatment.

After all, Laurent Dauphin and Xavier Simoneau will be playing tonight.

Details to come…

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“Nikolaj Ehlers would choose Montreal before Vancouver: he is a very good friend of Patrik Laine”

Who will be the big player the Canadiens will add this summer?

We’re obviously thinking very quickly of the center players, but it’s not completely impossible to see the Habs adding a winger. That is, unless Jeff Gorton’s end-of-season assessment was a complete crock.

What if that winger was Nikolaj Ehlers?

(Credit: Hockey DB)

Ehlers is capable of energizing the top-6, and in his good seasons, he’s capable of approaching the point-per-game mark – without reaching it. He’s been an important player in Winnipeg for years.

But at 29, he’ll be a free agent this summer, and all indications are that he won’t be returning to Manitoba.

By necessity, the Canadiens must be interested in him. And that’s even if it would cause a traffic jam on the top-six wing, which wouldn’t help the center either.

But still: the guy’s excellent… and Jake Evans would surely be happy to see him after what he did for him in the playoffs in 2021.

But as much as we’re talking about Montreal, we have to wonder if the player would agree to land in another Canadian market after a decade in Manitoba.

As reported by the Fanadiens site, the subject was discussed on Sportsnet. And Jannik Hansen had this to say, when asked about the Canucks.

Do I think he’d come to Vancouver? No. He’d choose Montreal before here [Vancouver]. – Jannik Hansen

Of course, it’s debatable whether he said this simply to prove his point, or whether the choice of Montreal was strategic. After all, those are two completely different scenarios.

But to hear him talk, you’d think the Habs really have a chance.

What he reiterates is that Ehlers is good friends with Laine. I don’t know to what extent this may weigh in the balance considering Laine’s precarious future in town… but right now, the Finn is in Montreal.

I don’t know either, if Ehlers is there, how much Laine would be on the top-6 and playing with his friend. But hey.

Hansen also recalled his two years in Halifax, in the QMJHL, and the fact that the pressure of a Canadian market didn’t seem to scare Ehlers – quite the contrary.

We’ll keep the name in mind, then. Because if the price is right, Ehlers could fit into what the Habs need: top-6 talent from a guy who’s 6’0 and scored five goals in eight playoff games in 2025.

overtime

– News from the Rocket.

– Fresh off helping @usahockey.

– What do you think?

– Really?

– Checkers: a big challenge for the Rocket. [BPM Sports]

– Unbelievable.