Author: Dose

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Alexandre Carrier isn’t afraid to say it: the Canadiens lacked dog in the playoffs

Making the playoffs was a great dose of experience for the Canadiens’ young players. You knew that.

Alexandre Carrier has an example to set, since in the first period of the first playoff game, Kaiden Guhle turned to the Québécois and told him that the playoffs go fast.

Carrier talked about this in the Antechamber last night.

But as you know, making the playoffs also allowed the Canadiens to see what they were missing in order to one day become a playoff power.

And on that subject, Carrier has his own opinion. Asked by Luc Bellemarre what the club is missing, the Québécois (who also said his club didn’t get downgraded against Washington) had this to say:

We talked a lot about physical play during our series.

Do I think we lack physicality? I think we lacked a bit of dog, a bit of sandpaper.

Of course, this isn’t a big surprise, since everyone noticed that the Habs had been outplayed. And while the Alexandre Carrier’s and Josh Anderson’s of this world have shown their mettle in the playoffs, it takes more.

Carrier is well placed to get his message across. And in my opinion, when he said it yesterday on RDS, it wasn’t the first time he’d said it, since his teammates have surely heard it before.

As far as Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes know… but I guess if they’re watching the playoffs right now, they’ve got an inkling.

Of course, we know that the club’s fundamentals are good, and the most important thing is to keep improving. That’s why it’s good to see that, once again this year, a lot of guys have chosen to spend their off-season in the metropolis. As long as they’re here for the right reasons…

overtime

– With good reason.

– We’ll keep watching.

– Lions in the final.

– Again…

– Really?

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Series wrap-up: Oilers inch closer to Stanley Cup final

Last night, the Oilers hosted the Stars in game number four and could have pushed them to the brink.

With another convincing win, they did just that.

Final score: 4-1.

Bad news for the Oilers early in the game.

Zach Hyman made contact with Mason Marchment and left the game. He never returned.

Evan Bouchard, meanwhile, made sure Roope Hintz didn’t have it easy.

Leon Draisaitl opened the scoring.

Jason Robertson then tied the game on the powerplay.

Midway through the second period, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins made quite a play to help his team regain the lead.

It was the winning goal.

Edmonton scored its other two goals in an empty net.

Both teams return to action tomorrow in Dallas, 8pm. For the second season in a row, the Alberta club will have the opportunity to reach the Stanley Cup Final.

Extension

– Edmonton wants the Cup.

– What an association final for him!

– He’s unbeatable.

– Scorers of the match.

(Credit: NHL.com)

– Florida can eliminate Carolina tonight.

(Credit: NHL.com)
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Rocket: tickets are not selling well at the moment

The Laval Rocket are set to experience their finest moments since 2022 on Wednesday night, when the AHL Eastern Final gets underway.

On the strength of their victory over the Rochester Americans, Laval will finally be able to start a series at home in front of their fans.

The problem? Tickets aren’t selling as well as they did in the first two rounds.

Anthony Marcotte said in a tweet that higher prices and the fact that both games are being played on weekdays explain the lack of interest.

The tickets for the first two rounds had sold out in a matter of minutes. There was even a queue on Ticketmaster for the second round.

The significant increase in ticket prices for the Eastern Final is probably what’s keeping people away. That’s understandable. The good weather is slowly settling in Quebec, and the games can be watched on terraces.

Nonetheless, many tickets are likely to find takers by tomorrow. Right now, the cheapest regular ticket costs $52. That’s not much either.

Is the Habs group thinking too big for the last two rounds of the playoffs? Overestimated demand and willingness to pay for tickets? We’ll have part of the answer on Wednesday night.

For the moment, we’re not heading for a full house, but that can change quickly. One thing’s for sure: we can expect a good crowd, as the Rocket put on an excellent show at home.

Overtime

– Interesting answers from Arpon Basu.

– The definition of changing philosphy in series.

– Medicine Hat in grand final.

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“Let’s go Oilers” on a billboard on the Champlain Bridge

The playoff dust has been settling in Montreal for a few weeks now. Yes, the Victoire and Rocket have been drawing crowds lately, but it’s not the same dynamic as when the Habs are in the playoffs.

In short, it’s rare to see highway signs with a message of encouragement for a team other than the Canadiens. The Rocket didn’t get one, and neither did La Victoire.

But now a sign on the Champlain Bridge has a clear message: “Let’s go Oilers”. The Alberta team logo was also displayed.

Georges Laraque is the one who posted the photo.

I have a few questions..

Is this in response to the support received by the Canadiens in 2021 by other Canadian teams?

Is it because of the trade war between Canada and the United States?

It’s a sign that displays road safety messages, I doubt anyone could have paid to display this type of message.

The only logical explanation is that bridges are managed by the federal government, which could explain why such a message would be allowed.

Whatever the reason, it’s quite surprising and let me question it.

We’re talking about an Alberta team in the Western finals. Sure, it’d be nice to see a Canadian team win the Stanley Cup, but to post a message like that, in Montreal no less, I’m not sure..

But in the end, it’s on the ice that the Oilers will decide. They’re in control of their series against the Stars and can take a 3-1 lead tonight.

Overtime

– Nice move by the Phillies.

– Heavy loss.

– What a mystery goalie.

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The Snake says Florian Xhekaj is the Habs’ best forward prospect in Laval

As we all know, the Habs have never had a player with pure forward talent.

Nick Suzuki is very good overall, but he’s no Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon or Nikita Kucherov.

At least the Habs can count on Ivan Demidov at this level to electrify the Bell Centre night after night, but there’s no guarantee he’ll reach superstar status.

Michael Hage should also become a good second-line center in the future, but it’s a little too early to say for sure.

Although the Habs already have a talented young core, the fact remains that they lack forward depth for up-and-coming prospects.

If we take the Laval Rocket team, there are a lot of good young players, but who among them really has a chance of establishing themselves in the NHL?

Simon “Snake” Boisvert chatted with Mathias Brunet on the latest episode of Processus.

According to him, Florian Xhekaj is the Rocket’s best forward prospect.

The YouTube video below will take you straight to the clip.

It says a lot about the depth of the prospects up front..

And it’s quite surprising to hear the Snake say this about Florian Xhekaj, who has never been a big fan of his.

But his rookie season in the professional ranks took him by surprise, just as he took us all by surprise with his 24 goals at just 20 years of age. Remember, he got those stats playing mostly on a fourth line and in a slightly more defensive role.

Really, there wasn’t much to say about Arber’s little brother’s first professional season, apart from some dubious and costly penalties to his club.

But all that comes with experience, as does decision-making, which Arber has greatly improved this season.

The Snake also talked about Owen Beck, saying he could see him becoming a 4th line center. But after talking about Xhekaj, he didn’t come back to Beck.

The two players have a completely different profile, but one that could fit very well into a 4th line role in the future.

A defensively responsible center who can bring you an interesting offensive touch, a bit like Jake Evans is doing this year, it’s always good to have that on a fourth line.

And for Florian, a very robust and energetic player who does very well defensively, but who really has skills offensively. How well that translates to the NHL remains to be seen, but I see a player similar to Ridly Greig in Florian, with a little less offensive punch.

Overtime

– Quite surprising, but the rise in ticket prices has definitely changed the minds of some who thought they were in for a treat.

– Would you take a chance on Carter Bear in the Habs lineup if he’s available?

– It would certainly be good for Ivan Demidov’s development.

– This is truly amazing.

– Read more.

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“Caleb Desnoyers will be better than Pierre-Luc Dubois and Alexis Lafrenière”

The 2025 NHL amateur draft is the talk of the town, as there’s no real consensus.

Even the very first pick (despite the fact that Matthew Schaefer seems to be the logical choice) has not been established, as the New York Islanders are in dire need of some punch up front. Picking a Michael Misa, or even a James Hagens could (and should) be an option the Islanders consider to fill this need.

For the rare time, a Québécois has stood out since the start of the season with impressive statistics, and is quietly climbing the draft ladder.

Caleb Desnoyers could indeed break into the top-5 this year.

The last Québécois to be drafted in the top-5 are Alexis Lafrenière (#1 in 2020) and Pierre-Luc Dubois (#3 in 2016).

Mathias Brunet has his own opinion on Desnoyers’ potential.

He thinks he’ll be better than PLD and Lafrenière.

Even if PLD and Lafrenière never played to their full potential, they still have respectable careers, despite their ups and downs.

Lafrenière has 193 points in 380 games, while Dubois has 408 points in 598 games.

And it’s pretty hard to determine just how much better a prospect playing in the QMJHL can become than this or that player, since he’s only played against players 20 and under. Not to mention the fact that the QMJHL isn’t the best development league at junior level.

But Brunet seems to be confident.

After all, since the start of the season, Desnoyers has done nothing but improve and impress scouts and fans alike. During the season, he totalled 84 points in 56 games, while in the QMJHL playoffs, he amassed no less than 30 points in 19 short games.

And let’s not forget that the product of the Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe brings a lot more to the table than just his offensive touch, as he’s quite responsible defensively, as well as being a physical player.

On the other hand, after two Memorial Cup games, the Saint-Hyacinthe native seems to be struggling a bit, as he still hasn’t blackened the score sheet and doesn’t appear as intense as usual.

It’s only two games away, though, and a prospect of Desnoyers’ calibre could very well bounce back next game with three or four points.

Overtime

– Tough news for the Trois-Rivières Lions…

– Pierre Dorion told Le Retour des Sportifs that Robin Lehner is the most talented goalie he’s seen in his career. [BPM Sports]

– Seth Jarvis is as funny as ever.

– It’s hard to place him ahead of the legends who have won it all in their careers.

– Barcelona’s young sensation is here to stay.

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Abbotsford Canucks describer attacked mid-game by a fan

Now that’s special.

During one of the games in the series between the Abbotsford Canucks and the Colorado Eagles in the AHL, the Canucks’ describer was attacked by a fan of the other team.

You read that correctly.

The game was shown on AHL TV, and you can clearly hear the describer’s nerves.

He called security because the fan in question stole his chair and threw it at him. And at the end of the “sequence”, you can hear the describer say… this:

Get yourself another beer!

Again… that’s special:

First time in my life.

That said, it seems to have ended relatively well (at least), and to hear the describer in question tell it, he wasn’t injured.

Imagine the scenario: the Canadiens are playing on the road and a fan decides to go forward and attack Pierre Houde or Marc Denis.

There’s no place for that kind of behavior in the sports world (or in life in general)… and I hope there are consequences for the fan who decided to go underground.

Usually, descriptors are placed in a safe place in the NHL.

But in the AHL, it’s different because of the smaller amphitheaters, and maybe some rules need to be reviewed so that a scenario like this doesn’t happen again.

It must have been such a bizarre moment in the arena for those close to the scene…

Overtime

– Already…

– The video is really cool!

– Well done.

– Can’t wait to see this.

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Peterka is unhappy in Buffalo: An opportunity for the Habs to add talent to their top-6

JJ Peterka is a very talented player.

The Sabres winger has 68 points (27 goals) in 77 games this season at the age of 23, and has the potential to be one of the NHL’s top offensive players before too long. The problem for the Sabres organization? His future in Buffalo is far from guaranteed.

In fact, according to Frank Seravalli, the Sabres may have no choice but to trade him…

Why not?

Because the forward isn’t happy with his current situation.

According to Seravalli, Peterka – like many other Sabres players – is unhappy with the way things are going in Buffalo, and that’s why he’s at the top of his list of players who could be traded this summer.

Peterka will be an RFA this summer( compensated free agent), the Sabres must make a decision in his case… and that’s where the Canadiens could join the party.

Kent Hughes’ plan is clear, after all. They want to bring in a talented player who can help the team offensively, and even if Peterka doesn’t play center, he’s definitely capable of filling a chair like that.

And the best part? Kent Hughes and the Canadiens have what it takes to dance with the Sabres, who are still going nowhere.

It would be expensive, in terms of assets, to acquire him. Of course, there are other teams who tried to get him at the last NHL trade deadline.

But then again, the Canadiens have the assets to make a move.

Prospects, picks… With the Sabres nowhere near turning the corner on their never-ending rebuild, now might be the perfect time to make a big offer to get him out of Buffalo.

Peterka, his speed, his intelligence with the puck and his offensive abilities with Ivan Demidov next to him… It would be really interesting for the Canadiens.

We’re not talking about a center, but that wouldn’t stop Kent Hughes from going out and finding another one on the free agent market. There’s money to be spent this summer with the Canadiens, and Kent Hughes has proven in the past that he can be aggressive in improving his club when necessary.

Because expectations will change, too. The Habs have just made the playoffs, and it’s hard to imagine that the organization would be satisfied with the club missing out in 25-26.

But getting hold of Peterka, a 23-year-old player with fire potential, could help push things forward even more.

Overtime

– Bravo!

– An Oilers win tonight would really make life difficult for the Stars…

– Things aren’t going well in Washington.

– Too bad.

– Well…

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Marc-André Fleury’s return doesn’t seem “impossible” according to Allan Walsh

Marc-André Fleury said he wanted to retire.

But he took the opportunity to go and play with his buddy, Sidney Crosby, at the World Championship… and according to Allan Walsh, he had the time of his life.

And when you also look at Flower’s stats from the tournament, you realize that he’s still a quality goalie.

In three starts, the Québécois maintained a 0.97 goals-against average and was excellent with his .944 save percentage.

Those don’t sound like the numbers of a guy who’s about to retire. And Walsh – without necessarily opening the door – talks in his podcast like someone who could expect Fleury to return to the NHL for at least another season.

You never know… – Allan Walsh

Allan Walsh is Marc-André Fleury’s agent and the two guys know each other well.

That said, maybe Walsh knows certain things and can’t necessarily talk about them openly because he wants to protect his client.

But then again, the way he talked about it, you’d think the scenario of Fleury coming back is possible…

If Marc-André Fleury still wants to play, there will be clubs interested in his services.

He may not be the dominant goalkeeper he once was, we agree.

But he brings so much to a club that he could be a logical candidate for a team looking for a quality second goaltender. And we also know that Fleury can have a positive impact in a dressing room and within an organization because he has a personality that everyone likes.

It remains to be seen, then, whether his great experience at the World Championship will encourage the 40-year-old goaltender to play one last season in the National League.

And I really think you’ll agree with me when I say that seeing Fleury return would please all hockey fans.

Overtime

– There’s a lot of talk about the Leafs, but the Wild and Blue Jackets aren’t much better…

– Interesting.

– Wow!

– We love?

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Carey Price: “Every time I see Montembeault play, he always impresses me”

Samuel Montembeault had a fine season.

He played a career-high 62 games in a single campaign, and while he may have been a little overused, he did well under the circumstances.

The goalie was, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the key elements of the Habs’ success in 24-25.

At 28 years of age, he is currently experiencing his best moments since entering the National League.

He’s developed into a #1 goaltender – even selected by Team Canada for the 4 Nations Confrontation – and he’s helping the Canadiens win games.

Monty plays his part in town. And even Carey Price(Sick Podcast), who’s been in this chair before, says he’s impressed with the Québécois goalie.

Every time I see Montembeault play, he always impresses me. – Carey Price

To see a goalie like Price, who has enjoyed his share of NHL success, praise Montembeault is worthy of mention.

And it proves, all in all, that Monty has a good reputation.

But it’s deserved because the goalie is always working to improve, and that’s what he’s been able to do in recent years. I’ve seen him several times this winter in Brossard: during practice, Monty gives his all.

And he doesn’t hesitate to work on the things that aren’t going so well in his game when that’s the case. He works hard to be even better:

If Monty is able to improve even more, the Canadiens will be in a boat.

Because having a good, quality goalie in the NHL is important. It helps win games, but it also goes beyond that: it helps stabilize the game in the defensive zone, and it gives the guys confidence.

So I’m looking forward to seeing him next season. The Canadiens would like to see Jakub Dobes challenge for the #1 spot next year, but the net is his until proven otherwise.

And if the Québécois improves further, it’ll be really hard for Dobes to steal his spot.

Overtime

– Mathieu Darche has his work cut out for him.

– He’s arrived in Long Island, by the way:

– Oh.

– Makes sense. But we can really believe that the Rocket head coach will trust his veteran, Cayden Primeau.

– Well done.