Author: Dose

Categories
Uncategorized

Rumor mill: Nikolaj Ehlers looks set to leave the Jets

It’s getting a bit old because Sam Bennett and Mitch Marner will be available on the free agent market this summer.

But there’s also one name that deserves more attention.

And here I’m referring to Nikolaj Ehlers, who will also be free as a bird as of July 1.

The Jets’ plan is simple: keep him in town.

But… even if said plan is simple, the entire situation is more complicated than that. Ehlers will have the luxury of asking for a big salary because he’s proven himself in the NHL – 520 points in 674 games – and this will be his last chance to pick up a long-term, multi-million-dollar contract.

At 29, the idea of testing the market could really interest him.

And that’s why, right now, he appears to be on the verge of leaving the organization in the eyes of Jacob Stoller, who covers Jets activities for Sportsnet.

All indications are that Ehlers is well and truly gone. – Jacob Stoller

It doesn’t matter: whether in Winnipeg or elsewhere, Ehlers will break the bank.

His strengths can help a team looking to instill natural talent into its line-up (hello, Kent Hughes?) and with the salary cap set to rise in the next few years, it gives him even more of a chance to go for a big contract.

I can’t wait to see where he’ll be playing in 25-26.

Leafs and Matthew Knies start talking

At the Leafs’ end-of-season review, Matthew Knies practically shouted it out: he’s not interested in leaving Toronto.

He wants to play for the Leafs in the future – at least, that’s what he said – and the organization wants to keep him too.

The problem?

The Leafs are not immune to an offer sheet in the player’s case. A team could come and cause problems for the Toronto team by offering him a big contract, and if that happens, the Leafs could have a hard time making up their mind.

But right now, we know that the Leafs and Knies are discussing a new deal.

It is, according to David Pagnotta, a priority on Brad Treliving’s desk.

It’s true that this is an important file, because Matthew Knies is a hockey player.

He’s only 22, but he’s really proven that he’s capable of helping the Leafs in the long term. He’s coming off an excellent season (29 goals and 58 points in 78 games) and will continue to improve over the next few years.

Offering him a big contract is almost a no-brainer.

Quinn Hughes’ situation complicates matters in Vancouver

Things got complicated last season in Vancouver.

And do you know what?

It’s likely to be complicated this summer, too.

Because there’s one thing that’s uncertain: captain Quinn Hughes’ future with the organization.

Everyone knows he’d like to play with his two brothers, and Jim Rutherford even said so in his end-of-season review. But now, with all the uncertainty surrounding the captain, free agents will be more skeptical about signing a contract in Vancouver.

And there’s one thing we can all agree on: it’s not ideal.

The Canucks are in a bit of an odd situation.

They’ve got some good players in place, they’ve got a new coach (Adam Foote), but it really looks like the organization is digging itself into a hole. Pettersson isn’t as good as he used to be, Hughes looks like he’ll be leaving, Brock Boeser is in real danger of leaving this summer via the agent market…

The possibility of joining the Canucks and signing a long-term contract in Vancouver is not attractive right now.

And that’s why what happens next could be quite interesting…

In Overtime

– Ivan Demidov prepares for the Tour de France.

– Wow!

– C*lice. Seriously…

– Novak Djokovic is not ready to retire.

Categories
Uncategorized

Marner: Leafs will sit down with him to see if he wants to stay (according to Elliotte Friedman)

We’re hearing that there will be major changes in Toronto this summer.

We’re also hearing that Mitch Marner is about to leave the Leafs after spending the first nine years of his career with the Toronto organization.

But Marner’s departure is no guarantee. At least, in the words of Elliotte Friedman, there’s a little prospect for those who want to see him stay in town.

It’s Marner who has the big stick, because he’s eligible for full autonomy this summer.

The idea of testing the free agent market will clearly be on his mind… because this is the first time in his career that he’ll be in a position to receive offers from other teams.

However, according to Friedman(32 Thoughts podcast), the Leafs haven’t necessarily moved on yet.

They want to sit down with the player to see what his plan is… and if there’s a possibility of starting discussions for a new contract.

To see Marner stay in Toronto would be… something.

Fans booed him in his last playoff game, and clearly, they want to move on.

It feels like the marriage between player and fans is truly over… and I wonder how strong the reaction would be to see Marner sign a new contract with the Leafs.

But on the other hand, we know that Marner loved playing for the Leafs because he comes from the place.

Maybe that’s enough to make some people think there’s a chance he’ll continue his career there… even if, in the end, it would raise questions all over the place.

Because we know it’s not working with the current group.

And if the Leafs offer Marner a new contract and everything stays the same… it’s hard to believe that things will really change in town.

And here again, we agree: if that happens, more than a few people in Toronto will be crying.

Overtime

– Enjoy!

– Um…

– Coming up.

– 15 straight losses in the conference finals is unacceptable.

Categories
Uncategorized

Sam Bennett: “At least one team will be willing to give him $10M per season”

Sam Bennett’s name is popular right now, and it will be even more so this summer.

The Panthers player, who will be free as a bird on July 1, will be one of the most sought-after guys on the market – along with Mitch Marner, probably – because he has a style of play that can help any NHL club.

In fact, every team needs a Sam Bennett in their line-up. But…

But the problem is, Bennett seems to be asking for the moon. The arguments are there for him to ask for a huge salary, and this may be where some teams will be reluctant to offer him a very lucrative contract.

Because according to E.J. Hradek, who works for the NHL, there’s “at least” one team willing to give him $10 million a season, as Martin Biron suggested a few days ago.

The HabsolumentFan site also wrote an article on the subject.

The Panthers have been excellent since the start of the playoffs, and Sam Bennett has had a hand in his club’s success.

He’s scored nine times and added five assists in just 15 games, he hits everything that moves, he brings intensity to the rest of the group because he gives his all on the ice…

Players like Sam Bennett are rare in the National League.

You can clearly see the impact he’s having on his club right now, and that’s why teams are likely to be lining up for his services in just over a month’s time. When players like him are available… every NHL team knows it.

But, the question to ask with all this is:

Is Sam Bennett really worth $10 million a season?

Therein lies the dilemma.

We’re talking about a guy who’s averaged 45 points a season over the past four years… but who’s also really dominant in the playoffs, which is when it really counts.

Bennett has 43 points in his last 54 playoff games, but it goes back to what I was saying earlier: he doesn’t just produce offensively.

He’s capable of helping his club by doing things other than scoring goals on the ice (being productive in the playoffs already helps), and that’s what makes him such an interesting player right now.

It’s not necessarily his regular-season play that’s going to get him the big cheque, but his play in the playoffs.

And if there’s a team out there that already has some good players and needs to add the final piece to its Stanley Cup hopes, Sam Bennett is the perfect candidate.

In Overtime

– It’s going to go like hotcakes.

– Great news.

– They’re too strong.

– 👀

– Tough break for the Fever.

Categories
Uncategorized

Marc Bergevin AND Mathieu Darche in New York: the Islanders would have thought of it

In the last few days, the Islanders have appointed Mathieu Darche as GM and VP of the club.

The result? As there is no President of Hockey Operations at the club, the Québécois will report directly to the owners. He’s in charge of hockey operations for the entire club.

It’s a big vote of confidence.

Elliotte Friedman, in the most recent episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast, mentioned that Darche’s business background (in addition to his hockey background, of course) could be a big asset in his favor.

Scott Malkin, the owner there, is an accomplished businessman. Being able to talk business with Darche may have tipped the scales, as the Québécois is not just a hockey head.

Also in the podcast, Elliotte Friedman mentioned something interesting.

He mentions that, at one point, it’s possible to think that the Islanders might have considered a duo involving Mathieu Darche and Marc Bergevin to lead the club.

Of course, that didn’t happen, and Bergevin might not have wanted it to happen.

But it’s worth mentioning that Friedman brought it up and that David Ettedgui had recently said he believed Bergevin, without necessarily having the GM job, would be part of the Islanders’ administration. Hmm…

Obviously, in hindsight, Ettedgui was wrong. But could it be that Bergevin came closer than we think to landing a job with his old team? After all, at one point, he really did seem to be the lucky one…

Aside from the possibility of Bergevin saying NO to a duo (not my favorite idea, but it does exist) in the Big Apple, I have two related theories.

1. As Elliotte Friedman discussed in his podcast, it’s simply possible that Darche, with his hockey and business knowledge, convinced the Islanders to give him sole control of hockey operations.

He’d been in demand for years, after all… without ever getting a job.

2. Is it possible that Marc Bergevin said no to keeping Patrick Roy and the Islanders didn’t feel like paying Darche, Bergevin, Roy AND a new head coach?

A guy wonders… especially knowing that Roy’s file is obviously still unresolved. After all, he’s not as in demand as an NHL coach as he was as a goalie.

Whatever the reasons, Bergevin has once again bitten the dust. Will a former GM of the Canadiens ever find another GM position elsewhere in the NHL?

In the short term, the answer is no. And on the other hand, the three finalists (Kent Hughes, Daniel Brière and Mathieu Darche) to replace him now have one of the 32 GM jobs in the Bettman circuit.

overtime

– Good question.

– Will he save his team’s season?

– They won’t be playing tonight.

– Of note.

– Hmm…

Categories
Uncategorized

You can criticize the Maple Leafs, but they did better than the Hurricanes against the Panthers

Criticizing the Maple Leafs is easy. And deservedly so.

Every year, the Toronto club finds a new way to crash the playoffs. And let’s just say it’s going to take some drastic changes to turn the tide.

Because in the meantime, everyone’s laughing at the Maple Leafs. Even Carey Price, who talks to the media two or three times a year, has done it…

But while you can criticize the Maple Leafs every day (and twice on Sundays) all you want, you have to remember that right now, the Hurricanes aren’t doing any better than they are in the playoffs against the Panthers.

Quite the contrary, in fact.

This morning, on BPM Sports, Renaud Lavoie reminded us that without the current playoff format, the Hurricanes probably wouldn’t be in the conference finals. Maybe Toronto would actually be there.

Because right now, it’s clear that the Canes don’t have it in them. 15 straight losses in the conference finals is horrible… and they’re not just losing: they’re getting destroyed.

The Maple Leafs, at least, had the decency to bring the series against Florida to seven. That won’t be the case for the Hurricanes in 2025, I can tell you right now.

As Éric Bélanger discussed this morning with Tony Marinaro, Paul Bissonnette, on Twitter, summed up what I think of the Hurricanes.

No wonder Rantanen wanted out. – Paul Bissonnette

Rantanen had teams like the Panthers and Stars in mind. These are great places to live, where the players on the ice know how to win and where taxes are lower than elsewhere.

Let’s not forget that the Hurricanes could lose tonight and be eliminated in four games. And if that’s the case, it could put Sebastian Aho on the trading block.

overtime

– Situation to follow.

– We hear you.

– Patrick Chèvrefils: he’ll be ready this summer. [LP]

– LTIR in the playoffs: increasingly likely during the next collective agreement.[RG media]

– Read on.

– Ouch.

Categories
Uncategorized

Carey Price jersey removal: “we’re not talking about that […] at the moment, no”

Every summer, my buddy Nilton Jorge and I make a recurring bet: when will the question be asked, on TV or radio, whether Carey Price’s number should be retired by the Montreal Canadiens? Once the Canadiens’ season is over, it seems that the people paid to talk to us about sports always end up asking whether Carey Price’s number 31 should be hoisted high up in the Bell Centre.

It’s a point like the Godwin point with Adolf Hitler, but in asoftsports version.

The over/under is always on June 1.

This year, I lost. I had said after June 1st, whereas Nilt’ had said before. There was a radio debate on the subject last week..

Last Wednesday, Geoff Molson spoke at a dinner organized by the Canadiens Children’s Foundation, and according to what Benoit Rioux of the Journal de Montréal reported this morning, the owner was asked about the possible removal – or not – of Carey Price’s jersey.

His response?

“Right now, we’re not talking about that. We’re concentrating on the current team. Maybe it will come one day, but for now, no.” – Geoff Molson

If the Canadiens aren’t even talking about the retirement of #31, I think we can stop talking about it in the media..

A Hall of Fame induction, on the other hand?
When it comes to Carey Price’s jersey, a number of arguments against it come up: he hasn’t won a Stanley Cup, he’s already got 15 numbers (out of 100) unavailable, and so on.

His induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame, on the other hand, seems to be a foregone conclusion.

On June 24, the selection committee will meet to determine and announce the 2025 inductees. The question is not if, but when. Will it be in his first year of eligibility, when his contract isn’t even up yet?

Price has been the NHL’s best goalie for several seasons, and his list of titles, trophies and honours is long.

(Credit: EliteProspects.com)

Especially since he’s been the Habs’ most important player, taking them to the playoffs on several occasions despite a lack of raw talent in the dressing room.

Extension

Carey Price took part in the annual Sports Celebrity event yesterday in Montreal, and JDM asked him if he could pull a Gabriel Landeskog of his own and make a miracle comeback.

sometimes I watch TV and think I could still keep goal,” Price confided on Sunday night, referring to his old knees. Then I take part in a charity softball tournament, and the very next day I’m back to reality.” – Carey Price to Benoit Rioux

It’s all very clear, even if the beginning of Price’s answer was enough to excite fans.

It remains to be seen whether his contract will be traded this summer..

Categories
Uncategorized

Rocket series: Jesse Puljujarvi and these Checkers players to watch out for

That’s it: the Rocket is in the final four of the AHL playoffs.

There are only five teams left in the playoffs (the Abbotsford Canucks or Colorado Eagles will be eliminated today, and the winner of the final game will face the Texas Stars in the Western Final), and the Rocket is one of them.

On Wednesday, the Rocket will host the Charlotte Checkers, the Panthers’ training club, at Place Bell. Tickets go on sale in a few hours, for those interested.

This means there will potentially be two two-game sequences in as many nights on Montreal’s North Shore.

The Charlotte Checkers aren’t in the Rocket’s division, and they’re not exactly the best-known club among Quebec fans. What should both sides be on the lookout for in the series?

1. The Checkers, in Anthony Marcotte’s opinion, are a club with more experience than the Americans and the Rocket. On the other hand, they’re not the most talented of the bunch.

But in the playoffs, experience counts.

2. The Checkers needed eight games (6-2 record) to get out of their division in the playoffs. But even so, no player has more than six points since the end of the regular season.

For the Rocket, in nine games, four forwards have more than six points. And defenseman Logan Mailloux has six points.

  • Alex Barré-Boulet: 3 + 7 = 10
  • Laurent Dauphin: 5 + 4 = 9
  • Sean Farrell: 3 + 5 = 8
  • Joshua Roy: 3 = 5 = 8

But in Charlotte, it’s a different story. Rasmus Asplund and John Leonard, Charlotte’s leading scorers in the playoffs, aren’t even close to the point-per-game mark.

The two guys, aged 27 and 26 respectively, have been the club’s driving force since the start of the playoffs.

Michael Benning, a 22-year-old defenseman in his second year in the pros, is one to watch. He’s the Checkers’ only real young prospect among the club’s top six scorers since the start of the playoffs. An experienced club, as Anthony Marcotte used to say…

Ah: we’re also keeping an eye on Jesse Puljujarvi. He can go out in force if he wants to.

3. In front of the net, there’s no doubt about it: the man you can trust is Kaapo Kahkonen. You’ve probably heard of him, having played 140 NHL games with the Wild, Sharks, Devils and Avalanche.

This season, he’s been around: he played for the Avalanche (one game), but mostly in the AHL with the Eagles, Moose and Checkers.

In the playoffs, he played every minute for his club. He has a 6-2 record, a 1.85 GAA and a .918 save percentage. He’s given up just 15 goals and is full of confidence.

Cayden Primeau (because yes, he’ll probably be the one to start the series) will have to repeat his round-robin exploits against the Americans to give his team a chance.

Unlike the Rocket, the Checkers needed only one goaltender to advance to the Final Four.

The Rocket, on the other hand, saw Jacob Fowler win every game against Cleveland and Cayden Primeau win nothing against the Monsters. And against Rochester, it was the complete opposite. #EhBien

4. What’s in it for the Rocket?

While Charlotte has a great hockey club (94 points, fourth overall in 72 games this season… and sweep of the Bears to get out of the division), the Rocket is also strong.

It had 103 points on the season. That’s no mean feat.

Yesterday, we saw that the club is really strong when it plays like it can. And Sean Farrell wasn’t afraid to say it after the game: nobody can keep up with the Rocket when they play their way.

5. Pascal Vincent’s club (who still can’t focus 100% on NHL coaching jobs right now) doesn’t have an eye-popping star, but it also has a great collective group.

And David Reinbacher, a high draft pick in 2023, helps stabilize the group. Making a bad decision on the ice doesn’t happen very often, let’s say.

overtime

– Les Checkers, en français SVP.

– Of note.

– Bonsoir, he’s (probably) gone.

– A machine.

– To read.

Categories
Uncategorized

Carey Price: “Nobody likes to see the Maple Leafs lose more than me”

Carey Price is still a polarizing face in Montreal. That’s understandable: he was excellent for the Canadiens.

Even though he can no longer play, it was a great honor for him to represent the Habs for 15 years. And yesterday, on the heels of his appearance before the Montreal media at the Sports Celebrity event, he made a point of reminding them of this.

Benoît Rioux, from Le Journal de Montréal, went to meet him. And the goalie took the opportunity to remind him how proud he was to wear the Habs jersey for all those years.

When he watches hockey, he thinks he could still play. But quickly, he knows his body wouldn’t follow: he’s been on the long-term injured list for years for a reason, y’know.

But that doesn’t stop him from having an opinion on what’s going on in hockey today.

As Richard Labbé (La Presse) reports, the goalie is still keeping an eye on what’s going on in hockey. And on the heels of the 2025 series, he has an opinion on what happened in Toronto.

Carey Price had this to say about the Maple Leafs.

Nobody likes to see them lose more than me. – Carey Price

Price, who beat the Maple Leafs in 2021 when he was nearing the end of his career, may have “defended” them a little, saying that the Panthers are a hockey team and have what it takes to go all the way, but still: he said what he said.

And nobody’s going to complain about that in Montreal, I don’t think.

Ironically, however, there’s something big in store for Price when it comes to Toronto. Next month (June 24), the Canadiens’ goaltender will find out if he will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this year.

Needless to say, he’d love to go, even if he’s not losing any sleep over the matter.

It’s the same old story: people connected with the Habs think his candidacy is worthy of consideration. And these same people think that his #31 might be considered for removal from the city, but that the past has been forgotten.

And yesterday, that didn’t change. #NoSurprise

His stats speak for themselves and are the obvious reason why he should be considered for the Hall of Fame. – Bob Gainey, who drafted Carey Price

I have a feeling, if Shea Weber was inducted in his first year of eligibility, that Price will be too. But we’ll see in due course what the decision-makers do.

If it’s not this year, it could be later, but that’s no big deal either.

overtime

– Really?

– What’s that?

– Is it the right thing to do?

– Nordiques: the Jets make Quebec City dream? [JdeM]

– Too bad.

Categories
Uncategorized

Cayden Primeau proves that rotation must end

On Sunday, the Laval Rocket took on the Rochester Americans in the final game of the North Division final, and Pascal Vincent’s team was incredible. Laval thus advances to the Eastern final, where they will face the Charlotte Checkers, the Florida Panthers’ training club.

But if there was one player who stood out more than the rest today, it was Cayden Primeau, who was perfect.

After taking over for Jacob Fowler in Game #4 because the young goalie was pulled from the game, Primeau proved that goalie rotation has to stop. Starting with the next game.

Fowler has been very good overall in the playoffs, but his last two games haven’t been enough to keep him in the rotation. At least, that’s what I think.

Even though the Rocket seemed to want to keep their rotation at all costs against the Americans, they need to realize that Primeau is the club’s true #1 goalie.

Without Primeau, the Rocket clearly wouldn’t have won the North Division title in the regular season.

Need I remind you that Primeau posted a 21-2-2 season record, the best win rate for a goalie in AHL history?

The Rocket would probably be in the playoffs without Primeau, but they would never have been in such a good position in the playoffs. They certainly wouldn’t have had home-ice advantage in all their series, and everyone knows that Place Bell is one of, if not the Rocket’s best assets.

The energy in Laval during the playoffs is incomparable to any other arena in the AHL.

But with a goalie of Primeau’s calibre, the Rocket MUST trust him for the rest of the playoffs.

If Fowler returns to the net for Game 1, after an atrocious performance in Game 4 against Rochester and an ordinary Game 2, you’ll have to wonder.

At this stage of the spring dance, rotation is no longer an option.

You’ve clearly got your #1 goalie who’s rediscovered his regular-season bearings and another young goalie who hasn’t yet brought consistency to the pros.

Primeau is also a leader in the room, and Pascal Vincent had nothing but good words for his goalie after today’s win.

The end of the rotation shouldn’t be seen as a setback for Fowler either. He could be a great backup goalie if Primeau is crumbling under the pressure of the AHL semifinals, and we could possibly get back into the rotation. But at this point, the Rocket must go with their best goalie.

And Fowler has had his share of strong late-season and playoff performances in his first test with the pros.

He’s only 20: this is clearly not the end for Fowler.

Overtime

– They beat the Rimouski Oceanic.

– A great run for the Minnesota Wild prospect.

– Jeremy Swayman looks to bounce back from his final season.

– Now that’s incredible.

– Another excellent season from Mbappé.

Categories
Uncategorized

Cayden Primeau’s brilliance sends Rocket to Eastern Final

Many had been waiting for this final game in the series between the Laval Rocket and the Rochester Americans.

In the last game, Jacob Fowler was unable to stop the Amerks‘ attack. He was even thrown out of the game..

Cayden Primeau had the task of eliminating the Americans in this 5th and final game.

Here’s the Rocket’s line-up for the game:

There have been a few changes, but one stands out. Brandon Gignac’s promotion to the first line. It was Sean Farrell who got the nod, and he found himself on the second line.

Luke Tuch also left his place to Xavier Simoneau on the third line.

Last but not least, William Trudeau was not included in the line-up, as he seems to have accumulated a number of injuries. He was replaced by Zack Hayes.

Definitely, Pascal Vincent wanted to stir his soup properly after Friday night’s crushing defeat.

From the outset, the REAL Rocket started the game like a lion, and the line changes paid off.

Joshua Roy and Sean Farrell combined for Alex Barré-Boulet to complete the scoring on the powerplay.

A few minutes later, Zack Hayes directed the puck towards the net to prevent it from leaving the zone. Sean Farrell deftly redirected the disc behind Devon Levi.

Hayes was very active in the first period, sacrificing himself to block a shot from Konsta Helenius.

Without making too much noise, Primeau proved he’s the Rocket’s true #1 goalie. He was very solid in the first period.

He wants to prove that rotation isn’t necessary.

Primeau did what he had to do by making it difficult for Rochester to stop all 10 shots on goal.

The first period inspired captain Lucas Condotta, who tripled his team’s lead less than 30 seconds into the second period with a shot on goal.

With a three-goal lead, all Primeau had to do was stay focused and keep things simple.

And Primeau’s consistency throughout the season was impressive. One could only hope that he would bring his A-game to the regular season.

Although the Rocket dominated those first two periods, Rochester still found a way to challenge Primeau, who was as solid as a brick wall covering the entire net.

The Rocket’s indiscipline sank them in Game #4, but in this game they were much more disciplined and the club’s first penalty came late in the second period.

Florian Xhekaj was pushed in front of Levi’s net and the colossus retaliated, a little too much for the referees’ liking, who punished him. Laval managed to kill off the numerical disadvantage.

Discipline, on the other hand, was not a popular word with the Americans, who were down three times in the first 40 minutes and paid the price, again, on the third occasion.

Joshua Roy scored a goal for the third consecutive game. Farrell earned his third point of the game after being relegated to the second line.

As much as Primeau was smoking, overall, the whole team played some excellent hockey. The forwards stepped up quickly and throughout the game to help Primeau’s brilliance in front of the net. The defensive brigade, without Trudeau, also came up trumps to help their goalie.

Oliver Kapanen finally nailed the Amerks‘ coffin, bringing the score to 5-0 halfway through the final frame, 5-0 being the final score.

Primeau was smoldering, dominant and downright perfect in this victory, blocking all 27 shots in his direction. We can therefore expect the rotation to come to an end and Primeau to be the starter for the first game of this Eastern final.

Roy and Farrell stood out offensively with three points each.

In the Eastern Final, the Rocket will face the Charlotte Checkers in a four-of-seven series, who easily disposed of the defending champion Hershey Bears.

The first game of the AHL semi-finals takes place on Wednesday evening (May 28) in Laval. The first two games will be played in Laval, the next three in Charlotte and the last two, if necessary, in Laval.

Overtime

– Really intriguing.

– Now that’s an incredible statistic.

– Rogers Place is in a class of its own.

– He’s either incredible or atrocious. There’s no in-between with Skinner, who is very inconsistent in his career.