Author: Dose

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Trade: No, the Habs must not trade Arber Xhekaj even if he has value

Many are wondering about Arber Xhekaj’s future in Montreal.

The defenseman played just one game in April at the end of the regular season, and missed the first two games of the series against the Washington Capitals.

In the final weeks of the Habs’ season, Xhekaj seemed less and less part of coach Martin St-Louis’ plan.

And if the Canadiens decide to part with him, what are the team’s options?

Denis Gauthier, in The Sick Podcast, believes the Sheriff has some value on the trade market.

Gauthier thinks that Xhekaj could be part of a package deal to get a second center instead of a defenseman like Logan Mailloux or David Reinbacher.

I’m not so sure about that.

I think yes, Xhekaj could interest some teams looking for a tough defenseman, but if you pick him in a trade instead of Mailloux or Reinbacher, you’re in for a fast ride.

Above all, however, I don’t think the Canadiens should trade their tough defenseman.

As we saw during the series against the Capitals, toughness is something we’re lacking right now.

And to win in the series, you need players capable of playing heavy hockey, and if the Canadiens are definitely heading in the right direction, most of our best players aren’t tough.

Hence the importance of a player like Xhekaj.

And right now, we don’t have another player in the team ready to take on this role , and as my colleague Charles-Alexis Brisebois explained, the best candidate to replace him is undoubtedly his little brother Florian.

Arber Xhekaj may not be the most talented player, but his presence in the line-up adds an inch and ten pounds to the rest of the team.

What’s more, I have the feeling that our sheriff would play much better hockey if he knew his position wasn’t constantly on the line. It’s not easy to play and develop to your full potential when you feel that every mistake can cost you your place in the line-up.

If Xhekaj can improve his decision-making and learn to make better use of his physicality in the defensive zone, he could play a role similar to the one David Savard played with the team.

In short, I really feel that if the Canadiens trade him, or worse, let him go for nothing, it’s a decision that will come back to haunt the organization.

Overtime

– Nice gesture and happy birthday!

– A great honor!

– Wow!

– It’s up to him to deliver the goods.

– Psyche!

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Series : The Oilers and their dreadful 62.2% short-handed efficiency rate

It’s a cliché.

But it’s true.

For a club to make it all the way to the playoffs, it needs to be able to rely on its special units. And while the Oilers have the firepower to beat any team, they’ll need to correct their numerical disadvantage if they’re to give themselves any chance of advancing.

It’s not complicated: of all the teams that have played at least eight games in a playoff year, the Oilers literally have the worst numerical disadvantage in history (since 1978, when the statistic was first recorded).

The Oilers have a superb (or not so superb) 62.2% PK efficiency rate so far in the playoffs… and it’s not nearly good enough.

It’s nowhere near enough to get past the likes of the Stars or Panthers.

That, by the way, is what sank the Oilers in Game 1 of the series against the Stars.

The Dallas outfit trailed by two goals going into the third period… but still managed to score three straight on the powerplay to take the lead in the game.

And then the momentum really shifted: the Stars were in control of the game and never looked back.

The Oilers have two options: be better on the power play or avoid the penalty box.

The Edmonton club can’t afford to be undisciplined against a powerful team like the Stars, especially if they can’t handle themselves when a player ends up in the dungeon.

You’ll tell me that Stuart Skinner isn’t necessarily helping the cause in front of the net because he allows too many goals, and I’ll respond by saying that you’re right.

But that’s just it: the Oilers have to help him, too.

And if they want to beat the Stars to reach the Stanley Cup Final, they’ve got to fix that aspect of their game. starts tonight, when they’ll be in Dallas for the second game of their series against the Stars.

Overtime

– What a moment.

– A little trip down memory lane.

– This is special.

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Official: Pascal Vincent to put his faith in Jacob Fowler tonight

We were all wondering: who would be in front of the Rocket net for Game 4 of the series against the Americans?

Now we have the answer.

Pascal Vincent will trust Jacob Fowler tonight. Anthony Marcotte reports, on X.

Since the start of the playoffs, there’s been a rotation between Fowler and Cayden Primeau.

The latter pulled out a big one last game… but that obviously won’t change the plan of the Rocket head coach, who has the luxury of being able to count on two good goalies right now.

That said, I wonder what the plan will be if Fowler has a good game tonight. Do we start with him… or do we start with Primeau, for the first game of the conference final?

Because let’s not forget: with a win tonight, the Rocket will advance to the next round.

More details to come…

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The three finalists for the position of GM of the Canadiens are today GM

In 2022, the Canadiens were looking for a new GM after firing Marc Bergevin.

Jeff Gorton was the first to be hired by the Canadiens, and in January, it was Kent Hughes’ turn to win the GM job.

At the time, Hughes wasn’t the only one in the running for the job.

Towards the end of the process, there were still three finalists: Kent Hughes, Mathieu Darche and Daniel Brière.

And clearly, the Canadiens had some good candidates on their list… because all three finalists for the position of GM of the Canadiens in 2022 are now GMs in the National League.

Brière is in Philadelphia, Darche is now on Long Island… and of course, Kent Hughes is still in Montreal.

Ironically, all three of these guys are also first-time GMs in the NHL.

At this level, it’s hard not to give Jeff Gorton credit, and it’s not for nothing that the Canadiens are ready to take care of him.

Maybe we don’t realize it as much, but Gorton plays a big role in the club’s success.

He’s the one who brought Kent Hughes to town, and he also had a hand in the hiring of Martin St-Louis.

Gorton had a final list, and it was an excellent one. If Brière and Darche found a job as GMs in the National League, that means they were also qualified to take the job in Montreal.

But in the end, it’s also hard not to be pleased with the way things turned out.

Kent Hughes – with the help of Jeff Gorton – has done a really interesting job since taking over in Montreal, and the Habs are handling the rebuild in the right way.

We didn’t even expect the club to have a chance of making the playoffs this year… But the work of Hughes and Gorton has enabled the team to achieve this feat.

So did Martin St-Louis… but he would never have been hired by the Canadiens if Hughes and Gorton hadn’t been in charge.

The Canadiens have some great hockey minds in place right now.

Overtime

– Ouch.

– Filip Eriksson changes clubs.

– He’s going to be good.

– The guys are ready for their game tonight.

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A $9.5M per season contract (and more) for Bennett: Martin Biron floats the idea

Sam Bennett is a good hockey player. No doubt about it.

He’s able to take his game up a notch when it counts, and that makes him an ultra-important piece of the Panthers’ roster.

But Bennett is in the final year of his contract, and his time in Florida may be coming to an end. By testing the free agent market, he’d have the opportunity to get some really lucrative offers on the table…

It all depends on how many teams are interested in him.

But we know there will be… a lot.

And should there ever be a bidding war for his services,TSN‘s Martin Biron wouldn’t be surprised to see Bennett land a contract that would pay him $9.5 million – and more – per season.

That would be… something.

It’s true that Sam Bennett is good in the playoffs.

And it’s true that he’s excellent in the big moments because he’s able to show up every night, despite everything.

But to offer him such an imposing contract is perhaps a little exaggerated too. He’s 28 years old, he’s never scored more than 51 points in a single season… and a multi-year contract like that – for a guy who works his butt off every game – can get old.

It kind of reminds me of Brendan Gallagher’s contract…

Because let’s face it: at 33, 34 and 35, Sam Bennett won’t be worth nearly $10 million a season. The team that would give him a long-term contract like that could be biting its fingers if Bennett isn’t as capable of helping out by then.

And with his style of play, that can really happen. Like Gally in Montreal…

Being Kent Hughes, at least, I wouldn’t touch Bennett if he comes with a contract like that.

The Canadiens don’t have the luxury of being handcuffed salary-wise with Demidov and Hutson’s contracts coming up, and let’s not forget that Suzuki, Caufield and Slaf are already making a good annual amount right now.

I love Sam Bennett… but not at $10 million a season.

And even if the salary cap is going to increase considerably over the next few years!

Overtime

– I like this.

– That makes sense.

– Can this really help?

– It’s going to be different…

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Darche also named Islanders president | Bergevin stays with Kings

We knew the announcement about Mathieu Darche and the GM position on Long Island was coming.

But the Islanders had one more surprise to share with us.

Not only has Darche been named GM, he’s also been named President of Hockey Operations.

All in all, it’s a huge vote of confidence for the man who has never been a GM in the NHL.

The role of general manager + president is a big job… but if the Islanders have decided to take this path, it’s because they trust their new man.

And it also means that the main man’s reputation is really solid, because there were other experienced guys available right now.

Brendan Shanahan and Marc Bergevin are the obvious names here…

Marc Bergevin stays in Los Angeles

While we’re on the subject of Bergevin!

According to The Mayor on X, the former Canadiens GM won’t be leaving the Kings organization.

With Darche’s hiring on Long Island, one might have expected this to be the case… but it appears to be true.

He will be one of the advisors to the new GM, Ken Holland.

Remember that Ken Holland likes Bergevin a lot.

In an interview with Pierre LeBrun, he said that Bergevin would be “very important” to him if he decided to stay in Los Angeles, since Ken Holland wants to benefit from his experience.

All this to say that all bets are off.

The Islanders have their new GM and president, Marc Bergevin will stay in Los Angeles… now it remains to be seen what will become of Brendan Shanahan.

But with the reputation he has, finding a job won’t necessarily be difficult.

Overtime

– Of note:

– Vu de même.

– Too bad.

– It doesn’t take much!

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“It’s over (for Kotkaniemi). Finished, finished, finished, finished. In the league, it’s over!”

Jesperi Kotkaniemi wasn’t in uniform last night for Game 2 of the Panthers vs Hurricanes series.

Not because he was sick or injured. Rod Brind’Amour simply left him out, even though he was healthy.

The Hurricanes lost the game by a score of 5-0… but we all agree: it wasn’t KK who changed anything on the ice.

The former Canadiens man has really hit rock bottom. He’s no longer good enough to help his club, and his head coach had every reason to send him packing.

So, what’s next?

For Renaud Lavoie, it’s simple: there’s no more room for him in the NHL.

No club is going to acquire him via trade because of his contract ($4.82 million per season until 29-30), and now the Hurricanes are stuck with him.

It’s over (for Kotkaniemi). Finished, finished, finished, finished. In the league, it’s over! – Renaud Lavoie

During his column this morning on BPM Sports, Renaud Lavoie mentioned that KK had a smile on his face yesterday… even though he was practicing with the extras and was going to be left out.

That says a lot about his attitude.

It’s like the time when – again, as Renaud Lavoie mentioned this morning – Nate Thompson wanted to help him in Montreal practice his face-offs, even though the veteran knew KK might steal his job… But the youngster had refused, which had Thompson in a tizzy.

Anyways.

The Hurricanes are stuck with him right now, and maybe the option to buy out his contract will become even more popular before long in Carolina.

Because KK isn’t yet 26, the Hurricanes have the option of buying out his contract at a third of the cost (instead of the usual two-thirds)… and the penalties wouldn’t really be imposing.

The contract would be on the Hurricanes’ books until the end of the 2035 season, but at a cost of $841,333 for seven years and $461,333 for four years.

And with the salary cap set to rise… that doesn’t make it dangerous.

(Credit: CapWages)

It’s crazy to see how far we’ve come with him.

We’re still talking about a third overall pick-although after several years, we realize he should never have gone out at that rank.

And he should never have signed such a lucrative contract, either, after such an ordinary start to his career and with no intention of improving.

That said, it’s a good thing he’s no longer playing in Montreal.

The Canadiens really dodged a bullet… and did the right thing by deciding not to match the Hurricanes’ hostile offer sheet in 2021.

I wonder how much interest there would be for his services in the four corners of the NHL should his contract be bought out by the Hurricanes.

My feeling: a few teams will offer him a minimum-wage contract as a last chance – or a PTO… and if he isn’t able to take advantage of that chance, he’ll probably be finished in the NHL.

But I wouldn’t be surprised either if no club showed any interest in him.

Being him, I’d be afraid for my future in the NHL…

Overtime

– Let’s go!

– Alex Ovechkin heads back to Russia.

– Brad Marchand is always inventing new ways to upset the opposition. And it’s fantastic!

– All the better.

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Connor McDavid, Maple Leafs star and shareholder?

The Maple Leafs are in a period of transformation.

After yet another early playoff exit, the Maple Leafs’ bosses are more equipped than ever to clean house. Why? Because John Tavares and Mitch Marner are at the end of their contracts.

By the way, Keith Pelley (CEO of MLSE, hence the Maple Leafs), in a press conference, wasn’t exactly convincing when it came time to talk about Marner’s future in town. #WewillseeHowitwillDevelop

But let’s not forget the second floor. Brendan Shanahan is gone, which will leave more room for the same Keith Pelley.

Shanahan won’t be replaced since, as expected, Pelley will just take up more space. He’s been with the company for a year now, and it’s clear that Brad Treliving will be reporting to him for the rest of his career.

MLSE isn’t afraid to spend, but if it’s useful. Basically, that’s what Elliotte Friedman was saying this morning on his podcast.

Pelley reiterated that he wants to win (he wasn’t going to say otherwise), but everyone knows that to do so, there will have to be drastic changes made in terms of alignment.

And that’s where we look to the future. How will Mitch Marner, who is more than ever on his way out, be replaced?

It’s all well and good to say that the club might look for Brad Marchand or Chris Kreider to change the club’s dynamic, but it’s going to take some changes in the core.

And right now, Toronto’s Howard Berger is of the opinion that the Maple Leafs are preparing a plan in case the best player in the world wants to come home in 2026.

Yes, he’s talking about Connor McDavid.

Should we expect McJesus to leave Leon Draisaitl and the Oilers a year from now? No, not necessarily. But that won’t stop the Maple Leafs, one of the top targets in case of a surprise, from preparing just in case.

And he added this:

But MLSE will create a seven-year plan (the maximum allowed for a free agent) to throw him off his chair – perhaps even guaranteeing him equity in the franchise after his playing career. – Howard Berger

Shares in the team, in a market as healthy as the NHL, can be an important part of the equation. And it brings to mind the Canucks and Wayne Gretzky back in the day.

The Canucks offered him 25% of the franchise to go to Vancouver and he said no. How thick I am,” he said in retrospect…

More and more, star players are buying sports teams in their retirement. A hockey player earns quite a bit less than an NFL, MLB or NBA guy.

Could this be an interesting path for McDavid? We don’t know.

extension

I don’t expect McDavid to move. But if it ever happens, it’s clear that the teams that want him will have to be ready in order to have a chance of signing him.

And since Toronto loves its local stars… #JohnTavares #StevenStamkos

Of course, there’s no guarantee that McDavid, for whom winning is important, will want to sign in Toronto if he hasn’t won in Edmonton by 2025 or even 2026. After all, the Maple Leafs don’t have a winning culture.

But who knows…

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Islanders: Brendan Shanahan and Marc Bergevin will not be hired (short-term)

Mathieu Darche will be the new GM of the New York Islanders. We’ve known it for a few minutes now.

Of necessity, he’ll have a few decisions to make. Will he keep his assistants? What will Lou Lamoriello’s role be? Will he change coaches, or will he decide to continue working with Patrick Roy?

This is undoubtedly THE big question.

But in the meantime, we’re also wondering how the Islanders are going to manage the top hockey operation itself. Will there be just one GM and that’s it?

Right now, that seems to be the case.

Both David Pagnotta and Arthur Staples have the same information: in the short term, the Islanders aren’t going to hire another hockey man at the top of the pyramid.

Could it happen later? Perhaps. But in the short term, Brendan Shanahan isn’t going to New York and Marc Bergevin is obviously in L.A. to stay.

Bottom line? No big hires are imminent and Darche is in charge.

The Québécois, who will have his work cut out for him, will report directly to the club’s owners for the time being. By necessity, it’s a big vote of confidence in the man who was taking up a lot of space in Tampa Bay.

I imagine that Kent Hughes, who got the GM job in 2022 in Montreal against Mathieu Darche, will give him a call to congratulate him, but also to talk about his center players.

Because finally, the Habs know who to talk to in this matter to see if Mathew Barzal or Bo Horvat are potentially available.

overtime

– Wow.

– Um…

– One to watch.

– Which Russians are aiming for the NHL? [RG Media]

– Counter-performance.

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Mathieu Darche to be named Islanders GM

Mathieu Darche finally gets his chance.

According to Elliotte Friedman and Pierre LeBrun, the Québécois will be named GM of the Islanders. That’s what both informants have said – and both have good batting averages.

Confirmation should come soon.

It’s up to him to decide the fate of Patrick Roy, who is currently the Islanders’ coach. Will he decide to keep the Québécois? We’ll see in due course.

Details to follow…