Author: Dose

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The Canadiens this summer: “The promised land some are waiting for, it’s not going to happen”

What will the Habs do to improve this summer?

Obviously, the subject on everyone’s lips at the moment is the issue of the second center. I’m probably not telling you anything right now.

David Ettedgui even talks about a “very feasible” deal for the Habs.

But we can’t say that everyone shares this optimism about the Canadiens and the big summer of 2025 that fans have been waiting for for over a year now.

Among those with doubts? 98.5 FM’s Dany Dubé and Martin McGuire.

On the heels of their recent Bon match! podcast, Cogeco’s voices of hockey discussed what’s in store for the Canadiens this summer, in the wake of Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton’s assessment.

And to say the least, they’re on guard.

Basically, the two hockey men reiterated that Habs management had been cautious in their end-of-season comments, mentioning that it was possible that the Habs would take a step backwards and that there would be no finished product in the short term. This one really clicked for Dubé.

And for McGuire, it was the following sentence:

The promised land that some are waiting for this summer isn’t going to happen. – Martin McGuire

So both were cautious. And clearly, they don’t necessarily believe that this summer is the time for the Habs to do everything they can to get to the next level.

It’ll depend on the price, I guess…. as well as other factors, like the health of the targets.

Listening to their podcast, we see them highlighting aspects that represent calls for caution from Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes ahead of the coming year.

We’ll see how the market develops, but it’s clear that the Habs won’t want to deal with the failure of an unsuccessful off-season.

Overtime

– Interesting.

– Really?

– Logical, these candidates for GM of the Year.

– Can he take up more space in Toronto?

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Without TVA Sports, TVA Group would not lose money

Will TVA Sports close? It’s a question that’s been asked over and over again in recent weeks.

In fact, it’s been coming up for several months, if not years, but since Pierre-Karl Péladeau himself concretely raised the possibility on Cogeco earlier this month, it seems that this question is much more legitimate than before.

TVA Sports has lost more or less $230 million since it opened, and lost $20 million in its last fiscal year. So it’s natural to have doubts about the station’s future after June 2026, when NHL broadcasting rights will be renewed at a price that could double, or even almost triple, according to the latest information available.

Pierre-Karl Péladeau visited Patrice Roy on Radio-Canada yesterday, and the future of TVA Sports was obviously discussed.

Patrice Roy, in an interview where the tone wasn’t always super pleasant, made one thing clear: without TVA Sports, Groupe TVA wouldn’t be losing money.

PKP tried to avoid the subject a couple of times, but he did admit that TVA Sports does cost the rest of TVA Group money.

“For sure, TVA Sports is losing a lot of money, but getting rid of TVA Sports wouldn’t change the fundamental problem.” –Pierre-Karl Péladeau

What is the fundamental problem, according to PKP ? Advertising revenues and viewers are steadily declining, the government isn’t helping enough, and the CRTC isn’t settling the dispute between Québecor and Bell Media.

Except Patrice Roy has a point: Groupe TVA shareholders are fed up, and the share is only 61 cents right now. Stopping paying a fortune to broadcast the NHL’s French-language games would allow Groupe TVA to get its head above water. In the short term at least..

Think again!

The more time passes, the greater the chances of the station closing its doors at the end of the current TV deal.

“Was it a tactical and strategic mistake (to pay for NHL rights 10 years ago)?” – Patrice Roy

“… You know, it’s easy to be a Monday Morning Quarterback.” – Pierre-Karl Péladeau

The Monday Morning Quarterback is someone who criticizes something after the fact. Obviously, the decision to pay a fortune to broadcast NHL games is open to criticism.

In closing, Patrice Roy came back and said that at the time, it could have been a gamble, and that in hindsight, the contract has become a liability.

If the next broadcast contract does cost two or three times as much as it does now, it would only be a bigger ball and chain for TVA Group. It would be an elephant or a planet in its own right.

Let’s draw our own conclusions. Because without the rights, I don’t see why so many people would stay with TVA Sports.

Especially since PKP ‘s words seem clear: there would be a monopoly for RDS..

So without the rights, TVA Sports would probably cease to exist. Let’s hope, for the sake of the channel’s many employees, that Groupe TVA’s negotiators succeed in convincing the NHL and Rogers to put some water in their wine.

Extension

I have to admit, I found it a little hard to watch the segment knowing that Patrice Roy, who works for a highly subsidized state-owned public TV station, seems to be lecturing Pierre-Karl Péladeau, president of a private company trying to create economic wealth.

When you’re privileged about something X, you have to be careful when talking to the non-privileged.

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Practice: expect Jacob Fowler in front of the Rocket net tonight

Pascal Vincent wasn’t lying when he spoke of a rotation in front of the Rocket net.

On the heels of tonight’s showdown with the Rochester Americans, we can expect to see Jacob Fowler in the starting lineup. That’s what Anthony Marcotte, who covers the club, just said.

So there are signs at practice that this is the case.

One might have thought that Cayden Primeau, who has a 2-0 record in this series and did very well in Game #3 against the Amerks, would possibly get his chance.

After all, he’s Pascal Vincent’s trusted goalie in 2025.

But Fowler, who played in game #2 of the series, also deserves to play (because he’s good, but also for the long-term good of the Canadiens organization) and obviously, the rotation is pretty clear right now.

It forces the guys to excel.

Note that in the event of game #5 (the series, which is a 3-of-5, is 2-1 for the Rocket), you’d think Primeau would be in. After all, that’s what the rotation dictates.

But more importantly, it would mean that Fowler would have lost, putting the Rocket in a no-win situation.

Details to follow…

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Patrick Roy as Islanders GM: José Théodore’s wish

Who will be the Islanders’ next GM? Will there be a president of hockey operations? These are some of the questions being asked about the Islanders at the moment.

And the answers should be just around the corner.

It’s possible that there are other candidates on the list, but the names of Marc Bergevin and Mathieu Darche are coming up a lot in New York right now.

Is it possible that one of them will be named and that Brendan Shanahan will then join the organization? It’s possible, yes.

On the heels of this story, José Théodore, who spoke to Mario Langlois on 98.5 Sports, was asked who his choice would be for GM. And he threw a curveball.

I’d put Patrick Roy as GM of the Islanders, because he was GM of the Quebec Remparts. – José Théodore

Patrick Roy is passionate about hockey. He’s a guy who’s already been GM in the past (he won in the QMJHL with the Remparts) and who’s already had (at least) one interview to be GM in the NHL. #Montreal

But is he the best candidate? I don’t know.

His name has already been raised for the Islanders GM job, but he doesn’t seem to be an option (from what we know publicly, anyway) for his Islanders bosses.

Is he too emotional to be a GM in the NHL? Perhaps.

But I’m not surprised to see Theo pushing for a goalie who was undoubtedly his idol as a teenager. After all, José Théodore is also a guy driven by his emotions.

It’s also no coincidence that, between Marc Bergevin and Brendan Shanahan, he prefers Bergevin’s candidacy because the latter has more often been in the action, trying things out when things weren’t working out in Montreal.

However, Théo would also like to see Darche, who seems to be more cerebral, get his chance with the Islanders for the future.

But whoever the GM is, it looks like Roy won’t necessarily get the job, and that the organization will be making some big changes. Will Roy be one of those who stays or not? Will Shanahan shake things up?

overtime

– Speak of the devil.

– Alexander Radulov with SKA?

– Of note.

– Wow.

– Malade.

– I don’t think so.

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“The Canadiens are ready to take care of Jeff Gorton”

The New York Islanders think highly of Jeff Gorton. How high? To the point where the club wanted to lure him to town by giving him the keys to hockey operations.

They wanted to make him president of hockey operations (which is pretty much his role in Montreal, even though he’s called VP), but they also wanted to give him the title of GM.

The Canadiens said no… just as they said no to the Blue Jackets in 2024.

And there’s every reason to believe that it wasn’t to Jeff Gorton’s dismay. The Habs VP doesn’t really seem to want to leave, as he runs the show in Montreal.

He seems to work well with Geoff Molson, Kent Hughes, Martin St-Louis and his other colleagues. Plus, he’s an important piece of the puzzle in a rebuilding process.

Why would he want to leave when the sun is shining on the ice?

He seems to like it here in Montreal in a leading role, and the Canadiens are counting on him. That’s why I’m not surprised that Elliotte Friedman, in the most recent episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast, had this to say:

The Canadiens are ready to take care of Jeff Gorton. – Elliotte Friedman

In fact, it’s not surprising.

Why isn’t it? Because the Habs often say that Gorton is in town to stay, and because he’s doing a good job. And when the competition is lurking around your man, you have to make sure you keep him.

In the case of Gorton, whose original contract is due to expire, it’s safe to assume that he has two years left on his deal. “Taking care of him could mean a lucrative contract extension.

And the same goes for Kent Hughes, for that matter.

The Canadiens are fortunate to have the leaders they want , not the leaders they can have. And that’s a pretty important aspect, let’s face it.

The Islanders have some good candidates on their hands, but Ken Holland and Jeff Gorton have said no to the New York club. And I’m not saying that to diminish the candidacy of the Mathieu Darche and Marc Bergevin of this world, because they are good candidates.

In fact, the Islanders may soon be announcing a GM hire. The club could well have a coach, appoint a GM and then choose a president. Working backwards, you say?

But then again. If it’s Marc Bergevin and Brendan Shanahan, maybe Patrick Roy won’t really get a chance to stay on and someone else will be chosen. #Rivalries

Note that I’m throwing my hat into the universe here: if Bergevin were to take the job in New York, would you be completely surprised to see Luke Richardson land with the Islanders?

Let’s not forget that if Richardson spoke French, Bergevin might have given him his first chance in Montreal…

overtime

– Logical.

– Measuring youth hockey IQ? [RCS]

– If the final were USA vs Greenland, would the winner win Greenland?

– Oh?

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Series wrap-up: Hurricanes still winless in Eastern finals since 2006

The Panthers and Hurricanes crossed swords again in Carolina for game two of the Eastern final series.

Two years ago, Florida won the first two games in Carolina, and this year, it looks like a copy-paste.

Paul Maurice’s team won again, this time by a score of 5-0, and now leads the series 2-0.

The Canes have been to the Eastern finals four times since 2006, and in that time they still have no wins and 14 losses.

Ouch.

Nothing was going right for the home team.

Seth Jarvis even left the game momentarily due to this blow.

Fortunately, he came back into the game.

One star player who left and never came back was Sam Reinhart.

He was the victim of a hip thrust from Sebastian Aho.

Towards the end of the second period, Carolina had just seven shots on goal.

So the fans suggested their favourites take a shot at the net.

Nothing goes right for them as they return to Florida, trailing 0-2.

It looks a lot like 2023.

The next game in this series will be played tomorrow, 8pm.

Overtime

– What a series!

– Dominance.

– Indeed.

– Scorers of the game.

(Credit: NHL.com)

– The Oilers will try to tie the series.

(Credit: NHL.com)
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“It’s been 30 years since a player with Florian Xhekaj’s profile reached the NHL.”

Florian Xhekaj was a big story for the Rocket this season. Arber’s little brother, in his first year with the pros, scored 24 goals and 35 points in 69 games… and above all, he stood out for his physical play.

And when you know the big brother, it’s not exactly surprising, hehe.

As a result, more and more people see him as part of the Canadiens’ future. Obviously, no one sees him becoming a Connor McDavid… but he’s got the profile of a good support player.

Except that not everyone shares this optimism. Byron Bader, for example, says that in his model, it’s “pretty unlikely” that he’ll reach the level of a Troy Brouwer or Jordan Martinook.

He therefore feels that Xhekaj’s development “doesn’t look good”.

Bader goes one step further: it’s been a very long time since a player in Xhekaj’s mold reached the NHL:

It’s been 30 years since a player with that profile made it to the NHL. – Byron Bader

Of course, it’s more than possible that Xhekaj will prove the numbers wrong and establish himself as a good NHL support player. He showed great things in Laval this year(and continues to do so in the current playoffs), and even if he still has some development to do, the club has something interesting on its hands.

Assuming he’ll be at the center of the Canadiens’ fourth line next year is a bit (too) bold. But if he’s well developed, it could happen.

One thing’s clear, though: right now, what he’s doing in Laval gives him a serious chance to make the numbers lie. There’s no guarantee he’ll make it, but the kid is making an impression in Montreal.

And that’s the most important thing: if he can get his chance and take it, he’ll give himself an opportunity to beat the odds.

Overtime

– What do you think?

– Coming up.

– Defeat for the Roses.

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2nd center: if the Habs believe in Michael Hage, Mikael Granlund is an interesting option

When you look at the Dallas Stars’ roster, you see that the club doesn’t really have any weaknesses. An already (very) solid line-up was able to capitalize on the addition of Mikko Rantanen… and suddenly, it looks like a monstrous hockey machine.

That said, in addition to Rantanen, the Stars have also added Mikael Granlund to their roster in recent months. He got off to a great start in San Jose, and is still going strong in Dallas.

He has nine points in 14 playoff games so far, including a hat trick.

Granlund will be a free agent at the end of the season, however, and it’s safe to assume that the 33-year-old forward will want to break the bank one last time before he retires. And with the Habs looking for a second center, Tony Marinaro wondered whether Granlund might be an interesting option.

Without being the club’s top priority, Kent Hughes could do worse as a transition option.

And in reality, it probably all comes down to Michael Hage: if the Canadiens are confident that their first-round pick in the last draft has a good chance of becoming their future second center, a transition option like Granlund suddenly makes more sense to consider.

After all, a left-handed player who can score 60 or so points a season and has already produced in the playoffs is far from unattractive… even if he’s not the big man the Habs need.

If the club has doubts about Hage, though, it might as well try to find a longer-term solution… which might involve a trade.

There’s also a world in which the Habs want Granlund, but a desperate team would give him a 5-6 year contract to secure his services. And that’s the kind of nasty contract Kent Hughes has been trying to avoid at all costs since joining the Habs.

In Granlund’s case, then, it all depends on the Canadiens’ opinion of Michael Hage. The Finn isn’t the best option… but if he can hold down the fort until Hage is ready for the role (assuming he ever will be), the idea is defensible.

Otherwise, the Habs might as well try to look for an option that will help their club in the longer term.

Overtime

– Great read on the Blackhawks’ new head coach.

– Interesting.

– This club is a disaster.

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Brad Marchand: the best-invested $109,375 in Panthers history

Game 2 of the series between the Panthers and Hurricanes kicks off in about 30 minutes’ time. The Hurricanes will be keen to avoid defeat for the second consecutive game… especially as the series then moves to Florida.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi will be left out by Rod Brind’Amour, who wants to stir the pot.

And the Hurricanes have their work cut out for them, because at the moment, the Panthers really do look untouchable. The club’s top-6 is solid, but it’s their third line that dominates: Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen and Brad Marchand are giving the other teams a hard time.

And we’re talking about Marchand, who now has 12 points in 13 games in the current series. He’s as hateful as ever… and above all, he seems really happy in Florida.

Even today, he praised the culture at the Panthers.

However, this morning on BPM Sports, Anthony Desaulniers pointed out an interesting fact about Marchand: if we look purely in terms of money, the little pest cost the Panthers a grand total of… $109,375.

His cap hit is $6.125M, but in real money, Marchand is getting $4M this season, $3M of which was paid to him in signing bonuses. That leaves $1 million in salary… which was paid by the Bruins for a good part of the year, and for which the Panthers only had to pay 50% for a few weeks. So, all in all, the Panthers only paid $109,375… and the bill won’t increase, since the players aren’t paid during the playoffs.

More importantly, in the same column, Renaud Lavoie insists that Marchand is really happy in Florida right now. He’s heard rumours that a return to the Bruins for 2025-26 is a possibility… but listening to the informant speak, we understand that Marchand is very happy in Florida.

Between you and me, I think it would be surprising to see him play in another uniform next season. And if he manages to win the Stanley Cup as well, it’ll be hard for him to pass up the opportunity to stay with a team that has proven to him that it’s competitive.

Overtime

– Attention all interested parties.

– The Leafs won’t necessarily hire someone to replace Brendan Shanahan.

– Indeed.

– That’s right.

– Too bad.

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Islanders to choose GM before hiring president (maybe Shanahan)

I reread David Pagnotta’s tweet a few times. I wasn’t sure I understood what I’d read.

“The Islanders will soon choose a new GM. I believe it’s very close and a decision is on the horizon. Mathieu Darche remains a top candidate, and Marc Bergevin is still in the mix. The goal is to hire a GM, and go from there (Shanahan?).”

My basic understanding is that the Islanders – who asked permission to speak to Brendan Shanahan this week – will hire a general manager BEFORE thinking about anything else, namely a president/president of hockey operations.

So an organization potentially keeps its head coach, hires a GM, and THEN thinks about hiring a boss for their new GM?

Let’s just say it’s unusual and completely backwards from the usual strategy.

Normally, we start at the top and work our way down: the president of hockey operations chooses his man for the GM seat, as Jeff Gorton did in Montreal with Kent Hughes, who in turn chose Martin St-Louis to be the club’s head coach.

Not only that… It’s a bit of a departure from today’s staff hierarchy, and from the usual role given to a high-ranking member of the hockey operations department: the president concocts a vision, and the GM executes on the field.

In a nutshell.

Mathieu Darche and Marc Bergevin, two men Brendan Shanahan interviewed before hiring Brad Treliving, would likely be the two finalists for the job. Without him being hired first, perhaps we already know his opinion of the two candidates at the Islanders?

It’s also worth noting that it’s rarely a GM who decides on a team’s vision, although he can sell one to his bosses. When it’s not the president, it’s the owner – who was the same person, in Montreal, when Marc Bergevin was in charge: Geoff Molson.

It’s an unusual way of doing things, but it’s not a huge game-changer either.

Overtime

– KK is left out and Renaud Lavoie goes through his stats…

– Cup or bust, in Edmonton.

– Cayden Primeau wasn’t particularly happy with his game.