Author: Dose

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15 goals and 130 minutes of penalty: Florian Xhekaj is really a unicorn

Nick Bobrov had made more than one person laugh when he described Florian Xhekaj as a “unicorn”. It seems he was right about the Rocket’s attacker.

What Xhekaj is doing is simply impressive this season. With no high expectations for him before the start of the campaign, he can now boast of having already scored 15 goals in his rookie season.

He ranks 10th among the top scorers in the AHL among rookies.

This is not to mention his 130 penalty minutes, which make him the most penalized player in the entire AHL! It’s not mixing, with his 130 penalty minutes in 49 games, he has more than Nikita Zadorov, who leads the NHL with 119 penalty minutes, but has also played 13 more games than the Rocket player.

When Xhekaj is on the ice, it’s a stir.

In the last episode of his podcast Recrutes Draftclass, Grant McCagg even discovered that what Xhekaj is doing has not been achieved since the 2005-06 season in the AHL.

McCagg found that Xhekaj is the first rookie player since 2005-06 to have scored at least 15 goals and collected at least 120 penalty minutes in the AHL. Jean-François Jacques of the Hamilton Bulldogs had done it.

We hope Xhekaj has a better career than Jacques, but it’s impressive to see him do extremely rare things. As if his “unicorn” status wasn’t crazy.

With his 15 goals, Xhekaj is the fourth-best scorer on the Rocket, ahead of players like Owen Beck and Alex Barré-Boulet.

If he wants to earn a spot in the NHL, he’ll have to be more disciplined, that’s for sure, but the Canadiens will certainly ask him to keep that kind of grit. It’s exactly what can help Montreal on a fourth line.

As a rookie in the AHL, it would be surprising to see Xhekaj get called up by the Canadiens, but it’s the kind of call-up that could be interesting to see in the coming years. Montreal might even try him out as early as next season to see how he stacks up against top-notch players.

In any case, his big brother, Arber, dreams of the day when he could play with him in the Tricolore uniform.

In a hurry

– Martin St-Louis is the kind of man you respect.

– What a surprise!

– Barnes is a key piece in Victory’s success this season.

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Rumor corner: Elliotte Friedman mentions the possibility of seeing Rantanen in Toronto

Clubs have until Friday to improve their training.

There are guys who will change addresses before the NHL transaction deadline, and let’s just say that rumors are not lacking right now.

It’s starting to stir up all over the league, and we need to go for a spin to see what’s going on behind the scenes of the NHL!

We need to start with this rumor. Because it’s, how can I say… quite special.

In the recent episode of his podcast, Elliotte Friedman talks about the possibility of seeing Mikko Rantanen being traded.

In fact, no. I’m going to start my sentence again.

In the recent episode of his podcast, Elliotte Friedman talks about the possibility of seeing Mikko Rantanen being traded… to Toronto.

The informant wonders if the Leafs will get involved in the case of the attacker, who is still having difficulties in Carolina:

Let’s remind that the Hurricanes could keep 50% of Rantanen’s salary in order to trade him.

This would allow the Leafs to have Rantanen for $2.3 million until the end of the season… But is it really a good idea?

Can the Leafs really afford to empty (even more) their bank of hopes and picks to go get another big name?

Already, it’s not working with the guys and the talent in place. I don’t know, but it looks like it would do more harm than good…

Ryan Donato, a popular name

When we think of the best players in the National League, Ryan Donato’s name doesn’t necessarily come to mind.

But we’re still talking about a particularly interesting player this season.

The 28-year-old veteran, who is in the last season of his contract ($2 million per year), is having the best season of his career: Donato has scored 21 goals (43 points) in just 58 games since the start of the campaign… while playing in Chicago.

Because he’s in his prime, because he earns a very respectable salary, and because he’ll be a free agent as of July 1, it makes him a player who is attracting the interest of other teams in the league right now.

According to Kevin Weekes, several clubs are interested in his services:

What will the Canucks do with Brock Boeser?

It’s already been several times that we’ve heard that Brock Boeser’s name is on the market in Vancouver.

The rumors about him don’t date back to yesterday… And now, since the Canucks are inconsistent this season, we’re still talking about the idea of him being traded.

What we know right now is that the Canucks are looking at their options regarding the one who scored 40 goals last season.

But we also know that the Canucks offered him a contract extension at the beginning of the campaign.

According to Darren Dreger, that offer is no longer on the table…

You understand that Boeser is currently disputing the last year of his three-year contract.

The Canucks could lose him for nothing this summer if they don’t get involved in the case… But they could also keep him with the idea that they’re fighting for a playoff spot in the West.

The team is knocking on the door of the playoffs right now:

(Credit: NHL)

We need to keep an eye on the Golden Knights

It’s no secret: on paper, the Golden Knights have one of the best teams in the National League.

And it’s also showing when we look at the overall NHL standings.

The Vegas team is still ranked 4th in the standings!

But despite everything, David Pagnotta said in an article that we should expect to see the team make a move before Friday.

And the Golden Knights could do things big… as usual:

Everyone expects Vegas to do something big, again. – David Pagnotta

Last year, the Knights really improved by going to get Noah Hanifin and Tomas Hertl.

However, Kelly McCrimmon (GM) has work to do because right now, the Golden Knights have a cap space of $3.4 million.

Going to get another talented player will be difficult.

Unless Mark Stone miraculously gets injured before Friday, as has been the case for two seasons now…

In a nutshell

– To be continued.

– Notice to interested parties:

– Interesting…

– Beautiful contract.

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Don Waddell said he is close to coming to terms with Mathieu Olivier

Were you hoping to see Mathieu Olivier play for the Montreal Canadiens next season?

Unfortunately… You will be disappointed.

Aaron Portzline (The Athletic) has just published an article in which we learn that Mathieu Olivier will sign a long-term agreement with the Blue Jackets.

The agreement is not official yet, but could be within the next 24 hours.

This is at least what the team’s GM, Don Waddell, has stated.

We’re really getting close. We hope to conclude the agreement in about 24 hours. – Don Waddell

It wasn’t Waddell who spoke about the contract’s duration, but a source from the team stated that it would be a multi-year contract.

We’re talking about a contract of four years or more.

Clearly, we knew the Blue Jackets didn’t want to let him go.

The team wanted to offer him a new contract before the trade deadline and apparently, it’s about to happen.

I wonder if the Blue Jackets would have tried to send him elsewhere if this wasn’t the case. The Quebec native has significant value across the NHL and it’s certain that there would have been a lot of interest in his services…

But keeping him in Columbus is the right decision.

Mathieu Olivier will be part of the Jackets’ reconstruction and he may play a significant role because he has a strong voice in the locker room.

He is one of the team’s leaders… and he has the qualities to help the Columbus formation in the long term because he is 28 years old.

Extension

In all of this, Mathieu Olivier must be satisfied with the situation’s development.

Because he wanted to stay in Columbus.

The player knew there was a chance he could be traded, but his primary goal was to sign a new contract with the Blue Jackets.

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And what if the CH decided to fight for the playoffs with the sellers in the East?

Let’s talk about the playoff race in the East. Sounds good to you?

At the time of writing, the Canadiens are just three points behind the Red Wings and the last playoff spot.

When you look at the standings, you can see how tight it is. And the next week will be quite revealing as we head towards the end of the season:

(Credit: NHL.com)

I say the week will be revealing because by Friday, many teams’ lineups will change.

Some teams will add players to their roster… while others will take the opposite approach and sell what they want.

For now, it’s hard to guess Kent Hughes’ plan due to the Canadiens’ position in the standings. Especially with Kirby Dach’s injury.

But one thing is certain: the Canadiens’ GM will have to make a decision quickly… especially if he sees teams currently in the playoff race decide to sell their players.

Here’s what we know for now.

The Rangers have already started selling. They sent Ryan Lindgren and Jimmy Vesey to Colorado, Kaapo Kakko was traded to Seattle before Christmas, they traded their former captain (Jacob Trouba) to Anaheim, they’re looking to trade Reilly Smith…

Even though they acquired J.T. Miller a few weeks ago, the Rangers seem to want to give up on their season.

We also know that the Islanders and Bruins might decide to sell.

In Long Island, Brock Nelson’s name is circulating a lot, as is Kyle Palmieri’s.

In Boston, there’s talk of the possibility of Brad Marchand being traded… and it seems there’s a chance Brandon Carlo – a top-4 defenseman – could be traded by Friday.

The Flames are currently looking into the Carlo file:

Add to that the fact that the Penguins are no longer thinking about the playoffs and the Sabres are too far behind to have a chance.

This means that if we eliminate these two teams along with the others I mentioned earlier, there are four teams that will fight for the last two playoff spots in the East.

The Blue Jackets, the Red Wings, the Senators, and the Flyers.

But what if we added the Canadiens to that list?

After all, seeing certain teams weaken, Kent Hughes could decide to keep his players and make a push for the playoffs because he doesn’t want to give up on his team. Trading Savard, Armia, and Evans might send a bad message to the group that’s working hard right now (hello Josh Anderson) and we know that the goal of management is to be in the mix until the end.

But I see what you’re thinking:

Yeah, but Cook… that would also mean the Canadiens wouldn’t have as good a pick in the next draft!

Fair enough.

It’s true that the opportunity would be great to get another talented player in the next draft… but it’s not like Kent Hughes doesn’t have the resources to move forward if needed.

The Canadiens have many draft picks:

(Credit: PuckPedia)

Clearly, the next week will be interesting to follow – both in Montreal and elsewhere in the NHL.

I’m especially looking forward to seeing what decisions Kent Hughes and his colleagues will make…

In brief

– It’s a big week for the Canadiens.

– Oh…

– 😂

– Today’s activity on the waiver wire.

– Tough break.

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Nick Suzuki is the 3rd star of the week in the NHL

The Canadian has won his four games since returning to play.

And if there’s one who deserves to have flowers thrown at him, it’s Nick Suzuki.

The CH captain participated in his team’s four victories, collecting at least one point in each game. He’s been in shape since the end of the 4 nations

Suzuki’s efforts are not going unnoticed.

He was named the 3rd star of the week in the NHL thanks to his seven points (three goals) collected in just three games.

A nice mention for the captain

CH’s #14, after 60 games played this season, claims a total of 61 points.

This puts him in 11th place in the NHL among center players, tied with Tim Stutzle and Brayden Point.

For a guy who’s not seen as a 1st center by some, I think that’s more than respectable

Ultimately, it’s certain that Suzuki is motivated right now.

He was ignored by Team Canada, he saw his peers win gold

And he would have liked to help that team make it to the end.

Moreover, the 4 nations games presented at the Centre Bell gave him a taste of returning to the playoffs in Montreal, as can be read in an article by Arpon Basu

He tasted the playoffs in 2021, but it wasn’t the same due to the pandemic.

The Centre Bell was not packed

And the captain has never been able to fully experience the playoffs in the city.

Maybe that’s why he’s been in great shape lately

His team is in the running for a playoff spot and he’s doing what it takes to help the cause

And I have the impression that he’ll be ready when the time comes.

Especially after seeing the Centre Bell be so loud for Canada’s games at the 4 Nations Confrontation

In a hurry

– Beautiful goal

– Nice.

– The guys are hungry.

– Note

– Oh boy

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No one knows how long the Canadiens own the rights to Quentin Miller

Want a bizarre situation?

In recent days, Quentin Miller has committed to playing in the NCAA in Denver next year. The Quebec goalie has not been in the QMJHL for a few months now.

He’s finishing his season in the Western Hockey League right now.

Normally, because he was in the QMJHL when he was drafted, he should be eligible for the NHL draft again in 2025 if he doesn’t sign with the Canadiens in the coming months.

He was drafted by the Canadiens in 2023.

But since he is now a member of the NCAA (or at least he will be), he should normally be under the control of the Canadiens for the next four seasons.

That being said, as Kevin Dubé reports, because there are no official rules for players who switch from the CHL to the NCAA, nobody really knows what the regulations are.

What’s crazy is that there are three possibilities.

A QMJHL player has two years of control by their team from the draft. A player who leaves junior major at their second year after the draft has two more years of control from there. And an NCAA player normally has four years of control.

So is it 2025? 2027? 2029? Nobody knows.

Noting that his agent, Jessy Morin, is an employee of Quartexx, Kent Hughes’ old firm, and since the Canadiens have been in contact with the Miller clan to make the decision to go to the NCAA, we can think that if there was a clear answer, Hughes would have said it to Morin. But that’s not the case.

The truth is that nobody knows the truth right now. – Jessy Morin

In any case, Miller will have to develop in the NCAA to hope that the Canadiens will offer him a contract. Currently, he’s not a top prospect for the Habs.

But everything can change quickly.

In rafale

– Stéphane Robidas is 48 years old.

– What will the Blue Jackets do at the trade deadline? [RG media]

– Speaking of the QMJHL.

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Martin St-Louis : «every game is like a game #7»

This morning, Martin St-Louis was questioned about the trade deadline – and about Jake Evans – during his pre-game press conference. But clearly, he didn’t want to talk about it.

And that’s logical.

After all, if Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton decide to trade some guys from the team, it won’t really help the coach in his quest to make the playoffs at the end of the season.

Because for the coach, that’s all that matters.

After saying in recent days that the CH was in playoff mode, he added to it this morning. How? By saying that the team, which can no longer afford to lose games to make the playoffs, considers that every night, they play a game 7.

It’s a great mentality to have at this point. And since many of the team’s young players have never made the playoffs in the NHL, it’s the most important hockey of their careers, anyway.

Will the CH win tonight? We’ll see.

Note that for tonight’s game, we’ll see Samuel Montembeault (which is logical) in front of the team’s net. We can also think that there will be no changes to the attack.

And that’s even if Josh Anderson didn’t practice this morning. #Classic

We also note that even if the defensemen practiced this morning with different partners than in Saturday’s game, the defensive pairs from Saturday will remain the same.

Martin St-Louis confirmed it during the press conference.

In a hurry

– Matt Rempe will not be punished further.

– Jordan Greenway wants to stay in Buffalo.

– Hello, Kirby Dach.

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It’s the Capitals’ turn to be linked to Jake Evans and Joel Armia

Obviously, in the coming days, the names of Jake Evans and Joel Armia will be circulating en masse. They are the two players from the Canadiens who are most likely to be traded.

Will it happen? Who knows.

Evans can help himself by signing a contract with the CH, but Joel Armia, from what we understand, is really at the mercy of other teams’ offers… and possibly some clubs’ desire to go get him with Evans.

In the case of Evans, we know that several teams will be on the case. Recently, we were talking about these teams: the Jets, the Maple Leafs, the Oilers, the Devils, and the Wild.

Will there be others? Surely, yes.

And now, this morning, in a text on The Athletic website, Pierre LeBrun and Chris Johnston made the rounds of the current rumors, and we found Evans’ and Armia’s names in the section of a few teams.

Here is the text in question, for those interested.

When we look at it, Jake Evans’ name appears in the section of three teams: the Maple Leafs, the Capitals, and the Jets. It’s the same for Armia, but without the Maple Leafs.

This is the first time we’ve seen the Capitals publicly linked to a Canadiens player.

The Capitals, who have a good power play disadvantage, are looking to get help on the bottom-6. It’s not exactly surprising since many aspiring teams have such a goal, in fact.

The teams mentioned are not guaranteed to try everything to get Evans or Armia out of Montreal, and it’s certainly not an exclusive list. But let’s keep a close eye on all of this.

In rafale

– To follow.

– News from CF Montréal.

– Panthers: Seth Jones on the second pair.

– Kings: their first pick in play?

– To note.

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The Canadian must not mix up the Kirby Dach and Jake Evans files

A little earlier this morning, I was writing a piece in which I talked about Jack Hughes’ injury in New Jersey.

The point of the text? The Devils have the right to be interested in Jake Evans (it was probably already the case to some extent), but not to replace Jack Hughes in case of a long absence.

Why? Because, obviously, it’s not the same player.

Well, know that the lesson also applies to the Canadiens. After all, Jake Evans’ file should not be managed based on what’s happening on the team’s top-6.

And here, I’m referring to Kirby Dach’s injury, whose season is over – and whose future with the Canadiens is more uncertain than ever.

In recent days, we’ve seen how much the number two center position is a problem in Montreal. We already had an idea, you might say, but the last few days have made it even clearer.

But we must not make the mistake of thinking that we need to sign Jake Evans even more because of Dach’s injury. Why? Because a center on the top-6 and Jake Evans are apples and oranges.

The Canadiens, who probably want to make a hockey trade for a top center by the start of next season (so either by Friday or this summer), should not keep Evans just because of Dach.

They should keep Evans / let him go based on what Evans is asking for and what other teams are offering. Dach has no bearing on Evans’ contract file and Kent Hughes should not let the player gain leverage in discussions because of Dach.

Yes, of course, Dach’s injury affects the Canadiens in the coming days on the market, but it shouldn’t affect Jake Evans’ salary negotiations. That’s the nuance… and that’s where files shouldn’t be mixed up.

And if the Canadiens want to go get a center now, they should do it… for the future. All the better if it can help the present (that would be ideal), but the focus should still be on the long term for the next few days.

Kent Hughes’ challenge will be to balance the present and the future in the coming days. And to do that, each file must be managed individually by the general manager.

If Jake Evans’ best value is on the trade market and David Savard’s best value is in Montreal, so be it.

Let’s note that right now, Jake Evans, Joel Armia, David Savard, and Christian Dvorak are the players who are most likely to leave the Canadiens by the end of the week. But that doesn’t mean they will leave.

With the Canadiens being three points away from the playoffs, a win tonight against the Sabres would send a strong message to the front office. But maybe the decisions have already been made, that being said.

in rapid fire

– Well done.

– I have no doubt.

– The Panthers are to be watched.

– Logical.

– Who will move on the market?

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Injury to Jack Hughes: Devils need a center even more now The New Jersey Devils have been dealt a significant blow with the injury to their star player Jack Hughes. This setback has put a strain on the team’s lineup and has further emphasized their need for a capable center. The Devils’ management is now under increased pressure to address this gap and find a suitable replacement to support the team’s offense. With Hughes out of action, the Devils’ chances of success have diminished, and the urgency to find a reliable center has become even more pressing. According to sources, the Devils were already in the market for a center before Hughes’ injury, but now the need has become more acute. The team’s general manager is expected to explore all available options, including trades and free agency, to bolster the center position. The injury to Hughes has also raised concerns about the team’s depth and the potential for other players to step up and fill the void. As the Devils navigate this challenging situation, they will be closely watched by fans and analysts alike. The team’s ability to respond to this setback and find a solution to their center conundrum will be crucial in determining their success for the remainder of the season. The Devils’ next game will be a crucial test of their resolve and ability to adapt to the injury of their star player. Visit the Devils’ website for the latest updates on the team’s news and roster moves. The injury to Jack Hughes has added a new layer of complexity to the Devils’ season, and it remains to be seen how the team will respond to this challenge

The trade deadline is in four days. Are you ready for it?

Naturally, we have to consider this: the Canadiens are currently #DansLeMix of the playoff race. The team’s four straight wins after the Four Nations tournament have been beneficial.

In fact, the Canadiens are three points away from the playoffs.

(Credit: Sportsnet)

The big question in Montreal is whether center Jake Evans will be traded or stay in Montreal. And if he stays, will he have a contract extension in his pocket?

This will depend on the player’s demands and the offers on the market, obviously.

How much will teams line up to get him? That’s a question being asked… and it’s a question that’s constantly evolving in the days leading up to the deadline.

For example? If a center gets injured on a team that already needs help at center, it can affect the market.

Because the Canadiens have one of the most in-demand centers in the NHL right now, and because the Devils just saw a center get injured, it’s logical to link the two teams – who were already linked to some extent.

But because the injured center is Jack Hughes, we have to remember that the reinforcement they’ll be looking for to replace the star, if the injury is as bad as expected, won’t necessarily be Jake Evans.

Be aware: I’m not saying Jake Evans couldn’t go to New Jersey. But the team needs a top-6 center… and the Devils have one of the most effective numerical disadvantages in the league this season.

The fit isn’t huge with the Devils.

I’m not saying Evans won’t go to New Jersey. What I’m saying is that he’s not the one who should be targeted first to replace Hughes because we’re not talking about the same player.

To be continued in the next hundred hours or so.

in a burst

– To read.

– Oh no?

– What do you think?

– Is Patrik Laine better served with Owen Beck? [BPM Sports]

– The Blues know how to do things right.