Author: Dose

Categories
Uncategorized

Only one of the season’s top eight teams in the playoff final four

Building a good club for the regular season is one thing. But building a good club for the playoffs is another matter altogether, as you know.

Talk about the Maple Leafs… but also the Golden Knights, the Capitals and Connor Hellebuyck’s Jets.

In fact, all four of these clubs finished in the NHL’s top-4 in the regular season, but were unable to advance to the third round, when only four clubs remain.

We know that it’s been years since the regular-season champion won the Stanley Cup, and this year that won’t change as the Jets are eliminated.

But there’s more to it than that.

Aside from the Stars, who finished fifth overall in the regular season, every club that finished in the top-8 is out. And even if the Kings, Lightning and Avalanche fell victim to the playoff format, it’s still a statement of fact.

Marc Bergevin was right, after all: once in the playoffs, anything can happen.

(Credit: Sportsnet)

What we’ve noticed, more than ever, is that the clubs that advance in the playoffs are the ones that understand how to use the system to their advantage during the season, in particular.

The Panthers and Stars had some big names on the long-term injured list this season. This made it possible to pick up Seth Jones and Mikko Rantanen, among others.

This is a game-changer in the playoffs because it means there are more players available to the coaches.

The Oilers weren’t the most active on the heels of the trade deadline (a goalie might have made things easier), but Evander Kane spent the season on the LTIR.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sports 1440 (@sports1440am)

More importantly, though, is the impact of low taxes in Carolina, Florida, Texas and Alberta. No provincial taxes in Alberta: it’s different from the rest of Canada.

Players are inevitably more attracted than ever to markets like these.

For years, one of the two Florida clubs has been in the finals. It’s no coincidence… even if the clubs don’t systematically “dominate” the regular season.

But the managers of these teams are playing to their strengths, and it’s obviously working.

overtime

– Nice goal!

– André Tourigny gives love to his team’s fans.

– Indeed.

– Bo Horvat heads to Long Island to get checked out by Islanders doctors.

Categories
Uncategorized

Tony Marinaro called a funeral home to “organize the funeral” of the Leafs

Tony Marinaro had some fun on his show today.

And it led to some pretty wacky moments.

He called into a funeral home to arrange a funeral for the Leafs… who “are dead”. He also called Toronto’s most popular sports bar, located right next to the Leafs’ arena, to find out if the restaurant was showing tonight’s game between “Toronto and Carolina”.

The restaurant employee’s reaction was hilarious, by the way.

After being asked by Tony Marinaro if the Leafs game would be broadcast tonight, the employee responded in a rather silly tone by saying… this:

Are you kidding me right now?

Tony Marinaro then asked if the Leafs were playing tonight… because the club’s fans were heard shouting ” we want the Canes ” in the second round against the Panthers.

That’s when he ended his call by saying “au revoir, Toronto”… and that’s also when Alexandre Lanctôt started the perfect song:

The funniest part is hearing the employee on the other end of the line be a little cr*ssed.

Tony Marinaro led her into his trap… and the result is special. Another Tony moment!

No joke, it’s amazing how much everyone’s laughing at the Leafs right now.

Sunday’s loss to the Panthers, in Game 7 of the series, is going over really badly on the board… because seeing the Leafs fall apart again makes a lot of people happy.

Ridicule surrounds the organization right now, and people take advantage of it to fall on its head.

Which is normal, in a way.

Because all the Leafs had to do was play well and show up to avoid finding themselves in a situation like this today…

Overtime

– What do you think?

– Maple Leafs: the guys can’t cry. [BPM Sports]

– True or not?

– Yes.

– Wow.

Categories
Uncategorized

Marc Bergevin to be hired by Islanders (according to David Ettedgui)

We’re still waiting to hear who will replace Lou Lamoriello as Islanders GM.

But we do know one thing.

Right now, as Frank Seravalli mentioned late yesterday afternoon, it’s between Marc Bergevin and Mathieu Darche.

For his part, David Ettedgui shared some new information on X today.

And it’s relatively simple: according to what he’s heard, Marc Bergevin will be hired by the Islanders.

As GM… or VP? For now, that element is unknown.

But knowing that he’s going to find a new job in New York is already a big sign. And as Ettedgui mentioned in his tweet, with Bergevin as GM of the Islanders, maybe that’ll put the brakes on discussions between the Habs and the Isles about a possible deal:

If Marc Bergevin is named VP… should we absolutely expect to see Mathieu Darche get the GM job?

The question arises. But I have a feeling it could happen in the context that we’re talking about two Québécois who have a certain reputation in the National League.

It would make a good team, at least.

Bergevin has experience, which would give him a bigger role than in Los Angeles… and Darche has been watching Julien BriseBois go for so many years already.

But what does this mean for Patrick Roy? Will the new guys decide to move forward with him, even if the Islanders had a more average season in 24-25?

We know that a new GM likes to bring his own world with him, after all. And that’s why Patrick Roy may be right to fear for his job right now…

Overtime

– Matthew Knies wants to stay in Toronto.

– I’ll believe it when I see it.

– Oh…

– It’s always an interesting result.

Categories
Uncategorized

Max Pacioretty admits: this could be the end for him

Max Pacioretty is 36 years old.

And he may have just played his last career season in the National Hockey League.

That’s the impression he gave, at least, after speaking to the media this morning in Toronto.

The veteran, who played just 89 games in his last three seasons, missed a lot of time due to injury. He was away from his family in 24-25… and not seeing his wife and kids seems to have bothered him.

For this reason, the former Habs captain admits that this may be the end for him.

Right now, all he wants is to get back home to his family:

If Pacioretty retires, he’ll be able to say he’s had a wickedly good NHL career.

335 goals and 681 points in 939 games, three seasons of 35 goals or more, he was captain of one of the most prestigious sports organizations in the world… That’s no mean feat.

On the other hand, you have to wonder if he’s interested in reaching the 1,000-game plateau in his career. He’s only 61 games away from achieving that feat, and perhaps that could push him to play at least one more season to give himself a chance.

I’ll say it again: Pacio ‘s health hasn’t been exceptional for several years now.

His body is having trouble keeping up… and as a result, he’s often injured.

(Credit: HockeyDB)

From what we can understand, at the moment, his decision hasn’t been made yet.

But what we can also understand is that there’s a real chance he’ll decide to hang up his skates at the age of 36.

We’ll keep you posted.

Overtime

– U.S. victory at CDM.

– Bon.

– The answer is perfect.

– Good read.

Categories
Uncategorized

In short: Mitch Marner has never talked about staying in Toronto (even when asked)

Mitch Marner has just completed his ninth season with the Leafs.

And the word on the street right now is that he’s probably finishing his last season in a Leaf uniform.

The forward’s contract is about to expire… and if he hasn’t signed a new deal by July 1(in Toronto or elsewhere, since the Leafs could trade his rights), he’ll be in a position to test the free agent market for the first time in his career.

But what’s his plan?

Let’s just say, at the moment, it’s a bit difficult to answer that question. But there are definite signs that this may be the end.

For instance?

Today, he didn’t sound like a guy who wanted/wanted to stay in town. He said he loved his time in Toronto… but that’s as far as he went.

Mitch Marner, who has always shared his love for the Leafs, was asked verbally if he wanted to play for the Leafs in 25-26.

And Mitch Marner, who has always shared his love for the Leafs, didn’t say yes to that question.

He wants the chance to discuss his future with his wife, and that hasn’t happened yet.

At this point, the best thing that could happen to Marner would be to see him get along with a club that doesn’t play in a big market.

Because that won’t change if he ultimately decides to stay in Toronto (although it would be a surprise). Fans will continue to criticize him, and if he doesn’t live up to expectations – which happens all too often in the playoffs – he’ll continue to get booed.

I get the impression that, at this stage in his career, he doesn’t necessarily want to go through all that again. And there’s one thing we can agree on: quality offers are going to be on his desk in droves in a few months’ time.

He’ll have the chance to sign a lucrative contract at a place less crazy than Toronto, and when you see him avoid saying he’d still like to play for the Leafs, it’s really possible to believe that this scenario is going to happen.

The destination remains to be seen…

Overtime

– Classic .

– This could be the end for Max Pacioretty.

– It goes back to what I was saying on Sunday: Vinzenz Rohrer is having a really good tournament at the CDM .

– This is maturity talking.

Categories
Uncategorized

“100%”: Craig Berube hopes the Leafs keep Marner and Tavares

We know that this summer, Tavares and Marner will be the focus of attention in Toronto – and throughout the National Hockey League.

Because their return to the Queen City is not guaranteed.

In the case of Tavares, it seems possible. But for Marner…

It’s the end-of-season wrap-up today in Toronto, and you’ll understand that the journalists on hand took the opportunity to ask questions about Marner and Tavares.

Craig Berube was one of them: he was asked if he would like to see the Leafs be able to sign the two players who will be free as a bird on July 1… and he said this:

100 %. – Craig Berube

Clearly, Berube wasn’t going to say otherwise.

But it’s the way he responded that really makes me think he was very serious in his answer.

Again, he didn’t hesitate before answering the question:

A head coach always wants to have the best players on hand to win.

And even though the Leafs lost in the second round, Berube saw in his first year in Toronto that he can be successful with Marner and Tavares in the line-up.

At least, it happened in the regular season…

That said, I wonder how much say he’ll have in the Leafs’ decisions this summer. Will Brad Treliving want to consult him before making his summer picks?

And can Berube push Treliving to sign Marner AND Tavares? Hmm…

In all this, let’s also note that the Leafs pilot was keen to give his players some love today. He enjoyed coaching the guys, the players accepted his plan… and he’s excited about next season, even if Sunday’s loss still hurts.

We know there will be changes in Toronto this summer, and we know it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

And between now and then, there will be a thousand and one rumours about the club’s Core 4. I have a feeling we’ll be talking a lot about the Leafs in the coming months…

Overtime

– William Nylander to join Sweden at CDM.

– It’s more than that.

– Well done!

– It won’t be easy.

Categories
Uncategorized

Caleb Desnoyers: to be a playoff MVP at his age is an incredible feat in the QMJHL

Yesterday, as you may have seen, the Moncton Wildcats clinched the QMJHL title against the Rimouski Oceanic.

It was already known that both the Wildcats and the Océanic would be participating in the Memorial Cup, as the tournament is presented in Rimouski. The two clubs will join the Medicine Hat Tigers and the London Knights.

The tournament kicks off on May 22, two days from now.

In Quebec, if there’s one player we’ll be keeping an eye on, it’s Caleb Desnoyers. The Moncton Wildcats player just turned 18, and he’s been killing it in the Q series.

In 19 games alone, he had 30 points. It’s no coincidence that he won the Guy-Lafleur trophy, awarded to the playoff MVP.

In fact, when you look at the guys who win such a trophy year after year, you realize that it’s very often a guy at the end of his career, i.e. an older player, who wins it.

To see Desnoyers do it in his 17th season is a monstrous feat. You have to go back to Jonathan Drouin (2013) to see a guy win the playoff MVP title before his first year of eligibility for the NHL draft. Nothing less.

And clearly, he’s impressing everyone, including his coach Gardiner MacDougall. The latter, who has seen it snow in the hockey world, has been singing the praises of his young protégé.

And rightly so.

I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a player his age lead his team to the Gilles Courteau Trophy championship like that. – Gardiner MacDougall

And the good news is that the top prospect will have a chance to put his talent on the map at the Memorial Cup, where he’ll be the only top prospect in the 2025 NHL draft.

In a mock draft by The Athletic’s prospect experts, the Québécois was ranked fourth. Can he crack the top-3, like Beckett Sennecke in 2024?

The competition will be stiff at the tournament, as the Knights are still very strong and the Tigers are counting on Cayden Lindstrom and Gavin McKenna, who is a higher-profile prospect than Desnoyers… but for the 2026 draft.

I don’t know if Desnoyers’ time in the QMJHL will be his last (the club that drafts him could send him to the NCAA in 2025-2026 or even keep him in the NHL), but the Québécois will have the chance to make his name, now more than ever.

He’s done nothing to set teams back in the draft, and that should continue between now and June 1, the date of the Memorial Cup Final.

Remember that at the start of the season, when Desnoyers wasn’t necessarily expected to be a top-4 draft pick, the Habs had their eye on him. But now that the Canadiens have made the playoffs and Desnoyers is on the rise, it’s no longer possible to believe he’s coming to Montreal – barring a bombshell, of course.

overtime

– I still can’t believe it.

– Oh!

– Well.

Categories
Uncategorized

Laurent Dauphin: two more years at Laval

The Laval Rocket has just announced that Québécois Laurent Dauphin isn’t going anywhere.

While we’re still waiting to see the division final recommence (tomorrow) between the Rocket and the Rochester Americans, the Laval club has confirmed that Dauphin will spend the next two seasons on Montreal’s North Shore.

His contract is a one-shot deal for the AHL only.

So, as has been the case this year, the Québécois is not under contract with the Canadiens, but just with the Rocket. He can’t be recalled by the Habs under current conditions.

He’s presumably very well paid down there, though.

For the Canadiens organization, having a veteran like him who accepts his role and is willing to do what it takes to help the youngsters progress is gold.

So the Canadiens don’t have to take one of their 50 contracts for Dauphin since, as we said, he’s under contract with the Rocket only. He’s not under contract with the Habs.

And as a good hockey player, he also helps out on the ice. This year, he’s been excellent for the Rocket.

Details to come…

overtime

– He has to force himself.

– Read more.

– Will she make it?

– In any case, he’s “hard to play against” in the playoffs.

– Ouch.

Categories
Uncategorized

Chris Kreider: the player the Maple Leafs must get

Tonight marks the start of the third round of the series.

From now until the end of May, even-numbered days (like today, May 20) will be reserved for Eastern series games. And on odd-numbered days, the Western games will take place.

All games will be played at 8 p.m. in Quebec – except Sunday, May 25, which will be at 3 p.m.

(Credit: NHL.com)

After predicting that the Stars and Panthers would make it to the conference finals (and being wrong about the other two series), I still think these two clubs are the two best still alive.

I think they’ll dispose of the Oilers and Hurricanes in six games each to reach the Stanley Cup Final.

This will have the effect of reopening the debate on the place of taxation in the world of sport. In fact, it may already do so, since the people who live in Edmonton and Raleigh aren’t the most taxed in the world either.

Réjean Tremblay talked about this in his paper of the day.

Of necessity, we have to admit that there is a trend. Teams that don’t have a tax advantage have found themselves further and further behind in the playoffs in recent years.

And that’s why solutions are needed.

For the Maple Leafs, who missed out on the playoffs again this year, picking up a top-6 player (to potentially replace Mitch Marner) who’s got the chops and doesn’t earn too much could help.

Sam Bennett is a name that comes up a lot, but he’s going to be expensive. But if it has to be done, Brendan Shanahan Brad Treliving will do it, obviously.

But why not go after a player who already has a relatively affordable contract and who could change the Maple Leafs’ dynamic… like Matthew Tkachuk did in Florida?

David Pagnotta, on this subject, talked about the fact that Chris Kreider will surely still be up for trade this summer in New York. And he linked the Maple Leafs to the issue.

We agree that Kreider, who earns $6.5 million a year until 2027, would be a game-changer for Toronto. Here’s a top-notch player who plays with dog and could benefit from a change of scenery to energize the Maple Leafs’ playoff attack.

After all, he’s not like the other guys in Toronto: he stands up when it counts.

And at that price, that would leave money to go out and find depth to help replace Mitch Marner, if he really leaves. It all adds up in this scenario, it seems to me.

Will the Rangers, who want to free up salary, choose Toronto for Kreider? No idea. But the Queen City club must give it a try.

extension

Because the first two rounds of the playoffs are over, we now know the rankings of the first 28 picks in next month’s draft.

Here’s what it looks like.

(Credit: NHL.com)
Categories
Uncategorized

Leafs after Game 6: “What will the media say now?”

We’ve been talking about it all day, but the Leafs were eliminated last night.

Like every year for ages, we’re wondering what’s going to happen with this team.

Now, more than ever, we’ll have answers to our questions, because drastic changes are coming. Mitch Marner and John Tavares will become free agents in July, and they won’t both be signing, especially after yesterday’s booing of Marner.

And yesterday, after the game, he was talking in the past tense about his time in Toronto.

That doesn’t tell the whole story, but…

Perhaps the problem in Toronto isn’t the media or the fans, as many claim, but the organization itself.

At least, that’s what Renaud Lavoie thinks.

After game number six in Florida, the reporter was waiting at the locker room doors to talk to Max Pacioretty and heard the players say, “what’s the media going to say now?”

It was a bit early to say that, especially since the series wasn’t over yet.

I don’t know what the media said after game six, but I do know what they said after game seven. – Me

It has to be said that the Leafs have always been a bit arrogant in this way.

In the first round, they were fiddling after winning a game against the Senators.

Karma caught up with them quickly, didn’t it?

There will have to be a major change in the organization this summer. Not just a couple of changes to the fourth line…

In closing, just to add fuel to the fire, I’d like to note that the Islanders won more rounds than the Leafs during the John Tavares era (which may not be over) in Toronto.

He left New York to win, mind you.

Overtime

– It’s better to laugh than to cry.

– Really?

– Ah well.