Author: Dose

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Justin Bieber says he’s the players’ b*tch, Drake’s bet ($1M)… Ridicule surrounds the Leafs

Leafs fans aren’t happy.

Would you be if your team couldn’t play well in the playoffs and got eliminated (really) too often because the players didn’t give it their all on the ice?

You probably would. And here, after last night’s game, frustration gripped the club’s fans. Which is normal:

Ridicule surrounds the Leafs.

Again.

The team not playing well, another elimination in a game #7 against Brad Marchand….

Auston Matthews talking trash about his chums’ intensity level when he’s been blanked from the scoresheet and invisible for much of the playoffs….

Justin Bieber saying he’s the players’ bitch…

Drake’s million-dollar bet…

Misery. How can you not find this humiliating?

Here’s a mission that seems to be impossible this morning.

To make it even more insulting, Drake put the blame for the Leafs’ loss on Justin Bieber, saying he was the Leafs’ curse.

Two super-famous Toronto guys making babies on social media doesn’t help.

And it makes the whole thing even more ridiculous.

But then again, that makes Toronto Leafs.

Seeing the club fall apart like this, and seeing fans act like this, is nothing new.

We talk about it every year and you know why: it’s always the same thing in Toronto.

The club doesn’t know how to finish the job, and that’s why it’s so easy to constantly bash the club.

You can make the playoffs on a regular basis… but if you can’t make it past the first round or the second round, you’re no further ahead than you need to be.

That’s the problem, and it shows why the club’s situation is so absurd right now.

Overtime

– This is pretty ridiculous.

– This too…

– He’s at the heart of the critics right now.

– Well done.

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Beating Brad Marchand in Game #7: Mission impossible for the Leafs (0-5)

The Leafs’ season is over.

Over. Over.

And the reason is simple: the club’s best players didn’t show up for Game 7 of the series against the Panthers. The visitors took advantage of the situation to thump them 6-1… and the result is hurting Toronto this morning.

Has the Leafs’ curse struck again?

It depends on how you look at it. But one thing’s for sure: when a club has passengers on the ice, it’s hard to win.

And it’s ironic because he’s been awful in the playoffs, but Auston Matthews – who wears the C on his jersey – criticized his teammates’ effort after the game.

Was it the Brad Marchand curse that hurt again?

Because let’s face it: for the fifth time in his career, the Panthers’ little pest managed to eliminate the Leafs in Game #7.

That’s something special… because he became the first player in history to eliminate the same club five times in a final game.

But Marchand didn’t just eliminate the Leafs last night.

He helped his club win 6-1 with three points (a goal and two assists)… and he was one of his club’s best players (or if not the best) during the game.

He’s got it, read the Leafs’ number. And to add insult to injury, the guy said after the game that he grew up a Toronto fan.

You can’t make that up.

Marchand has every right in the world to be cocky right now. And he really was after the game.

In an interview with TNT, he also told Paul Bissonnette that the Panthers had “the beleaf” to beat the Toronto team last night.

Comical, isn’t it? And that’s just great Brad Marchand:

Marchand put his finger on the boo-boo too.

Because everyone knows there’s pressure out there with reporters and fans.

The Leafs aren’t able to win in the playoffs in the big moments… He admits that doesn’t help.

But the players have to take some of the blame, too:

I think we can agree that, well… it’s easy to fool the Leafs right now.

With good reason: losing another ultimate game like this is humiliating.

It’s insulting.

The fans let their displeasure be known during the game by booing Mitch Marner, they yelled at their players after the game… and they’re the laughingstock of the league right now.

It’ll never change…

I empathize with the club’s fans, honestly.

Being a Leafs fan must be terrible. Because it’s not just the result that hurts: it’s seeing the guys c*ck it up on the ice at the most important time of the season.

But then again, it’s been the same thing for years. And it’s about damn time management woke up and cleaned up this dressing room, because it’s not working.

In fact, it looks like it’ll never work…

Overtime

– Good point.

– Bingo.

– Yep.

– Today’s CDM schedule:

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Marner booed at end of game: Leafs fans, forget about him staying in Toronto

Yikes… Again.

The Leafs have lost another Game 7.

Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner have failed again in their mission to win the ultimate game. And now… in Toronto, we’re fed up with[insert the word you want].

Leafs fans know that Mitch Marner was (most likely) playing his last game in uniform.

And at the end of the game, with only a few minutes left to play… the star player was booed.

Hey boy.

Mitch Marner is leaving.

To see him stay in Toronto – somehow – after tonight would be illogical.

The guy didn’t hesitate before yelling at his teammates, and you never see that from him.

You see it, the frustration:

The fans are passionate… and knowing that this was likely to be his last game in Toronto, they went out of their way to make life difficult for him.

It’s crazy because the Leafs are going to lose a wicked good hockey player for nothing, possibly.

They could trade his signing rights elsewhere, but let’s remember that the Hurricanes only received a third-round pick in return for Jake Guentzel’s.

It won’t be glorious… And Marner is in real danger of breaking the bank elsewhere. We’re talking about a guy who’s proven himself en masse and who’s racked up 102 points this season…

The club’s fans booed Marner, but they were harsh with their players after the game too.

Before the guys left for the locker room, they got some criticism.

And again, the fans got spoiled:

Ah, Toronto…

And that’s without mentioning the sweaters on the ice and the fans who simply decided to leave with 10 minutes left in the game…

Classic :

Fans aren’t happy and that’s normal.

Because at a certain point, it gets pretty redundant thank you. Always losing the important games, always being unable to get past the first or second round for 20 years, seeing the best players go unseen in the final matches…

It’s tough.

And again tonight, we saw how things are done a little differently in Toronto.

Booing guys like that after a playoff loss to end the season and then booing a guy who’s about to leave for his last game of the season with the team… I can’t remember ever seeing that in my life.

In Overtime

Marner was cleared from the scoresheet tonight… as was Auston Matthews.

And that’s on top of their playoff failures in the final games:

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Toronto’s jinx: Leafs lose another Game 7

Tonight, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers faced off in a seventh and final game.

Good news for the Torontonians: Matthew Knies, a doubtful case, took part in the game.

Here are the two teams’ line-ups for this game with no tomorrow.

The Panthers came out strong from the start and spent the first few minutes of the first period in the opposition’s zone.

Although the shots were 7-0 for the visitors, the score was still 0-0.

We’re halfway through the period when the Leafs finally show some life when William Nylander gets a good chance to score, but to no avail.

If the first half of the opening period was the Panthers’ affair, the second half was dominated by the much more convincing home side, who forced Sergei Bobrovsky to signal his presence, notably in front of two breakaways.

A penalty for too many players on the ice at the end of the period could have hurt the Leafs, but they held firm.

The score remained 0-0 after 20 minutes of play.

Just three minutes into the second period, Seth Jones opened the scoring for the Panthers on a two-on-one run. Evan Rodrigues and Aleksander Barkov picked up assists on the play.

The visitors continued to pile on the pressure and quickly doubled their lead when Anton Lundell beat Joseph Voll with the help of Eetu Luostarinen and Brad Marchand.

Nothing went right for the Leafs when Jonah Gadjovich scored his team’s third, assisted by A.J. Greer and Jones, his second point of the game.

The rest of the period was dominated by Florida, who came close to extending their lead on several occasions and Seth Jones even had a goal disallowed.

Fans began to show their frustration and booed the Leafs.

It’s 3-0 to the Panthers at the second intermission. It was going to be a tough comeback for the home team.

The Leafs came out more convincing in the third period, and Max Domi took advantage to open the scoring for his team. Bobby McMann picked up an assist on his team’s goal.

Unfortunately for Toronto, the celebrations were short-lived when 47 seconds later, Luostarinen gave his club a three-goal lead back with the help of Marchand.

The goal was a cold shower for the Leafs, and the visitors took the opportunity to nail the coffin shut with a fifth goal midway through the third period from Sam Reinhart off a Barkov pass.

Several spectators then began to leave Scotiabank Arena, while others voiced their displeasure, particularly towards Mitch Marner.

The rest of the game was uneventful, with the exception of Marchand’s empty-net goal.

Final score: 6-1 Panthers victory. Once again, Auston Matthews and his gang lose game number seven.

And for those wondering, the last time the Maple Leafs won a game number seven was in 2004. That’s the year the Expos left Montreal!

Extension

Another spring comes to an end too quickly in Toronto. Will we see big changes in the Queen City this summer? Despite the Leafs’ abundance of talent, this team doesn’t seem built to go all the way. Should we sacrifice a bit of offense in search of the depth that could help them get further in the playoffs? Let’s not forget that John Tavares and Mitch Marner will be unrestricted free agents this summer. Given the way the fans booed Marner, we have to wonder whether he’ll be back in Toronto next year. Or will there be changes in management? In short, there are plenty of questions the Leafs will have to answer in the coming weeks. In the meantime, there’s still the Oilers for those hoping that the Stanley Cup will return to Canada

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Like Slaf, not all players need to rely on Hockey IQ to develop

Why do some prospects adapt better to the professional ranks than others?

It’s a question on the minds of most NHL organizations and their scouts.

In two articles published in the Journal de Montréal, Jessica Lapinski looks at the question of hockey IQ, or hockey sense, in the development of young players.

In her first article, Lapinski examines hockey IQ as such, asking whether it is an innate or acquired talent.

She offers a translation of McGill University professor Daniel Fortin-Guichard’s definition of hockey IQ:

The ability to frequently find appropriate playing options [with and without puck possession] without compromising puck possession for oneself or one’s teammate.

In the second text, the journalist explains that a lack of hockey IQ could be at the root of some flops, while other players need more time to get used to the next step when they arrive in the AHL or NHL.

In both texts, Lapinski cites Juraj Slafkovsky as an example of a player who lacks hockey sense, as opposed to a player like Nick Suzuki on the Canadiens, for whom game sense is one of his main strengths.

Indeed, these are two very different players with very different hockey IQs.

Suzuki uses his vision to stand out on the ice, while Slafkovsky has to use his physique, strength and talent, especially his shot, if he wants to score regularly.

That’s how Slaf is going to be able to become one of the league’s good power forwards.

At the NHL level, playing this style requires effort and commitment night after night, and that’s probably what makes it harder for many young players to adapt to the professional circuit.

Many prospects have been able to rely on their talent and individual skills to stand out from the crowd, even at junior level, whereas in the pros, just skills aren’t enough.

Could a better sense of hockey have facilitated the development of this type of player? Quite possibly.

However, at the professional level, is it still possible to develop the hockey sense of young players? That’s much less certain.

That’s why Slaf needs to build on his strengths.

Overtime

– A first for Joseph Woll.

– Quebec well represented.

– Curtain-raiser victory for the Alliance.

– First defeat for the Roses.

– Max Verstappen wins.

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Without making too much noise, Vinzenz Rohrer is having a really good tournament at the CDM

When you think of the Canadiens’ top prospects, Vinzenz Rohrer isn’t the first name that comes to mind.

And that’s normal, since we’re talking about a player who wasn’t necessarily dominant in junior with the Ottawa 67s.

He collected 48 points (64 games) and 49 points (54 games) in his two years in the OHL :

(Credit: HockeyDB)

As you can see in the photo above, the Habs prospect – who was drafted in the third round (2022) – has been playing in Switzerland for the past two years to further his development.

He had a decent first season and showed some improvement in his second campaign in Zurich.

But right now, the 20-year-old forward is having a good time at the World Championship defending his country’s colors.

Rohrer has scored twice – as well as adding two assists – in six games, he was named Austria’s player of the match on Friday against France… and we notice above all that he relies on his speed to create things on the ice.

He hasn’t gone unnoticed since the start of the tournament:

It’s hard to say much about the youngster’s potential.

But we do know that he has some interesting skills and assets for a player of his age. He has a nice (and fast) skating stroke, he’s smart with the puck because he has good vision, and what makes him an interesting player is the fact that he always plays hard.

His energy level is always 100%, and players with that ability are often able to make a name for themselves in the National League.

I’d like to see him with the Rocket before too long, though.

At 20 years of age (21 next September), he should be able to progress on the smallest rinks in North America.

He’d have the opportunity to improve even more by playing with quality players in Laval and in the AHL, which could also prepare him to reach the NHL sooner.

But, then again, it’s great to see him having success at the World Championship right now, when there are some good NHL players in the tournament.

And I really do believe that the Canadiens like what they see of him right now.

Overtime

– Who wins tonight?

– Come on, Lu!

– Oh 👀

– Bang!

– Yikes.

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Head coach: Uncertainty surrounding GM in Boston pushes back candidates

After a difficult start to the season, the Bruins have made a big decision.

The organization chose to fire Jim Montgomery, who had enjoyed his share of success in Boston as the team’s head coach.

The result? Joe Sacco took over as interim coach for the rest of the season. And it didn’t go so well: the Bruins finished the campaign at the bottom of the NHL standings. The fact that several players were traded at the deadline didn’t help either…

So the Bruins are looking for a new pilot right now, and in recent weeks, there have been rumors about Rick Tocchet .

The problem? Tocchet seemed to be afraid of the organization in Boston… because the team’s GM, Don Sweeney, is entering the last year of his contract as GM.

In an article by Jimmy Murphy, a source told RG Media:

His concern about the Bruins was that the GM may have 1 or 2 years left on his contract.

According to Jimmy Murphy, Tocchet also seemed unsure of how Sweeney was working with his coaches.

Which is normal, in a way, because there have been some good coaches in Boston in recent years – since Sweeney has been in charge – who have been fired…

Rick Tocchet was finally hired by the Flyers and found what he wanted: stability.

In Philly, there are good young players… and Daniel Brière is doing a great job with the rebuilding of the club. There seems to be a bright future within the organization.

And the same can’t necessarily be said of the Bruins…

On the other hand, the Bruins need to start thinking faster, because the available candidates could find a buyer before too long.

The word on the street right now(Frank Seravalli) is that Jay Woodcroft is a popular name in Boston.

With Tocchet having found a job in Philly and Quenneville having been hired in Anaheim, there are fewer names available… but from what we understand, the uncertainty surrounding the GM in Boston is pushing candidates away at the moment.

And if it continues like this, it may be difficult to find someone who can work miracles with this club – which doesn’t necessarily count on much depth at all positions and in its bank of prospects.

At the very least, the Bruins will have the opportunity to talk to the 7th-ranked player next June in the first round of the draft…

Overtime

– Impressive.

– Good point!

– Well done.

– Style.

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“I’ve got nothing better to do”: Nathan MacKinnon looks miserable at Worlds

The World Hockey Championships have been underway in Europe for ten days now. For Canada, seeing Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon and Marc-André Fleury take part in the competition adds a little something extra.

It’s rare to see such names in action for the Canadiens in this tournament… and it’s paying off: Canada has won its first five games of the tournament.

For Crosby and Fleury, it’s a great way to enjoy the end of their careers. They’ve both smashed it in the NHL over the last 20 years, and now they can have a bit of fun in tournaments like this… but for MacKinnon, the story is a little different.

Mack is at the Worlds for one simple reason: the Avalanche haven’t even made it past the first round of the NHL playoffs. In fact, since winning the Stanley Cup in 2022, the club has won just one series in three years.

And clearly, this seems to be increasingly irritating MacKinnon, who would clearly rather be playing on the Bettman circuit than at the Worlds. And when Josh Yohe (The Athletic) asked him why he decided to take part in the tournament, he gave an answer that spoke volumes:

I’ve got nothing better to do. – Nathan MacKinnon

The Avalanche’s playoff failures are beginning to weigh heavily on MacKinnon’s shoulders. The club was on top of the world in 2022… but for the past three years, it hasn’t even managed to get past the first round on a regular basis.

Losing to the Stars in seven games is hardly a catastrophe considering Dallas is a hockey machine. That said, for a team with Stanley Cup aspirations (and for a Nathan MacKinnon who wants to cement his place among the all-time greats), it’s not enough.

And when you consider how much the Mikko Rantanen trade seems to have hurt him, you have to wonder just how happy MacKinnon is in Colorado right now. No one sees him being traded, of course… but perhaps more and more, his frustration could be turning into a lack of confidence in the organization.

MacKinnon wants to add Stanley Cup wins to his roster, but instead finds himself playing Worlds with two guys nearing the end of their careers who have won it multiple times.

We’ll see how it all shakes out, but we have to wonder if the man who’ll be 30 at the start of next season is starting to feel that opportunities to win the big trophy once again are slipping through his fingers.

Because if that’s the case, maybe eventually, he’ll really get fed up with the Avalanche…

Overtime

– News from CF Montreal.

– The curse of the Presidents’ Trophy persists.

– Connor McMichael wants to sign long-term in Washington.

– Reinforcement arrives in Atlanta.

– Carlos Alcaraz is champion in Rome.

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Maxime Comtois: keep an eye on the Red Wings for a return to the NHL

In 2024-25, Maxime Comtois was far from America. The Québécois, who had spent almost the entire previous season in the AHL, decided to exile himself to the KHL to pursue his career.

He joined Moscow Dynamo, where he collected 21 goals and 50 points in 62 games. He also added seven goals and 13 points in 15 playoff games, but it’s his physical play (99 penalty minutes in the regular season and 26 in the playoffs) that really stands out.

That said, the Québécois’ goal has always been to return to the NHL. And the good news is that his wish might just come true.

According to Daria Tuboltseva(RG Media), Comtois currently has offers on the table for a return to the Bettman circuit.

And if there’s one team to keep an eye on, it’s the Detroit Red Wings.

Obviously, Comtois isn’t likely to cost a fortune, just as he wouldn’t change everything in Detroit. That said, he’s shown this season that he has what it takes to be a solid supporting player in the NHL, and he’ll be able to add sandpaper in a depth role.

And at just 26, it’s not as if he’s at the end of his career either: he’s still got some good hockey in the tank.

It’s worth noting, however, that according to Tuboltseva, it’s not just the Red Wings who are interested. The Bruins have also reportedly put an offer on the table for the Québécois, as have other teams.

I’d be surprised if the Canadiens were one of those teams, given that they don’t necessarily have room for a deep winger… but maybe Comtois’ grit will interest the Canadiens, who need big guys who play physical hockey.

We’ll see how things progress over the next few weeks, but don’t be surprised to see Comtois back in the NHL next year. And don’t be surprised if he’s playing for the Red Wings next year.

Overtime

– Good news for the Maple Leafs: Matthew Knies will play tonight.

– Paul Maurice sends some love to Mark Scheifele. Very classy.

– The Panthers coach has never lost a game #7.

– The Panthers are built for #7 games, says Matthew Tkachuk.

– His work is to be commended.

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Logan Mailloux and David Reinbacher miss Rocket practice

The Laval Rocket is currently in the midst of a 3-of-5 series against the Rochester Americans. At the moment, the series is 1-1… and now moves to Laval for the final three games.

As in the previous round, Laval starts with two games on the road and finishes with three games at home.

And with the Americans giving the Rocket a run for their money, Pascal Vincent’s club needs to be at the top of its game… except that, at the moment, there seem to be quite a few casualties in town.

The Habs’ club-school has just announced that, in addition to regular David Reinbacher, Logan Mailloux will also be absent from today’s practice for treatment.

So the blue line is pretty banged up… and up front, Laurent Dauphin also needs a day of treatment.

For Reinbacher, this isn’t necessarily a cause for concern, given the club’s rigorous management of his knee condition. That said, the case of Mailloux is more surprising, as he’s not used to missing practices (and plays so well that he doesn’t seem bothered by anything).

However, he missed one at the end of March: is this injury persistent?

I still expect to see both defensemen, as well as Dauphin, in the line-up for game #3 on Wednesday night. This is probably a very precautionary measure on the part of the Rocket, who don’t want to push the club’s young defensemen too hard if they’re suffering from minor injuries.

That said, it’s understandable that there are some seriously banged-up guys in town right now… and to see that Mailloux is one of them (along with Reinbacher), it’s not ideal.

Overtime

– Matthew Knies looks set to play tonight.

– New contract in Laval for Will Dineen.

– Max Verstappen wins the Imola GP.