Author: Dose

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David Reinbacher could still play about forty games this season

David Reinbacher returned to the game last week.

He had to miss the first months of the season due to an injury that required surgery. 

But ultimately – even if it was a shame to see him seriously injured during training camp in Montreal -, not everything is lost in his case.

After all, Reinbacher is now healthy and in Laval, there are still many games to play.

The Rocket still has 22 games to play before the end of the calendar in the American League. And in the context where the Canadiens’ affiliate team is ranked 2nd in the overall standings of the American League, we can believe that the team has a chance to go a long way in the playoffs.

This would be ideal for Reinbacher: if he participates in the games until the end of the season and the Rocket goes all the way to the playoffs, the defender will have played at least 40 games this season.

Anthony Marcotte talked about it on the JiC show yesterday: 

Honestly, it would be the perfect scenario.

Reinbacher would be able to continue his development in ideal circumstances because young players learn a lot in the playoffs.

And we agree that if he wants to become one of the best defenders for the Canadiens one day, he must have the opportunity to play to develop.

At first, it’s clear that we all thought the same thing when we saw him fall in battle even before the season started.

“Not serious”…

But now, at least, he seems to have avoided the worst… And even if he had to miss a long period, knowing that he could still play about 40 games this season is really good news.

It’s clear that we’re happy on the organization’s side. 

In a hurry

— Nice. 

— It happens.

— Okay.

— That’s it! 

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Erik Karlsson : “If Dubas could, he would trade him in the blink of an eye”

Erik Karlsson is in his second season with the Penguins.

How is it going?

Let’s say he, uh… In fact, let’s say we expected more from him in Pittsburgh when Kyle Dubas went to get him from San Jose.

Karlsson – who came out of a 101-point season with the Sharks – collected 56 points in his first year with the Penguins.

We can agree that this is more than respectable production for a defenseman… but still: after seeing him be so good with the Sharks, we thought he would have a huge impact in Pittsburgh.

But the Penguins are not equipped to stay up late and now, we start to hear rumors about Karlsson.

At this level, Josh Yohe (The Athletic) claims that Dubas would not hesitate to trade him… Not even two years after acquiring him:

If Dubas could, he would trade him in the blink of an eye. – Josh Yohe

The time might be well chosen.

After all, the Penguins are going nowhere right now and Karlsson still has two years left on his contract after the current season.

The Pens have the upper hand, moreover: they are able to keep part of Karlsson’s salary (11.5M$ per season) to facilitate a transaction.

Again, the Pens won’t be good for the next few years and that’s why keeping part of Karlsson’s salary wouldn’t be a huge problem.

I wonder, however, what the principal’s value looks like.

Karlsson will be 35 in May and he is still capable of helping a team offensively. He’s still producing at a 55-point pace this season…

Seeing Erik Karlsson being traded so quickly would still be special.

But apparently, the possibility is on the table.

If a team calls and offers a good price to Kyle Dubas, I really have the impression that we could see Karlsson join a new team soon… And if that happens, it will be interesting to see what the plan is for the rest with Sidney Crosby.

In rapid fire

– Good point.

– He has a sense of humor.

– Well done.

– The Trent Frederic case is holding attention in Boston.

– Good news.

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Filip Mesar still injured: The Rocket announces an absence that can go up to 6 weeks

Filip Mesar is not having a big season.

He has only been able to play 25 games due to injuries and he was not exceptional when he played.

Now, we learn that he is still injured…

The Rocket announced that the forward will be out for a period that could be up to six weeks.

That’s a lot, especially in the context where he missed eight weeks of activity at the start of the season.

Let’s say he hasn’t really had the opportunity to develop since the start of the campaign…

But now, with this news, we have to ask ourselves a question.

Is Mesar a guy who is prone to injuries? We know he’s not the biggest at 5 feet 10 inches. We know the American League is a very physical league… And now, in his first full season as a pro, he can’t stay healthy.

But it goes even further than that: in his first year in junior, Mesar only played 54 games (out of 68). In his second season in Kitchener, he participated in only 45 Rangers games…

Ultimately, things haven’t been going as planned since he was selected by the Canadiens in the first round.

He didn’t meet expectations in junior, he’s having a miserable season in the American League because he doesn’t have the physicality to compete with players who have a larger build, and it’s his development that’s suffering right now.

That being said, it will be three years in June since he was drafted by the Canadiens. Is it too early to talk about a “flop”? Maybe… But let’s say that for now, there’s not much encouraging in his case.

Extension

Note that the Rocket also announced that Noel Hoefenmayer will be out for four to six weeks.

This is a tough blow for Pascal Vincent because the defender has an important role in the team.

At least, Reinbacher is already back in the game!

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Nick Suzuki : Kent Hughes did not tell players that the club was a seller

At the Canadian’s early-season golf tournament, Nick Suzuki publicly stated that he no longer wanted to see the CH trade established players in exchange for draft picks. The message was clear.

But you know as well as I do that it’s on the ice that the guys had to deliver the message. And even if Suzuki is excellent (again) this year, the club hasn’t dominated long enough to silence trade rumors.

Ten days before the deadline, the CH is in a position where selling rental players is a logical avenue.

(Credit: NHL.com)

If we go back to Suzuki, it’s clear that it can’t please him to see his teammates in trade rumors. After all, he wants to win as soon as possible.

Suzuki will therefore be in “convince the GM not to sell” mode in the coming days.

After today’s practice, he said he hadn’t received a memo saying the club would sell by March 7. Result? Until then, he’ll play with the intention of convincing Kent Hughes not to do so.

That’s his mentality… and the club’s. After all, he spoke in the “we” when saying that.

Obviously, it may be too late and maybe Hughes isn’t saying everything. But that’s not the captain’s problem, who must do everything to keep his club motivated.

Suzuki doesn’t have the power to make trades. Each has their own role.

Players must have the knife between their teeth. But on the other hand, Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton must keep in mind that if guys leave, it will demoralize the club.

This should be part of the discussion.

in rafale

– Note.

– What will he do?

– Well done.

– A page turns.

– To follow.

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Pierre LeBrun adds about Evans: “For now, everything indicates that he will be traded”

It’s been a while since Jake Evans’ name has been popular all around the league.

And with the trade deadline approaching, there’s been a lot of talk about the center player lately.

That being said, Pierre LeBrun has provided new information on his file in Montreal.

If you love Evans and want to see him stay in town, you probably won’t like the following sentence.

Because the Canadiens and Evans are still (very) far from an agreement, Pierre LeBrun (TSN) firmly believes his days in Montreal are numbered.

For now, everything indicates that he will be traded.

And I also know that the Canadiens have spoken to teams in the past few days. – Pierre LeBrun

This is consistent with the information from Marco D’Amico.

But the fact that the Canadiens are not really close to agreeing with their center player is also significant.

The trade deadline is on March 7 (next Friday).

Time is running out…

Pierre LeBrun mentioned that there is a chance to see Evans agree with the Canadiens by then. But the chances seem slim, and that’s what leads him to think Evans will be traded soon.

Note that the informant also spoke about the idea of seeing the Canadiens trade Evans with Joel Armia in order to get an even bigger return.

Because LeBrun wanted to remind everyone: teams will waste their time if they think they can get Evans for a low price.

The informant also mentioned that the Canadiens could decide to keep him if no one offers a 2nd round pick (at best)… Even if there is a risk of losing him for free next summer.

Inrapidfire

– Tough blow for the Wild.

– I love it.

– Note:

– Absolutely!

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J.T. Miller : the Avalanche thought he was going to say yes to Colorado

Right now, the topic of the hour is the Mikko Rantanen case.

He’s not making headlines for the right reasons (his contract and physical shape are at the heart of the story) and I’m wondering more and more if he won’t be playing for four clubs in 2025.

He couldn’t have expected that just two months ago.

In connection with all this, we have to wonder what the Avalanche wants to achieve. After all, Martin Necas is a good hockey player, but is he the only player the Colorado management was targeting to replace Rantanen?

The answer is no.

According to what Renaud Lavoie reports on the airwaves of BPM Sports, the Avalanche really thought that J.T. Miller was going to agree to lift his no-movement clause to go to Denver.

The journalist even uses the term “convinced” to talk about the case.

Be careful: that doesn’t necessarily mean Miller didn’t want to play in Colorado. What it means is that he preferred to lift his no-movement clause for the Rangers.

We don’t know if he let the Colorado management believe he would go there. That can change everything, but we don’t know.

extension

We can think that the fact that he was drafted in New York, the fact that he’s an East Coast guy, and the fact that he’s friends with Vincent Trocheck are elements that made him choose the Rangers.

If you want my opinion, I think the Avalanche is an attractive destination and the team can go after a guy who doesn’t want to create trouble with all his teammates… but that’s just my opinion.

 

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That being said, I’m looking forward to seeing what the Avalanche will do by March 7. According to Cap Wages, the team has $4.7 million in cap space before the trade deadline, which gives them a bit of room to maneuver.

The story is therefore worth following.

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Owen Beck will play with Patrik Laine and Alex Newhook

Here, seeing that Owen Beck was present at practice, we suspected that the Canadians had called him up to play. A young man like that, you don’t bring him to stay in the stands.

Quickly, we understood that due to Kirby Dach’s lower-body injury (to the knee?), Beck would be useful in Martin St-Louis’ lineup against the Hurricanes.

Reminder: Dach will not play tonight. But at least, he doesn’t have crutches to move around.

What we were wondering, however, was where Beck would play. After all, Emil Heineman’s return to health means that the Canadians are regaining the Joel Armia – Jake Evans – Emil Heineman trio that was working.

No need to break it.

And that’s what will happen: he will play with Patrik Laine and Alex Newhook tonight.

I don’t necessarily expect Beck’s trio to be used as a “real” second-line trio. I expect Evans’ trio to take a bit more.

Especially since the Toronto center is in the shop window.

But logically, if we trust the guys, we can say that Beck will play in the top-6 tonight. It will be an opportunity for him, regardless of the number of shifts he will have, to play with a guy who can put it in, like Laine.

Will Beck come out strong? To be seen.

in quick succession

– Tough blow for the Wild.

– Brad Marchand wants to stay in Boston.

– What do you think?

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Draft in Montreal: everyone would say yes without hesitation

Montreal is a hockey city. We see it every day in the NHL… but we also saw it at the Four Nations Confrontation.

Have you noticed that people didn’t hesitate to sing the praises of Montreal, but that it wasn’t the same when it came time to talk about Boston?

I also noticed.

I’m not saying Boston is a bad city: I’m just saying Montreal, in terms of hockey, is special. The hockey planet loves to come and visit Montreal.

As long as it’s just for a few days…

In 2022, the Canadiens hosted the amateur draft and everyone loved it. Without the snow, people seem to love the city even more… and the draft was a success.

And what’s interesting is that David Pagnotta mentioned, in a text, that everyone would say yes without hesitation to the idea of reorganizing a draft in Montreal eventually.

Let’s recall that in 2025, the prospects will be in Los Angeles, but the leaders of the 32 teams will be in their city. It’s a format that will be tested for the first time this season.

And in my opinion, it will be the last time we see such a test. I expect a return to a usual format in 2026 since the NHL has a dynamic draft that people love.

Going back to that format would be normal.

After the success of the Vegas sphere in 2024, I think the next draft will be really flat and everyone will want to go back to the format of the last few years.

Moreover, because the draft in Vegas was so loved and due to the bias of recency, I expected Pagnotta to talk about Vegas in his text. But no: it’s Montreal that was named.

Does he know something?

In passing

– Note.

– Michael Pezzetta is skating with a blue jersey.

– News from CF Montreal.

– Interesting.

– Good question.

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Mikko Rantanen : “let’s say he’s not in ideal physical shape”

The case of Mikko Rantanen is really making headlines right now. Why? Because he’s producing more or less in Carolina, notably. Less than Martin Necas in Colorado, at least.

Rantanen has only three points in seven games since the trade and his NHL team has only two wins when he plays. He’s not having the impact he should in Carolina and one can wonder if he’s not distracted.

Is he missing Nathan MacKinnon?

I wonder to what extent the rumors that send Rantanen elsewhere if he doesn’t sign are part of the distractions in the file. Because yes, he really does have a chance to leave elsewhere if he doesn’t sign long-term in the next few days.

A bit like Jake Evans, kind of?

I don’t necessarily understand why the Hurricanes wouldn’t want to keep him for the playoffs since the team’s window is open. But right now, there’s clearly a world where Rantanen is traded soon.

Can it create distractions in the city, you say? Obviously.

But on this topic, I wonder to what extent Rantanen’s physical condition comes into play. After all, this morning, on the airwaves of BPM Sports, Renaud Lavoie said that in his eyes, Rantanen is not the fittest guy. Not ideal for NHL standards, at least.

Lavoie also describes him as a “major distraction” on a team. And it’s true that by force of circumstance and with all the circumstances, Rantanen is polarizing right now.

I don’t know to what extent the Hurricanes will really want to give Rantanen $14 million per season (because yes, Renaud Lavoie confirmed that he doesn’t want less than $14 million per year, the same amount as Leon Draisaitl) in these circumstances.

After all, if he’s not fit enough… #LukaDoncic

Is it because of his physical condition that Colorado traded Rantanen – as part of a trade that left the main party shocked – last month? One can think that this can be part of the thought process.

But there’s also the money, obviously. And clearly, Colorado was FAR from his demands.

What the Avalanche had hinted at, that we were ready to offer $12 million, that offer was never made.

Because what I’ve always been told is that the maximum we wanted to give him, per season, is around $9 to $10 million per year at most. – Renaud Lavoie

extension

So, it’s saying that right now, the ball is in the Hurricanes’ court. The team must extend Rantanen’s contract (and the player probably knows it) to not lose him within a week or by July 1st next.

I don’t understand how Carolina, which already has a weird reputation due to its owner, would gain from trading again by March 7th. There’s no Rantanen on the market right now…

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Jake Evans : “if he doesn’t sign by the end of the weekend, he’s gone”

Will Jake Evans play more than five games with the Canadiens for the rest of the season?

In other words, the question being asked here is whether Jake Evans will be traded by the Canadiens before the trade deadline, which is in 10 days.

And indirectly, we’re asking if he’ll sign a contract in the coming days.

Because the more time passes, the more we realize that with the interest of NHL teams in Evans, Kent Hughes will find a way to trade him if he doesn’t sign a medium/long-term contract with the club soon.

And what does “soon” mean?

According to what Marco D’Amico (RG Media) reports on the subject after speaking to several well-placed people in the industry, if Evans hasn’t signed by the end of the week, he’ll be traded.

Note that the rumor going around is that he won’t come to an agreement with the Canadiens by then.

I don’t know if he’ll be traded with Joel Armia or if he’ll be traded alone (in the event of a transaction), but it seems that the chances of him leaving are quite high.

But where could he go?

D’Amico reported that the Kings, Kraken, Blackhawks (oh yes?), Devils, Islanders, Lightning, Wild, and Predators are teams that have shown interest in Evans to some extent.

Will the club want to get a player close to the NHL instead of a pick for Evans? To be seen.

Note also that in this sense, I’m looking forward to seeing Owen Beck tonight. I know he’s still far from a finished product, but the hope will (possibly) be called upon to replace Evans if he leaves.

Seeing what he has up his sleeve just before the trade deadline is not insignificant.

in rafale

– Grief for Ryan Johansen: will the Flyers have to pay him?

– Documentary on Maurice Richard: it will be officially released on March 7. [LP]

– They will be bad. But how bad?

– What do you think?