Author: Dose

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Evander Kane taunts a Golden Knights fan (and brags about it)

We’ve been treated to some good series in the NHL this year.

Yesterday was one of them. The Maple Leafs lost to the Panthers(much to the chagrin of their fans), pushing them to the brink of elimination.

And the Golden Knights were eliminated by the Oilers.

(Credit: NHL.com)

The Oilers thus become the first team in the 2025 series to qualify for the third round. The Hurricanes and Stars could join them tonight, while the Panthers could clinch their ticket to the third round on Friday night.

Clearly, the best chance of bringing the Stanley Cup back to Canada right now lies with Connor McDavid’s Alberta club.

He must really want to win… and so does Corey Perry, who is in the Final Four for the fifth time in six years.

Stuart Skinner has blanked the Golden Knights in the last two (!) games, and suddenly anything goes for Edmonton. It won’t be as easy as all that in front of the net, but hey.

But that’s not what I remember most about yesterday’s game.

Evander Kane, after the win, taunted a Golden Knights fan. And he didn’t just do it: he posted the result on Twitter and in his Instagram story .

Obviously, Kane will always have a problematic attitude in life. But at least the Oilers can put up with him if he keeps producing in the playoffs like he is right now.

Four goals and seven points in 10 playoff games after missing the entire season, that’s pretty cool. Better than Auston Matthews, let’s say.

overtime

– Good listening.

– Seen the same.

– Ouch.

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Series in brief: Maple Leafs jerseys on the ice

Last night, two Canadian teams were in action.

One could take a 3-2 series lead and the other could advance to the next round:

Here are the results and highlights:

Leafs jerseys on the ice

The Leafs really didn’t play well last night.

They played so poorly that they lost 6-1 and even had team jerseys thrown on the ice.

Matthews is aware that his troupe has been very low-key.

Including himself, they all have to look in the mirror.

Toronto stole the shutout from Sergei Bobrovsky in the dying moments.

Half the fans had already left anyway.

In defeat, Matt Murray saw some action.

He replaced Joseph Woll, who allowed five goals on 25 shots.

Florida leads the series 3-2 and can eliminate the Leafs at home tomorrow.

And Danick didn’t miss the opportunity to taunt Toronto fans.

Oilers advance to next round

The Edmonton Oilers had a chance to eliminate the Golden Knights.

And thanks to a 1-0 overtime win, Edmonton advances to the next round and will face the winner of the Stars-Jets series in the Western Final.

Kasperi Kapanen scored the winning goal.

Connor McDavid’s team beat the Knights in just five games.

After Calvin Pickard’s injury, the Oilers’ unloved Stuart Skinner took over, and he did well.

In game four, he stopped all 23 shots he faced. And in yesterday’s game five, he pulled off another shutout, this time with 24 saves.

It’s always extreme with Oilers goalkeepers.

Connor McDavid hopes people will stop talking bad about his goalie.

Edmonton is the only Canadian team qualified for the Association Finals at the moment.

Not looking good for Toronto and Winnipeg…

Prolongation

– He likes to be the bad guy.

– A stop that set the tone.

– Top scorers from the previous day.

(Credit: NHL.com)

– The Stars and Hurricanes can advance to the next round tonight.

(Credit: NHL.com)
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LAH Series: Laval wins first game of series against Rochester

After an eight-day wait, the Laval Rocket began its North Division finals series on Wednesday. Laval visited the Americans in Rochester for the first game of this three-of-five series.

Cayden Primeau needed to prove himself, as he was chosen to start ahead of Jacob Fowler.

It was a former Canadiens who opened the scoring. Primeau’s vision was obscured by Kale Clague’s precise shot.

Despite a small bump early in the game, the Rocket bounced back fairly quickly thanks to help from the Canadiens’ two top defensive prospects.

Logan Mailloux tied the game with a nasty lead that probably could have pierced Devon Levi’s net. Then, just before the break, David Reinbacher put the Rocket ahead.

It was a first playoff goal with the Rocket for Reinbacher.

There were even more goals in the second period, but once again, the Rocket slacked off early in the frame. Konsta Helenius and Josh Dunne scored back-to-back goals to put the Americans back in front in the middle period.

I told you earlier in this piece that there were more goals in the second period than in the first. There were four in total, and the last two belonged to the Rocket!

The two teams tied again when Brandon Gignac scored on the powerplay, which was his first-ever goal in 2025!

Canadiens fans will be happy to know that Oliver Kapanen picked up his first point of the playoffs with an assist on this goal.

Laval returned to the dressing room on a high thanks to Alex Barré-Boulet’s goal. The Québécois foiled Devon Levi with just 42 seconds left in the second period, giving the Rocket a 4-3 lead.

Laval tried to hold on to that lead for long minutes, but the Americans’ pressure finally paid off. Isak Rosen foiled Cayden Primeau between the pads. Primeau allowed four goals in a game for the first time since February 26.

This game could have gone either way. So it was the perfect time for Oliver Kapanen to score his first-ever North American goal.

Cayden Primeau may have allowed four goals in this game, but he still helped his teammates, especially late in the game. The Rocket goaltender prevented the Americans from scoring in the final minutes, confirming the Rocket’s victory.

Laval thus escaped with victory in the first game of this series. The next match between these two teams will take place on Friday, again in Rochester.

In Overtime

– David Savard visited La Poche Bleue.

– Leafs fans are angry.

– A very interesting read.

– Lots of money for Tocchet.

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Signing Brad Marchand as a free agent: Maxim Lapierre’s idea

Ask any Canadiens fan what they think of Brad Marchand and you’ll get a negative answer.

Marchand has been known around the league as a rat for many years. Teams that play him hate him. And considering the rivalry between the Bruins and the Canadiens, it’s safe to say that Montreal hates him even more than the others.

Despite all this, Marchand could become a member of the Canadiens this summer. Maxim Lapierre mentioned this possibility on TVA Sports’ JiC show on Wednesday.

As you can see from the title of the TVA Sports article, Jean-Charles Lajoie also allowed himself to dream, imagining a line-up made up of Brad Marchand, Sidney Crosby and Ivan Demidov.

Lapierre, however, focused more on Marchand’s case, which is much more realistic.

Lapierre’s arguments are excellent. Brad Marchand is a high-energy player with a lot of playoff experience. If Montreal wants to get better, he’s the kind of player to add to the line-up.

The Canadiens need to add some toughness and Marchand is only 5’9, but he plays big. He doesn’t shy away from anything and, like a Brendan Gallagher, you know he won’t be afraid to get into the corners and play hard.

At 37, Marchand is also a good veteran who can support the Habs’ young players. With the departure of David Savard, the Habs will need to find another player with this kind of experience to set an example.

Lapierre’s only condition is to offer Marchand a short-term contract. The former Bruins captain isn’t crazy. He knows he’s 37 and should sign a two- or three-season deal.

Marchand’s last contract was worth $6.125 million on the payroll. He’s slowed down, but his contract was a real bargain.

Marchand finished the last campaign with 51 points in 71 games, which could earn him more than his old contract. It’s also worth noting that several teams will try to acquire him, which could raise the stakes.

It’s a great idea for the Canadiens, but the question is whether Kent Hughes is prepared to spend a lot of money on a very old player.

Overtime

– Kent Hughes and his gang prepare for the draft.

– Speaking of Marchand.

– Wow.

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Mathieu Darche: the only current assistant GM with a chance with the Islanders

The Islanders are looking for their next general manager.

With the lottery (New York won the first pick), the position is a little more attractive. But let’s just say that being the Islanders’ boss isn’t necessarily the most coveted position right now.

The team doesn’t have the best team on paper, it doesn’t have the best bank of prospects, its core is aging and Lou Lamoriello is still part of upper management. But for a guy like Mathieu Darche, who’s been waiting for his chance for ages, he certainly won’t say no.

The Islanders have very specific criteria in their search: a guy who already has experience managing a team and who has a track record of success. That’s one of the reasons why the club wanted to talk to Jeff Gorton. However, the feelings aren’t mutual at the moment.

Darche has been successful, but has never managed a team on his own. Still, he’s a serious candidate and the only current assistant GM who has a chance with the club.

Why wait?

Because the Québécois, even if he’s not a GM, has big responsibilities in Tampa Bay. Julie BriseBois entrusts him with a lot of administrative tasks, and he’s involved in a lot of hockey matters.

While he won’t say no to a team giving him his first chance as GM in the NHL, the job can turn against him pretty quickly. On the Radar podcast, my former colleague here at DLC, Olivier Paiement, said that general managers don’t necessarily get a second chance.

And given that Darche would inherit an average team overall, let’s just say he’ll have to prove that he’s a good negotiator, much like his mentor BriseBois, Kent Hughes and Bill Zito.

The Islanders’ ownership group (Scott Malkin, John Collins and Jon Ledecky) has already completed several interviews, including one with Marc Bergevin (who has experience and is not officially an “assistant GM”, but rather an advisor), one with Jarmo Kekkalainen and one with Darche, of course. According to Pierre LeBrun, one or two other executives will be interviewed, but their respective teams are still alive in the playoffs.

One thing’s for sure, the owners don’t want to delay the hiring and appoint someone very soon.

After all, the draft is just around the corner, and big administrative decisions await. Will Patrick Roy be the next GM’s man? That’s one of the questions.

Overtime

– It’s clear.

– Ah bon.

– Listen now.

– Logan Mailloux creates a tie.

– Read on.

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Jonathan Toews: “If he wants to come to Montreal, go ahead”

I’m not telling you anything new when I say that Jonathan Toews wants to get back into the game.

Several teams are in the running for his services, including the Maple Leafs and the Jets.

I don’t know if the Canadiens are interested, but my colleague Charles-Alexis Brisebois wondered last year if Toews could be a solution. And a few months later, he was at the Bell Centre.

Could he pilot the second line next year?

“If he wants to come to Montreal, go for it! Mathias Brunet wouldn’t mind seeing the Manitoban in Quebec.

Obviously, Kent Hughes won’t offer him a contract longer than a year-no team will-but a one-season pact with base salary and bonuses, why not?

It wouldn’t be a huge risk, especially considering that the guy is a winner, a leader, an excellent teammate and a good hockey player, even if he won’t be the Jonathan Toews of Chicago’s heyday. For a year with Ivan Demidov and Kirby Dach, I’d offer him a contract without hesitation.

It wouldn’t steal a guy’s spot (unless Montreal acquired its second center), it could only help.

Toews has never played for any team other than the Chicago Blackhawks. His last season in the show dates back to 2022-2023, when he collected 31 points in 53 games. Due to complications with COVID-19, he did not play in the shortened 2021 season.

The former Chicago captain is currently an unrestricted free agent. The Avalanche have also been linked to the center forward.

Overtime

– A true Montrealer.

– Mikko Rantanen is dominant. [TheAthletic]

– The debate continues.

– Yes.

– Big game number five will be played tonight.

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“If Matthew Knies isn’t signed by July 1, watch out”

When you think of the great draft picks of recent years, Lane Hutson’s name quickly comes to mind. The Habs defenseman, who had just broken all records in his first year on the Bettman circuit, was one hell of a late second-round pick in 2022.

Some teams are biting their fingers today, we agree.

A year earlier, the Toronto Maple Leafs also made a nice grab for Matthew Knies. The forward, who honed his game in the NCAA, is coming off a solid second NHL season, playing big minutes on a good team.

That said, Knies will become a restricted free agent on July 1, and we expect to see him get a nice contract… but we must remember that he is eligible to receive an offer sheet.

And during his appearance on The Shaun Starr Show, Marco D’Amico chatted about Knies… and he had this to say:

If Matthew Knies isn’t signed by July 1, watch out. – Marco D’Amico

What we understand is that, should Knies be RFA on July 1, there could be teams who would be tempted to make a hostile offer. There are brakes on all this, of course, but that’s the flavour of the moment in the NHL.

D’Amico makes it clear, however, that he’s not saying it’s necessarily the Habs who will stick their nose in (although the club could certainly use a player like Knies). For that matter, he’s not saying that Noah Dobson could sign a hostile offer sheet with Montreal either, even though it’s been circulating.

And for those wondering why Knies is eligible for an offer sheet, the reason is simple: since he played 10 games (season + playoffs) in his first year in the NHL, he’s accumulated a professional year, which means he now has three.

That’s the difference with Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov, who won ‘t be able to sign an offer sheet: neither of them played 10 games in their first year on the Bettman circuit. Hutson played only two, while Demidov played only seven. In doing so, they burned a contract year without accumulating a professional year.

This means that Knies will give the Leafs more headaches than Hutson and Demidov, who will be condemned to sign their next contract in Montreal. Knies, on the other hand, can be courted by other teams… and a year after the Blues’ success at this level, Brad Treliving must be hoping that Knies will be under contract before July 1.

Although, if the Leafs want to extend the contracts of Mitch Marner and John Tavares, who are free agents in the making, maybe he’ll start to run out of money for Knies…

Overtime

– Lars Eller doesn’t look too happy in Washington.

– Tom Wilson is now sponsored by Reebok.

– Very cool.

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David Savard: “If Juraj Slafkovský doesn’t perform, it will be difficult to win”

When the Canadiens drafted Juraj Slafkovský first overall in 2022, they did so with one clear goal in mind: to capitalize on his potential to become a dominant player in big games. By going for a player with such an imposing frame who was also talented, the club wanted to get its big power forward.

These are rare and precious commodities on the Bettman circuit.

And after three years, one thing is clear: when Slaf plays big hockey, he’s capable of being that player. He still needs to find consistency, but the Habs have something in their hands.

That’s why, for many people (myself included), Slafkovský is possibly the most important piece in Montreal, for one simple reason: the club really needs the Slovak to develop to his full potential in order to become a contender.

David Savard, now a former teammate of Slaf’s, also shares this opinion: in his opinion, if Slafkovský doesn’t become that player who performs game after game, it’s going to be difficult for the Habs to win. That’s what he said in an interview with Mario Langlois (98.5 Sports).

Savard recognizes that a dominant Slafkovský is a game-changer for the Habs. Seeing him able to win battles for the puck along the boards makes it easier for guys like Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson to work their magic.

The Québécois even adds that Slaf is a quiet leader who, when he’s involved in a game, makes the rest of the group a little more so. Seeing him set the tone physically motivates the other players to do the same.

At the moment, the Slovak has just completed a 51-point season, following on from his 50-point season the year before. It’s a good start, but now he’ll have to pick up another gear. And above all, start his season in October rather than February, as he himself admits.

Slaf is still young, and there’s still time for him to hit that next gear. But what’s clear is that the Habs really need Slafkovský to go out and get that top gear.

And even David Savard (who’s in a good position to speak) is well aware of this.

Overtime

– Kings make official hiring of Ken Holland as GM.

– Do you agree?

– A contract extension for Derrick Henry with the Ravens.

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Ryan O’Reilly: the Habs are worried about his lack of speed

The famous question of the second center will be the question of the ballot box this summer for the Canadiens. While everyone agrees that the club needs to solidify its second line, (really) not everyone would do it the same way.

Horvat, Barzal, Bennett, Tavares, Crosby, Rossi and the list goes on: everyone has a favorite.

That said, there’s another name that’s been the talk of the town in recent months: Ryan O’Reilly. With the Predators going nowhere, one wonders if the player and the team might consider parting ways.

And what we understand from Alexandre Gascon(Radio-Canada Sports) is that the Habs have been talking internally about the Preds forward… because they already have a fear about him.

And that fear is his lack of speed.

At 34, it’s obvious that the center has slowed down. Inevitably, with age, the skating stroke isn’t what it once was… but there are still some figures that suggest the Habs’ fear is slightly exaggerated.

The NHL Edge site, which measures certain data on players (including skating stroke), shows that even if O’Reilly isn’t a gazelle, he’s at least an average skater.

No, he’s not a turtle on the ice.

(Credit: Screenshot/NHL Edge)

Of course, it’s possible that the Habs’s standards are simply higher, which would make the Preds ‘ forward really too slow in the Habs’ eyes.

Because it’s true that if you compare O’Reilly to Bo Horvat, who is one of the best skaters in the NHL, the difference is quite striking.

(Credit: Screenshot/NHL Edge)

But of course, beyond the skating, the Habs would have to convince O’Reilly to come and play in Montreal. We know the Predators want to respect the forward’s wishes, and if he doesn’t want anything to do with joining the Habs, his lack of speed will become a secondary concern.

To be continued, then, but it’s interesting to see that the Habs seem to want a second center with an excellent skating stroke. And maybe it gives an idea of the kind of player they might be targeting…

Overtime

– Big day in Vancouver: after signing Adam Foote, Tom Willander signs his entry-level contract.

– A giant-sized Brendan Gallagher: the Habs wouldn’t say no.

– Oops.

– There was talent in town.

– It’s (very) far from a done deal.

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Car accident: Matvei Michkov’s lawyer insists his client is the victim of the story

Matvei Michkov has been in the news in the hockey world since yesterday. He was involved in a car accident, the circumstances of which seem rather worrying.

A journalist in Russia was talking about alcohol and documentation problems in the story… which was scary enough.

The good news, however, is that Mishkov is doing well. He was not seriously injured in the accident… but we were still waiting for more details.

And now, in the last few hours, details have surfaced, as the Russian forward’s lawyer spoke to Match TV. And the lawyer insists on one point: his client has nothing to reproach himself for.

In fact, he goes even further: he claims that the victim in the story is none other than Michkov, who is currently being extorted by the company that rented him the vehicle. The company is reportedly refusing to give him back his passport without a huge sum of money, which is obviously illegal.

Michkov’s lawyer insists that his client, who was a passenger in the vehicle, was sober at the time of the accident, as was the driver of the vehicle.

And now that he’s given his side of the story, he intends to counterattack. He claims to be on the case of the company holding Michkov’s papers hostage and demanding a $100,000 ransom, and he says he’s ready to sue to protect his client.

Where’s the truth in all this? You be the judge.

What is clear is that this whole story seems far from over. If legal action is taken, it’s likely that the whole thing won’t be settled tomorrow morning.

That said, for Flyers fans, the youngster’s lawyer’s version should reassure the team, which has been under a lot of stress over the past 24 hours.

Extension

Mishkov’s lawyer also claims that another person in the case (presumably the driver of the vehicle) is a victim of extortion, just like Mishkov. And what’s more, he claims he has witnesses and evidence (screenshots of text messages) to back up his claims.

Let’s see how this develops.