Author: Dose

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Renaud Lavoie: Luke Tuch, the two Xhekaj brothers and Mailloux should not be traded

The Canadiens took a beating in the playoffs against the Capitals.

We saw Tom Wilson and Alex Ovechkin having fun on the ice with their big shoulder shots, and in the process, we saw that the Canadiens didn’t have what it took to compete physically with the Caps.

That’s also why Jeff Gorton talked about weight for his players. He learned from his years with the Rangers…

Within the organization, there are players who can shuffle. But these guys are mostly in the AHL right now.

Florian Xhekaj, Logan Mailloux, Luke Tuch… these players have good size and can hit. In Montreal, with the Canadiens, Arber Xhekaj can also play that role.

And that prompts Renaud Lavoie to believe that these guys shouldn’t be traded. Without saying they’re untouchable… the TVA Sports journalist said on JiC’s show that it would be a mistake to let them go:

We can’t let all the names I’ve given you go. If you let one go, even if it’s Arber Xhekaj, you’re going to pay the price one day. – Renaud Lavoie

I’m particularly interested in Florian Xhekaj’s name.

Because the other’s little brother has shown that he can face the music, and we know he likes to do it too. His celebration after his fight last Sunday, in Game 3 of the series against the Monsters, says it all:

Renaud Lavoie has a point because these guys are already in the organization.

You don’t have to look any further to add grit to the Habs’ bottom-6….

But ultimately, these players also need to develop to get a chance to play in Montreal.

I have the impression that Florian Xhekaj has already proven himself and is (really) close to the National League, but for Tuch (who was injured this season) and Mailloux… we need to see more for now.

And in the case of Arber Xhekaj, we know he can help the Canadiens when he plays the right way.

But therein lies the problem with Arber: he’s not always perfect, and even though he brings the famous element of toughness to Martin St-Louis’ line-up, it’s hard to trust him because he doesn’t always make the right decisions on the ice.

Overtime

– Logical.

– Hello, boys!

– Super.

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It’ll take more than a streetcar to bring an NHL team back to Quebec City

There will always be discussions about bringing an NHL team back to Quebec City. It’s never going to change.

But even if there are discussions and people trying to convince Gary Bettman, bringing a club back to the province isn’t an easy task.

It may even be an impossible task…

Earlier today, the Journal de Québec published an article stating that the NHL “looks favorably on cities that have structuring systems on track”.

The article in question, written by Stéphanie Martin, also makes connections with a possible expansion or relocation of a current league club.

Clearly, you’ll understand that the message of this article… is related to the construction of the tramway in Quebec City.

And it’s as if we were saying that the new tramway will automatically open the eyes of NHL executives and that they’ll think about bringing a club back to the province…

It’s a bit like being a small town.

We know that too… but it’s going to take more than a streetcar to bring an NHL team back to Quebec City.

Bill Daly argues that the presence of a public transit system helps a city bid for a team, and that makes sense.

It’s important for travel and parking, after all. And transit is also proving to be economically efficient.

But still: building a new transit system isn’t going to change the game for all that.

It’s bigger than that.

If Quebec City is to have its own team, serious investors must be found who are prepared to make a serious offer to the NHL.

That’s the problem right now.

And until that problem is solved, there will never be an NHL team in Quebec City.

Overtime

– Change in Colorado.

– Jared Bednar is expected to stay.

– Man. What a great memory!

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Pierre LeBrun: Jeff Gorton is in Montreal to stay

Jeff Gorton is an important part of the rebuilding of the Canadiens.

He was the first person hired to rebuild the club, and it was he who brought Kent Hughes to town. The two men then convinced Martin St-Louis to take over as head coach after Dominique Ducharme was fired.

Today, the three men are at the heart of the club’s success.

Let’s not forget that Jeff Gorton is a man in demand… and that’s good for his ego.

The Blue Jackets wanted to talk to him last year about the GM vacancy (Geoff Molson refused), and today we learn that the Islanders have also asked the Canadiens for permission to speak to him.

But according to Pierre LeBrun, fans can breathe easy because Jeff Gorton “is in Montreal to stay”.

No surprise there.

Jeff Gorton will not be leaving his post four years after his arrival.

In fact, Jeff Gorton won’t be stepping down until his club completes its rebuild. And he won’t be leaving an organization that appears to be on the verge of great success (and has just made the playoffs) to join another organization that isn’t going anywhere.

Because that’s the thing about Long Island: the Islanders won the lottery last night, but that doesn’t mean they’re going to be good anytime soon.

The club doesn’t have many quality prospects, the Islanders don’t have a ton of picks in the next few years, and the New York organization can’t count on many good players either.

The Canadiens, on the other hand, meet all these criteria.

And if Jeff Gorton wants to win a Stanley Cup, as he’s said in the past, Montreal (not New York) is the place to do it.

Overtime

– Oh.

– Montreal CF practice news :

– For sports card fans:

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The Wild wants to make room for Marc-André Fleury in the organization

Marc-André Fleury spoke to the media yesterday as part of the Wild’s end-of-season review.

At the same time, the goaltender revealed his participation in the World Championship.

He’ll be playing with his boyfriend, Sidney Crosby, for Canada.

The Québécois still has some to give, and that’s why he accepted the Canadiens’ invitation to the CDM.

But he also has more to give off the ice… and the Wild seem to want to count on his services in the future.

Because today, Bill Guerin said he wanted to make room for Fleury within the organization.

The Wild president (and GM) isn’t sure yet what role he wants to give him, but he wants to keep him close to the team.

That wouldn’t be a bad thing.

Marc-André Fleury has what it takes, after all, to help a National League club even if he’s no longer playing.

He’s got the experience, he’s got the trophies and he’s got the right attitude to do it.

The question now is what Bill Guerin’s plan is.

Does he want to have Fleury with him in the front office? With his knowledge of current NHL players, it might make sense.

If not, does he want Fleury in a role focused on developing the youngest players, a bit like Francis Bouillon in Montreal?

That too might make sense, given the Québécois’ personality.

We’ll keep you posted. But if Bill Guerin’s words are anything to go by, we can really expect to see Marc-André Fleury obtain a position within the Wild organization after he hangs up his skates.

Overtime

– Will they be able to play?

– Of note:

– Good deal.

– Sad news.

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The Islanders asked the Canadiens for permission to speak to Jeff Gorton

With the dismissal of Lou Lamoriello, the Islanders have a number of vacancies within the organization.

They need to find a new GM and a new president of hockey operations.

Right now, Marc Bergevin’s name is being bandied about on Long Island. But…

But we also learned today that the Islanders have asked the Canadiens’ permission to speak with Jeff Gorton.

Gorton has been GM in the past… and is now VP of hockey operations in Montreal.

The information comes from Arthur Staple, a reporter for The Athletic who covers Islanders activities:

Should we be worried about Jeff Gorton leaving the Canadiens to join the Islanders?

In my eyes, no. Not necessarily.

In fact, I don’t think we should be worried because we know that Gorton is happy in Montreal.

We saw him having fun in his end-of-season review alongside Kent Hughes: he was laughing with the journalists, he said a few words in French and he didn’t look like a guy who wanted to leave.

Especially since, in the past, Gorton has said he’d like to see the Canadiens rebuild and bring the Stanley Cup back to Montreal.

That said, the Islanders may have asked the Canadiens for permission… but that doesn’t mean they’re going to get it either.

Because let’s not forget one thing: this time last year, the Blue Jackets were looking for a new GM… and they went to the Canadiens to ask if they could speak with Jeff Gorton.

Geoff Molson said no. The club’s owner had every reason in the world to want to keep him in place alongside Kent Hughes, and I find it hard to believe that Molson has changed his mind.

Especially after seeing his club in the playoffs this year…

Overtime

– It’s defensible.

– Oh.

– It’s going to be a bumpy ride.

– That’s right.

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Sam Bennett defends himself: “I just took the puck to the net”

What do you think of Sam Bennett’s move?

Because since last night, it’s been the talk of the town. The Panthers player collided with goalkeeper Anthony Stolarz, who was removed from the game. He vomited and was hospitalized as a result.

Here it is, for those who missed it.

At the moment, there are two schools of thought in relation to the move. There are those who say the player is a scumbag… and there are those who say Bennett, who is at the end of his contract, is just a playoff player who is “hard to play against” and does his job.

Of course, his club defends him. No surprise here… even if Stolarz does have friends in the Panthers dressing room.

Even Bennett is a good friend of the goalie’s. And on the heels of the situation, for which he won’t be suspended by the league, he texted the keeper to see how he was doing.

And the Panthers player was happy to hear that Stolarz was doing well.

The Flames veteran spoke publicly this morning and what he said is pretty clear: in his eyes, it’s a hockey play from a guy who just wanted to score for his own.

He was just trying to get to the net.

Speaking of which, the Maple Leafs goalie was on hand with his team this morning. Renaud Lavoie says he was smiling when Brandon Carlo saw him on the heels of breakfast.

Good news, then.

overtime

– Of note.

– Well done.

– Change in Ottawa.

– No long rebuild in Boston, believes Patrice Bergeron. [TVAS]

– Hey boy.

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Rocket: Jacob Fowler in the starter’s routine at practice

This morning, on Twitter, colleague Maxime Truman said he was “pretty convinced” that Jacob Fowler would get the start of tonight’s game at Place Bell in Laval.

And clearly, he was well informed.

At today’s practice, Jacob Fowler practiced as a starter. And it was he who left the ice first, which is usually a sign that a goalie will be starting a few hours later.

It’s interesting to see that it’s Fowler who finds his net again.

Why is that? Because in Game #3, Pascal Vincent trusted Cayden Primeau even though Fowler had just beaten the Monsters twice on the road – and had earned a shutout in Game #2.

He owed nothing to Fowler, but everything to Primeau, who had been there all season? Maybe so.

But now, Primeau has lost game #3 and Fowler will be given the keys on the heels of this important duel for the Rocket. A win would see the club through to the next round and win the series 3-1.

A loss? Final match in sight.

The pressure is on Fowler, who will have to do everything in his power to get the W. He can do it, but it remains to be seen how the rest of the team will play in front of him.

extension

– Here’s the rest of the line-up.

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Justin Carbonneau: the Canadiens are (very) well placed to draft him

Ahh, drafting local…

Ask Trevor Timmins if he enjoyed being forced to draft Louis Leblanc in 2009 instead of Chris Kreider. I’m sure he still has nightmares about it.

A similar pick awaits the Islanders (with a first overall pick that could change plans in New York) as James Hagens comes from New York.

But the more we look at it, the more we think that the Habs (on a smaller scale than the Islanders) might have a similar pick to make with their 16th or 17th overall.

And it involves Justin Carbonneau.

The Québécois prospect, who plays with the Armada on Montreal’s North Shore, is tipped to emerge around the ranks of the Canadiens (or the Habs, to be honest) next June.

When you look at it, just about everywhere, in mock drafts or prospect rankings, it puts him in the vicinity of the Habs.

Obviously, this is not a scientific exercise and things can change. But right now, there’s a good chance that the Habs could draft the Québécois.

He’s a winger with top-6 potential. He’s 6’1 and scored 49 goals (including playoffs) for Blainville-Boisbriand this season.

(Credit: Hockey DB)

Of course, the Habs might prefer to select another player. It can trade its picks. It may see a top-15 club fall in love with him and draft him just before. But it’s not completely impossible to think that Carbonneau could be a target.

Remember that Caleb Desnoyers is no longer a possibility due to the end of the Habs’ season.

Overtime

– Really?

– Sam Bennett: no suspension.

– Of note.

– To read.

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Second draft lottery: Utah finished two points behind the Canadiens in the standings

And that’s it: the NHL lottery is behind us.

This year, let’s just say it was less expected in Montreal, since the Habs couldn’t draft higher than 16th with the Flames’ pick. In the end, logic prevailed.

The Habs will therefore have the 16th (thanks to Sean Monahan) and 17th picks.

Still, it’s crazy how the lottery worked out. After all, the Islanders had a 3.5% chance of winning the lottery and it happened. And the Utah club had to draft 14th.

You know when you win the second lottery and “only” move up to fourth place, you’ve come a long way.

Utah finished 19th overall and the Islanders 23rd. This proves that, unlike the 2024 draft (when nothing changed), everything can change at the snap of a finger.

Or, in this case, with the stroke of an abacus.

What strikes me most in all this is that the Utah club (will the kid drafted second have a jersey with the name Mammoth on it?) still had 89 points this season.

The Habs, on the other hand, had 91 points.

(Credit: Sportsnet)

Of course, that’s not to say that the same scenario would have happened to the Habs had they just missed the playoffs. That’s not what I’m saying.

I’m just pointing out that things can change quickly in the hockey world. And yesterday’s lottery is proof of that.

I don’t think Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes regret this season’s playoff experience for the guys. But I do wonder what management thinks of the lottery.

At the end of the day, I’m sure management knows that you don’t build a hockey team on luck.

overtime

– Keep in mind.

– Sam Bennett is the talk of the town. [BPM Sports]

– It’s Brendan Gallagher’s birthday.

– Beautiful photo, indeed.

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No, Marco Rossi doesn’t have to be the Canadiens’ second center

The Canadiens need a second center.

It needs to improve its overall attack, you might say, since a guy like Ivan Demidov can’t do everything on his own on his line. That’s true – and we saw it in the playoffs.

But even if no one would say no to a 100-point winger, as Jeff Gorton pointed out in yesterday’s press conference, we all know that the second-center position is critical. That’s the priority.

But who will it be?

Obviously, a lot of names will be circulating this summer. Sidney Crosby and the Islanders guys (Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat) will undoubtedly be the most talked-about this summer.

But there’s a new name on the scene right now: Marco Rossi.

Renaud Lavoie (at BPM Sports) briefly touched on the subject and journalist Kevin Dubé, in a piece on the subject, explains that Rossi has seen his playing time melt away like snow in the sun in the playoffs. His future in Minnesota is therefore necessarily more nebulous than ever, at the moment.

There’s a real chance he’ll change addresses this summer.

As a talented center who racked up some sixty points this season (in his second full year with the Wild) and is 23 years old, it’s only natural that he’ll be the talk of Montreal.

(Credit: Hockey DB)

But the problem? He’s 5’9.

If the Canadiens were a huge team, Rossi could be the answer. But since the Habs are already too small (and Jeff Gorton talked about adding weight yesterday morning), Rossi can’t be the solution. Not after what the VP said and after what we’ve seen in Montreal’s playoffs.

Besides, was his playing time affected in the playoffs because it’s harder for a player of his stature to make his mark when the game gets more physical? The question arises.

Rossi is an excellent NHL player, but that doesn’t mean that Montreal is the place to be for the former Ottawa 67’s player.

overtime

– Good listening.

– The Maple Leafs played well yesterday. [BPM Sports]

– Jacob Fowler tonight in Laval?

– With good reason.

– Jake Allen is still on Sportsnet for the playoffs.