Author: Dose

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Series: the Maple Leafs we know are back

The Maple Leafs will never change .

They may talk about a new coach or a new mentality, but the first round will always be tough for the Maple Leafs. And in 2025, the proof is still in the pudding: winning the last game of a series is very difficult.

Even if some thought Toronto had exorcised their demons in 2023, against the Lightning, it’s clear that it’s not that simple… and that the 2023 series was more the exception that proves the rule.

Yesterday, the Senators (easily) won 4-0. And the series, which was 3-0 for the Maple Leafs, is now 3-2.

Is it impossible to see Toronto stop the slide? Not impossible, no. The guys are capable of winning a field hockey game, and they still have two chances to do so.

But right now, it’s clear that the guys are getting played in the head – just like the Kings against Edmonton, by the way.

After all, even if you don’t want to get sidetracked by the past, the club is still 1-13 in games where they can advance to the next round with a win in the Auston Matthews era since 2016.

Is this whyAuston Matthews is being criticized in the Queen City?

Let’s also note that during these games (so since 2018), the Maple Leafs’ power play is 0-in-30. That’s one of the things working against the Leafs right now.

Craig Berube may tell his players to stay the course and Chris Tanev may say it’s 3-2 and they’ll be fine, but…

Martin St-Louis has been talking a lot about momentum over the past few days in his Montreal press conference. And if you transpose that to the Ontario series, it’s pretty clear who’s got it and who’s looking for it.

in a row

– With good reason.

– Well done.

– Coming up…

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Series preview: CH to face Hurricanes in 2nd round if they beat Capitals

The NHL playoffs continued last night.

The Canadiens weren’t in action, but there were still four games presented in all four corners of the league.

Let’s take a look at what caught our eye:

Sebastian Aho, the hero of the day in Carolina

The Devils were facing elimination last night. And they managed to win by scoring three times in the first period.

But…

But the Hurricanes hadn’t said their last word.

Carolina scored three times to tie the game in the second period, only to see the Devils score a 4th goal to take a 4-3 lead.

It was at this point in the game that Sebastian Aho came to life.

The Canes’ star player tied the game with a magnificent goal:

Overtime was needed in the game and the Devils were dangerous.

Jesper Bratt nearly gave his team the win at the end of the first overtime period :

It took until the second period of overtime to see a goal.

And at the very start of the period, Dawson Mercer was sent off (four minutes) for high sticking:

You guessed it.

The Hurricanes took the opportunity to send the Devils on vacation.

Sebastian Aho – again – was the hero for his club. Hurricanes Canadien fans must be loving him right now:

Jacob Markström’s performance in defeat deserves a special mention.

The Devils goalie gave it his all, stopping 48 of Carolina’s 53 shots, but in the end, it wasn’t enough.

The Hurricanes won the game 5-4 and also eliminated the Devils in five games.

If the CH beats the Capitals, it will face the Hurricanes in the next round of the playoffs.

A CH vs Hurricanes match-up doesn’t seem to scare me (that much)…

Ah, the Leafs…

The Leafs had a 3-0 lead in their series against the Sens.

They lost the last game… but they still had a chance to send the Senators on vacation last night.

The first period saw some tougher play, and Thomas Chabot paid the price:

But this same Chabot found the right way to get his revenge.

He opened the scoring in the second period:

The Leafs buzzed, but Linus Ullmark was really solid in front of his net all game long.

This gave momentum to the Sens, who scored in the third period on a shorthanded goal.

The goal was scored by Dylan Cozens: his first career NHL playoff goal.

After Cozens’ goal, it really felt like the Sens were on a mission.

Tim Stutzle and Brady Tkachuk (in order) took turns scoring in an empty net to help the Sens win 4-0.

Linus Ullmark stopped all 29 shots he faced for the shutout.

The Leafs still hold a 3-2 lead in the series. But the next game is in Ottawa, at the Senators’ home… and the Leafs had better watch out, or they’ll find themselves in the same situation we all know about.

And they can’t go there, especially after leading the series 3-0.

For once…

The Kings were playing at home last night, and they took the opportunity to score first.

Andrei Kuzmenko – who has been a transformed player since arriving in Los Angeles – opened the scoring with a beautiful deflection :

But it was the Kings’ last moment of glory in the game.

The Oilers, trailing 0-2 in the series, scored three unanswered goals (including an empty-netter) to escape with the 3-1 victory.

The Oilers now lead the series 3-2.

But… in all of this, the Oilers must be relieved that one of their goalies was able to have a good playoff game.

Calvin Pickard was good in front of his net last night (one goal allowed) and it made a difference.

If the trend continues, the Oilers will be dangerous… because they have what it takes to beat any NHL club.

Fleury’s last career game?

We’re transported to the start of the 3rd period of the game between the Wild and Golden Knights.

The Vegas team had a 2-1 lead… but Matt Boldy (who is having an excellent series) brought everyone back to square one:

It looked like overtime when Ryan Hartman scored late in the game.

But… the Wild goal was disallowed because there was an offside on the sequence.

Too bad:

Marc-André Fleury was called upon in relief at the start of the third period because Filip Gustavsson was ill.

Fleury thus became the 1st goaltender in history to see playoff action for an 18th year. He overtook Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur in this respect.

But the Knights spoiled the moment by scoring in overtime.

Brett Howden gave his team the win:

The Golden Knights won 3-2 and also have a 3-2 lead in the series.

The next game will be played in Minnesota, by the way. It remains to be seen whether the Wild will be able to force a Game 7…

Extension

– Sick.

– Great reaction!

– Top scorers of the night :

(Credit: NHL.com)

– 3 games tonight, including CH :

(Credit: NHL.com)
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Josh Anderson and Tom Wilson: a rivalry that goes back to junior high school

The series between the Canadiens and the Capitals has left plenty of room for physical play.

Shoulder thrusts, sometimes dubious, and scuffles after the whistle have been commonplace since the start of the post-season showdown between the two teams.

And no players have found themselves in the thick of the action more than Josh Anderson and Tom Wilson.

The two forwards, both of whom enjoy a robust game, had a field day against each other.

In particular, they got into a fight on the Capitals’ bench at the end of the second period in the third game of the match.

In fact, the history between the two players goes back much earlier this season. At the October 31, 2024 game against the Caps in Washington, Anderson dressed up as George Laraque and got into a fight with Wilson.

To the delight of spectators at home, the CH forward got the better of his opponent.

Today, we learn from Kevin Dubé’s article published on TVA Sport that the animosity between the two players is nothing new. [hyperlink]

You have to go back to 2012 when they were playing at junior level to see the origins of this rivalry.

Anderson and Wilson, playing respectively for the London Knights and the Plymouth Whalers in the OHL, fought for the first time on November 12 of that year.

That same season, the two teams faced off in the semi-finals in April 2013, and they engaged in combat from the very first game of the series.

This story didn’t end with the two players’ arrival in the NHL, and on February 6, 2018, they threw down the gloves again while Anderson was playing with the Blue Jackets.

This time, the fight went in favor of the Capitals forward.

In short, the love affair between the two players isn’t exactly new, and it’s a safe bet that we haven’t yet witnessed the final chapter in this modern romance.

In fact, it’s highly likely that the next chapter will take place as early as tomorrow evening.

Fast forward

– Ouch, three years already!

– Any doubts about Toronto?

– A kickoff for the Olympics?

– A Quebec quarterback with the Alouettes!

– What a play!

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Michael Pezzetta must not be an option for tomorrow’s game

The Canadiens, currently trailing 3-1 in their series against the Capitals, are facing elimination and looking for a spark to regain momentum.

One of the areas in which the CH is being outplayed by Washington is toughness.

After the first two games, many journalists and spectators were calling for Arber Xhekaj to be added to the line-up to bring more solidity, which he did in Game 3, without solving the Caps’ problem of physical dominance.

Last night, TVA Sports journalist Anthony Martineau suggested adding Michael Pezzetta to the lineup for tomorrow’s elimination game.

One of the points he makes is that Pezzetta is the kind of player who “hits non-stop and tears his heart out” and that he was hoping to play in the playoffs for the Tricolore.

Personally, I don’t think the forward is the solution for the CH.

A player who plays six minutes a game isn’t going to solve the team’s toughness problem, just as Xhekaj didn’t solve it by playing an average of 11:28 minutes in those two games.

And let’s not forget that the Habs lost three close games to the Capitals where a single goal could have swung all three games in our favor, and the CH could especially use a little offensive contribution from other threes than the first.

Let’s also remember that the Habs have just five goals in their three losses.

And in my opinion, Pezzetta is far from being the solution to the CH’s attack, as he has no points in 25 games this season.

I’ll take Olivier Kapanen ahead of him offensively, even though he’s been rather quiet since the start of the playoffs.

If the Habs absolutely want to add an extra element of toughness to their fourth line, I’d go with our sheriff’s little brother: Florian Xhekaj.

In addition to being able to hit and throw the gloves, the younger Xhekaj also scored 24 goals in his rookie season, a franchise record for the Laval Rocket.

The forward could bring both a physical AND offensive element to the CH’s fourth trio.

Between Florian Xhekaj and Michael Pezzetta , I’m going with the MP without hesitation.

In gusto

– The players arrive in Washington.

– It’s never easy in the playoffs!

– Big game!

– Max’s starting eleven.

– Welcome to Montreal!

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Aaron Ekblad suspended, Niko Mikkola fined: consistency allô

You’ve probably read the phrase “Refereeing is a joke” a couple of times in the last week or so.

This year, it’s not the opinion of one team’s fans in their living room, but what seems to be a league-wide consensus. It’s hard. It’s pretty hard to figure out – from game to game and team to team – what constitutes an infraction and what doesn’t.

In the Canadiens-Capitals series, examples of incongruity abounded. Tom Wilson’s blow to Alexandre Carrier’s head was not punished, during or after the game, nor were Cole Caufield’s and Brendan Gallagher’s cross-checks to the head in games #1 and #2. No penalty, no fine, no slap on the wrist, no suspension. Sweet fuckall.

But the altercations during warm-up… Oh, we’re afraid. We don’t want to see situations that create interest, stakes and an interesting narrative around a series. For pity’s sake…

And now the league has decided to crack down on Aaron Ekblad and Niko Mikkola of the Florida Panthers.

Ekblad has been suspended TWO MATCHES (!) for elbowing Brandon Hagel in the head.

And Mikkola was fined $5,000 for that hit from behind on Zemgus Girgensons.

Warning. We’re not saying it’s undeserved…

But no penalty and no whistle, on the sequence… Before the winning goal.

Good, good good good good. So if I understand correctly, an elbow to the head is a two-game suspension, but a crosscheck in the face of an off-balance Cole Caufield isn’t even a penalty. And a shoulder tap directly to Alexandre Carrier’s head isn’t even a poor whistle (on a play leading to the tying goal). Let’s be serious…

The league is really hard to take seriously right now. The rules aren’t the same for every player, every team, every series, but they can also change along the way.

En Rafale

– Carrier is with the club!

– Big acquisition for the Sparrows.

– Not a question of money between Tocchet and the Nucks.

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Four 1st round picks and Michael Hage for Sidney Crosby: Martin Biron would do it

Speculation surrounding Sidney Crosby and the Montreal Canadiens took on more imposing, but equally speculative, proportions when the Pittsburgh Penguins fired head coach Mike Sullivan last week.

Could the transition to a new coach contribute to Sid ‘s departure for other climes? The question is legitimate, albeit based on conjecture.

In short, the question continues to be the talk of the town, and one proponent of the theories that Crosby is headed for Montreal is certainly Martin Lemay. During the 4 Nations Confrontation, the BPM Sports host stirred up controversy by putting an offer on the table involving Cole Caufield and two first-round picks.

Lemay made a comeback by asking Martin Biron and Éric Bélanger if they’d be willing to give up prospect Michael Hage and three first-round picks in return for #87.

“Not at all,” was Éric Bélanger’s response, not willing to sacrifice his future for a 40-year-old Crosby. The boys rightly reminded him that he’s only 37.

Martin Biron’s response, however, was rather different.

“Absolutely, I’ll take my chariot, go to Pittsburgh, pick up Sidney, give him a bottle of champagne… I’d probably give four first-round picks!”

– Martin Biron

In his opinion, the Habs would be a better team for the next three years and you’d be “there”. Biron doesn’t mind mortgaging the future for the now. He’d pay any price.

That said, Biron doesn’t believe in that possibility for a second. In his opinion, Kyle Dubas will find another head coach for whom Sidney Crosby will want to play, and would be sent “to the moon” if he accepted this offer from Kent Hughes. The Penguins would like “real players”, he says, like Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky or David Reinbacher.

Éric Bélanger retorts that, in any case, Sidney Crosby will be “in a wheelchair” when the Canadiens are ready to win the Stanley Cup.

That sounds like an exaggeration on both sides, personally.

But the discussion is interesting and worth listening to. There has to be a middle ground somewhere.

En Rafale

– The other debate of the day in Le Retour des Sportifs.

– He’s off to Chicago.

– Mark Messier talks about the energy guys important for a long playoff run.

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Draft 2025: The CH really risks having the 16th pick because of the Flames’ choice

The Canadiens will have two picks in the first round of the upcoming draft.

The Flames’ (or the Panthers’, I’ll come back to that) and their own.

And with the lottery less than a week away next Monday… we have to start thinking about the draft.

Here’s what’s important to know: if nothing changes during the lottery next Monday, the Canadiens will pick 16th overall in the draft.

Because if the Flames win the lottery, they’ll have the 6th overall pick (a club can’t advance more than 10 spots by winning the lottery). And since the Flames’ pick is top-10 protected this year, the Habs would benefit from the Panthers’ pick.

But then again, if nothing changes, the Habs will be talking about 16th place.

And the CH is also just one loss away from having the 17th pick in the next draft.

To recap: if the Flames don’t win the lottery next Monday and the Habs are eliminated in the first round of the playoffs against the Caps, the CH will have the 16th and 17th picks in the first round.

Seeing the Habs get the 16th and 17th picks in the upcoming draft would be interesting for these reasons :

1. Because the CH would have the opportunity to select two quality players who could help in the near future….

2. Because it would give Kent Hughes some quality picks to move forward with…

3. Because the Habs would have the resources to pick up a top player via trade…

Let’s not forget that the Habs are also counting on five second-round picks, five third-round picks and five fourth-round picks in the next three years.

Kent Hughes and the CH are armed to the teeth to move if need be :

(Credit: PuckPedia)

The outcome is not official at this time, but all indications are that the Habs will have the opportunity to be dangerous at the next draft with their picks and assets .

It now remains to be seen whether some of these picks/assets could leave via a transaction.

After all, we know that Kent Hughes wants to improve his top-6 for next season…

Gossip

– I like the fit with the white helmet.

– It’s going to be a bumpy ride!

– Sparrow fans… :

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Rick Tocchet won’t be returning to Vancouver

Last week, in Vancouver’s end-of-season review, Jim Rutherford (Canucks president) said that Rick Tocchet’s contract option would not be exercised.

And at the time, it was easy to see that the end was in sight for Tocchet over there.

Today, we learn that the main interested party will not be returning to Vancouver. Elliotte Friedman shared the news on Twitter.

I think the Canucks “look crazy” a little because Rick Tocchet is one of the NHL’s good coaches.

He’s proven himself in the past and in Vancouver, we need an intense guy like him with the group.

But at the same time, if Tocchet openly told the Canucks he didn’t want to come back, the organization had no choice but to let him go. Exercising his option year – knowing that Tocchet wanted to leave – would have created distractions in the dressing room (already not great) because you need a coach who wants to be there.

As is the case with Mike Sullivan, expect to see Rick Tocchet land a new job pretty quickly.

And in Tocchet’s case, it’s really the Philadelphia Flyers’ name that’s attached to him right now – and has been for a few days now.

As soon as the Flyers announced the dismissal of John Tortorella, some made the connection between Tocchet and the Philly organization, since the coach is capable of being tough with his players.

With the Flyers’ culture, there may be an interesting fit:

Let’s also remember that Daniel Brière and Rick Tocchet once played together in the National League in Arizona (98-99 season).

The two men know each other well, the Flyers are looking for a coach, Tocchet is no longer part of the Canucks organization…

There are easy links to be made between the Flyers and Rick Tocchet, to put it another way.

And we’ll have to keep an eye on this one with interest, because I really have a feeling we could see the Flyers make an announcement soon.

If they don’t, he’ll be stolen from the organization.

Breaking news

– Good listening!

– Absolutely.

– I’ve always liked his potential.

– Really?

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In 4 games, Danault has already almost doubled his offensive production for the 2021 series

I think you’ll agree with me when I say that Phillip Danault has played a very important role in the Canadiens’ playoff run in the summer of 2021.

He was given the mandate to slow down the other teams’ best players, and he’s done his job to perfection.

Without him, the Canadiens would probably never have reached the Stanley Cup finals. That’s also why his departure, a few months after the final loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, didn’t go down well with many.

The Quebecer had been excellent defensively, but hadn’t necessarily been able to contribute offensively.

In 22 playoff games… Danault scored just once and added three assists. Not an exceptional performance.

It’s ironic because this year, we’re seeing a new Phillip Danault in the playoffs with the Kings.

The Los Angeles player has collected seven points (!), including two goals, in just four games since the start of his team’s series against the Oilers, and he already has almost twice as many points as in the playoffs in 2021.

For a defensive player…

Phillip Danault had never scored more than five points in a single playoff season.

But this year, it looks like he’s putting something different on his cereal in the morning.

The center is in a position to redeem a more disappointing season too. Danault scored just eight times in his fourth season in Los Angeles, and he had his worst campaign offensively.

He wasn’t atrocious, but he wasn’t as effective as in recent years :

(Credit: HockeyDB)

Danault is in the 4th season (of 6) of his contract with the Kings.

And so far, he’s been eliminated by the Oilers three times since arriving in Los Angeles.

Maybe he’s tired of losing to the Oilers in the first round, too, and it’s motivating him to produce like he’s Connor McDavid… Hehe.

In gusto

– Brandon Hagel will miss game #5.

– To be continued.

– The Hurricanes can eliminate the Devils tonight.

– That would be something.

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Toronto journalist falls on Auston Matthews’ head

In Toronto, expectations are high.

The market there is intense because of media pressure, and when the team or a player doesn’t perform up to expectations, you always hear about it.

Always.

In recent years, John Tavares has found himself at the heart of several criticisms.

It’s also been the case with William Nylander and Mitch Marner… but right now, it’s the club captain who’s in this situation.

At least, Steve Simmons (Toronto Sun) was keen to spit on Auston Matthews for “his disappointing playoff performance”.

The journalist considers that Matthews needs to give more for his salary:

It’s hard to believe that this is Matthews’ ninth season in Toronto and that despite all the direct deposits he’s received into his bank account since then, his talent still hasn’t paid off when it matters most. – Steve Simmons

TVA Sports also published an article on the subject.

Right now, Steve Simmons’ exit is unjustified.

Why do I say that? Because the Leafs have a 3-1 series lead over the Sens.

Because Matthews isn’t 100%, because he’s still got six points in four games and because he’s also physically involved.

He has handed out 10 body checks since the start of the playoffs. And even then, we know he’s not at the top of his game.

But in Toronto, it’s the same thing all the time.

There’s frustration because the team hasn’t been able to achieve playoff success. The club’s best players have struggled to deliver the goods for several years, and that has an impact on the rest.

That said, Marner (seven points), Matthews (six points), Nylander (six points) and Tavares (five points) have been really good since the start of the series against the Sens, and there’s no reason for them to fall on their faces right now.

In gusto

– Cole Caufield sends flowers to Ivan Demidov.

– Great experience for him.

– Starting tomorrow, by the way!

– Oh.