Author: Dose

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Dan Bylsma fired: Another door open for Pascal Vincent

Last year, in May, Dan Bylsma was hired by the Kraken as head coach.

The club didn’t make the playoffs… and the organization made the decision today to fire Bylsma.

In the end, he spent just one season behind the Kraken’s bench.

The decision is surprising in a way, because it’s rare to see a coach fired after just one season with the organization.

Clearly, there was a desire to change things/send a message to management, and Seattle’s management took the necessary steps to do so.

This news came a little out of the blue…

The Kraken – in 25-26 – will be in his fifth season in the National League.

And looking ahead to next season… there will already be a third different coach to lead the team since its arrival on the Bettman circuit.

That’s a lot. And it reminds me a lot of the Montreal CF…

No joke, the Kraken will have to find a new head coach, and Pascal Vincent’s name is sure to come up in discussions there.

Vincent won the title of best head coach of the season in the American League and will be courted this summer. It remains to be seen whether the Kraken will be among the interested candidates…

In the last few days, Greg Cronin (Ducks) and Pete Laviolette (Rangers) also lost their jobs.

The Flyers have also fired John Tortorella… and Philadelphia will be looking for a new head coach this summer.

To put it another way, there are a number of vacancies at the moment for Pascal Vincent.

If his goal is to return to the NHL at all costs, he’ll probably be getting calls…

The fit in Seattle – as in Philly – would also make sense because Vincent has proven himself capable of working with youngsters.

Seattle has some great players (Beniers, Wright, Kakko, Berkly Catton)… but they need to find the guy who can take them to the top.

Pascal Vincent has what it takes to be the right man for the job. Now the question is, will he get his chance?

Gossip

– Wow.

– Still.

– Ouain.

– MLB news:

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Playoff ticket prices: It’s (much) cheaper to see the CH in Washington

It’s a wild ride! Tonight, the Canadiens begin their first-round series against the Washington Capitals.

Excitement is running high around town. There’s a big buzz around the CH right now, and that’s perfect: it’s been a long time, after all, since we’ve experienced playoff fever in Montreal.

And that’s good.

The CH will be playing the first game of their series in Washington, and ticket prices for the game aren’t super-expensive.

On the TicketMaster website, tickets are priced at $70-80 US.

Of course, these tickets are installed at the top of the amphitheatre, but still: at that price, to attend a playoff game… it’s not much.

(Credit: TicketMaster )

It’s not huge, because in Montreal, prices for the first playoff game at the Bell Centre are aberrant.

Want to see the CH vs Capitals game at the Bell Centre on Friday?

You’d better get your pennies out… because on TicketMaster, the cheapest ticket right now – at the top of the Bell Centre – comes in at an individual price of $453.75 :

(Credit: TicketMaster)

The difference is still quite noticeable.

Ticket prices in Montreal are very expensive indeed… but that’s supply and demand too.

Because we know that the Bell Centre is going to be full in spite of everything.

Playoff tickets are going like hotcakes because there’s a lot of interest in the Habs in Quebec right now.

That said, it also shows that things are done differently in Montreal – for better or for worse.

Fans are passionate, and they’re also hungry right now: it’s been a while since we’ve seen the Habs play major games, and fans want to be there to witness it all.

And let’s not forget that Ivan Demidov’s arrival contributes to this madness too. Fans will want to be there to see him face Alex Ovechkin in the playoffs…

In gusto

– He’s so underrated.

– 5-3 CH.

– Bon.

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Pascal Vincent wins American League Coach of the Year award

Pascal Vincent is in his first season behind the bench of the Laval Rocket.

And the club’s pilot has truly succeeded in his mission.

The Rocket finished the campaign in first place overall in the AHL, and that’s something to celebrate. Pascal Vincent really worked hard with the team in 24-25.

And his efforts were rewarded.

Pascal Vincent won the Louis A.R. Pieri Award, which is presented annually to the best coach of the season in the American League.

A fine achievement for the man who agreed to return to the AHL after three seasons with Columbus in the NHL (two as assistant and one as head coach):

It’s been the talk of the town for some time: there could be offers on the table for Vincent this summer.

And when I say “offers”… I’m mostly referring to “offers from the National League”.

After all, Pascal Vincent has proved himself to be a quality coach.

He helped his club finish the season in 1st place overall in the league by working with young players and trusting the guys in place.

He helped Florian Xhekaj have an outstanding season, he was able to revive Sean Farrell (who had an atrocious start to the season) and he helped his club win 48 games out of 72 (!) because he had a good game plan in place.

All this to say that Pascal Vincent deserves flowers. And to see him rewarded for the season he had with the Rocket is really good for him.

It’s perhaps a little less so for the CH, since it could lose its AHL coach this summer… but hey.

Extension

After securing first place in the AHL standings, Pascal Vincent said he was proud of his players.

He would have deserved his place in the spotlight, but he wanted to give it to his boys.

It just goes to show how much the team means to him:

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Jim Rutherford: “We know that Quinn Hughes wants to play with his brothers”

The Vancouver Canucks have had a truly disappointing season.

They were unable to qualify for the playoffs… due to a number of factors.

Elias Pettersson’s performance, the Pettersson/Miller conflict, Quinn Hughes missing games (14) due to injury: all these factors had an impact on the team’s success on the ice.

It’s clear that the team’s management doesn’t know which way to turn.

In fact, I say that because Jim Rutherford (President) sounded a little crazy today at his end-of-season review.

Speaking of Hughes’ future in Vancouver, Rutherford said that the organization’s goal is to keep him with the team… but Rutherford also said out loud that he knows Hughes wants the chance to play with his two brothers, Jack and Luke.

So the team president “opened the door” to seeing the Canucks trade for Jack and Luke… but in reality, he doesn’t sound like a guy who expects to see all three brothers playing in Vancouver anytime soon.

He (Quinn Hughes) has already said he wants to play with his brothers. That’s out of our control. – Jim Rutherford

We agree: the Canucks aren’t going to trade for Jack and Luke Hughes. The reason is simple: it would cost too much… and the Canucks don’t necessarily have the resources to make a deal like that.

That said, we can clearly expect some big changes this summer in Vancouver.

Quinn Hughes’ contract ($7.85 million per year) expires at the end of the 2027 season, but the Canucks could trade him now to maximize his value.

Because right now, his value is at an all-time high.

Elite 25-year-old defensemen like him aren’t exactly a dime a dozen, after all… and if the Canucks want to move on to another story – which seems to be the case with Rutherford’s exit – now would be a good time to send him elsewhere :

(Credit: HockeyDB)

Jim Rutherford didn’t openly say that the Canucks would trade their star defenseman this summer.

But just referring to the fact that he wants to play with his brothers adds fuel to the rumor mill when it comes to Quinn Hughes’ future in Vancouver.

Breaking news

– Whew…

– Yikes.

– Can’t wait to see it.

– 🤣

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Sidney Crosby would love to play in Montreal, says former Penguins goalie

It’s April 21st. In a few hours, the Canadiens will begin their series against the Capitals, the first since their defeat in the Stanley Cup Final in 2021.

As for the Penguins, they played their last regular game last Thursday against the Capitals. Since they won’t be making the playoffs, the players could empty their lockers and head off to the four corners of the globe.

Most of the players have already left Pennsylvania, notably to head for the seaside, but the organization’s players still battling injury have been mandated to remain in Pittsburgh to continue their rehab.

These injured players skated this morning..

And Sidney Crosby joined them. He was spotted alongside Pierre-Olivier Joseph and Rutger McGroarty.

“What, Sid the Kid is hurt?”

No! Crosby is built different.

Jean Trudel and I interviewed Louis Domingue in the last few days for a special extra bacon episode of Stanley25. The Rangers goalie had this to say about Crosby, after I reminded him of the time #87 was spotted skating in Mont-Tremblant during a break in Penguins activities:

“You don’t understand. It wasn’t an adon […] Sidney Crosby is exactly what this story represents. During the breaks, he always goes out into the cold, and then he always brings his pocket […] they all go to Cabo. You want to meet an NHL player, go to Cabo during the break there.” –Louis Domingue on Sidney Crosby

Could Crosby come play in Montreal according to Louis Domingue, who played with the Penguins in 2021-22?

Is Montreal an attractive city for autonomous players?

“Montreal can be attractive for autonomous players, without Hutson, without Demidov. Absolutely, it’s Montreal […] He would love to play in Montreal. He’s a great competitor. It’s exactly the kind of business he likes, but he’s an extremely loyal guy. He’s committed to Pittsburgh; I see him as a penguin for life.” –Louis Domingue, who promised Crosby would make the playoffs next year, in Pittsburgh

So forget about Crosby in Montreal, according to Louis Domingue… even though Kent Hughes has already asked a former Canadien if he should go after Sidney Crosby.

Louis Domingue was generous and didn’t play the tape
Domingue also told 9millions how difficult it was to spend two months in the Edmonton bubble in 2020, the challenges of being the goalie on a team’s cab squad in 2021-22, the weeks when he had to rent ice time himself at 6:00 a.m. (with Shane Doan and his son) to stay in shape, the time he was traded to the Remparts and slept (without Patrick) in Patrick Roy’s huge mansion, Roy’s mind games when he was his coach in Quebec City, his “squabble” with Pat and their reconciliation, the time Jonathan Marchessault helped him forgive someone, the time he realized he was never going to play for the Montreal Canadiens, his desire to play for the Laval Rocket next year and much more.

Happy listening (or viewing).

If you like what Jean and I are doing with Stanley25, don’t hesitate to subscribe to our Patreon page. There’s a free subscription and another for about $10. It’s the best way to support us. Paid subscribers receive exclusive content and have access to several interesting contests.

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Welcome back to the playoffs, Josh Anderson

Let’s go back in time, when we were talking about Josh Anderson’s market value.

What did we say in the last few years? That we should capitalize on his value (if it existed), because Josh Anderson is the kind of guy whose best use is in the playoffs.

And clearly, we didn’t expect Anderson to make the playoffs so quickly in Montreal. We thought he’d be more magical (even though he probably is right now) the day the CH returned to the playoffs.

But for better or worse, he’s still in Montreal.

This season, Anderson has been an inspiration to the guys in the dressing room. Playing through injuries has allowed him to stand out and inspire the rest of his team. #FourthStar

And now he’s been rewarded with a playoff appearance.

For the CH, this is a good thing, as it means Anderson will be back in the playoffs. He doesn’t need to have his coach explain to him that he’s not just there to participate, clearly.

It’s worth remembering that in 2021, he had an impact on the Habs. His style of play was perfect for the playoffs.

Seeing him play with Brendan Gallagher (who’s also giving it his all) and Christian Dvorak this year will bring something really interesting to a trio that’s been working well since the start of the 2024-2025 season.

But I especially like to remember that in 2019, when he was in Columbus, his club swept the Lightning. And even though he’d been quiet offensively, Steve Yzerman had said his club had “no answer” against Josh Anderson.

That’s saying a lot.

This kind of player, described as “hard to play against” in the playoffs, is important once the first 82 games are over. And that’s why I’m sure the talk in the dressing room right now is that getting Josh Anderson back into the playoffs is a good thing.

Welcome back to the playoffs, Josh Anderson.

in gossip

– CH: the guys play for each other.

– Martin St-Louis: the CH is different from October.

– The coach is ready.

– Will he play game #2? He’s an option.

– He won’t be playing tonight.

– He’s strong.

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Dylan Larkin sends a message to Steve Yzerman: he didn’t like his GM’s inaction in March

Last March, Kent Hughes stayed put at the trade deadline.

That went down well in Montreal, since it meant veterans weren’t traded. Thanks to Jake Evans, who signed a contract extension, by the way.

Seeing Oliver Kapanen and Ivan Demidov come to town was also a game-changer, but in March, there were no reinforcements. The club wasn’t there yet, and that’s fine.

But staying put isn’t always a good thing.

For clubs that are theoretically more advanced in their rebuilding process, such inaction can be perceived as a disavowal of the group already in place.

And that brings us to the Red Wings.

In Detroit, the club was inactive at the deadline, and Dylan Larkin (the club’s captain, after all) used his end-of-season press conference to send his message to Steve Yzerman, the club’s CEO.

Obviously, as captain, he often speaks on behalf of the group.

And to see him say, following another season where the club wasn’t able to get back into the playoffs, that he wasn’t happy to see his boss’s inaction at the deadline… let’s just say it sends a big message.

Yzerman’s magic as a player in Detroit or as GM in Tampa Bay doesn’t seem to translate to his role as GM of the Red Wings. The Yzerplan isn’t working too well and the club isn’t really progressing.

What’s it going to take over there? Who knows.

in brief

– The Stars player is making progress.

– No surprises here.

– Read more.

– Speaking of an original club that disappointed this season.

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Canadien: no surprises on the identity of the extras

This morning, the Canadiens’ reserves took to the ice in Washington.

And to no one’s surprise, Martin St-Louis didn’t hesitate to change his lineup from what we saw in game #82 a few days ago at the Bell Centre.

Oliver Kapanen, Arber Xhekaj, Michael Pezzetta and Jakub Dobes skated. They should logically skip their turn for tonight’s game.

We’ll have to expect the Sheriff to play at some point in the series, but it made sense not to have him in the lineup from the start of the series against the Capitals.

You don’t change a winning formula, after all… and Xhekaj has often bailed out.

If there’s ever a big shake-up, Jayden Struble had better respond. Otherwise, it’ll be easy to get WiFi on the ice for Game 2 to face Tom Wilson and his gang.

To be continued in due course.

In front of the net, we know Samuel Montembeault will be there. But on the other side, we can increasingly expect Logan Thompson to take his place despite his absence in recent weeks.

When you leave training first, it’s a sign.

Details to come…

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If Pierre-Luc Dubois were to dominate against the Canadiens…

That’s it: it all starts tonight.

It’s been four years since there’s been playoff field hockey involving the Canadiens. And tonight, for the first time since the last game of the 2021 Stanley Cup Final, there will be playoff field hockey for the Habs.

And it smells like field hockey in the city…

Among the issues to watch out for on the Washington side, it’s worth noting thatfacing Pierre-Luc Dubois will be a really interesting story in the series against the Habs.

It’s a story that should have people talking…

This isn’t the first time Dubois has faced the CH in the playoffs. In 2021, when he was still playing for the Winnipeg Jets, Dubois had just one assist in four games.

He didn’t break anything in the playoffs, but it was in the middle of the season when he was traded for the first time in his pro career.

(Credit: ESPN)

But in 2025, it’s different. After all, he’s more used to moving around, he’s in the midst of his best career season, he’s in an environment where he feels good…

And above all, since 2021, there’s been the “episode with the Habs” that changes the game. You know what I mean.

We didn’t think the CH would face Dubois in the playoffs as early as 2025 (a year ago, Dubois was in the West and the CH wasn’t even #InTheMix yet), but here we are.

And it’s bound to be emotional for the player. And if he were to dominate, he wouldn’t be winning any sympathy points around town – although that’s certainly not what he’s looking for right now.

I don’t see a world in which the player wants to look bad against the Habs. I don’t see a world in which the Quebecer will want to open the door to criticism from the local media following ugly performances.

Nor do I see a world in which he’ll want to lose to his friend David Savard, who hosted him in Columbus at the start of his career and is now just a few weeks away from retirement.

Because Dubois ended up choosing Los Angeles (for better or worse) over Montreal by necessity in 2023, I wonder if the guys in Montreal’s magnificent dressing room will have any extra motivation.

And that’s even though they surely know that Dubois would be the ideal center for Ivan Demidov right now…

in gossip

– Interesting point of view.

– Happy birthday to Vincent Lecavalier.

– The Lions are in action tonight.

– Interesting.

– The news hits the sports world.

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The Capitals brought their kids to yesterday’s practice: we’ll see if that takes the focus off them

Are we going to criticize the Washington Capitals players for taking care of their children? Of course not.

But can we question the relevance of seeing a practice, the day before a playoff game, end with the players’ children on the ice? Yes, we can.

Because that’s what happened yesterday in Washington.

As you can see from the images emanating from Washington yesterday, Caps players finished training with their youngsters. So it didn’t practice very hard towards the end.

But hey: even though the club has won absolutely nothing in the playoffs since the 2018 Stanley Cup, we hear in a news report that the club has been successful for years already. #WinningRecipe

It doesn’t smell like field hockey right now in Washington, and it’s starting a bit with Alex Ovechkin, who spoke to the media after his team’s “practice” yesterday. And he said something funny.

He said this:

You can’t focus too much the night before a game. – Alex Ovechkin

We’re not saying the Capitals will lose because of this. But what we are saying is that not taking training seriously can sometimes give a team overconfidence, which can then slip away.

Renaud Lavoie broached the subject this morning on BPM Sports, recalling that in 2021, the Jets took the CH lightly in training. It was the same thing with the 1993 Nordiques.

We might add that the Maple Leafs of 2021, while leading the Habs 3-1 in the first round, put on some music at practice. We remember the end result.

So we ask again: are the Capitals ready?

in a row

– Read more.

– Juraj Slafkovsky must stand up in the playoffs. [BPM Sports]

– Happy reading.

– Interesting.

– Hum…