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Top-5: Connor McDavid’s 1000th point (already)

Yesterday in the NHL, there were 10 games.

Obviously, we had to keep an eye on whether Connor McDavid would reach the 1,000-point plateau.

Here are the results and highlights:

1. A 1000th point for Connor McDavid

As the Oilers hosted the Preds, we had to watch to see if McDavid would reach the 1,000-point plateau.

In the first period, he came very close.

But that was only the end of the story.

Moments later, he foiled Scott Wedgewood.

Papa McDavid was proud of his son!

The Oilers captain reached this plateau in 659 games and became the fourth player in history to reach this plateau the fastest.

As Frank Seravalli pointed out, to put things in perspective, he reached 1,000 points in 98 fewer games than Sidney Crosby, in 189 fewer games than Evgeni Malkin and in 211 fewer games than Alex Ovechkin.

What a player!

This beautiful evening in Alberta ended 3-2 in overtime thanks to Darnell Nurse, who capitalized on a pass from McDavid.

2. A 300th victory for Andrei Vasilevskiy

In addition to McDavid, another field hockey player could reach a very important plateau yesterday.

Andrei Vasilevskiy could reach the 300th NHL victory plateau. And with a win at the hands of the NHL’s top team, the Jets, the Russian reached that mark and became the fastest goaltender in history to reach the plateau.

He achieved this feat in just 490 games, while Jacques Plante did it in 521.

Still!

Sergei Bobrovsky ranks third (541 games), having reached that plateau earlier this season.

In the game between Tampa Bay and Winnipeg, the Lightning goaltender made 23 saves on 24 shots.

Final score: 4-1.

3. Matvei Michkov puts on a show in Ottawa

Matvei Michkov has clearly learned his lesson.

After being left out of two games, all he does is score. Yesterday, in Ottawa, he showed the extent of his talent with a superb goal in overtime.

A heartbreaking defeat for the Sens, who led 4-2 midway through the third period.

But of course, the visitors never gave up and scored back-to-back goals.

In defeat, Thomas Chabot (two assists), Josh Norris (a goal and an assist) and Ridly Greig (two assists) picked up two points for Ottawa.

4. Oskar Back and Jonathan Lekkerimaki score their first NHL goals

While Connor McDavid scored his 1,000th point, two young players scored their first NHL goals.

Oskar Back (Stars) and Jonathan Lekkerimaki (Canucks) found the back of the net for the first time in their NHL careers.

First, Back scored a one-handed goal.

Stars win with a touchdown and a one-point conversion against Boston.

Here’s Lekkerimaki’s goal:

Vancouver lost 5-2.

Bo Horvat was back in British Columbia for the second time since his trade. He collected two assists.

5. Sam Reinhart overtakes Cole Caufield

The NHL’s top scorer is no longer Cole Caufield.

That title now belongs to Sam Reinhart, who scored his 13th goal of the season yesterday.

The Panthers’ other goal was scored by Jesper Boqvist.

What a goal!

But in a 6-2 Devils victory, the real hero was Jesper Bratt.

He scored a hat trick.

Jack Hughes also had a good game (three points).

He also contributed with his strong play.

Extension

– Nice save.

– A battle of the heavyweights.

– Goalie goal!

– Ouch!

– A 200th goal for Jayden Schwartz.

– Top scorers from the previous day.

(Credit: NHL.com)

– Five games on the bill tonight.

(Credit: Google)

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Capitals delighted with Pierre-Luc Dubois’ performance

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 23: Pierre-Luc Dubois #80 of the Washington Capitals celebrates his goal against the Philadelphia Flyers during the third period of a game at Capital One Arena on October 23, 2024 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Jess Rapfogel/NHLI via Getty Images)

On June 27, 2023, the Kings thought they had made the biggest acquisition of the off-season. They had acquired Pierre-Luc Dubois.

The experiment didn’t even last a year, as last June he was traded to the Capitals.

Clearly, playing without pressure and moderate expectations are smiling on the Québécois. In Washington, he’s a changed player, so much so that a few weeks ago, his coach said he was the Caps’ best player.

What you need to know is that Washington is still greatly pleased with the Québécois’ performance.

The Capitals are very happy. That’s what Pierre LeBrun told RDS during the first intermission of the Canadiens-Wild game.

In 15 games this season, PLD has nine points, but only one goal. But night after night, he plays against the best opposing trios. In the dressing room and on the ice, he maintains a great attitude. It’s the facet of his game that most impresses GM Chris Patrick.

When Alex Ovechkin’s team acquired PLD, it wasn’t necessarily unanimous, but after ten games or so, we can say that the trade with the Kings was a success.

It must be said that Patrick only gave away Darcy Kuemper…

For PLD, the change was good for him, and he’ll be able to witness history in the very near future, as Ovi breaks Wayne Gretzky’s goal-scoring record.

Overtime

– Nice shot.

– Jets: first in NHL, 30th in attendance.

– Very nice game.

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Logan Mailloux has nothing left to learn offensively in the AHL

LAVAL, QC - OCTOBER 18: Look on Laval Rocket defenseman Logan Mailloux (24) during the game between the Rochester Americans versus the Laval Rocket on October 18, 2023 at Place Bell in Laval, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

In his first season in the AHL, Logan Mailloux did well.

He racked up 47 points (14 goals) in 72 games, and there was nothing to say about his offensive production.

That said, he’s continued to build on his momentum from the start of the Rocket’s campaign.

Mailloux has played five games with the Habs (and scored three points), but it’s really in Laval that he stands out as a dominant player.

The 21-year-old defenseman has 12 points in his first seven AHL games of the season… And that leads me to say this: Mailloux has nothing left to learn down there offensively.

He’s proven himself, even if the sample size is small. And I agree with Grant McCagg when he says that Mailloux will be a top-4 defenseman for a long time in the National League:

Looking strictly at his offensive performance, it would be easy to say that Logan Mailloux deserves to be recalled by the Canadiens.

But we know what the rub is with him.

Mailloux needs to work on his defensive game, as do many 21-year-old defensemen. He needs to perfect his game… And I wonder if that’s what the Canadiens are waiting for before giving him a real chance in the NHL.

A few games here and there is all well and good… But it’s not as if he’s had enough time to find his place in the Habs lineup.

That said, his development is interesting to watch because Mailloux is improving rapidly.

He’s already starting to become one of the best players in the AHL at just 21 years of age, and that’s usually good for the progression curve of a prospect like him.

Because if it weren’t for his defensive game, he’d probably be playing with the Canadiens right now…

Overtime

– Logical.

– He’s got emotions, too.

– MLB news.

– It’s going to be a bumpy ride.

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Fourth goal in four games for John Tavares

It was a quiet night in the NHL last night, with only five games played.

But there was plenty of action.

Here are the results and highlights:

1. A fourth goal in four games for John Tavares

I don’t know if being demoted to an assistant captain helped John Tavares, but in 2024-2025, he’s playing some very good hockey.

In 17 games, he has 16 points and is clearly one of the Leafs’ best players.

Yesterday, he scored his fourth goal in four games to give his team victory in overtime.

Not only is he able to score, he also feeds his teammates very well.

Check this out :

Late in the game, with Toronto trailing by one, Mitch Marner scored to force overtime.

And that fourth period finally smiled on Toronto thanks to a goal from their former captain.

2. Utah puts the brakes on Carolina

The Hurricanes have been playing some great hockey lately, but unfortunately, they came up against a dominant Utah lineup.

Carolina lost 4-1, thanks to three goals in 2:19.

By the end of the game, tempers had flared.

And the frustration on the visitors’ side began to show.

Karel Vejmelka was the big hero of the game.

The guy stopped 49 of the 50 shots he faced.

3. Hat trick for Mikko Rantanen

In Colorado, Mikko Rantanen stole the show.

However, in the first period, Adrian Kempe scored both Kings’ goals.

Rantanen, meanwhile, scored one more and completed his hat trick in an empty net.

He is the first player this season to collect two three-goal games.

Well posted in the enclave, it was he who scored the winning goal.

Final score: 4-2 Avs.

4. 20 assists for Jack Eichel already

In the final game of the night, the Golden Knights visited the Anaheim Ducks.

Vegas came out on top 3-2.

And in the victory, Jack Eichel picked up another assist, his 20th of the season.

He is the second player to achieve such a feat this season. The first was Nathan MacKinnon. Eichel, who ranks third in the NHL in scoring, is still eight points behind MacKinnon and first place.

Shea Theodore (Knights) and Brett Leason (Ducks), with two assists, were the only skaters in the game with two points.

5. Bryan Rust ridicules the Wings

In the Penguins-Red Wings match, the game went into overtime in favor of the visitors.

But that didn’t stop Bryan Rust from spoiling himself. He went to great lengths to foil everyone.

A great play that got the Pens back into the game.

A little later, they created a tie to force overtime, but it was the Wings who won.

Simon Edvinsson scored the winning goal.

Detroit is back to .500 and just one point away from the playoffs.

Two points for Patrick Kane in the win.

Extension

– Super Reaves.

– He’s on fire.

– A 1000th game for OEL.

– Top scorers from the previous day.

(Credit: NHL.com)

– A great night of hockey ahead.

(Credit: Google)

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Acquiring Kris Letang: “Why don’t we bring Santa Claus, while we’re at it?”

Nov 25, 2022; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang (58) against the Philadelphia Flyers in the third period at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

In connection with the Penguins’ poor start to the season, we heard earlier this week that all players would be available in Pittsburgh… Except Sidney Crosby.

And then, understandably, the rumour mill in Montreal started churning about Kris Letang.

After all, how long has his name been linked to the Canadiens?

The idea may be interesting, given that Letang throws right-handed, brings leadership to the dressing room and has already won the Stanley Cup… But it’s the defenseman’s contract that poses the biggest problem.

At 37, he’s in the third year (of six) of a deal that pays him $6.1 million per season. He’ll be 41 when his contract expires, and we’re already seeing a certain regression in his game.

Letang has just six points in 18 games this season…

That said, the subject was discussed several times yesterday on BPM Sports, and Tony Marinaro summed it up perfectly in just a few words.

Because financially and in terms of Letang’s contract, the idea of acquiring him is illogical :

Eille! At the end of his contract, he’ll be 41. Why don’t we bring in Santa Claus, while we’re at it? – Tony Marinaro

Letang has his qualities and we know what they are.

We’re also going to need veterans to mentor the younger players on the blue line (especially if David Savard leaves), and Letang could be ideal for that role.

But there are other veteran defensemen out there… And there are others who cost less and are younger.

If Letang were younger, we wouldn’t even ask. But at 37, his golden years are behind him and the Canadiens don’t need to run the risk of adding a ball and chain that will hurt their bottom line, even if the Penguins keep part of his salary.

And on the other hand, it doesn’t fit in with Kent Hughes’ plan, who isn’t looking to add talent tomorrow by sacrificing his future.

Because let’s face it: the Penguins aren’t going to give Letang away for free to any NHL club. The price is likely to be high, and it wouldn’t be worth paying for a declining defenseman who will celebrate his 38th birthday next April.

Oh, and don’t forget his injury history…

In the end, Tony Marinaro is right: acquiring Kris Letang won’t help the Canadiens.

Maybe in the short term, but I can’t see Kent Hughes spending money on a player who won’t be able to help the club for years to come.

Overtime

– It’s crowded at the top!

– It looks like this.

– It’s up to him to seize it.

– Logical.

– Wow…

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Two points for Oliver Kapanen in his first game in Sweden

Oliver Kapanen is back in Sweden.

The Canadiens’ prospect, who had the chance to play a few games in the NHL at the start of the season before being sent back to Europe, made his debut with Timrå IK today.

And he stood out with two points.

We’ve seen that he has great vision in his short time in Montreal, and he showed off his passing skills today.

The center forward was an accomplice on two of his team’s three goals (including one in overtime) and helped his club win the game 3-2.

He made his entrance:

Obviously, there was a little disappointment on his part when the Canadiens decided to send him back to Sweden.

That’s normal, because he’s had a taste of the NHL and had a good camp to earn his spot at the start of the season.

But obviously, the kid arrived in Europe with the right attitude and it was the right thing to do.

He’s still dreaming of the NHL… And his primary goal is to establish himself as a regular player with the Habs next year, according to what Patrik Bexell reported on Twitter:

Before he arrived in North America in September, Olli Jokinen (his coach with Timrå IK) said he was too good for the league in Sweden.

That said, Kapanen picked up two points in his very first game and things are off to the best possible start for him.

It remains to be seen whether he’ll be able to keep up the pace between now and the end of the campaign. That would be good news for his development!

Overtime

– Nathan MacKinnon is too strong.

– Promising.

– Really cool.

– McDavid could make history tonight.

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Sidney Crosby’s contract is at the center of many rumors

Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images

The NHL trade deadline is fast approaching. But why not talk about rumours?

As the American Thanksgiving approaches, it’s clear that teams will be increasingly open to the possibility of making transactions across the league.

That opens the door to a little more rumor mongering.

For example? According to Darren Dreger, there’s one team that’s talking to other teams a little more than the others about possible trades: the Sabres.

It’s not abnormal to talk to other executives in November, but the Sabres are more engaged than average on the phone, let’s say.

He mentions that Bowen Byram’s name is in circulation, but that it would take something big to get him out of Buffalo. So don’t bet big on it.

All this is motivated by the Sabres’ start to the season, of course.

But the Sabres aren’t the only ones to watch. After all, after seeing the Penguins trade Lars Eller, we can expect more of the same in the coming weeks.

In fact, in Pittsburgh, the changes are just beginning.

Among the club’s big guns, it seems unlikely that Evgeni Malkin or Kristopher Letang would leave… even though “everyone but #87” would be available in Pennsylvania.

Erik Karlsson is a name to watch, though.

Of course, that brings us to Sidney Crosby’s contract. His new contract (2025-2027) has been structured to make him tradeable in 2026-2027, as you know.

And this week, Pierre LeBrun made a point of reminding us of this.

Of course, we’re not days away from seeing Crosby go… and if I had to bet, I’d say he’s still going to finish his career in the colors of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

But if he does, who knows what could happen.

Overtime

– Of note.

– The club stays in Tampa Bay in 2025.

– Good news.

– Yes.

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Habs should call up Luke Tuch just to make a point

MONTREAL, QC - SEPTEMBER 14: Look on Montreal Canadiens left wing Luke Tuch (88) during the Toronto Maple Leafs versus the Montreal Canadiens preseason prospect showdown game on September 14, 2024, at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

You know what I’d like to see the Habs do?

With Lucas Condotta already in the lineup, the club is two additions away from having a fourth line that is more “traditional” and could bring a different flavor to the Canadiens’ recipe.

The “Michael Pezzetta” spice is in the cupboard and not hard to find. And all you have to do is go to the store to- don’t be disappointed, but I’ll stop my dubious culinary links here.

To add a third element to a fourth line of energy, a Luke Tuch encore might do.

Picture this: the Habs insert el Pezz into the lineup and recall Tuch. Both play with Condotta and force Martin St-Louis to leave two regulars out for a game.

Then you send Tuch back down (as was done at the end of the preparatory schedule) and Pezzetta into the stands.

What this would do is not only give the Habs a real fourth line for once (I don’t see them keeping it long term), but it would also send a message.

There would be two messages.

Message number one? Recalling Tuch ahead of a guy like Joshua Roy (which isn’t impossible) would send a message to some of the guys in Laval that moving up wouldn’t be easy.

And the other message is that two regular players would go into the stands to make room for Luke Tuch and Michael Pezzetta (who deserves to play) for just a few minutes during the game.

Nobody’s going to tell me that wouldn’t shake some guys up .

Because the Canadiens aren’t willing/able to shake things up by making big trades, we have to start somewhere to change the dynamic a little. It may seem like nothing, but giving it a try would be better than nothing, wouldn’t it?

What would the Habs lose by trying?

Overtime

– Read more.

– We’re moving towards that.

– Oh.

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The Canadiens must recreate the pressure of having 3 goalies like last year

MONTREAL, QC - APRIL 09: Cayden Primeau (30) of the Montreal Canadiens congratulates teammate Sam Montembeault (35) at the end of the NHL game between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Montreal Canadiens on April 9, 2024, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by Vincent Ethier/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

I’m not one of those who thought Kent Hughes was wrong to give Jake Allen a two-year contract extension (2023-2025). At the time, it was the right thing to do.

And even if he had to be traded in 2024, the fact remains that the Habs miss Allen (a little) right now.

I often said, before the 2023-2024 season, that if the Canadiens traded Allen, they’d quickly want another Allen. And in terms of leadership, I don’t think I’m in the ballpark.

Even though I was one of those last year who thought the three-way should end to see what the youngsters had up their sleeves, I’ve never completely disliked the concept.

First of all, the three keepers never wept publicly. They handled it like pros.

And if they say that it’s when something is taken away that you realize its value, it’s clear that seeing Jake Allen prevent Samuel Montembeault from being a #1 and Cayden Primeau from being a regular, makes you realize that the ménage à trois, at some point, was working.

Does that mean we should have gone for James Reimer or Kaapo Kahkonen in the waivers? Not necessarily. And that’s despite the fact that both have certainly been the talk of the Canadiens offices in recent days.

I don’t believe Kent Hughes, who doesn’t like losing assets to waivers, kept Allen for months only to submit Primeau a few months later. It doesn’t make sense… even if Primeau does.

In my opinion, after seeing the Habs ignore two goaltenders in the waivers, it’s time to forget everyone on the outside and everyone who isn’t a real possibility (Jacob Fowler and Carey Price won’t save the Habs this season) and focus on the four real options.

Right now, contractually speaking and in a realistic world, Jakub Dobes and Connor Hughes are the only goalies who can help Samuel Montembeault and Cayden Primeau.

Why not recreate the pressure of the ménage à trois without having to deal with the disadvantages of the daily life of three?

What I’m saying is that, if the Habs can’t easily add a veteran goaltender to force the hand of the two existing goaltenders, they could sit down with the goaltenders and explain to them that Dobes or Hughes are going to play games here and there.

Recalling a goalie for a game and then sending him back to Laval right after the game is done. It would give the Habs’ two current goalies a chance to breathe, as well as testing out the guys down below, who’ve been rolling along nicely for the past month. We often speak highly of them… and the Habs like Dobes.

I have a feeling that if done right, it would take some pressure off Montembeault and Primeau(who is without confidence)… but ironically, it would also have the effect of putting some on them. Every game would be more important, just like last year at this time.

Guys would have to fight for playing time, which would create an internal struggle. It worked last year.

Why couldn’t it work well this year too? And above all, what does the Habs have to lose by trying it now, at the right time?

If Kent Hughes wants to do something without mortgaging his future, he could hardly get better value for money.

Overtime

– Speak of the devil.

– Samuel Montembeault, still an option for Team Canada?[98.5 Sports]

– With Carey Price, rebuilding didn’t exist. [JdeM]

– Playing at home (Vancouver) will cost him a lot in tickets.

– Something to keep in mind.

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Logan Mailloux scores a (superb) overtime winner

Tonight, the Laval Rocket was in Rochester to take on the Americans. The CH’s club-school, which had won nine of its first 11 games this season, was looking to continue its strong start to the campaign.

Let’s just say that things are going a lot better for the school club than for the big club.

But after 40 minutes, the Rocket were fairly quiet. The Laval team wasn’t really threatening, and we wondered who was going to stand up…

And the answer was (among others) Logan Mailloux.

After a Luke Tuch goal, the Rocket found themselves on the powerplay… and Mailloux was there with a clever powerplay pass to feed Alex Barré-Boulet.

The latter gave the Rocket the lead.

That said, the Americans forced overtime…

But that didn’t stop Mailloux from shining: the defenseman scored the winning goal in overtime.

And he did it very, very well.

Mailloux now has two goals and eight points in his last five games in Laval.

And when you look at the season as a whole, he’s the AHL’s top scorer among defensemen… even though he missed a few games due to his NHL recall.

Obviously, he’ll have to prove himself in the NHL sooner or later, but right now, Mailloux is showing that he’s starting to be too strong for the AHL.

And the Habs, who are looking for answers in terms of right-handed defensemen of the future, can’t be sorry to see this.

Overtime

– A 65-year-old goalie practiced with the Sharks today.

– What do you think?

– ÉCJ 2018: the trial will begin on April 22, 2025.

– Cole Caufield wants to shoot more often.

– Interesting.

– It’s still the talk of the town.

– To listen.

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