Author: Dose

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Magical night for McDavid, now just one point shy of 1000

EDMONTON, CANADA - NOVEMBER 12: Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers throws a hat into the crowd upon being named the game's first star after the game against the New York Islanders at Rogers Place on November 12, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Habs players enjoyed a day off yesterday!

That said, across the NHL, there were still seven games on the schedule.

What caught the eye? Let’s find out:

1: McDavid nears 1,000-point plateau

Before last night’s Oilers game, Connor McDavid had 995 career points.

But the club captain is clearly eager to reach the 1,000-point plateau because he was dominant against Patrick Roy’s Islanders.

He collected four points, including one on this magical sequence:

The Islanders did everything they could to stay in the game and were able to force overtime.

But of course… It was the Oilers captain who stood up again.

He was an accomplice on Leon Draisaitl’s goal, which gave the Oilers a 4-3 victory:

Connor McDavid (one goal, three assists) played a part in all four of his team’s goals.

He now has 999 points on the scoreboard… And he could get his 1000th as early as tomorrow, when the poor Predators visit Edmonton.

Sounds great!

2: The Jets are too strong

For real… The Jets are starting to look really, really impressive.

Since the start of the season, no club (except the Leafs) has been able to beat them… And the Jets had a big test last night, when they were at Madison Square Garden to dispatch the mighty Rangers.

But the Jets were never afraid, and went on to defeat the Blue Shirts 6-3 :

The Jets now have a record of 15-1-0… And they’ve obviously settled into first place in the overall NHL standings.

They’ve also become the fastest NHL team to get 15 wins in a season.

3: A win that will do the Bruins good

Things aren’t going as planned in Boston.

The Bruins are disappointing despite the club’s big acquisitions last summer, and we’re even starting to hear that Jim Montgomery could lose his job because things are so bad.

Last night in St. Louis, however, the big guns came out in force.

The Bruins went into the third period trailing 2-0 and came back to win 3-2.

David Pastrnak played hero late in the game with a cannonball:

A goal and an assist for Pastrnak in the game… Just like Charlie McAvoy.

This win will do wonders for the Bruins’ morale.

4 : NHL Fight of the Year

The name Jonah Gadjovich probably doesn’t ring a bell.

But you’ll remember it after watching his fight with Brendon Dillon yesterday.

And I’m not talking nonsense:

Whew…

Now that really is a heavyweight fight. And let’s just say I would have passed!

It was the Devils who won the game, putting the brakes on the Florida Panthers’ seven-game winning streak.

Paul Cotter scored a magnificent goal with a simply violent shot:

5: Linus Ullmark back in the game

Last night saw the Battle of Ontario between the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Tim Stützle was playing in his 300th career game, and he took the opportunity to score two goals.

This one’s worth sharing:

But what’s important to know about this game is that Linus Ullmark was perfect against the Leafs’ big attack.

He stopped all 27 shots he faced to earn his first-ever shutout in a Sens uniform.

And he didn’t steal it:

Last week, Ullmark said publicly that he didn’t know where his game was.

He’s found it, obviously, otherwise he’d never have been able to blank a club like the Leafs.

Good for the Sens, who won 3-0.

– The Canucks won against the Flames (3-1).

– And in the victory, Brännström scored his first goal with the Canucks :

– He’s too strong.

– Paul Cotter… the DJ?

– Top scorers of the night :

(Credit: NHL.com)

– Five games tonight in the National League :

(Credit: Google)

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Gerard Gallant confirms he has not spoken with the Canadiens

Since Monday lunchtime, the rumour that Gerard Gallant had been spotted chatting with the Canadiens has been raging.

On the one hand, Georges Laraque was told by a friend that he had seen them with his own eyes. On the other, numerous NHL journalists and informants, in addition to Kent Hughes, have refuted the information.

TSN’s Pierre LeBrun went straight to the source to find out.

Appearing on RDS’s 5 à 7 on Tuesday, he revealed that he had spoken to the main interested party in this story, Gerard Gallant, who confirmed that he had never spoken with the Canadiens.

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In fact, Gallant explained to LeBrun that he was genuinely surprised to hear the rumour.

Like many people on social networks, LeBrun raised the theory that Laraque’s source might have confused Gallant with someone who might look like him.

Several people thought Gallant looked a bit like John Sedgwick.

Gallant has remained unemployed since leaving the Rangers organization in 2023. He had only held the position of head coach in the NHL from 2014 to 2023.

We can therefore imagine that he would probably prefer a head coaching position to becoming an assistant.

This would close the Gallant file in Montreal, even if Laraque remains convinced of his info. It could be that his tip is true and that Gallant is hiding the truth, but for now, everything points to falsehood.

Perhaps the Canadiens should give Gallant a try anyway, now that the idea is out there. Martin St-Louis could really benefit from the advice of an experienced head coach to help him lead the Canadiens.

Overtime

– Lars Eller returns to Washington.

– It might make sense.

– The general managers discussed several topics on Tuesday.

– Sad news.

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Eric Engels already sees Lane Hutson as the next captain of the Canadiens

MONTREAL, CANADA- OCTOBER 17: Lane Hutson #48 of the Montreal Canadiens fights with Adrian Kempe #9 of the Los Angeles Kings in front of the net during the third period of the NHL regular season game between the Montreal Canadiens and the Los Angeles Kings at the Bell Centre on October 17, 2024 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Arianne Bergeron/NHLI via Getty Images)

Nick Suzuki is the Canadiens’ captain, and his job doesn’t seem to be in jeopardy. He’s the most complete player on the team and seems to be a unifier, without being very extroverted.

The next captain debate isn’t something we’re really thinking about, except that Eric Engels already has his own idea of the next Habs leader.

Appearing on Tony Marinaro’s Sick Podcast on Monday evening, Engels was full of praise for defenseman Lane Hutson. This is the player he sees wearing a “C” on his jersey in the future.

It’s only a suggestion, however. Engels didn’t go out of his way to say that Suzuki should rip the “C” off his jersey tomorrow morning and give it to Hutson, far from it.

What Engels is saying is that the Habs’ young defenseman is showing great qualities in his game. He plays with discipline, unlike many other players who possess his talent and play the same style as he does.

It’s useful to make little dekes to outwit opponents, but in just 18 NHL games, Hutson has already shown he understands that this strategy isn’t always the answer. He makes intelligent choices.

It’s a bit odd, though, to see Engels talking about Hutson as a potential captain when the youngster has only 18 NHL games under his belt. We agree that he’s heading in the right direction, but you have to be careful about what you expect from a rookie.

However, Engels found an excellent sequence to demonstrate the intelligence of Hutson’s game.

In Monday’s game against the Sabres, Hutson helped the Canadiens keep the puck in the opposition zone and used his vision to spot Emil Heineman, who was in an excellent position to unleash a dangerous shot.

He didn’t need any lacework, nor did he need to outwit three players to do it. The defenseman was just smart on the sequence, which allowed the Habs to score an important goal.

We can’t expect Lane Hutson to become the Canadiens’ captain in the next few seasons, but the young defenseman is proving that he has what it takes to be a leader on the ice.

Overtime

– The Canadiens aren’t ready.

– Two guys who like each other.

– Losses teach lessons.

– Another charge for him.

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Matthew Schaefer, the player who would guarantee a Stanley Cup within 6 years (according to Simon Boisvert)

We’re starting to hear about the next draft (even though it’s still months away) because the Canadiens aren’t having a good season.

Right now, we know that James Hagens is seen as the best prospect in the draft, but there are other interesting names too.

Of the lot? Matthew Schaefer, who plays in the OHL for the Erie Otters.

Schaefer is a 6’2, 183-pound left-handed defenseman who stands out for his skating stroke.

We’re talking about a two-way defenseman… but he’s more than capable of producing offensively.

He collected 10 points (three goals) in eight OHL games this season, at the age of 17. That’s quite an output for a junior defenseman of his age.

Simon Boisvert talked about him on the recent episode of the Processus podcast (with Mathias Brunet), and to hear him tell it, the Canadiens should be targeting Schaefer instead of James Hagens.

Because, according to the Snake, Schaefer could take the Habs to the next level… And beyond:

I’m saying that the player Montreal should go after, and who’s guaranteed a Stanley Cup within the next 6 years, is Matthew Schaefer. – Simon Boisvert

In Simon Boisvert’s eyes, Schaefer is that good:

The Canadiens already have plenty of left-handed defensemen in their ranks, but they don’t necessarily have a left-handed defenseman who has the potential to become a complete #1 on the blue line.

Schaefer has that potential.

Lane Hutson is excellent defensively, but he’s lacking defensively… And Kaiden Guhle is injured too often for that position to be secure for him in the future.

The idea of selecting Matthew Schaefer may therefore gain ground.

In addition to Schaefer and Hagens, there are also two guys who are gaining in popularity lately.

I’m talking about Porter Martone and Michael Misa.

Both 17-year-old players are burning up the OHL:

I really like what Porter Martone brings to the rink.

He’s big (6’3 – 208 pounds) and he’s not afraid to use his body to create space for himself on the ice.

Oh, and he’s also capable of scoring beautiful goals.

He’s got good hands, he’s got a good shot… And that explains why he’s scored 16 goals in as many games so far this season:

Misa is a little smaller than Martone (6’1 – 185 lbs.), but he’s got talent coming out of both ears.

We’re talking about a guy who received the exceptional status to play in the OHL at age 15… And that year, he collected no less than 56 points in just 45 games.

But Misa, who is known as a passer, has been showcasing his maverick qualities since his season began.

He has 22 goals in his first 18 games of the campaign, and is installed as the leading scorer in the entire CHL:

If the Canadiens have the luxury of selecting in the top-5 for the fourth year in a row, Kent Hughes and his assistants will be able to get their hands on an impact player.

That said, will the Habs go for a forward, or a defenseman?

That’s a boring question, but the answer is still months away.

Because let’s agree on one thing: things have a lot of time to change between now and then.

Overtime

– It goes without saying!

– I love it.

– MLB rumors:

– Not surprising.

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If you listen to Kent Hughes, Habs aren’t ready to trade

MONTREAL, QC - FEBRUARY 10: Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes addresses the media on February 10, 2022, at Bell Sports Complex in Brossard, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Watching the Canadiens struggle on the ice, it’s easy to advise Kent Hughes to get some help.

Because as it stands, the club won’t be in the mix if it continues to lose more often than not.

But the GM isn’t panicking. He’s sticking to his plan…

We know that Kent Hughes is looking at the long term. His goal is to see the Canadiens be competitive for a long time to come… But that doesn’t mean he automatically has to make a move right now to make that happen.

After all, the Canadiens aren’t one player away from being one of the National League’s dominant clubs. Far from it, in fact.

That’s why, for the time being, the idea of a trade is not the priority of the GM, who met with the NHL’s general managers at their meeting.

Instead, Kent Hughes is using his time to evaluate the players he currently has on hand:

We’re not going to do short-term things that are going to interfere with our long-term goals. – Kent Hughes

TVA Sports also published an article on the subject:

In recent weeks, there have been rumors that the Canadiens’ GM was looking for a defenseman.

But being interested in a player and paying the big bucks to go get him is different.

Kent Hughes has his eyes set on the future, and that’s why he’s not ready to sacrifice his pieces to help the club right now.

In a way, that would be illogical, because the Canadiens’ season… Well, let’s just say we shouldn’t necessarily expect much glory based on what we’ve been seeing lately.

All of which is to say that we shouldn’t necessarily expect a trade based on the words of Kent Hughes, because the organization’s plan is to learn more about the guys already in place to see if they can help the team in the long term.

And I don’t think that’s a bad thing in the current context.

Overtime

– Of note:

– Jets add depth in front of net.

– At least…

– Dante Fabbro in his new colors:

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Patrik Laine skated again in Brossard

We don’t know when Patrik Laine will be back in action.

What we do know, however, is that the Canadiens’ Patrik Laine was able to put on his skates this past weekend.

He was spotted skating in Brossard on Saturday.

But now we learn that the maverick was skating again today.

In a video published by RDS, we see him testing his knee by making turns on the rink, and we also see him shooting at the net.

And he looks relatively comfortable:

More details to come…

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Pittsburgh: “everyone is available, except #87”.

Crosby will certainly be the captain of this Canadiens team.

You thought things were bad in Boston? Things are even worse with the Penguins.

Yesterday, the club took a real beating against Dallas (7-1 loss) and morale is low. The club has just 14 points (two more than the Habs) in 17 games (one more than the Habs) so far this season, and everything is on the table.

Firing the coach? That’s debatable, yes.

The promise made to Sidney Crosby during the off-season (to be better than last year and to fight for the playoffs) is clearly not coming true. Like the Habs? Yes

It seems that with an aging group, this was to be expected in Pennsylvania.

Pittsburgh’s management obviously ignored the red flags and decided to go for it, building a great team around Sidney Crosby for the end of his career. But – as expected – it’s not working out so well.

The club’s management would therefore be open to several solutions to improve the team. And according to journalist Taylor Haase, who covers the Penguins for DK Pittsburgh Sports, everything is on the table… or almost.

Everyone is available, except #87. – Taylor Haase

Does this mean the club would be willing, at the right price, to let the likes of Evgeni Malkin and Kristopher Letang go? Obviously, the answer seems to be yes, from what Taylor Haase has heard.

Of necessity, we have to wonder whether Kristopher Letang will be linked to the Canadiens.

After all, Kent Hughes’ former client has, according to rumours that have been denied in recent months, opened the door to a deal that would allow him to finish his career with the Canadiens.

At $6.1 million on the chopping block until 2028, I wouldn’t go looking for him… even if, at the moment, he’s helping the Canadiens.

Overtime

– Read on.

– Interesting.

– Notice to interested parties.

– Decision time approaches.

– Ken Holland is an NHL consultant.

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Jay Woodcroft in Montreal?

Yesterday, Gerard Gallant’s name was bandied about in Montreal under familiar circumstances. The Habs denied having spoken to him.

But all this has brought a subject back to the forefront: should the Canadiens replace Alex Burrows (who left a few months ago and hasn’t been replaced behind the bench) with an NHL-experienced pilot?

Because right now, Burrows has been replaced (not behind the bench) by Roger Grillo, who isn’t brimming with NHL experience.

If not Gerard Gallant, could another experienced coach come in to help/challenge Martin St-Louis in the future as an assistant? The question is more topical than ever.

And names are being bandied about.

David Calabretta of The Fourth Period says it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Habs look for an experienced assistant coach. The name of Jim Montgomery, who still has a job in Boston, has been raised. I talked about it this morning.

But Jay Woodcroft’s name also came up.

These are the only two names that were brought up by TFP, which no doubt means that there are reasons why the journalist didn’t name anyone else.

Woodcroft has almost 20 years of NHL (and AHL) experience and is probably looking for a job. Unless he wants to take advantage of his last guaranteed contract year to stay at home?

(Credit: Hockey DB)

Yes, it didn’t end well with the Oilers last year (he lost his job around this time of year), but he’s got the experience the Habs are looking for. He’s also won in the AHL.

He doesn’t speak French, so he’s no threat to Martin St-Louis. Why not give him a call, if you haven’t already? A phone call doesn’t mean anything…

Overtime

– Interesting news.

– Hum…

– She’s going to make history.

– Temple news: new additions to the selection committee.

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Nathan MacKinnon, the first with 30-point this season

Last night, there were six games on the NHL schedule.

The Canadiens and Sabres faced off in the afternoon (the Habs won 7-5), but five other games were played later in the evening.

Here are the results and highlights:

1. Nathan MacKinnon, first to 30 points

Nathan MacKinnon and the Avalanche played their 16th game of the season yesterday.

And the best player in the world, with one assist, collected his 30th point of the year. He is the first player to achieve such a feat in 2024-2025.

In team history, he is the third fastest to reach this plateau.

Among the league’s top scorers, Kirill Kaprizov follows close behind with 28 points.

But when it came to the Avalanche-Preds matchup, it was Colorado who prevailed 3-2 in overtime.

Another defeat for Nashville and suddenly nothing is going right…

The team finds itself in last place in the NHL, tied with the Canadiens (5-9-2).

Despite yesterday’s win, the Habs haven’t gained any ground.

2. Six Stars goals in the first period

I feel sorry for the Penguins fans who bought tickets to their favorite team’s game yesterday.

They certainly didn’t have a good night. In the first period, the Stars, who were the opponents, scored six goals. After 20 minutes of play, it was already 6-0.

Halfway through the first period, it was already the end for Joel Blomqvist.

What a horror!

The match ended 7-1.

Mason Marchment, who scored the goal that ousted Blomqvist from the game, finished with five points, including four in the first period (!).

3 (Re)welcome to the line-up, Matvei

In the Flyers-Sharks game, Erik Johnson didn’t even have time to celebrate his goal before he had to throw in the gloves.

Within seconds, he was one Gordie Howe hat-trick away.

He didn’t manage to collect one, however.

The real hero of the game was Matvei Michkov. In his return to the lineup, he collected a goal and an assist.

The game needed a shootout and he scored a superb goal for the win.

Final score: 4-3 Flyers.

The Russian had been left out of the last two games.

4. Good start for Jonathan Huberdeau

In his second season with the Flames, Jonathan Huberdeau has collected just 52 points.

That’s not nearly enough for a guy with 115 points in 2021-2022 and a lot of money.

But in 2024-2025, you get the feeling he wants to improve. This summer, he asked his coaches for help, and it’s paying off so far. In 16 games, he already has 10 points, including six goals.

Half his total from last year.

Calgary finally won its duel with the Kings by a score of 3-1.

Mikael Backlund picked up a goal and an assist in the win.

Goaltender Dustin Wolf stopped 28 of 29 shots.

5. 10th straight game with at least one point for Martin Necas

One of the players of the moment right now is Martin Necas.

In a Hurricanes win in Vegas last night, Necas picked up an assist to extend his streak of games with at least one point to 10.

Earlier, I mentioned MacKinnon and Kaprizov. Well, Necas is just behind them among the NHL’s top scorers (24).

The Hurricanes, on the other hand, aren’t losing anymore.

With this 5-2 victory, they won an 11th game and now have an 11-3 record.

Carolina has won nine of its last 10 games.

In yesterday’s game, even Jesperi Kotkaniemi joined the party.

You know it goes well when KK scores….

Overtime

– To force overtime.

– Pretty much sums up Nashville’s season.

– Marchment leads the charge.

(Credit: NHL.com)

– Seven games on the bill tonight.

(Credit: Google)

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Lane Hutson has yet to score this season

BUFFALO, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 11: Dylan Cozens #24 of the Buffalo Sabres and Lane Hutson #48 of the Montreal Canadiens follow play during an NHL game on November 11, 2024 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. Montreal won, 7-5 (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images)

Let’s take a look at the list of players who didn’t score often this season for the Canadiens.

Among the forwards, the names Kirby Dach and Juraj Slafkovsky, who have just one goal apiece since the start of the campaign, quickly come to mind. Here are two who need to score more often.

Will they? We think so.

But two names that come to mind first are Lane Hutson and Mike Matheson. The two guys, who are the club’s offensive engines, have yet to find the back of the net.

The two defensemen have 10 assists each (including six on the powerplay for Matheson and four for the rookie) this season in 16 games, but no goals to their name.

Should we be concerned that both players have yet to find the back of the net? After 16 games this season, or about 20% of the campaign, it’s fair to wonder, yes.

But just because they suck doesn’t mean they can’t score, so it’s not the end of the world. After all, they still manage to generate offense.

But still: they must be looking forward to scoring.

You can tell Lane Hutson, who has never scored in the Bettman Tour, that he’s among the most productive rookies in NHL history in terms of assists in his first 18 NHL games, but he probably can’t wait to score goals.

What this tells me is that the defender, as we can see, needs to improve the quality of his shot. We already knew that, but there’s more evidence of that in light of what we’ve seen over the past month.

We’re sure he’ll never have the range of Shea Weber, but still: he’s got to be better.

The good news? Hutson is playing well on the ice, developing and has the confidence of his coaches. He’s the third-highest scorer in his draft class (2022) so far this season, behind Slaf and Logan Cooley… who each have just one more point than him. #11

That’s all there is to it.

Lane is on the right track, then. But even if the Habs want to develop, the NHL is still a results league and Hutson will have to find the back of the net sooner or later.

And if he does, watch out for the Calder.

Overtime

– Paul Maurice in interview.

– Nick Suzuki must always be the one who works the hardest on the ice, to set an example.

– Hall of Fame: to induct an incumbent or not? [BPM Sports]

– What do you think?

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