Author: Dose

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Florian Xhekaj: What if the timing was perfect?

A few weeks ago, Florian Xhekaj left the Canadiens’ camp with a taste of unfinished business. Many fans would have liked him to stay in Montreal. His camp had been solid, intense and convincing. He had that mix of raw energy and burgeoning maturity that we perhaps didn’t expect to see so soon.

But professional hockey isn’t just a question of “feeling”. Between contracts, hierarchy and development, Florian Xhekaj headed for Laval. Today, we can say that this transition makes sense.

Because for the past two weeks, something has been clicking. His 2025-2026 season didn’t start with a bang, but it’s building. After several low-key games, the tone has changed. Today, Xhekaj boasts: two goals, two assists and four points in 15 games, plus-2 differential and 42 penalty minutes.

These aren’t staggering statistics, but they do tell a story: the story of a player who is finding his way back to the game. Not in excess. Not in demonstration. In consistency.

As Rocket head coach Pascal Vincent put it in an RDS report this week: “Now we see the real Florian again

And that’s never a trivial phrase.

If Xhekaj is back in the conversation, it’s not just because he’s playing well. It’s because the Canadiens are going through a period of limited forward options.

With only 12 active forwards and no surplus players in the NHL, the organization can’t afford any surprises. And when the club lacks physical, energetic and momentum-changing options, a player like Xhekaj becomes relevant.

He wouldn’t take the place of a scorer. He’d be filling a role. And that’s rarely a problem, especially in a team that’s still looking for its identity, tone and a bit of bite.

We often talk about physique, and yes, he’s got it. But what stands out today is something else. He’s playing simpler. He wins battles. He disturbs without sabotaging. He understands when to step up and when to pull back. That’s development.

The risk, as always, would be to call him back too soon. But waiting too long could cause the Habs to miss the wave… and Xhekaj is in the middle of it.

For what the Unicorn could bring to the Canadiens in terms of talent and sandpaper, you have to consider his recall.

overtime

– Read more.

– Who will be the first pick in the 2026 draft?

– Interesting point of view.

– Seeing him make the effort to speak in French is a good thing.

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Evgeni Malkin: the Olympic break will determine his future

Evgeni Malkin is off to a spectacular start to the Pittsburgh season.

The 39-year-old center has 23 points after 19 games… and is the Penguins’ leading scorer this season.

His good friend Sidney Crosby isn’t far behind, but he’s behind all the same.

(Credit: Screenshot/HockeyDB)

Having said that, we know that Malkin is in his final moments in the NHL. The Russian is playing out the last year of his contract, and it’s possible he’ll hang up his skates at the end of the season.

As a result, he’s at the heart of many trade rumours, especially with the Penguins, who don’t have a big club (despite a surprising start to the season). And tonight, Pierre LeBrun discussed all this on his Insider Trading segment.

The key takeaway? His future will be determined during the Olympic break.

The Malkin clan will meet with Penguins management during the three-week break (Russia won’t be at the Olympics, so Malkin will have some time off). That’s when the two sides will draw up a plan of action for the remainder of the season.

We’ll then determine whether he’ll be traded (and if so, where), whether he’ll finish the year in Pittsburgh… or whether he’ll sign a contract extension. Because that, too, is a possibility.

That said, Malkin is aware that this could be his last few weeks in a Penguins uniform. In an interview with Daria Tuboltseva(Research Ground), Malkin admitted that he can hardly see himself wearing a uniform other than that of the Penguins, but that he is well aware that it is a real possibility.

And when you read what he said, you realize that he’s really, really not interested in a rebuild:

There are several things to consider. What if the club tears it up and misses the playoffs, and then big trades are made in the summer? – Evgeni Malkin

We’ll have to keep a close eye on what happens during the Olympic break. Because, obviously, that’s when the Penguins’ core could be dismantled.

Ivan Demidov, who grew up admiring Malkin, will have to keep a close eye on this… and the Habs, who dream of Sidney Crosby, will have to keep a close eye on this too.

Overtime

– Jamie Benn is back.

– Filip Forsberg on the trade market? [RMNB]

– Interesting.

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Samuel Montembeault returns to the net tomorrow night

Let’s talk goalies.

To no one’s surprise, Martin St-Louis has announced that Samuel Montembeault will get the start tomorrow night at home against the Washington Capitals.

Game time is 7pm.

After seeing Jakub Dobes play away on Tuesday against the Blue Jackets, it was only logical that the Québécois would be the one playing at home.

Details to follow…

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BPM Sports finally sold: what you need to know about the station’s future

Last spring, we learned that the three BPM Sports stations had officially been put up for sale. Several people and companies (including my own) showed an interest, some more serious than others, but in the end, we had already known for several weeks that the new owner was Sylvain Chamberland (Arsenal Média).

I’d hinted at it over the summer, and was able to confirm the news two weeks ago.

Today, however, it’s official: Arsenal Média, which owned some 25 radio stations across Quebec, has announced that it has officially acquired CKLX 91.9 Montréal, CHXX 100.9 Québec and CFTX 96.5 Gatineau. With these three additional stations, Arsenal Média will now cover the entire Québécois territory. And I’m told that Arsenal Media already has three or four other Québécois stations in its sights..

What interesting additional information should we retain from this sale?

1. Good news for sports fans: 91.9 Montréal will remain a sports radio station. Sylvain Chamberland confirmed this himself this morning on BPM Sports. As for the Quebec City and Gatineau stations, they will remain sports stations for the time being, but Arsenal will have to think things over (for the medium/long term). At present, the licenses granted to these two stations by the CRTC are music licenses. In short, doing talk radio there is a constant challenge. What’s more, if Arsenal decides to keep the sports vocation of these two antennas, the company will have to find a way to speak more to the people of these two cities (Senators, Remparts, etc.). #SaveurLocale

2. While we’re on the subject of the CRTC, you should know that the sale will only be final once CRTC approval has been obtained. Generally speaking, this can take between three and 18 months. Sylvain Chamberland confided on air that it should go much faster than his previous deal with Bell Media (which took 15 months to be approved by the CRTC). We can therefore hope to see Arsenal Média managing the station completely by the 2026-27 season. Perhaps even earlier..

3. Seeing a Québécois radio station bought by a Québécois, whose company is headquartered in Toronto, Québec, and who is (finally) a mega sports fan to boot, can only be positive. All the more so as Arsenal Media is a growing and progressive company, in an industry that is in decline..

4. How much did it cost to buy the three BPM Sports stations?

“Less than a quality second center for the Habs, but more than Jake Evans!” – Sylvain Chamberland

Initially, I was expecting a transaction in the neighbourhood of four or five million dollars, but I think it ended up between three and four.

5. Several hosts will be out of contract at the end of the current season. Arsenal Média will have to be careful not to lose important pieces of the current success of BPM Sports..

Although last summer’s departures didn’t hurt the station’s ratings. From what I hear, the results of this Numeris survey will be exceptional. Especially for the noon and return shows..

6. Arsenal Média’s objective is clear: to bring everyone back to the group’s new studios in St-Lambert.

According to my information, this should be possible by autumn 2026. We’ll see.

7. I don’t expect any major changes to the BPM Sports schedule, at least not before fall 2026. Why touch something that works?

8. No, 91.9 Montréal’s antenna won’t get any stronger. The signal is limited because it must not interfere with the 91.9 Plattsburgh signal.

9. From what I understand, we can expect the station to continue in its Canadiens direction. For another sport or team to be mentioned, the news will still have to be worthwhile, as is the case this season. The station’s hosts talk about the subjects that interest the station’s listeners, that’s it. They respond to the demands of their customers/listeners.

10. I don’t think that broadcasting live sports on the station will be a priority for Arsenal Media. If it pays, we’ll do it, but if it doesn’t, we won’t. In recent years, it hasn’t been a priority. In recent years, it hasn’t been..

11. It’s to be expected that there will be some convergence with the other Arsenal Media stations. The network will be able to help BPM Sports, and theWeb expertise of the people at BPM Sports will help the rest of the network, according to Sylvain Chamberland.

12. What role will the Athletic Commission play in all this? I’m not convinced that Arsenal Media intends to be ultra-aggressive with its podcast offering . We’ll see.

13. Sylvain Chamberland is a real sports guy, a connoisseur. Yes, he’s the famous Sylvain Réjean Tremblay talks about constantly in his columns. He even has sports columns on the Ô morning show hosted by Max Lalonde on Friday mornings. Will he be tempted to give himself a microphone on BPM Sports? Maybe..

14. Chamberland told Max Lalonde this morning that he had a great deal of respect for RNC Média, which was keen to keep the station sporty during its difficult years, and also wanted the new buyer to keep it that way.

15. It will be interesting to see whether the BPM Sports schedule will include evening and weekend shows once the deal is approved by the CRTC. If there’s money to be made there, you can be sure that Arsenal Media won’t let those slots lie dormant.

16. Having a strong, existing sales team at Arsenal Media will also help sell BPM Sports even better. We’ll be able to add the best people currently on Laurier Street, and have a sales force that’s stronger than ever.

17. Sylvain Chamberland has been the boss of quite a few people working in radio today. He knows how broadcasting works.

18. According to my information, Arsenal Media has no intention of bringing Max Lalonde back to BPM Sports full-time. Lalonde performs extremely well on Ô, le matin..

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Practice: Zachary Bolduc still on the first line

Since the start of practice camp, one thing had been certain for the Canadiens: Nick Suzuki was playing with Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky on the first line.

But this week, reality changed.

Instead, Zachary Bolduc was placed on the first line with NiCole, to try something new in the wake of the club’s wave of injuries.

It worked out well for Slaf on the “youth line” with Ivan Demidov and Oliver Kapanen.

As for Bolduc, I think we need to give him time to adapt. And clearly, Martin St-Louis seemed to agree this morning in Brossard.

And why? Because, following a lengthy discussion with his Québécois forward on the ice, the young man took his place back on the first line.

Our field reporter Patrick Guillet reports.

Interestingly, on the ice, Zachary Bolduc (who has a jersey the same color as Caufield and Suzuki, but not as Slaf) was playing really well.

Was he flying around the ice because he’d been whipped by his discussion with his coach? By the vote of confidence? Who knows… but good for the Habs.

By the way, it’s good news to see the captain practicing.

It’s also worth noting that Lane Hutson showed up for practice ahead of the others. I don’t think anyone’s surprised, do you?

overtime

– Of note.

– Already?

– Like it.

– Read more.

– Interesting.

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J.T. Miller has angered all Rangers fans with a horrible sequence on the ice

Jasons des Rangers.

J.T. Miller is a very talented hockey player. So there must be a reason why he changes teams so often. No?

In the past, his big squabble with Elias Pettersson was the talk of the NHL. The Canucks even opted to trade the American to the Rangers.

But in New York, things haven’t gotten much better since Miller came back to town. The club continues to play badly, as it did last season.

And yesterday was a case in point.

In a 3-2 loss to Vegas, Miller simply stopped skating in the defensive zone. The Golden Knights scored on the sequence, of course.

If you like guys who give it their all… don’t watch the following sequence. It’ll make you angry.

It’s important to note that this is coming from the same guy who was named captain of the Rangers (an organization with horrible leadership from top to bottom) and who said he didn’t want any bullsh*t this year.

Yikes…

In my eyes, a guy who does that shouldn’t be playing in the game anymore. Because if he doesn’t want to force himself, he doesn’t deserve to go to war with his teammates.

And if he couldn’t do better because he was injured, as some people are suggesting on social networks, he’s hurting his club by trying to play even though he can’t do anything.

But I don’t think he was too injured, for what it’s worth.

Miller’s ugly leadership is one of the reasons why the Rangers can’t play up to their talent. What’s going on over there?

overtime

– To be continued…

– No suspension expected for Mikko Rantanen.

– The Rocket in action tonight.

– Wow.

– Logic.

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The perfect storm to hurt the Canadiens on the trade market

In recent years, it was sometimes easier for teams who wanted to buy to do so. But this season, that’s not the case. Not yet, anyway.

Why not? For several reasons.

First, the standings are so tight that it’s hard to see, as American Thanksgiving approaches, which teams will really want to sell players. #Parity

(Credit: NHL.com)

Then, among the teams that potentially want to sell, several guys have no-trade or no-movement clauses. This complicates the matter.

According to The Athletic, more than a third of NHL players have such contractual protection. That’s no mean feat, let’s face it.

So even though the salary cap is on the way up, many teams aren’t willing to budge just yet. And in any case, many players aren’t necessarily interested in moving.

That makes things difficult for some managers.

Of course, there is a simple solution for NHL managers who are desperate to improve in the short term: overpay for a player.

Does Kent Hughes, who has said he’s willing to overpay in the past and is actively looking for help at forward (be it center or even wing, according to Darren Dreger) right now, like the options on the table right now?

According to what Marco D’Amico reports, via a text on the RG media site, it’s that many clubs currently feel that the Flames hold the keys to the car, right now.

If the Flames wanted to sell, it would change the market. But given the current state of affairs, the Alberta outfit is in no hurry: it can just wait for prices to rise.

The Canadiens may have had a player who could shake up the Flames… but Kirby Dach’s injury changed a lot of things, as we found out earlier this week.

And if not? We know the Sabres are in no hurry to make a move, and we’re waiting to see what the Blues and Predators want to do over the next few weeks.

We’re talking about clubs with good potential centers on their hands. But it’s clear that a number of factors are working against Kent Hughes and the other executives who need help right now.

With the Habs injured and the state of the market, everyone is waiting for Kent Hughes with a brick and a lantern on the market. Will he make a move soon?

overtime

– He was quite a defenseman.

– The Canadiens’ prospect is on fire.

– Do you like the Habs youth line? [BPM Sports]

– What are the Orioles doing?

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Top-5: When Patrick Roy gets on his nerves… after Mikko Rantanen

Eight games were played last night in the NHL.

And there was action… galore.

Let’s find out what happened:

1: Patrick Roy was angry

The Stars hosted the Islanders last night in Dallas.

And it wasn’t the Long Islanders’ 3-2 victory that caught the eye.

In the game, Mikko Rantanen hit Alexander Romanov in a rather dangerous manner. The Stars’ player pushed the Islanders’ player in the back near the ramp, and the gesture was really dangerous.

It made Patrick Roy angry… and the Isles coach wasn’t afraid to tell Rantanen how he felt:

We know Patrick Roy has a pretty special temperament.

But to see him come to the defense of his player, that’s also normal in a way. Patrick Roy wasn’t happy, and this isn’t the first time he’s bumped heads with a player from the other team (it happened when he was playing, too), but this time he got on his nerves for all the right reasons.

Great Patrick. And you have to wonder if Rantanen will be suspended for what he did…

2: Macklin Celebrini is really good

Since the start of the season, Macklin Celebrini has been one of the best players in the National League.

Nothing less!

Last night, he proved that his potential is enormous… by scoring his second hat trick of the season. He scored all three of his team’s goals in a 3-2 Sharks victory over the Mammoth :

The youngster is sending a clear message to Team Canada’s Olympic leaders.

And right now, it’s hard to believe that he doesn’t deserve his place in the club. He’s having an exceptional season, and it’s even more impressive for his age.

But he’s not the only one who’s exploding at the moment…

3: Hat-trick also for… Connor Bedard

Connor Bedard was seen as a generational player.

His first two NHL seasons were more “complicated”… but he’s dominating the league right now.

And he showed his talent again last night, copying Macklin Celebrini… and scoring a hat trick too.

Wow!

The Hawks took advantage of Bedsy ‘s three goals to win 5-2 over the Flames.

Celebrini and Bedard scoring hat-tricks on the same night is special. And it shows that the league is in good hands.

These two are going to be good.

4: The save of the year for Igor Shesterkin?

The New York Rangers may not have been able to beat the Golden Knights last night… but that’s not because Igor Shesterkin was out of shape.

The Blue Shirts ‘ goaltender flew through the air during the game: perhaps the National League’s save of the year.

Impressive:

The Knights won the game 3-2 and Tomas Hertl stood out with two assists in the game.

The win will do Vegas good… because the Golden Knights have won just four of their last ten games. That’s not good enough for a powerhouse like Vegas.

5: I miss Samuel Blais

The Canadiens could use an energy player who can play physical right now.

They had one… but Samuel Blais was placed in the waivers and the Leafs decided to claim him before the start of the season. The Québécois is having fun with his new team, by the way :

Blais has what it takes to help the Leafs right now… and it would be the same for the Habs.

You have to wonder if Kent Hughes regrets his decision to place him in the waivers…

Blais helped the Leafs to a 3-2 win over the Blues. William Nylander scored in overtime to give his club the win (and in fine fashion, at that):

Extension

– Three goals for Jake Guentzel too.

– Nice W from the Jets against the Blue Jackets.

– Top scorers of the night :

(Credit: Screenshot / NHL.com)

– Four games tonight :

(Credit: Screenshot / Google)
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Evgeni Malkin: the Olympic break will determine his future

Evgeni Malkin is off to a spectacular start to the Pittsburgh season. The 39-year-old center has 23 points after 19 games… and is the Penguins’ leading scorer this season.

His good friend Sidney Crosby isn’t far behind, but he’s behind all the same.

(Credit: Screenshot/HockeyDB)

Having said that, we know that Malkin is in his final moments in the NHL. The Russian is playing out the last year of his contract, and it’s possible he’ll hang up his skates at the end of the season.

As a result, he’s at the heart of many trade rumours, especially with the Penguins, who don’t have a big club (despite a surprising start to the season). And tonight, Pierre LeBrun discussed all this on his Insider Trading segment.

The key takeaway? His future will be determined during the Olympic break.

The Malkin clan will meet with Penguins management during the three-week break (Russia won’t be at the Olympics, so Malkin will have some time off). That’s when the two sides will draw up a plan of action for the remainder of the season.

We’ll then determine whether he’ll be traded (and if so, where), whether he’ll finish the year in Pittsburgh… or whether he’ll sign a contract extension. Because that, too, is a possibility.

That said, Malkin is aware that this could be his last few weeks in a Penguins uniform. In an interview with Daria Tuboltseva(Research Ground), Malkin admitted that he can hardly see himself wearing a uniform other than that of the Penguins, but that he is well aware that it is a real possibility.

And when you read what he said, you realize that he’s really, really not interested in a rebuild:

There are several things to consider. What if the club tears it up and misses the playoffs, and then big trades are made in the summer? – Evgeni Malkin

We’ll have to keep a close eye on what happens during the Olympic break. Because, obviously, that’s when the Penguins’ core could be dismantled.

Ivan Demidov, who grew up admiring Malkin, will have to keep a close eye on this… and the Habs, who dream of Sidney Crosby, will have to keep a close eye on this too.

Overtime

– Jamie Benn is back.

– Filip Forsberg on the trade market? [RMNB]

– Interesting.

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David Reinbacher: his latest games with Laval are very encouraging

At the last practice camp, David Reinbacher was injured. As a result, for the second year running, he couldn’t start the season at the same time as everyone else.

The injury was said to be much less serious this year than last, but it was frustrating nonetheless.

The Austrian finally played his first game of the season on October 31, finishing with a minus-2 differential. Then, in the next two games, he earned his first two points of the season.

But in Reinbacher’s case, it’s mainly his defensive play that’s under scrutiny. And over the last four games, as Grant McCagg notes, it’s been very, very encouraging.

In fact, he was only on the ice for one opponent’s goal during that stretch, when he spent 78:23 on the ice.

(Credit: Screenshot/AHL.com)

Considering how much time he missed at the start of the season, it’s encouraging to see him get back on track (defensively, at least) so quickly. It’s still a very small sample size, of course, but it’s reassuring to see him playing big hockey like this.

And, above all, it’s reassuring to see him playing one game after another without health problems. Even if, once again, the sample is small.

The question is, could this eventually earn him a call-up to the big club? Seeing him play big minutes down low is good for his development right now… but sooner or later, the Habs are likely to be in a situation where calling up Reinbacher will be on the table.

You might think that Adam Engström is ahead of him in the pecking order (and rightly so)… but if Noah Dobson or Alexandre Carrier have to go, the club could use a right-handed player like Reinbacher, you know.

What’s clear, though, is that the Habs should be encouraged by Reinbacher’s recent performances. While the club is struggling with a ton of injuries up top, it can at least take comfort in the fact that its best prospect on the blue line is finally healthy and playing some big-time hockey.

Not a bad consolation prize.

Overtime

– Good listening.

– Devils injuries: Newark mummies to blame?[NJ.com]

– What do you think?