Author: Dose

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SKA: Ivan Demidov relegated to the third line (and his playing time suffered as a result)

SAINT PETERSBURG, RUSSIA - 2024/09/23: Ivan Demidov (91) of SKA Hockey Club is seen in action during the hockey match of the Kontinental Hockey League 2024/2025 between SKA Saint Petersburg and Avangard Omsk at the Ice Sports Palace. (Final score: SKA Saint Petersburg 4:1 Avangard Omsk). (Photo by Maksim Konstantinov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

For a few weeks now, Ivan Demidov’s playing time in Russia has been drawing attention for the right reasons. Since the Canadiens’ visit to Russia and Evgeny Kuznetsov’s injury, SKA’s coach, Roman Rotenberg, has been giving a lot of ice time to the kid.

And Demidov is responding by scoring points like crazy. Proof that playing your best players pays off.

In short, instead of talking about the scraps of ice time he was getting at the beginning of the year, we’re discussing his impressive performances on the top line… but today, that has changed.

Following the 5-0 loss suffered by SKA in their last game, it was Demidov who took the hit… as he has been relegated to the third line today.

Rotenberg continues to play yo-yo with the young forward, who wasn’t responsible for the latest loss of the team.

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And during the first 40 minutes of the game, it obviously had a significant impact on his ice time. He did not play at all on the power play, and in the second period, he spent more than seven minutes without stepping on the ice.

Six minutes of ice time in two periods: it had been a while since that number was so low for the Canadiens’ prospect.

The good news, however, is that in the third period, while his team was down by a goal, Rotenberg decided to give Demidov another chance by bringing him back to the first line.

And after spending 6:01 on the ice during the first 40 minutes of the game, he spent 6:35 in the third period alone… and that’s considering that his team was short-handed for six minutes. One can assume that his ice time could have been even higher.

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Demidov did not score any points in this game (it was the second game in a row without points for the young player), and seeing SKA lose a second consecutive game makes one wonder if Demidov will not return to a support line for the next match.

However, seeing the team’s coach turn to Demidov in the third period when his team really needed a goal might be a sign that the coach realizes that playing Demidov is a good way to win games.

Again, we know that ice time does not always go to merit with SKA… but I liked the coach’s reaction in the third period. Let’s see what this will bring for the upcoming matches now.

In Brief

– The Canucks, who face the Maple Leafs tonight, were unable to fly to Toronto last night due to the weather. It will be tough for them tonight.

– What to expect from the Western teams as the trade deadline approaches?

– It’s the battle of Connors tonight in the NHL.

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Patrik Laine skated this morning at the Bell Centre.

The Montreal Canadiens will be back in action tonight, but this time at home at the Bell Centre, as the Dallas Stars are in town.

The Habs will try to win their fourth straight game and continue their excellent momentum.

However, it won’t be an easy opponent for the Tricolore, given that the Stars have won their last six games.

Martin St-Louis’s team will really need everyone’s contribution to earn more very important points in the standings.

And what would help St-Louis even more is seeing Patrik Laine and David Savard return to the game tonight.

By the way, in Laine’s case, well, he skated for about 25 minutes this morning at the Bell Centre.

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The Finnish forward mainly practiced his shots while skating solo.

Does seeing Laine on the ice this morning lead us to believe he will play tonight?

Not necessarily.

Let’s remember that number 92 has missed the last four games of the team due to some illness.

However, despite being ill, Laine attended a panel on mental health and anxiety with Paul Byron earlier this week.

In short, let’s hope Laine will be able to rejoin the lineup as early as tonight, as Michael Pezzetta in the second line simply isn’t working for Martin St-Louis.

Hopefully, David Savard will also be able to play.

In Brief

– Stay tuned for tonight.

– Tortorella will leave Joel Farabee out for this game.

– The Quebecer scored a very important goal against SKA’s Ivan Demidov.

– Nice gesture.

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Victory of Dobes and cleaning of Primeau: both are in the right chair.

CLEVELAND, OH - JANUARY 10: Laval Rocket goaltender Cayden Primeau (30) on the ice during the second period of the American Hockey League game between the Laval Rocket and Cleveland Monsters on January 10, 2025, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Last night, with a 3-2 overtime victory against the powerful Washington Capitals, the Montreal Canadiens, Jakub Dobes remained undefeated in his young NHL career.

Indeed, the 23-year-old rookie goaltender secured his third win in as many starts, thus maintaining his perfect career record in the NHL.

Dobes was once again solid and managed to defeat another top-tier team on the road, even though he was nervous.

He notably blanked none other than Alexander Ovechkin, which truly represents a dream come true for Dobes.

In three games, Dobes has allowed only three goals, with just one even-strength goal, which was scored by Lars Eller early in the third period last night.

It’s worth noting that so far, Dobes’ three victories have come against three Stanley Cup champions: the Florida Panthers (2024), the Colorado Avalanche (2022), and the Washington Capitals (2018).

In short, the Czech goaltender seems truly at home in the NHL, and thus in the right seat, just as Cayden Primeau appears to be since he was sent back to Laval.

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Indeed, while Dobes was securing his third victory in as many games in the NHL last night, Cayden Primeau was leading the Laval Rocket to a 5-0 win against the Cleveland Monsters.

Primeau recorded a solid shutout with 16 saves, marking two wins in as many games since his return with the Rocket.

The 25-year-old goaltender has allowed only one goal on 43 shots in two games back with the Laval Rocket in the American Hockey League.

Primeau has looked good in his two games, and thus, he seems to be gradually regaining his confidence, as he is in the right seat.

In short, this change of seats among the goaltenders for the Canadiens has proven to be very beneficial, even though it should have been made earlier in the season.

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Dobes would clearly have allowed the Canadiens to earn more valuable points if he had been recalled earlier in the season.

In the end, everyone is in the right place at the moment.

Dobes is playing with great confidence in the NHL (even reminiscent of Carey Price) and allows the Canadiens to earn important points on the road against very good teams.

And Primeau, for his part, is leading the charge in Laval with the Rocket, helping Pascal Vincent’s team stay in the top 3 of its division as they head towards the playoffs in the American Hockey League.

In short, it’s really great to see both goalies perform this way, and it’s encouraging for what’s to come, especially with the potential arrival of Jacob Fowler next season.

In Brief

– The Rocket will be back in action today.

– Things are going very well for all three teams!

– What do you think?

– Indeed.

– The top prospect for the Blues joins the American Hockey League.

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Michael Pezzetta and Jayden Struble: three penalties in 8:14 of combined ice time

Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Once again last night, the Montreal Canadiens gave us a great hockey game against one of, if not the best team in the entire National Hockey League.

Indeed, the Habs played a very solid game, being very engaged and determined throughout, which allowed them to secure two big points with a 3-2 overtime victory against the Washington Capitals.

Many will say that it wasn’t the Caps’ best game, which is true, but in the end, it was the Habs who managed to dominate and leave nothing for Spencer Carbery’s squad.

The Habs players put on an excellent performance and demonstrated great competitiveness in each of their shifts.

In short, Martin St-Louis’s team is playing with a lot of confidence, and it shows.

And this confidence has allowed the Habs to quickly climb the standings over the past few weeks and find themselves well positioned in the playoff race.

This morning, the Canadiens are one point away from the playoffs with a game in hand on the Columbus Blue Jackets, in addition to being just two points behind the Boston Bruins with three fewer games played.

(Credit: NHL.com)

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In short, every game and every point is now very important for the Habs, which forces Martin St-Louis to coach even more to win.

This means that the head coach of the Habs will play his best players as often as possible and will trust the players who deliver good hockey.

Those who do not perform will therefore be punished, as was the case last night with Michael Pezzetta and Jayden Struble.

Indeed, both players were frequently glued to the bench, as evidenced by their combined ice time of 8:14.

St-Louis did not like their game last night and did not trust them, especially considering that they were responsible for three of the four penalties incurred by the Habs.

Pezzetta (3:05 ice time) gave the Caps a power play right at the start of the game, which allowed Jakob Chychrun to score first, and Struble (5:09 ice time) drew two penalties in the game, including one right after Pezzetta’s.

In short, this is the kind of game where St-Louis has no choice but to shorten his bench while waiting for his key players, Patrik Laine and David Savard, to return.

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The Habs managed to beat the Caps with 11 forwards and five defensemen, but that won’t work forever, and reinforcements will be needed.

St-Louis will not always be able to get by by rotating players on the second line and giving a different partner to Arber Xhekaj in every shift.

We saw it yesterday, but Xhekaj looked bad on a few plays, especially on the Caps’ second goal. He misses Savard, and it shows.

In short, the Canadiens are managing for now, but they will need reinforcements very soon to avoid this kind of situation again.

In the case of Pezzetta, his career in Montreal is nearing its end, and in Struble’s case, well, at 23, he is still in development, but if he is given so little trust, he may very well end up being surpassed in the hierarchy.

It is also important to note that if the Habs continue to climb the standings and fight for the playoffs, Kent Hughes will have no choice but to seek better depth than Pezzetta and Struble.

If we don’t want to hinder the success of the Laval Rocket by recalling Alex Barré-Boulet and Gustav Lindstrom, for example, well, we will need to seek help via trade.

This remains to be closely monitored.

In Brief

– Notable and worth following.

– It’s a very confident opponent that will face the Habs tonight at the Bell Centre.

– To be followed today.

– To not be forgotten.

– Very good news.

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Top-4: sixth consecutive victory for the Red Wings

There were only five games in the National Hockey League last night, while 10 teams were in action.

And aside from the Montreal Canadiens’ victory over the Washington Capitals, other highlights caught attention in the other games.

Here they are.

1. Sixth consecutive win for the Red Wings

After a tough streak in early December, the Red Wings seem to be on a path to glory over the past few weeks.

Indeed, since their head coach, Todd McLellan, told them during practice to simply f**king play hockey, the Red Wings have rolled off six wins.

Last night, the Wings added this sixth consecutive victory by winning 5-3 against the struggling Chicago Blackhawks.

Notably, the winning goal for the Wings was courtesy of the first career NHL goal from 24-year-old defender, Albert Johansson.

In short, with this winning streak, the Wings are back in the mix for the playoffs, as they are only one point behind the Canadiens and two points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the 8th playoff spot.

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2. 3rd shutout of the career for Dustin Tokarski

You probably all remember Dustin Tokarski with the Montreal Canadiens.

He was the backup goalie who stepped in for Carey Price during the 2014 playoffs against the New York Rangers after the Chris Kreider incident.

Well, since then, this same Tokarski has been bouncing between the American League and the National League, changing teams fairly often.

Now 35 years old, Tokarski finds himself with the Carolina Hurricanes, and last night, while playing his 5th game of the season, he recorded a shutout with 14 saves in a 2-0 victory over the Vancouver Canucks.

This is his first shutout since March 18, 2022.

This is the third shutout of Tokarski’s career, who is having a great season this year with four wins in five games for the Canes.

Good for the former Canadiens player.

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3. Adrian Kempe plays the hero for the Kings

In a game between two very good teams in the Western conference, it was the Los Angeles Kings that won 2-1 in overtime against the powerful Winnipeg Jets.

It was Adrian Kempe who scored the game-winner for the Kings in overtime in Winnipeg.

With this victory, the Kings surpass the Oilers for second place in the Pacific Division, and are on a path to a fourth matchup in four years against the Oilers in the first round.

The Kings will be looking to win their first series against the Oilers in this stretch.

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4. Utah closes in on playoff spot

If we now look at the playoff race going on further down in the West, the Utah Hockey Club picked up two important points last night.

Indeed, by winning 2-1 against the San Jose Sharks, Utah moved within three points of a playoff spot.

They are three points behind the Canucks, as the latter lost last night.

Utah can thank Barrett Hayton for the late winning goal.

Overtime

– Here are all the results from the previous night.

– Here are the top scorers from the previous night.

(Credit: NHL.com)

– On the agenda today in the NHL: 15 games.

(Credit: Google/NHL)
(Credit: Google/NHL)
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The new trend in BPM: The tortilla slap

With social media and platforms like TikTok, several trends have emerged and created some pretty hilarious moments.

At BPM Sports, we are trying to reach a wider audience with a variety of content, and the radio station recently started a new trend.

You may have seen it, but it is the tortilla slap challenge.

This Monday, BPM Sports introduced this trend as Ben Roger slapped Martin Lemay with a tortilla as a consequence.

Everyone in the studio seems to have found it quite funny.

Yesterday, it was Ben Roger’s turn to receive a “flour slap,” as he likes to call the challenge.

Since the challenge has generated a lot of interest, the station decided to do it again, Friday at noon.

This time, Éric Hoziel received the slap… given by none other than Georges Laraque.

Seeing how the former tough guy “cranked” his slap, we understand why the tortilla broke on impact.

When Hoziel received the flour slap, he got up from his chair to jump (playfully) on Laraque and make a mock fight.

I really like what the hosts and collaborators are willing to do for the radio.

It creates diversity, it breaks the routine, and it creates very funny moments.

In Brief

– Imagine if Lane Hutson had Shea Weber’s shot power.

– Connor McDavid was honored in Erie, tonight.

– For those who hadn’t heard from Dustin Byfuglien in a long time, here is his message for Connor Hellebuyck’s 300th win.

– Must read.

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Disputes in the locker room: The Canadiens are lucky

Everyone knows it: it’s nice to live in the Montreal Canadiens’ locker room.

Since the change in management and the new culture introduced, all the players have great chemistry with each other.

Recently, Alexandre Carrier commented on this chemistry.

“The chemistry of those guys. I think the guys are like brothers in the locker room… They’re enthusiastic, they’re happy, they’re excited…” – Alexandre Carrier

Recently, there have been talks of possible disputes in the Canucks’ locker room between J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson, who have denied these frictions.

Today, according to reports from Boston media, there are said to be tensions in the Boston Bruins’ locker room involving Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak.

The two teammates have clearly denied this information by stating that they are not playing together to balance the lines, not because they do not get along well. They are best friends, plain and simple.

This is the last thing any club management wants within its organization: disputes that affect the group’s chemistry, and thus, the results on the ice.

In Montreal, the Canadiens are lucky, very lucky even.

From what we see on social media and on the ice, everything seems perfect in the Montreal locker room.

There are so many examples, but on the CH’s Twitter/X page, the club frequently posts moments with players having fun.

Here is one example among many others that was posted earlier today.

Cole Caufield is clearly the team’s clown.

It must be noted that the 23 players do not necessarily all hold hands.

At least, nothing seems to affect the results, as the group plays very well together.

However, it is important to remember that not everything has always been rosy in Montreal.

The first example of disputes with the Tricolore that comes to mind dates back to the 2007-08 season when Mikhail Grabovski and the Kostitsyn brothers did NOT get along AT ALL.

Fortunately, all of that seems to be in the past and the CH management can only be happy with its current group.

Quick Hits

– Cole Caufield is really standing out this season.

– Bad bench, Luke!

– Now that’s speed.

– A must-read.

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The role of Mailloux is changing in Laval, and it’s natural to have questions.

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

When Logan Mailloux was selected by the Canadiens at the draft in 2021, he was primarily talked about as a defenseman with great offensive qualities.

We saw those qualities last year, as he finished his first professional season with a total of 47 points (14 goals) in 72 games with the Rocket in the American League.

However, his role is changing now, which raises questions…

Mailloux no longer plays as much on the power play because, in Laval, they want him to become a more complete player. They want him to improve in aspects of the game and to be more robust when he doesn’t have control of the puck.

But Anthony Marcotte pointed this out this morning on the radio, and it’s logical to talk about it, but we shouldn’t misrepresent the young man either.

It’s worth repeating: Mailloux was selected because of his offensive potential. And now, they are taking away his playing time on the power play so he can progress in other areas of his game?

Hmm…

Logan Mailloux has been selected to participate in the AHL All-Star Game, but there are doubts about him as the defenseman is not having a strong season.

This is good for the league’s visibility for the event, though… Because Mailloux – on his own – can draw more fans compared to a guy like Owen Beck or Adam Engström.

On the other hand, maybe it will do him good to go there and decompress a little. Mailloux is capable of being a good player in the American League because we saw him do it last year.

He’s in a rough patch right now (four points in 20 games with a -10 differential) and that needs to change:

(Credit: AHL.com)

The talent is there and the potential as well.

However, he also needs to be placed in a good situation and I find it hard to believe that taking away his offensive responsibilities will lead to that. Especially when we see him struggling like this…

But hey. We’ll see if the strategy pays off!

In brief

– He’s going to be good.

– Not bad…

– 😂

– Logical. He can help any NHL team.

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He jokingly said that he would have chosen Lane Hutson with the 1st pick in 2022.

COLUMBUS, OHIO - NOVEMBER 27: Cole Caufield #13 of the Montreal Canadiens is congratulated by Lane Hutson #48, Juraj Slafkovsky #20, and Nick Suzuki #14 after scoring a goal during the second period of the game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on November 27, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/NHLI via Getty Images)

It was known that Lane Hutson had the potential to become a good player in the National Hockey League.

But it was not necessarily known that he would have such a significant impact on the Canadiens’ roster at the beginning of his NHL career.

Because let’s be honest: Hutson has become indispensable in Martin St-Louis’s lineup, especially because of his offensive talent.

It’s crazy to think that the defender fell to the 62nd spot (!) in the 2022 draft due to his small size.

Teams were afraid of his build, and the Canadiens were lucky enough to select him with a late second-round pick.

In 2022, it was Juraj Slafkovsky who was picked first overall in the draft… But Slaf, seeing the talent of his teammate, joked that he would have chosen Hutson as the first overall pick:

I like to joke about it, but I would have picked him first overall. And sometimes, I would have redrafted myself at 62! – Juraj Slafkovsky

Lane Hutson’s talent is undeniable.

And now, it’s his own teammates who are impressed by what he is capable of doing on the ice. Not bad!

We’ve been talking about the defender since the beginning of the season, and there’s one aspect that really stands out in his game.

Hutson is good night after night… Because he gives it his all night after night.

He doesn’t take nights off; he is often one of the first players on the ice at practice because he wants to be better, and that’s why I think he is having so much success.

When effort and will are present, it helps a player improve:

If Lane Hutson keeps up the same pace, it will be difficult not to talk about him as a strong candidate for the Calder Trophy.

But even if he doesn’t win the trophy awarded to the Rookie of the Year in the NHL, that won’t take away from his talent. And that’s the beauty of it because the Canadiens will be able to benefit from him for many years.

In a nutshell

– At least!

– The boys are ready.

– A goal for Ovi tonight?

– Great team!

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It is important to be careful with Evans: His shooting efficiency percentage is not normal.

MONTREAL, QC - APRIL 16: Montreal Canadiens center Jake Evans (71) plays the puck during the Detroit Red Wings versus the Montreal Canadiens game on April 16, 2024, at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

At 28 years old, Jake Evans is having the best season of his career.

He is on pace for over 45 points, and it is also the last year of his contract with the Canadiens.

Now, Kent Hughes has to make an important decision regarding his center. Do we extend his contract, or do we take advantage of his value to get something in the trade market?

There is a “strange” aspect to Evans’ game this season: he is scoring more goals than usual, placing him today at 3rd among the top scorers for the CH (tied with Brendan Gallagher and Emil Heineman).

What stands out is his shooting percentage, which stands at 28.6% since the start of the season.

Evans has scored 10 goals on only 35 shots:

My colleague Maxime Truman talked about it on the radio yesterday on the show with Georges Laraque and Stéphane Gonzalez (BPM Sports), but this can’t last forever.

Evans may be on fire… but no bottom-6 NHL player can maintain that pace for several years.

There are a few exceptions, but even the best NHL scorers have a lower success rate (see the category highlighted in yellow to the right of the chart below):

(Credit: NHL.com)

Does this take credit away from Jake Evans? Absolutely not.

But we also need to be realistic in saying that he hasn’t become one of the most efficient scorers in the NHL overnight.

He will have to slow down sooner or later…

Evans’ situation – even though it isn’t exactly the same – reminds me of Rafaël Harvey-Pinard’s in 22-23.

The Quebecois finished the season strong with 14 goals in 34 games at a success rate of 24.1%, but the following season, he only managed two goals in 45 games with a success rate of 7.7%.

The difference is quite striking…

In the end, we simply need to be cautious with the projection of Jake Evans’ next contract.

It’s true that he is having great moments and, still, all the credit goes to him…

However, we shouldn’t necessarily expect his offensive production to remain similar or increase in the coming years. Because if we look at his numbers since the beginning of his career, he is not having a season like the others.

In Brief

– I love goals scored this way.

– There is tension between the Sens and their fans. [TVA Sports]

– To be continued.

– Emotional reading.