Author: Dose

Categories
Dans les coulisses

Martin St-Louis refused to punish Cole Caufield for his dumb penalty.

Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

If there is one player who steps up in Patrik Laine’s absence, it’s Cole Caufield.

Caufield, who scored three goals in 13 games while Laine was in uniform, has just scored three in his last three games – the three games of 2025 in which Laine was absent.

And the Canadiens needed that.

One might not want to draw a connection between Laine’s presence and Caufield’s performance, but it remains that in 40 games this season, he has 22 goals. And…

While he has three goals in 13 games with Laine, one can also say he has 19 goals in 27 games without the Finnish player. That’s an impressive pace.

So yes, Caufield will have to learn to score with Laine in uniform. But for now, it is undeniable that if he maintains his pace from the first half of the season, he is on track to score nearly 45 goals this season.

No one on the Canadiens has done better than Max Pacioretty’s 39 since the salary cap was introduced in the National Hockey League.

But not everything is perfect for Caufield. Yesterday, for example, he took a really unnecessary penalty in the third period which led to the Canucks’ fourth goal.

Martin St-Louis did not seem like a satisfied customer when Caufield returned to the bench.

However, even though the penalty came from an unnecessary play, Martin St-Louis still refused to punish his player more than necessary by keeping him on the bench at the very end of the game.

It would have been an issue had the Canadiens lost… but now, it’s more acceptable.

Caufield took his penalty because he cares about the team, and St-Louis deemed that it doesn’t happen often to his player. And since the team needed to score at the end of the game and Caufield had been asked to be more involved in general, MSL let it slide.

And in light of what we see, it was the right thing to do.

We can agree that player management is case by case. But on this, it would have been illogical for St-Louis to shoot himself in the foot since it wasn’t due to a lack of effort that Caufield, who regrets his action, was penalized by the referees.

Nonetheless, it is not an action that helps his candidacy for the Four Nations… even if he is performing well as a top player.

In Brief

– Interesting.

– Noteworthy.

– The impact of the draft.

– Good question.

– Worth reading.

Categories
Dans les coulisses

Points: Lane Hutson leads NHL rookies

MONTREAL, CANADA- JANUARY 6: Lane Hutson #48 of the Montreal Canadiens salutes the fans after being named the first star of the NHL regular season game against the Vancouver Canucks at the Bell Centre on January 6, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Vancouver Canucks by a score of 5-4 in overtime. (Photo by Arianne Bergeron/NHLI via Getty Images)

On the margin of their victory yesterday (5-4) against the Vancouver Canucks, the Canadiens awaken this morning among the top eight teams in the East in the NHL. They wake up in the playoff picture. That’s better than the mix, right?

The last time this happened (after more than 2-3 games in a season), it was in 2021, the year of the Stanley Cup final. It has been nearly four years since this was last seen.

Right now, we’re not talking about a top-10 pick in Montreal since the mix is taking up all the space. The main question is whether the Habs can hold up and stay so high in the standings.

After all, it won’t be simple. The Habs are there because they are on an irresistible streak (eight wins in their last ten games) and a single misstep can change everything quickly.

But for now, things are going well.

And one of the reasons for this is that Lane Hutson is playing like a general. Yesterday’s game was a perfect example, as he dominated – even though the game was physical.

Hutson, who scored his first goal at the Bell Centre and accumulated three points, was all over the ice. He was the most utilized player by his coach, and it was totally deserved.

His 30 points in 40 games are more than excellent: he’s on pace for about 62 points like Mike Matheson last year. Hutson had nothing to envy from any defenseman yesterday, whether it was Matheson or Quinn Hughes.

Right now, Hutson has more points than Macklin Celebrini or Matvei Michkov, which is significant. These are two forwards… and even though they have missed games this season, it’s noteworthy.

The Habs registered 14 more shots than shots allowed when Hutson (25:19 of ice time) was on the ice. That’s quite something for a game that ended 24-20 in shots in favor of the Habs.

Yes, the Habs have a good one on their hands. And just imagine what it will be like when Ivan Demidov joins him on the power play…

So, one might wonder, given the circumstances, if the Habs will finally have, for the first time since Ken Dryden, a Calder winner in 2025. And maybe another in 2026, while we’re at it?

Let’s also note that Lane Hutson, inspired by his brother’s gold medal at the WJC (and no doubt by his hospital visit during the holidays), needed only 42 career games to reach 30 points. Among American defensemen, it’s the fourth-fastest mark in history.

But still. He’s not the only player who looked good yesterday (Juraj Slafkovsky would say everyone looks good according to the media during such a streak) upon the club’s return to Montreal.

What do I take away from the game?

1. Even though the Habs were coming back from a long trip, they did not let themselves be crushed. They played very well (especially at the start of the game) and that led to a very big Monday night duel against the Canucks.

We saw the intensity of 2021, in the Canadian division. And that, even though the referee—ah never mind.

2. Kirby Dach scored again yesterday. Since returning from the holidays, he’s got four goals and one assist, totaling five points in six games. It helps everyone when the #2 center plays up to expectations.

This helps the captain shine, having scored his first since the blowout against the Penguins on December 12. Yes, it was four against three, but still.

3. The Canadiens overcame a two-goal deficit to win yesterday. Against Colorado, they came back from a one-goal deficit. Against Vegas, they overcame a two-goal deficit. That’s something.

And we’re talking about good teams here.

4. Samuel Montembeault did not have the game of his life and his opponent was better than him. But he did enough to win – which is important in a results-driven league.

That’s already something.

5. Even without David Savard, absent due to injury for the third straight game, the Habs were not outclassed. It’s easier when he’s around, of course, but it’s not a rout without him.

Is it the Alexandre Carrier effect?

6. Regardless of what happens next, the Canadiens’ management can say the club has been #InTheMix this season. It’s an achievement that few people saw coming, let’s be clear.

I had said before the start of the season that the Habs would struggle at first and would have a good run in the middle of the season… but I won’t pretend I saw such quality of play in my crystal ball.

7. Without Patrik Laine, the power play is less dynamic. Yes, Cole Caufield has stepped up in recent games, but let’s just say that it’s not Michael Pezzetta who replaces the Finn well.

In the last three games, he has played 5:49, 4:32, and 3:58 (yesterday), which shows that a return to the stands is imminent.

8. Juraj Slafkovsky got an assist during the game, but it could have been more than that. He was involved and Martin St-Louis (who sports the beard like a chief) liked to see that kind of performance from his forward.

He needs to build on that.

9. Kaiden Guhle made the fans at the Bell Centre (who got their money’s worth yesterday) happy with a huge hit just before the first goal of the game. He is a stabilizing force.

Geoff Molson must think that right now, it’s easier to attract fans to the Temple than it was a few weeks ago.

Overtime

The Canadiens will have a training day today. Between the great performances of the club and all the travel of recent weeks, that seems perfectly normal to me.

The club will return to training tomorrow in preparation for the duel against the Capitals, which will take place Friday in Washington. So we will have to wait a bit before getting official updates on some guys.

(Credit: NHL.com)
Categories
Dans les coulisses

Top-3: Jacob Markstrom makes one of the saves of the year

Last night, there wasn’t much action.

The Canadiens beat the Canucks in one of those games.

Here are the results and highlights from the other three matches:

1. Jacob Markstrom makes one of the saves of the year

Last night in Seattle, the Devils beat the Kraken, and they can thank their goalie Jacob Markstrom.

Not only did he allow just two goals and stop 21 shots, but he also made spectacular saves, including this one that you will remember for a long time:

He also made these two saves that were equally impressive:

In short, he was a true wall in front of the Devils’ net.

On offense, Jack Hughes earned an assist on the winning goal, his 200th career point.

2. The worst team in the East beats the best one

On paper, the matchup between the Sabres and the Capitals seemed uneven as the Sabres were the worst team in the East and the Capitals were the best.

Buffalo still managed to win 4-3 in a shootout.

In defeat, John Carlson recorded his 700th career point, becoming the 31st defenseman in history to achieve this feat.

Alex Ovechkin did not close in on Wayne Gretzky, but his teammate Tom Wilson found the back of the net.

He has success against Ukko-Pekka Luokkonen

3. 14th consecutive game with a point for Mikko Rantanen

In Colorado, after a loss to the Canadiens on Saturday, the Avalanche were back in action, this time against the reigning champions.

They won 3-1, and in the victory, Mikko Rantanen scored into an empty net, extending his point streak to 14 games. Let’s remember that he scored the only goal for Colorado against Montreal.

For the rest of the offense, it was Devon Toews who supported him.

He scored both goals against an opposing goalie.

On the losing side, Carter Verhaeghe was the only scorer.

Overtime

– He has a wicked shot.

– He was not happy.

– J.T. Miller contributed to all four goals for the Canucks.

(Credit: NHL.com)

– 10 games on the schedule tonight in the NHL.

(Credit: Google)
Categories
Dans les coulisses

Max Pacioretty the instigator: a new role he excels in wonderfully

The former player of the Montreal Canadiens, Max Pacioretty, is no longer the player he was in his prime.

He has a good build, but has always been known for his goal-scoring talent rather than his physical play.

Now a player for the Toronto Maple Leafs, he fills a new specific role: that of an agitator, or energy player.

The QMI Agency published an article on TVA Sports earlier today about this new role for Pacioretty in Toronto.

As mentioned in the TVA Sports article, Pacioretty is at the top of his team for the number of hits per game (2.82) among those who have played more than 25 games.

Yes, he is even ahead of Ryan Reaves.

This season, he has totaled 79 hits, giving him a pace of 231 hits over an 82-game period.

His single-season record is 119…

Definitely, we see a new facet that has never been seen before in Pacioretty’s game.

Alongside John Tavares and William Nylander, he perfectly complements this second line, allowing the Leafs to have two excellent lines (the other being Matthew Knies – Auston Matthews – Mitch Marner).

Toronto has a record of 26-13-2, good for 5th place in the entire NHL (before today’s games).

Even though Pacioretty has only 5 goals in 28 games, he brings another dimension that is highly appreciated by his line mates, who can focus on offense.

Let’s see where the Leafs will go in the playoffs this year.

In Brief

The shot was clocked at 103.7 MPH.

A second goal for Wilson in this game. He definitely enjoys facing Ukko-Pekka Luukonen.

Tyler Molendyk has been traded to the Medicine Hat Tigers and will join Gavin McKenna.

Must read.

Categories
Dans les coulisses

During the Holidays, Lane Hutson took the time to meet with sick children.

Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

In Montreal, Lane Hutson has quickly established himself as a crowd favorite for his performances on the ice. The defenseman is extremely electrifying, and his 27 points in 39 games this season demonstrate the extent of his offensive potential.

There have been good offensive defensemen in town in recent years, but Hutson is particularly electrifying.

That said, Hutson is also a guy who, until now, stays away from controversy. He has the image of a good kid, living with his mother in Montreal this season.

And during the Holidays, without making noise, Hutson and his family made a beautiful gesture: they took the time to visit sick children in Montreal to bring a little happiness to their day.

The whole family (excluding his younger brother, Cole, who was at the World Junior Championship) took the time to go.

Obviously, it’s nice to see that the Hutson family, who comes from the United States, took their time during the Holidays to visit sick children in Montreal. It clearly shows that Lane seems to enjoy being in town, as he gives back to the community.

As a rookie, he could have really wanted to return home south of the border during the Holidays… but he preferred to give his time in Montreal. It’s a veteran gesture, and it says a lot about the person he is.

There is a lot of talk about the defenseman for his performances on the ice, and rightly so. That said, we should also talk about the person he is, and clearly, he seems to have the right values.

That’s another good reason to like him.

In brief

– Nick Suzuki and Lane Hutson will determine the outcome of the CH’s season.

– The CH mourns the passing of a former coach of the organization.

– Nathan MacKinnon is truly an exceptional player.

– Transaction in MLB.

Categories
Dans les coulisses

Jared Bednar: “The CH is among the elite of the NHL when it comes to creating offense.”

These days, things are going well for the Canadiens. The team just completed a five-game road trip during which they defeated the last four Stanley Cup champion teams.

Well, they also lost to the mighty Blackhawks… but it wouldn’t be a trip for the Habs without an inexplicable loss, right?

That said, the club’s victory against the Avalanche was particularly impressive. The Canadiens weren’t particularly dominant that night, but Jakub Dobes was solid and the team’s offense stepped up at the right moment.

And in the press conference, the Avalanche coach praised the Canadiens with a phrase we haven’t often heard in recent years when talking about the Habs:

The Canadiens are among the elite in the NHL right now when it comes to creating offense. – Jared Bednar

Bednar feels that defensively, his team did a good job limiting the Habs that night. That said, it’s a point of pride for him as he finds it’s not easy to limit the Canadiens.

The absence of Patrik Laine (who will also miss tonight’s game) may have helped, but no matter: seeing the Avalanche coach, who is well-positioned to recognize an explosive offense, praising the Habs’ attack is a nice acknowledgment of Martin St-Louis and his team’s work.

Bednar also acknowledged that his team struggled to create offense against the Habs’ defense. Once again, it feels like Bednar was impressed by the Tricolore.

Obviously, the Canadiens are far from having the talent and firepower of a team like the Avalanche, but if the team managed to impress Bednar without Laine, it shows that the club has an offensive foundation that looks pretty good.

And let’s remember that with a victory tonight, the Habs would go to bed sitting in the top-8 of the East (and thus in a playoff position). It’s no surprise that all this is happening as the Canadiens’ offensive firepower begins to be recognized throughout the league.

Overtime

Let’s also remember that next season, the Canadiens will have Ivan Demidov who will add a ton of offensive punch.

The foundation is already solid… but with Demidov, it has the potential to reach another level.

Categories
Dans les coulisses

Cayden Primeau would be on the transaction market.

Photo by Rich Gagnon/Getty Images

The 2024-25 season for Cayden Primeau has been quite tough so far. The goalie, who started the year as the #2 in Montreal, has not delivered the goods in his role.

Today, he is in Laval, as he was not claimed on waivers.

All of this means that his future with the Canadiens organization is, at best, quite unclear. Samuel Montembeault is the club’s #1, and Jakub Dobes is changing the game. We’ll come back to Dobes.

In short, this suddenly means Primeau is no longer an essential piece for the Canadiens… and according to Bruce Garrioch (Ottawa Citizen), the Canadiens goalie is currently on the trade market.

TVA Sports also reported the news.

According to Garrioch, Primeau is one of the few goalies on the market right now. In fact, John Gibson and James Reimer are two other names that are available for trade, and Ville Husso could also be… but that’s about it.

Teams know how important depth in net is, so it’s rare to want to trade goalies who can hold their own in the NHL.

In Primeau’s case, however, the fact that he wasn’t claimed on waivers 10 days ago suggests there’s not exactly a bidding war for his services. On the other hand, if he is on the market, it likely means that the Canadiens have pretty much thrown in the towel on him.

It’s worth noting that less than a year ago, the club traded Jake Allen because they had confidence in Montembeault and Primeau. Less than a year later, the latter is no longer in the organization’s good graces. Things change quickly in the NHL.

And clearly, what isn’t helping Primeau’s case is the fact that Jakub Dobes is playing excellent hockey. Earlier this morning on the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Elliotte Friedman confirmed that the Canadiens have wanted to give Dobes a chance for some time… and right now, the kid is playing more like a guy who wants the #1 spot in the NHL than a guy who intends to return to Laval anytime soon.

I’m not ready to say he’s going to push Montembeault soon… but at least it means that for once this season, the Canadiens have a #2 they can trust.

We’ll see what lies ahead for Primeau, but in the short term, he may be looking to rebuild his confidence in Laval… with the aim of enticing another team to trade for his services.

Could the Senators, who are missing Linus Ullmark, hit the panic button? Or might another team be tempted if another goalie goes down? The next few weeks could be quite interesting.

In Brief

– Speaking of Primeau.

– There are no passengers in Montreal right now, claims Alexandre Carrier.

– Enjoy listening.

– A classic.

Categories
Dans les coulisses

Patrik Laine and David Savard will be absent again tonight.

Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images

This evening, the Canadiens are finally back at the Bell Centre, as they host the Vancouver Canucks.

The big question was whether Patrik Laine and David Savard would return…

But that will not be the case. The two guys will still be missing tonight.

More details to come…

Categories
Dans les coulisses

Hockey in Arizona: a committee is established to bring a team back to the desert

In the past year, the saga of the Arizona Coyotes has finally come to a conclusion. After years of being the laughingstock of the league, the team has moved to Utah.

To be precise, it was all the assets that were sent to Utah, while the Coyotes became an inactive franchise. But in practical terms, it’s the principle of a move.

It is obviously a shame for the community in Arizona, which has seen numerous owners mismanage the organization terribly. After all, the team played in an NCAA arena with 5,000 seats; it lacked seriousness, and one can understand why some fans have disengaged.

That said, we know that the NHL would eventually like to return to Arizona (with new owners)… and it feels like some activities are picking up in that direction in the desert.

Indeed, as reported by Craig Morgan (who is well-connected in Arizona), a committee has been set up by elected officials in Arizona. The goal of this committee: to bring an NHL team back to Arizona.

The big question, of course, will be regarding the arena. We know that this was what sank the Coyotes, and a new arena (worthy of the NHL this time) will be needed to host a Bettman circuit team.

But clearly, the efforts seem serious. Morgan notes that Gary Bettman met with the committee before Christmas, and Tom Galvin, who is the foundation of this committee, states that there have already been “several meetings”.

He adds that Bettman is eager to work with the committee.

It will be necessary to find a serious group of owners for such a project to move forward. But clearly, in Arizona, there seems to be a serious commitment in our preliminary efforts.

With Atlanta also in the running to regain a team, one could almost imagine an expansion to bring back two teams that disappeared in the last 15 years, namely the Thrashers and the Coyotes.

And meanwhile, in Quebec…

In Brief

– Quite so!

– Grant McCagg is not too worried about Juraj Slafkovský.

– A WJC in Trois-Rivières?

– I like it.

– Jake McCabe sidelined. Yesterday’s images were concerning.

Categories
Dans les coulisses

Jake Evans’ Contract: “It’s coming,” says Renaud Lavoie

MONTREAL, QC - OCTOBER 26: Montreal Canadiens center Jake Evans (71) plays the puck during the St. Louis Blues versus the Montreal Canadiens game on October 26, 2024, at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Jake Evans is having a great 2024-25 season. In 39 games, the 28-year-old center already has 10 goals and 23 points to his name, approaching his career highs (13 goals and 29 points in 72 games during the 2021-22 season).

But beyond the points, he is primarily a real asset on the penalty kill. And that makes him quite indispensable in the city.

That said, Evans has chosen his year to have a big season, as he will become a free agent in a few months. This means that the Canadiens will have to pay him to keep him beyond this year… and it seems like that will happen.

According to Renaud Lavoie, who reported over the weekend that Evans wanted to stay in the city and the Canadiens wanted to keep him, it seems to be just a matter of time before this is resolved. Here’s what he had to say about it this morning, as reported by TVA Sports:

I don’t know when, but there is a wedding coming to ensure that Jake [Evans] stays in the organization. – Renaud Lavoie

Assuming everything goes well and it all ends with a contract extension for the young veteran, it would be a nice success story for the organization. We know that Evans was a very late draft pick (207th overall in 2014) who spent four years in the NCAA and honed his skills in Laval before establishing himself in the NHL.

He is a great example for the young players in the organization, as he has an impeccable work ethic and does things the right way. And the fact that he is well-liked in the locker room is another major positive.

In terms of contract specifics, it’s interesting to see how often Phillip Danault’s name comes up in this discussion. We shouldn’t expect to see Evans earning $5.5 million per year… but it seems we are setting the stage for a world where the annual salary will be quite high (around $4 million per year?). That’s the risk that comes with signing a guy in the middle of his biggest career season.

Evans is far from being a 50-point player per year like Danault was, after all. I understand why some say he has “replaced Danault,” but we need to be cautious.

That being said, even though I expect a pretty pricey contract, signing Evans is the right decision for the Canadiens in my opinion. I discussed this last week: the Canadiens no longer need late first-round picks at this stage of their rebuilding process. They should rather start retaining support players because drafting another Filip Mesar or Ryan Poehling won’t yield much.

Yes, that pick could be used in a trade… but would you prefer Jake Evans or Alex Newhook right now?

Three years ago, the Canadiens faced a similar dilemma with Artturi Lehkonen, and they ultimately traded the Finn in what is now recognized as one of the poorer moves of the Hughes/Gorton era. Do we want to avoid making the same mistake by trading a guy who has proven he can thrive in the Montreal market? Because that’s also an unknown with players drafted late in the first round.

We’ll have to see how this situation evolves, but everything seems to point toward Evans returning to Montreal for the coming years. We will pay him at the peak of his value, and that represents a risk… but if Kirby Dach becomes the second center we know he is capable of being, paying a premium for Evans won’t be that bad.

In Brief

– The case of Frank Vatrano, who signed a contract extension in Anaheim, is another good comparison for Jake Evans’s situation.

– Arthur Kaliyev claimed by the Rangers. We don’t know if the Canadiens wanted him.

– Great read.