Author: Dose

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He plays in the KHL and brings his phone with him onto the ice rink.

I have been watching hockey for 30 to 35 years. Probably longer, but I don’t have many memories before the age of six or seven so I didn’t dare to write forty. But I could have…

I have seen some strange things happen on the ice.

But what happened today in a garage league in St-Jérôme the KHL is in a class of its own.

Nikita Dynyak, a player for Ak-Bars Kazan who is in his sixth season with the team (and in the KHL) jumped onto the ice with his cell phone in his pants or his jacket, I’m not too sure…

And he dropped his cell in the neutral zone with his very first strides.

I’m not kidding; it really happened.

At least, the device seemed well protected. #Case #LOL

First, this means the guy – who is 27 years old and a veteran – brings his cell to the players’ bench.

Second, it means he hides it on him when he jumps onto the ice.

Come on! How much do you need to refresh your Instagram or X feed during a game? And how scared are you of having it stolen from the bench during your shifts?

Of course, I hope he wasn’t waiting for an important call. Although if that were the case, he might have had to miss the game, right? #Concentration

Note that Dynyak plays between 9 and 13 minutes per game; we’re not talking about a guy who is benched for 60 minutes like Ivan Demidov just a few weeks ago…

Today, Dynyak was blanked from the score sheet, he spent 10m35 on the ice and was ejected for fighting with Michael McLeod, a former NHL player involved in the Team Canada Junior 2018 story.

Guy Boucher, the coach of the other team, would have liked Dynyak to be penalized for delaying the game with his cell, but he was not granted his wish.

In brief

– Mathias Brunet had a similar idea to mine and listed the key factors behind the current success of the CH. He also noted that we will have to give up on the draft lottery and the first two or three picks. [LaPresse]

– I think we need to take it easy: Phillip Danault was the team’s first center and he got 5.5 million $ per season. Jake Evans is currently the fourth – or at best, the third – center for the Canadiens. And he shouldn’t be getting that much money next year…

– Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson might miss tonight’s game at the Bell Centre.

– Several absences during the Rocket’s practice.

– So that’s it, stuffed toys!

– Happy birthday Jules!

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The profile of CH with Laine and Carrier is worthy of that of a champion team.

Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images

If the Canadiens win tonight against the Canucks, they won’t just be in the mix; they’ll be firmly in the top eight of the Eastern Conference, putting them in the playoff picture.

Who would have believed it just a few weeks ago?

The CH has a record of 18-18-3 since the start of the season, giving them 39 points in 39 games. Will they finish the first half of their season above .500?

What could explain this Montreal resurrection?

1. Patrik Laine, who brought energy and hope to everyone during training camp, greatly affected the morale of the Montreal troops when he got injured.

Since December 3, the date of Patrik Laine’s first game, the CH has a record of 10-5-0, which is the fifth-best in the entire NHL.

However, if we remove the two games Laine missed last weekend (flu) and the one he played for a third (Columbus), the CH is even stronger: 9-3-0.

In short, Patrik Laine makes the Canadiens win; it’s proven.

And recently, he even found a way to produce at even strength – not just on power play – and to revive Kirby Dach!

Dach and the Montreal power play simply aren’t the same without Laine…

The Canadiens have not been the same since Patrik Laine has been in uniform.
(Credit: Getty Images)

2. Alexandre Carrier has come to stabilize a defense that seemed unsure how to play the man-to-man system required by Martin St-Louis and Stéphane Robidas.

His arrival – and Justin Barron’s departure (who is struggling in Nashville) – have ensured that everyone finds themselves in a role suited for them at the moment.

Since Carrier became a Hab, the Canadiens have won no less than six of their eight games, scoring 28 goals and allowing only 18. The CH is scoring more goals than before… and on top of that, they’re playing better defensively. They are more structured, resulting in more shots taken and fewer shots allowed.

Carrier, known primarily for his defensive play, has even managed to get four assists in eight games.

This is what it means to be a Quebecer wanting to play in Quebec! It reminds others, without having to say it directly, how special it is to play for the Montreal Canadiens.

3. Jakub Dobes has transformed the situation in front of the net for the Habs.

We went from a team that had to play Samuel Montembeault in almost every game because his backup was not/anymore NHL caliber to a team that has a number two who seriously challenges the number one spot of Samuel Montembeault.

Night and day!

Dobes blanked the Panthers, then defeated the Avalanche on their home ice in a shootout, allowing only one small goal against Nathan MacKinnon and his crew.

I know the sample size is small, but Dobes has a goals-against average of 0.48 and a save percentage of .982 this season in the NHL. I can’t wait to see him play another game…

Why didn’t he get recalled earlier, though? Especially since the Canadiens’ management has been toying with the idea of recalling him for quite some time…

Dobes has everything to succeed: talent, size, technique, attitude, work ethic, etc. Let’s not put too much pressure on him, but let’s still believe in him.

Reminder: as early as September, people close to the Rocket and the Canadiens were telling me that Dobes might be the future #1 goalie for the organization and that he should be given a chance with the big club. #DoneDeal

Overtime

– Of course, there’s also the awakening of Kirby Dach (and Alex Newhook), the consistency of Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and Lane Hutson, the incredible season of Jake Evans, the effectiveness of Joel Armia, the surprise of Emil Heineman, and the brilliance of Samuel Montembeault that explains the good position the team is currently in.

In short, success is a team effort for the Montrealers.

Juraj Slafkovsky will need to wake up as well because what he has shown us on the ice is concerning.

Fatigue, lack of vigor, slow decision-making, lack of crunch on his skates, not-so-quick hands…

Let’s remember that Slafkovsky is a first overall pick and that he will earn an average of $7.6 million per year starting next fall… with only $10 million in real cash in 2025-26!

– Tonight’s game against the Canucks won’t be easy. Even if the Canucks will be missing some important players, the Montreal players will have heavy legs, having played and traveled quite intensely lately. And the first home game following a long trip is always quite difficult…

However, it will be a first game at the Bell Centre in 2025 and a first in front of the team’s fans in two and a half weeks…

And the team won’t have any other games until next weekend!

It’s time for the CH – which has only won 10 of its 19 games played at the Bell Centre this season – to make its arena a fortress and a hostile place for the opponent.

At least, they will likely be able to count on the return of Patrik Laine…

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Pat Laprade and Kevin Raphaël hired by Netflix

When the news broke, I thought: “There it is, we will now have to deal with analysts and commentators with a French accent during the galas.”

Of course, I am referring to the agreement that has linked WWE to Netflix since the beginning of the month, for the next ten years (and five billion $).

But I was wrong! Good for me!

The WWE – and not Netflix – has decided to hire two additional French-speaking commentators to enhance the broadcast of its events in Quebec: Pat Laprade and Kevin Raphaël.

Laprade and Raphaël are contracted with WWE for several years, I am told.

The (pleasant) surprise is that WWE already had its two French-speaking commentators: Christophe Agius and Nadir Mohammedi, both French and based in France.

So we must commend the decision of the two entertainment giants to provide French-Quebec content to Quebecers watching WWE galas. #Tokébakicitte

After enduring a few minutes of the French broadcast of the Jake Paul – Mike Tyson fight, I admit I wasn’t too convinced…

What will be broadcast?
Kevin Raphaël and Pat Laprade will comment on ALL the wrestling produced by WWE, as the contract between Netflix and WWE includes Raw (Monday), NXT (Tuesday), Smackdown (Friday), and special events (WrestleMania, Royal Rumble, and others).

Note that in the United States, only Raw galas are being broadcast on Netflix for now.

A duo that isn’t new
Pat Laprade and Kevin Raphaël have been commenting on wrestling events together for seven years. However, they only had one hour out of the three during the Raw galas on TVA Sports. And the galas were broadcast 48 hours later on TVA Sports…

On Netflix, we will also have to wait a day or two before gaining access to the galas described by the Quebec duo… but it won’t be like that for long. According to what I’ve been told, they would like to go live before the end of this year. Especially since Laprade and Raphaël will comment live (each from their own home) on gala nights…

Note that for now, WWE does not plan to send Pat and Kevin on-site for the galas. Maybe for a special event if the Bell Centre hosts a wrestling gala soon? We’ll see.

Pat Laprade is happy and excited
I was able to reach Pat Laprade between two meetings as he was preparing for his new job which starts tonight with the first Raw of 2025.

He didn’t hesitate to express how happy he was to join the Netflix/WWE team.

“Since the announcement that WWE was going to Netflix, it’s something I kept looking forward to. I’m really happy that WWE and Netflix thought about having a French version for Quebec. Kevin and I are very excited to take on this new challenge. This is big news for the history of wrestling in Quebec.” – Pat Laprade

Boy, am I happy for the guys, who must be raking in quite a bit of dollars (in US currency) for such a contract. Good for them, they fully deserve it!

In a nutshell

– A few moves with the Canucks, just hours before their game at the Bell Centre.

– Happy birthday Richard!

– Elias Pettersson knows he can (and must) be better.

– An American center-back of 21 years old, who is over 6’0, who has already represented the USA on the international stage and has experience in MLS: a great addition for CF Montréal!

– CF Montréal: who will be the next to leave? #GrandMénage

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Canada: The gold medal and 113 penalty minutes in five games, that doesn’t go together.

Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

Alright. The junior world championship is over: the United States won the gold medal last night, thanks to an overtime victory against Finland.

The Americans completely dominated the overtime period, and it was Teddy Stiga (a draft pick of the Predators) who played the hero with a breakaway.

Zeev Buium’s pass on the goal deserves some attention as well:

Cole Hutson finished the tournament at the top of the competition’s scoring leaders (11), and he was really solid for his club.

He was one of the best players for the United States from start to finish, and at this level, the Capitals’ management must be pleased this morning.

On the other hand, it’s disappointing because Canada had the tools to at least reach the final.

And what’s even more unfortunate… is that it was difficult to watch Canada this year for several reasons.

This tweet from my colleague Maxime Truman says it all:

In the end, it was really the indiscipline that sunk Canada during the tournament.

The Canadians were BY FAR the most penalized in the competition: 113 penalty minutes in just five games… That’s simply unacceptable.

It’s not even close when you compare those numbers to those of other nations:

(Credit: IIHF)

113 penalty minutes in five games, it seems hard to believe.

That said, how do you expect to win and make it to the final if you are in the penalty box so often? It just doesn’t work…

Dave Cameron made the excuse of fatigue after his club was eliminated in the quarterfinals, and that too is somewhat ridiculous.

It’s true that there are guys on the team who had to change time zones… but that’s also the case for other countries.

European teams had to adapt as well, which is why Cameron’s comments are nonsensical.

And even if Canada was “tired”… they had the necessary resources to beat Latvia and the Czech Republic.

They deserve credit for playing well against Canada, but still.

The Canadian team was loaded with talent: it was simply poorly coached.

Let’s also note that no player from Canada was able to finish among the top 30 scorers of the tournament. It’s rare to see that, let’s be honest…

All this to say that this year’s edition of the junior world championship turned out to be a real failure for Canada, especially since the tournament was hosted in the country in Ottawa.

Maybe this will teach the management to be less cute and select the best players, which hasn’t been the case for the past two years.

Because we must not forget one thing: last year, Canada was also eliminated in the quarterfinals against the Czech Republic…

In Brief

– A first game at the Bell Centre in 2025.

– It’s up to you to respond!

– Reminder: Georges Laraque and Rocky Balboa look like two peas in a pod. Or almost. 😅

– Good news.

– Oh really?

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Top 5: Scary images of Jake McCabe

Yesterday was a quiet day in the NHL.

The Canadiens – like most other teams – did not have a game scheduled.

Only five games were presented across the league:

1: Hoping it’s not too serious…

Matvei Michkov and the Flyers were visiting Toronto to face the Leafs.

In the end, the Russian was unable to help his team win.

Michkov has been held scoreless for the 10th time in his last 11 games and attempted a bit of flair during the match:

I wonder what John Tortorella thought of that…

Matthew Knies scored his 15th goal of the season during the game, and overtime was needed to determine a winner between the two teams.

It was Morgan Rielly who played the hero, allowing the Leafs to win 3-2:

During the game, there was one particular sequence that is still being talked about this morning.

Jake McCabe decided to drop the gloves and fight Garnet Hathaway… But the footage that follows the fight is concerning as McCabe struggles to get back up.

We can only hope for the defender that it’s not too serious:

2: Long live Gibson and Vatrano!

After agreeing to the terms of a contract extension (like Shohei Ohtani) a little earlier in the day, Frank Vatrano and the Ducks hosted the Lightning in Anaheim.

And the forward took advantage of the opportunity to prove his bosses right by scoring two goals and adding an assist.

This one is particularly nice:

Vatrano’s effort was enough: the Ducks won 4-1 and thus secured a great victory against one of the good teams in the NHL.

The team can also thank John Gibson, who was solid in net, stopping 36 of the 37 shots directed at him.

He notched his 200th win in the NHL:

3: A 600th career point for Aho

Sebastian Aho is quite a hockey player.

And we saw that last night, as his team needed a goal to win.

In overtime during the game between the Hurricanes and the Penguins, it was indeed the forward who made the decisive goal to help his team win 4-3 against the Pittsburgh squad:

The goal is beautiful, but it’s important because it’s Aho’s 600th career point in the NHL.

He is only 27 years old, and if he continues at the same pace, the 1000-point milestone is definitely achievable…

4: Another overtime goal

It seems that it was the trend yesterday: three of the five games required overtime.

Between the Bruins and the Islanders, exactly this happened…

And it was Bo Horvat who scored (his 2nd of the game) for the Islanders to win by a score of 5-4:

This is a much-needed victory for the Islanders… Because things have not been going well for them since the start of the season.

It should be noted that in the loss, David Pastrnak scored his 16th and 17th goals of the campaign. He had a slower start, but things are starting to come around for the Bruins’ star.

[cotnent-ads]

5: Louis Domingue has fun in a rare Rangers victory

The Rangers had no excuses.

They were in Chicago to face the struggling Blackhawks… And they took the opportunity to secure a rare victory.

The team won decisively by a score of 6-2, and in the victory, goalie Louis Domingue had a blast.

He stopped 25 of the 27 shots directed at him… While pulling off some tricks in his crease.

The following sequence is funny:

In the victory, Mika Zibanejad recorded an assist.

It was his 400th career assist in the NHL, and he joins Victor Hedman and Erik Karlsson in this category among active Swedish players:

Overtime

– Beautiful goal.

– Wow.

– Boom!

– Vintage Karlsson.

– The top scorers of the night:

(Credit: NHL.com)

– Four games tonight in the NHL:

(Credit: Google)
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The Canucks are looking to trade J.T. Miller or Elias Pettersson.

Things are not going well in the Vancouver Canucks’ locker room, or as we say around here: there’s trouble brewing!

I recently spoke about the difficult relationship between J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson, the two top centers of the team.

Well, according to Elliotte Friedman, it seems the Canucks are ready to part ways with one of the players in exchange for another center.

It’s interesting because, first of all, if the Vancouver team wants to part with either of its two forwards, it shows us that the problem really lies between them and neither is bad for the locker room.

The team believes that the departure of one or the other should solve the conflict situation.

We can also understand why the Canucks want to trade one of their center players for another center, hoping to maintain the same level of talent while resolving internal disputes.

Personally, I believe the British Columbian team should rather try to trade Miller than Pettersson, if only for the age difference, as at 31, the former is five years older than the latter.

Moreover, Pettersson is a player drafted and developed by the Canucks, having spent his entire career in Vancouver.

However, I imagine it will depend mainly on the interest of other GMs and the offers that will be on the table for both players.

Furthermore, my colleague Michaël Petit wrote earlier this week that Chris Drury, the general manager of the Rangers, would be interested in bringing Miller back to New York.

However, if the Canucks want to acquire a center in return, we might wonder if they would really be interested in Vincent Trocheck or Mika Zibanejad, both of whom have 24 points in 39 games this season.

Would Vancouver’s GM, Patrik Allvin, be willing to adjust his demands?

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And also, should Kent Hughes give Allvin a call to discuss?

The arrival of Miller or Pettersson would strengthen our center league, which is rather weak, and would immediately improve the Canadiens, but what would be the price to pay?

The only interesting center player would be Nick Suzuki, and it would be surprising if the team were willing to sacrifice its captain.

And since Vancouver wants to remain competitive immediately, it would be surprising that they are interested in young players for the future.

In short, I do not believe that the Canadiens have what it takes to be part of this trade dance, but it doesn’t hurt Hughes to gauge his counterpart’s interest.

In Brief

– A lovely visitor!

– It’s stunning…

– George LaRocky is back!

– Eight in a row.

– Tight match at halftime.

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Roman Josi does not like the way Justin Barron plays.

Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images

I mentioned earlier this week that Justin Barron is not doing very well since his arrival with the Nashville Predators.

The defender has been scratched three times, has no points and a -3 plus/minus, and recently his play seems to be frustrating his teammate Roman Josi.

Barron participated in the last three games of his team after being scratched on December 30. Since then, he has maintained a zero plus/minus while playing over 17 minutes per game with the Preds, who have just won their last two matches.

The problem Josi has with Barron is that the young defender is taking too many risks offensively, and that is his job, as we learn in an article by Nicolas Cloutier published on TVA Sports.

Andrew Brunette, the Predators’ coach, advocates for a more conservative defensive style. He asks his defenders to stay back and not support the attack, except for their star defender Roman Josi.

However, in his last two games, Barron has tried offensive pushes by supporting the forwards, which seemed to upset Josi.

It’s understandable that the situation can be frustrating for the veteran defender, but is publicly showing his anger really the solution to the problem?

Moreover, so far, Barron’s play has not impressed The Tennessean journalist Alex Daugherty, who particularly criticizes the young player’s decision-making.

This leads to the question: what is the Predators’ goal for Barron? He is primarily a defender with offensive potential but has long-standing weaknesses in his zone.

Thus, it is in an offensive context that the Preds and his teammate Roman Josi should expect to see their young defender shine.

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However, it can also be understood that for now, his team likely prefers to see him get accustomed to the system and improve his decision-making before letting him take risks offensively.

But is this really the ideal context for him to develop to his full potential? Only time will tell.

Nevertheless, the Predators want to be patient with Barron, whom they see as a long-term project, allowing him to regain his confidence and become an important part of the team.

Let’s hope for both parties that results will eventually come.

In Brief

– The Czechs win bronze!

– The Broncos qualify!

– Chargers heading to the playoffs!

– Victory to end the season.

– The end for Rodgers?

– Fifteen straight for OKC.

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International Hockey: Luc Tardif wants Russia’s return “as soon as possible”

SAINT PETERSBURG, RUSSIA - 2023/12/17: Russia 25 national hockey team player, Nikita Grebenkin (77) seen in action during the Channel One Cup (ice hockey) between Russia 25 and Kazakhstan at the Ice Sports Palace. (Final score; Russia 25 5:2 Kazakhstan). (Photo by Maksim Konstantinov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Since February 2022, there has been a missing important player in international hockey competitions: Russia.

The Russian nation, along with Belarus, has been subject to a suspension by the International Ice Hockey Federation since February 2022 for security reasons related to the invasion and war in Ukraine.

Since then, Russia has been suspended from all international hockey tournaments regardless of age or gender of the competitors.

This is particularly the case for the World Junior Championship, which ends today, as well as the Four Nations Cup, which starts in just over a month.

Earlier, when asked about the issue, the president of the IIHF, Luc Tardif, expressed hope for a quick return of the Russians to the international stage.

“We want [Russia] back as soon as possible, because that means the war is over.”

However, if we understand this statement correctly, the end of the war remains a sine qua non condition for lifting the suspension of Russia and Belarus.

While Tardif expresses some optimism regarding Russia’s return, it is mainly in the hope of a quick resolution to the conflict with the arrival of the new President of the United States, Donald Trump, who has promised to end this war as early as the beginning of his term, as learned from this article by Joshua Clipperton published on msn.com.

On the other hand, I believe that many do not share this optimism, and it is possible that the suspension will last a while longer.

We can also question the relevance of such sanctions and whether we should punish hockey players for international events beyond their control.

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Even though the IIHF cites security reasons, there is also clearly a desire for political pressure, and I do not believe that sports and international competitions should be used for this reason.

But in short, this is a debate that largely exceeds the scope of this column.

Nevertheless, a decision regarding Russia for the year 2025 should soon be made, which is expected to be announced in February.

Additionally, the Olympic Committee will also have to decide the fate of Russian hockey players for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, which will see the return of NHL players for the first time since 2014.

This will be a story to follow in the coming months.

In Brief

– Big victory for the Lions!

– A must-listen.

– The Bucs finish at the top of their division.

– Ready for the playoffs!

– Surprise victory for the Bears!

– And the Pats!

– Victory in overtime!

Already a first dismissal.

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Deferred money: Frank Vatrano signs a contract like Shohei Ohtani

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - DECEMBER 22: Frank Vatrano #77 of the Anaheim Ducks skates against the Utah Hockey Club on December 22, 2024 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/NHLI via Getty Images)

Frank Vatrano is a valuable player for the Anaheim Ducks.

He produces well offensively: he finished the last campaign with a total of 37 goals, his highest in his career. In his first season in the Ducks’ uniform, he scored 24.

The forward has therefore signed a contract extension with the Ducks. We’re talking about a three-year deal worth $18 million.

But here’s what’s interesting about that contract.

Vatrano signed a deal similar to Shohei Ohtani: he will receive $3 million in actual salary during the term of his agreement… And starting in 2035, Vatrano will be able to earn $900,000 per year until 2045.

His plan is to move out of California after his contract to pay less taxes:

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I say it resembles Shohei Ohtani’s contract, and you will understand why.

In December 2023, the MLB superstar signed a $700 million contract… But he will only receive 20 of the 700 million dollars of his contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers over the next 10 years.

He will receive the other $680 million starting in 2034, until 2043.

This is the first contract of its kind that we see in the NHL, and one must wonder if this could become a trend for the various teams in the Bettman circuit.

Because there’s an advantage: Vatrano’s contract will count for $4.57 million against the Ducks’ salary cap (instead of $6 million).

This will allow the Anaheim team to have more money for other players:

The contract is interesting for both the player and the organization.

It is true that it is odd to think that Vatrano will receive money until 2045… But at the same time, it should not be forgotten that the salary cap will rise in the coming years and that amount will become quite minimal.

A nice signing for the Ducks, therefore…. And Vatrano, in the process, secures his financial future.

In Brief

– Ouch!

– Nice goal.

– Ouch.

–

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Arthur Kaliyev is placed on waivers.

Photo by Leila Devlin/Getty Images

Oh.

This time, let’s say I didn’t see it coming.

The Kings have decided to place Arthur Kaliyev on waivers. It is known that there is a connection between him and the Canadiens:

In recent years, we have often heard the Canadiens’ name in discussions for a potential trade involving the forward.

Now that he is available for free, will Kent Hughes want to take advantage if he is still available in the Canadiens’ ranks?

The question arises…

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More details to come…