Author: Dose

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Dans les coulisses

The Canadian has the Rookie of December from the two best leagues in the world.

SAINT PETERSBURG, RUSSIA - 2024/09/15: Ivan Demidov (91) SKA Hockey Club seen in action during the hockey match, Kontinental Hockey League 2024/2025 between SKA Saint Petersburg and Lada Togliatti at the Ice Sports Palace. (Final score; SKA Saint Petersburg 4:3 Lada Togliatti). (Photo by Maksim Konstantinov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Yesterday, we learned that Lane Hutson won the title of Rookie of the Month for December in the NHL.

As it is the best league in the world and there are players like Matvei Michkov and Macklin Celebrini in the Bettman circuit, it is not an honor to take lightly.

This confirms the eye test: the guy is good.

But he is not the only young player/prospect of the Canadiens to have been recognized as a rookie in one of the best leagues in the world. After all, Ivan Demidov was also awarded.

The KHL, the second-best league in the world, awarded its Rookie of the Month title to Demidov after he tallied six points, including four goals, in just seven games.

We don’t know how long he will get significant ice time, but he is still playing his 18-year-old season in the KHL. To see him garner such honors is no small feat.

And it’s encouraging for fans of the Canadiens.

After all, let’s put it more clearly: the Canadiens have the best rookies of December from the two best leagues in the world, namely the NHL and the KHL, in Hutson and Demidov.

Imagine when these guys will play together on the power play for the CH next October…

Even though the Canadiens have only one prospect (and no standout) at the World Junior Championship, there are still quality young players in the organization. It’s just that they are not eligible for the holiday tournament, either due to their age or nationality.

The case of Demidov is striking in this regard.

And even if Emil Heineman is not exactly the next Demidov and does not possess the talent of Hutson, it is still worth mentioning that he is one of the good rookies in the NHL this season.

So not everything is bleak.

In Brief

– To watch out for.

– For the fans of the WJC.

– Obviously.

– He is disciplined.

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Dans les coulisses

2023-2024 vs 2024-2025: after 37 games, the CH has the same number of points.

TAMPA, FL - DECEMBER 29: The Montreal Canadiens celebrate a goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena on December 29, 2024, in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/NHLI via Getty Images)

If you believe that the Canadiens have improved, it’s because it’s true.

Since the arrival of Patrik Laine and Alexandre Carrier, Martin St-Louis’ team is doing much better, which is evident from their six victories in the last seven games.

But don’t let the good streak make you forget the poor start of the season. And to put that poor start into perspective, after 37 games this season and last season, the Canadiens have exactly the same number of points: 37.

As of January 1, 2025, Montreal has a record of 17-17-3 and had a record of 16-16-5 on January 2, 2024.

That’s exactly one point per game, and the club is maintaining itself quite well over the year, then.

This statistic is quite misleading, as Montreal seems to have improved quite a lot, especially recently. Also, the team has never been so close to making the playoffs. As of today, it is only three points away from the second wildcard spot and a place in the playoffs.

Last year, at the same date, the Canadiens were five points from a playoff position.

(Credit: NHL.com)

We believed the competition had improved; it has actually deteriorated. It’s true that the season is far from over, but in January, the Canadiens are still in the picture.

Will the team slow down like last year, or will it remain in the playoff race until the very end? For the show, that would be great, but for the rebuild, not really.

The question deserves to be asked, because after all, Montreal still has the 15th easiest schedule in the NHL until the end of the regular season. In recent seasons, we were used to the Canadiens having one of the toughest schedules.

Overtime

Only one game was played yesterday in the NHL: the Devils were visiting Los Angeles.

The Kings ultimately won the game by a score of 3-0. Therefore, the first shutout of the year 2025 belongs to Darcy Kuemper.

Here are the players who got their names on the scoresheet.

(Credit: NHL.com)

And today, 24 teams are in action.

(Credit: Google)
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Dans les coulisses

Easton Cowan takes the blame for the loss against the United States

The performance of Team Canada Junior disappoints the vast majority of its supporters in this tournament.

It all started with the loss to Latvia, followed by a barely earned victory against Germany before being beaten by the Americans.

The latter should not be taken lightly, and indiscipline greatly disadvantaged the Canadians in this match, just like in the other games.

Repeated penalties are a plague for the current edition of Canada. This is mainly explained by the lack of effort and intensity that hinders their gameplay and forces them to take penalties.

Easton Cowan, 19 years old, is one of the players who disappoint the most in the tournament, as he rarely passes the puck, creates many turnovers, and plays defensively little.

The Toronto Maple Leafs’ prospect recently took the blame for the loss against the United States. He mainly mentioned his bad penalty taken in the 3rd period, which allowed Cole Eiserman to score.

This is what Mark Masters from TSN reported earlier this evening.

“It starts with me. I took a stupid penalty late in the game. It cost us a goal and the game. We all know we have to be more disciplined, so we will be.” – Easton Cowan

Cowan seems to understand that he needs to raise his game a notch (and the whole team as well), or rather three or four notches, to hope to win their quarterfinal match.

Coach Dave Cameron has confirmed to TSN that he will make a change to the lineup for the match against the Czech Republic.

Porter Martone, one of the best prospects for the 2025 draft class, will return to the lineup, having only played the first two games of the round-robin stage.

However, Cameron did not specify who will be sitting out to make room for him.

Interestingly, with Matthew Schaefer’s injury, Martone is the only prospect from the upcoming draft in Canada’s starting lineup.

Martone will have an immediate impact in the lineup and should never have left the roster, even though he was overthinking, according to his coach.

He brings a complete and physical dimension, which could be very useful against the Czechs tomorrow night (Thursday).

“When he’s in his game, he plays a 200-foot game. He’s physical. He creates plays. I believe he’s been overthinking it a bit, which has slowed him down a little, but I’m expecting a big game from him.” – Dave Cameron

No matter who sits out, Martone will undoubtedly want to prove he can help Canada win the gold medal.

He has all the assets to achieve this.

In Brief

– 33rd shutout of Darcy Kuemper’s career to kick off the year 2025 beautifully.

– Will Ferrell clearly had fun at the game once again.

– Imagine making a pass without looking for an alley-oop, 34 feet from the basket, and then putting it directly in the basket. That’s what Scottie Barnes did tonight.

– What a pass from Karl-Anthony Towns.

– The tallest and shortest players in NBA history. The difference is incredible (almost two and a half feet).

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Dans les coulisses

Emil Heineman could become a better version of Artturi Lehkonen.

The game of comparisons between certain NHL players is not always precise/effective, as many players try to become their own version.

However, it can help to get an idea of the type of a certain player.

Montreal Canadiens fans are starting to get to know Emil Heineman more and more, but they don’t yet have a clear comparison.

However, upon reflection, an former player from the Canadiens came to mind, and there are apparent similarities.

Artturi Lehkonen plays a style of game quite similar to that of the Swedish rookie.

Keven Mawn from La Poche Bleue seems to share the same opinion.

Heineman has proven his effectiveness in defensive play, but he is still a bit below the Finnish player.

However, Heineman’s shot has surprised more than a few this season. And even though Lehkonen already has a season of 21 goals in 63 games (and another of 16 in 45), I give the advantage to the Swede, as he should continue to improve.

It should also be noted that the Canadiens rookie is on track for a season of at least 20 goals, based on his goals per game rate.

And all this, while only playing 11 minutes per game.

Moreover, his effectiveness in puck protection is simply incredible. Lehkonen always works hard when in possession of the puck, but he does not have the same protective skills that Heineman has recently demonstrated.

In the last game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Heineman brushed off Nick Perbix (6 feet, 4 inches and nearly 210 pounds) as if nothing happened.

All of this allowed the Swede to feed Joel Armia, who then scored.

In addition to being at the 3rd place among rookie scorers, Heineman does not hesitate to deliver body checks. He is also ranked 3rd among rookies in that aspect (87), behind Zachary L’Heureux (106) and Maxim Tsyplakov (89).

His limited ice time combined with his statistics makes us believe that he is really not being utilized enough by Martin St-Louis.

When will he get a real chance on the top two lines, with good line mates for Heineman? He fully deserves it.

In brief

– Very nice photo.

– Easton Cowan takes the blame for the loss against the United States.

– Hard to argue otherwise.

– What a beautiful play.

– Still very disciplined, this Kopitar.

– Can’t wait to see if he will eventually be good enough to play with or against his older brother, Bronny James.

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It’s not going well for Justin Barron in Nashville.

Justin Barron’s debut with the Nashville Predators has been far from spectacular.

In three games so far, the defender has no points and a -3 record, but more importantly, he has already been a healthy scratch for three games since joining the team.

Although Barron was traded on December 18, he only participated in his first game on December 23 against the Carolina Hurricanes. It’s understandable that the team possibly wanted to give him time to acclimate to the playing system and his new environment.

His second game was particularly difficult, ending with a -3 rating in just 6 minutes and 58 seconds of play. As a result, Barron watched the next game from the press box.

His latest game went better with a +0 differential and 17 minutes and 31 seconds of play in a 5-3 loss for the Preds, marking their third consecutive defeat.

While it’s early, there are questions about Nashville’s plans for the young defenseman. By trading for Alexandre Carrier, the team clearly sacrificed the present for the future and saw something in Barron.

However, it’s not by relegating their hope to the stands that the Predators will build Barron’s confidence and allow him to reach his full potential.

And it’s not as if the team is fighting for a playoff spot. Nashville currently sits in 30th place in the league with 29 points in 38 games (11-20-7) this season. I believe the club can live with the mistakes of its young players and let them learn.

And while Barron finds his footing in Nashville, Carrier is making Kent Hughes look really good so far in this trade.

Carrier has helped stabilize the defense corps by placing all our defenders in the right spots. In six games with the Canadiens, the defender has four points and a +2 differential.

Let’s also remind ourselves that the team has only lost one game since he arrived.

All this for a player who was no longer part of the Canadiens’ plans. We can clearly say that in the short term, the Canadiens have really won this trade.

We can also ask whether Barron will eventually manage to establish himself as a regular defenseman in the NHL. When the Canadiens acquired him for Artturi Lehkonen in 2024, the young defenseman seemed promising, but unfortunately, he never lived up to the hopes the organization had for him. Ultimately, the emergence of several of our young defenders like Lane Hutson and Kaiden Guhle cost him his spot with the Canadiens.

So let’s hope that 2025 offers him more consistency with his new team.

In Brief

– A great double!

– The highlights of the week.

– Players of the month.

– Nice mark for McDavid.

– How much for Bregman?

– What a victory for the Texans!

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Dans les coulisses

Alex Ovechkin: “f*ck the Bruins”

Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

On New Year’s Eve, the NHL featured thirteen games throughout the day.

One of these games was a matchup between the Boston Bruins and the Washington Capitals in the U.S. capital, which ended with a 3-1 victory for the Caps.

Why am I telling you about this game? Because someone leaked a video after the match featuring Alex Ovechkin on Hockey News Hub where the Russian does not seem to like the Bruins very much.

The excerpt is in Russian, but if I translate his words from English, here’s what he says:

“Hey guys, we just finished the game, [we] fucked the damn Boston Bruins. We’re coming home to celebrate the New Year. I wish everyone to have a few beers and fight the hangover.”

However, the match did not lead to any particular incidents, and the Caps even won the game. It’s just a good old fashioned F Boston sentiment from Ovy.

The two teams also faced off on December 23rd in Boston, a match that the Bruins won 4-1, in which the Russian player did not participate due to his injury.

Perhaps Ovechkin was just happy that the Caps had taken their revenge.

Of course, this should be taken with a grain of salt; this is not a public statement from the great number eight, it’s a message that leaked online.

Moreover, the rest of the message is more traditional with New Year wishes and a good night’s celebration, as the player seems already ready to start the festivities.

But it goes to show that it’s not just in Montreal that people don’t like the Big Bad Bruins.

One might also wonder how the Bruins will take the forward’s remarks during the next and final matchup between the two teams.

However, this meeting will only take place on April 1; until then, will enough water have passed under the bridge for it to be considered old news, or will Boston use this message as motivation? We will find out in three months.

In Brief

– Personnel moves.

– The best of 2024.

– Impressive!

– Strong effort!

– The runner race.

– Heavy loss.

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Dans les coulisses

Dave Cameron is lost at the helm of Team Canada Junior.

Screenshot

Canada delivered an embarrassing performance last night against the United States while playing for the top position in its group.

Once again, it was indiscipline that sank Canada as the team was penalized for a total of 22 minutes, which is more than a full period.

As a result, the Americans scored three times on the power play to win the game.

When questioned about his team’s indiscipline in the press conference after the game, head coach Dave Cameron seemed at a loss for answers.

“I can’t do anything (about the indiscipline). I can’t do anything. They know it. I can’t start benching everyone who gets a penalty” – Dave Cameron

His comments really leave me perplexed. Firstly, Cameron is supposedly in charge of the ship. He is the one who should bear the team’s successes on his shoulders and make sure to honor the rich history of the Canadian junior program.  Not only is he not doing that, but he is also placing the blame on his players.

Then, he says he can’t bench the undisciplined players. He has a lineup with an extra defenseman and forward. Yes, he can sit his undisciplined players for a few shifts.

Yesterday, it was Easton Cowan, Sam Dickinson, and Luca Pinelli who took stupid penalties. They could have taken a step back, especially since they weren’t having a great game.

One thing is certain, seeing a coach so down after a performance like that does not inspire confidence for the future.

Moreover, Cowan, a prospect for the Maple Leafs, is getting heavily criticized on social media for his defensive missteps and unnecessary penalties. He is not delivering but still plays on the first line.

In Brief

– There was a discussion about this today.

– He could help the cause.

– They haven’t scored much at 5-on-5.

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Lane Hutson, the rookie of the month of December in the NHL.

Lane Hutson continues to impress in his first season in the NHL. He has finally seen his efforts rewarded at the league level.

He has just been named the NHL’s Rookie of the Month for December. He won this honor over players like Macklin Celebrini and Matvei Michkov.

In December, Hutson scored 13 points, including two goals. He also maintained an average ice time of 21:17 per game.

What Hutson is doing is truly impressive. At the beginning of the year, few people knew him, so there was an adjustment period. Opposing teams no longer have the same excuse, yet Hutson continues to make his mark.

Rapid Fire

Yesterday, against the excellent Golden Knights, he found ways to stand out in several ways. Defensively, he was solid, and offensively, he created good scoring chances with his skating fluidity.

Since the beginning of the season, Hutson has 26 points in 37 games, quite impressive for a rookie.

Rapid Fire

– He contributes greatly.

– Two different but similar seasons.

– Lane Hutson’s brother is having fun.

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Ivan Demidov has a better points per 60 minutes average than Matvei Michkov last year.

Ivan Demidov is doing what he can with limited ice time. Since Kent Hughes and his team visited him in Russia, he and his coach have been doing a bit better, and Demidov is making the most of it.

He now has 28 points in 36 games this season in the KHL. That’s already very good, but there’s an even more impressive statistic.

His points per 60 minutes played average is 3.82, which for now is a higher pace than Marvei Michkov achieved last year.

The Flyers player had still set the bar high with an average of 3.25 over an entire season.

This statistic, uncovered by Grant McCagg, becomes even more interesting when you consider the context. Michkov played 123 minutes on the power play last year compared to only 18 this year for Demidov.

However, it must be said that Michkov had a more significant role with Sochi, playing against the best opposing players every night.

Nonetheless, it’s exciting to see what Demidov is doing right now with very limited playing time when looking at the full season.

If the CH player manages to have a similar impact to that of Michkov with the Flyers next season, it will be a great addition, and we could definitely be talking about playoffs, rather than just mixes. Let’s remember that Michkov has 29 points in 36 games this season under his coach.

To return to Michkov, as we enter this new year, we can wish him ice time from his coach, so he gets well tested before arriving in North America.

In Brief

– He risks a suspension.

– Very funny.

– Everything is in place.

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Kirby Dach has regained his confidence, and it changes everything.

I start my text with a statement.

I am happy for Kirby Dach.

He had a very difficult start to the season, and everyone knows that. He is aware of it too… But things have really improved over the past few games.

The forward scored his third goal in as many games yesterday, and after outsmarting Adin Hill, we saw him celebrate with a lot of emotion.

It’s clear that it feels good:

Doubts were starting to creep in for him, and that’s normal.

He was coming back from a serious injury, but he wasn’t playing the right way.

He seems to have found his bearings again, and at this point, it feels like Kent Hughes is relieved right now. He is playing with confidence, and that’s the good news.

Dach’s record in his last four games is more than respectable.

Because things are really looking up:

  • Three points (three goals), a differential of +2 and 10 shots on goal

He seems more involved on the ice, and it’s no coincidence that his line is also doing better.

Alex Newhook and Patrik Laine are doing their part, making the second unit of the CH more dangerous.

We feel that chemistry is building among the three guys, and that’s also important to point out.

Dach has now collected 12 points (five goals) in 37 games since the start of the season, but we knew it would take time before we saw him find his game.

For now, points matter little in his case… Because if he continues to play the way he has been lately, the results will come.

And if he can finish the season strong to build momentum for the next one, everyone will be happy in town.

For now, at least, it’s much more encouraging.

In Brief

– Yep.

– At least, that’s a positive in New York…

– It’s promising:

– It’s a good one.