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Minimizing injuries: a strength the Habs will need to maintain in 2025-2026

Injuries are a very important aspect of the sports world, as they can have a huge impact on a team’s season, turning it into either a success or a disaster. This is the case in hockey, and let’s just say that the Montreal Canadiens have been through hell at this level a few times in recent years.

It’s been such a big problem for the Habs that, in June 2023, they decided to make a big change, replacing Graham Rynbend with Jim Ramsay as the team’s chief therapist and director of sports medicine and development. And so far, it’s really helped the Canadiens solve their problem of recurring and persistent injuries.

In fact, this was especially noticeable last season, when the vast majority of players in the line-up stayed healthy to play in all or almost all of the team’s games.[content-ads] As you can see by looking at the HockeyDB.com chart, seven Habs players played in each of the 82 regular-season games, and then another six players played in 70 or more games.

We can even add Alexandre Carrier to this list, given that he played a total of 79 games last season if we take into account his games with the Nashville Predators. Jayden Struble could also make the list, having missed several games largely because he was left out as the 7th defenseman. In short, we can say that 17 Habs players (including the two goaltenders) stayed for the entire season.

Obviously, there were long-term injuries to Patrik Laine, Kaiden Guhle, Kirby Dach and Emil Heineman, but all four played more than 50 games.

[content-ads] So it was a season with a healthier line-up, and to no one’s surprise, this greatly benefited the team’s success, as they qualified for the playoffs for the first time in four years. What helped the team even more was that the most important players, such as Suzuki, Caufield, Hutson, Slafkovsky and Matheson, missed little or no games.

The Habs don’t have incredible depth, so Martin St-Louis will need everyone to stay healthy.

Ideally, we’d even like to see a progression in the club’s overall health, as we hope to see almost full seasons for Patrik Laine, but especially for Kirby Dach and Kaiden Guhle. If Dach ends up being the team’s second center, we’ll really need him to stay healthy. We’d also like to see an injury-free rookie season, and especially one without a long absence for Ivan Demidov. [spacer title=’Overtime’] – She’s too strong.

– Nice percentages for the Blue Jays.

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500,000 bill: the Panthers have (really) spoiled themselves after winning the Stanley Cup

Winning the Stanley Cup is cause for celebration, and the players of the Florida Panthers really partied hard after their second consecutive conquest of the precious trophy. After their six-game home victory over the Edmonton Oilers last June, the boys continued to party hard all night long at Miami’s luxurious E11EVEN club. The total bill: $500,000 just for one night!

They must have partied pretty hard to rack up a half-million-dollar bill, because if there were 50 of them (players and guests), that’s still $10,000 a head. And the players didn’t pay a penny, since it was the club that footed the bill. Nothing too good for the Stanley Cup champions! I understand that it’s great publicity for the E11EVEN, but mopping up a half-million-dollar bill is still a big expense. A gesture that the players found very classy, and we can understand why!

We can understand why! At the very least, I hope they tipped well.

By the way, in the above clip from a few days after their victory in the final, some Panthers players were still at the party.

Sam Reinhart, Matthew Tkachuk and Brad Marchand can be seen sipping daiquiris in a pool [content-ads] Although the guys have their voices back (we don’t know if Marchand offered cigars to everyone), they still look magane with few hours of sleep, mostly content with afternoon naps between nights of partying.

In short, the Panthers’ three forwards look like they’re having fun and enjoying their vacation, and it’s fully deserved for the Florida players, who in no way stole their second straight Stanley Cup victory.

And with Panthers CEO Bill Zito managing to keep his entire team as champions, the Panthers could well become the first team in over 40 years to win the Cup for the third year running. [spacer title=’Overtime’] – What a night!

– Bad news for the Yankees.

– MLB in a nutshell.

– A nice surprise!

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Juraj Slafkovský lacks humility, says David Pastrnak

We’ve been getting to know Juraj Slafkovský in Montreal for a few years now, both on and off the ice. We know that on the ice, he’s a flashy power forward who seems to be on the verge of finding his groove… but we also know that off it, he’s a guy with a strong personality who’s not afraid of his opinions. but we also know that off the ice, he’s a guy with a strong personality who isn’t afraid of his opinions.This sometimes makes for a rather peculiar moment in front of the media, but you can’t blame him for playing the tape.

We also know that in recent years, he hasn’t been afraid to criticize the hockey federation in his native Slovakia. It’s clear that this relationship isn’t going so well… but the kid has still been chosen to represent his country at the next Olympics. But obviously, there are those who still hold a grudge against him. We know that he won’t be appearing at the Worlds (a very important event for the Europeans), and this week he missed a team-building activity for the next Olympics because of Nick Suzuki’s wedding. This means that he’s often in the spotlight in Slovakia… and this week, David Pastrnak (who is Czech) added another layer in an interview with Sport.sk :

He needs a little more humility, he should set an example for the younger ones.

–

David Pastrnak

[content-ads]Pastrnak notes that Slaf is a good young player and that he expects him to continue to progress, but that obviously didn’t stop him from making a point about the kid… which seems to have come out of nowhere.We know that the two guys have already had their spats on the ice this season, that said.

While the rivalry between the Habs and Bruins has been quieter for the past few years, now there may be some tension between two players important to their respective sides in this rivalry.

Let’s see how it plays out on the ice now[spacer title=’Overtime’]- They’re funny, aren’t they?

– Well done.

– Interesting.

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“I’d try a line with Patrik Laine, Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovský”

Patrik Laine has been the talk of Montreal for all the right reasons over the past few days. The Finnish forward, who’s had a special first season in a Habs uniform, has been putting his shoulder to the wheel at on-ice practice for the past few days.You can tell he’s motivated… and that’s good news, because we know he’ll be playing big this season, as his contract is coming to an end.

We know the drill with Laine: we’re talking about a guy who’s loaded with talent and who’s an offensive weapon (and who’s likely to be better this year, when he won’t have to chase rust), but we’re also talking about a guy who’s deficient defensively. It’s something he was repeatedly criticized for last season, and it’s not likely to change overnight. So the Habs need to find ways to try and protect him… and Brian Wilde, in his appearance on Tony Marinaro’s Sick Podcast, proposed the following idea:

I’d try a line with Patrik Laine, Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovský.

–

Brian Wilde

https://youtube.com/shorts/adh_JlJRzKA?si=BsMaXZLVR-TaevqO [content-ads]Basically, Wilde explains that if the Habs want to find a way to keep Laine in the top-6, playing him with Kirby Dach (who also has defensive deficiencies) isn’t ideal. So he sees a world in which placing Laine with Suzuki allows the latter, who is very solid defensively, to help Laine hold his own in his zone. In doing so, Cole Caufield would be relegated to the second line, where he’d play with two guys known to be good playmakers in Dach and Ivan Demidov. And we know that Caufield’s defensive game has really improved in recent years.The big risk, however, would be to split up a line that has shown it can dominate. After all, the first line last year was one of the big reasons for the Habs’ success, and splitting up the three players would be risky.But at the same time, maybe it would allow us to find new effective combinations, you know.

This would put Zachary Bolduc on the third line, where he would be a luxury for the Habs. Then again, maybe the Habs would prefer to send the Québécois on the top-6 instead of a veteran who’s at the end of his contract.I’m really looking forward to seeing what this lineup will look like.[spacer title=’Overtime’]- Cole Caufield celebrates Nick Suzuki’s wedding

Credit: Capture d’écran/Instagram

– Nice read on Beckett Sennecke.

– Great listen.

– Please note.

– She’ll be the talk of the town in the coming days.

– He’s having a tough weekend in Belgium.

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Suzuki’s wedding: Carey Price and Jeff Petry expected to attend

Today, Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki will marry his wife Caitlin Fitzgerald. It’s been known for some time that the Habs captain would be getting married this summer, and now the big day has finally arrived. And for the occasion, let’s just say there will be a lot of people who have come out and made sacrifices to celebrate the Habs’ #14.

We know that Tyler Toffoli, who was on the ice with the Habs a few days ago in Brossard, will be there, and we also know that Juraj Slafkovsky will miss a Slovakian national team event to attend Suzuki’s wedding. And now all indications are that Carey Price and Jeff Petry will also be there today for Suzuki’s wedding. The two men were playing golf this morning in the Montreal area, as Shaun Starr reported.

[content-ads] Starr himself specified that the two men will be present at Suzuki’s wedding, replying to a comment from an Internet user.

So it’s a really nice gesture from the two veterans, as they take the time to come and celebrate their former teammate.

Of course, Price is still technically part of the team, but we know he spends most of his time with his family out West, while Petry has just signed with the Florida Panthers for next season, but he still took the time to be present for his former teammate’s big event.

In short, it’s a beautiful thing to see, and shows just how much the Habs captain is appreciated, loved and respected by both his current and former teammates. We wish him a wonderful wedding. [spacer title=’En Rafale’] – Hawks goalie avoids arbitration.

– To be continued.

– Incredible.

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Erik Karlsson back in Ottawa: “it would make a lot of sense”

If there’s one team in the National Hockey League whose status as a rebuilding team is certain, it’s the Pittsburgh Penguins. Kyle Dubas wants to rejuvenate his team and, in so doing, get as many draft picks and young players as possible. In this rebuilding drive, one of the names that stands out, in addition to those of Bryan Rust and Rickard Rackell, is that of defenseman Erik Karlsson.

The Penguins had acquired the star defenseman in August 2023 with the goal of remaining competitive. In the end, it didn’t work out, despite Karlsson’s two respectable seasons (56 and 53 points). Now that we’re at the point where Pittsburgh would like to part with the 35-year-old Swedish defenseman, there’s a lot of speculation. And one of the most recent speculations is a potential Karlsson reunion in Ottawa.

[content-ads] That’s what Tyler Yakemchuk and Matt Larkindiscussed on a recent episode of the Daily Faceoff podcast.

Seriously, an Erik Karlsson return to Ottawa would really be quite a story, especially considering the fact that he was one of the NHL’s best defensemen during his time with the Senators.

Obviously, this is all speculation, but that didn’t stop Matt Larkin from saying that this potential reunion would make a lot of sense. And when you break it all down, it’s true that it could be a real possibility. With the Senators on the rise, Karlsson would add some very nice depth to a defense that could use it.

The Sens need a mobile defenseman with experience, and Karlsson represents exactly that, as well as knowing the city and the team extremely well – which is where he met his wife, Melinda Curry. content-ads] In short, Karlsson, being at the end of his career, would certainly be interested in joining a team like Ottawa, which is on the rise, and with whom he would clearly have a better chance of winning the Stanley Cup than with Pittsburgh.

The only problem is Karlsson’s contract: with only $3.5 million available under the salary cap, the Senators couldn’t accommodate Karlsson’s $10 million on their payroll.Note that Karlsson pockets $11.5 million annually, but the San Jose Sharks withhold $1.5 million, which explains why Karlsson only counts for $10 million on the Penguins’ payroll.

The Penguins would have to withhold a good portion of the salary for the last two seasons of Karlsson’s contract, and the Senators would have to send back salary in return as well. In short, it’s a file to follow, but it’s clear that a reunion between Karlsson and Ottawa makes a lot of sense, and would be a really great story.

[spacer title=’En Rafale’] – Cool.

– So much the better.

– To be read.

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Potential Jason Robertson deal: “it’s 50/50”

There are still exactly 73 days to go before the Montreal Canadiens play their first regular-season game. That’s still a lot of days without hockey, and let’s face it, it’s going to be a long time between now and then. At least the fact that there are still more than two months to go before the start of the 2025-2026 National Hockey League campaign means that the 32 teams can continue to work on improving their squads.

We know that Kent Hughes continues to be very active, and this is surely the case for many other general managers in the NHL. Even if things are rather quiet at the moment, I sincerely believe that this is a dormant volcano that could explode at any minute. With all the rumours and players on the market, we can expect a lot of movement between now and the start of the season. And one of those hot files right now is that of Jason Robertson.

The name of the Dallas Stars’ star forward is circulating in trade rumors, and it could come down to him being traded. In fact, according to Dan Rosen of NHL.com, the odds are 50/50 that Robertson will stay or be traded.

[content-ads] I was personally quite surprised when I read this information, because I seriously thought there was a much better chance of Robertson staying in Dallas. Now we’re literally talking about a 50-50 chance, so that makes things very interesting, because basically not everyone (including me) sincerely believed Robertson could be traded.

But now, it seems more possible than ever. Obviously, Robertson is a player who would be very difficult to trade considering his enormous value at 26 years of age. The American forward established himself as a star player in the NHL with his 109-point season in 2022-2023. Except that since that season, Robertson has slowed down a bit, recording two 80-point seasons. That’s still very good, but it’s not the standard Robertson had accustomed us to in 2022-2023.

That’s why the Stars are exploring the idea of trading him, as he’ll be spending the final season of his four-year, $7.75-million-a-year contract [content-ads] The Stars are glued to the ceiling, and even though the salary cap will increase by $8.5 million for the 2026-2027 season, Dallas will have a hard time re-signing Robertson at a big price, given that Thomas Harley will also need a new contract.

Let’s just say that the arrival of Mikko Rantanen and the signing of his eight-year, $12-million-a-year contract have hurt Robertson’s prospects of staying in Dallas. Clearly, Robertson will demand as much as Rantanen, and that could be too much for the Stars. In short, there’s a real possibility that Robertson could be traded, even though he’ll still be a restricted free agent at the end of his contract.

The Detroit Red Wings and Calgary Flames are said to be very aggressive in this regard. spacer title=’En Rafale’] – Personally, I loved the movie.

– Worth noting.

– A great win for Max.

– Bravo!

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Wager: The Sens are twice as likely as the Habs to win the Cup

After a relatively busy start to the off-season for the Montreal Canadiens, fans are eager to see the newcomers in action, with Noah Dobson certainly attracting the most attention. Despite the departures of veterans like David Savard, Joel Armia and Christian Dvorak, the Habs club looks good on paper.

Obviously, this isn’t a team that can win the Stanley Cup, but there are always surprises.For fun, I took a look at the Mise-o-jeu site to see the odds on each team to win the big honours.

To my surprise, the Habs have a rating of 60 (your bet times 60), which is pretty high, but what surprises me more is seeing the Ottawa Senators have a rating half that (30).

Credit: Mise-o-jeu

[content-ads]Do the Senators have such a better team than the Habs with their recent additions?

On paper, it’s debatable whether the Sens have a better team than the Habs, but that doesn’t mean they’re half as good. I’m not so sure about that one. Let’s compare the top-6 forwards on each team

  • Brady Tkachuk – Tim Stützle – Claude Giroux – David Perron – Dylan Cozens – Drake Batherson
  • Juraj Slafkovsky – Nick Suzuki – Cole Caufield – Ivan Demidov – Kirby Dach – Zachary Bolduc

Tkachuk has the edge over Slafkovsky right now, but Slaf is still young and could very well explode this season. Stützle is more talented than Suzuki, but has 10 fewer points than the latter, while being less complete and reliable. On the second line, a lot depends on the performance of the Habs’ three players. Demidov could disappoint, but given that he’s (by far) the favourite for the Calder Trophy, we can expect a lot of production from him. Bolduc is likely to score a lot of goals in a bigger role, and as for Dach, it all depends on whether he plays like he did at the start of each season before getting injured. And I’d still give the Habs a slight edge on the third line, while Ottawa has a better fourth line, in my opinion. Basically, on the attack, it’s still pretty even, but when you look at the defense, the Habs seem to have a much bigger advantage, especially on the right side

  • Jake Sanderson – Artem Zub – Thomas Chabot – Nick Jensen – Tyler Kleven – Jordan Spence
  • Kaiden Guhle – Noah Dobson – Lane Hutson – Alexandre Carrier – Mike Matheson – Jayden Struble/Arber Xhekaj.

In my opinion, there’s no doubt that the Habs’ defensive brigade as a whole is superior to that of the Sens. And here, in goal, we can give the Senators the edge with Linus Ullmark versus Samuel Montembeault, although the latter did a very good job.

Tell me, do the Senators really deserve a rating half that of the Habs? [spacer title=’Overtime’] – A “hockey deal” in sight for the Flames?

– À lire.

– Interesting.

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Favourite American player: Lane Hutson receives many votes from young American field hockey players

Despite having just one full NHL season under his belt, Lane Hutson is quickly becoming a household name in Montreal. After all, we only have to look at his highlights and listen to all the players and coaches who are flabbergasted at what he can do on the ice.

But even at 21, Hutson is already inspiring many young field hockey players, and not just in Montreal, but in the U.S.In this Instagram video, we see young American field hockey players telling the camera their favorite American NHL player. And Hutson came out a few times out of the few dozen youngsters who responded

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A post shared by USA Hockey (@usahockey)

[content-ads]The kids in this video are part of a Boys National 15 Camp. The camp is for hockey players born in 2010 and took place in Amherst, New York, from July 16 to 21. All the youngsters from each team represented took turns in front of the camera giving their favorite player, a trend that’s been gaining in popularity lately.

Although Lane Hutson received three votes, Patrick Kane was by far the most popular American player among the youngsters.

And so it should be, since Kane has marked an entire generation with his style of play and velvet hands. And it’s worth mentioning that Kane is only 32 points away from overtaking Mike Modano as the leading American scorer in NHL history. He currently stands at 1343 points in just 1302 games. Matthew Tkachuk is the only other player to receive more votes than Hutson in the video above.Still, it’s impressive that he’s having such a big impact on today’s young field hockey players, and it’s not just in Montreal.And to think he was just a rookie last year… Imagine the impact he’ll have if he has another breathtaking season on the youngsters. And the fact that he spends all (or most) of his free time at the rink sets a good example [spacer title=’Overtime’] – It’s… weird.

– I hope Team Canada doesn’t make the same mistake by leaving out such talented 18-year-olds at the next World Junior Championship.

– Interesting.

– Must read.

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Juraj Slafkovsky: The habs with the most checks last season

Juraj Slafkovsky is known for his offensive qualities: he has great vision, 50 and 51 points in his last two NHL seasons… and he’s capable of helping the Canadiens in the opposition zone. But it goes further than that. We don’t necessarily talk about it much, but Slaf is also capable of distributing checks. In fact… Slaf was the Habs’ man with the most checks last season, and that statistic doesn’t lie. And that statistic doesn’t lie. The Slovak is good at checking up front… mainly because he’s able to disrupt opponents with his (big) body.[content-ads] Would you like one, “hot take”? Juraj Slafkovsky is going to explode next season. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him surpass the 65-point mark if he gets going in Game 1… and if he learns to trust his shot.Because when I saw him this week in Brossard, it clicked in my head: Slaf takes less time before drawing.And his shot looks heavier than ever.

[content-ads] Expectations have always been huge when it comes to Slaf. That’s to be expected… because we’re talking about a 1st overall pick in the NHL. But if the Slovak continues to hit, becomes a little more offensive and continues to develop as a true power forward… no one in Montreal will be crying. The Canadiens drafted him because they needed a player like him, after all. And we could see that Slaf quickly if he puts his skills to good use at the start of next season.

We know he’s got the “knack” to get really good in the second half of the campaign… as he did in his last two NHL seasons. But he’s got what it takes to succeed, and everyone knows it. [spacer title=’Overtime’] – Two great sets.

– Logical.

– Great news: