Author: Dose

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Michael Hage confirms he will not play in Montreal next year

It was an open secret, and it’s now confirmed: the Canadiens’ prospect Michael Hage will be back with the University of Michigan, in the NCAA, in 2025-2026.

This was confirmed by the young man himself in an interview with Marco D’Amico, who shared this information a few minutes after completing the interview. There is no more ambiguity or room for debate, it’s decided and set in stone. He wants to win the championship, he said.

Hage’s season, as a rookie in the Big-10, came to an end last Friday night when Cornell won its game against Quinnipiac to secure a spot in the Frozen Four, at the expense of Michigan.

The head coach of Michael Hage had also stated, in February, that his player needed to continue dominating at this level before making the leap to the NHL.

The year of the big leap, for him, should theoretically be 2026-2027. We’ll see where he’ll be in his development at that time, but the trajectory of his young career suggests that he could possibly be the eventual second-line center sought by the Habs. At just 18 years old, the right-handed center drafted 21st overall has scored 13 goals and 21 assists, for 34 points in 33 games.

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Best career among players 25 years old and under: Reinbacher ahead of Caufield on the Snake’s list

The Montreal Canadiens have the luxury of being able to count on good young players. There are already guys in place, but there are others coming in too.

In the recent episode of Processus, the Snake had fun building a list of the “best players under 25” within the organization, but it’s mostly related to the career they will have respectively.

The list was not only created in relation to the players’ talent: the Snake ranks each of the guys with their potential and with the career they will have. The nuance is important.

The Snake ranks Ivan Demidov, Lane Hutson, and Nick Suzuki in his top 3. He wouldn’t have placed Hutson in 2nd place before the start of the season, but after seeing how good he is, his way of thinking has changed.

But it’s mostly the middle of the ranking that interests me because he places Slaf, Reinbacher, and Caufield in 4th, 5th, and 6th place on his list.

For the Snake, Reinbacher will be more useful than a guy like Caufield because he can do several things on the ice:

If Reinbacher becomes a better player than Cole Caufield, the Habs will have a very good defenseman in their hands.

Because in fact, Cole Caufield is already part of the National League’s elite. The Habs’ #13 is tied for 11th place (with Alex DeBrincat) among the best scorers in the NHL, and his points-per-game pace (0.88) is more than interesting since the start of the season.

But it also partly shows that David Reinbacher has great potential.

The defenseman has not been able to progress as he would have liked since the beginning of the last season because he has been a bit unlucky. It was painful in Kloten because the team was bad, and he got injured even before the 24-25 season began.

But since his return to the game, we can see how talented he is to help the Habs in the future. That’s why Simon Boisvert placed him so high on his list, and I agree with him on that level.

Note, in conclusion, that Michael Hage (7th), Jacob Fowler (8th), Kaiden Guhle (9th), and Alex Newhook (10th) complete the Snake’s ranking.

Again, I have trouble finding anything negative in his ranking.

Overtime

– The video is perfect.

– I wouldn’t change anything.

– He’s so underrated.

– It won’t have taken long.

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Calder Trophy: According to some journalists, it’s pro Dustin Wolf

The Calder Trophy race is really entertaining this season.

There are four guys who could win it: Matvei Michkov, Dustin Wolf, Lane Hutson, and Macklin Celebrini.

These four players are having a (very) good first season in the National League… and it’s hard to determine a favorite since they’re all so good.

In fact, Matvei Michkov seems to have dropped out of the race a bit because he’s had some tougher moments.

But as for Wolf, Hutson, and Celebrini… it seems really tight.

Renaud Lavoie took advantage of his visit to Florida at the general managers’ meeting to ask for the opinion of his fellow journalists. And from the start, here’s what the TVA Sports journalist says in a recent article :

To my great surprise, neither Lane Hutson nor Macklin Celebrini were the favorites, but rather the Calgary Flames’ goalie Dustin Wolf. – Renaud Lavoie

It’s still interesting… because we know how good Hutson and Celebrini already are.

There are several ways to look at things.

1. Dustin Wolf allows the Flames to be in the playoff race in Calgary.

His team is four points away from the Blues and the last playoff spot, and he plays a huge role in the Flames’ successes.

2. Lane Hutson is the top scorer among NHL rookies, playing as a defenseman, and he plays a similar role to Wolf in Calgary.

Without him, the Canadiens probably wouldn’t be sitting in 2nd Wild Card spot in the East… and the Canadiens probably wouldn’t be fighting for a playoff spot right now, with 13 games left to play.

3. Macklin Celebrini missed some games and is still just one point away from Lane Hutson and the top spot among first-year players.

However, his team is at the bottom of the National League standings, and even if it’s not entirely his fault, maybe the success of the Canadiens and Flames could work against him in the end.

Nevertheless, these three guys really deserve to go home with the rookie of the year trophy.

This shows just how tight the race is… and I also have the impression that it will come down to the very end.

Overtime

– Note to interested parties:

– Good news for the Bruins.

– Hmmm…

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Being Kent Hughes, it’s Jordan Kyrou that I would target this summer

Kent Hughes is likely to be aggressive this summer because he has a goal in mind.

He wants to acquire a player who can evolve in the top-6 and would rather make a trade than go after a free agent.

And at that level, a few names have already started to circulate.

For example, Mathias Brunet – in an article by La Presse – mentioned Matt Duchene, John Tavares, Mikael Granlund, Brock Nelson, Hendrix Lapierre, Mason McTavish, Ryan O’Reilly, Trevor Zegras, Dawson Mercer, and Sam Bennett.

David Ettedgui, for his part, targeted the names of Mason McTavish, Robert Thomas, Martin Necas, and Mathew Barzal.

But in the context where Kent Hughes wants to go after an established player who “fits” with the average age of the core already in place in Montreal, we can already eliminate several names that have been mentioned above.

Briefly.

For me, there is one name that has been on my mind since the trade deadline, March 7th. In fact, David Pagnotta said that morning that we should keep an eye on Jordan Kyrou in St. Louis… and I haven’t stopped thinking about him since then when it comes to interesting targets for the Habs.

Jordan Kyrou is listed as a center on almost all possible sites, but he plays more on the wing with the Blues.

We’re talking about a guy who is 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighs 196 pounds (according to HockeyDB data).

But above all, we’re talking about a 26-year-old player who is good in all three zones of the ice. Kyrou – who has a good skating ability – also has interesting skills since he is currently in his third consecutive season with 30 goals or more.

He has a really intriguing profile for a young team like the Canadiens. At his age, Kyrou would fit in well with the rest of the group:

The main interested party is already under contract: he is in the second year (out of eight) of an agreement that earns him $8.125 million per season.

It’s more than Nick Suzuki, you’ll tell me… but the Habs won’t always be able to respect their salary scale if they want to add very good players to their lineup.

We understand that the Blues won’t let him go for nothing either. That being said, we know that Kent Hughes has several resources to make a big trade and he might be able to take advantage of the situation in St. Louis to get him out of there.

Because in fact, the Blues are in a bit of a strange situation right now. The organization has good players in place, but the team’s leaders are aging (Brayden Schenn is 33 years old, Pavel Buchnevich is about to turn 30)… and the organization doesn’t necessarily have a strong prospect pool either.

We’ll also have to make room for Dalibor Dvorsky in the top-6 soon in St. Louis.

All of this to say that I think it would be worth it for Kent Hughes to call Doug Armstrong and inquire about Jordan Kyrou. Again, Kyrou is young, has the talent to explode alongside talented players in Montreal, and has already proven himself in the National League.

This would be my target of choice, personally… even if he doesn’t necessarily play center.

And it’s a good thing: we’ll be able to see him in action tonight, when the Canadiens will be in St. Louis to face the Blues and Jordan Kyrou.

In Overtime

— It’s definitely different.

— 😂😂

— I’m looking forward to seeing him progress.

— Well done.

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Lane Hutson could become the highest paid defenseman in the NHL (according to Tony Marinaro)

The news of the day in the NHL, it’s the signing of Jakob Chychrun to Washington.

The defenseman has signed an eight-year contract extension that will earn him $72 million for the total duration of the agreement.

A lot of money for one of the good defensemen in the league… but it will also have an impact on Lane Hutson’s next contract in Montreal. Colleague Charles-Alexis Brisebois wrote about the subject earlier today.

Tony Marinaro also talked about Chychrun’s new contract in Washington and Lane Hutson on his show on BPM Sports.

And the radio host came to this conclusion: seeing Chychrun being able to sign a contract like that, Marinaro believes the Habs defenseman could become the highest-paid player at his position in the NHL.

That would be really something… especially considering he has only one complete season in the NHL behind him.

Because Chychrun is often injured, he is less good offensively than Lane Hutson, he has had two difficult seasons recently, and he will earn $9 million per season… it leads Tony Marinaro to believe that the Habs defenseman could be able to get even more money.

Of course, that would be good news for Hutson. But for the Habs, maybe it would change the team’s plans a bit.

We know that this summer, Kent Hughes wants to go get some reinforcements for the forward position. He wants to get a quality player… but necessarily, he will have less room to maneuver if Lane Hutson signs a crazy contract.

On the other hand, no matter the amount of the contract, it would ensure that the Habs can keep one of the best offensive defensemen in the NHL. With the salary cap going up, Hutson’s salary would become “less important” in just a few years…

It’s all to be continued, then. But with Chychrun’s contract, we see how much the market is changing… and it will be interesting to see what happens with Lane Hutson’s next contract – who is establishing himself as one of the best players at his position.

Overtime

– Talking about Chychrun:

– Of course…

– Oh!

– Reminder: it’s a big night in the NHL.

– The Golden Knights are having fun at practice.

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People across the league know that Jakub Dobes has an issue

At the moment, the Canadiens are going with Samuel Montembeault. The team tried to have Cayden Primeau as the number two goalie, but it didn’t work out. Now, Jakub Dobes is in town to back up the Québécois since the holiday season.

The results were conclusive at first, but he slowed down. He couldn’t keep the pace.

As a result, Dobes is a goalie who plays little. The Canadiens would probably like to give him more games, but they can’t afford to send him to Laval.

And they can’t afford to put him in front of the net in Montreal either.

In fact, if the team can’t have him play in the top league, it’s mostly because other teams know he has an apparent weakness that prevents him from performing well.

Pierre McGuire, on his podcast, reported that teams know he goes down on his knees too quickly and often gets beaten in the top of the net. And it’s not the first time we’ve heard that.

So when he plays, teams simply aim for the top of the net. And generally, it works.

For now, we can potentially expect to see Dobes play three times before the end of the regular season. We’re talking about the last three blocks of “two games in two nights” for the Canadiens. But even that can change.

All the Canadiens can hope for is that the fact that he has played too little since Christmas won’t hinder his development. After all, you know as well as I do that a young goalie needs to play often.

Maybe he’ll have the chance to play a few games in the playoffs in Laval, though.

Overtime

– Yes.

– Ah?

– Absolutely.

– Good question.

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72M$ for Jakob Chychrun: Lane Hutson’s agent must be drooling

The Washington Capitals have just settled a major issue.

The club did what the Ottawa Senators were never able to do, which is to sign Jakob Chychrun long-term. He will earn $72 million over eight years, or $9 million per year.

This is a big move for Washington.

Jakob Chychrun is 26 years old and in his prime. Even if he’s not the most important defenseman for the Capitals (John Carlson is), he still has a good impact on his team.

He’s coming off two more ordinary seasons, but apparently, the Capitals have chosen to turn a blind eye.

But anyway. All this shows us that prices have gone up. $9 million per year is still a lot of money for a defenseman.

And necessarily, Lane Hutson’s agent must be salivating.

That being said, what we need to understand is that Lane Hutson doesn’t have 18 goals. You’ll tell me he has a lot more than Chychrun’s 43 points, which is very true.

But most importantly, the key element is that Chychrun was eligible for full autonomy this summer.

If Lane Hutson were to sign an eight-year contract that would be valid from 2026 to 2034, the Canadiens would be buying out a few years of autonomy, but also many years before he becomes eligible for full autonomy.

Those years aren’t worth as much because Hutson isn’t 100% free to go elsewhere.

If you think that has nothing to do with it, you’re wrong. Look at the no-trade clauses of players who sign such contracts: they often kick in when the player would have become a UFA. It’s just one indication among many.

I don’t necessarily think, despite the rising cap, that Hutson will earn more than Chychrun. And if Kent Hughes manages to sign him long-term this summer at a fair price for the player and the club, it will be one of his best moves since his arrival as GM with the Canadiens.

extension

On the other hand, if we play devil’s advocate, we note that Lane Hutson’s agent could tell Kent Hughes that at 21, Jake Sanderson took a little over $8 million per season… and that his client is more offensive than the Senators’ defenseman.

And Sanderson signed before the cap increase. Really, the negotiations with Hutson will be fascinating.

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Does David Savard need to rest?

The question many people are asking right now is: who will give up their spot in the Canadiens lineup when Kaiden Guhle is ready to return to play?

It’s not imminent (certainly not this week), but it’s getting closer and closer.

Unless the Canadiens go with an 11-7 format (Joshua Roy and Emil Heineman would be the candidates… but I don’t believe it if everyone is healthy), it will be a defenseman.

Lane Hutson, Alexandre Carrier, and Mike Matheson will not be taken out of the lineup.

It’s time to give some respect to Matheson, who is the most important defenseman for the Canadiens right now. He plays big minutes, and if Kent Hughes can really give him $20 million over four years, he should do it.

So, we agree that it’s between David Savard, Jayden Struble, and Arber Xhekaj.

My first thought is to think of Xhekaj. Not because he deserves it, but because he plays less than Struble, who forms an excellent duo with Lane Hutson, and because the two are left-handed.

But if we look at it a little further, until the end of the regular season, it could be a kind of rotation between the three guys.

In the playoffs, if that happens, I see Savard playing. But until then, is it possible to think about giving a defenseman who is slowing down a bit of rest?

It’s often said that if Savard returns in 2025-2026, it would be as a depth defenseman who isn’t guaranteed to play every game. We say that because of his play this year.

So, it’s not far-fetched to think that he could use some rest right now.

Of course, Savard won’t raise his hand to ask for time off. But having him sit out a game or two should be considered by the head coach when Guhle returns. A few days off could help him be more on his game when he comes back.

But we’ll see about that in due time.

Overtime

– Ah yes?

– Big move in Washington.

– Good listen.

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Series: Ivan Demidov will not be on the SKA’s top-12 for the first game

The ups and downs of Ivan Demidov continue.

The Habs prospect, who is not always in the good books of his coach, has seen Roman Rotenberg confirm that for the first match of his team’s playoffs, he will act as the 13th forward.

The game, against Dynamo, will take place in two days.

Demidov, who has played on all lines this season, who has acted as the 13th forward, and who was recently left aside, never really knows what to expect in terms of playing time.

And if he is the 13th forward, it is possible that he will play little in the playoffs.

Of course, Roman Rotenberg said that his player was fine with all this and the door is open to see him get more playing time if the circumstances become favorable, but…

But it’s not starting well.

Of course, Demidov can’t say publicly that he’s unhappy because that would have serious implications that would be too important. And with a few weeks left in the season, it’s pointless to put the club’s back up against the wall.

So for now, he can only wait. And that, even if he’s the team’s top scorer this season.

Note, for those who think Demidov could finish the season in Montreal, don’t hold your breath. Don’t expect to see SKA release him before the end of his contract at the end of May.

The most realistic scenario remains to see him sign an entry-level contract starting in June, when the Habs will probably no longer be alive. And next year, he’ll be there.

Overtime

– Ah yes?

– What do you think?

– He’s developing well.

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The Canadiens’ big advantages: their number of games played and the difficulty of their schedule

Tonight, as Gilbert Delorme would say, it’s the biggest game of the year for the Habs.

On the menu tonight? The Blues of Saint-Louis, another team that is in eighth place in their association and is fighting to make their place in the playoffs – just like the Habs. This will not be easy, all that.

After all, the Blues, like the Habs, are a club that has lost very little in recent weeks.

This will not be an easy challenge for Martin St-Louis’ men, who will do everything to come out of tonight’s game with a victory. After all, right now, there is not much room for maneuver.

But what is interesting, nonetheless, is to note that the Habs have more room for maneuver than other teams. Not enough to rest on their laurels, but still.

Why do I say that?

Because when looking at the standings, it’s clear that no other team in the NHL has played fewer games than the Habs (who still have 13 games to play before the end of the regular season) this season.

(Credit: Sportsnet)

The Islanders, who are one point behind the Habs (and who came close to winning yesterday), have 70 games played. The Rangers have one point and two games behind the Habs. The Blue Jackets and the Red Wings, respectively two and three points behind the Habs, have 70 games played.

And the other teams are a bit far away.

Another advantage for the Habs is that they have an easier schedule than the four teams that follow them in the standings until the end of the season. According to Tankathon, the Habs have the 23rd most difficult schedule in the league, which puts them in a good position.

But the same cannot be said for the teams from New York, the Blue Jackets, and the Red Wings.

  • Red Wings: the most difficult schedule in the NHL
  • Islanders: fourth most difficult schedule in the NHL
  • Blue Jackets: eighth most difficult schedule in the NHL
  • Rangers: 15th most difficult schedule in the NHL

The Senators, who are ahead of the Habs and have also played 69 games, have the easiest schedule in the NHL until the end. Let’s say the Sens are in a good position to make the playoffs… if they do what they have to do.

For those who are wondering, here’s what the Habs’ schedule will look like after the road trip to Saint-Louis, Philadelphia, Carolina, and Florida.

The Habs in April.
(Credit: NHL.com)

But as I said, the Habs still can’t take their foot off the gas. The guys will have to keep giving it their all and play #7 games, to use Martin St-Louis’ mentality.

Will the team, which has a 49% chance of making the playoffs according to the numbers, hold on? We’ll see.

Overtime

– Good news.

– That’s a must.

– Prospects of the Habs to watch in the NCAA. [JdeM]

– Wow.

Wow! The Rocket de Laval and the Remparts de Québec are attracting crowds this season!

(: Jonathan Roy/@quebec_remparts)

[image or embed]

— RDS (@rds.ca) March 24, 2025 at 1:43 PM