Author: Dose

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Dans les coulisses

Canadian: when the guys practice battles during training

Yesterday, when we looked at this, the theme of battles was important in the training.

First of all, we saw Arber Xhekaj and Lane Hutson pretend to fight. Let’s agree it would have been the end for the Sheriff if he had injured the American tornado during a practice fight, right?

Right?

We also saw that after training, it was to talk about the fight of Kaiden Guhle that the latter was interrupted by Michael Pezzetta, who improvised as a journalist for a few seconds.

But that’s not all.

Aside from the stunt with Hutson, we saw that Michael Pezzetta, Jayden Struble, and Arber Xhekaj all practiced a bit more seriously their techniques for fighting on the ice.

They were with another man (who clearly wasn’t Georges Laraque) to do this.

It’s not a bad thing to have a few things like that during a training. After all, the three players in the video are possibly the three guys most likely to fight.

I’m not sure that knowing two defensemen and a guy who never plays are the most likely to fight (it kills the rhythm to not play with six defensemen after a fight) for the CH… but that’s another debate.

Even if guys like Josh Anderson and Kaiden Guhle have fought recently and Struble along with Pezz are options, it remains that it’s mainly Xhekaj who is the tough guy on this subject.

In any case, he is the one that fans want to see when there’s trouble.

In Brief

– Really.

– Bill Belichick in the NCAA: why? [NYT]

– It’s going badly.

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Jeff Gorton went to meet Ivan Demidov in October.

In October, Elliotte Friedman informed us that the Canadiens planned a trip to Russia to see Ivan Demidov.

We weren’t sure when it would take place (there was talk of a few weeks or a few months after discussing it), but the Sportsnet informant mentioned a meeting that would involve Kent Hughes.

This was as of October 19.

And here comes the Responsible Gambler site, which has its entrances in Russia, publishing an article on the subject. Daria Tuboltseva had an interview with Demidov, and he confirmed that such a meeting took place.

This was at the end of October, right when he was on fire with SKA.

At the end of October, representatives from the Canadiens came to Saint Petersburg. We met and discussed my game. – Ivan Demidov

What Demidov said is that Jeff Gorton and Nick Bobrov were present. It’s not exactly surprising to see that the club’s head of hockey operations and one of the most connected men in Russia made the trip.

But Demidov did not mention Hughes. Did Friedman get it wrong? Did the Habs’ plan change? Will the GM of the Habs also take a different trip to meet Demidov later? Did Demidov simply forget to mention the GM?

These are currently, logically, the various scenarios on the table.

Feeling desired/respected by the Habs must help him. After all, it’s not always easy for him in Russia, but he must surely think that coming to play in Montreal in 2025 will represent the light at the end of the tunnel. There, he will have plenty of playing time.

In Brief

– Oh really?

– Tough defeat (3-1) for Rocket yesterday.

– Michel Bergeron honored. [TVAS]

– Oh no?

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Dans les coulisses

Top-2: Drake Batherson scores a natural hat trick

Last night in the NHL, there wasn’t much action.

Only four teams were playing.

Here are the results and highlights:

1. Drake Batherson scores a natural hat trick

With a convincing 5-1 victory over the Ducks, the Ottawa Senators are back to .500.

Ottawa is having a rough season and to make the playoffs, the team had to first aim for .500.

Drake Batherson is the big hero of the game. He scored a natural hat trick.

On the fifth goal for the Sens, he recorded an assist.

A four-point night for him, then.

Ottawa (13-13-2) is now fifth in the Atlantic, just two points out of the playoffs.

As for the Ducks, things are going a bit worse. They have a record of 10-13-4 and have lost their first two games in Eastern Canada. They will continue their trip with a stop in Toronto tonight and finish it Saturday in Columbus.

2. Finally a goal for Adam Fox

Before last night’s games, Adam Fox had not scored since April 15, including the playoffs.

Against the Sabres, he finally ended his drought.

In a 3-2 victory, he scored the winning goal.

The first goal of the match was scored by Mika Zibanejad, the sensitive one from the Rangers.

This marked his 300th career goal.

Things are not going well in Buffalo, which has lost its last eight games…

Overtime

– Nicolas Aubé-Kubel tried to rally his team.

– The points from the night before.

(Credit: NHL.com )

– Only four teams are not playing tonight.

(Credit: Google)
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Brendan Gallagher and his wife are expecting their first child.

Brendan Gallagher has been quite active lately in his personal life.

In addition to performing well on the ice, Gally and Emma Fortin, now his wife, have gotten married.

And today, through madame’s Instagram account, we learn that the Gallagher family is growing. They are expecting their first child this winter.

Congratulations to both future parents!

One can say that this child will be showered with gifts during the holidays. Not only does his father have an excellent salary, but the proximity of Christmas and his birthday will promise a rather exciting time for him. And he can count himself lucky to see his father around as he grows up. Indeed, Gally is still only 32 years old and has just two and a half years left on his contract with the CH. That’s young in everyday life, but not in the NHL.

His best hockey is clearly behind him, and perhaps at the end of his contract, he will hang up his skates for good to be there for his new child and Emma.

In 28 games this season, the fiery forward has eight goals and five assists. He has slowed down a lot since previous seasons, but he is still on track to score more points than last year (31 points).

Let’s expect him to miss one or two games soon when baby Gallagher finally arrives.

Congratulations again to both parents!

In Brief

– Well done.

– To watch.

– A new challenge for the legend.

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Dans les coulisses

Arber Xhekaj admits it: he plays better because he keeps things simple.

Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

When things were going poorly for Arber Xhekaj, we talked about it.

That said, we also need to talk about his good moments. And recently, things have been going really well for the Canadiens’ defender.

He has been playing well for a few games now, and that deserves recognition!

What has changed in the Sheriff’s mentality?

He appeared on TSN 690 earlier today, and there was one phrase that caught my attention.

It is this one:

You don’t need to stand out, you don’t need to do anything crazy.

You keep it simple and just defend. – Arber Xhekaj

Xhekaj has understood that he doesn’t necessarily need to make a big play or deliver a solid check to be useful on the ice, and I find that particularly interesting.

This is part of the learning process, you might say, but it indicates that the defender is gaining maturity:

The defender admits he doesn’t know where the ceiling of his potential is… But to me, that’s not important.

Because as long as he continues to behave well on the ice, he will improve.

Let’s also note that Xhekaj took advantage of his radio appearance to praise the physical qualities of Emil Heineman.

The latter – to quote the Sheriff – fears nothing… And in the last game against the Ducks, Heineman even dared to bother Radko Gudas.

We know that Gudas is not a small guy and that he doesn’t hesitate before dropping the gloves:

We knew that Arber Xhekaj was a project and that he wouldn’t become excellent overnight.

But we can clearly see his progress at the moment because the defender, without making too much noise, is starting to become an important element in Martin St-Louis’ lineup.

Good for him. Especially if it can continue like this!

In Brief

– Amazing.

– I can’t wait to see that…

– Makes sense.

– Things might get heated in New York.

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Dans les coulisses

LNAH: A player wanted to fight with Donald Brashear, who is now a coach.

Donald Brashear no longer needs an introduction.

After all, he is known as one of the best enforcers in the history of the National Hockey League.

Today, Brashear is still involved in the world of hockey as an assistant coach with the Quebec Nationals in the North American League (LNAH).

But even though he is no longer playing, Brashear still gets targeted by some players who would like to boost their personal reputation.

I’m saying this because Zachary Gravel, who plays for the Saint-Hyacinthe Battalion, tried to invite him to a fight during a game this past weekend.

You can clearly see him inviting Donald Brashear to fight, and the expression on the former NHL player’s face speaks volumes:

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A post shared by LNAH (@lnah_officiel)

Donald Brashear looked at the player in question and probably thought to himself:

Hey, man… Are you serious? Really?

After all, the former NHL fighter has nothing to gain from all this. And let’s just say he didn’t seem very bothered by the comments from the opposing player, who seemed genuinely furious.

In any case, he probably would have been criticized if he had decided to go at it with Zachary Gravel, and ultimately, it would have led to nothing.

Donald Brashear could have decided to lose his cool.

He could have jumped over the boards to fight Zachary Gravel, but he chose to toy with him from his own bench.

That was the right thing to do.

Overtime

Last year, Donald Brashear was still playing.

He notably won a fight in the LNAH even at the age of 51… And that’s why I’m saying that Zachary Gravel might have needed to invite someone else to dance, even though there were no consequences in the end.

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Crosby in Montreal: “It’s not that impossible, Big,” says Georges Laraque

Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images

If Kirby Dach doesn’t become the Canadiens’ 2nd center as planned, Kent Hughes will have to get creative.

The GM will have to find a solution to fill that hole (at least until Michael Hage develops), because if he doesn’t, the club won’t be able to compete with the best teams in the NHL.

To be successful in the NHL, you need to have guys who can help you on the top-6. Especially at center.

Georges Laraque and Stéphane Gonzalez talked about this situation at their show today, and at some point, Sidney Crosby’s name came up in the discussion.

Because Georges has a point: if Crosby wants to leave Pittsburgh, seeing that the Penguins can’t compete, the team that’s going to get him has to have room on its payroll to accommodate his $8.7 million salary.

And right now, the Canadiens are well positioned to do just that.

But Georges Laraque is pushing the envelope: in his opinion, the idea of Crosby playing in Montreal isn’t 100% crazy. In his eyes, it’s not impossible, and he has his arguments:

Crosby, it’s been said in the past, I’ve played with (him), he likes hockey markets… Montreal, for him, would be perfect.

He has family here… It’s not that impossible, Big. – Georges Laraque

On paper, it’s certainly an interesting idea. And it’s not the first time we’ve talked about it.

But for a deal like this to happen, Sidney Crosby must also make the decision to leave Pittsburgh, and that’s what I find so compelling.

We know he’s loyal to the Penguins organization and we know that no one will be surprised if he chooses to end his career there.

That said, I get the impression that he’ll want to win IF EVER he wants to change his mind, and that’s where the stumbling block lies.

The Canadiens have some good youngsters and there are some prospects on the way… But you can’t expect the club to be fighting for the Stanley Cup in the next three years either.

And let’s not forget one thing: Crosby is 37. Not 32 or 34…

You don’t have to read between the lines to understand that I don’t believe it. I’d like it to happen, of course… And I’m sure it’s the same for many of you.

Overtime

– That’s my impression too.

– We’re talking about Sam Bennett here.

– Sad news.

– He’s going to be good.

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Dans les coulisses

Michael Pezzetta, the Canadiens’ water-bottle journalist

It can’t be easy being Michael Pezzetta right now. After all, the guy’s played three games this year and it’s been over a month and a half since he’s played a game.

It’s a lack of respect for the guy and I think the Habs should put him in the waivers to get him out of Montreal. I say this for Pezz’s own good.

In my opinion, it would also help the Canadiens, since right now there are 12 guys who know they won’t be taking their turn at the forward position in the short term. But that’s another matter.

But hey.

All this to say that you have to give Pezzetta credit: he’s not publicly creating waves. Maybe it’s different with him, but that would be correct.

By not playing, he has time to perfect his skills in other areas. And this morning at practice, he showed us his journalistic skills on the Canadiens beat .

He took a water bottle as a microphone and asked Kaiden Guhle to comment on his battle with the Ducks. And clearly, Guhle (who was laughing) wasn’t exactly cooperative.

Go away. – Kaiden Guhle to Michael Pezzetta

Pezzetta later forced his way into a response from Guhle, and the defender replied that it was a good one, as if to tell him to get lost if he was there. Again, in jest.

Pezz’s question, farce aside, makes me think of two things.

  • He’s well-liked in the locker room and he keeps his spirits up.
  • Guys like to fight

Pezzetta could have asked Guhle a question weeks ago, but just as the defender got into a fight, the moustachioed man got out his water bottle to have a chat with him.

Pezz, whose job it is to fight, undoubtedly enjoyed seeing this – as did his team-mates.

Overtime

– Well said, Jayden.

– Even if we cry, the only people who hear are the ones who agree.

– Samuel Montembeault in action tomorrow.

– Of note.

– Interesting.

– Kraken shareholder dies.

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Dans les coulisses

Long discussion between Juraj Slafkovsky and Martin St-Louis at practice this morning

Juraj Slafkovsky is not having a great season. Let’s put it this way.

Playing with Patrik Laine is a vote of confidence from management… but at the same time, he’ll have to do something to earn that playing time.

Everyone agrees on that.

The Habs are hoping the young man will step up, but it won’t happen by magic. For the time being, nothing too drastic has been applied, however, since he still has plenty of playing time.

As far as we can see, the Canadiens are mainly going through the motions. In particular, Kent Hughes has been very clear with Slaf about what he needs to improve over the past few weeks.

And we can imagine that Martin St-Louis often talks to him about this. After all, communication is important to the Habs pilot.

During the day’s practice, we saw a scene that doesn’t happen every day: the Canadiens’ coach spent a long time talking to the Slovakian and explaining a number of things to him, obviously.

We don’t know the exact nature of the discussions, but I’ll take a chance and say that he wasn’t just asking Slaf what he bought his family for Christmas.

And I like that.

Slaf is the kind of player who seems to respond when he gets criticism, and he seems to like getting feedback from his bosses. That said, the next step is to score goals once in a while.

It remains to be seen when he’ll break through.

Overtime

– Ah well.

– One to watch.

– Um…

– Still.

– Wow.

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Dans les coulisses

Andrei Markov’s cadaver ligament | Georges Laraque responds to Jean-Charles Lajoie

Yesterday, Jean Trudel and I recorded the ninth episode (of 10) of the Stanley25 podcast. Since our segments(with and without guests) were each pretty full – and disparate – we decided to release Week 9’s content separately.

The two-person segment has been available since this morning, while our segment with Catherine F.(O.D.) and her sister will air from 8:00 Friday morning. All over YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcast…

And the day before on Patreon !

This week, we talked about Andrei Markov’s first knee operation (with a cadaver ligament), the fact that he was representing himself without an agent, the possibility of seeing him back in Montreal (notably to coach Ivan Demidov) and his ability not to listen to critics (unlike many young players today).

Jean recounted a story involving an NHL player’sex-girlfriend , the tougher ratings of some homecoming (non-sports) shows, the amount of money a star columnist can make at 98.5 FM, Jacob Trouba’s wife not wanting to practice medicine in Canada, Matvei Michkov vs. David Reinbacher, the Canadiens rebuild TV series, JT’ s gallbladder , his addiction to games at the Bell Centre and Cole Caufield’s absence from the Four Nations Tournament.

Seriously, this is a BIG episode. If you’ve got 50 minutes to spare (or 25, at double speed), I suggest you watch it. Or listen to it on Spotify or another audio podcasting platform…

Georges Laraque, David Garel and Jean-Charles Lajoie
David Garel really took off in an unexpected direction after his emergence from anonymity on the Stanley25 set. Sometimes I think we’ve created a monster…

We’ve just fed it better food than before!

David has befriended Georges Laraque, become close to Réjean Tremblay and does interviews on Hockey30‘s YouTube channel. I’m even told that his next guest will be a big shot from the media world…

Yes, David continues to write sensational texts on Hockey30, but he doesn’t go as far as he used to. Good for everyone!

It’s harder to shoot everywhere when you have to do it in the open and you start rubbing shoulders with the people in your sights.

Earlier this week, David Garel released the video of an hour-long interview with Georges Laraque. This is his third collaboration with Georges: he went on-air to explain himself to BPM Sports (with Gonzo, Georges and Ben) last spring, in addition to producing a video on Georges Laraque’s life in Edmonton during the playoffs.

In fact, to be more precise, there’s a fourth collaboration as a columnist that didn’t last long, but hey…

For this third collab, Georges agreed to answer all David’s questions, and frankly, the finished product is excellent. If I wanted to be entertained, I was!

The most punchy part of the video? Clearly the one about the aftermath of the Gerard Gallant saga involving Big Georges…

“I’m thinking of Jean-Charles Lajoie, who went live on TVA Sports, in his show, and did a 10-minute intro practically to tell us to stop listening to your show, what a disgrace it was. I found it paradoxical because Jean-Charles Lajoie announced Martin St-Louis’ resignation, announced CF Montreal’s move to Detroit… we’re talking about a pro who announces sensationalist things to get ratings, and then he accused you of the same thing. I want to know how you react to that.” – David Garel in all his subtlety

Georges’ response? Take the high road. I’ll let you listen for yourselves…

Georges’ answer is already “placed” in the following video…

“I pretend these people don’t exist…”.

Ouch! Clearly, there’s no love lost between the two former colleagues at BPM Sports.

I wonder – not at all, actually, hehe – how the two guys managed to get along so well when they were working for the same media entity…

There’ll never be a shortage of drama in the media world. It’ll always be entertaining to follow the Québécois media…

Except maybe when the drama is all about you. I know something about that…