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Top-4 : Obviously, the Jackets-Islanders match was decided in overtime

Yesterday in the NHL, there were four games on the schedule.

The game to watch was obviously the one between the Blue Jackets and the Islanders.

Here are the results and highlights:

1. Obviously, the Jackets-Islanders game was decided in overtime

In New York, the Islanders and the Blue Jackets from Columbus faced off. It was a big game for them, who could get closer to the playoffs.

In Montreal, they especially didn’t want a three-point game.

And that’s what happened, a final after the 60 minutes of regular time. The locals took a two-goal lead, but Columbus didn’t give up and came back.

First, Adam Fantilli beat Ilya Sorokin with a perfect shot.

Later, Boone Jenner created the tie.

At the end of the second period, Patrick Roy’s team took the lead in controversy.

Not sure this goal would have always been accepted.

At the end of the third period, the visitors came back again.

Kirill Marchenko scored his 26th goal of the season. Sean Monahan, who also stood out physically, picked up an assist on his return to the lineup.

The Islanders thought they had won in regular time, but this goal was refused.

What do you think? In any case, Patrick Roy didn’t hold back after the game: “If Toronto is afraid to overturn the decisions of its referees, maybe we don’t need Toronto”.

Direction shootout, as overtime was not enough to determine a winner.

Columbus finally won a big game thanks to Adam Fantilli’s goal in the shootout. The club therefore ends a sequence of six defeats.

Here is a portrait of the playoff race in the East.

(Credit: NHL.com )

2. Sheldon Keefe on Johnathan Kovacevic: “he is the best”

Two days ago, Sheldon Keefe threw his defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic under the bus.

He said that instead of talking, he should focus on his game. Apparently, Kovy listened to his coach’s instructions. Yesterday, he stole a goal from the opponent.

Keefe therefore mentioned that his defenseman was the best.

The relationship between the two men is still good, then.

Timo Meier led the charge for New Jersey with a two-goal performance.

After the goal by Erik Haula, the players went wild.

Jake DeBrusk, at the very end of the game, sent everyone into overtime.

Thatcher Demko, in his first game since February 8, stood out during the fourth period.

What a save here!

Like the Columbus-New York game, a shootout was necessary.

In a duel between Luke and Quinn Hughes, the Canucks finally won the game.

Final score: 4-3 in a shootout.

3. Mikko Rantanen takes a puck straight to the face

The Wild was visiting Dallas.

This game was marked by an injury to Mikko Rantanen’s face. The new arrival took a puck straight to the face.

More fear than harm, fortunately: he returned with a full face shield.

The Finn finally picked up a point in his team’s 3-0 win.

The Stars’ first two goals came in a span of 58 seconds.

First, Wyatt Johnston found the back of the net for the 26th time this season.

And Matt Duchene scored his 27th of the year.

Jake Oettinger took care of defending his team’s net.

In the second period, he stole Marco Rossi at close range.

The goalie finished the game with a 32-save shutout.

4. The Wings are still alive

Last night, two teams in a similar situation faced off.

The Wings were visiting Utah. Detroit finally won 5-1.

Big win for the Michigan club, big loss for Utah. Here is a portrait of the playoffs in the West. Utah remains six points away from the Blues and the last rank giving access to the playoffs.

(Credit: NHL.com )

As for the game, Dylan Guenther picked up his 100th career point in the loss.

He scored his team’s only goal.

In the win, Alex DeBrincat and Simon Edvinsson were the top scorers with two points each.

Don’t rule out the Wings too quickly from the playoff picture…

They are only three small points away.

Overtime

– A nice dish.

– Solid.

– Seven players with two points.

(Credit: NHL.com )

– Today, we’re taking the Canadiens (of course), the Sabres, the Leafs, the Avalanche, the Kraken, and the Kings.

(Credit: Google)
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Mathias Brunet would offer $20M over four years to Mike Matheson

In the heartbreaking loss to the Avalanche on Saturday, the Habs didn’t know what to do at the end of the third period.

The big guns were containing the Habs in their defensive territory, but Samuel Montembeault and the defense held up.

Alexandre Carrier was excellent on defense, but his partner on the blue line, Mike Matheson, was just as effective.

The veteran seems to have understood his new role since the arrival of Lane Hutson and he’s taking it very well.

I’d say the Habs fans also appreciate Matheson’s work a lot, even if he’s not producing as much offensively as last year.

Although he’s starting to get older (31 years old), he still has very good hockey to give.

His agent believes his chances of staying with the team at the end of his contract next year are very good, thanks to his skating, which will allow him to keep up with the pace even in a few years.

his daily column in The Return of the Athletes.

He talked about Matheson, among other things, and would even be willing to offer him $20 million over four years.

When you think about it, it makes sense.

He’s in his thirties, but that’s not going to slow down the Québécois. His skating is well above average for a defenseman of his age and he’ll be able to keep up with the best players for a while.

At $5 million per year until he’s 35, it sounds more than reasonable, considering he can still play on the second powerplay unit and log big defensive minutes.

Plus, you need veterans, especially on the blue line, to surround a core as young and talented as this one.

David Savard excels in this mentor role for young players and has clearly improved the quality of play of players like Arber Xhekaj by playing with them.

However, Savard is already 34 years old and his body is much more worn out than Matheson’s. He was never a speed merchant either, which means he won’t be able to play in the NHL for much longer.

By securing Matheson for four years at a reasonable salary, he would bring the presence of a veteran that Savard won’t be able to provide for much longer.

You also can’t forget that Matheson is from Montreal and could easily accept a lower salary to stay close to his family and possibly even finish his career there.

In short, it’s something to think about.

Overtime

– Very interesting. Dobes seems to have a clear difficulty with high shots.

– Former Habs defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic got the message from Sheldon Keefe.

– The star player temporarily left the game after being hit in the face with a puck, but everything seems fine for the Finn.

– Interesting fact, defenseman Adam Boqvist was used on the right wing for the game against the Blue Jackets (his former team) and picked up two points in the game.

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Lane Hutson hasn’t missed a single optional practice this season

The vast majority saw Lane Hutson becoming a very good defenseman in the NHL eventually, but very few people expected him to be so dominant as early as his rookie season.

In 69 games, he accumulated 53 points, including five goals, which is something very few rookie defensemen have been able to do.

There’s not much to criticize in his game, even if he’s not perfect. He’s only 21 years old, after all, it’s normal.

Although many feared that his small stature would be a problem, Hutson does very well and never gets hit, or almost never. His exceptional agility allows him to navigate through small spaces without getting caught.

On the other hand, in his offensive game, there’s one thing he needs to polish, and that’s his shot.

We’ve seen him try to shoot a bit more lately, and he seems to be gaining confidence in his shot, quietly but surely.

And that’s something that can be worked on in practice.

We know that the young defenseman loves being on the ice and doesn’t seem to miss any opportunity to be there.

Moreover, according to Arpon Basu of The Athletic, the #48 hasn’t missed a single optional practice this season.

Hutson is really a hockey fanatic. Very few players spend as much time on the ice as the Habs’ rookie, and that can only pay off in the long run.

According to what Basu reports in his article, you have to tell Hutson to leave the ice for him to do so.

We saw his love for hockey a few days ago when the left-handed defenseman stayed on the ice for at least 30 minutes after the end of practice.

Martin St-Louis is himself a hockey addict. It’s therefore easier for him to understand his desire to be on the ice. He has a more laid-back attitude towards his young protégé, and that can only help him adjust to the NHL game.

In the article, there’s a quote from Lane Hutson about MSL’s coaching.

« He has been quite permissive [in coaching me], letting me manage things on my own. » – Lane Hutson

Definitely, Hutson seems to appreciate what St-Louis is doing for him, and that can only be beneficial at this stage of his development.

Overtime

– To read.

– The option of acquiring Evgeni Malkin has been raised so he can play center for Ivan Demidov next year. It’s not crazy, but the Habs would overpay for the name rather than what he can bring.

– Sean Monahan is making his presence felt in his first game back since early January 💥 pic.twitter.com/JZsAZhqYY7

– The Québécois is on fire lately and could miss the game against the Habs.

– To read.

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Samuel Montembeault is the second most useful goalkeeper in the NHL according to a new statistic

If you know baseball, you know that the Wins Above Replacement (WAR) statistic is undoubtedly the most revealing in terms of a player’s concrete contribution to their team. If you know basketball, the Wins Above Replacement Players (WARP) statistic is also recognized as one of the best, even if it has its limitations.

By accounting for a good quantity of positive actions for the outcome of a game, and comparing the outcome to what an average player would accomplish in such circumstances, we can try to put a number on the normally abstract value of a player.

A data science specialist, Patrick Bacon, developed such a statistic four years ago in the National Hockey League (NHL). On the new website of popular analyst @JFreshHockey, available for now only to Patreon subscribers, this statistic can be found.

One of these subscribers, a user of X, however, took a screenshot of the goalies’ statistics in terms of WAR. In second place is the Québécois goalie of the Canadiens, Samuel Montembeault. In fact, the stat is not bad, as Monty is sandwiched between the favorites for the Vezina: Connor Hellebuyck first, Andrei Vasilevskiy third, Logan Thompson fourth.

He is one notch behind Hellebuyck, and a hair ahead of Vasilevskiy.

Concretely, this means that Samuel Montembeault, according to this statistical model, brought 7 wins (14 points) more to the Canadiens.

And so, if the Canadiens had an average goalie between the posts, Montreal would be at the bottom of the NHL.

Perhaps there is a flaw, or an inflation of the stat? 14 points is a lot. In short, it’s the ranking that matters.

Nicolas Cloutier (TVA Sports) contacted @JFreshHockey for explanations. The latter explained that the “average goalie” constitutes the 65th best in the league.

Overtime

– Samuel Montembeault has almost had as many consecutive games as Carey Price’s peak during his Vezina season.

– Dustin Wolf still at the heart of the matter.

– What a season of redemption for Pierre-Luc Dubois.

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Grant McCagg would see David Reinbacher with the Canadiens in the playoffs as early as 2025

David Reinbacher has only played eight games with the Laval Rocket since his return from injury, and already doubts about the impact of his absence on his development are dissipating.

Among the optimists is Grant McCagg. The commentator for Recrutes Draftcast (The Sick Podcast) spoke about the young defenseman, who he has been watching in Laval, as someone who wouldn’t look out of place with the Canadiens in the playoffs this year. “He’s ready,” McCagg said.

“I want to see a long run by the Rocket, but they can win without him, they’ve done it all year. […] I think he could help the Canadiens right now, he’s finding it easy in the American League.”

— Grant McCagg

McCagg sees Reinbacher being called up by the end of the season, if a playoff spot becomes more certain, recalling that a spring team needs that kind of depth.

It’s perhaps important to note that over the last two seasons, David Reinbacher has played a total of 54 games, including 35 in Switzerland and 11 in Laval last year. While his 9 points in 19 games with the Rocket are impressive for a 20-year-old defensive defenseman, one might wonder if what he needs right now is some stability and a concrete opportunity to contribute to a winning team.

The experience of a successful Rocket playoff run could be huge for the young man who is considered a key piece of the Canadiens’ future blue line. However, there’s a “step” between the American League and the National League, and it would be risky to call him up now and risk breaking something that’s working well as of today.

In summary, it’s perhaps true that Reinbacher would already look good in the NHL. After all, his playing style seems tailored for the tight playoff hockey. We’re surely many who have thought, during the 4 Nations Tournament, that it would be wonderful to see him become a third of what Jaccob Slavin is. That being said, would it be precipitous to bring him to Montreal in this context?

The Austrian will have the chance to stand out at camp next fall and start from scratch, like everyone else, to earn a spot with the big club.

Because beyond his defensive skills, Reinbacher is showing in Laval what Grant McCagg considers the most underrated part of his game. “He’s going to score a lot of goals in the NHL. He has a bomb,” he said, watching sequences of the young player.

However, the reflection we’re having right now is in itself good news, regardless of the conclusion. Let’s just say that we’re not having the same discussion about Logan Mailloux right now, despite his offensive prowess.

Overtime

— Is Swayman trying to redeem himself with his teammates by fighting?

— Lane Hutson playing roulette!

— A great collection of highlights from Michael Misa.

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Jean Perron wouldn’t add Demidov to the lineup because it would “change the chemistry of the habs”

Ivan Demidov has the talent and potential to change things in Montreal.

His arrival on the team could help the habs offensively… because he has the skills to quickly become an impact player in the National League.

But in the eyes of Jean Perron, it would be pointless to bring him in now – even if it’s impossible because of the fact that Demidov’s contract with SKA is not yet over.

The former NHL coach (Poche Bleue) thinks this way because, according to him, it could change the team’s chemistry (which is excellent right now).

Fair enough… But at the same time, it’s not like the habs have 12 indispensable forwards either.

If Ivan Demidov were to take Joshua Roy’s place, for example… I don’t think there would be many unhappy fans in the city.

The chemistry is extraordinary right now […] Let’s keep this chemistry going, it’s going so well right now!

It’s true that good sports teams are often able to succeed when there’s good chemistry in the locker room.

But good sports teams are especially able to succeed when they have talented players on the roster.

It’s the same in soccer, hockey, baseball, football… name it.

From this perspective, adding a talented player like Ivan Demidov could certainly help.

Maybe it would “change the chemistry a bit” as Jean Perron mentioned… but at the same time, we’ve seen that Demidov has a great personality, as seen in his interview with the habs during the last draft.

And at this level, we also know that the guys are looking forward to seeing him arrive in town. Nick Suzuki said he’s really looking forward to playing with him, and seeing him go to the KHL, the players probably think the same way.

I have the impression that the players would welcome him with open arms, and not the opposite…

Overtime

– CF Montreal news:

– His role has changed… partly because of Lane Hutson.

– A return!

– What do you think?

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Anthony Marcotte : “I don’t think we’ll see Guhle play during the trip”

Kaiden Guhle practiced with his teammates this morning in Brossard.

And for the first time since his return to practice, he wore a jersey that allowed him to receive contact.

We also note that the Canadiens announced that the defenseman will travel with the team this week for games played in St. Louis, Philadelphia, Carolina, and Florida. But it’s not necessarily expected that he’ll play, according to Anthony Marcotte…

The latter was a guest on Martin Lemay’s show (BPM Sports) and said he doesn’t think Guhle will participate in any of those games.

Why?

The reason is simple, in fact: Guhle needs to participate in more physical practices before being thrown into the fire.

It wasn’t super intense on the ice this morning:

The Canadiens are doing well to take their time with him.

Because, in fact, there’s nothing that’s “pressing” right now.

The Canadiens are well-established in the standings, and it’s normal that they wouldn’t want to risk seeing Guhle get injured again if he returns to the game too quickly.

It wouldn’t serve much purpose, ultimately.

Guhle will clearly be able to help the Habs when he returns to the game… but again, that won’t be the case if he returns and isn’t at 100%.

He needs to be given the time to heal properly and to get back into game shape.

Without that, the Canadiens won’t be helping themselves by rushing Guhle’s return to the game.

Overtime

–

– Oh…

– Wow.

– Absolutely.

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Tony Marinaro got on the radio in Boston to roast the Americans

Following the Canada’s victory over the United States in the 4 Nations final, Tony Marinaro called into a Boston radio show to tease the Americans.

The clip shared by BPM Sports made the rounds on the web – and for good reason – because it was hilarious.

Tony had pretended to be a fan of the American team and told the Boston hosts that they didn’t appreciate the fact that “the Habs beat us all the time”. To refresh your memory a bit… : 

This morning, on his BPM Sports show, the radio host did it again.

The difference this time was that he introduced himself as Tony Marinaro from the start. But that didn’t stop him from teasing the two hosts because of Canada’s victory over the United States in the CONCACAF Nations League.

Marinaro teased the hosts by singing the Canadian national anthem… and telling the Americans they can’t beat the Habs even in soccer.

Again, it produced a magical result : 

If they were amused the first time Tony called, Adam Jones and Rich Keefe didn’t seem to find it super funny today.

We see on the faces of the two guys that they look a bit uneasy… even if we see a smile on their faces too.

Nevertheless, Tony Marinaro did what he does best, which is to put on a show.

The BPM Sports host always finds a way to entertain his listeners and he’s excellent at what he does. Again, not just any radio host would think of doing something like that… but it also shows how special Tony Marinaro is – in a good way.

Blessed Tony, to put it another way. 

My favorite part is when we hear him singing the Canadian national anthem at the top of his lungs…. Hehe. 

Overtime

– Beautiful contest :

– I love it.

– At least, he’s not seriously injured.

– He might be back in the game soon, though.

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Kaiden Guhle will make the trip with his teammates

Other good news for the Canadiens.

After seeing defenseman Kaiden Guhle skate this morning with the others (with a regular jersey), the Canadiens confirmed that the player will travel with the team for the upcoming road games this week.

We don’t know if he will play this week, though.

Practicing like a regular… traveling with the team… clearly, we feel that the Albertan is really close to returning to the game and it’s only a matter of days.

Good for the player, who suffered a serious injury.

But it’s also good for the club, which will need its roster to be able to continue fighting for the playoffs. And on that topic, Guhle will help a lot.

The coach must be happy.

One can wonder if Arber Xhekaj will be the one to make way for Guhle’s return. There’s a chance it could be Jayden Struble, but I think it will be Xhekaj who will make way.

But we’ll see: Martin St-Louis doesn’t want to confirm anything.

I don’t think David Savard will be the one to make way because he’s a right-handed player and a veteran. It’s likely to be Xhekaj or Struble, two defensemen from the same mold.

But we’ll see in due time.

Overtime

– Same here.

– Oh?

– Official.

– To note.

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Brossard : Kaiden Guhle practices with a regular jersey with the others

Interesting news from the Canadiens.

Kaiden Guhle was seen on the ice in Brossard with a regular jersey. A few minutes before the regular practice, the Canadiens’ defenseman skated a bit.

And according to colleague Marc-Olivier Cook, who was on site, he was moving well.

Of course, we wonder what this means for the rest of things. Is Guhle progressing well towards a return to the game? We must think that he’s not doing any worse than before, at least.

With a healthy Guhle, this would change things. We’re not necessarily expecting him this week, but we’ll see.

It’s also interesting to note that Josh Anderson, who has been playing clearly despite an injury for several weeks, was present at the team’s practice this morning.

Just before leaving for St. Louis, the veteran was on the ice. This doesn’t happen often during practices.

More details to come…