Author: Dose

Categories
Dans les coulisses

Four defeats in their last five games: the Rocket slip to 3rd place in their division

As everyone knows, the Laval Rocket got off to an excellent start to the season, even setting a franchise record with eight consecutive wins.

The club was performing wonderfully, and even as individuals, almost every player stood out.

However, in the team’s last five games, things didn’t go so well.

After suffering their first two-game losing streak last week, the Rocket have just suffered another, escaping 5-3 last night to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

The Rocket have now lost four of their last five games, which is starting to look worrying, especially considering that yesterday, Pascal Vincent’s team completely blew a game that looked like a win.

The Montreal Canadiens’ training club had a 3-1 lead in the game, but still found a way to lose in regulation time despite their clear dominance (32-20 in shots on goal).

Several errors cost the Rocket the game.

(OBOXADSQ || []).push({“cmd”: “addBanner”});

It’s a defeat that hurts, and Pascal Vincent made a point of letting his players know it directly during the game.

Trailing by two goals late in the game, the Rocket head coach voluntarily decided not to pull goaltender Connor Hughes in favor of a sixth skater, because he felt his players hadn’t shown him they’d be capable of scoring two goals.

Vincent even added some after the game.

“We’ve got some little tendencies lately that we’ll have to address and we’ll have a few games for that. When you think you’re too cute in this league, it’s always going to make you pay.” – Pascal Vincent

In short, it’s a direct and clear message to the Rocket players.

(OBOXADSQ || []).push({“cmd”: “addBanner”});

With last night’s defeat, the Laval Rocket, who dominated their division until recently, now find themselves in 3rd place in the North Division.

Laval has therefore slipped two places in terms of team points percentage.

(Credit: TheAHL.com)

And in the overall standings, the Rocket slipped from first to sixth in the entire AHL.

In short, Pascal Vincent’s team will have to get their act together and get back to their good early-season habits.

Overtime

– The Rocket will be looking to bounce back today.

– How much effort will the Rangers put in today against the Canadiens?

– Really ridiculous.

– Things are going well for Jared Spurgeon and the Wild.

– Coming up.

Categories
Dans les coulisses

Top-5: Mathieu Olivier throws down the gloves twice in the second period against the Flames

After a full day off on Thursday night for Thanksgiving, there was plenty of action in the National Hockey League yesterday.

28 of the 32 teams were in action across 14 different games, and let’s just say there was no shortage of highlights.

Here are the highlights of the day.

1. Mathieu Olivier throws down the gloves twice in the same period

The Québécois forward for the Columbus Blue Jackets is seriously starting to make a name for himself in the NHL.

Not only is he scoring goals this season (he has seven so far), but he’s probably one of, if not the best battler in the entire league.

And Olivier proved it again yesterday, throwing down the gloves twice in a 5-2 Blue Jackets victory over the Calgary Flames.

Olivier first confronted Martin Pospisil, then absolutely destroyed Ryan Lomberg, all in the same period, the second.

In short, Mathieu Olivier is really becoming a star in Columbus, and let’s just say it would be surprising if the Blue Jackets let him leave as a free agent next summer, much to the dismay of Montreal Canadiens fans.

Olivier is a huge influence on the team, making other teammates want to fight, even goalie Elvis Merzlikins.

(OBOXADSQ || []).push({“cmd”: “addBanner”});

2. Rangers keep losing

It’s going really badly for the Montreal Canadiens’ opponents today at Madison Square Garden, starting at 1pm.

After an excellent start to the season, the New York Rangers are on a very bad run, suffering their fifth consecutive loss last night.

This time, they lost 3-1 to the Philadelphia Flyers.

Nothing is going right for the Rangers, who are also struggling to score goals during this losing streak.

They have scored just ten goals in their last five games.

(OBOXADSQ || []).push({“cmd”: “addBanner”});

3. The game of a lifetime for Connor Garland

It was a crazy game yesterday between the Vancouver Canucks and the Buffalo Sabres.

In the end, it was the Canucks who prevailed, escaping with a 4-3 overtime victory.

By far the hero of the game was Connor Garland.

His two goals and one assist were simply magnificent.

Blocking a shot, Garland, in spite of himself, served up a perfect pass to Pius Suter, who decamped alone on a breakaway.

Garland then added to his tally by scoring the winning goal in overtime with a shot between his legs.

(OBOXADSQ || []).push({“cmd”: “addBanner”});

4. Macklin Celebrini continues to impress in his rookie season

The San Jose Sharks may not yet have a competitive enough team, but one thing’s for sure: this season, they’re all the more exciting to follow and watch.

Indeed, all their young talent is putting on an excellent show, and once again, that was the case yesterday, as the Sharks prevailed 8-5 over the Seattle Kraken.

Macklin Celebrini picked up two points, including a magnificent goal, making it six points in his last three games.

The Sharks’ number 71 now has 13 points, including eight goals, in 14 games, putting him first among rookies in points per game.

The first overall pick of the last NHL Entry Draft is having an excellent rookie season, proving why he was so coveted.

(OBOXADSQ || []).push({“cmd”: “addBanner”});

5. Marcus Foligno gets completely robbed of a goal by the linesman

The Minnesota Wild are one of the best teams in the entire NHL, sitting in second place overall, just two points behind the Winnipeg Jets, who have played one more game.

In short, the Wild play big hockey, and therefore can’t afford to drop points against the likes of the Chicago Blackhawks.

Yesterday, the Wild won 3-2 against the Blackhawks, but normally, this game should have ended 4-2.

Marcus Foligno was completely robbed of a goal in an empty net by the linesman.

Foligno clearly gets to the puck first, and shoots the puck into an empty net.

A big mistake, which fortunately didn’t allow the Hawks to equalize.

That would clearly have created a huge scandal.

Overtime

– First NHL goal for Ethan Cardwell.

– A lot of animosity between two Russians, Evgeni Malkin and Nikita Zadorov.

– Here are all the results from the previous day.

– Here are yesterday’s top scorers.

(Credit: NHL.com)

– Today’s NHL schedule: 12 games.

(Credit: Google/NHL)
(Credit: Google/NHL)
Categories
Dans les coulisses

Simon Nemec must be a target for Kent Hughes (not David Jiricek)

Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images

Lately, David Jiricek’s name has been on the lips of enthusiasts and experts alike.

The Columbus Blue Jackets’ young defenseman prospect is currently on the trade market, and the Canadiens are said to be in the running.

Jiricek remains a very good prospect, but his last two years have been rather ordinary in terms of development, and many experts are noticing major shortcomings in his game.

The Czech defenseman is supposedly a very reliable defenseman with a big frame and a very heavy shot.

However, many have criticized his development and fewer and fewer people see Jiricek as a solution in Montreal.

Mathias Brunet wondered last night whether he prefers Logan Mailloux to Jiricek.

And it makes sense.

As Anthony Marcotte so eloquently explained in the latest episode of The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro, the Habs already have a similar defenseman in Mailloux.

With a few thoughts, while at first glance I could see Jiricek with the Habs, I don’t think he’s the answer.

There’s another young right-handed defenseman who could change his skill set, and he’s with the New Jersey Devils.

Slovakian Simon Nemec, who was picked 2ᵉ right after his compatriot Juraj Slafkovsky in 2022, would be a much better fit in my opinion.

RDS actually published an article recently about possible defensive targets Kent Hughes should aim for, and Nemec is one of them.

The 20-year-old defenseman played 60 NHL games last season, but this season he’s more of a 7ᵉ defenseman and has only appeared in nine games.

He hasn’t played in the NHL since October 22…

Definitely, a change of scenery would be welcome in the Slovak’s case and it would be very surprising if he wasn’t hot on the idea of joining Slafkovsky.

The price is likely to be higher than Jiricek’s, but it’s worth spending more to acquire his services.

He would also provide defensive stability on the right side with an aging David Savard and a Logan Mailloux not known for his defensive reliability.

It would make sense for the Habs and Nemec’s clan, but the Devils would have to make a tempting offer to part with Nemec.

It’s worth a try, and the Habs have a number of interesting players to offer.

Overtime

– Too bad for the Rocket, who started the game well.

– Head coach Pascal Vincent spoke to the media following the Laval Rocket’s 5-3 loss.

– Another interesting plateau within reach for Sidney Crosby.

– Is Tyler Seguin back in Dallas? 19 points in 18 games for the 32-year-old forward this season.

Categories
Dans les coulisses

Sean Monahan spent Thanksgiving with the Gaudreau family

I don’t think there’s a world in which hockey fans will stop thinking about the tragic deaths of Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew.

As a fan, it’s always very difficult to learn of the death of a star player, but the Gaudreau brothers’ situation seems to be hitting home in a different way.

Of course, those closest to them were devastated to hear the awful news, and Sean Monahan is one of those people.

Johnny’s former team-mate and very good friend has always been close to the Gaudreau family, but now, as a neighbor, he is more present than ever.

He often spends time with the family, helps Johnny’s wife Meredith around the house and plays with the kids on a regular basis.

Meredith spoke of Monahan’s much-appreciated presence in a recent interview with Sportsnet‘s Ryan Leslie.

I can’t hide the fact that I was quite emotional listening to this Sportsnet report…

In this excellent testimonial, Meredith didn’t hesitate to speak highly of Monahan, who does so much for the family.

In fact, Monahan spent Thanksgiving with the Gaudreaus and some of Johnny’s former teammates.

Meredith also shared a very touching moment in the testimony:

“All summer long, John and Sean did nothing but talk about the fact that they were going to be back together, that they were going to live across the street from each other… I think about Sean a lot, because he does so much for me. He’s been incredible, coming in often and playing with the kids.” – Meredith Gaudreau

We understand that Monahan is more than just a good family friend, but that he was like a brother to Johnny.

I could go on quoting Meredith in full, but I’ll simply give you the opportunity to listen to this touching testimony for yourself.

Take a little four minutes of your time to listen, it’s worth it. It even feels good.

Overtime

– No one had an Owen Beck fight in their predictions tonight.

– Too bad for the giant-sized Québécois defenseman.

– The change of scenery seems to have done him good.

Categories
Dans les coulisses

Shane Wright scored as many goals today as Juraj Slafkovsky this season

Dec 6, 2022; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Kraken center Shane Wright (51) celebrates scoring his first NHL career goal against the Montreal Canadiens during the first period at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Shane Wright will be forever linked to the Montreal Canadiens for the famous draft night in 2022.

Habs fans will always remember the Seattle Kraken forward’s piercing stare down the Habs table.

And many still doubt what Juraj Slafkovsky will become.

Let’s just say that his quick long-term contract doesn’t help his detractors love him.

Although he has collected 13 points in 19 games this season, his two meagre goals are not enough and everyone expects more from the Slovak.

As for Wright, he’s had his ups and downs since being drafted, but lately he seems to have found the right path.

In the games of November 17, 20 and 23, the Kraken forward was left out, and he seems to have gotten the message since then.

In fact, this Black Friday, the Kraken took on the San Jose Sharks and the game ended 8-5 in favor of the Sharks.

In defeat, Wright scored as many goals as Slafkosvky has scored this season (two).

That gives him five points, including three goals, in his last two and a half games.

It’s also worth noting that Will Smith of the San Jose Sharks is having a great time at the moment, finishing the game with two points.

He is now at six points in his last three games, with two points in each of them.

But Wright’s three goals in as many games definitely make some of the Slovak’s detractors salivate.

However, it should be borne in mind that Slaf has almost twice as many points as Wright (13 points to 7), despite the fact that the latter has twice as many goals as the giant format forward.

The Slovak also brings a physical dimension to his game, but this season he has several things to improve/correct in his game.

He could take a leaf out of Wright’s book, as he seems to have rediscovered his touch.

Overtime

– Tomas Plekanec had good things to say about his former teammate.

– Can the Habs take advantage of the Rangers’ lethargy?

– Celebrini has been on fire lately.

– Geno wasn’t in a joking mood.

– Obviously.

Categories
Dans les coulisses

Rumour Corner: John Gibson’s name linked to the Avalanche

With December just around the corner, we’re starting to get a good picture of the state of the NHL’s forces. There’s still a lot to play for, of course… but there’s enough of a sample to draw some good conclusions.

We’re already a quarter of the way through the campaign, after all.

Among the conclusions we can draw is that the Avalanche’s situation in front of the net isn’t ideal. Alexandar Georgiev isn’t getting the job done as #1, and Justus Annunen isn’t doing any better.

So we’re wondering how the club might cope… and in a piece for TheFourthPeriod, various contributors to the site raised the idea of them going for a big name in front of the net…

And that big name is John Gibson.

The Ducks’ goalie has been looking for a change of scenery for a while now, and after a few difficult years, he’s made a good start to the 2024-25 campaign. David Pagnotta believes the Ducks would be willing to withhold part of Gibson’s salary, which would facilitate a deal.

There are connections that are easy to make, especially with Gabriel Landeskog not approaching a return (which gives Colorado financial flexibility).

If the club wants to look elsewhere, Mackenzie Blackwood and Dan Vladar have also been mentioned… but the big prize would be Gibson.

To be continued.

Teams would pay big for Igor Shesterkin

Before the campaign began, we wondered whether the Rangers would be able to reach an agreement with Igor Shesterkin. The goaltender, who will become a free agent at the end of the season, is one of the league’s elite players… and you’d think the Rangers would want to keep him.

But to sign him, they’ll have to pay dearly… and so far, the Rangers haven’t done so.

Which begs the question: are the Rangers doing the right thing by being patient?

But according to an assistant to a GM of a Western team who spoke to Arthur Staple (The Athletic), teams are lining up to sign him, even if the price is $13 or $14 million a year.

One wonders if, by waiting so long, the Rangers are shooting themselves in the foot. The Russian is having another solid season, and with his track record (especially in the playoffs), he’d certainly be on the radar of many teams.

Let’s see how this one shakes out.

Nils Höglander is the talk of the NHL

It’s been a tough season for Nils Höglander. The Canucks forward has just five points in 22 games, despite his undeniable talent.

And increasingly, we’re wondering whether a change of scenery might do him some good.

Clearly, some clubs are keeping a close eye on him… and according to Kevin Weekes, the Canucks forward is the talk of the NHL. The Capitals, Penguins (who are on the hunt for those young players they want to revive) and Blue Jackets have shown interest.

Obviously, we don’t know if the Canucks are ready to let him go… but if they are, they obviously have several teams ready to pull the trigger.

So we’ll see if he’ll try to revive his career away from Vancouver.

Overtime

– Phew.

– The Islanders are ripping it up.

– Great read.

– Notice to interested parties.

– Bummer.

Categories
Dans les coulisses

J.T. Miller, Kreider, Kakko: Three names that Rangers are talking about right now

VANCOUVER, CANADA - OCTOBER 9: J.T. Miller #9 of the Vancouver Canucks and Anthony Mantha #39 of the Calgary Flames tussle during the first period of their NHL game at Rogers Arena on October 9, 2024 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)

We’re talking about the Rangers, who host the Canadiens at home tomorrow afternoon.

Because things aren’t going well in New York.

The club lost today to the Flyers 3-1. It’s a fifth consecutive loss for the Blue Shirts… And you’d expect Chris Drury (GM) to get busy soon.

After all, there are some interesting rumours coming out of the Big Apple.

For example?

We know that Chris Kreider saw his name thrown around in some rumors earlier this week, and Pierre LeBrun confirmed that the forward is indeed on the market on his podcast(Radar) :

Kreider is on the market and it looks like the same is true for club captain Jacob Trouba.

But that’s not all.

In New York, there’s a player who’s been at the heart of so many rumors in the past and here, you understand I’m talking about Kaapo Kakko.

With a salary of $2.4 million and 12 points in 22 games (including today’s), Kaapo Kakko is also back in the discussion for a potential deal.

He’s not playing much (13:13 per game) and could be looking to leave for a better opportunity to make his mark:

Kakko is 23 years old. He’s still young, and still has time to develop into an impact player in the National League.

Still, we’re talking about a 2nd overall pick (2019 draft)….

I’m just throwing this out there and it’s only an idea. But if Kirby Dach, who was picked right after Kakko, continues to disappoint… Could Kent Hughes and Chris Drury dance around sending each other two players who have good potential but could benefit from a change of scenery?

Hmm…

This is where it gets really interesting

With today’s loss, the Rangers now have a record of 12-9-1.

That’s disappointing, which is why Drury is looking to shake things up.

That said, Arthur Staple (The Athletic) reported an interesting tidbit in an article today.

The Rangers have reportedly contacted the Canucks to inquire about J.T. Miller, who has played in New York in the past:

J.T. Miller to New York… That would be something.

We agree that the deal would be complicated to build because the forward is in the second year (of 7) of a contract that pays him $8M per season… But we’re still talking about a guy who has collected 99, 82 and 103 points in his last three NHL seasons.

By acquiring a player like him, the Rangers would have several offensive weapons…

In closing, there’s nothing new about the negotiations between the Blue Shirts and Igor Shesterkin’s clan. The Rangers are still looking for a solution to pay him what he’s worth, but that’s what’s difficult right now.

Especially if Miller and his big contract come to the Big Apple…

Overtime

– Enjoy.

– Well done.

– The skills !

– Still.

Categories
Dans les coulisses

Keith Tkachuk encouraged his sons to fight at school

Sunrise, FL - May 8: Boston Bruins RW David Pastrnak fighting with Florida Panthers RW Matthew Tkachuk in the third period (Photo by Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

I hear Matthew and Brady Tkachuk are brothers.

They may not have the same style of play on the ice, but they share a specific characteristic.

Both brothers like to make trouble… and let’s face it, it’s nothing new.

Jamal Myers, who played with Keith Tkachuk in St. Louis (Matthew and Brady’s father) and now works as an analyst for Sportsnet, has a story to tell.

At one point, Myers was in the locker room and Keith asked Matthew to tell him what had happened at school.

Matthew started by saying that there was a kid who was giving him trouble and annoying him… And then Keith told Matthew to go on and tell the interesting part of the story.

Matthew said “I punched him in the face” and Myers was shocked. The latter had doubts about Keith’s qualities as a father:

At the time, I wondered about his parenting skills. – Jamal Myers

Keith Tkachuk thought it was funny, and understandably encouraged his kids to hit other kids at school like it was nothing:

Jamal Myers shares story of former teammate Keith Tkachuk encouraging Matthew and Brady to punch kids at school: “I was wondering about his parenting skills”
byu/moxiepluminhockey

I imagine it was a character-building experience for Matthew and Brady, because today, both brothers are fearless.

They don’t hesitate before throwing down the gloves on the ice for any reason, after all.

That said, we agree that this is not the ideal behavior for a child.

A kid shouldn’t have to fight for justice, even if his father is a professional athlete and tells him what to do.

But Keith Tkachuk, we know, is no angel either… and maybe that’s why we see Brady and Matthew having angry outbursts on the rink:

Overtime

– Dylan Strome is having quite a season.

– It could be tough…

– It was inevitable.

– Really?

Categories
Dans les coulisses

Paul Wilson’s turn to hold back on Logan Mailloux

Logan Mailloux is a polarizing name.

We tend to forget him because his story is behind him and we talk about him now as just another prospect, but there was a stir when he was chosen.

Marc Bergevin, Trevor Timmins and Paul Wilson all suffered because of this choice.

And that’s not just me saying it: it’s also Paul Wilson. He was asked about the Marc Bergevin situation on BPM Sports this morning, and he agrees that this selection had a role to play in the end of his association with the Habs.

When you listen to him speak, you sense that he’s being very cautious. The man who worked in communications for the Canadiens understands that this is a delicate issue.

He mentioned that Marc Bergevin obviously didn’t want to talk about it at length, and that he was going to do the same.

Yes, he was asked questions about the impact it had on things going forward, but he didn’t get too far into the process that led to the Ontarian’s selection. He did say, however, that such a decision is made as a team.

It’s interesting to recall that when Logan Mailloux scored his first NHL goal last month, Paul Wilson tweeted that he was proud of him and that he had been a good choice.

He then defended his gang’s choice by showing the benefits of having chosen him.

In closing, Paul Wilson still has a good relationship with Marc Bergevin (who asked for his advice before publicly dating Pierre LeBrun) and is convinced he’ll get back to being an NHL GM one day.

According to him, he’s a guy who gives his all and has learned from his time with the Canadiens.

Overtime

– Which Rangers will face the Habs tomorrow?

– Oh?

– Indeed.

– One last game in Laval for Rafaël Harvey-Pinard – theoretically, at least.

Categories
Dans les coulisses

Mike Matheson at the Canadiens’ practice session

For the past two games, Mike Matheson has been absent from the Canadiens’ line-up. He is nursing an injury.

We don’t know how serious it is, and that’s why we had to keep an eye on him at the Canadiens’ practice. And it looks like he’s not doing too badly this lunchtime.

Why not? Because he’s practicing with the rest of the group.

This doesn’t tell us if he’ll be able to play tomorrow, but we agree that seeing him practice for the first time since his absences is good news.

When he plays, he stabilizes the Canadiens’ defence – and forces the youngsters to give their all to keep their place in the lineup.

Remember that the Habs, who are practicing in New Jersey today, will play in New York tomorrow afternoon. Then, on Sunday afternoon, it’s off to Boston.

How many games out of two will he play?

The other player to keep an eye on is, of course, Patrik Laine. He’s getting close to a comeback (it doesn’t have to be this weekend), and let’s just say it’s eagerly awaited in Montreal.

Today, he skated with the others.

Details to come…

Overtime

– Why is this happening?

– Why not?

– Hello and welcome.