Author: Dose

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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.

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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.

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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?

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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.

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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.

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Marc Bergevin had emptied his office weeks before being fired

Marc Bergevin’s name is on everyone’s lips following his public outing, via a text by Pierre LeBrun.

Naturally, stories from the past are surfacing at the same time. Martin Leclerc, for example, talked about how the former GM used to threaten the Habs’ Francophones.

Bergevin, who has seen the selection of Logan Mailloux work against him, had to talk publicly, but at the same time, he’s a bit of a victim of his strategy at the moment. Because yes, talking publicly is a strategy to get his name back in the conversation.

What’s that supposed to mean?

As much for us yesterday as for Renaud Lavoie(on the radio this morning) and Martin Leclerc in a text on the Radio-Canada site, a point has been raised: is he really telling the truth, just the truth and nothing but the truth?

The question arises.

Leclerc recalls that Bergevin turned down an offer from Geoff Molson because he didn’t think it was big enough. He didn’t feel that he had, in the words of the journalist, received a vote of confidence from his boss.

So he knew he was living on borrowed time.

It will be recalled that Scott Mellanby, his assistant, had been considered to take over the Canadiens’ hockey operations. Bergevin found out before he lost his job.

He also learned that Jeff Gorton had been hired before he learned he’d lost his job.

We knew both those things. But Martin Leclerc tells us that Bergevin, several weeks before being fired, had emptied his office of his personal belongings.

He felt it was the end – even if losing his job was still a shock for him.

Remember that towards the end of his tenure, as he told Pierre LeBrun, the pandemic was taking its toll on him. He was unable to see his family, and could no longer see the light at the end of the tunnel. It was clearly time to move on.

Overtime

– What do you think?

– Speaking of women’s hockey.

– Evgeni Kuznetsov talks about Sidney Crosby. [RG]

– What do you think?

Former coach Michel Therrien’s column ⬇

[image or embed]

– TVA Sports(@tvasports.ca) November 29, 2024 at 09:13 AM

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Marc Bergevin wanted to get people who leaked information out

Marc Bergevin’ s talk with Pierre LeBrun got him what he wanted: he can pass on his message to NHL owners about a possible return to the GM’s chair.

But the downside for him and those close to him? He’s back in the news – and not always for the right reasons.

This morning, on BPM Sports, Gilbert Delorme (a former Habs player) was particularly upset to see that Bergevin took three years to speak out… and that all this was done while avoiding the local media.

But stories do come out, of necessity.

Also on BPM Sports, Martin Leclerc talked about how the former Habs GM tried to have absolute control over everything that happened in his organization.

And after the “il ne veut pas parler aux médias francophones” narrative of the past few hours, the Radio-Canada journalist’s story isn’t going to help Bergevin buy himself any sympathy capital with French-speaking Habs fans who don’t like him.

I say this because Leclerc, who talks about Bergevin as a guy who was obsessed with controlling information, reports that French-speaking CH players were threatened with being “cal*ssed out” of the club by Bergevin if they were the source of information leaked to the media.

It was a meeting the francophones (not the anglophones) had with the GM before the start of a season.

Why just the francos? Did Bergevin feel they were more amenable to talking to the media? Maybe that was his way of seeing things.

Has this contributed to the fact that many Québécois, over the past few years, have chosen to sign elsewhere than with the Canadiens? Inevitably, the question must be asked.

Let’s just say it’s not a very flattering anecdote. It won’t encourage Bergevin to talk to the local media either – but that’s okay, since Leclerc’s mandate is not to hide these stories, but to get them out. And this is a very good one.

Overtime

– Oh well.

– Is Martin St-Louis the right coach for the Habs? Yes, says Arpon Basu. [TSN 690]

– Sidney Crosby opens up about the Penguins’ season.

– With good reason.

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Zach Hyman heads for a twelve-goal season

EDMONTON, CANADA - MAY 29: Zach Hyman #18 of the Edmonton Oilers awaits a face-off during Game Four of the Western Conference Final of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Dallas Stars at Rogers Place on May 29, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Zach Hyman

To say that Zach Hyman has had an ordinary start to the season would be an understatement.

The Edmonton Oilers forward has just three goals in twenty games so far this season. At this rate, he’ll end the campaign with twelve goals, a far cry from last year’s 54.

In fact, even if we exclude his last season, the Toronto-born player is well below his usual output since joining the Oilers. He scored 27 and 36 goals in his first two campaigns with the team, in 76 and 79 games respectively.

The Edmonton club must be hoping for a breakthrough from its forward, as it could use a little more production up front, because with the exception of its two star forwards, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, none of them has more than five goals or more than ten points.

This is one of the reasons why the club has had a fairly ordinary start to the season, with 24 points in 22 games, good for fifth place in the Pacific Division, one point away from a playoff spot.

For a team that many predicted would reach the Stanley Cup Final, this is a rather disappointing first quarter of the campaign.

And with only three goals, the Oilers are paying dearly for Hyman, who signed a seven-year, $38.5 million contract with the club in the summer of 2021. Although his contract only counts for 5.5 million on the salary cap, the forward will receive 7.7 million this year. That’s an expensive goal!

What’s more, his disappointing start to the season could cost him his place with Team Canadiens for the 4 Nations Confrontation. The man who many saw as part of Canada’s line-up could well see his position slip from his grasp.

One wonders whether the Canadiens will opt for Hyman’s natural chemistry with McDavid, or prefer a player with better stats. We should know shortly, as the final line-ups should be announced within the next few days.

However, it’s possible that Hyman has been playing with an injury for some time, as the Alberta club has just placed the player on the injured list without giving further details.

However, his absence should not be long.

Could this injury explain his slow start to the season? And could it jeopardize his place at the 4 Nations Confrontation?

An interesting case to follow!

Overtime

– Jiricek yes, but at what price?

– Slaf back?

– In Hyman’s absence.

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“I’m doing with the team Lou built”: Another arrow from Patrick Roy to Lamoriello

YouTube

If there’s one head coach in the NHL with a strong character, it’s Patrick Roy.

As we know, Roy is very intense behind the bench.

Add to that Lou Lamoriello as general manager, who’s even more intense than Roy, and you’ve got a pretty fiery combination.

Let’s face it, it was to be expected that it would flare up over time.

Even though both are still on the job, that doesn’t stop Roy from criticizing some of his GM’s decisions, as he did last month.

Now the former goalie has once again fired an arrow at Lamoriello:

“I love these guys. They work hard. They push their limits. This is the team Lou gave me and I’m going to work extremely hard for these guys.” – Patrick Roy

Well, he didn’t say it word for word (obviously), but it’s clear that Roy is going with what he’s got.

Things aren’t going well for the New York Islanders this season, who boast an 8-10-5 record, good for 27ᵉ place in the NHL (two spots ahead of the Habs).

Injuries haven’t helped them, as they currently make do without Mathew Barzal, Adam Pelech and Anthony Duclair.

Duclair has played just 5 games this season, while Barzal and Pelech have played 10 and 11 games respectively.

Islanders fans are becoming increasingly impatient.

Two wins in the last nine games is a real turn-on.

In fact, at the last game, a loud “Fire Lou” chant was heard from the crowd.

Fans are calling for Lou Lamoriello’s dismissal and, logically, he has to go before Roy.

The coach is doing an excellent job with a decent team, but nothing more, and one that is also decimated by injuries.

Lamoriello has served his time as GM and it’s time to move on with the Islanders.

Overtime

– The legendary Jagr.

– Could Kappo Kakko be the solution to revive Kirby Dach?

– For baseball fans, there’s an excellent podcast to get your teeth into:

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Marc Bergevin still hasn’t spoken to a Montreal media outlet

MONTREAL, QC - JULY 23: General manager Marc Bergevin of the Montreal Canadiens attends the first round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft at Bell Center on July 23, 2021 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Vitor Munhoz/NHLI via Getty Images)

For the first time since his dismissal in Montreal, Marc Bergevin opened up.

He gave a nice interview to Pierre LeBrun, who published an excellent text in connection with the former Habs GM’s comments.

Before continuing, I invite you to read the text in question:

It’s been a long time since we’ve seen Bergevin talk to the media, because he has a more reserved role with the Kings.

That’s normal, because he works as a consultant to GM Rob Blake.

But even if he decided to confide in a Canadian journalist, it’s easy to see that Bergevin still hasn’t spoken to any Montreal media.

Pierre LeBrun speaks French, but most of his work is done in English for The Athletic and TSN.

That said, Jean-Nicolas Blanchet(TVA Sports) tried to speak to Bergevin when the Kings were in the province, but was never able to do so:

When he came with the Kings to Quebec City, we asked him for an interview. But no, we were told to forget it. It was ridiculous. – Jean-Nicolas Blanchet

It’s still special:

We know that Marc Bergevin found the media in Montreal intense.

And we know that he hasn’t always had an excellent relationship with the media.

On the other hand… I wonder if Pierre Gervais’ book also plays a role in all this.

Because let’s face it: the former Habs equipment manager didn’t go easy on the former GM in his first book. And we know that Gervais’ words have been heard around the province.

Gervais said the former GM didn’t command the respect of his players because of his teenage behavior, he said it got out of hand in Bergevin’s final years in Montreal… And we know Bergevin was criticized around town for the way he treated former Canadiens players.

I’m inclined to believe that Bergevin is aware of this. Maybe he hasn’t necessarily read the book or seen what Gervais had to say about him, but Marc Bergevin has family in Quebec and it’s certain that at some point, someone has spoken to him.

And to me, that might explain why Bergevin hasn’t wanted to talk to any French-language media since he left.

Overtime

– Bravo to the guys at HFTV. They are so good for the community.

– Perfect timing!

– Love this.