Author: Dose

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The Canadiens have the best under-24 group in the NHL

We put a lot of faith in young people in Montreal. That’s the principle of rebuilding.

But when things aren’t going well, sometimes you wonder just how worthwhile the plan is. And that’s why TSN’s piece on under-24 groups across the NHL serves as a reminder: the Habs don’t have an ugly future.

Basically, the Canadiens have the best group of players aged 23 and under in the NHL, according to Bell’s platform.

A guy like Nick Suzuki isn’t eligible for the ranking, but Kirby Dach and Arber Xhekaj are. But both players are not in the club’s top-10, according to TSN.

Cole Caufield is at the top of the list.

Ivan Demidov (second) and Caufield are the only players with an AA rating. None of the Habs’ youngsters are at AAA, which is the maximum TSN offers for grading guys.

But still: the Habs have six prospects/youths with at least an A. That means that the following four players have a grade of A.

  • Juraj Slafkovsky
  • Lane Hutson
  • Jacob Fowler
  • Kaiden Guhle

The Habs aren’t to be pitied, since many clubs can’t form a top-4 without going to C. And apart from the Red Wings, nobody else has 10 prospects/youngsters with at least one B.

In Montreal, here are those with a B.

  • Michael Hage
  • Joshua Roy
  • Logan Mailloux
  • David Reinbacher

So there are six guys out of the 10 who aren’t in Montreal yet. Roy and Mailloux have already had some playing time with the Habs and should be back in town this year.

Michael Hage and Jacob Fowler are too good for the NCAA…

Injured David Reinbacher may take longer than the others to arrive. And for those who see the glass half-full, seeing a fifth overall pick at No. 10 speaks volumes about the rest of the pool.

And of course, there’s Demidov. Yes, on paper, the Habs are in good hands.

Overtime

– Interesting.

– Evgenii Dadonov situation: the Sens won’t be getting their first choice back. [OC]

– Oh well.

– Of note.

– Good news.

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Jim Montgomery is not an assistant, so forget Montréal

BOSTON, MA - NOVEMBER 18: Head coach Jim Montgomery of the Boston Bruins stands behind the bench during the third period of their 5-1 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets at TD Garden on November 18, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)

Yesterday, the Boston Bruins chose to fire Jim Montgomery. The former Boston coach becomes the first driver to lose his job this season, and let’s just say it’s not exactly a surprise. After all, it’s been rumoured for some time.

The Bruins weren’t living up to expectations, and a change of coach is always easier to make than a major transaction – or questioning the work of your bosses.

The three finalists for Coach of the Year in 2023 have been out of the game ever since.

Even if Montgomery could no longer get the Bruins going, and even if he was criticized by many for his goaltending in the playoffs last season, the fact remains that he’s a good coach.

Renaud Lavoie reminded BPM Sports this morning that Paul Maurice sees him as a formidable opponent in the playoffs. The Panthers’ pilot thinks his teams are well coached and that his defensive system is good.

It’s safe to assume that he won’t have to eat his heart out for too long before finding a job as an NHL pilot. He can wait a few months, since he’ll be paid anyway.

His record of 120-41-23 (.715) since he was hired just over two years ago is nothing short of extraordinary. Some club is going to want him sooner rather than later.

What’s next for him?

Also in his column with Gilbert Delorme and Max Lalonde, Renaud Lavoie mentioned that no, Montgomery was not an assistant. He now has the luxury of waiting for a club to sign him up for one of the 32 head coaching positions on the Bettman circuit.

So he doesn’t expect to see Montgomery, who cut his teeth as an assistant in St. Louis after losing his job in Dallas, back in a #2 role any time soon.

Let’s not forget that Renaud Lavoie once said he believed Montgomery would manage the Canadiens one day. But since he probably won’t come as an assistant and Martin St-Louis is here to stay, Montgomery won’t be taking the Habs helm any time soon.

Remember that Michel Therrien already lost his job a few days after seeing the Bruins let go a French-speaking coach (Claude Julien), but I don’t think history will repeat itself.

I don’t think Martin St-Louis has been in any danger since he arrived in town… and things have been going well for the Habs in recent days.

The club and the coach seem to be progressing together, and I can’t see Kent Hughes or Jeff Gorton having enough right now. And that’s even if Montgomery is available right now.

So we’ll see Montgomery’s name circulating around the NHL (Nashville and Pittsburgh are two destinations I’m keeping an eye on), but not necessarily in Montreal. And that’s fine. #TimingIsEverything

Overtime

– The BCHL is tired of losing players to the CHL.

– Grand Prix du Canada 2025 : un volet féminin? [98.5 FM]

– To be continued.

– Max Domi is injured.

– Too bad.

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Ivan Demidov: SKA won’t let him finish the season in Montreal (and there’s nothing the Habs can do about it)

SAINT PETERSBURG, RUSSIA - 2024/11/18: Ivan Demidov (91) SKA Hockey Club seen in action during the Hockey match, Kontinental Hockey League 2024/2025 between SKA Saint Petersburg and Amur Khabarovsk at the Ice Sports Palace. (Final score; SKA Saint Petersburg 6:3 Amur Khabarovsk). (Photo by Maksim Konstantinov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Let’s talk about Ivan Demidov for a moment.

As you know, Demidov is at the end of his contract in Russia. That’s probably why his coach, Roman Rotenberg, has been treating him as… ordinary.

Putting pressure on a (young) player to stay and punishing him in the meantime is part of the game.

Of necessity, everyone is anxious to see what Demidov, who produced well in Russia at age 18 under difficult conditions, can do once he arrives in the NHL.

But it won’t be this year.

According to what Marco D’Amico (Responsible Gambler) reports in connection with the situation, we really shouldn’t expect to see SKA organize so that the Habs can get their prospect in April 2025, i.e. at the end of the season.

The Canadiens know this, but there’s nothing they can do about it.

In reality, until SKA says yes to Demidov, he won’t be able to land in North America. Everyone knows that, since he has a KHL contract.

In fact, Marco D’Amico wrote a sentence that speaks volumes about the situation.

Demidov can only leave for the NHL if Roman Rotenberg agrees to terminate his contract with a mutual agreement. – Marco D’Amico

Rotenberg is obviously his coach. And the word on the street is that he won’t let Demidov leave for the NHL this season. That’s his right, given that the youngster has a contract.

With a calendar that ends later than usual in Russia this season (at the end of May), it would take more than ever for the Habs to make a run at the playoffs to see him play with the club without the agreement of his Russian club.

I don’t need to tell you that won’t happen.

The fact that there is no clear transfer process between the two leagues means that young players are somewhat at the mercy of the teams. And SKA has no intention of letting the youngster go.

I don’t think that Kent Hughes, who has to make his way to Russia at some point this autumn or winter, will necessarily convince SKA otherwise. So don’t expect the young man at the end of the season.

Would it have been ideal to see him play a few games in Montreal in April? Of course it would. But does it matter if he makes his debut next October? No, it doesn’t.

Overtime

– File to follow.

– Jacques Demers in the Hall of Fame? [TVA Sports]

– A name to remember.

– Speaking of KHL.

– A file to keep in mind.

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4 nations: Canadiens goalkeepers are (truly) dreadful this season

Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

Over the past few games, Samuel Montembeault seems to have got his season back on track. After a few very difficult starts, the Canadiens’ goalie has been dominant for a while now, to the point wherehe is one of the NHL’s goalies of the week.

It’s a small sample, but in his last three games, we’ve seen last year’s Montembeault again. And that’s good, especially with Cayden Primeau struggling.

Of course, for Montembeault, winning games with the Habs is everything. That said, Monty also dreams of representing Canada at the 4 Nations Confrontation this winter.

And after his difficult start to the season, we were beginning to wonder if his chances were going up in smoke… except…

When you look at the statistics for Canada’s goalkeepers this season, one thing becomes clear: the country’s goalkeepers are truly appalling this season.

(Credit: Screenshot/QuantHockey)

Seeing guys like Jordan Binnington, Adin Hill, Stuart Skinner and Tristan Jarry being this bad means that these guys, who were candidates to represent the country, are starting to get out of the running. And in doing so, it opens the door to other porters… including Montembault.

Because if you look at the numbers, you’ll see that despite his season that wasn’t always obvious, he’s one of the country’s elite goalkeepers in 2024-25. Cam Talbot, Logan Thompson and Mackenzie Blackwood have comparable seasons… but none of these guys clearly has a better season than the Habs goalie.

And when you consider that Monty already has experience on the international scene, that plays into his hands in a race that’s looking tight right now.

We know that the rosters are due to be unveiled on December 4, which gives the goalies two weeks to prove they deserve their place on the team. And right now, Montembeault’s big performance, a shutout in front of Kyle Dubas (a Canadiens team executive) yesterday, probably puts him in a good position to be invited.

He’s not having the greatest of seasons… but with such appalling competition, he looks like one of Canada’s best options right now.

Overtime

– Really?

– Wow.

– To watch.

– Canada wins against Suriname.

– A first defeat this season for the Cavaliers.

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3 goals in 18 games: Bedard must produce more if he wants to take part in the 4 Nations Tournament

Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Let’s face it, no one saw the Blackhawks being competitive this season, despite some nice additions this summer.

However, watching them languish at the very bottom of the overall standings (before Tuesday night’s games) raises a lot of questions.

When you think of the Hawks, you think of Connor Bedard, and this year, he’s not standing out as much as he did last year in his rookie season.

Immediately, you think of the sophomore jinx, but you don’t expect a guy like Bedard to be affected by it.

His 3 goals in 18 games simply don’t cut it, even though he has 10 assists on a team that’s struggling.

Let’s face it, on paper, Chicago isn’t that bad.

With the additions of guys like Teuvo Teravainen, Tyler Bertuzzi, Ilya Mikheyev, plus a healthy Hall surrounding the youngsters (Bedard, Lukas Reichel and Philipp Kurashev), last place is unacceptable.

Bedard needs to be the cornerstone of the team, and he needs to find the back of the net more often.

Especially if he wants to play for Canada in the upcoming 4 Nations Tournament.

In fact, Darren Dreger and Ray Ferraro discussed his place on Team Canadiens in their podcast The Ray & Dregs Hockey Podcast, along with Ryan Rishaug.

Ferraro and Dreger don’t see Bedard in Canada’s final line-up.

He even added that he looks lost, plain and simple.

Ferraro also made a good point.

He says that youngsters who struggle often do one thing in particular: very long attendances.

Ferraro points out that, as of Saturday, there were five players who are on the ice for more than a minute per appearance on average.

Of course, it’s often the defensemen who come out on top.

Connor McDavid is also there, but Bedard was one of the five players with the highest average playing time per appearance.

Ferraro also added that this average should be cut by a third.

Bedard isn’t the Blackhawks’ only problem, however.

In addition to new additions that aren’t performing up to expectations, head coach Luke Richardson could be part of the problem.

Let’s not forget Taylor Hall, who spent Saturday night in the stands(healthy scratch).

Hall, who has six points in 17 games this season, is not quite sure why he was left out.

He even spoke publicly about the lack of communication at this level.

In hindsight, it’s easy to understand the former Hart Trophy winner’s frustration and lack of understanding.

On this subject, Luke Richardson has somewhat admitted his “mistake”.

It’s all part of the process and experience of being a coach.

As you can see at the end of this piece by Jonathan Larivée on HockeyFeed, the majority of fans seem to side with Taylor Hall.

After Jim Montgomery’s recent dismissal in Boston, Richardson could very well be the next to get the boot.

Which coach do you think will be the next to be fired this season?

Overtime

– Interesting.

– He’s so good with the puck. Too bad he’s a burden defensively.

– Good addition.

– What a pass.

– Indeed, it’s hard not to love him.

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Arber Xhekaj won’t come out of the line-up if he keeps playing like yesterday

Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

Arber Xhekaj isn’t a perfect player.

He has his shortcomings, and that’s normal because he’s 23 years old and it takes time for a defenseman to reach the top of his game.

But when you see Xhekaj being as useful on the ice as he was yesterday, that’s when you understand why his potential is so interesting.

Since the start of the season, Xhekaj has been inconsistent. He doesn’t play the same way night after night because he’s afraid of hurting his team and that’s why we’ve seen him be less physical at times.

That said, Arber was perfect yesterday against the Oilers: he was good along the boards, he won his battles and he looked like a good National League defenseman.

He got back to basics by using his body to hit the opposition, as he finished the game with five checks.

The one on Zach Hyman brought energy to the group, as Mike Matheson said in the locker room after the game:

When Arber Xhekaj does things the right way, he can have a unique role in the Montreal lineup.

And we know he’s capable of the best… and the worst.

But all this leads me to say that if Xhekaj continues to play the way he did last night, he won’t come out of the line-up again.

In fact, Martin St-Louis will have no reason to leave him out if he knows his defenseman can help him win games, as he did against the mighty Edmonton Oilers.

It remains to be seen whether Xhekaj will be able to keep up the momentum.

He’s confident right now – and it shows – but he’ll become even more dangerous (and useful) if his confidence only skyrockets.

Overtime

– Wow!

– That’s a good one.

– Crazy, same.

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The Canadiens could use a player like Martin Necas right now.

Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images

This summer, the Canadiens tried to acquire Martin Necas.

The forward had asked the Hurricanes to trade him because he wasn’t happy with his role in Carolina, and clubs lined up for his services.

The interest was there: Pierre LeBrun told BPM Sports that no fewer than 28 teams called the Canes to talk about the forward…

But taking a step back, we realize that Kent Hughes should have followed his instincts and pushed harder to get him out of Carolina.

Because right now, the Canadiens could use a player like Martin Necas.

The forward has collected at least one point in his last 13 games…

He has 30 points (eleven goals) in just 17 games, and became the first player in Hurricanes history to collect so many points in his first 17 games of the season…

He now ranks third among NHL scorers, behind Nathan MacKinnon (34 points) and Kirill Kaprizov (31 points)…

Necas is truly having the season of his career:

All this comes at a time when the Canadiens are looking for ways to score more goals.

It seems to me that a player of Necas’ calibre would help Martin St-Louis breathe a little easier… And maybe it would also have given some players more support.

Of course, it’s easy to say that Kent Hughes missed out today because we didn’t know Necas was going to explode like that.

It’s often said that the best deals are the ones you don’t make… And in this case, that applies to the Carolina Hurricanes as opposed to the Canadiens.

That said, knowing that the Hurricanes’ GM (Eric Tulsky) is happy to have kept him with the organization comes as no surprise.

Tulsky told Pierre LeBrun (The Athletic) that he had received some interesting offers for his player, but that none of them were worth sacrificing Necas’ talent :

A missed opportunity for Kent Hughes.

Remember that Martin Necas, who heard a lot about Montreal and made no secret of his affection for the city over the summer, finally signed a two-year contract ($6.5 million per season) with the Hurricanes.

Kent Hughes will be eligible for re-signing in the summer of 2026, while Necas will be free as a bird if he doesn’t extend his contract in Carolina.

But at that point, the player will cost a lot more if he continues to dominate the league as he’s doing right now…

Overtime

– Oilers have a new forward.

– What’s going on with Auston Matthews?

– Solid.

– Really?

– That would really be a nasty show.

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Rumor: Jim Montgomery fired and Joe Sacco named Bruins head coach

BOSTON, MA - NOVEMBER 18: Head coach Jim Montgomery of the Boston Bruins stands behind the bench during the third period of their 5-1 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets at TD Garden on November 18, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)

Expectations were high in Boston.

The Bruins were able to pick up some help on the open market this summer, bringing Nikita Zadorov and Elias Lindholm to town, two guys known to be solid NHL players.

But the club hasn’t lived up to expectations since the start of the season, and now we’re hearing a thousand and one rumours about Jim Montgomery.

The latest came from Rich Keefe, a well-known figure in the Boston sports media.

He said on his podcast that it’s only a matter of time before Montgomery is fired.

And he went on to say that it would be Joe Sacco who would take Montgomery’s place behind the bench as Bruins head coach:

In Boston, it didn’t take long for the rumor to spread on various social platforms.

WEEI (a sports radio station based in Massachusetts), shared the rumor in a text that was published on the station’s website.

Rich Keefe’s information gets around, to put it another way:

At the time of writing, nothing has yet been confirmed by the Boston Bruins.

What we do know… is that after yesterday’s game, the team emailed media members to say that Jim Montgomery would be meeting with reporters after Wednesday’s (tomorrow’s) practice.

Has the organization’s plan changed since then?

It’s going to take something to get the club going again in Boston, and seeing Montgomery fired might send a pretty important message to the rest of the group.

That said, it’s been over ten years since Joe Sacco was a head coach in the NHL. He knows the Bruins organization well because he’s been an assistant in Boston since the 2014-2015 season, but we’re not talking about the guy with the most experience either.

To be continued.

Oh, I forgot… In closing, if Montgomery is indeed fired, it will be interesting to see if Kent Hughes will call him.

A talented coach like Montgomery backing up Martin St-Louis sounds like an idea that appeals to me…

Overtime

– It’s good for morale. 🎶🎶

– J.T. Miller must take time off for personal reasons.

– He has to get up.

– Read:

– I love this. You may be the star of the club, but…

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Samuel Montembeault named NHL Goalie of the Week

Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

We haven’t seen Cayden Primeau in front of the Canadiens net since last Monday.

The American was pulled from the game against the Buffalo Sabres because he couldn’t stop a beach ball, and it was Monty who got the start in the Habs’ last three games.

And let’s just say it would have been impossible (or almost impossible) to ask for more from the Québécois.

In his last three games, Monty has been on fire.

His numbers are exceptional:

  • Loss to the Wild: 25 saves on 27 shots, a .926 save percentage and a 2.06 goals-against average.
  • Victory over the Blue Jackets: 25 saves on 26 shots, a .962 save percentage and a 1.00 goals-against average.
  • Victory over the Oilers: 30 saves on 30 shots (shutout), an efficiency rating of 1.000 and a goals-against-average of 0.00

Monty was instrumental in the Habs’ shutout of the Oilers last night.

The goaltender was named one of the NHL’s Goaltenders of the Week:

I’m happy for Monty.

Every time I go to a practice in Brossard, he’s one of those guys who works super hard because he wants to get better.

He’s often on the ice before the others to work on his shortcomings. And what I like is that he doesn’t hesitate to practice what’s not going so well in his game:

Samuel Montembeault has been a little inconsistent since the start of the season, but things have been looking up lately.

He’s racked up three wins in his last four outings, and last night he looked like a goalie who can be in net for Team Canada at the 4 Nations Tournament.

And that’s just as well, because Kyle Dubas (one of Team Canada’s executives) was there to spy on him…

Extension

While we’re on the subject of Monty…

The Canadiens’ next game isn’t until Saturday at the Bell Centre. That said, Montembeault should be the one in front of the Habs net, because he’s the one who deserves to play right now.

Cayden Primeau must wait his turn in my eyes.

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Ovi rated on a weekly basis: The record will be hard to break this season

Alex Ovechkin is chasing Wayne Gretzky’s record for most career goals in the National Hockey League.

He got one step closer to his goal last night, scoring twice against André Tourigny’s team… before injuring himself in the process.

Watching the footage, it was clear he was in pain as he struggled to get off the ice:

Of course, everyone thought the same thing.

I can’t believe this is happening at the worst possible time!

It’s true that the timing isn’t ideal and that’s why we were waiting to see what the Capitals would say about him.

Now we have more details, as the team announced on Twitter that #8 has a leg injury and will meet with team doctors tomorrow for further tests.

In the tweet, the Capitals announce that their captain will be evaluated on a weekly basis :

You’d think he’d have avoided the worst because he’s injured his leg, not his knee.

Usually, a knee injury can take much longer to heal.

But you still have to wonder if Ovechkin’s record-breaking run is in jeopardy… At least for this year.

We all want to see him break Wayne Gretzky’s mark (even the players want to see Ovi achieve the feat , according to a poll by The Athletic), but he won’t be able to do it if he’s injured.

And if he misses too many games, the record will be hard (if not impossible) to come by this season.

He’s still 27 goals away from beating Gretzky…

It’s a shame, because since the start of the season, Ovechkin has been scoring at an insane rate (15 goals in 18 games).

If he’d kept up the momentum, he might have broken Gretzky’s record… Even if he played fewer games than La Merveille:

Let’s hope his injury isn’t too serious and that he’ll be able to return to action quickly.

Because to see him score goals at an insane rate and to see him celebrate each one with enthusiasm, knowing that he’s closing in on the ultimate record, is unique… And we may never see that again in NHL history.

Overtime

– He looks happy to be back.

– Good question.

– Classic.

– Mathieu Joseph will be left out tonight.

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