Author: Dose

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When Ivan Demidov makes a trip on a (another) spectacular goal

Ivan Demidov is truly bursting with talent. We’ve seen him since the start of the season in the KHL: he accumulates sequences where he looks like a man among children.

And when you consider that he is playing in the KHL, it’s all the more impressive considering that he is… a child among men.

Today, Demidov and the SKA faced Salavat Yulaev. The young Russian didn’t collect a single point… but he almost scored one of the most beautiful goals of his season.

In fact, he made a great drive into the offensive zone… and just as he was about to get rid of the last defender in his way, the latter tripped him.

It’s worth noting that the defender was not penalized on the play.

Obviously, coming close in hockey doesn’t give much on the score sheet… but in the context of a young player’s development, it’s yet another proof of Demidov’s immense talent. He completely toyed with the defense in front of him… which is the main aspect to remember.

Seeing him being able to handle the puck like that is a dream.

Of course, there is a significant gap between KHL defenders and NHL defenders, which suggests that Demidov may not do this right away in the NHL. However, it’s clear how he finds a way to shine on a regular basis… and it will be interesting to see if he can repeat that in the NHL.

It’s worth noting, for those interested, that SKA won by a score of 3-2. Demidov spent 15:51 on the ice, playing on the first line.

In a nutshell

– He has skated alone a few times already.

– News from another CH prospect, Oliver Kapanen.

– Mikko Rantanen has arrived in Carolina. He will play tonight.

– Trading Rantanen wasn’t easy for the Avalanche, but it was the right thing to do, claims the GM.

– Jaromir Jagr still has something left in the tank.

– One can understand the Japanese.

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Rafaël Harvey-Pinard recalled | Josh Anderson and Brendan Gallagher uncertain for tonight

Since Emil Heineman was hit by a car, the Canadiens have been trying to find immediate solutions to replace him.

Michael Pezzetta often plays a handful of minutes per game, and Owen Beck has also received a (brief) call-up.

That said, Beck is back in Laval and good Pezz only plays four or five minutes per game. This is not sustainable.

Thus, a new attempt at a solution was made by the Canadiens: it is Rafaël Harvey-Pinard who has been recalled this time.

And we can assume that he has not been recalled to sit in the stands.

That said, even if RHP seems to have been recalled due to Pezzetta’s struggles, there is something else that could explain this recall: Josh Anderson and Brendan Gallagher did not practice this morning.

Their presence in tonight’s game is uncertain at this time. A decision will be made before the game.

It will be interesting to see what the plan is for RHP, who is not having a great season in Laval. The player returning from injury has only four goals and 11 points in 24 games in the AHL, but we have seen in the past that he is capable of being effective in a supporting role.

Will Martin St-Louis use him for 4-5 minutes per game like with Pezzetta or for nearly ten minutes per game? I can’t wait to see… especially if the Canadiens are deprived of Gallagher and/or Anderson.

In a scenario where Gallagher and Anderson are in uniform and RHP takes Pezzetta’s place, I wonder how the latter, who has spent the year as the 13th forward in town, would feel seeing another forward step in front of him while the team needs to replace Heineman. We know that he is expected to return in two weeks, so all of this is only very temporary… but there would still be another player from Laval who would be pushing Pezzetta aside.

I look forward to seeing how this will turn out tonight, but also in the coming days.

Overtime

We know that at the beginning of the season, Emil Heineman’s high caliber of play was mainly what pushed RHP out of the regular roster in Montreal. Heineman forced the Canadiens’ hand, who sent Harvey-Pinard to Laval (he was not claimed off waivers).

We will see if, during this brief audition, RHP can earn some points… and especially if it gives him a little boost of confidence to regain an opportunism that seems to have left him.

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Jakub Dobes will be in front of the Canadiens’ net tonight

When the Canadiens announced that Samuel Montembeault would be in goal last Thursday, it surprised a few people. After all, it seemed logical to have Dobes play in the middle of the week to give Montembeault the start tonight.

A Saturday night game at the Bell Centre… usually, they’re for the #1 goalie, that one.

This led us to wonder if Montembeault would be still in goal for his team after a busy night of work Thursday… and the answer is no.

In fact, it’s Jakub Dobes who will be in goal for the Canadiens tonight.

He will have the heavy task of facing the powerful New Jersey Devils (and Jake Allen).

For Dobes, this will be a second start at the Bell Centre in his career. He also got the start at home last Sunday against the Rangers, during which he particularly shone in overtime to help his team earn a second point.

Let’s remember that Dobes is still unbeaten in the NHL, with a record of 5-0-0, a goals-against average of 1.55, and a save percentage of 0.940. The sample size is small (five games), but the results are there.

Seeing him get a start at the Bell Centre on a Saturday night is a big vote of confidence for the young goalie. After all, until last Sunday, all starts at the Bell Centre had been made by Montembeault… but evidently, it was preferred to use Montembeault Thursday night in a more important game for the playoff race against the Red Wings.

All games are important, but the Red Wings are in direct competition with the Habs for a playoff spot. Unfortunately, the Tricolore lost that game after a poor effort from their group.

We will see tonight if the team can respond… but for the first time this season, it will be with a goalie other than Montembeault trying to defend their home ice on a Saturday night.

There is a prestige associated with these games… and I can’t wait to see how Dobes will respond.

Overtime

As I mentioned earlier, it’s Jake Allen who will be in goal for the Devils tonight.

Let’s remember that if Allen plays 25 of the last 32 games for his team, the third-round pick received by the Habs for Allen will become a second-round pick. I would be surprised if that happens… but it’s a (small) step in the right direction tonight.

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Mikko Rantanen is angry about the trade

Mikko Rantanen is now a member of the Carolina Hurricanes.

I agree with you, it sounds strange to see the name of such a big NHL star like Rantanen linked to a different team than the one he has played with since the beginning of his career, the Colorado Avalanche.

Few people expected this kind of trade, especially in the middle of January, a few weeks before the Four Nations tournament.

Mikko Rantanen himself did not see it coming.

Indeed, the 28-year-old Finnish winger was just as shocked and surprised as we were by this trade sending him to Carolina, and according to Andy Strickland, Rantanen is upset by the turn of events.

Indeed, Rantanen did not think at all that he would be traded, at least not on the night of January 24, 2025.

The Finn believed that possible new contract negotiations would take place with the Avalanche in the coming weeks, but ultimately, if there are any, they will happen with his new team, the Carolina Hurricanes.

According to Strickland, the Avalanche did not really show interest in trying to sign a contract extension with Rantanen in the last few months, while Rantanen himself wanted to continue negotiating throughout the season.

What should be understood is that Rantanen’s salary demands were probably far too high for what the Avalanche could afford, and therefore, the decision was made to trade Rantanen rather than lose him this summer for nothing.

The Avalanche and Rantanen actually discussed this week, and these discussions surely led the Avalanche to be certain they could not afford to re-sign the star forward.

In short, it was quite a shock that we witnessed last night, and one can understand Rantanen’s frustration, especially if he does not end up reaching a long-term contract with his new team.

If no agreement is reached by March 7, which is the trade deadline, Rantanen could very well be traded again, according to Elliotte Friedman.

All of this remains to be followed very closely.

In Brief

– Erik Johnson was just as surprised as we were by this trade.

– This will clearly be worth watching.

– What do you think?

– To be listened to.

– To be continued.

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Jeff Gorton believes there is an NHL goalie in Cayden Primeau

The vast majority of Montreal Canadiens fans have long since given up, or perhaps recently, on Cayden Primeau and his potential in the NHL.

It seems we all wrote him off since he was sent back to Laval with the Rocket, especially since Jakub Dobes has been shining in his NHL debut with a record of 5-0-0.

Dobes has seamlessly taken Primeau’s place in Montreal, and this is after just five games of experience.

In short, we all believe that Cayden Primeau is no longer in the Canadiens’ plans, but that does not seem to be entirely the case yet, at least not for Jeff Gorton.

Indeed, the executive vice president of hockey operations for the Canadiens recently stated during his appearance on the Sick Podcast that he still believes there is an NHL goalie in Cayden Primeau.

Indeed, Gorton explained that Primeau is a very hardworking guy, and like many goaltenders in recent years, he is having a disappointing season after giving hope that he was ready for the NHL last season.

What keeps Gorton believing in Primeau even more are obviously the performances of the 25-year-old goalie since he was sent back to Laval.

In fact, to Gorton’s delight, Primeau remains undefeated in six starts this season with the Laval Rocket, since Jakub Dobes took his place as the backup goalie in Montreal.

Primeau has only allowed 11 goals during this streak of games, and he currently has the Rocket at the top of their division, in addition to being first in the entire American League in terms of points percentage.

This is a nice streak for Primeau, and it shows that he has not been discouraged by his demotion to Laval, and that he wants to regroup and regain confidence in himself.

His goal is clearly to return to the NHL, and if we are to believe Jeff Gorton, that can still happen.

Personally, I am among those who have mostly stopped believing in Cayden Primeau, but you never know, and let’s not forget that goaltenders always take longer to develop and establish themselves in the NHL.

The Canadiens have a perfect example right in front of them with Samuel Montembeault.

In short, all of this remains to be seen, and let’s hope that both Dobes and Primeau remain undefeated and continue to dominate, while they are both clearly in the right spot.

In Brief

– Good for Mailloux.

– Interesting.

– Indeed. What a big move by the new GM of the Hurricanes.

– Worth reading.

– Surprise victory for Keys against Sabalenka in the final.

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Elias Pettersson/J.T. Miller: the Hurricanes had strongly discussed with the Canucks

Last night, we likely witnessed the biggest transaction of the 21st century in the National Hockey League, at least certainly since the Matthew Tkachuk/Jonathan Huberdeau trade.

Indeed, to see one of the best players in the NHL, currently ranked 6th in the league’s scoring leaderboard (Mikko Rantanen), being traded for the 12th best scorer in the NHL (Martin Necas) is a unique phenomenon and quite unimaginable in the Bettman circuit, especially in the middle of the season.

Seeing Mikko Rantanen change addresses, with barely half the season gone, truly shocked and surprised everyone last night.

No one was expecting this trade, despite rumors suggesting that the Colorado Avalanche were struggling to agree on a new contract with the Finnish forward.

In short, Rantanen was more available on the market than one might have thought, and the Carolina Hurricanes capitalized on that to add one of the league’s best players to their lineup.

Eric Tulsky, the new general manager of the Hurricanes, is not here to fool around, and he proved it with this trade.

Interestingly, before finalizing the deal for Mikko Rantanen, the Canes had significant discussions with the Vancouver Canucks regarding Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller.

Indeed, as reported by Elliotte Friedman, the Hurricanes and the Canucks were discussing two separate potential trades, one involving Pettersson and another involving Miller.

Friedman believes that Martin Necas was involved in the trade discussions for Pettersson, but not for J.T. Miller.

The Hurricanes were really seeking to create a shockwave in the NHL by completing a massive trade to improve themselves.

They were preparing a big “move,” and when the time came to make a decision, they chose the route of Mikko Rantanen.

Furthermore, although no contract extension has been signed with Rantanen yet, it remains the plan and desire for the Hurricanes to sign him long-term.

However, if Rantanen and Carolina do not reach an agreement and he reaches the free agent market, the Chicago Blackhawks will be worth watching according to Elliotte Friedman, as they acted as a third party in the transaction.

The Hawks will clearly try to bring Rantanen to Chicago to join Connor Bedard.

In short, what a completely wild night last night was, and let’s see what unfolds from here.

In Brief

– To listen.

– This is a trade that affects the Rangers and the entire Eastern Conference.

– Noted and to be followed today.

– The CH prospect continues to shine.

– To be followed.

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Top-4: Colton Dach scores his first goal in the NHL

There were four games in the National Hockey League last night.

The Canadiens weren’t in action, but we were still keeping an eye on these games.

We were treated to several highlights, of course, and here’s a report.

1. Colton Dach scores his first NHL goal

The offensive awakening of Kirby Dach with the Montreal Canadiens has amusingly coincided with the debut of his brother Colton Dach in the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Indeed, Colton Dach is making his first steps in the NHL, and last night he played his 10th career game.

And for the occasion, well, Kirby’s little brother scored his first goal in the National Hockey League.

This is a great achievement for Colton Dach, who now has four points in ten games since being called up to the NHL.

Here are his thoughts on his first NHL goal.

As for the game itself, the Blackhawks faced the Tampa Bay Lightning and had the chance to help the Montreal Canadiens by winning.

It was close, as the Blackhawks led 3-2 with less than a minute to play, but unfortunately, Jake Guentzel tied the game, and Nikita Kucherov then played the hero in overtime.

2. Cole Perfetti records his first career hat trick

In a game pitting the Winnipeg Jets against the Utah Hockey Club, the Jets’ first-round pick (10th overall) in 2020 shone with three goals.

Indeed, in this 5-2 victory by the Jets, Cole Perfetti scored his first career hat trick.

He is the 40th player in history to score a hat trick while wearing a Jets uniform.

Perfetti now has 28 points, including ten goals, in 50 games.

3. Alexander Romanov crushes Cam York

What made Romanov a fan favorite in Montreal was his crushing body checks.

He was greatly appreciated for his robust and physical play, and it’s the same in New York with the Islanders.

Last night, in an important 3-1 victory for the Islanders against the Philadelphia Flyers, Romanov delivered a solid check to defender Cam York.

The Islanders are back to .500 with this victory, and they are six points from a playoff spot with two games in hand on the Columbus Blue Jackets.

4. Big win for the Stars against the Golden Knights

In a titanic showdown between two of the best teams in the Western Conference and the entire NHL, the Dallas Stars triumphed 4-3 over the Vegas Golden Knights.

Jason Robertson stood out with two goals, including the winning goal, allowing the Stars to reclaim second place in the Central Division ahead of the Minnesota Wild.

There is really quite an atmosphere in Dallas during games, and it was felt again last night during a game against a strong team like the Golden Knights.

Overtime

– A beautiful goalie goal in the OHL.

– Here are the results from the previous day.

– Here are the top point scorers from the previous day.

(Credit: NHL.com)

– On the schedule today in the NHL: 13 games.

(Credit: Google/NHL)
(Credit: Google/NHL)
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«Sidney Crosby in Denver»: it’s becoming fashionable again

Mikko Rantanen has left Colorado. What does this mean for the future?

After all, it is easy to think that Colorado, which is getting Martin Necas as the main piece, is losing out. Rantanen is quite a hockey player.

Does the club want to add a big piece to compensate? Possibly.

I’m not saying that Sidney Crosby will definitely be that big piece (especially since I’m one of those who thinks Sid won’t be moved), but we know that Frank Seravalli mentioned that he heard a “bigger rumor than Rantanen” in the past 48 hours.

And several hints point towards Pennsylvania. Crosby’s name is popular right now, anyway… and here’s why.

1. We should take this with a grain of salt, but Paul Bissonnette (who is sometimes right) keeps mentioning Crosby in Colorado to join his good friend Nathan MacKinnon.

It’s worth what it’s worth, but still. I didn’t say it will happen, I said it’s being talked about.

2. Jimmy Murphy also mentioned something similar. He said he has “a funny feeling” about a friend from Nova Scotia joining Colorado for Mack.

No need for me to draw you a picture…

3. The pièce de résistance: Kevin Weekes, who has a good track record with rumors, posted an image of Pittsburgh on social media. And we know what he’s talking about.

Ryan Callahan said things are in motion. Hmm…

extension

Let’s remember that officially, Crosby does not want to be traded and he wants to finish his career in Pittsburgh. I believe him, but I also keep in mind that official words are worth what they are worth.

And I also keep in mind that this can change, even if it doesn’t seem to be heading that way right now.

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Jesperi Kotkaniemi: it was too good to be true

At this point, you have seen that the Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, and Chicago Blackhawks have decided to give us some stock this Friday night through a huge transaction. My colleague Pablo Herrera is on the case, indeed.

Mikko Rantanen along with Taylor Hall to Carolina and Martin Necas to Colorado are the key points of the transaction. And at one point, it was thought that Jesperi Kotkaniemi was heading to Denver.

The former Canadian player was heading to Colorado, according to Frank Seravalli… but he later retracted. As you can see, he deleted his original tweet about KK.

What was the craziest part of all this was really KK’s presence in the transaction. After all, I always thought this guy couldn’t, with his contract, be traded.

And finally, he is going nowhere. Seravalli stated he was mistaken.

After all, the former first overall pick of the Canadiens, who was siiiiiii proud to find himself in Carolina (or just to leave Montreal, maybe), is clearly not playing up to expectations. And despite everything, Colorado wanted him? It didn’t make sense.

I was thinking that the trend of making the other GM drink to negotiate was back.

In my eyes, it would have been a huge victory for the “little advanced stats guy” sitting in the Hurricanes GM chair, Eric Tulsky. Getting rid of KK’s contract would have been genius… but it won’t happen.

Let’s remember that KK earns $4.82 million a year for another five and a half years. That’s a long time for a player… uh… average. #10GoalsAnd23PointsIn49Games

extension

– The Blue Jays would have been finalists for Mikko Rantanen. Those who follow baseball know how funny that joke is under the current circumstances.

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Mikko Rantanen traded to the Hurricanes!

Do not adjust your device, Mikko Rantanen is no longer a member of the Colorado Avalanche.

The Hurricanes have acquired him in a trade that also involves Taylor Hall from the Chicago Blackhawks.

 

More details to come…