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Jayden Struble is going to play in Laval

Important news in Montreal.

The Canadiens have assigned Jayden Struble to the Laval Rocket… for conditioning purposes. This means he avoids waivers but must return to Montreal after two weeks.

The goal? To let him play a bit down there, with his consent, to shake off the rust.

A player who is absent from the lineup (whether injured or not) for several consecutive games can avoid waivers to spend 14 days (maximum) in the American Hockey League to regain form. He must agree, that said.

This is what the CH did with Rafaël Harvey-Pinard earlier this season… before ultimately placing him on waivers.

In Struble’s case, I recently wrote that leaving him in the stands too long was an issue, as he had earned the right to be put on waivers in recent months… but is too much up top.

And unlike Michael Pezzetta in the forwards, it’s clear the CH wants to get Struble some playing time. That way, if he returns to play with the CH eventually, he won’t be as rusty.

This is a win-win for everyone: the CH, who is at home for a while, doesn’t need him, the player gets to play (with his NHL salary), and the Rocket benefits from his presence in the lineup for good hockey.

The Rocket is in Hartford tonight. Will Struble be there in time for the game? We imagine so since otherwise, the CH would have waited before sending him down.

Right now, until proven otherwise, the Canadiens only have 12 healthy forwards and six healthy defensemen. If the team has an injured player, they will have to act and bring in someone from Laval.

But right now, that’s not an issue.

In brief

– At least a month out.

– Obviously.

– A name to watch.

– Big signing in Vegas.

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Gary Bettman is preparing for his retirement: Steve Yzerman suggested by Renaud Lavoie

As you may have seen, Gary Bettman is preparing for his retirement.

The NHL commissioner, as Michael Russo and Chris Johnston from The Athletic inform us, is quietly starting to think about when he will retire.

It’s not happening tomorrow, but still: such a change doesn’t happen overnight.

The owner of the Wild, Craig Leopold, recently said he is concerned about the succession plan because it reassures him and the other league shareholders to have a Bettman with both hands on the wheel.

Don’t doubt it: Bettman is beloved by the league’s owners.

We are a company worth five or six billion dollars – the whole league is.

When your boss is preparing to leave, the transition worries us. All I’m saying is we’ve had a commissioner for over 30 years, and he is extraordinary. – Craig Leopold

Therefore, the question we need to ask is: is Bill Daly, Bettman’s right-hand man, the favorite to become, in a few years, the new commissioner of the NHL?

It’s a name to watch, yes.

But this morning, on BPM Sports, Renaud Lavoie brought up a name in the conversation that contrasts with Gary Bettman: Steve Yzerman.

He didn’t say he was one of the favorites; he merely suggested his name. But between you and me, when a well-connected guy like him brings up a name… it’s not always by chance.

In Lavoie’s eyes, even though Yzerman is not a lawyer, having a respected former player like him at the top of the NHL could make sense. He played the game… and he is Canadian, which could help hockey’s cause in the country. The journalist emphasized this point in his column today.

This matter is worth following because many names will likely circulate in the next few months.

in quick succession

– Matthew Schaefer is a name to watch for the next draft.

– Caleb Desnoyers wants to keep a cool head. [TVAS]

– Jose Altuve in left field?

– Ouch.

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Ranking: the Canadiens at the heart of nine teams separated by just six points

The standings in the East are very tight. This means that it’s hard to know who will make trades in the conference, once the deadline is upon us.

Do you know how tight it is? Right now, no less than nine teams (including the Boston Bruins, who are third in the Atlantic) are separated by just six points.

It’s crazy how tight it is… and it’s crazy how the Rangers are coming back strong.

(Credit: Sportsnet)

Yesterday, seeing the Canadiens lose to the Red Wings meant that Martin St-Louis’s men did not “secure” their playoff spot in the Eastern standings.

But it’s not the end of the world, considering how quickly everything can change.

And since several teams lost (Columbus, Ottawa, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh), it’s not like the Canadiens fell too far behind the others by losing.

The deadline in the East will be fascinating.

The problem for the Canadiens is not that they lost last night. After all, these things happen. The problem is that the team played one of their worst games in a long time and was never really in the game.

And even though the team had won its last eight games while coming back strong, one could say that letting the Red Wings take the lead was not a problem for the Canadiens; yesterday, it became a problem.

After all, the Canadiens were never able to come back from that deficit.

Right from the start of the game, it was clear that the Canadiens were not in the game. In the first period, the team was outshot 17-4. The eye test confirmed that the team was not in the game.

It got a little better afterwards, but the damage was done and the gap was too wide.

In fact, when the Red Wings scored their third goal of the game (the shorthanded one), it was really a turning point in the match.

It wasn’t ideal.

It’s hard to pinpoint a particular player in the game to explain the team’s troubles. Why? Because collectively, the Canadiens were not doing well yesterday.

Lane Hutson had a tough game. The captain wasn’t having his best game either. Samuel Montembeault, even though he shouldn’t be too blamed for the loss, wasn’t exactly having his best game either.

He did make some good saves, but there are certain goals – including the second one – that he would surely like to have back.

I don’t know if fatigue played a role, but the Canadiens have given up 17 goals in their last four games, since last Saturday’s game against Toronto.

Maybe if the Canadiens were rolling with 12 regular forwards, things would go better. But that’s not in my hands.

overtime

Yesterday, the Canadiens returned to Montreal in the early hours of the morning. Martin St-Louis’s men have a day off before facing the Devils tomorrow night at the Bell Centre.

Will Jake Allen face Samuel Montembeault? Will a forward be called up tomorrow morning? Will Jayden Struble sit out again? We’ll see tomorrow.

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Top-5: Brad Marchand attempted to strangle Nick Cousin with his hand

There was a lot of action in the NHL last night.

The Canadiens lost to the Red Wings, but there were also 10 other games taking place across the league.

Here’s a summary of what caught attention:

1 : Brad Marchand Looks Crazy… Once Again

Brad Marchand loves to be talked about for the wrong reasons.

And let’s say this has been going on for a while!

The Bruins’ captain looked crazy again last night because he made a move that doesn’t belong on the ice.

He attempted to choke Nick Cousins with his hand:

Crazy Marchand…

The worst part is that he wasn’t even penalized for the incident!

In the game between the Bruins and the Sens, this hit by Brady Tkachuk on Andrew Peeke also stood out.

The glass shattered so hard that the impact was solid:

The Bruins ultimately won the game 2-0.

Morgan Geekie and David Pastrnak (empty net) scored for Boston.

Jonas Korpisalo was solid in net, stopping all 29 shots directed at him. This is his third shutout of the season:

2 : Anthony Richard is Lucky

Things happen so quickly in hockey that sometimes, accidents can occur.

Just ask Anthony Richard.

The former Canadiens player got lucky when he took K’Andre Miller’s skate to the face: Richard almost got cut by his opponent’s skate while he was down on the ice.

It was close, but Richard managed to finish the game:

Nothing worked for the Flyers against the Rangers last night.

The Philadelphia team lost 6-1 and that goal perfectly sums up the evening for the Flyers:

3 : Speaking of the Rangers…

We know: the Rangers had very, very difficult moments before Christmas.

But now… It seems like everything is coming together for the New York team.

The victory against the Flyers last night allows the team to claim a 7th win in 10 games and it’s worth noting that since January 1st, the Rangers have the best record in the entire NHL.

Everything is working right now over there… And it oddly coincides with Igor Shesterkin’s return to play:

There is too much talent on the team for the Rangers not to make the playoffs.

They are just one point behind the Blue Jackets for the last playoff spot and if they can keep this momentum going, things will get even more interesting in the East.

To be continued…

4 : Another Goal for Ovi!

Before the season started, few people would have predicted that the Capitals would dominate the NHL, holding the 1st spot in the league standings at the end of January.

That’s what is happening right now, and ultimately, both goalies of the team are playing a role in the team’s success.

We saw it again last night: Charlie Lindgren was perfect against the Kraken, stopping 22 shots, and the Capitals shut out the Seattle team with a 3-0 score:

At the end of the game, the Kraken pulled their goalie to attempt a comeback, but Alex Ovechkin was on the ice.

You know what that means…

The Capitals’ captain scored his 22nd goal of the season, and it was into an empty net:

Ovi is just 20 goals away from surpassing Wayne Gretzky and capturing the National Hockey League record.

At this point, it’s just a matter of time. And one wonders if he has a chance to break the record this season.

The Capitals still have 34 games left on the schedule: so it’s possible… but it will be tough anyway.

5 : The Oilers Handle the Canucks Their Way

This was a game we were looking forward to.

Why?

Because it was the first time since the Connor McDavid incident that the Oilers faced the Canucks.

Let’s just say the Edmonton team took care of the Vancouver team their way, which is by scoring a lot of goals.

After the first period, it was already 3-0 in favor of the Oilers:

The Canucks were never in the game and ultimately lost the match 6-2.

In the victory, we note the three points recorded by Zach Hyman (two goals and one assist) and Leon Draisaitl (one goal and two assists).

It wasn’t too rough contrary to what one might think, but there was a sequence in the game where we saw both clubs sending messages:

The Oilers lost their first game (out of three) in McDavid’s absence earlier this week, but they won the second.

They should be able to win the third and final game during their captain’s suspension because the Sabres will be on the menu tomorrow.

The match will be held in Edmonton.

Overtime

– He’s on fire!

– He’s good.

– Bang.

– Beautiful goal.

– Ouch!

– 300 career wins for Frederik Andersen.

– Well played.

– Shutout for Karel Vejmelka.

– Kadri is having a good season in Calgary.

– All the same.

– Oops.

– The top points scorers of the night:

(Credit: NHL.com)

– Four games tonight in the NHL:

(Credit: Google)
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Top-4: Matthews with a goalie stick, Reaves and Olivier drop the gloves, 3 goals for Fantilli…

Four games were showcased yesterday in the NHL.

And there was action… Especially in Toronto!

Let’s see what happened:

1 : Wild game in Toronto… And you’ll understand why

The Blue Jackets are surprising this season.

They visited Toronto last night to face the Leafs, and Ryan Reaves and Mathieu Olivier took the opportunity to drop the gloves at the start of the game.

A REAL heavyweight fight:

This was the first time Reaves and Olivier fought each other in the NHL.

And they put on quite a show!

After the game, Auston Matthews somewhat threw Leafs fans under the bus. He wished the crowd had been louder after the fight:

The Leafs’ captain said it gave energy to his team… but Toronto’s squad was never able to capitalize on it.

The Leafs lost 5-1 and the player of the game was truly Adam Fantilli.

The young player recorded his first career hat trick in the NHL:

There was a sequence during the game worth sharing.

There was a scuffle in front of the Blue Jackets’ net, causing Matthews and Elvis Merzlikins to lose their sticks.

The result?

Matthews picked up Merzlikins’ stick and it led to quite a funny moment.

Both were sent off (2 minutes) for playing with another stick:

A big win for the Blue Jackets, who are currently in the playoff race.

Things are going well in Columbus!

2 : Despite Makar’s brilliance…

The Avalanche can boast.

The team has several (very) good players in its lineup, and yesterday, we saw what some of them can do on the ice.

MacKinnon scored to reach the 75-point mark (!) and Cale Makar scored a simply magnificent goal while falling:

But we can agree on one thing.

MacKinnon and Makar are excellent, but they can’t do it all alone.

The score was tied at the end of the match and overtime was needed to determine a winner… and Neil Pionk stepped up for the Jets.

The defenseman scored to allow his team to win 3-2:

3 : Heavy loss for the Devils

The Bruins had no chance against the Devils last night.

The New Jersey team won with a score of 5-1, and Dawson Mercer stood out by scoring two goals.

He was named the first star of the game, and he deserved it:

Despite the victory… there were also some negatives on the Devils’ side during the game.

Jacob Markström had to leave the game after being run into by Justin Brazeau, and the footage shows how much difficulty he had getting back up.

It does not look good for the goalie…

It seems we will have to wait for news on Markström.

But at first glance, we might fear the worst…

4 : Another home victory for the Kings

This season, the Kings are virtually untouchable at home.

This was also the case last night: Darcy Kuemper was brilliant in net, stopping 27 of the 28 shots he faced and helped his team win 2-1 against the Panthers.

The Kings’ two goals were scored in the third period:

The Panthers had a chance to tie it at the end of the match… but Kuemper wouldn’t allow it.

He played a big game:

The Kings now have a record of 15-3-1 at home this season.

Not bad!

Let’s also note that this is the tenth win in eleven games for the Los Angeles team.

Overtime

– Oh.

– I love.

– It’s obvious!

– The top scorers of the night:

(Credit: NHL.com)

– It will be busy tonight:

(Credit: Google)
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We can expect to see Emil Heineman in uniform again in two weeks.

Last week, we learned that Emil Heineman had been hit by a car in Utah. The Canadian team then announced a three to four weeks absence for their player.

And it seems that the timeline is still current.

According to what Renaud Lavoie reported yesterday at TVA Sports, we can expect to see Heineman back in the Canadiens’ uniform in about two weeks. In any case, that is what the journalist expects in the situation.

This aligns with the three to four weeks that the CH announced last week.

It should be noted that yesterday, after his team’s practice, Heineman skated solo for about ten minutes. Since he is injured in the upper body, he can still skate lightly.

Not being injured in the lower body means that the player can continue to work on his cardio and that his absence, in this sense, could be somewhat shorter than if he could not skate lightly this week.

This is good news for the player.

In terms of scheduling, in two weeks, the CH will finish their trip out West. Will Heineman be able to make the trip to California? One might think not… but who knows?

I imagine the CH would like to see him play during the Super Bowl weekend (against the Devils and the Lightning) so they can assess the rookie’s medical progress before the Four Nations Tournament.

(Credit: NHL.com)

If Heineman can indeed return around February 8, it will mean that Martin St-Louis will have to manage without him for another seven games. Tonight, Michael Pezzetta is expected to take the place of Owen Beck, who was sent back to the AHL.

Will there be another recall in the short term to replace Heineman? We’ll see in due time.

In Brief

— Standings: the CH out of the playoff picture this morning.

(Credit: NHL.com)

— The CH is currently playing in the Martin St-Louis style. [98.5 Sports]

— Happy listening.

— I agree.

— Expect to see Drew Doughty facing the CH on February 5.

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The children of Martin St-Louis sang the praises of their father.

The last time we talked about Martin St-Louis’s children was in 2024 when his youngest (Mason) had an accident that caused the head coach of the Canadiens to return home for a few games.

Otherwise, we know little about the coach’s family. We know he has three boys who play hockey in the United States, but other than that, we don’t really know who his three boys are.

However, in an exclusive interview, Anthony Martineau managed to speak with the children of the CH coach to learn a little more about the former Lightning star. You can read his article by clicking here.

Obviously, you won’t be surprised to learn that St-Louis’s children (Lucas and Ryan, his two oldest) only had good things to say about their father.

In my eyes, it is especially the fact that the two boys, who are not obligated to speak to a Quebec media outlet, agreed to talk about their father that speaks volumes. This is an important subtext of the TVA Sports article.

But that doesn’t make the article any less interesting.

It is especially relevant to learn that he has always been a good motivator when he coached his boys… and that his analogies are not just for the sake of it: it’s part of him.

I know you are starting to be aware of his passion for analogies. – Lucas St-Louis

His boys emphasized his honesty and the importance of family feeling (both for his team and for his family, he watches all the games of his three sons’ teams) that he instills in his life.

And of course, his love for the CH (which comes from Martin’s father) and his desire to win are at the heart of St-Louis’s personality.

via GIPHY

Clearly, we feel that the CH players play for their coach and that in both good and less good moments, a team spirit has been forming in Montreal for a few seasons now.

And in light of the statements of Martin St-Louis’s sons to Anthony Martineau, who provided several good quotes, we understand why.

It is important to mention that in light of the Canadiens’ successes, comments against the coach are not publicly aired at the moment. The resilience his sons speak of is really showing at this time. And the CH is benefiting from it.

St-Louis has always had a reputation for loving to win, and right now, he must be enjoying himself immensely. I imagine he will enjoy it even more when Ivan Demidov arrives in town…

in brief

– To read.

– The CH cannot escape the game in Detroit. [BPM Sports]

– Hmm…

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Jacob Markstrom: his injury could provide another second-round pick for the Canadiens.

Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

The Devils easily defeated the Bruins yesterday in New Jersey. The men of Jim Montgomery Joe Sacco took the lead early in the first, but they saw the Devils score five unanswered goals. Final score: 5 to 1. If there were a Cage in Newark, it would be serving free wings to its customers today.

The Bruins’ defeat pleased me. First, I don’t like the Bruins and their fans.

Second, The CH was able to stay ahead of their Boston rival in the standings (which is very tight).

(Credit: NHL.com)

However, the Bruins’ defeat could be quite secondary for CH fans. Why?

Jacob Markstrom (Devils) got injured early in the second. Forward Chris Kreider Justin Brazeau made contact with Markstrom while attempting to redirect the puck behind him.

Markstrom had to leave the game due to an injury to his left leg. His departure from the ice was not encouraging for any fan of the Devils.

Is Markstrom injured in the knee? In the hip? In the thigh? Analyzing how his knee turned (or didn’t) upon contact with Brazeau, I would be inclined to say the knee.

I know, sometimes appearances can be deceiving. Josh Anderson returned to play just a few minutes after leaving the game without putting weight on one of his legs last Sunday.

Patrik Laine only missed two or three months of action when we all pretty much thought his season was over.

But if Markstrom doesn’t have the same luck as Laine and Anderson — remember Carey Price when we were told that some knee injuries were manageable for a forward but not for a goaltender — there is one organization that could benefit. And I’m talking about the Montreal Canadiens!

No, I’m not one of those who thinks we could get Simon Nemec in return for Cayden Primeau…

I’ll explain myself. When Kent Hughes sent Jake Allen to New Jersey a year ago, he did so in return for a third-round pick (2025) which could become a second-round pick if the former Canadiens goaltender plays in 40 regular-season games AND the Devils make the playoffs.

The Devils are going to extend their season…

And Allen, who has played 15 games so far in 2024-25, would need to play 25 of the last 32 games for the Devils for the three picks they will send to the Habs in June to turn into a two.

With Markstrom healthy, forget it.

But if Markstrom has to be out for a few months…

The Devils still have not called up a goaltender from the American League, but many expect to see Nico Daws get a call in the coming hours. Daws is far from being a Vezina Trophy candidate…

Sometimes the misfortune of some brings happiness to others. I feel bad wishing a few months of absence for Markstrom, but if that ever happens, I will tell myself that at least it could positively affect my team: the Montreal Canadiens. Let’s remember that CH already has two first-round picks and two second-round picks.

It should be noted that with Jacob Markstrom and Linus Ullmark possibly sidelined, the Swedish team might face a problem in goal during the Four Nations tournament.

Not to mention that William Karlsson might also have to miss the tournament…

In Brief

– Gavino and I took a look at the hot topics surrounding CF Montreal. Happy watching!

– The race in the East is tight.

– Attention fans of Victory.

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The Canadiens could wake up in the top 3 of their division tomorrow morning.

Things are going well for the CH, one of the hottest teams in the NHL these days.

The team continues to win, which means that the famous mix from the beginning of the season is truly achieving its purpose. Some mornings, the CH even wakes up in a playoff position.

Is that the case this morning? No. But it’s not a catastrophe either, you know.

(Credit: NHL.com)

But what should be mentioned is that Martin St-Louis’ men (who are in Detroit tonight) could not only wake up in the playoffs tomorrow morning, but they could also wake up ahead of the Lightning, who are not playing tonight.

And Tampa Bay is in third place in the Atlantic Division, sitting above the wild card teams.

In fact, the Canadiens are one point behind Tampa Bay, but the Florida team has a game in hand. Tomorrow morning, the Lightning will have two games in hand over the Canadiens.

If the CH manages to get two points tonight against Detroit (with Samuel Montembeault in net), they will surpass the Lightning in the standings.

(Credit: NHL.com)

However, to be in the top-3 of the division, the team will not only have to win, but also that the Senators (who have exactly the same record as the CH, but are ahead of Montreal in the standings) lose.

It can be in overtime or a shootout, but it cannot be a win.

It should also be noted that tonight, several teams that are in the playoff race against Montreal will be playing. The Senators, Bruins, Rangers, Flyers, Penguins, and Blue Jackets are teams to watch tonight.

Just like the Red Wings… but the CH will have a say in the outcome for the Michigan team.

(Credit: Google)

in brief

– Injury in Vegas.

– Ivan Demidov on the second line.

– Interesting.

– Do you like it?

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Stolen car: Claude Giroux victim for the second time this season

On September 25th, less than four months ago, I wrote a piece titled: Claude Giroux had his car stolen last night. It was his wife who mentioned it on social media.

And today, I could write the same article – except for the “last night” because we don’t know that.

Ryanne Giroux announced, as she did in September, that the family’s car had been stolen again. And even though she wrote “lol” in her message, you can sense she doesn’t find it exactly funny.

The car is a rental car. This means that the family had “the replacement” of their original car stolen, based on what can be understood from the situation.

That’s great.

We know that in the sports world, there is a wave of burglaries in athletes’ homes. And it appears that it also affects cars… but primarily for the Giroux family.

This wave (thefts and burglaries) is so widespread that Patrik Laine’s fiancée is even having nightmares about it.

I wonder how motivated Giroux, who is in the last year of his contract, will be at the idea of leaving Ottawa with his family at the end of the season after two thefts in a row since September. It’s already hard to attract people to Ottawa…

I know it can happen anywhere, but maybe this should be part of their consideration, right?

I also wonder how much NHL players – and players from other NHL teams – are taking additional measures to prevent their car from being stolen.

After all, an NHL player can afford a nice car…

in brief

– Note to self.

– Matt Murray in Toronto.

– Oh really?