Author: Dose

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SKA: Roman Rotenberg’s position has been threatened.

Since the beginning of the season in the KHL, Ivan Demidov has not been playing regularly.

Roman Rotenberg has stubbornly limited the playing time of the Canadiens’ prospect, and his decisions have sparked talk all the way to Montreal.

It’s only natural, because everyone wants to see what Demidov has to offer ahead of his arrival in the NHL.

The SKA would be participating in the playoffs if the KHL playoff tournament started tonight, but that doesn’t mean everything is rosy within the organization.

Not at all, in fact.

There are rumors circulating right now about Rotenberg possibly leaving his position as head coach of the team. His position has been somewhat threatened, but it seems that the chances of him leaving are slim at the moment.

It’s still interesting though.

In Saint Petersburg, there is pressure.

The SKA has been one of the best teams in the league for several years, and there are always high expectations, season after season.

This can become intense over time, especially if the team does not meet those expectations.

That said, even though the SKA is currently in a playoff position… The club is also in 7th place in its division, which is somewhat disappointing.

It’s understood that the team has had to cope without Evgeny Kuznetsov (injury) for a while, and now, it has lost the services of Tony DeAngelo for the rest of the season.

Adding to all this is the fact that Rotenberg is being criticized for his choices regarding Ivan Demidov… And it creates quite a circus.

Things must be moving quickly in Rotenberg’s mind. The head coach of SKA needs to find a solution to lead his team through to the end… And he will have to do so without DeAngelo, who was one of the best offensive defensemen in the KHL.

Maybe giving more playing time to the team’s 3rd leading scorer Ivan Demidov could help?

I’m just asking the question for fun…

In brief

– Meh…

– Well done. Wow!

– News from CF Montreal:

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Other details have emerged concerning the accident (and the health condition) of Emil Heineman.

This is the news of the day: the Canadiens announced this morning that forward Emil Heineman was involved in a traffic accident (while he was a pedestrian) in Salt Lake City.

The Canadiens also announced that the forward would miss three to four weeks of activities… But there weren’t many details regarding the accident and the player’s health status.

Additional information is starting to come to light, however.

Here’s what you need to know: Heineman was struck by a car while walking alone a little before 3 PM (Salt Lake City time) and he subsequently received treatment from the Canadiens’ medical staff.

The agent of the player in question said in an interview in Sweden that they might be talking about a broken wrist and that his player would consult a specialist to determine the exact nature of the injury.

But Emil Heineman’s agent wanted to emphasize that “it’s nothing too serious,” which allows us to believe that the forward is doing relatively well at the time of writing.

Clearly, we can agree that this sucks.

This sucks for the organization, for the player… And for the fans, because the forward was playing his role perfectly in Martin St. Louis’s lineup since the start of the season.

But at least, Heineman avoided the worst and that’s the main takeaway from this story.

Martin St. Louis joked with reporters by saying that it’s more the car that took the hit due to the size of the Swede:

It should be noted that the driver of the car that hit Heineman is a city employee of Salt Lake City.

He was not paying attention and collided with the Canadiens player:

Other guys will need to step up during Heineman’s absence – we can agree on that – and it will be interesting to see how the Canadiens will deal with this situation in the coming weeks.

Because we must not forget one thing: the Canadiens’ 4th line (Armia, Evans, and Heineman) had been excellent lately and had played a role in the team’s recent success.

So I can’t wait to see if whoever replaces him before his return will be able to be just as useful…

Overtime

Let’s recall that the Canadiens will not make any call-ups for their game tonight in Salt Lake City.

However, we can expect some movement tomorrow…

For tonight, it will be Michael Pezzetta taking Emil Heineman’s spot in the lineup. Alex Newhook will be able to play, and Monty will get the start against André Tourigny’s team:

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SKA: Roman Rotenberg’s position has been threatened.

SAINT PETERSBURG, RUSSIA - 2024/01/07: Roman Rotenberg, Head Coach of SKA Hockey Club at a press conference, during the Kontinental Hockey League, regular season KHL 2023 - 2024 between SKA Saint Petersburg and Metallurg Magnitogorsk at the Ice Sports Palace. Final score; SKA Saint Petersburg 1: 2 Metallurg Magnitogorsk. (Photo by Maksim Konstantinov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Since the beginning of the KHL season, Ivan Demidov has not been playing very regularly.

Roman Rotenberg has stubbornly limited the playing time of the Canadiens’ prospect, and his decisions have sparked discussion all the way to Montreal.

It’s normal, because everyone wants to see what Demidov has to offer ahead of his arrival in the NHL.

The SKA would make the playoffs if the KHL playoff tournament started tonight, but that doesn’t mean everything is rosy within the organization.

Not at all, in fact.

There are rumors circulating right now about Rotenberg, who could leave his position as head coach of the team. His job has been threatened in a way, but it seems the chances of him leaving are slim at present.

It’s still interesting, though.

In Saint Petersburg, there is pressure.

The SKA has been one of the best teams in the league for several years, and there are always high expectations, season after season.

It can get intense over time, especially if the team doesn’t meet those expectations.

That being said, even though the SKA is in a position that allows access to the playoffs right now… The club is also ranked 7th in its division, which is somewhat disappointing.

It’s understood that the team had to do without Evgeny Kuznetsov (injury) for a while and now, it has lost the services of Tony DeAngelo for the rest of the season.

Adding to that is the fact that Rotenberg is being criticized for his choices regarding Ivan Demidov… And that creates quite the circus.

Things must be starting to move quickly in Rotenberg’s mind. The head coach of the SKA must find a solution to lead his team to the finish… And he will have to do it without DeAngelo, who was one of the best offensive defenders in the KHL.

Maybe the idea of giving more playing time to the team’s 3rd leading scorer Ivan Demidov could help?

I’m just asking the question for fun…

In brief

– Meh…

– Well played. Wow!

– News from CF Montreal:

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The guys from Spittin’ Chiclets announced that they have purchased an ECHL team.

It’s always special to see guys who have played (or are playing) hockey buy sports teams.

The most spectacular case remains that of Mario Lemieux (we know the circumstances that led the great #66 to become a shareholder of his Penguins), but there are others.

Recently, Zach Hyman’s family bought an OHL team (the Bulldogs) and that made waves.

But this morning, the guys from the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast (Paul Bissonnette, Ryan Whitney, Mike Grinnell, and Keith Yandle) announced on their podcast that they have bought an ECHL team. And a part of me still wonders if it’s a joke.

We’re talking about an expansion team based in Greensboro, North Carolina. The name will be revealed tonight.

Obviously, you’ll understand that Paul Bissonnette, in the segment of his podcast where he announced that his boys and he had bought a team, oversold what the client wanted.

He said he wanted to be controlling and fire the media who would speak against him. Classic Biz.

Obviously, we can agree that Bissonnette is overselling what the client is asking here. However, it is clear that the North Carolina team, due to its owners, will become a franchise to watch closely in the coming years.

And we can’t say that about all ECHL teams.

in brief

– Well, come on.

– What characterizes elite goalies? [RG]

– Oh boy.

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Top-5: A huge ovation for Marc-André Fleury in Vegas

The Canadiens did not play yesterday.

They will resume action tomorrow night when they will be in Salt Lake City to face André Tourigny’s team.

However, there were still five games played in the NHL on Sunday:

1 : Kudos to the Golden Knights

The Golden Knights did not treat Marc-André Fleury well.

The goalie was traded for peanuts in July 2021 after winning his first Vezina Trophy, and the Golden Knights’ decision caused quite a stir.

However, the fans showed love to the Québécois yesterday, in what could be his last visit to Vegas.

Fleury started by signing autographs before the game:

During the game, the fans gave him a massive ovation lasting several minutes.

The Golden Knights honored his career, and the T-Mobile Arena erupted afterward.

It was a beautiful moment, and you could see that the goalie was emotional:

The Golden Knights ultimately won the game against the Wild by a score of 4-1, but it was Marc-André Fleury who stole the show despite not playing.

At the end of the game, with just a few seconds to go on the clock, the fans started chanting Fleury’s name in the stands:

Kudos to the Golden Knights fans.

Because if anyone deserves that much love after what happened a few years ago… it’s definitely Marc-André Fleury.

2 : Cutter Gauthier takes care of the Hurricanes

I don’t know if Cutter Gauthier had a good evening on Saturday night.

He played his first career game in Philadelphia and the fans let him know that he was not welcome in town.

The American was held scoreless against the team that drafted him 5th overall in 2022.

However, last night we saw why the Flyers decided to select him so high in the draft three years ago.

Gauthier showcased the quality of his shot against the Hurricanes:

The forward only had five goals before his game last night in Carolina.

He can now say he has seven… because he was also the one who ended the debate in overtime:

The young Ducks had a big test against the Hurricanes, and they were able to win by a score of 3-2.

This is how a young rebuilding team progresses by winning games like that.

3 : The big guns of the Lightning take care of the Penguins

If you are a regular reader of DLC, you know that I like to say this: when a team’s best players perform like the best players on the ice, it helps to win.

The Lightning is lucky because they have, good productive players in their lineup.

Yesterday, Brandon Hagel put on a show in Pittsburgh:

Hagel (one goal and one assist) was good, Jake Guentzel had two assists, Anthony Cirelli scored once in addition to adding an assist…

Oh, and there’s also Nikita Kucherov who stood out by scoring two goals.

Hard to ask for more:

The efforts of the Lightning’s big guns were enough to lead the team to a 5-2 victory over the Penguins.

Note that this marks the seventh loss for the Penguins in their last ten games. Things are not going super well in Pittsburgh…

4 : No problem for the Senators against the Stars

The Canadiens played well against the Stars on Saturday night at the Bell Centre.

That said, the Dallas team was visiting Ottawa yesterday (two games in two days) aiming for their eighth consecutive victory, but the Senators showed up to play.

They scored two quick goals (39 seconds apart) to take the lead in the second period:

Matthew Highmore scored his first goal in a Senators uniform in the third period, which allowed the Ottawa team to win 3-2 against the Stars.

A nice win for the Sens… And for Dallas, this is their first loss since December 27.

5 : The Red Wings are too strong for the Kraken

Were the Red Wings in form yesterday?

I’ll answer this question quite simply: yesterday, the Wings scored not one, not two, not three… but four goals (!!!) in the first eight minutes of the game.

The game was held in Detroit, and the fans on site were ecstatic:

The Red Wings never looked back.

At one point, it was even 6-0 in favor of Detroit…

In the end, the Wings won by a score of 6-2, and now it’s starting to get interesting for the team.

The Wings have won their last seven games and are just two points shy of a playoff spot right now.

They have a record of 7-1-0 since Todd McLellan took over:

Overtime

– Bang.

– He’s good, that one.

– The top scorers of the day/evening:

(Credit: NHL.com)

– Three games tonight in the NHL:

(Credit: )
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Ryan O’Reilly would be on the trading market.

TORONTO, ON - DECEMBER 4: Ryan O'Reilly #90 of the Nashville Predators observes the game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Scotiabank Arena on December 4, 2024, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images)

To say that the Nashville Predators are having a disappointing season would be an understatement.

The team has only 33 points in 42 games, is currently 15 points away from a playoff spot, and will likely have to start preparing for next season.

Moreover, the Preds recently traded Alexandre Carrier to the Canadiens to acquire Justin Barron.

However, it is possible that the Predators’ general manager, Barry Trotz, could still be active before the trade deadline, and it is quite likely that the team is in sell mode for prospects and draft picks.

Trotz is reportedly open to trading Ryan O’Reilly under two conditions: if the offer is genuinely interesting and if the center agrees to the trade destination.

Because although he doesn’t have an official no-trade clause in his contract, the Preds want to treat the situation as if he does.

Let’s remember that O’Reilly is in the second year of a four-year, $18 million contract, having signed an agreement with Nashville in the summer of 2023.

Could the Canadiens be tempted to strengthen their center line by acquiring the 33-year-old veteran?

In 39 games, O’Reilly has 25 points, including 12 goals, and a -15 plus/minus. In terms of production, that’s better than our second center, Kirby Dach, with 14 points in 42 games, and our third center, Christian Dvorak, with 12 points in as many games.

I believe that the CH would immediately improve its center line. O’Reilly could lead the second or third line of the team.

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In the first scenario, the Canadiens have some options for Dach, such as playing him on the wing or at center on the third line, which would relieve him of the pressure to produce offensively. And Dvorak, even if he’s been playing well lately, let’s just say I wouldn’t be sad if the CH put him in the stands.

And even though we know that the CH does not want to acquire a rental player, there are still three years left on O’Reilly’s contract, making him a much more interesting acquisition for the club.

However, we do not know what the Preds’ demands are for their center (or if he wants to come play in Montreal), but we can assume they will want either prospects or draft picks, both of which the Canadiens have in abundance.

I truly believe that Kent Hughes should at least make a call to his counterpart and inquire about his requests.

In brief

– The CH arrives in Salt Lake.

– Victory for the Bolts

– Detroit back in the race!

– A solid career!

– The class of Fleury.

– What a race!

– Watch out!

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Michael Bunting was involved in a car accident.

Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images

The Penguins will face off against the Lightning late this afternoon. The match is scheduled for 5 PM.

However, the Pens will have to do without the services of Michael Bunting for the game.

Why? Because the forward was involved in a car accident while heading to the club’s arena in Pittsburgh.

The good news is that Bunting is okay.

The club’s head coach, Mike Sullivan, said that his forward is doing well.

Bunting will miss today’s game, and there are no other details for now regarding his health status:

According to Rob Rossi, who is assigned to cover the team for The Athletic, there was a significant collision between cars.

The journalist passed by on his way to the arena:

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Knowing that Bunting will miss today’s game, there are questions to be asked.

Is he injured, even though the Penguins organization says he’s okay?

Are the Penguins making this decision as a precautionary measure?

Is the Penguins’ decision hiding something else (driving under the influence or an accident caused by some substance)?

At the core, knowing that Bunting was involved in a traffic accident is concerning. We all remember the story of the two Gaudreau brothers (even though they weren’t driving), and if there’s worry regarding Bunting, that’s normal.

Just hoping that Bunting will be okay health-wise and will be able to return to play soon.

Until then… We will all wait for news about him attentively.

Michael Bunting may be a pesky player on the ice because he bothers the opponent… But his life comes first, let’s agree on that.

In Brief

– Wow!

– Well done.

– The result is excellent.

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Summer 2019: The CH gave gifts to Matt Duchene’s son to attract the family to Montreal.

If you have no memory of the summer of 2019, let me refresh your memory.

In July, the Canadiens reached agreements with forwards Michael McCarron, Charles Hudon, Joel Armia, and Artturi Lehkonen on the terms of new contracts. Keith Kinkaid and Ryler Barber also signed a deal with the Habs that summer.

Nothing too spectacular, you might say… But there was also another disappointment in town, seeing Matt Duchene sign a seven-year contract (worth $8 million per season) with the Nashville Predators.

The forward was on the Canadiens’ radar, and Renaud Lavoie reminded us yesterday during the game against the Stars that it was either Montreal or Nashville for Duchene at that time.

We also know that Duchene came to Montreal to visit the club’s facilities. And to make Duchene feel comfortable about the idea of signing here, the Canadiens gave gifts (a stuffed animal and a cap) to his son to attract the family to Montreal.

Renaud Lavoie discussed this yesterday on TVA Sports, and the channel also shared a photo about it:

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It’s still special.

All teams have their techniques to attract free agents, and the Canadiens wanted to charm Matt Duchene by giving gifts to his son.

Duchene ended up choosing the Preds… And the Canadiens dodged a bullet because the team in Nashville decided to buy out his contract in the summer of 2023.

The forward was under contract until the end of the 2025-2026 season.

In the end, the Canadiens were unable to make the big splash that was expected, even though they had made efforts to convince Duchene to sign in the city, and today, in 2025, we can say it turned out to be good news.

I wonder what the last few years in Montreal would have looked like if the Canadiens had succeeded in their mission in the summer of 2019…

In Brief

– It’s true that it doesn’t hold up.

– Things are looking better for Adam Fantilli.

– Good news in Colorado.

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Laine: the CH has the 11th best power play in the NHL since its return.

Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

When the Canadiens acquired Patrik Laine, it was known that this would help the team in power plays.

The player is recognized as a powerplay specialist since his debut in the NHL because he possesses a high-quality shot.

And we can see how much his addition is beneficial in this area.

From October 9 (the Canadiens’ first game) to December 3 (Laine’s return), the Canadiens were relatively good on the power play: they had an effectiveness rate of 20.8%, which placed them 15th in the NHL.

That’s still decent.

But since Laine’s return to the lineup – even though he missed four games – the Canadiens have an effectiveness rate of 23.5% with the man advantage.

The difference is as follows: since December 3, the Canadiens are the 11th best team in the league when they find themselves on the power play.

His impact is significant:

(Credit: NHL.com)

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We knew he had the qualities to change the power play all by himself.

That’s exactly what we are seeing right now!

No kidding, it makes a world of difference because it allows the team to score more goals.

It’s no coincidence that the Canadiens have a record of 12-5-1 and are the 5th best team in the ENTIRE NHL since December 3, which is since Laine’s return…

(Credit: NHL.com)

Since December 3, the Canadiens are also the 11th team in the NHL that has scored the most goals.

That’s something to consider as well.

Ultimately, it is easy to see that Patrik Laine’s arrival in Martin St-Louis’s lineup had the desired effect.

The Canadiens went after him with the goal of scoring more goals and providing more offensive support in the lineup, and the results are currently evident.

He has 9 goals scored since the start of the season, but they have all been scored on the power play. This allows him to currently be ranked 3rd among the best powerplay scorers… Even though he has only played 14 games.

That’s impressive!

When Laine plays and is in shape, he helps the team win.

It would be nice to see him score more goals at even strength… But oh well.

We notice that he can have an impact on a team even if he is not always the best at even strength (especially at 5-on-5).

Quick Hits

– There you have it.

– Cale Makar.

– They have been dominant since the start of the season.

– Hmm. Good question!

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Michael Hage at the top of the leaderboard among first-year players in the NCAA.

The Montreal Canadiens still have a very nice bank of prospects who have yet to make the jump to the professional level.

Indeed, several young players still playing in Europe or at the junior/university ranks are catching the attention of CH fans and generating excitement for their potential arrival in the pros.

Obviously, Ivan Demidov is the one grabbing the most attention, and if not, Jacob Fowler is often discussed as the next number one goalie for the Tricolore.

However, we must not forget a certain Michael Hage, who is performing very well and exceeding the expectations placed on him at the start of the season in the NCAA.

As a rookie, Hage was seen as a young player who might take some time to adapt to the NCAA level.

But ultimately, right from the start of the season, Hage has shown how dominant he is, even as a rookie and newcomer at the University of Michigan.

Hage has been so good since the beginning of the season that he currently sits at the top of the scoring leaders among freshmen in the NCAA.

(Credit: EliteProspects.com)

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With his 11 goals and 13 assists, Hage is the only freshman to have reached double digits in both statistics since the start of the season.

His 24 points in 19 games even put him ahead of James Hagens, who is seen by many as the potential first overall pick in the upcoming NHL draft.

Of course, Hagens is younger, but there are only six and a half months separating the two players.

Hage was one of the youngest players drafted in the last draft, so to see him at the top of the freshman scoring leaders in the NCAA is truly impressive.

The 18-year-old prospect of the Tricolore stands out in every game he plays in the NCAA, as he did this past weekend by grabbing three assists, two of which were yesterday, across two games.

Hage is extremely talented, and he is truly building a very nice potential that could someday earn him a spot in the CH’s top-6.

This likely won’t be for next season as with Ivan Demidov, but still, for a 21st overall pick, Hage represents a great project that could greatly contribute to the future successes of the Canadiens.

In Brief

– Here is a roundup of the performances of other CH prospects.

– With good reason.

– He is incredible.

– Such a nice gesture.

– Stay tuned.

– Here is the new coach of the Patriots.