At the beginning of the season, when the Montreal Canadiens’ management addressed the media during the CH golf tournament, the goal was clear: to be in the mix.
We wanted to see the Tricolore improve and fight for the playoffs longer than in recent seasons.
Well, after a rather difficult start to the season, the CH is exactly where it wanted to be, which is in the mix, sitting just two points away from a playoff spot.
The current excellent streak of the CH has allowed it to climb up the standings and thus be in a competitive position where everyone wants to see the team win.
There is a lot of excitement and enthusiasm in the city, as the players and fans believe more than ever and have all forgotten the idea of drafting in the top 5.
We want to win and make the playoffs.
This turnaround for the CH changes many things, especially concerning the decisions that management will have to make ahead of the trade deadline.
And on this subject, Kent Hughes stated that the Tricolore will not be buyers of rental players at the deadline.
Indeed, in an interview with Jean-Charles Lajoie on TVA Sports, the CH general manager explained that there is still a lot of hockey to be played before March 7, with 20 games left, and that no definitive strategy had been chosen.
However, Hughes was clear that the CH would not be looking for rental players at the cost of sacrificing future elements of the organization.
So, even though the Tricolore is in a very good position in the playoff race as the trade deadline approaches, Kent Hughes will not spend to acquire one or more rental players who will not be part of the team in the long term.
The CH GM later explained that this does not mean he will not complete a trade, and if he does make one or more, it will be similar to the transaction made to acquire Alexandre Carrier.
The Tricolore will want to improve to acquire elements that will contribute to the team’s success beyond this season, as is the case with Carrier, who still has two years on his contract after this season.
In short, Kent Hughes has obviously not committed too much, as he cannot know right now whether he will be a seller or a buyer, but he still provided some interesting information looking ahead to March 7.
The next 20 games leading up to the trade deadline will be crucial and will determine the direction Kent Hughes will take.
In Brief
– Today, Eric Staal’s jersey will be retired by the Hurricanes.
As Hurricanes retire Eric Staal’s jersey today, a look at the ‘heart’ that drove his NHL careerhttps://t.co/BdYEaBzPXw
I know, you are probably just as disappointed as I am with the outcome of the Montreal Canadiens game last night against the Dallas Stars.
Even though the Canadiens managed to secure an important point, the evening ended with a 2-1 loss in a shootout that stings, as they were so close to securing both points.
Everyone believed that the Tricolore would walk away with the victory against one of the top teams in the NHL, as evidenced by the wave made by the crowd at the Bell Centre during overtime.
There is a tremendous amount of excitement and positivity surrounding the team right now, and rightly so, so we must maintain this attitude, recognizing that obtaining three points out of four during this back-to-back against two excellent teams is a great achievement for the Tricolore, marking a mission accomplished.
And that point in the standings is indeed very important, as it keeps the Canadiens neck and neck with the other teams in the playoff race, with only two points separating the Tricolore from the Blue Jackets.
(Credit: NHL.com)
In short, it was an important point secured by the Canadiens, and we owe a huge thanks to Samuel Montembeault.
Indeed, without the brilliance of the Quebec goalie, the Tricolore probably wouldn’t have even secured that point.
Montembeault was very solid, especially during the last ten minutes of the third period when the Stars were pushing hard and were truly controlling the game.
The 28-year-old keeper did not let himself be overwhelmed, managing to hold the fort until the shootout.
In short, Monty excelled last night, just as Jakub Dobes did on Friday.
A healthy competition is clearly developing internally between the two goalies, and that is really great news.
Indeed, this competition only brings positive energy right now, as Dobes’ performances push Montembeault to excel, just as he did last night against the Stars.
Monty understands very well that he won’t be allowed many missteps if Dobes continues to perform well and win games, which drives him to perform even better.
Let’s say that he wouldn’t feel or have felt such a strong wind at his back with Cayden Primeau as backup.
Montembeault being pushed by Dobes…figures: «I better up my game.» He does just that. Healthy competition is very much a positive.
Laine may still not have scored at five-on-five, but yesterday, he helped his line generate a lot of scoring chances, as the trio he forms with Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook produced eight shots, the most of any line on the Canadiens.
2. The fourth line came very close multiple times.
Even though they haven’t produced much in recent games, the line of Jake Evans, Emil Heineman, and Joel Armia continues to be dominant when on the ice and significantly disrupts the opponent.
Martin St-Louis trusts this line and sends them into very important, crucial game situations, such as late in the game when it was tied 1-1 with just a few minutes remaining.
In Brief
– Logical.
No practice today for the Canadiens, who are heading to Utah.
The team wants to arrive two days before Tuesday’s game, not just the day before, to better acclimate to the time change.
It was a big Saturday for hockey yesterday in the National Hockey League, with only two teams not in action.
The 30 other NHL teams were playing a game yesterday, which gave us a plethora of highlights.
Without further ado, here are those that captured more attention.
1. Alex Ovechkin records his 20th consecutive season of 20 goals or more
Alexander Ovechkin is in his 20th season in the National Hockey League.
The Russian winger has become a true legend of the sport, and he continues to impress us every day.
In fact, last night, Ovi scored his 20th goal of the current campaign, allowing him to reach this milestone for the 20th time in 20 seasons of his career.
22 TO GO!
Alex Ovechkin has his 20th goal of the season and is 22 goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record! pic.twitter.com/FFKtQXF4Ih
Only Gordie Howe has had more seasons of 20 goals or more than Ovechkin.
With this goal in the Capitals’ 4-1 victory over the Nashville Predators, Ovi is just 22 goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal record.
It’s also worth noting that in this win for the Caps, rookie Ethen Frank, who was playing in just his second NHL game, scored his first career goal last night.
2. Kaapo Kakko scores two goals in under two minutes
The 23-year-old Finn is currently enjoying a fresh start with the Seattle Kraken after being traded from the New York Rangers.
So far, Kakko had scored only one goal in nine games, but last night, in a 6-2 victory for the Kraken over the Buffalo Sabres, Kakko found the back of the net twice in one minute and 40 seconds.
This brings his point total to seven in ten games since joining the Kraken, clearly giving him confidence for what lies ahead.
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3. Defender Adam Pelech makes a great save
Normally, when we talk about a sensational save, we talk about a save made by a goalie.
But last night, in the 2-1 victory of the New York Islanders over the Utah Hockey Club, it was actually defender Adam Pelech who made a steal.
Indeed, early in the game, trailing by already one goal, the Islanders’ defender stopped a shot that was heading straight for an open net along the goal line.
This save by Pelech turned out to be crucial, as the Islanders won by just one goal.
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4. The Rangers win two games in a row for the first time since November 19
In the West, the biggest disappointment is clearly the Nashville Predators.
But in the East, that title clearly belongs to the New York Rangers, who have been steadily dropping in the standings after starting the season so well.
The Rangers have fallen, but fortunately, they are still close to the playoff spots.
However, they must quickly pull themselves together if they want to secure a playoff spot.
And that’s what they did yesterday, as the Rangers won their second game in a row for the first time since November 17 and 19.
The Rangers won 2-1 against the Vegas Golden Knights and now find themselves four points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets and the last playoff spot with a game in hand.
MONTREAL, CANADA - OCTOBER 9: Cole Caufield #13 of the Montreal Canadiens celebrates after scoring a goal during the first period of the NHL regular season game between the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Bell Centre on October 9, 2024 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Vitor Munhoz/NHLI via Getty Images)
A little over a month ago, we learned that three players from the Canadiens would participate in the Four Nations Showdown. Samuel Montembeault will represent Canada, while Patrik Laine and Joel Armia will do the same for Finland.
However, there are still some club players who have been overlooked. Among them, Cole Caufield was bypassed by the United States, despite a strong start to the season.
They preferred to choose supportive players (after all, you need players to play while short-handed), but it was unfortunate for Caufield.
What we notice, however, is that since being overlooked by his country, Caufield has really been on fire. In fact, the forward has played 16 games since learning he was ignored by the U.S. team… and in those 16 games, he has scored 17 points.
For this reason, NHL Network has listed him among the biggest snubs from the U.S. team.
What is clear, however, is that #13 is playing some very solid hockey lately. He has scored a goal in each of his last five games, which has helped the team as Patrik Laine missed the last four games.
This means that at the moment, Caufield is alone at the top of the Bettman circuit for goals scored at 5-on-5 this season, ahead of one Leon Draisaitl (and Rickard Rakell, who is having a fantastic season in Pittsburgh).
5-on-5 goal leaders:
1. Cole Caufield – 16
T2. Leon Draisaitl – 15
T2. Rickard Rakell – 15
T4. Brandon Hagel – 14
T4. Jack Roslovic – 14
T4. Matthew Knies – 14
It should also be noted that Caufield is tied for first in the NHL for goals scored on the road, tied with Draisaitl. He scores goals both on the road and with the man advantage: hard to ask for more from a scorer.
Last week, my colleague Marc-Olivier Cook wondered if the United States was starting to regret overlooking Caufield for the tournament. A week later, Caufield, who is on track to finish the season with 46 goals, added four points (including two goals) in two games, and importantly, he has logged at least 20 minutes on the ice in each of his last three games.
One can think that the U.S. is regretting it more and more… but more importantly, it is motivating Caufield right now. And if it helps him continue to play the great hockey he has been playing for the past month, the Canadiens certainly won’t complain (at all).
In Brief
– Juraj Slafkovský enjoyed his game yesterday.
“I made a couple of plays. Those guys (Nick & Cole) don’t wanna score when I pass them. No, it was better. I was skating a little better. I can still be more physical, skate even more, be better with the puck…but it’s one of (my) better games.
Following the irresistible streak of 12 wins in 17 games by the Canadiens since December 3, coinciding with Laine’s return to play, there is a slight scent of playoffs at the city’s doorstep.
Can such a push, during which the Canadiens play at .705, be maintained until the end of the season?
One might doubt it.
But in any case, the Canadiens won’t need to play at .700 in the second half of the season to qualify for the playoffs. If that were the case, it would result in a 100-point season!
The Blue Jackets, in 8th place, have 44 points in 42 games, a pace of 85 points…
If our resurgent Glorious ones from the last few weeks manage to collect, let’s say, 50 points in the next 41 games (.625), a very realistic estimate based on the team we’ve seen over the last 2 months, they would finish the race with 94 points, which should be enough to qualify in the East.
Indeed, it is by looking at the last 25 games, going back to November 11 – the day of the famous 7-5 victory in Buffalo where the players may have said something like “ enough is enough ” – that we can better establish the probabilities of a little set square in spring at the Bell Centre.
With 33 points out of a possible 52, the Canadiens are playing at .635 in their last 25 games.
A playoff participation is therefore logical considering this strong trend.
Following Kent Hughes’ press conference earlier this week, here are five factors that could further solidify playoff participation for the Tricolore.
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1. A major breakthrough for Kirby Dach
It’s easy to forget, but Kirby Dach had already experienced a breakout before his two major knee injuries. In his first season in the metropolis, he had already become a center capable of producing at a rate of over 50 points in a full season.
Of course, the problem is that Dach has not yet experienced a full season.
But here he is at mid-season, still injury-free (knock on wood), and after a difficult first half for various good and less good reasons (conditioning?), the Albertan has the chance to be reborn and experience another major breakout.
Despite still making too many thoughtless passes, Dach is showing increasing signs that his form is returning. In addition to his four goals and five points in his last six games, he is more often seen with the puck, and his speed seems to have returned, as he is slightly above the NHL average in this area.
Provided that pretty much everyone stays healthy and continues to play up to their potential, a breakthrough from Dach could be THE deciding factor between making and missing the playoffs.
So, no pressure Kirby, but this one is still a bit on you!
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2. A more consistent and confident Slafkovsky
Apart from Dach and Newhook, Slafkovsky is the only other forward (with Newhook, to a lesser extent) whose season has so far left us somewhat wanting. There’s no need to go into too much detail about it.
Kent Hughes has also been very clear on this subject: Slaf can do more.
He needs to redeem himself in the second half, and he knows it. He actually played one of his best games of the season yesterday in Washington.
His production isn’t too bad when he’s paired with Suzuki and Caufield; he regularly dominates along the boards and makes some beautiful passes to his talented teammates, as was the case again yesterday or like here earlier this week:
The Canadiens will need the best from their big Slovak forward as the games become more intense and fiercely contested.
We don’t just want to see flashes here and there; we want to see real full-time Slaf.
And if Slaf has more of a passer identity than a shooter, then let it be so.
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3. A dominant goalie duo
The Canadiens are not yet the kind of team that can regularly win with “ordinary” performances from their goaltenders.
That may come, but… not yet.
Montembeault and Dobes will therefore need to continue delivering performances worthy of the best duos in the NHL if the Canadiens hope to qualify for the playoffs.
Montembeault is solid between the ears and consistent on the ice. He can handle a heavy workload.
But the young Dobes, 23, is hungry and impresses with his temperament and athletic qualities, particularly in his play with his large pads…
The big Czech, 6’4, 215 lbs, shows enormous potential.
Following his three very conclusive starts in the NHL – against three recent Stanley Cup champions, no less – we can expect Dobes to start an average of one game out of three until the end of the schedule… and Monty knows it’s best to be good in the two others, or else it could be more…
Having two performing goaltenders is one heck of a nice problem for any team…
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4. March 7 deadline: Hughes likely to be a buyer
The Canadiens already have 12 picks (!!!) in the upcoming draft and nine more in 2026. Do they really need more?
Let’s say… not really?
And that’s exactly what Kent Hughes hinted at during his press conference.
If he hadn’t returned to the “mix” and was still hoping to draft in the top-5 of the upcoming draft, Hughes would likely have been inclined to trade Dvorak, Savard, or even Evans and Armia, if only to weaken the team further in the short term.
But now it feels like he won’t want to trade these four future unrestricted free agents for scraps. At worst, he will prefer to keep them and see them as his own rental players!
In the same vein, it is also increasingly probable that Hughes and Gorton present themselves as Cartesian buyers by the deadline.
And that’s where it could get very interesting.
Thus, in such a context, without deviating from the long-term plan, if they could make another “similar” trade to those they made to acquire Laine and Carrier, young players with a few years left on their contracts, why not?
Mailloux, Struble, Roy, Mesar, Kapanen, and especially the eight second and third-round picks in the next two drafts then become all potential pieces if the offer is good.
Hughes has also taken care to list all these nice and numerous picks in front of the cameras during his Wednesday press conference…
We would however be very surprised if the two first-round picks of 2025 were put in play by the Canadiens; maybe one in return for a young veteran who could be integrated into HuGo’s overall plan, but not both.
The Tricolore must complete its reconstruction, and these two picks – or what may result from them – must serve to complete the foundations of the reconstruction, leaving virtually no organizational deficiencies in a medium to long-term perspective.
However, if the Canadiens are in the playoff picture and decide to bet on themselves by seeing themselves as a playoff team with a Demidov in the lineup next season, the first pick of 2026 would be much more tempting to trade than those of 2025…
Reminder: In the CH’s video on its last draft (at 7 min 30 sec), when GORTON asks him in an interview if he sees himself as a “ franchise player ”, Demidov, smiling confidently, answers in the affirmative without even hesitating.
In general, “franchise” players have a significant impact from their first season, and it shouldn’t be any different for Demidov.
A nice question from Marc-Antoine Godin during last Wednesday’s press conference: “Kent, what do you see as the most sustainable thing in this team?”
Hughes replied that it was the culture that is being established in the locker room, a culture that all winning clubs possess.
There indeed seems to be a well-embedded “team first” mentality in the words and attitude of the players. This is a factor that is already contributing to the team’s success and may make the difference between the Canadiens and their competitors this season and for those to come…
In short, the upcoming months promise to be exciting.
SAINT PETERSBURG, RUSSIA - 2024/09/23: Ivan Demidov (91) of SKA Hockey Club is seen in action during the hockey match of the Kontinental Hockey League 2024/2025 between SKA Saint Petersburg and Avangard Omsk at the Ice Sports Palace. (Final score: SKA Saint Petersburg 4:1 Avangard Omsk). (Photo by Maksim Konstantinov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
For a few weeks now, Ivan Demidov’s playing time in Russia has been drawing attention for the right reasons. Since the Canadiens’ visit to Russia and Evgeny Kuznetsov’s injury, SKA’s coach, Roman Rotenberg, has been giving a lot of ice time to the kid.
And Demidov is responding by scoring points like crazy. Proof that playing your best players pays off.
In short, instead of talking about the scraps of ice time he was getting at the beginning of the year, we’re discussing his impressive performances on the top line… but today, that has changed.
Following the 5-0 loss suffered by SKA in their last game, it was Demidov who took the hit… as he has been relegated to the third line today.
Rotenberg continues to play yo-yo with the young forward, who wasn’t responsible for the latest loss of the team.
Habs Prospect Ivan Demidov: Update
As anticipated, Coach Rotenberg responded to the team’s struggles in the last game by demoting Demidov from the first line to the third line. However, let’s be clear: Demidov wasn’t the issue. The defensive corps struggled significantly,… pic.twitter.com/WLoc4pdM2T
And during the first 40 minutes of the game, it obviously had a significant impact on his ice time. He did not play at all on the power play, and in the second period, he spent more than seven minutes without stepping on the ice.
Six minutes of ice time in two periods: it had been a while since that number was so low for the Canadiens’ prospect.
Habs Prospect Ivan Demidov Update
In the second period, Ivan Demidov was limited to just 4 shifts, with a total ice time of 3:15. Notably, one of those shifts lasted over 1 minute and 20 seconds.
At one point, he was kept off the ice for more than 7 minutes. Demidov was…
The good news, however, is that in the third period, while his team was down by a goal, Rotenberg decided to give Demidov another chance by bringing him back to the first line.
And after spending 6:01 on the ice during the first 40 minutes of the game, he spent 6:35 in the third period alone… and that’s considering that his team was short-handed for six minutes. One can assume that his ice time could have been even higher.
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Habs prospect Ivan Demidov saw a significant increase in his ice time during the third period, as Head Coach Rotenberg moved him up to the first line.
However, Demidov’s ice time was limited due to a six-minute penalty for SKA. Despite this, he finished the period with 6:35 of… pic.twitter.com/1v4f58jKbD
Demidov did not score any points in this game (it was the second game in a row without points for the young player), and seeing SKA lose a second consecutive game makes one wonder if Demidov will not return to a support line for the next match.
However, seeing the team’s coach turn to Demidov in the third period when his team really needed a goal might be a sign that the coach realizes that playing Demidov is a good way to win games.
Again, we know that ice time does not always go to merit with SKA… but I liked the coach’s reaction in the third period. Let’s see what this will bring for the upcoming matches now.
In Brief
– The Canucks, who face the Maple Leafs tonight, were unable to fly to Toronto last night due to the weather. It will be tough for them tonight.
Hildeby tonight for TOR vs VCR
Canucks are en route from Carolina. Could not leave last night due to icy weather. Tough travel for them
No.1 picks Connor McDavid (0-3—3 in 2 GP) and Connor Bedard (2-2—4 in 2 GP) are set to meet for the third time when the @NHLBlackhawks host the @EdmontonOilers during Hockey Night in Canada.
The Montreal Canadiens will be back in action tonight, but this time at home at the Bell Centre, as the Dallas Stars are in town.
The Habs will try to win their fourth straight game and continue their excellent momentum.
However, it won’t be an easy opponent for the Tricolore, given that the Stars have won their last six games.
Martin St-Louis’s team will really need everyone’s contribution to earn more very important points in the standings.
And what would help St-Louis even more is seeing Patrik Laine and David Savard return to the game tonight.
By the way, in Laine’s case, well, he skated for about 25 minutes this morning at the Bell Centre.
Patrik Laine on the ice this morning at Bell Centre after missing the last four games because of flu-like symptoms. #Habs#HabsIOhttps://t.co/C234zWJwzb
Hopefully, David Savard will also be able to play.
In Brief
– Stay tuned for tonight.
Cutter Gauthier: “I’m not here to please everyone. I’m here to do what’s best for me and do what’s right for my development, and that’s what I’m working towards.”
CLEVELAND, OH - JANUARY 10: Laval Rocket goaltender Cayden Primeau (30) on the ice during the second period of the American Hockey League game between the Laval Rocket and Cleveland Monsters on January 10, 2025, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Last night, with a 3-2 overtime victory against the powerful Washington Capitals, the Montreal Canadiens, Jakub Dobes remained undefeated in his young NHL career.
Indeed, the 23-year-old rookie goaltender secured his third win in as many starts, thus maintaining his perfect career record in the NHL.
Dobes was once again solid and managed to defeat another top-tier team on the road, even though he was nervous.
He notably blanked none other than Alexander Ovechkin, which truly represents a dream come true for Dobes.
In three games, Dobes has allowed only three goals, with just one even-strength goal, which was scored by Lars Eller early in the third period last night.
It’s worth noting that so far, Dobes’ three victories have come against three Stanley Cup champions: the Florida Panthers (2024), the Colorado Avalanche (2022), and the Washington Capitals (2018).
In short, the Czech goaltender seems truly at home in the NHL, and thus in the right seat, just as Cayden Primeau appears to be since he was sent back to Laval.
Dobes is doing well in MTL and Primeau is doing well in Laval.
In short, everyone is in their right place right now.
Indeed, while Dobes was securing his third victory in as many games in the NHL last night, Cayden Primeau was leading the Laval Rocket to a 5-0 win against the Cleveland Monsters.
Primeau recorded a solid shutout with 16 saves, marking two wins in as many games since his return with the Rocket.
The 25-year-old goaltender has allowed only one goal on 43 shots in two games back with the Laval Rocket in the American Hockey League.
Primeau has looked good in his two games, and thus, he seems to be gradually regaining his confidence, as he is in the right seat.
In short, this change of seats among the goaltenders for the Canadiens has proven to be very beneficial, even though it should have been made earlier in the season.
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Dobes would clearly have allowed the Canadiens to earn more valuable points if he had been recalled earlier in the season.
In the end, everyone is in the right place at the moment.
Dobes is playing with great confidence in the NHL (even reminiscent of Carey Price) and allows the Canadiens to earn important points on the road against very good teams.
And Primeau, for his part, is leading the charge in Laval with the Rocket, helping Pascal Vincent’s team stay in the top 3 of its division as they head towards the playoffs in the American Hockey League.
In short, it’s really great to see both goalies perform this way, and it’s encouraging for what’s to come, especially with the potential arrival of Jacob Fowler next season.
We are currently at the midpoint of the third year of the rebuild. After their victory against the Washington Capitals, the Canadiens are currently 20-18-3. Do you think the Canadiens are heading in the right direction?
Tailgate Weekend with @datgregtho, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on…
Many will say that it wasn’t the Caps’ best game, which is true, but in the end, it was the Habs who managed to dominate and leave nothing for Spencer Carbery’s squad.
The Habs players put on an excellent performance and demonstrated great competitiveness in each of their shifts.
In short, Martin St-Louis’s team is playing with a lot of confidence, and it shows.
And this confidence has allowed the Habs to quickly climb the standings over the past few weeks and find themselves well positioned in the playoff race.
This morning, the Canadiens are one point away from the playoffs with a game in hand on the Columbus Blue Jackets, in addition to being just two points behind the Boston Bruins with three fewer games played.
(Credit: NHL.com)
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In short, every game and every point is now very important for the Habs, which forces Martin St-Louis to coach even more to win.
This means that the head coach of the Habs will play his best players as often as possible and will trust the players who deliver good hockey.
Those who do not perform will therefore be punished, as was the case last night with Michael Pezzetta and Jayden Struble.
Indeed, both players were frequently glued to the bench, as evidenced by their combined ice time of 8:14.
St-Louis did not like their game last night and did not trust them, especially considering that they were responsible for three of the four penalties incurred by the Habs.
Pezzetta (3:05 ice time) gave the Caps a power play right at the start of the game, which allowed Jakob Chychrun to score first, and Struble (5:09 ice time) drew two penalties in the game, including one right after Pezzetta’s.
In short, this is the kind of game where St-Louis has no choice but to shorten his bench while waiting for his key players, Patrik Laine and David Savard, to return.
The Habs managed to beat the Caps with 11 forwards and five defensemen, but that won’t work forever, and reinforcements will be needed.
St-Louis will not always be able to get by by rotating players on the second line and giving a different partner to Arber Xhekaj in every shift.
We saw it yesterday, but Xhekaj looked bad on a few plays, especially on the Caps’ second goal. He misses Savard, and it shows.
In short, the Canadiens are managing for now, but they will need reinforcements very soon to avoid this kind of situation again.
In the case of Pezzetta, his career in Montreal is nearing its end, and in Struble’s case, well, at 23, he is still in development, but if he is given so little trust, he may very well end up being surpassed in the hierarchy.
It is also important to note that if the Habs continue to climb the standings and fight for the playoffs, Kent Hughes will have no choice but to seek better depth than Pezzetta and Struble.
If we don’t want to hinder the success of the Laval Rocket by recalling Alex Barré-Boulet and Gustav Lindstrom, for example, well, we will need to seek help via trade.
– It’s a very confident opponent that will face the Habs tonight at the Bell Centre.
#Stars (7-0-1) in last eight games. A few days ago in Philly, Matt Dumba says, In the locker-room, You got that feeling you are gonna win.#NHLpic.twitter.com/wxt7z7BImy
After the team was blown out last game (ending Demidov’s goal streak), SKA has #Habs Ivan Demidov back on the third line today (following his stint on the top line).
Not that line numbering always matters, but we will see how his ice time fares. https://t.co/OmZPqogdQZ
@jic_tvasports pic.twitter.com/QXVJxTM0MN
(@WaveIntel) 
Habs Prospect Ivan Demidov: Update 
Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
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