It is hard to fault him for anything since the start of the campaign.
The one nicknamed “Tit-Cole” in Montreal is sitting in 9th place among the NHL’s top scorers, but it goes even further than that.
Caufield is also the best in the category of goals scored away from home (15).
He stands ahead of guys like Leon Draisaitl, Sam Reinhart, and Alex Ovechkin in this regard:
(Credit: )
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There was a comment that came up often during Caufield’s early years in the NHL.
Cole Caufield is good… But we primarily talk about a guy useful on the power play!
Now, what is really interesting is to see the sniper scoring goals at even strength as well.
He has seven goals scored with the man advantage, but he also has 14 at five-on-five. That’s good.
His game is more developed (good news for the Canadiens) and he has also found a way to be more consistent this season. He has 36 points in 39 games, placing him 2nd among the Canadiens’ top scorers behind Nick Suzuki.
In all this, we must wonder if the U.S. officials regret the decision not to select him for the Four Nations Tournament.
We know that his small stature is probably one of the reasons behind that decision… But a goal scorer remains a goal scorer, regardless of size.
And Caufield is proving that recently.
In brief
– Oops!
The 1/1 ultra-rare Morgan Rielly/Bobby McMann edition
Juraj Slafkovsky has collected six points in his last nine games.
On paper, it would be easy to say that this is a relatively respectable production.
But even if he is scoring points, that doesn’t mean he is playing his best hockey of his career. Far from it, in fact…
The big forward was not playing the right way last night in Colorado and Martin St-Louis got fed up. He sent him a message by limiting his ice time in the 3rd period, so much so that Slaf was one of the least used forwards on the team.
He finished the game with 13 minutes and 25 seconds on the ice: only Brendan Gallagher (12:17), Emil Heineman (9:56), and Michael Pezzetta (4:32) played less than him.
And after the game, it was clear to see that Slaf was angry about the result even though his team had won:
Is it a bad thing to see him replace his smile with frustration?
In my eyes, not necessarily. It shows that he wants to give more and that it matters to him.
Martin St-Louis said after the game that the difference right now with the team is that the guys are hungry. The fact that the Canadiens are just one point away from the playoffs at the time of writing is a good proof of that.
But we know what the problem with Slaf has been lately: he doesn’t always look like a guy who is hungry on the ice.
When we see him dragging his skates and playing softly, it doesn’t match the energy of the rest of the team.
The Montreal Canadiens truly surprised everyone last night by defeating the Colorado Avalanche.
Almost nobody expected the Habs to come away with at least a point, let alone play a close game.
In fact, I tell you, when I sat down to watch the game with my dad, we looked at each other saying it would be a tough match and that we would likely lose by several goals.
But in the end, the Canadiens found a way to not only play a close game against one of the best teams in the NHL, but also to secure two very big points at altitude.
And those two points, well, they are largely credited to Jakub Dobes.
The rookie goalie was sensational, saving 22 of the 23 shots directed at him, making several crucial stops.
Nothin’ to see here folks.. It’s just Jakub Dobes winning his 2nd career NHL game while lookin’ like a brick wall. #GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/PyXXcfzsxC
He brings a breath of fresh air to the locker room, and above all, he helps Samuel Montembeault by being a solid backup goalie, something Cayden Primeau never managed to do.
Even though Primeau won his first game back in Laval, the American goalie might be waiting a long time before he gets back to the NHL if Dobes continues to perform like this.
The Czech goalie ultimately brings stability and consistency to the backup goalie position, and if this continues, Primeau will remain in Laval for good.
Dobes was so solid and confident last night that many are starting to wonder if Martin St. Louis might give him the start on Monday at the Bell Centre against the Vancouver Canucks.
If I was Martin St. Louis I’d think seriously about starting Jakub Dobes in goal again Monday night at Bell Centre against Vancouver Canucks. #Habs#HabsIO
It would be a nice reward and a great gift to give Dobes his first game at the Bell Centre while he has the wind at his back.
In short, with a back-to-back on Friday (against the Capitals in Washington) and Saturday (against the Dallas Stars at the Bell Centre), Dobes will surely get a third career start this week.
In Brief
– A very nice victory for the Laval Rocket last night.
Since the Montreal Canadiens’ management visited Ivan Demidov in Russia, the CH prospect has been simply unstoppable.
Indeed, since the visit from Kent Hughes, Nick Brobov, and Vincent Lecavalier to SKA St. Petersburg, Demidov has scored at least one goal in each of his games.
This also coincides with the fact that Roman Rotenberg, the head coach of SKA, has promoted Ivan Demidov to the top-6, even on the first line.
Once again today, Demidov finds himself on the first line of SKA, as St. Petersburg faces Vityaz Moscow Oblast, one of the worst teams in the KHL.
ALERT Habs Prospects Ivan Demidov
He is playing on the 1st line again today:
Demidov last 5 games
6 Goals
3 Assists
9 Points
+7
TOI 12:49#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/XRBMbnWRXn
And let’s say that Demidov has not wasted any time to showcase his talent and continued his excellent streak, as he scored a goal in his sixth consecutive game.
The CH prospect made a very good shot to score his 13th goal of the season.
Jakub Dobes is off to a blazing start in the NHL with two wins and only one goal allowed in two games. Does he deserve the start against the Canucks at the Bell Centre on Monday night?
Today is a travel day for the #Habs as the team will fly home from Colorado.
Montreal’s opponent for tomorrow – the #Canucks – will have a practice in Brossard this afternoon.
According to Venezuelan journalist Mario Alberto Sánchez, Josef Martínez may continue his career in Argentina.
Racing Club is reportedly in discussions to welcome him, as their president, former international Gabriel Milito, prepares his… pic.twitter.com/s0mLfn2ipI
If I were to ask you what the best revelation this season for the Montreal Canadiens is, you would probably hesitate between two players: Emil Heineman and Jake Evans.
Both players are having an excellent season and making the Canadiens’ fourth line one of the best in the entire NHL alongside Joel Armia.
And this success is largely due to the emergence of Jake Evans, who is currently having the best season of his career.
The 28-year-old center is simply unrecognizable this season, producing offensively at a pace of just under 50 points, which would shatter his best mark of 29 points.
Evans is one of the best players on the Canadiens this season, and he is especially one of the most useful players to the team in all departments.
In short, number 71 for the Canadiens is emerging as a key piece for the team, coinciding with the last year of his contract.
And to that end, for those who are worried, Jake Evans has stated that he wants to continue his career with the Montreal Canadiens.
@renlavoietva says on TVA Sports during the game against Colorado that he spoke with Jake Evans before the game in Chicago and Evans told him he wants to be clear, he wants to continue his career in Montreal. Renaud also mentions the team wants to keep him #GoHabsGo
Indeed, this is what Renaud Lavoie stated last night during the first period, as he explained he spoke to Evans before the game against the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday.
Evans then told Renaud Lavoie that he wished to continue with the Canadiens beyond the current season, and therefore, he wanted to sign a new contract in Montreal.
This is very big news given that we were all beginning to question Evans, wondering whether he would want to maximize his earnings on the free agent market, or if he truly wanted to stay in Montreal.
With this statement, we can believe that an agreement could very well be reached between Evans and the Canadiens, unless Kent Hughes decides to trade Evans at the trade deadline if he receives an offer that he simply cannot refuse.
However, if the Canadiens remain in the mix as they are currently, fighting for a playoff spot, Hughes may decide to keep Evans and re-sign him even before the trade deadline.
If the Canadiens are in the race, they will want to remain competitive, and thus they will retain Evans.
As for the amount of a potential next contract for Evans, Renaud Lavoie believes that something around $3 million per year would be expected, for at least three years.
In short, this is a story to keep a close eye on, but this news is very positive for Canadiens fans.
In Brief
– It was indeed a loss to expect because of the schedule last night, but the Canadiens still won.
It was a shocker. The Canadiens did it again. It was “scheduled loss” night and they still won.
Captain Ryan Leonard, forward Danny Nelson, and defenseman Cole Hutson were named @usahockey‘s three best players of the tournament. Cole Hutson’s brother, Lane, was one of Team USA’s 3 best in last year’s tournament.
In the last days and weeks, the Montreal Canadiens have provided us with simply impressive performances.
We see a club that is tenacious, determined, and especially confident in its abilities.
It had been a long time since the Canadiens generated so much excitement and enthusiasm among their fans, and with the recent sequence of games, we have just experienced some very beautiful emotions.
The most impressive part of all this is that the majority of this sequence was done away from home, and therefore far from Montreal, through a grueling trip.
This trip concluded last night against the Colorado Avalanche, and against all odds, the Canadiens managed to finish their journey with a surprising 2-1 victory in a shootout.
The CH thus earned eight points out of a possible ten during its five-game trip after Christmas, against very good teams.
And not only are they good teams, but they are recent former Stanley Cup champions.
In fact, the Canadiens just defeated the last four Stanley Cup champions within the span of five games.
The Montreal Canadiens have defeated the last four Stanley Cup champions and lost to the last place team in the NHL in the last 5 games
Throughout these five games, the only defeat for the CH came against the worst team in the NHL, which is really a classic for the Canadiens, winning against good teams and losing to bad ones.
Post-Christmas trip:
December 28: 4-0 victory against the Florida Panthers – 2024 Champions
December 29: 5-2 victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning – 2020 and 2021 Champions
December 31: 3-2 victory against the Vegas Golden Knights – 2023 Champions
January 3: Loss against the Chicago Blackhawks – 32nd NHL team
January 4: 2-1 victory against the Colorado Avalanche – 2022 Champions
In short, the CH has just experienced its best run of the season, visiting the champions of the last five seasons.
This is impressive and truly very encouraging for the future, both for the players and the fans.
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It is clear that there is enormous confidence reigning in the locker room as they return home following this sequence.
Moreover, if we extend this sequence until December 17, we realize that the Canadiens have the best record in the entire NHL.
In short, the CH has really provided us with excellent performances lately, and it is truly promising for what lies ahead, especially considering that Martin St-Louis’s team is really back in the mix.
Indeed, Montreal is just one little point behind the Ottawa Senators and the last playoff spot.
In Brief
– Indeed.
It’s clear now, after winning 10 of their last 15 games, that the Canadiens took a step back to take two forward, and it’s given them something so much more valuable than just two points in the standings. (@EricEngels) https://t.co/0zu5N8Zwsl
ALERT Habs Prospects Ivan Demidov
He is playing on the 1st line again today:
Demidov last 5 games
6 Goals
3 Assists
9 Points
+7
TOI 12:49#GoHabsGopic.twitter.com/XRBMbnWRXn
John Tortorella on Matvei Michkov on being receptive with helping him learning to play in the NHL:
«He’s fantastic. The biggest compliment is to call a player, a hockey player. He loves playing. The only maintenance we have with him is the language barrier.»#Flyers
With this goal, Ovechkin is now just 23 goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record.
23 goals in 43 games is more than achievable for the Caps’ number 8.
As for the Rangers, well, their downward spiral continues, as they are currently five points out of the playoffs with a record of 17-20-1.
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4. Sean Monahan has 15 points in his last eight games
The Columbus Blue Jackets are on fire right now in the NHL, and it’s mainly the work of one line.
Indeed, Sean Monahan, Dmitri Voronkov, and Kirill Marchenko are simply dominant in every one of their appearances, which explains why they are accumulating points so easily in recent games.
If we take Monahan’s case alone, well, the former Canadiens player has 15 points in his last eight games,
and he recorded three assists last night in a 6 to 4 victory for the Blue Jackets over the St. Louis Blues.
Power play goal for Columbus!
Scored by Kirill Marchenko with 17:45 remaining in the 2nd period.
This brings him to 40 points in 40 games, as Monahan could very well be heading towards the best season of his career.
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5. Joel Edmundson leaves the game after a very bad fall on the ice
We’re moving on to another former Canadiens player, but this time, for less positive news, as Joel Edmundson was injured in a 2 to 1 victory for the Los Angeles Kings over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
In fact, Edmundson had to leave the game temporarily after falling heavily and dangerously on his head and neck.
Scary scene in LA as Joel Edmundson collides with Zemgus Girgensons while jumping to catch a pass and lands awkwardly on his neck 🫣
Without Patrick Laine and David Savard, the CH faced the music.
Montreal was undisciplined in the first period.
From the very start, Mikko Rantanen completed a play from Nathan MacKinnon to open the scoring. It was the first goal allowed by Dobes in his NHL career.
Mikko Rantanen nets his 100th career power play goal!
With just under two minutes left in the game, the CH took a bad penalty. Colorado was unable to take advantage of it, neither in regulation nor in overtime.
Heading to shootouts, which favored Martin St-Louis’s squad.
Final score: 2-1 Canadiens
The Canadiens, who earned 8 points out of a possible 10 on the road, will return to action on Monday against the Vancouver Canucks. They will finally be back home.
– Apparently, Jake Evans would like to stay in Montreal. He wouldn’t say otherwise, but still.
@renlavoietva says on TVA Sports during the game against Colorado that he spoke with Jake Evans before the game in Chicago and Evans told him he wants to be clear, he wants to continue his career in Montreal. Renaud also mentions the team wants to keep him #GoHabsGo
ST. PAUL, MN - APRIL 13: Boston College Eagles goaltender Jacob Fowler (1) skates on the ice before the men's Frozen Four championship game between the Boston College Eagles and the Denver Pioneers on April 13th, 2024, in St. Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Canadiens are doing well right now, and if this is a preview of the future of the team, we are in good shape.
Especially with Patrik Laine and Alexandre Carrier, the club makes much more sense. Imagine when Michael Hage, Ivan Demidov, and other quality prospects are in the Montreal lineup.
Despite the many young players pushing through the organization, Pierre McGuire believes only four are untouchable: Ivan Demidov, Jacob Fowler, Owen Beck, and Logan Mailloux.
Should the #GoHabsGo be buyers or sellers at the deadline?
— The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro (@thesickpodcasts) January 4, 2025
In the case of Demidov and Fowler, I can understand why they would be untouchable.
But Mailloux and Beck? I’m not so sure.
The right-handed defenseman isn’t necessarily having a great second professional season, and if he plays in Montreal one day, it will be in a third-pair role, which could help out in the top-4 from time to time. But with Lane Hutson, Kaiden Guhle, and David Reinbacher, he is dedicated to a more defensive role, despite the fact that he is primarily an offensive defenseman.
Simon Boisvert has said several times: the CH should trade him while he still has some value.
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In Owen Beck’s case, he is a quality prospect, but a bit like Jake Evans, he is dedicated to a bottom-9 role. I know teams need players like Beck, but to say he is untouchable is a bit much, in my opinion.
But for Demidov and Fowler, McGuire is not wrong. I wouldn’t trade the Russian for many players in the NHL… And Fowler is the team’s future goaltender: he can’t be traded for just anything.
Personally, the term “untouchable” shouldn’t exist, because with the right deal, you can always say “yes” to a trade… Connor McDavid may be untouchable in Edmonton, but if Montreal were to offer Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Jacob Fowler, and Lane Hutson, I don’t think Stan Bowman would say no.
And Wayne Gretzky, the greatest player of all time, once changed addresses.
In Brief
– Finland will face the winner between the United States and the Czech Republic. Sweden will face the loser of the semifinal match.
ALERT
(@CheeringTheLogo) 
(@SadClubCommish) 
