I am 28 years old. And at my age, I can say this… quite frankly:
Carey Price is the best Canadiens player I’ve ever seen in my life. No doubt about it.
Maybe Nick Suzuki, Ivan Demidov, Lane Hutson or Cole Caufield will surpass Price in my heart at some point in the future. But… for now, in my eyes, Carey is the GOAT.
He’s had a terrific career with some pretty deep pockets ahead of him. And everyone knows that too.
But that doesn’t mean Price will automatically be elected to the Hall of Fame any time soon. He lacks a Stanley Cup, and that’s what hurts some people.
And, in fact, Renaud Lavoie even said(BPM Sports) that we could be waiting a little while to see Price enter the Hall.
Renaud Lavoie is confident in saying that it may only be a matter of time.
And I agree… in the context that Price should receive the same treatment as former Rangers’ Henrik Lundqvist. Reminder: the King was inducted into the Hall of Fame in his very first year of eligibility.
But… in reality, the two guys’ careers are very similar. Price has fewer career victories (361) than the former Ranger (459)… But Carey has won more individual trophies.
Both have a Vézina and an Olympic gold medal, but Price also has a Hart Trophy at home. He won a gold medal at the World Junior Championship… and the Calder Cup.
The arguments are there. We’re talking about one of the best goalies (if not the best) of his generation, and that’s no secret.
So I wonder how long it’ll be before Price enters the Hall of Fame… or how long it’ll be before people realize just how great he is.
Brandon Ingram has been fined $25,000 forcibly throwing his water bottle to the floor while on the bench during the Raptors’ loss to the Sixers. pic.twitter.com/PHuiIspt6N
Jordan Kyrou’s name has been the subject of trade rumours for months now.
The Blues evaluated the possibility of trading him this summer… and with the club’s poor start to the season, the subject is back on the table.
Will he play for another NHL team by the end of the season? That’s the question on everyone’s mind right now.
David Pagnotta, on this subject, may have dampened the spirits of those who want to see Kyrou traded soon. The tipster, on the Hello Hockey podcast, mentioned that the Blues aren’t interested in sending Kyrou elsewhere… at least, not right now.
That could change by the trade deadline, that said. But for now…
David Pagnotta: Re Jordan Kyrou: They don’t wanna trade him, not now anyway, even though they explored that last season – Hello Hockey (11/8)
Kyrou’s case is likely to become even more popular if the Blues continue to be this bad.
But, all in all, it’s relevant to know that the said file is not moving forward at the moment. Unless a club decides to come in with a sensational offer, Kyrou will remain in St. Louis for the time being…
Steven Stamkos and his contract
Steven Stamkos is in the second year (of four) of a contract that pays him $8 million per season.
We all agree: for a guy who scored 27 goals (53 points) last season and has just four points, including one goal, in 17 games so far this campaign… it’s too much.
That’s too much money for a player who’s slowing down at lightning speed.
But Chris Johnston still thinks there’s a chance he could be traded by next March.
Chris Johnston: Re Steven Stamkos: You’re making $8 million bucks, there’s no one knocking down the door at this stage to get that in, but…I think it could be different by March – Chris Johnston Show (11/7)
Ideally, the Preds would have to agree to withhold salary in order to make a deal.
Because there’s NONHL club that has the luxury of having Stamkos’ contract on its books. Especially not a Stanley Cup contender…
That said, I find it hard to believe that Barry Trotz is going to be stubborn at this level for very long. If he can get Stammer’s contract off his books – even if he keeps part of the salary – that might help… because the Stamkos experience in Nashville is truly awful.
I can’t wait to see what happens with the former Lightning captain.
Shane Pinto and Adrian Kempe = same situation
In Los Angeles, Adrian Kempe is a really important player.
And in Ottawa, Shane Pinto is becoming a really important player.
The two guys are in much the same situation: they’re currently playing out the last year of their respective contracts, and they’re likely to get a big pay raise for their next pact.
Kempe earns $5.5 million annually… while Pinto earns $3.75 million.
Here again, their situations are similar, as they are negotiating a contract extension with their team. And there are talks going on right now, according to David Pagnotta:
Contract negotiations between the #GoKingsGo and Adrian Kempe’s camp picked up recently, I’m told. Talks continued going into the weekend, but this one’s still taking its time. https://t.co/amtAomO6Sm
It could just be a matter of time before these two issues are settled.
Because in reality, Kempe and Pinto also want the same thing: they want to stay in their respective cities, and that always helps with contract discussions.
It remains to be seen, however, how much they’ll get in their next deal.
Team Canada has wrapped up its meeting. Went about 9 hours today. GM Doug Armstrong says they’ve cut down their list to somewhere between 35-40 players.
Armstrong invite Steve Yzerman, GM for 2010 and 2014 Olympics, to meet with group today and share his some of his..
But right now, the exact opposite is happening. We’ve seen him get involved in battles after the whistle, we’ve seen him go into traffic to create chances, we’ve seen him have fun in the scrum and we’ve seen him disgust certain opponents…
Renaud Lavoie, who saw Kapanen squabbling with a Mammoth player on Saturday night in front of the Canadiens bench, summed it up this morning in his column on BPM Sports: Kapanen is turning his reputation around.
He’s really becoming a no-nonsense guy. And it’s always nice to hear comments like that.
Personally, I have the feeling that the kid is starting to feel really confident.
And that’s normal, after all. Things have been going well for him on the ice since the start of practice camp, because he’s doing things the right way. We rarely see him get his team into trouble, because he makes the right decisions, and it’s clear that his success offensively can help him gain confidence.
We’re talking about the NHL’s top rookie scorer right now…
So much the better, if Oliver Kapanen has that element in him.
He’s proving to everyone that he can play with a lot of intensity… and we know that in the playoffs, it’s important for a player to understand these aspects of the game.
I can’t wait to see how he responds when the Canadiens are in the playoffs…
Overtime
– Coming up.
Bill Guerin and Team USA management group meeting here today in Toronto which makes sense given NHL GMs meeting goes tomorrow. As previously stated, Team Canada brain trust meeting as we speak right now
BREAKING: More rough #Sabres news: Jiri Kulich out longterm with a blood clot issue. Ruff hopeful he returns this season. Zucker has severe viral issue and still not feeling well. No timetable for him.
#CBJ fighting illness in Edmonton. A handful of forwards weren’t on the ice for morning skate.
Dean Evason laughed when asked if there will be any lineup changes tonight: “Yeah, there will be a few.” But they still don’t know exactly who’s in and out.
He’s racking up points at a really interesting rate (eight goals and nine assists in 12 games) and that’s helping him progress on the ice. You can feel his confidence right now, and that’s what you want to see from a prospect like him.
But there are still aspects of his game that need to be worked on if he’s to be (really) good in the National League.
His coach, Brandon Naurato, told Marco D’Amico(RG Media): Hage needs to find a way to be more intense when he plays center. He needs to be more aggressive in his zone entries and he needs to drive to the net when the opportunity presents itself.
Hage loves it, playing on the periphery. And while it’s not a fault, adding aggression to his game can only help:
To be an effective center, he needs to play with intensity and be tough to deal with when matches tighten up and open spaces become scarcer. – Brandon Naurato
#GoHabsGo Michael Hage has been playing wing of late, but Michigan head coach Brandon Naurato has a plan.
In this interview, he breaks down his vision for Hage, the chemistry between Hage and Horcoff and Max Pacioretty’s impact at Michigan.
At certain levels, Hage will also need to be able to better restrain his emotions.
Because there’s a sequence that’s been doing the rounds on social networks, in which he’s seen shouting abuse at a player from the other team while he’s in the penalty box with one of his teammates.
The person in charge of opening the door even had to intervene to tell him that enough was enough:
Michael Hage is a good hockey player and has the potential to become an important member of the Canadiens lineup.
But clearly, there’s some fine-tuning to be done here and there – which is to be expected of a 19-year-old. And we’ll have a better idea of what he needs to work on to be effective in the NHL when he makes the jump to the pros.
For now, it’s good to see him dominating offensively and racking up the points he’s been doing all season.
Overtime
– Absolutely.
“The legs on these guys…They’re built like fricken animals.”
Hockey players come in all different sizes but one thing’s the same..they all have MASSIVE legs. pic.twitter.com/xxqvCIvL3v
The Toronto Maple Leafs player was traded to the AHL last month. After a few years in the NHL, he obviously didn’t take it well.
He played a few games down under, but recently left (temporarily or not) the Marlies. As a result, he was suspended by the Maple Leafs, without pay. #Logic
Report: Leafs suspend David Kampf for leaving AHL team
His salary of $2.4M per year until July 1, 2027 isn’t exactly appealing for a player who struggles to keep up with the parade and is a problem.
At that price, nobody wants him. This complicates a potential transaction, since despite a potential salary restraint, his contract is a bit imposing to take for what it is.
But that didn’t stop Chris Johnston, in a recent podcast, from saying that the Canadiens could benefit from his talents as a left-handed player who is good in the face-off circle.
Obviously, the Maple Leafs would rather trade him than keep Kampf. He could also be released outright, but it’s doubtful it would go that far since the player would be leaving money on the table.
Kampf may be 6’2, 30 years old and capable of playing short-handed, but there’s a reason why he played so little in the 2025 playoffs.
(Credit: Hockey DB)
If the guy were ever to be released, that would be one thing. But until then, I don’t see why the Canadiens would go after this guy for center depth.
And even at minimum salary if signed as a free agent, I’m not sure I’d see the fit.
– François Gagnon is touched by the tribute paid to him.
Felicitations, @GagnonFrancois, as he accepts the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award.
“I love this game so much. I love my job so much. And I love all of my colleagues and friends so much. My friends, there are no words strong enough for the honour that you offer me today.” pic.twitter.com/VrU1ku30Zs
Canadiens weekly notebook is out! On Kirby Dach’s improved perspective, Martin St. Louis on his need to improve managing his bench, the value of a veteran voice on a young team, an outside perspective on Kaiden Guhle: https://t.co/btCuwWl1rX
A captain protects his young players. Not the other way around. Following the Philadelphia Flyers’ 3-2 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night, Sean Couturier surprised everyone by criticizing his young teammate Matvei Michkov in front of the media.
The young Russian had scored a big goal to get the Flyers back into the game. But instead of congratulating him, the captain chose to point out what he felt were shortcomings in his game.
“He’s a very talented player, but he needs to find other ways to help the team win when he’s not scoring.” – Sean Couturier
The tone was calm, but the message was clear. Too clear, some would say. Because a captain normally keeps such comments to himself, especially when the youngster in question has just had a good game.
On social networks, reactions were swift and clear-cut.
“A captain doesn’t talk about a teammate like that. Michkov got them back in the game yesterday. Couturier, on the other hand, caused the offside in overtime. Zero responsibility.” – getPucksDeeeeeeep
a captain doesn’t talk about a teammate like this. i’m sorry. Michkov got them BACK in the game yesterday. this guy blew an offsides in OT that hurt his team. zero accountability. he’s a holdover from a bad culture. pic.twitter.com/S2kl0RrosZ
And that’s where it gets tricky. Not only did Couturier publicly criticize a 20-year-old player, but he himself made the blunder that led to the tiebreaker. It’s hard to set an example under these conditions.
This kind of outburst may seem trivial, but in a locker room full of young players like the Flyers’, the impact is enormous. Youngsters like Matvei Michkov, Tyson Foerster and Bobby Brink watch everything. And when the captain takes the liberty of blaming a teammate in front of the cameras, it sends the wrong message: that you’re protecting your image before that of the group.
Sean Couturier’s mission was to embody the stability and new culture advocated by general manager Daniel Brière. But this statement scratches that image.
For several years now, the Flyers have been trying to shake off their reputation as a disjointed team with unclear leadership. If this kind of attitude is repeated, it will be difficult to establish a culture based on cohesion and collective responsibility. The dressing room needs a unifying captain, not a leader who points the finger when things go wrong.
This kind of message can make young players want to join the Flyers organization, just as Cutter Gauthier did. Gauthier already has 18 points this season. A statement like this can leave its mark and undermine the confidence of a young talent like Michkov for a long time to come.
A captain doesn’t have to be perfect. But he does need to know when to keep his mouth shut. And last night, Sean Couturier forgot that role.
overtime
– All the new Hall of Famers are at the Maple Leafs’ pre-game ceremony against the Hurricanes.
It’s what we call a perfect scenario for attracting the spotlight. Weeks after being traded by the Montreal Canadiens to the St. Louis Blues, Logan Mailloux will play his first AHL game since changing addresses… and it will be against his former team, the Laval Rocket.
The game will take place on Wednesday morning at 10:35 a.m. in Springfield, on the occasion of Remembrance Day. A special atmosphere, an unusual time of day, and a well-known opponent. Everything is in place for an emotional morning.
Anthony Marcotte confirmed the news on X:
And guess against whom Mailloux will play his first game with the Thunderbirds?
The Laval Rocket, Wednesday morning at 10:35 a.m. in Springfield on the occasion of Remembrance Day. You can’t make this stuff up! https://t.co/q8I4HwLiPK
But let’s be frank: if Mailloux was sold to Springfield, it wasn’t because of a development strategy. It’s because his start to the season in St. Louis was so difficult. In nine games with the Blues, the young defenseman failed to pick up a single point and posted a minus-12 rating. Not ideal for a player who hoped to establish himself full-time in the NHL as an offensive defenseman.
His game lacked confidence, and the Blues’ staff felt that a stint in the AHL might allow him to catch his breath. In Springfield, he’ll find a more prominent role, regular ice time and, above all, a chance to rebuild his confidence with the puck.
For the former Rocket defenseman, this game is more than just a rematch, but an opportunity to prove that he still belongs in the Blues’ plans. Every appearance on the ice will count, and a solid performance against Laval could well revive his case in the eyes of St. Louis management. After an up-and-down start, he absolutely must show that he can bounce back.
Ironically, his first game comes against the Rocket, his former team. Logan Mailloux knows the guys in the other locker room, the structure of the game, and even the finer points of the Canadiens’ club-school style. This will be a good way to measure himself against what he knows best.
Remember that in Laval, he had a great season last year, collecting 33 points in 63 games, while establishing himself as an offensive pillar on the blue line. If he can rediscover this level of play with Springfield, the Blues may well give him another chance later this season.
In short, all eyes will be on Springfield on Wednesday morning. Logan Mailloux will have the chance to relaunch his career against the team that helped shape him.
Only four teams have scored more goals than the Canadiens so far this campaign: Colorado, Anaheim, Carolina and Toronto. Martin St-Louis wanted to see his boys start the season on the right foot… and that’s what he’s getting.
In short, all is well in Montreal right now. But you know as well as I do that there are always things to improve… scenarios to watch out for.
1. The Canadiens aren’t getting enough shots on net
Last week, the Montrealers took only 20, 19 and 23 shots in each of their three games, two of which were played at home in downtown Montreal.
How does our club compare with the rest of the NHL? Only the Flyers have taken fewer shots on net than the Habs so far this season. And that’s just one shot difference..
(Credit: NHL.com)
Are the Habs players so good that they can afford to always look for the perfect play? The answer is no; they need to shoot more.
Martin St-Louis will have to find a way of convincing his players to take more shots on goal, because if they don’t, the law of numbers will eventually catch up with his team and they’ll start racking up games of 0, 1 or 2 goals for. And it’s hard to win games in this league with so few goals..
The problem? The condensed calendar has the effect of reducing the number of sessions a coach has to teach things once the campaign has begun…
2. Quality of opponents to be raised in coming weeks
The Habs have played 15 games so far in 2025-26. Of those 15 games, eight have been against teams that wouldn’t make the playoffs if they started today. What’s more, they’ve faced teams 7 and 8 from the West and 8 from the East.
3. Samuel Montembeault will have to be better and more consistent
Everyone was happy to see Montembeault bounce back and allow only two short-handed goals to the Mammoth on Saturday at the Bell Centre. We’d all rather see him receive real, heartfelt applause than derisive claps.
However, even if the saying goes that in sport, you’re only as good as your last game, Samuel Montembeault will have to be better.
If we dig a little deeper, Monty is the starting goalie who has given away the most lizards since the start of the campaign. For every 60 minutes Montembeault is in front of the net, he allows one more goal than he should. In the long run, this inevitably costs the team points. It’s up to him to build on Saturday’s game and bounce back.
Starting goalies ranked by Goals Saved Above Expected per 60 at even strength: pic.twitter.com/c3QBHV6B4F
4. Oliver Kapanen is not a true second center
Yes, Oliver Kapanen and Alex Newhook complement Ivan Demidov well right now. Demidov is the leading scorer and passer among all NHL rookies in 2025-26
Yes, Oliver Kapanen is the top scorer of all players in their rookie season…
He’s also the Habs’ second-highest scorer behind a certain Cole Caufield..
But you’re not going to convince me that Kapanen is the perfect center to play with Ivan Demidov. Just like you won’t convince me that no winger in the NHL would do better than Alex Newhook alongside him.
Except that, in my opinion, Alex Newhook – unlike Oliver Kapanen – could stay alongside Demidov for the entire season without hurting the team too much. He has the experience and intelligence to tuff alongside Demidov.
As for Kapanen, he’s not a bad player… but right now, he’s playing above his head. A bit like Jake Evans did last year in the weeks leading up to his new contract; he was scoring more goals than normal.
No, Kapanen won’t be nominated for a Calder Trophy, and no, he won’t have a major role with Team Finland at the Olympics – he probably won’t even make the team – but no, he’s not AHL-caliber, as one member of the Québécois media fraternity suggested a few weeks ago (based on Kapanen’s advanced stats ).
Kapanen is a good hockey player who needs to play on the bottom six, with more normal players. Not with Ivan Demidov!
I can’t wait for the arrival of a true second center to solve several of Montreal’s little problems.
Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Oliver Kapanen, Lane Hutson and development coach Adam Nicholas had a great time after practice at Jakub Dobes’ expense.
Bergevin, who has been an assistant GM in Los Angeles since 2022, will therefore (as far as we know) be able to lead a club for the first time since leaving Montreal in 2021.
This does not prevent him from doing his job in L.A. at the same time.
Does this mean that on the heels of his new role, Bergevin will have to talk to the big bad media, something he’s done very little of in over three years? History doesn’t tell.
But it’s nice to see that he’ll be able to play such a role, even if it’s not on the heels of the most listened-to tournament of the lot.
Marc Bergevin is trying to find a job in the NHL as GM of a team. He tried to get the job in New York (with the Islanders) this summer.
But in the end, Mathieu Darche was named.
“For my first GM job, it’s a pretty nice way to start by getting a first overall pick in a year where you can pick a Matthew Schaefer.”@NYIslanders GM Mathieu Darche’s first draft pick is one of the NHL’s brightest young stars! pic.twitter.com/3TgHFSTWrv
Bergevin has had a few interviews in recent years and his name has been bandied about, but to no avail. Even his current club chose an outside guy instead. #KenHolland
It remains to be seen if he’ll ever get his chance.
overtime
– Interesting.
Samuel Montembeault seemed more confident in front of his net during practice this morning.
Ever since he blocked a shot with his foot recently in overtime, we’ve sensed that he’s playing banged up. We feel he can’t give as much on the ice. #It’sGone
And now, this morning, he’s unable to practice.
Forward Nick Suzuki will not participate in today’s practice (treatment day).
Forward Nick Suzuki will not participate in today’s practice (therapy day).
It’s the second time in less than a week that he’s had to miss practice because of (obviously) his sore foot. That means it really hurts.
Will he play tomorrow? Until we have proof to the contrary, we have to think that yes, he should play. But who knows.
The Canadiens might as well give him the time he needs to get healthy. Because the last thing the club needs is a Suzuki who’s been nursing an injury for too long.
@fxbenard919 @datgregtho pic.twitter.com/13mTYjvw2N
https://t.co/B0BOF1aeRY
! QUÉ JOYA
! Aún seguimos sin creer que David Rodríguez
haya puesto a la #CPL
en el mapa futbolero ayer en la Final con esta PINTURA!
! ¡La @CPLsoccer lo logró
Golazo Canadá
https://t.co/HDn8wxTksJ
https://t.co 
