Author: Dose

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Freshly recalled, Kirby Dach’s brother will make his NHL debut against the Canadiens.

In Montreal, Kirby Dach has been well-known for a few years now. The forward, who started his career with the Blackhawks, was traded to the Canadiens on draft night in 2022.

It was Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton’s first draft… and they put on quite a show.

However, what some may not know is that Dach has a younger brother who also plays hockey. And like the Xhekaj brothers in Montreal, the Blackhawks had brought the Dach brothers together back then, selecting Colton in the 2021 draft.

Kirby was traded a year later… but Colton has continued to make waves in the organization… and today, the Hawks announced that he has been recalled to join the big club.

He will therefore make his NHL debut tomorrow night… and this will happen while Kirby is in town.

Of course, it’s pretty cool to be able to face your brother in your very first NHL game. This must have made Colton happy, but I imagine it also brought joy to Kirby, who will have the chance to share the moment with his younger brother.

The two guys actually had dinner together yesterday… and we can think that Colton possibly shared the news with Kirby at that moment.

So it’s a beautiful story for the family, and for the occasion, dad Dach will be in the stands, but their mother and sister won’t be there. Both are in Europe, so they won’t be able to attend.

At least, dad will be there… and Colton is confident that his mother and sister will find a way to watch the game.

For those who are not as familiar with Colton Dach, we’re talking about a guy who, even though he is lighter than his brother, plays like a true power forward. He is unafraid to attack the net and combines great physical strength with very nice skating skills.

In 30 games in the AHL this season, the young 21-year-old winger has registered 12 goals and 25 points.

At his team’s practice today, Colton was on the second line and part of the second power play unit. Basically, he is pretty much already in the same position as his brother…

So we’ll see what Colton can do against the Canadiens tomorrow, but having the opportunity to make your debut in the show while facing your brother is something that must be special for him (and for the brother, of course).

Because I have this strange feeling that it’s a childhood dream coming true for the Dach brothers.

In Brief

– I personally like the second name.

– Gabriel Landeskog skated with his teammates this morning.

– The Latvians aren’t giving up.

– The waiver wire of the day.

– Two recalls to Nashville.

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David Savard left before the end of the training | Samuel Montembeault will play tomorrow

NEWARK, NJ - NOVEMBER 07: David Savard #58 of the Montreal Canadiens skates during the game against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on November 7, 2024, in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Graessle/NHLI via Getty Images)

After spending yesterday away from the ice, Martin St-Louis’ men jumped onto the rink in Chicago today. The goal? To prepare for tomorrow’s game against the Blackhawks.

What we need to note, right off the bat, is that according to Renaud Lavoie, defender David Savard left his team’s practice.

We do not know exactly what the reason is, but it is logical to think that it is not just because he needed to go to the restroom, if you know what I mean.

Logically, the two most probable reasons are as follows: he has either been traded or he got hurt.

Since Savard sometimes takes days off for treatments, he has not been healthy for all of the CH’s games and the trade market is slow, we might think he is injured somewhere.

Obviously, it is still early to talk about this, but we have to ask if he will be able to face the Hawks tomorrow night. This is a question that arises, given the circumstances.

If he cannot play, there is Jayden Struble who is patiently waiting for his turn.

We must also note that the Canadiens announced that it will be Samuel Montembeault who will play against the Blackhawks tomorrow. And in my opinion, this is still a surprise.

I thought that the time was well chosen to give one to Jakub Dobes.

If Dobes is called to play Saturday, I wonder why the opposite was not done. And if Montembeault has to play Saturday, I wonder what that means for the future.

In any case, I am surprised at the moment. Dobes in Chicago made sense.

In a nutshell

– A race to follow.

– He’s good, that one.

– To watch closely.

– When will a significant contract happen for the Blue Jays?

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Let’s play the coach: let’s determine which goalkeeper will play at which time.

Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images

The next few weeks won’t be easy for the Canadiens. Up until the Super Bowl, the Canadiens’ schedule won’t be a walk in the park.

Samuel Montembeault and Jakub Dobes will need to stay alert to keep the Canadiens #InTheMix for the upcoming challenges. But we have to wonder who will play when.

After all, now that Cayden Primeau is down, the #2 goalie may play a bit more often.

It’s important to remember that Monty is the #1 goalie for the team and we shouldn’t overwork him. We should also keep in mind that he won’t have a break in February, as he will go to the Four Nations Tournament.

And most importantly, we need to remember that Dobes will have to play to avoid warming the bench, but he also needs to be placed in good conditions to help the team win.

That’s several elements to keep an eye on.

Dobes, who needs to play at least once a week, should play tomorrow’s game, in my opinion. A back-to-back in Chicago and Denver awaits the team, and Monty is a logical candidate for Saturday.

(Credit: NHL.com)

On January 6, it should be Montembeault. After that, we will have to wait until January 10 and 11 to see a doubleheader: Friday in Washington and Saturday against the Stars at home.

I would be surprised if Montembeault doesn’t play at home on Saturday night, January 11.

After that, it gets a little more complicated. After all, there will only be one other doubleheader before the end of January: January 18 and 19, at the Bell Centre.

Expect, if everyone is healthy, to see the Quebecer play against the best team on Saturday night, in a duel between two rivals… and to see Dobes against the struggling Rangers the next day.

But otherwise?

A first more complicated decision will come just before the doubleheader, during the short trip to Salt Lake City and Dallas. Will Dobes get the match against Utah HC? Will both matches go to the starter? I would give one to Dobes, considering the travel.

(Credit: NHL.com)

On January 21, 23, and 25, there will be three matches, including one on the road against Detroit on Thursday. It makes sense to think that this match will be the one Dobes has during the week.

Jets and Wild at home before heading to California with no game on Saturday night? I give the Jets to Montembeault and the Wild to Dobes.

After that, I start by giving the match in Anaheim to Montembeault before splitting the matches in San Jose and Los Angeles between the two guys. Probably I would go with Dobes against the Sharks.

And finally, the Devils and the Lightning in the afternoon at home during the Super Bowl weekend? That would be split in two, surely giving Monty a break on Sunday before the Four Nations.

(Credit: NHL.com)

Of course, all of this is just a fun plan. And it can change depending on the performances of the guys and any injuries. But at the moment, this is how I would go.

With a second goalie that we need to test, we’ll need to give him games. Warming the bench is not a solution.

In Brief

– He is improving.

– Jakub Dobes is not a flash in the pan. [TVAS]

– QMJHL in Newfoundland: what will the club be called?

– Interesting.

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Third practice canceled for Team Canada junior: Dave Cameron doesn’t know what he’s doing.

Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

Everything regarding Team Canada junior this year is negative.

It started with the many players excluded from the tournament (including those who don’t take it seriously) and now, it’s the poor performances of the team that are catching the attention of Canadians.

The indiscipline, effort, and ability to score goals of the Canadians are not up to par. It shows.

One might think that being led by Dave Cameron doesn’t help at all. Yesterday, my colleague Pablo Herrera was quite clear on this point: Canada’s coach is simply lost, as he doesn’t know what to do to keep his team disciplined.

And let’s just say that what’s coming up isn’t going to help my colleague feel any better.

First, we learned that this morning, just a few hours before a must-win match for Canada (quarter-final at 7:30 PM tonight against the Czechs), practice has been canceled.

This is the second consecutive day this has happened, as yesterday, after the loss against the Americans, it was also canceled.

Cameron, who also canceled a practice earlier in the tournament (after the loss to the Latvians), hasn’t made his guys skate since last year, which was after the defeat against the United States on December 31.

How can he practice his poor team if he doesn’t make the guys skate? Is he trying to reinvent hockey, or does he have a good reason for appearing lost? I’m asking you.

Dave Cameron is therefore being criticized for this. Scott Wheeler, prospects expert for The Athletic, says that a pro coach texted him this morning asking why the Canadians never skated.

We are at that point.

But it goes even further, as during the skate session for goalies and extras (the only ones who skated this morning), Carson Rehkopf, one of the best players on the team, was spotted.

He looks set to miss today’s must-win game.

We must wonder if he is injured. And if he’s not, we need to ask if coach Dave Cameron should give up his head coach position in the coming hours to someone else.

That’s where we are, I think.

In brief

– Too bad.

– The CH will practice at 12:30 PM today.

– Oh really?

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“I feel like I’m rotting”: another controversy in the Rangers’ locker room

NEWARK, NJ - DECEMBER 23: Zac Jones #6 de los New York Rangers patina durante el calentamiento antes del partido contra los New Jersey Devils en el Prudential Center el 23 de diciembre de 2024 en Newark, Nueva Jersey. (Foto de Rich Graessle/NHLI a través de Getty Images)

The leadership of a company starts at the top. And the Rangers must be starting to realize this.

Whether it’s the owner’s fault or Chris Drury’s, the president of hockey operations, it’s clear that the atmosphere in the New York Rangers’ locker room is simply toxic.

This has been evident for several weeks now, let’s say.

It seems that every week, there’s a new example demonstrating just how dysfunctional this organization is. And now we have another example that falls into our hands.

And it comes from Zac Jones.

In light of an article penned by Larry Brooks, we understand that the defenseman is not exactly adopting the Michael Pezzetta method (who would have the right to complain, by the way) to deal with being sidelined by his coach.

As he prepares to miss a fifth game in six outings, Jones publicly complained.

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Ilya Kovalchuk: “the media in Montreal can send a young player to the AHL”

These days, there is an interview with Ilya Kovalchuk that is causing quite a stir.

The point that garnered the most attention is when the Russian, in an interview in his native language, mentioned that playing in Montreal was very positive for his career.

Even though his time was short, it clearly left an impression on him.

But while he enjoyed playing here and the pressure of a Canadian market didn’t seem to intimidate him, he is still aware that Montreal is a different beast.

And he did not hesitate to talk about it.

In his view, the media is so present during practices and games that if they start talking about a young player who isn’t doing well, they have the power to influence the situation and push the CH to send him down to Laval.

You can listen to the excerpt (subtitled in English) here.

Ilya Kovalchuk says that messing up plays in practice can affect the journalists’ perceptions on site, and we understand that he thinks the media’s power puts pressure on the club.

Kovalchuk also says that young players read everything that is said and that they quickly leave the locker room when journalists arrive after a game. It was clearly like that in his time, at least.

Those who know that playing in Montreal is great (if everything goes well) are right that hockey is big here.

But even though some journalists wield influence, it’s important to remember that Martin St-Louis has said before that he doesn’t listen to the criticism of people he wouldn’t turn to for advice. He can’t be the only hockey person, past or present, who thinks that way. Right?

In Brief

– It’s Cole Caufield’s birthday.

– To watch out for.

– The Jake Evans situation is far from over.

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The Canadian has the Rookie of December from the two best leagues in the world.

SAINT PETERSBURG, RUSSIA - 2024/09/15: Ivan Demidov (91) SKA Hockey Club seen in action during the hockey match, Kontinental Hockey League 2024/2025 between SKA Saint Petersburg and Lada Togliatti at the Ice Sports Palace. (Final score; SKA Saint Petersburg 4:3 Lada Togliatti). (Photo by Maksim Konstantinov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Yesterday, we learned that Lane Hutson won the title of Rookie of the Month for December in the NHL.

As it is the best league in the world and there are players like Matvei Michkov and Macklin Celebrini in the Bettman circuit, it is not an honor to take lightly.

This confirms the eye test: the guy is good.

But he is not the only young player/prospect of the Canadiens to have been recognized as a rookie in one of the best leagues in the world. After all, Ivan Demidov was also awarded.

The KHL, the second-best league in the world, awarded its Rookie of the Month title to Demidov after he tallied six points, including four goals, in just seven games.

We don’t know how long he will get significant ice time, but he is still playing his 18-year-old season in the KHL. To see him garner such honors is no small feat.

And it’s encouraging for fans of the Canadiens.

After all, let’s put it more clearly: the Canadiens have the best rookies of December from the two best leagues in the world, namely the NHL and the KHL, in Hutson and Demidov.

Imagine when these guys will play together on the power play for the CH next October…

Even though the Canadiens have only one prospect (and no standout) at the World Junior Championship, there are still quality young players in the organization. It’s just that they are not eligible for the holiday tournament, either due to their age or nationality.

The case of Demidov is striking in this regard.

And even if Emil Heineman is not exactly the next Demidov and does not possess the talent of Hutson, it is still worth mentioning that he is one of the good rookies in the NHL this season.

So not everything is bleak.

In Brief

– To watch out for.

– For the fans of the WJC.

– Obviously.

– He is disciplined.

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2023-2024 vs 2024-2025: after 37 games, the CH has the same number of points.

TAMPA, FL - DECEMBER 29: The Montreal Canadiens celebrate a goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena on December 29, 2024, in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/NHLI via Getty Images)

If you believe that the Canadiens have improved, it’s because it’s true.

Since the arrival of Patrik Laine and Alexandre Carrier, Martin St-Louis’ team is doing much better, which is evident from their six victories in the last seven games.

But don’t let the good streak make you forget the poor start of the season. And to put that poor start into perspective, after 37 games this season and last season, the Canadiens have exactly the same number of points: 37.

As of January 1, 2025, Montreal has a record of 17-17-3 and had a record of 16-16-5 on January 2, 2024.

That’s exactly one point per game, and the club is maintaining itself quite well over the year, then.

This statistic is quite misleading, as Montreal seems to have improved quite a lot, especially recently. Also, the team has never been so close to making the playoffs. As of today, it is only three points away from the second wildcard spot and a place in the playoffs.

Last year, at the same date, the Canadiens were five points from a playoff position.

(Credit: NHL.com)

We believed the competition had improved; it has actually deteriorated. It’s true that the season is far from over, but in January, the Canadiens are still in the picture.

Will the team slow down like last year, or will it remain in the playoff race until the very end? For the show, that would be great, but for the rebuild, not really.

The question deserves to be asked, because after all, Montreal still has the 15th easiest schedule in the NHL until the end of the regular season. In recent seasons, we were used to the Canadiens having one of the toughest schedules.

Overtime

Only one game was played yesterday in the NHL: the Devils were visiting Los Angeles.

The Kings ultimately won the game by a score of 3-0. Therefore, the first shutout of the year 2025 belongs to Darcy Kuemper.

Here are the players who got their names on the scoresheet.

(Credit: NHL.com)

And today, 24 teams are in action.

(Credit: Google)
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Easton Cowan takes the blame for the loss against the United States

The performance of Team Canada Junior disappoints the vast majority of its supporters in this tournament.

It all started with the loss to Latvia, followed by a barely earned victory against Germany before being beaten by the Americans.

The latter should not be taken lightly, and indiscipline greatly disadvantaged the Canadians in this match, just like in the other games.

Repeated penalties are a plague for the current edition of Canada. This is mainly explained by the lack of effort and intensity that hinders their gameplay and forces them to take penalties.

Easton Cowan, 19 years old, is one of the players who disappoint the most in the tournament, as he rarely passes the puck, creates many turnovers, and plays defensively little.

The Toronto Maple Leafs’ prospect recently took the blame for the loss against the United States. He mainly mentioned his bad penalty taken in the 3rd period, which allowed Cole Eiserman to score.

This is what Mark Masters from TSN reported earlier this evening.

“It starts with me. I took a stupid penalty late in the game. It cost us a goal and the game. We all know we have to be more disciplined, so we will be.” – Easton Cowan

Cowan seems to understand that he needs to raise his game a notch (and the whole team as well), or rather three or four notches, to hope to win their quarterfinal match.

Coach Dave Cameron has confirmed to TSN that he will make a change to the lineup for the match against the Czech Republic.

Porter Martone, one of the best prospects for the 2025 draft class, will return to the lineup, having only played the first two games of the round-robin stage.

However, Cameron did not specify who will be sitting out to make room for him.

Interestingly, with Matthew Schaefer’s injury, Martone is the only prospect from the upcoming draft in Canada’s starting lineup.

Martone will have an immediate impact in the lineup and should never have left the roster, even though he was overthinking, according to his coach.

He brings a complete and physical dimension, which could be very useful against the Czechs tomorrow night (Thursday).

“When he’s in his game, he plays a 200-foot game. He’s physical. He creates plays. I believe he’s been overthinking it a bit, which has slowed him down a little, but I’m expecting a big game from him.” – Dave Cameron

No matter who sits out, Martone will undoubtedly want to prove he can help Canada win the gold medal.

He has all the assets to achieve this.

In Brief

– 33rd shutout of Darcy Kuemper’s career to kick off the year 2025 beautifully.

– Will Ferrell clearly had fun at the game once again.

– Imagine making a pass without looking for an alley-oop, 34 feet from the basket, and then putting it directly in the basket. That’s what Scottie Barnes did tonight.

– What a pass from Karl-Anthony Towns.

– The tallest and shortest players in NBA history. The difference is incredible (almost two and a half feet).

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Emil Heineman could become a better version of Artturi Lehkonen.

The game of comparisons between certain NHL players is not always precise/effective, as many players try to become their own version.

However, it can help to get an idea of the type of a certain player.

Montreal Canadiens fans are starting to get to know Emil Heineman more and more, but they don’t yet have a clear comparison.

However, upon reflection, an former player from the Canadiens came to mind, and there are apparent similarities.

Artturi Lehkonen plays a style of game quite similar to that of the Swedish rookie.

Keven Mawn from La Poche Bleue seems to share the same opinion.

Heineman has proven his effectiveness in defensive play, but he is still a bit below the Finnish player.

However, Heineman’s shot has surprised more than a few this season. And even though Lehkonen already has a season of 21 goals in 63 games (and another of 16 in 45), I give the advantage to the Swede, as he should continue to improve.

It should also be noted that the Canadiens rookie is on track for a season of at least 20 goals, based on his goals per game rate.

And all this, while only playing 11 minutes per game.

Moreover, his effectiveness in puck protection is simply incredible. Lehkonen always works hard when in possession of the puck, but he does not have the same protective skills that Heineman has recently demonstrated.

In the last game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Heineman brushed off Nick Perbix (6 feet, 4 inches and nearly 210 pounds) as if nothing happened.

All of this allowed the Swede to feed Joel Armia, who then scored.

In addition to being at the 3rd place among rookie scorers, Heineman does not hesitate to deliver body checks. He is also ranked 3rd among rookies in that aspect (87), behind Zachary L’Heureux (106) and Maxim Tsyplakov (89).

His limited ice time combined with his statistics makes us believe that he is really not being utilized enough by Martin St-Louis.

When will he get a real chance on the top two lines, with good line mates for Heineman? He fully deserves it.

In brief

– Very nice photo.

– Easton Cowan takes the blame for the loss against the United States.

– Hard to argue otherwise.

– What a beautiful play.

– Still very disciplined, this Kopitar.

– Can’t wait to see if he will eventually be good enough to play with or against his older brother, Bronny James.