Author: Dose

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Dans les coulisses

It’s not going well for Justin Barron in Nashville.

Justin Barron’s debut with the Nashville Predators has been far from spectacular.

In three games so far, the defender has no points and a -3 record, but more importantly, he has already been a healthy scratch for three games since joining the team.

Although Barron was traded on December 18, he only participated in his first game on December 23 against the Carolina Hurricanes. It’s understandable that the team possibly wanted to give him time to acclimate to the playing system and his new environment.

His second game was particularly difficult, ending with a -3 rating in just 6 minutes and 58 seconds of play. As a result, Barron watched the next game from the press box.

His latest game went better with a +0 differential and 17 minutes and 31 seconds of play in a 5-3 loss for the Preds, marking their third consecutive defeat.

While it’s early, there are questions about Nashville’s plans for the young defenseman. By trading for Alexandre Carrier, the team clearly sacrificed the present for the future and saw something in Barron.

However, it’s not by relegating their hope to the stands that the Predators will build Barron’s confidence and allow him to reach his full potential.

And it’s not as if the team is fighting for a playoff spot. Nashville currently sits in 30th place in the league with 29 points in 38 games (11-20-7) this season. I believe the club can live with the mistakes of its young players and let them learn.

And while Barron finds his footing in Nashville, Carrier is making Kent Hughes look really good so far in this trade.

Carrier has helped stabilize the defense corps by placing all our defenders in the right spots. In six games with the Canadiens, the defender has four points and a +2 differential.

Let’s also remind ourselves that the team has only lost one game since he arrived.

All this for a player who was no longer part of the Canadiens’ plans. We can clearly say that in the short term, the Canadiens have really won this trade.

We can also ask whether Barron will eventually manage to establish himself as a regular defenseman in the NHL. When the Canadiens acquired him for Artturi Lehkonen in 2024, the young defenseman seemed promising, but unfortunately, he never lived up to the hopes the organization had for him. Ultimately, the emergence of several of our young defenders like Lane Hutson and Kaiden Guhle cost him his spot with the Canadiens.

So let’s hope that 2025 offers him more consistency with his new team.

In Brief

– A great double!

– The highlights of the week.

– Players of the month.

– Nice mark for McDavid.

– How much for Bregman?

– What a victory for the Texans!

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Dans les coulisses

Alex Ovechkin: “f*ck the Bruins”

Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

On New Year’s Eve, the NHL featured thirteen games throughout the day.

One of these games was a matchup between the Boston Bruins and the Washington Capitals in the U.S. capital, which ended with a 3-1 victory for the Caps.

Why am I telling you about this game? Because someone leaked a video after the match featuring Alex Ovechkin on Hockey News Hub where the Russian does not seem to like the Bruins very much.

The excerpt is in Russian, but if I translate his words from English, here’s what he says:

“Hey guys, we just finished the game, [we] fucked the damn Boston Bruins. We’re coming home to celebrate the New Year. I wish everyone to have a few beers and fight the hangover.”

However, the match did not lead to any particular incidents, and the Caps even won the game. It’s just a good old fashioned F Boston sentiment from Ovy.

The two teams also faced off on December 23rd in Boston, a match that the Bruins won 4-1, in which the Russian player did not participate due to his injury.

Perhaps Ovechkin was just happy that the Caps had taken their revenge.

Of course, this should be taken with a grain of salt; this is not a public statement from the great number eight, it’s a message that leaked online.

Moreover, the rest of the message is more traditional with New Year wishes and a good night’s celebration, as the player seems already ready to start the festivities.

But it goes to show that it’s not just in Montreal that people don’t like the Big Bad Bruins.

One might also wonder how the Bruins will take the forward’s remarks during the next and final matchup between the two teams.

However, this meeting will only take place on April 1; until then, will enough water have passed under the bridge for it to be considered old news, or will Boston use this message as motivation? We will find out in three months.

In Brief

– Personnel moves.

– The best of 2024.

– Impressive!

– Strong effort!

– The runner race.

– Heavy loss.

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Dans les coulisses

Dave Cameron is lost at the helm of Team Canada Junior.

Screenshot

Canada delivered an embarrassing performance last night against the United States while playing for the top position in its group.

Once again, it was indiscipline that sank Canada as the team was penalized for a total of 22 minutes, which is more than a full period.

As a result, the Americans scored three times on the power play to win the game.

When questioned about his team’s indiscipline in the press conference after the game, head coach Dave Cameron seemed at a loss for answers.

“I can’t do anything (about the indiscipline). I can’t do anything. They know it. I can’t start benching everyone who gets a penalty” – Dave Cameron

His comments really leave me perplexed. Firstly, Cameron is supposedly in charge of the ship. He is the one who should bear the team’s successes on his shoulders and make sure to honor the rich history of the Canadian junior program.  Not only is he not doing that, but he is also placing the blame on his players.

Then, he says he can’t bench the undisciplined players. He has a lineup with an extra defenseman and forward. Yes, he can sit his undisciplined players for a few shifts.

Yesterday, it was Easton Cowan, Sam Dickinson, and Luca Pinelli who took stupid penalties. They could have taken a step back, especially since they weren’t having a great game.

One thing is certain, seeing a coach so down after a performance like that does not inspire confidence for the future.

Moreover, Cowan, a prospect for the Maple Leafs, is getting heavily criticized on social media for his defensive missteps and unnecessary penalties. He is not delivering but still plays on the first line.

In Brief

– There was a discussion about this today.

– He could help the cause.

– They haven’t scored much at 5-on-5.

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Dans les coulisses

Lane Hutson, the rookie of the month of December in the NHL.

Lane Hutson continues to impress in his first season in the NHL. He has finally seen his efforts rewarded at the league level.

He has just been named the NHL’s Rookie of the Month for December. He won this honor over players like Macklin Celebrini and Matvei Michkov.

In December, Hutson scored 13 points, including two goals. He also maintained an average ice time of 21:17 per game.

What Hutson is doing is truly impressive. At the beginning of the year, few people knew him, so there was an adjustment period. Opposing teams no longer have the same excuse, yet Hutson continues to make his mark.

Rapid Fire

Yesterday, against the excellent Golden Knights, he found ways to stand out in several ways. Defensively, he was solid, and offensively, he created good scoring chances with his skating fluidity.

Since the beginning of the season, Hutson has 26 points in 37 games, quite impressive for a rookie.

Rapid Fire

– He contributes greatly.

– Two different but similar seasons.

– Lane Hutson’s brother is having fun.

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Dans les coulisses

Ivan Demidov has a better points per 60 minutes average than Matvei Michkov last year.

Ivan Demidov is doing what he can with limited ice time. Since Kent Hughes and his team visited him in Russia, he and his coach have been doing a bit better, and Demidov is making the most of it.

He now has 28 points in 36 games this season in the KHL. That’s already very good, but there’s an even more impressive statistic.

His points per 60 minutes played average is 3.82, which for now is a higher pace than Marvei Michkov achieved last year.

The Flyers player had still set the bar high with an average of 3.25 over an entire season.

This statistic, uncovered by Grant McCagg, becomes even more interesting when you consider the context. Michkov played 123 minutes on the power play last year compared to only 18 this year for Demidov.

However, it must be said that Michkov had a more significant role with Sochi, playing against the best opposing players every night.

Nonetheless, it’s exciting to see what Demidov is doing right now with very limited playing time when looking at the full season.

If the CH player manages to have a similar impact to that of Michkov with the Flyers next season, it will be a great addition, and we could definitely be talking about playoffs, rather than just mixes. Let’s remember that Michkov has 29 points in 36 games this season under his coach.

To return to Michkov, as we enter this new year, we can wish him ice time from his coach, so he gets well tested before arriving in North America.

In Brief

– He risks a suspension.

– Very funny.

– Everything is in place.

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Dans les coulisses

Kirby Dach has regained his confidence, and it changes everything.

I start my text with a statement.

I am happy for Kirby Dach.

He had a very difficult start to the season, and everyone knows that. He is aware of it too… But things have really improved over the past few games.

The forward scored his third goal in as many games yesterday, and after outsmarting Adin Hill, we saw him celebrate with a lot of emotion.

It’s clear that it feels good:

Doubts were starting to creep in for him, and that’s normal.

He was coming back from a serious injury, but he wasn’t playing the right way.

He seems to have found his bearings again, and at this point, it feels like Kent Hughes is relieved right now. He is playing with confidence, and that’s the good news.

Dach’s record in his last four games is more than respectable.

Because things are really looking up:

  • Three points (three goals), a differential of +2 and 10 shots on goal

He seems more involved on the ice, and it’s no coincidence that his line is also doing better.

Alex Newhook and Patrik Laine are doing their part, making the second unit of the CH more dangerous.

We feel that chemistry is building among the three guys, and that’s also important to point out.

Dach has now collected 12 points (five goals) in 37 games since the start of the season, but we knew it would take time before we saw him find his game.

For now, points matter little in his case… Because if he continues to play the way he has been lately, the results will come.

And if he can finish the season strong to build momentum for the next one, everyone will be happy in town.

For now, at least, it’s much more encouraging.

In Brief

– Yep.

– At least, that’s a positive in New York…

– It’s promising:

– It’s a good one.

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Dans les coulisses

Ilya Kovalchuk admits: his time in Montreal is one of the most beautiful moments of his career

Ilya Kovalchuk played a total of 22 games in the Canadiens uniform.

He collected 13 points (six goals) before being traded to Washington, where he finished the 2019-2020 season.

And even though his time in Montreal was short, he had a blast:

Kovalchuk quickly became a fan favorite due to his positive energy.

People loved him – even though he didn’t stay long in town – and he felt appreciated in Montreal.

In a recent interview in Russia, the former CH player notably admitted that his time with the Canadiens was one of the best periods of his career.

That says a lot:

That must sound like beautiful music in Ivan Demidov’s ears.

The latter seems eager to arrive in Montreal… And like Kovalchuk, he is likely to be one of the highly appreciated players in the organization upon his arrival.

Already the fans love him a lot, even though he hasn’t played a single game in the CH uniform!

Returning to Kovalchuk, let’s remember that he showed up in Montreal after signing a contract following his release by the Los Angeles Kings.

It’s therefore normal to see that he enjoyed playing for the Canadiens because the organization gave him a chance, and he was able to make the most of it even though the pressure to perform was there.

He found joy on the ice and had fun with his sons outside. He was happier than ever, and it was beautiful to see:

Lastly, it should be noted that Kovalchuk officially hung up his skates after the last season in the KHL.

He experienced a lot during his career… And it’s interesting to see that he particularly remembers his few weeks in the Canadiens uniform.

In brief

– He really impresses.

– Well done.

– What will the Wild do about their captain’s injury?

– It’s true that the Avalanche is playing better.

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Dans les coulisses

The Canadiens are three points away from a playoff spot.

The leaders of the Canadiens talked about being in the mix this season.

And to kick off the year 2025, that’s exactly what’s happening.

The Canadiens won a great game yesterday in Vegas, and this means that this morning, the team is just three little points behind the Ottawa Senators and a playoff spot. It’s crazy, isn’t it!

(Credit: NHL.com)

At one point, everyone was saying that the Habs were going to finish in the bottom of the NHL standings.

Rightly so… Because the team was playing really, really poorly.

However, things have really turned around in the last fifteen games. The Canadiens have won 9 of their last 13 matchups, coinciding oddly with the return to play of Patrik Laine.

Martin St-Louis has found his smile, too.

His reaction after his team’s victory yesterday says a lot:

F*ck yeah! – Martin St-Louis

 

What’s nice is that the team has been really enjoyable to watch lately because it seems everything is working.

Good for the fans, as we know how tough the last seasons have been.

Now, let’s see if they can keep it up… And if they do, the Canadiens could surprise more than a few by the end of the season.

Can we really dream of the playoffs? That question arises…

It would be a real tour de force, and I think we can all agree it would be a hell of a surprise, too.

The players said before the season started that they truly believed, and they’re proving it right now.

That said, things are going well for the Canadiens, and the same goes for the other teams in Canada.

All seven teams are in the playoff race at the time of writing these lines:

Let’s agree that the playoffs are not around the corner… But seeing Canadian teams perform like this is still fun.

It makes you wonder if there’s a chance we could see the Stanley Cup return to the country for the first time since 1993!

In brief

– Indeed.

– Happy New Year to you!

– Good point.

– Year in review for the Jays:

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Dans les coulisses

Bye Bye: TVA Sports and its advertisements are getting crushed.

Happy New Year! And by the way, did you enjoy the Bye Bye this year?

For what it’s worth, I think the Infoman / Bye Bye combo was stronger than ever this year. There were great highlights throughout the evening, and it made me laugh.

The news was relevant, and it was well handled.

Of course, in both shows, there were segments about sports. Réjean Tremblay and Julie Bertrand were mentioned in both shows, and the couple even showed up on Jean-René Dufort’s show. #Iguanas

There were references to Martin St-Louis during the evening (his chairs and he were present at the end of the show), but the most notable sports sketch was undoubtedly the one featuring TVA Sports.

Basically, in the Bye Bye segment that talks about Quebecor’s sports channel, we can see Dave Morissette, Élizabeth Rancourt, and Maxim Lapierre on the set of their show discussing Montreal’s Victory.

But what stands out is that the angle chosen by Simon-Olivier Fecteau’s team is as follows: TVA Sports has numerous sponsors, and everyone notices it.

(Credit: Radio-Canada)

In an increasingly challenging sports television world, advertising is at the heart of the solution for TVA Sports. And Radio-Canada folks have not missed the chance to highlight this.

We see Élizabeth Rancourt making numerous connections with the “Pizza Solvatoré” during the segment of L’après-pas-de-match.

Eat it, or we won’t get paid. – Élizabeth Rancourt

There are also jokes about the famous Canadiens mix and the speed of women’s hockey. All of this is hosted by a Dave Morissette who is affected by his concussions and needs Maxim Lapierre to remember his own name.

Claude Legault, Sarah-Jeanne Labrosse, and Pierre-Yves Roy-Desmarais are the three comedians in the sketch.

Overtime

Of course, one must remember that being parodied on Bye Bye should be considered an honor. We can only hope that the three parodied individuals took it that way.

After all, not everyone sees it that way.

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Dans les coulisses

Top-5: Canada falls to the United States in the World Junior Championship

There was a lot of action yesterday in the NHL.

The Canadiens won the first game in their history in regulation in Vegas… But we were also watching Canada, which faced the American team at the World Junior Championship.

Here’s a summary:

1: Things are starting to smell bad…

The World Junior Championship is always fun to follow.

That said, I don’t know if it’s just me… But this year, I’m finding it hard to watch Canada’s games while staying calm. The team is not playing the right way!

Last night, the Canadian team faced the Americans. And even though the guys performed relatively well, they were never able to take the lead in the game.

In the third period, with the score at 1-0 for the United States thanks to a goal from Cole Hutson, Bradly Nadeau scored to tie it up.

But in the end, we’re talking about the only moment of glory for Canada during the game:

I say it’s the only moment of glory for Canada during the game because the United States took control of the match afterward.

Danny Nelson and Cole Eiserman scored within seven minutes, and we felt the end after the Islanders’ hopeful goal:

Eiserman even took the liberty of taunting Canada’s bench…

That’s the fun of the World Junior Championship!

At the end of the game, it was Ryan Leonard who secured his team’s victory.

The U.S. captain scored into an empty net:

So Canada finishes in 3rd place in its division and will face the Czech Republic in the semifinals.

It’s not over for the team, but they’ll need to step up if they want a chance to win a medal…

2: Connor Bedard apologizes

It was the Winter Classic yesterday in Chicago.

The game was presented at Wrigley Field… But the Hawks didn’t show up.

The Chicago team lost the game by a score of 6-2 and was never in it. Connor Bedard even had to apologize to the fans because he felt bad:

When a player says that after a game like this, it’s because there’s disappointment and frustration in the locker room.

Yet, the Hawks knew the opportunity to play well was there… Especially given they were facing their long-time rival.

The Blues won the game by a score of 6-2, with Cam Fowler standing out by scoring two goals in the game.

Let’s also note that the Blues’ defenseman played in his 1000th career game in the NHL. What a nice way to celebrate!

3: A celebration that’s worth its weight in gold

It’s known: Elvis Merzlikins has quite a personality.

And we saw it last night, as the Blue Jackets defeated the Hurricanes by a score of 4-3 in a shootout.

After securing the victory for his team with a save, the goalie decided to launch the puck into the air with his stick:

I don’t know where the puck landed… But let’s just say if a fan caught it, that would be one great souvenir.

Kirill Marchenko helped his team win the game by scoring two goals, and it was a needed victory for the Jackets.

The Columbus team has only four wins in their last ten games.

4: Chaos between the Canucks and the Flames

There’s a great rivalry between the Flames and the Canucks.

We’re talking about two Canadian teams that hate each other… And yesterday, we saw it again.

Things got heated in the second period:

Fights, penalties… At one point, the party was stuck in the penalty box because there were so many people.

The following video made me laugh:

And when we look at the score sheet, we realize it was completely crazy in the second period:

In all of that, let’s note that it was the Flames who ultimately won the game by a score of 3-1.

Nazem Kadri scored his 14th goal of the season, and Jonathan Huberdeau scored into an empty net.

Let’s note that Huberdeau has 16 goals so far this season. Things are going better for him this year.

5: Save of the Year for… Moritz Seider?

Usually, when we talk about the save of the year… It’s because a goalie made a spectacular play.

But this time, the honors go to Moritz Seider, who really saved a goal with an incredible stop:

Wow!

The Wings defender is known for being reliable in all three zones of the ice, but maybe he should convert to a goalie.

Hehe.

The save was beneficial, by the way, because the Wings won the game by a score of 4-2 against the Penguins.

Patrick Kane scored his 7th goal of the season in his team’s victory.

Overtime

– Beautiful goal.

– Oh!

– Oops… Hehe.

– When Andrew Mangiapane decides to play tough standing at five feet and ten inches:

– The top scorers of the night:

(Credit: NHL.com)

– Just one game today in the NHL: Kings vs Devils, at 6 PM.