Author: Dose

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3 players traded: It’s crazy how much the Canadiens’ blue line has changed in the past eight months.

Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

Life changes quickly.

At the end of the last season, the Canadiens had a completely different defensive lineup than they do now.

For the second-to-last game of the campaign, which was played in Detroit, the blue line lineup looked like this:

That night, Lane Hutson was playing his very first game in the NHL.

But what stands out when looking at the photo is that we see three defensemen who are no longer part of the Montreal organization at this time.

Justin Barron, Jordan Harris, and Johnathan Kovacevic have all been traded in the last eight months.

And that also means that half of the defensemen who played that night are gone.

That’s crazy…

There have been a lot of changes in recent months, but the current defensive lineup could be spending a lot of time in town.

After all, here are the defensemen who will be used tonight:

  • Matheson, Guhle, Hutson, Savard, Carrier, and Xhekaj

There exists a world where in eight months, Mike Matheson is no longer here. And there is also a world where in eight months, David Savard is not here either.

I have a hard time seeing Kent Hughes trading both of his veterans by the deadline, and according to what’s circulating, it’s mostly Savard who might leave soon.

But if Savard leaves (let’s say Mailloux takes his place) and the others are still there, which should technically happen unless there is an injury… The defense will be almost intact.

There will be some stability if that happens, and that’s not bad in my eyes. It’s in those moments that the guys understand their role perfectly, which makes for fewer guys mixed into the lineup.

You may have noticed that I didn’t mention Jayden Struble, but his situation seems a bit different. He now has to go through waivers before being sent to the American League, which limits the options for the Canadiens… But he seems to be in the same boat as Michael Pezzetta, who has only played three games this season.

To be continued.

Quick Hits

– Tyler Johnson wants to keep playing.

– Indeed.

– Yeah… Things aren’t looking good for Roman Josi.

– Already?

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The first images of Alexandre Carrier in the colors of the Canadiens.

It’s tonight, in Detroit, that Alexandre Carrier is going to make his debut in the Canadiens uniform. This will undoubtedly be an important moment for him – and for his entire family as well.

After all, as a Québécois, he grew up dreaming of this moment.

This morning, the Canadiens released the first images of the defender in his new colors. We see him talking to Stéphane Robidas, wearing a red hoodie from Flanelle.

But there is more to it.

Even though the CH wasn’t officially training this morning, a few guys still took the opportunity to jump on the ice to stretch their legs.

And among them? Alexandre Carrier, who hasn’t played for about two weeks due to an injury.

Anthony Martineau posted a video about it on social media. We see Alexandre Carrier approaching the rink and even taking the time to interact with Canadiens fans (with Michael Pezzetta) who were present.

Hats off!

You’ll notice that Michael Pezzetta and Jayden Struble were on the ice this morning. This is probably an indication that the two are going to sit out tonight. #AsExpected

I think everyone is looking forward to seeing what Carrier has in him. How much will he stabilize the defensive unit? Will he play a lot shorthanded? Will he be paired with Kaiden Guhle?

The answers will come soon, I imagine.

In brief

– I thought Kent Hughes was THE villain in the story…

– Matt Murray is back in the NHL.

– Wow.

– To be continued.

– The Titan has not found investors to keep the team in Bathurst.

– Worth noting.

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No, it’s not as if Switzerland was in Nazi Germany during World War II.

How’s it going, world?

Need a vacation, world?

When the visit of the Canadiens’ executives to Russian soil bothers so many people in the population, it’s a sign that something is wrong, isn’t it…

Pretty much everyone who doesn’t follow the Canadiens’ activities and has a microphone in a Quebec media outlet has sh*t on the organization because it “dared” to send Kent Hughes, Vincent Lecavalier, and Nick Bobrov to see Ivan Demidov play in Russia.

Eh…

Where were those people when Bob Hartley, Benoit Groulx, Guy Boucher, Zachary Fucale, Jordan Weal, J-S Dea, Xavier Ouellet, Mark Barberio, Josh Brook, and others were active in Russia?

In fact, did they even know that there were hockey people making a living in Russia? Do they recognize those names, by the way?

Were they busy applauding Andrei Markov at the Bell Centre? Markov had taken a flight from Russia before landing in Montreal, you know.

Quebec media – especially traditional ones – have variable indignation. Honoring a Russian citizen at the Bell Centre didn’t offend them?

Moreover, why should we excommunicate anyone who goes to Russia for business? Many (known) people do far worse to earn a living, and it’s hardly ever discussed…

Let’s ask the following question: how come we’re more outraged by Kent Hughes’s trip to Russia than by the Canadian deficit, political shenanigans, corruption, a struggling education system, or a crumbling healthcare system?

There are things happening in our schools, youth centers, and hospitals that should 1,000 times more disturb us.

Why do we constantly feel the need to judge others, to claim we are better than others, or to simply publicly judge others in Quebec media?

I wrote it at the beginning of my text: No, things are not well in Quebec.

I even saw TVA Nouvelles compare the Canadiens’ trip to Russia… to a trip to Nazi Germany during World War II. How’s that, Elsie?

TVA Nouvelles should have ensured to include the right clip, but anyway, that’s another issue.

First, we reached the Godwin point way too quickly in this (fake) debate.

Second, Canada is not at war with Russia. Going to Russia right now is a bit like going to Germany before the Second World War, when the Nazis were in power… which we did in 1936 during the Berlin Olympics. We sent a lot of athletes and a lot of diplomats!

I’ll go a bit further…

I ask you this question: is it worse to claim that Kent Hughes is a stupid man without judgment – let’s agree that a Canadian executive who would have been in Nazi Germany during the war to observe a professional athlete would have been foolish – or to publicly say that you no longer believe that Humans ever set foot on the moon?

Did Jeremy Filosa really do WORSE than those panelists from TVA/LCN?

Filo is still searching at 98.5 FM and we don’t know if he completed his journalism upgrade course…

But no one on the TVA Nouvelles panel will lose their mic and return to the classroom…

The SKA is too strong
Seeing the Canadiens send representatives to create ties with Demidov – and ensure the good development of their best hockey asset – does not bother me at all.

The problem is that the CH management didn’t anticipate that the SKA would have cameras and would be filming sequences showing the Montreal executives being impressed by the SKA’s facilities… and ultra-friendly with every Russian they encounter. It’s all about the image, and the Canadiens should have known that…

The SKA took advantage of the Canadiens’ visit to paint itself as a nice organization… thus proving to the entire world that Russians are not mean. That they have recognized and reputable Canadian friends…

And the SKA – very close to Russian power – even allowed itself to publish an official message stating that the Canadiens believe that Russia should regain its place on the international stage, starting with sports competitions. The SKA communications team deserves an A+ for all this (and the Canadiens representatives, an F). The club should have known…

France Margaret Bélanger, Geoff Molson, Chantal Machabée… they are all aware today of the impact these images and words have in Quebec. Even though Jeff Gorton backs the visit of his staff over there.

Of course he’s going to back them, it’s his initiative.

Kent Hughes canceled an interview at the last minute yesterday and I’m pretty sure we won’t see a single image of the Canadiens in Russia again. Moreover, all the images from that trip come from the SKA, not the Canadiens.

The documentary series Reconstruction will probably not mention this trip at all in its second season. The Tricolore knew it shouldn’t promote its trip… but they got caught by the SKA’s promotion team. That’s it.

The Canadiens got played, and the commentators who don’t follow hockey got pretty worked up. But in the sports world, that trip isn’t generating much buzz.

Ultimately, it’s a bit like the selection of Logan Mailloux…

But anyway, I’m digressing a bit here.

I will conclude by saying that I hope Quebec media will treat Ivan Demidov the same way they treated Andrei Markov ten days ago. Or Alex Ovechkin. Demidov has nothing to do with the war in Ukraine. Nothing!

In short

– I wonder if the transaction of Alexandre Carrier for Justin Barron has a – even a small – connection to the controversy surrounding the team’s management visit to Russia? #Diversion #ABrilliantFrenchCanadian

– Montreal, the city of all sins according to Jean Perron.

– Stanley25: I dropped several surprising stats on the Canadiens… including one that is REALLY surprising. The excerpt is placed.

– Wilfried Nancy will not go to St-Étienne.

– Key dates to remember in CF Montreal’s 2025 calendar.

– A podcast to watch/listen to if you are a fan of CF Montreal.

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Pierre McGuire wanted Alexandre Carrier when he was in Ottawa.

Every time a player is traded, one might wonder why their former team let them go. It’s legitimate to ask, after all.

In the case of Alexandre Carrier, it’s becoming clearer that in Nashville, amidst the Preds’ challenging start to the season, something had to change.

And the $3.75 million per year for the Quebecer (which is not a concern for the Canadiens’ salary cap) is clearly part of the answer. Jim Biringer (Responsible Gambler) has pointed this out.

The Predators are clearing cap space for something.

We don’t know yet what or when, but Barry Trotz, who insists his team is not in a rebuild, wants to shake things up in Tennessee.

I’m looking forward to seeing that.

This all explains Carrier’s presence in Montreal. The Canadiens took advantage of a situation in Nashville—both on the ice and in terms of salary cap—to add a good piece moving forward.

On that note, Pierre McGuire has been very complimentary of Carrier in an episode of his podcast: The Sick Podcast – The Eye Test.

In short, the Canadiens (who do not want to sink) have acquired, according to McGuire, a defender with elite skills to move the puck. He sees him as a top-4 player.

McGuire even mentioned that during his time with the Ottawa Senators (i.e., in 2021-2022), he attempted to convince his bosses to pursue Alexandre Carrier.

He was then in player development, and Carrier, in 2021-2022, played his first full season in the National Hockey League.

But now, here’s the defender in an environment where he can thrive. He will get playing time, and if he performs up to his talent, Martin St-Louis will give him plenty of ice time.

In brief

– Official.

– Rangers: it’s chaos. [BPM Sports]

– Things are not looking good for Sean Farrell.

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Jayden Struble must now go through waivers if the Canadiens want to send him to Laval.

Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images

The arrival of Alexandre Carrier changes the game in Montreal.

After all, on the blue line, the team replaced a right-handed player without an identity on the ice (Justin Barron) with a guy who is less offensive but much more stable.

And between you and me, Barron’s offense was sadly not really visible anymore.

If I were Martin St-Louis, tonight, I would keep Lane Hutson with Mike Matheson, I would put Kaiden Guhle with Alexandre Carrier, and I would play Arber Xhekaj with David Savard.

These are six guys, until proven otherwise, who are hard to take out of the lineup.

But you know, as well as I do, that the Canadiens have seven defensemen in town. The seventh is Jayden Struble – or the guy who lost the most following Justin Barron’s trade to Nashville.

Naturally, we see that Struble better secure his hat because his playing time will diminish like snow in the sun – unless there’s an injury and nothing changes, of course.

Before, Barron and he alternated. But now? I’m not saying that Arber Xhekaj or David Savard won’t occasionally give up their spot, but clearly, Struble is the odd one out.

And the Canadiens can’t even say they will send him to Laval because due to the age at which he signed in the NHL and his 78 games of experience in the show, he can no longer avoid waivers. That’s what Anthony Desaulniers said this morning on BPM Sports.

For the past eight games, he simply can no longer go down without being offered for free to other teams. And knowing Kent Hughes, he is not going to place Struble on waivers – with good reason.

The only defensemen who can go down right now are Guhle, Hutson, and Xhekaj. That won’t happen in any of the three cases.

(Credit: Cap Wages)

This means that the Canadiens have seen the situation develop and chose not to send him to Laval in recent weeks to maintain his eligibility. He is, until proven otherwise, an NHL player.

I wonder if the CH did this by choice… or because no one deserves a call-up to Laval’s blue line.

Right now, Struble, Michael Pezzetta, and Cayden Primeau are in the following position: they can’t go to Laval without risking waivers, they have shortcomings in their game, and they have six better defensemen, twelve better forwards, and one better goaltender ahead of them, respectively.

I wouldn’t be completely surprised if the lineup doesn’t change during the last three games before Christmas and that Struble, Pezz, and Primeau are still the odd ones out. To be continued.

In Brief

– A national treasure, this Gilbert.

– Oh really?

– Trading Justin Barron was the right thing to do.

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Top-5: “The Senators will make the playoffs because of Linus Ullmark”

Last night, there were nine games on the schedule.

For a rare Thursday night, the Canadiens were not in action.

Here are the results and highlights:

1. Top-5: “The Senators will make the playoffs because of Linus Ullmark”

Having a good goalie makes a difference.

The Senators are learning this, as Linus Ullmark is on fire. In his last seven games, he has not lost a game, an efficiency rating of .967, a goals-against average of 0.99, and an assist.

His assist was recorded on the winning goal by Brady Tkachuk last night.

Ottawa won 3-2 in overtime.

The captain of the Senators not only scored the winning goal, but lost a tooth and received nine stitches.

Big night at the office.

Martin Biron believes Ottawa will make the playoffs because of Ullmark. The Ottawa team is currently in the playoffs.

2. Sidney Crosby finally scores

The team just behind the Senators and not in the playoffs is the Pittsburgh Penguins.

They are on a good streak and are just one point away from the playoffs. Yesterday, Pittsburgh won in overtime against the Predators 5-4.

It was a four-point night for Sidney Crosby, who ended a 10-game drought without scoring.

His first goal since November 23.

Before the game, a reporter had even asked him a question about this ugly drought.

The captain of the Penguins knew at that moment that he was going to score.

3. Elvis Night in Columbus

In Columbus, the Blue Jackets surprised the Devils with a 4-2 victory.

The hero of the match: Elvis Merzlikins, who stopped 41 shots.

Three of his 41 saves were spectacular.

Here they are:

He was flawless throughout the game.

Sean Monahan took care of the offense. He scored two goals and had one assist.

4. A Broken Nose Doesn’t Stop Zach Hyman

In Edmonton, we had a very good game.

Despite the Bruins leading 2-0, the Oilers came back and won in overtime.

It was Mattias Ekholm who scored the winning goal.

On the net, Leon Draisaitl recorded his 900th career point.

A little earlier, Connor McDavid sent everyone to overtime.

In a recent game for the Oilers, Zach Hyman was hit in the face by a slap shot from Evan Bouchard.

Clearly, a broken nose doesn’t slow him down, as he found the back of the net again yesterday.

5. Mackenzie Blackwood Beats His Former Team

Traded a few days ago to the Avalanche, Mackenzie Blackwood faced the Sharks, his former team, for the first time.

The Colorado team and Blackwood won 4-2.

32 saves on 34 shots for the goalie.

With a little less than seven minutes left in the game, while it was tied, the visitors scored the winning goal.

Joel Kiviranta scored his seventh goal of the season.

And in a losing cause, Macklin Celebrini continued to impress.

Overtime

– Wow.

– Very true.

– Congratulations.

– A nice setup for Ryan O’Reilly.

– Rust and Crosby lead the charge.

(Credit: NHL.com)

– Seven games on the schedule tonight.

(Credit: Google)
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In images: Juraj Slafkovsky treats himself to a beautiful BMW before Christmas.

Juraj Slafkovsky has treated himself to an early Christmas gift!

The Montreal Canadiens forward has acquired a beautiful BMW M5 Competition from a dealer in Kingston, Ontario!

Here are some images of his new toy.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

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Trip to Russia: Kent Hughes didn’t just go to observe Ivan Demidov

SAINT PETERSBURG, RUSSIA - 2024/03/03: Torpedo Hockey Club player, Bogdan Konyushkov (6) seen in action during the match of the Kontinental Hockey League, Gagarin Cup, match 2, 1/8 finals season KHL 2023 - 2024 between SKA Saint Petersburg and Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod at the SKA Arena. (Final score: SKA Saint Petersburg 3:2 Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod). (Photo by Maksim Konstantinov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Kent Hughes has been in Russia for a few days to visit Ivan Demidov.

Let’s say that the young prospect of the Canadiens knows how to impress his bosses, having managed to score while playing less than 10 minutes in Thursday’s game.

Since Hughes is on another continent, it was Jeff Gorton who met with the media on Thursday evening to discuss the trade that brought Alexandre Carrier to Montreal. Even though the number one topic was Carrier, Gorton did not escape two questions about his colleague’s trip to Russia.

The executive vice president of hockey operations for the Canadiens revealed that Hughes was not only there to see one prospect of the CH during this trip.

In his response, Gorton stated that it was an opportunity for Kent Hughes to see “more than one player”. The list of Canadiens prospects in Russia is quite short once Demidov’s name is removed.

It is known that Hughes attended Thursday’s game between SKA St. Petersburg and Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod. The latter team includes Bogdan Konyushkov among its ranks, a defenseman drafted by the Canadiens in 2023.

Kent Hughes was able to see him in action at the same time as Demidov, who was the most used defenseman for Torpedo with 23:20 of ice time. He finished the game with a -1 plus/minus and one blocked shot.

However, it is unclear whether Kent Hughes had the opportunity to meet Konyushkov. It would be a good idea to do so, as the defenseman had stated in September that he did not talk much with the Canadiens organization because he is a secondary prospect.

Thus, it was a good opportunity for Hughes to make his prospect happy by going to meet him.

The only other prospect who might have received a visit is Yevgeni Volokhin. However, that would be surprising, as the last game for the Sochi goalie was Wednesday and he wasn’t even a starter. He came in as a backup midway through the game.

Makar Khanin was another option. That would also be quite surprising, as the Canadiens’ seventh-round pick in 2024 has only played three games in the KHL since the start of the season.

Justin Barron did not request a trade

Jeff Gorton was asked a lot of questions about Alexandre Carrier on Thursday, in addition to answering two others about Kent Hughes’ trip to Russia.

He took the time to clarify that Justin Barron had never requested a trade from the Canadiens.

There have never really been any rumors about this, but it could have been a possibility since Barron was often left out by Martin St. Louis.

Barron has only played 17 of the Canadiens’ 31 games since the beginning of the season.

Gorton was ready to part with a young defenseman like Barron. He felt that the defensive corps needed players with more NHL experience to achieve greater success.

In Brief

– He plays well and admits his mistakes.

– Kakko is ready for his fresh start.

– Things are underway in Calgary.

– A good reaction from Sosa.

– Wow.

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Alexandre Carrier: “Everyone wants to play for the Canadiens while being a Québécois.”

For the first time since yesterday’s trade, Alexandre Carrier spoke with the media of the Montreal Canadiens.

And right from the start, there is one particular thing that stands out in his comments.

The guy is happy.

Throughout almost his entire press conference, the defender had a huge smile attached to his face.

It says a lot, and it really shows that he is pleased with the turn of events. It was a dream for him to someday play for the Montreal Canadiens.

Carrier wasn’t going to say otherwise, but he is ready to do whatever it takes to find success in Montreal. Because according to him, all Quebecers want to play for the CH:

Everyone wants to play for the Canadiens when you’re a Quebecer. – Alexandre Carrier

Alexandre Carrier touched on several topics during his first press conference for the CH.

Here’s what I gathered:

1. The defender trains in Montreal during the summer and he already knows several guys in the Canadiens’ locker room.

He also mentioned receiving several texts from the guys (he named Savard, Matheson, and Suzuki), and he can’t wait to meet his new teammates.

2. Alexandre Carrier wants to bring his own personality into the Canadiens’ locker room. It’s an adjustment for him because it’s the first time he’s switching teams since the beginning of his career, but he is looking forward to meeting his new teammates.

And considering how he has a great personality, let’s just say he shouldn’t have any trouble integrating into the group.

The atmosphere is already excellent in the locker room right now:

3. For now, the defender hasn’t spoken to Martin St-Louis yet.

He doesn’t know what his role will look like in the lineup, but we’ll have a better idea of all that tomorrow night.

He will play his first game with the Canadiens in Detroit. He has received the green light to play after recovering from an injury against the Senators on December 7.

4. There’s a really interesting aspect in the defender’s comments: before leaving, he went to talk to Steven Stamkos.

The former captain of the Lightning praised Martin St-Louis’s qualities and told him he was going to have fun playing for the CH’s coach.

Carrier claims that several other players told him the same thing.

5. For the first time in eight years, Carrier will be able to spend the holiday season in Quebec.

It will be special for him because he will have the chance to see his family:

Once again, we felt his wonderful energy and it’s clear that he is really happy to join the CH organization.

That’s great… Because a Quebecer who wants to push himself to the maximum is always very appreciated by the fans in Montreal.

In a nutshell

– I agree.

– It’s part of the game, even if it’s really boring.

– A few updates in the MLB:

– Great news for the Raptors.

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Jean-Philippe Glaude (Preds recruiter): Carrier’s size doesn’t matter

NEWARK, NJ - NOVEMBER 25: Alexandre Carrier #45 de los Nashville Predators patina en el primer período del juego contra los New Jersey Devils en el Prudential Center el 25 de noviembre de 2024 en Newark, Nueva Jersey. (Foto de Rich Graessle/NHLI a través de Getty Images)

This has been the hot topic in Montreal since yesterday: Alexandre Carrier is now a member of the Canadiens organization.

Since the trade, there have been a thousand comments about him… But no one is better positioned than Jean-Philippe Glaude to discuss him.

The latter is a scout who works for the Predators and has been around Carrier in recent years in Nashville.

Jean-Philippe Glaude was a guest on Martin Lemay’s show (BPM Sports) and explained why the defender has what it takes to help the Canadiens.

He particularly listed three qualities of his game and personality:

  • Incredible competitor
  • An elite sense of hockey
  • Natural leader

We know that Alexandre Carrier is not the biggest at 5 feet 11 inches and 174 pounds, but that doesn’t matter in Jean-Philippe Glaude’s eyes.

His desire to perform and help the team compensates for his “small” stature. And if a scout says it, it’s because it’s true:

Jean-Philippe Glaude went on to say that Alexandre Carrier is really a good person off the ice.

From his comments, Alexandre Carrier truly has what it takes to become a fan favorite in Montreal.

Fans love players who give their all for the club and aren’t afraid to go into danger zones to block shots or hit the opponent: that’s what Carrier will bring to Martin St-Louis’ lineup.

Let’s remember as we conclude that we will have the opportunity to see the Québécois in uniform as early as tomorrow.

He will play his very first game with the Canadiens as the team visits Detroit to face the Red Wings.

I can’t wait to see what #45 has in store:

In Brief

– They are going to be good.

– Good.

– For sure.

– Oh.