Author: Dose

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For Jeff Gorton, the acquisition of Noah Dobson is similar to that of Artemi Panarin

Noah Dobson was the Habs’ big acquisition this summer. The club had been looking for a true top-notch right-handed defenseman for a very long time (in fact, ever since Shea Weber retired), and in Dobson they got a player who fits the bill.

He’s not the same player as Weber, obviously, but he’s a top-tier right-handed defenseman in the Bettman circuit. And that’s worth its weight in gold.

That said, the acquisition of Dobson also sends a big message: the Canadiens are ready to make some big moves to lend credibility to their rebuilding project. And Dobson, in the eyes of many, is a prime example of this: the Habs paid for a big name.

And it’s not unlike another acquisition made by Jeff Gorton in another life: that of Artemi Panarin as a free agent while with the Rangers. Speaking to The Basu and Godin Notebook, Gorton was asked if he saw any parallels between the two acquisitions.

And the Canadiens’ VP hockey admits that, while he didn’t see it that way at first, it’s true that there are similarities between the two.

The two players don’t play the same position and weren’t acquired in the same way, of course, but both came to the team at a time when it wanted to give credibility to its rebuilding project and seemed ready to turn the corner. In that sense, then, there are some very interesting parallels to be drawn between these two players.

And just as Panarin wanted to play in New York, Dobson wanted to play in Montreal. That’s another thing they have in common.

Gorton admits he hopes Dobson will have the same impact on the Habs as Panarin had on the Rangers, and he’s far from the only one in Montreal hoping for that. The defenseman was acquired with great fanfare, after all, and if he plays up to his immense talent, he could change the game in Montreal.

And with a squad already banking on Lane Hutson and Kaiden Guhle (and, in the longer term, David Reinbacher), it’s starting to look pretty solid on the blue line.

Overtime

– Speaking of Habs defensemen.

– Well deserved.

– What do you think?

– New contract for Garrett Wilson with the Jets.

– Great read on Gabriel Diallo.

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Top-100 prospects (The Athletic): Ivan Demidov ranks 3rd

Even though he only played a few games in the NHL (regular season and playoffs), we saw Ivan Demidov’s talent.

Some were quick to wonder why he slipped all the way to No. 5 in the 2024 draft… and that’s likely to be the case for years to come.

He’s that good.

Demidov is one of the NHL’s top prospects, and that’s no secret.

Scott Wheeler, who is an expert in this field, decided to make his annual top-100 list of the NHL’s best prospects (who have already been drafted)… and Demidov’s name comes in at #3.

Matthew Schaefer (#1) and Michael Misa (#2) are ranked ahead of him.

The list also includes David Reinbacher (39th) and Michael Hage (51st) among the Canadiens’ prospects:

Seeing the Habs have three prospects in the top-51 is still telling.

And to see the Habs have one in the top-3… so is it.

In Demidov’s case, it’s special because we quickly realized that he has the skills to become an impact player in the National League before too long.

He picked up a point in his very first appearance on the ice… and a goal in his third against the Chicago Blackhawks.

And we agree: Demidov’s first goal was simply magnificent.

Canadiens fans have reason to be excited about what’s to come with Ivan Demidov now in Montreal for the next few years.

He looked good at the end of last season… and I have a feeling it’s going to be the same in 25-26.

I can’t wait to see how he does, and I know I’m not the only one on my island who thinks that way.

Overtime

– Interesting.

– Eh boy.

– Nice shot.

– The end of an era.

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Calendar 25-26: The Canadiens’ season kicks off on October 8

The more things go on, the closer the Canadiens’ season gets.

Agreed: we’ll have to wait a few more months to see the 25-26 campaign take off in the National League.

But it’s going to happen sooner than we think…

The Canadiens’ schedule will be released on Wednesday, but The Hockey News has already got its hands on one of the copies.

And there are a few important things to know:

  • Game 1 in Toronto (October 8)
  • game 1 at the Bell Centre on October 14 (against the Kraken)
  • 1st trip out West at the end of October
  • 2nd trip out West at the end of November
  • Bolduc to face Blues on December 7
  • Crosby and the Penguins in Montreal on December 20
  • Holiday road trip
  • Only 4 games in February (Olympic Games)
  • Last game of the season on April 12

Ah… and it’s also relevant to know that the Habs will play two games in two nights 17 times (!) next season.

That’s a lot of games. But with the schedule having to be condensed due to the Olympics, it’s normal in a way.

Clearly, the Habs will have to find a way to manage their energy.

17 times we’re going to see back to backs, it’s probably going to be really draining… and it’ll be important for the club to find a way to stay healthy too.

It’s also worth noting that the Canadiens will end their season with two games in two nights, on April 11 and 12.

This means one thing: if the Montreal club is in the thick of the playoff race and hasn’t yet clinched its ticket to the dance by then… these two games are likely to be really interesting for the team’s fans.

It’s likely to be a very important moment in the season, at least.

It promises to be!

In Overtime

– Nice goal.

– Victor Eklund signed his entry-level contract.

– So much the better!

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Jeff Gorton praises Mike Matheson: “He’s important to us right now”

As soon as he arrived in Montreal, Mike Matheson established himself as an important player in the Canadiens line-up.

He was given the mandate to be the team’s #1 defenseman, and in his first two seasons with the big club, he enjoyed some good times offensively.

His production dropped off last campaign, but that’s normal in a way: he lost his place on the first wave of the powerplay due to the blossoming of Lane Hutson, and he saw the latter gain more responsibility too.

That said, even though Matheson was less productive in 24-25, he’s still one of the habs’ defensive stalwarts.

And Jeff Gorton(RG Media) recognizes this… as he reiterated just how much Matheson helps the Canadiens succeed on the ice:

If you look at Mike’s work since he arrived in Montreal, he’s a very good player. Sure, he gets criticized from time to time, but he can sometimes play more than 25 minutes a game, can’t he? He’s huge for us, and we’re all aware of that. – Jeff Gorton

And in reality, Gorton is right.

Because if Matheson gets hurt… it really affects the depth on defense:

With just one season remaining on Mike Matheson’s contract, Jeff Gorton didn’t want to reveal the organization’s plan at this level.

Hearing the VP speak well of the defenseman doesn’t mean he’ll automatically stay in town… but it does mean one thing.

The Canadiens really like Matheson’s contribution to the team. And it also means that if Kent Hughes does trade him, it will definitely be for a high-quality player… because the Habs value their defenseman right now.

And that’s normal, since Matheson doesn’t just help out on the ice: he’s also a good veteran for the team.

He wears an “A” on his sweater because he’s one of the Canadiens’ good leaders.

He’s important on many levels in Montreal… and that’s why management sees him as an important key to the club right now.

Overtime

– Still.

– That’s a long way off!

– Good question.

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Ivan Demidov misses Russia

We all remember the surprise of the last few months for the Canadiens: Ivan Demidov came to finish the season (and play in the playoffs) in Montreal.

While no one really expected the Russian to be released from his contract before June 1, the SKA and the Canadiens treated fans to a major surprise.

And, let’s not forget, it caused a lot of chatter.

Once the playoffs were over, we were also surprised to see that Demidov had chosen to stay in Montreal for the off-season. So he didn’t return to Russia this summer.

He wanted to practice here and spend some time discovering the city. This decision was obviously well received.

Of course, moving to the other side of the world for months at a time (with his girlfriend, but without the rest of his family) is a big challenge for a young person learning to live in a new culture.

And now, according to Bogdan Konyushkov, in an interview with Sport24, the Canadiens’ top prospect is missing Russia this summer.

Is it any wonder that the young man misses his country? The answer is no. At his age, it’s normal.

The choice he made to stay in Quebec was for the sake of his career. And in the off-season, although Montreal is a fun city, there’s no hockey, his great passion. Not NHL hockey, at least.

It might be a little while.

I don’t know how much Bogdan, who saw Demidov on the heels of the Habs’ development camp in recent weeks, likes what he’s hearing. I don’t know if he wanted it to come out publicly…

overtime

– Paul Coffey will no longer be behind the Oilers bench. He’ll still be an advisor, though.

– Indeed.

– File to follow.

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Last season (or not): Alex Ovechkin curses the media

Will Alex Ovechkin retire from the NHL in 2026? Everything points to yes.

Nothing’s been confirmed yet, but he’s already broken Wayne Gretzky’s record, he’s at the end of his contract and we suspect he’d like to play in the KHL before ending his career.

Logically, we can assume that this is the last time he will be playing in the NHL, as he is at least 39 years old.

Add to this the fact that the Capitals had sent out an e-mail announcing that #8 was in his last NHL season, and that his wife had said that in the summer of 2026, when his contract expired, the couple would be moving back to Russia.

Let’s just say that was starting to raise a few eyebrows.

But in a matter that isn’t all that serious (we suspect Ovechkin is nearing the end), it’s special to see that the Capitals captain is breaking it out publicly.

He began criticizing the media in connection with the case, as reported by TVA Sports in a piece on the subject.

You’re starting to make assumptions, which puts us in an awkward position, and that’s crazy. – Alex Ovechkin

What’s special is that it was indeed his wife who said the family would be leaving Washington in a year (not speaking in the conditional tense) and it was indeed his club that sent the email talking about his “last year” in the NHL.

What did he want the media to do when they saw this? Nothing at all? Come on.

In my eyes, he’s frustrated at not being in control (perhaps he wanted to decide how to announce the whole thing) and decided to take his anger out on the messenger, the media representatives.

But that’s not the right thing to do in this case.

overtime

– The complete Habs schedule will be released in two days’ time.

– Morgan Barron: $1.85M per year over two years. [X]

– Wow.

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Matvei Michkov made a Michigan goal (after saying he didn’t want to make any more)

Recently, Matvei Michkov wowed the gallery.

As the Journal de Montréal reported, the Flyers player was recently at an event in Russia organized by Alex Ovechkin, Artemi Panarin and Mikhail Sergachev.

And on the ice, during the game for a good cause, he pulled a Michigan. And clearly, he’s got the talent to pull it off.

Of course, everyone here knows that talent comes out of his ears. Seeing him attempt such a maneuver in a match that means nothing isn’t exactly surprising.

It’s his style, after all.

But to me, it’s still ironic that on July 12, barely 24 hours before seeing him do a Michigan in a game in Russia, the young man made headlines in an interview when he said he wouldn’t be doing any more Michiganders.

Hm…

Of course, we all understand that there’s a fine line between saying he won’t be doing any more in the National Hockey League and making a spectacle of himself at a meaningless game in the middle of summer.

But to me, the news is this: Mishkov wants to go through the motions because it’s in his nature to play that way, but he’s been told that he has to learn to jockey the sacrosanct right way to be successful in the NHL and maximize his scoring chances.

Will this create frustration in the young man? I’m not sure. He won’t necessarily say so publicly if it does.

If he buys into Rick Tocchet’s game plan, could it help him become a more complete and successful player in the long term? Only time will tell.

overtime

– Happy birthday to Pierre Houde.

– He should get there.

– Montreal is in first place.

– Of note.

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Jeff Gorton says the Habs have ways around Quebec taxes

Is the Canadiens a finished product? The answer is no. I know it, you know it… and the Canadiens know it.

It’s not the first time he’s mentioned it, but Jeff Gorton (who was the first to say that going after a second center this summer was going to be difficult) knows he may have to wait before upgrading his center line.

He said as much in an interview with RG media’s Jimmy Murphy.

But even so, the city’s hockey operations boss believes that Montreal’s status as a destination of choice will help the club’s management build a strong roster.

The city, the talent in the club, the club’s history, the coaching staff: he sees it all as positive.

But there’s still one subject that comes up a lot in town (especially bearing in mind that in the last six seasons, a Florida club has made it to the finals, and teams like the Golden Knights and Stars are always good): taxes.

That said, Jeff Gorton doesn’t exactly seem to mind.

There are a lot of things that get people excited about Montreal.

Yes, there are the taxes, and we definitely understand that. But there are ways around that. – Jeff Gorton (in a message that is certainly not a Quebec government presentation)

We’ve always known that players have ways of avoiding paying taxes in Quebec(Georges Laraque has been talking about it for years), but to see Jeff Gorton talk about it publicly shows that it doesn’t affect the Habs too much.

Of course, for people who spend their year in Quebec, it’s a different story. But for an American returning to the States, the Canadiens don’t seem to be afraid of this element of the game.

overtime

– Of note.

– With good reason.

– Horrible, negotiating with Gary Bettman? [JdeM]

– Good news for baseball in Quebec.

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Ivan Demidov wants nothing to do with face-offs

Who will be the Canadiens’ second center in 2025-2026?

It’s obviously too early to answer that question. But we do know that there are a few candidates… starting with Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook, two guys who filled that position in 2024-2025.

There are also some prospects in Laval (who are less likely, but still) who are in that race.

But another possibility is to see in-house wingers practicing at the center position. We’re not talking about all wingers, of course: Patrik Laine and Brendan Gallagher won’t be playing center overnight, you know.

One name that comes up a lot is Zachary Bolduc. He played center in junior and was asked to practice in the face-off circle this summer.

What about Ivan Demidov?

Although some people see him at center and Kent Hughes has opened the door to the possibility, it would seem that this is not in the plans of the main interested party, who “wants nothing to do” with face-offs. Marco D’Amico talked about it, in that tone, on the Poolcast podcast.

The Russian, who was asked about it by RG media, has already said that he’ll play where the Habs tell him to play, but that his face-off skills really aren’t that good.

The question is: what do you think about him turning down a request from the Canadiens in this way?

On the one hand, the young man knows his limits. But on the other, why does he seem closed to the idea of improving in this aspect of his game, when he normally seems more open to the idea of becoming a better player?

If I were him, I’d do what Bolduc did and give Marc Bureau a call. It can’t hurt… although seeing him stay on the wing is probably a more optimal scenario for seeing him develop his (great) talent.

Let’s not forget that the Canadiens hope to see Zachary Bolduc’s attitude and level of competition (on the ice) rub off on the Russian. It would be nice if the same could happen off the ice.

Demidov is already in Quebec. Let’s make the most of it, shall we?

overtime

– The Major League Baseball draft began yesterday.

– The Habs at number one? Yup.

– Tobie Paquette-Bisson returns to Laval: a family choice. [98.5 Sports]

– Nice.

Florian & Arber Xhekaj at the Coldplay concert in Toronto

[image or embed]

– /r/Habs(@habsonreddit.bsky.social) July 13, 2025 at 11:29 PM

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“I have no doubt that the Blues wanted to give Jordan Kyrou more than Zachary Bolduc.”

For several weeks now, the Canadiens have been rumored to be interested in Jordan Kyrou, even though the team has just completed a deal with the St. Louis Blues.

What’s more, even though his no-trade clause came into effect on July 1, he would be willing to come and play in Montreal if the opportunity arose. [DLC link]

What if it was the Canadiens who didn’t want Kyrou?

That’s what Rick Springhetti and Grant McCagg discussed on the Recrutes Draftcast podcast.

They believe that the Habs didn’t take Zachary Bolduc after trying to acquire Kyrou, but rather the opposite, and Montreal instead demanded Bolduc in return for Logan Mailloux.

That makes a lot of sense.

At 22, Bolduc is an improving athlete who has just played his first full season with 36 points, including 19 goals, in 72 games.

He has scored 13 goals in his last 24 regular-season games.

He’s the perfect age to develop with our core group of players who should be contenders for top honours in a few years’ time

What’s more, the Québécois brings a physical dimension that the Canadiens need, and he’s in the final year of his three-year, $2.59 million entry-level contract ($863,334 per year).

His next contract will probably be a 3-4 year transition contract, which should be easier for the Habs to manage.

Kyrou, for his part, will complete the third of an eight-year contract worth $65 million ($8.125 million per year).

And after scoring 75 points in 74 games in the 2021-22 season, the forward has seen a slight decline, with 73, 67 and 70 points respectively in the last three campaigns.

Without being dramatic, if this slump continues, his contract could quickly age badly and hurt the Habs.

At 27, Kyrou represents a bigger risk than Bolduc, and could already be on the decline by the time the Habs’ window of opportunity opens.

What’s more, as McCagg points out, Kyrou’s production is similar to that of another 27-year-old, Patrick Laine, but so are his defensive problems.

And one wonders if the Canadiens really need a second Laine in their line-up?

Overtime

-What do you think?

– Good news for the Alouettes.

– What a catch!

– The kickosaurus!