Author: Dose

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CHL: several superstars could leave for the NCAA

For young field hockey players, playing in American colleges is a dream before reaching the NHL.

With the new rule that allows players to play in one of Canada’s three major leagues (OHL, QMJHL and WHL) without forfeiting their NCAA eligibility, many players decide to take this route.

In fact, since the introduction of the CHL, some 30 players have begun their career in the CHL. And let’s just say that the introduction of such a rule is making the big American colleges hungry. In fact, they’re taking advantage of the opportunity to spy on the superstars currently playing in Canada. Guys like Gavin McKenna (WHL), Michael Misa and Porter Martone (OHL) could leave for the NCAA next year.

In the case of Martone and Misa, it’s much less certain, as both are eligible for the next NHL draft.

Presumably, both forwards will emerge in the top-5 and could be playing in the NHL as early as 2025-2026. But for McKenna, he’s the consensus top pick in the 2026 draft so far. And with 55 points in 27 games at age 16 (!), he’s likely to stay there.

Michael Hage’s school, the University of Michigan, is keeping a close eye on the young man who plays for the Medicine Hat Tigers. Could the two young forwards play together next year? Possibly. Although Hage could make the jump directly to Quebec next year, perhaps at the end of his university season in March-April.

The Wolverines are also said to have their eyes on Porter Martone, who is expected to be drafted in the top-3 in the upcoming draft. If all these players continue their junior training and decide not to make the professional leap, Michigan could have quite a club.

Let’s give them top honors right now!

As for Misa, the Boston University Terriers, Lane Hutson’s former club, are worth keeping an eye on.

In short, there’s a lot of movement to come between the Canadian junior leagues and the NCAA.

Overtime

– Ryan Reaves won’t be changing his style of play. [TVAS]

– A 10th goal for him this season.

– This is completely ridiculous.

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Patrik Laine scores on his return

It was written in the sky!

On his return to action, Patrik Laine scored a beautiful goal.

A perfect shot in the top corner.

Lane Hutson and Nick Suzuki picked up the assists on the powerplay goal.

People in Montreal love the Finn, anyway.

They gave him a standing ovation after his goal.

The Patrik Laine effect is activated in the metropolis.

Extension

The 92 became the 600th player in the history of the Bleu-Blanc-Rouge to score a goal with the team. His first and certainly not his last.

What a goal, yet again!

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20 goals in 58 games for Patrik Laine: Georges Laraque and Stéphane Gonzalez’s prediction

Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

Patrik Laine madness gripped the hockey world on Tuesday morning, when the Canadiens announced his return to action on social networks. Fans are already expecting to see Laine make an impact as soon as he returns to action.

At BPM Sports, as elsewhere, this was obviously the topic of the day. How could we miss it?

Georges Laraque and Stéphane Gonzalez made a bold but realisticprediction for the production of the Canadiens’ number 92 between now and the end of the season.

20 goals and 20 assists in 58 games.

20 goals is realistic, but Laine still needs to stay healthy.

It would be surprising to see the talented goal scorer play the entirety of the Canadiens’ last 58 games after missing nearly a year of regular-season hockey. But it’s not impossible.

And for the 20-goal mark in 58 games, it’s something he’s been capable of, even in his “less good” years.

In 2021-22, he scored 26 goals in 56 games with the Blue Jackets. The following season, he scored 22 in 55 games. He’d be able to do it without a problem.

What we’ll have to keep an eye on is whether he’ll play in fear of another injury. His knee injury was serious and happened because of his aggressive style of play in the zone. It’s a facet of his game that helps him to be dangerous on forward.

However, Laine will be playing on a line with two players who are really coming into their own these days. Kirby Dach collected just three points in November, and Juraj Slafkovsky hasn’t lived up to expectations since the start of the season either.

The good news, as Bob Hartley pointed out on BPM Sports earlier this evening, is that Laine will complete a very imposing line-up.

Laine and Dach are the Habs’ two biggest forwards at 6’4 and Slafkovsky is just an inch behind at 6’3. This could help the line to threaten opponents and create scoring opportunities through physical play.

However, we must limit our expectations of Laine. His return to action may well be slower than expected. After all, he hasn’t played regular-season hockey in nearly a year.

Overtime

– He’s got his work cut out for him in Laval.

– Impressive.

– He’s been excellent this season.

– The Blue Jays want to bring him back.

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4 Nations Confrontation : Patrik Laine expected to play for Finland

Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

Patrik Laine’s return isn’t just good for the Canadiens, it’s good for Finland too!

The four teams participating in the 4 Nations Confrontation had to submit their official rosters on Monday for Wednesday’s unveiling.

According toTSN’s Pierre LeBrun, Finland has selected Laine for the tournament.

What’s quite interesting about this situation is that Laine has yet to play a single game this season. He’ll make his return to action on Tuesday night against the Islanders in front of a Bell Centre crowd.

According to LeBrun, Finland is willing to take the gamble of selecting Laine because of the impact he can have on the team. He will also have about two months to find his feet on the ice before the tournament.

Should Finland decide to add Laine to its official roster, he could be one of only two Canadiens players at the 4 Nations Confrontation.

The second Canadiens player expected to take part in the tournament is Samuel Montembeault, who should act as Canada’s third goaltender, according to LeBrun.

We’ll also be keeping an eye on Joel Armia with Finland. It was Pierre LeBrun who reported in October that Finnish officials were watching the Canadiens’ depth player.

Two other Canadiens players could also earn a spot on one of the tournament teams. Nick Suzuki is unlikely to be part of Canada’s plans, as is Cole Caufield with the United States.

One has to wonder whether Finland’s decision may have precipitated Laine’s return to action.

Laine’s first game in a Canadiens uniform on Tuesday night would therefore be the first step in his preparation to represent Finland at the 4 Nations Confrontation.

Overtime

– Heavy loss for the Canucks.

– We can’t wait to see if his production remains similar with the Canadiens.

– There he is!

– Wow!

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Alex Ovechkin lost 33 pounds this summer

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 28:Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals carries the puck in Game Four of the First Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the New York Rangers at Capital One Arena on April 28, 2024 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by John McCreary/NHLI via Getty Images)

Alex Ovechkin is a true force of nature.

At 39, he scored 15 goals in his first 18 games of the season… before suffering an injury.

But there may be a reason for his impressive offensive output this season.

In an article by Responsable Gambler, we read that Ovi began his summer by going on vacation to Turkey.

He didn’t necessarily pay attention to what he ate… So much so that at one point, he weighed 258 pounds.

That’s a lot of weight.

But the Capitals captain is back at work getting ready for the season, and that’s where it gets interesting.

Again according to the Responsable Gambler article, Ovi has lost 33 pounds (!!!) and entered the campaign weighing 225 pounds.

That’s impressive:

It’s crazy too.

Losing that much weight in just a few months is (really) not easy… But Ovechkin did what he had to do to get back in shape and perform well on the ice.

And it worked.

But at a certain point, Ovi had no choice but to start training extra hard, because if he didn’t, his body just wasn’t going to keep up at his age.

If guys like Sidney Crosby and LeBron James are able to be this good as they approach forty, it’s because they take care of their bodies and it’s because they make the effort to stay at the top of their game.

And if Alex Ovechkin wants to continue to have the chance to break Wayne Gretzky’s record for most goals scored in the NHL, he has no choice but to work to make it happen.

Overtime

– Bromance.

– Can’t wait!

– Please note:

– This is going to be good.

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Next reminder: Here are five candidates who deserve a chance to shine.

MONTREAL, CANADA - OCTOBER 9: Alex Barré-Boulet #27 of the Montreal Canadiens taps his stick in the locker room before the NHL regular season game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Bell Centre on October 9, 2024 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs by a score of 1-0 (Photo by Vitor Munhoz/NHLI via Getty Images)

At the time of writing, there are no injured players (apart from Carey Price) on the Montreal Canadiens.

But if a player were to get injured, or if the Canadiens were to recall a guy from Laval for reason X, who would be the best candidate right now?

I’ve put together a list of five names that I think might have a chance.

Ultimately, we have to start with Rafaël Harvey-Pinard, for obvious reasons.

He hasn’t broken anything since the start of his season in Laval, but still: he knows the National League and has helped the Habs in the past.

He’d be a logical candidate in my eyes, even if he’s coming back from injury and needs to find his rhythm.

Joshua Roy missed his chance by being invisible in all four games after being recalled. He’s been blanked four times and we haven’t seen much of him on the ice.

Tony Marinaro summed it up well yesterday on the JiC show, saying that Roy simply didn’t get the message.

But besides Harvey-Pinard… Who’s standing out down there?

Here are my suggestions :

1. I’d really like to see Luke Tuch – who’s on the sidelines – get a chance to show his colors at some point this season.

I’m not saying he should ABSOLUTELY be the next one called up if he’s healthy, but if we see a lack of effort from the Habs in the coming weeks and Kent Hughes wants to shake things up, Tuch would be an interesting choice in my eyes.

His physicality could help:

2. Anthony Marcotte mentioned his name on the radio this morning(BPM Sports) and we haven’t heard much about him in recent weeks, but Jared Davidson is having quite a season in the AHL.

This is his second year in the pros and he’s producing like a good offensive player: he has 10 goals and five assists (15 points) in just 17 games this season.

And what’s interesting about him is that the goals are there because he’s playing the right way.

He’s involved in every facet of the game and there’s intensity in every one of his appearances.

3. Alex Barré-Boulet is also a guy who deserves the chance to prove himself.

He had the opportunity to start the season in Montreal because he had a very good camp, and he’s producing at a more than interesting pace in the AHL.

He has 16 points in 13 games, and offensively, perhaps he can help the Canadiens if need be. That said, he’d have to be placed in a situation that’s favorable to him in the lineup, and if the top-9 remains healthy, it’s going to be hard to fit him in…

Because we know that Barré-Boulet has offensive qualities :

4. In closing, I’m hesitating between two names… But Xavier Simoneau is – in my opinion – a guy who needs to be given a chance to shine at some point.

He’s small at 5’7 and 178 pounds, but he’s got a heart as big as the Bell Centre, and players who work like him know how to stand out because they never go unnoticed on the ice.

Kind of like Brendan Gallagher…

You’ll have noticed that I didn’t mention Logan Mailloux, and here’s why: there’s no rush for the defenseman, who needs time to develop and correct his shortcomings on the ice.

In any case, we’ve seen what Mailloux is capable of with three points (including a goal) in five games this season with the Canadiens.

We know he has the potential to become a good offensive defenseman, and now he needs to work on the rest of his game to be the best player he can be when the Canadiens are ready to win.

At the same time, the Rocket need all their best players right now because the club has lost five of their last six games…

Overtime

– Sick.

– He’s good.

– It’s the right mentality.

– Wow!

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David Reinbacher attends morning meetings with coaches

MONTREAL, QC - SEPTEMBER 24: Montreal Canadiens defenseman David Reinbacher (64) tracks the play during the New Jersey Devils versus the Montreal Canadiens preseason game on September 24, 2024, at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

David Reinbacher was injured in a nasty fall after being checked by Marshall Rifai during a preparatory game.

The defenseman had to undergo surgery to repair an injury to his left knee, and in early October, the Canadiens announced that the rehabilitation period in his case was estimated at between five and six months.

At the time, we all thought it was a shame for the youngster, because he needs to play in order to progress.

But even if Reinbacher can’t jump on the ice, the Canadiens are doing everything they can to keep him involved.

Much as was the case with Dach last year, Reinbacher participates in the coaches’ morning meetings.

It’s a great way for him to gain experience even if he’s injured, and at the same time, it makes him feel more comfortable within the group.

He’s also able to learn more about the team system:

When they take part in these meetings, they know where we’re at and where we’re directing our attention. – Martin St-Louis

In addition to taking part in the coaches’ meetings, Reinbacher is also often present on the catwalk when the Canadiens are playing at home.

He watches the games from above… And even though he can’t play, he’s able to see how things are going in the National League.

That’s a good thing: players always say that it’s easier to follow the games from above, because that’s when they understand how “slower” the game is.

That said, I have the impression that the Canadiens are managing this issue perfectly.

A solution had to be found to keep Reinbacher involved in the team’s activities, because he shouldn’t feel alone in getting back into shape.

He’s just arrived in North America, he’s only 20 years old, he had a terrible season in Kloten last year because the club was so rotten… It would have been easy for him to find himself in an emotionally difficult situation, in other words.

And the Canadiens are doing everything in their power not to let that happen.

Overtime

– I doubt it.

– 1-1-1. How about you?

– Happy reading.

– Good.

– Too bad.

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There are no injured players on the Canadiens at the moment.

Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

In recent years, the Canadiens have been hit hard by injuries.

Several important players have had to miss games… And Nick Suzuki, who has never had to miss a game since the start of his NHL career, is the only one to have avoided the infirmary.

But things are different this year, and even if the club finds itself in the lower echelons of the National League’s overall standings, the Canadiens don’t have the excuse of injuries this season.

After all, when you take a closer look… you realize that there are no injured players on the Canadiens right now.

That’s almost a miracle!

Of course, Carey Price is still part of the organization, but we know he can’t play anymore.

David Reinbacher and Filip Mesar are sidelined in Laval, but these two guys wouldn’t have made the club after training camp.

Patrik Laine and Rafaël Harvey-Pinard missed the start of the season through injury, but the Finn returns tonight and the Québécois has already played a few games for the Laval Rocket.

So, for the first time in a long time, we can say that the big club is healthy.

(Credit: CapWages screenshot)

Technically, in the eyes of management, the Canadiens now have what it takes to be more successful.

Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton talked about being in the mix before the season started, taking into account that all the players would help in their own way. Now, the guys are all healthy… And this is the moment when we’ll be able to evaluate the team in the best possible way since the start of the season.

Sure, Laine has missed a few games (he’ll be rusty) and Kirby Dach is still finding his feet, but hey. You know what I mean.

Let’s hope it stays that way for at least a few weeks, because the Canadiens have been hit by the injury curse in droves in recent years.

With the team healthy, it makes management’s job easier when it comes to evaluating players, and it also allows Martin St-Louis to have a full line-up with his best players every night.

It’s great, because it’s been a long time since we’ve seen that in Montreal.

Overtime

– Yes, it is.

– He’s got style!

– Andrei Kuzmenko will be left out tonight against the Blue Jackets.

– Makes sense.

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Brendan Gallagher and Josh Anderson: “they’ll be valuable to a playoff club”.

Brendan Gallagher is still under contract for three seasons... and he's untradeable.

How financially troubled is the Canadiens?

According to The Athletic, which has decided to rank the payroll of the 32 NHL teams, the Canadiens are in 22nd place. According to the site, only a dozen teams are worse off than the Habs.

Here is the text in question.

In the text, we get the feeling that if the Canadiens manage to make good use of the surplus that will be created when many contracts are off the club’s books, they’ll be fine.

Remember that Michael Pezzetta, David Savard, Joel Armia, Jake Evans and Christian Dvorak will all have the chance to leave the Habs, if they want, as early as the summer of 2025. They will be free agents.

But Kent Hughes can make trades, too.

And on that subject, there’s one sentence in the text that stood out for me. It’s the one in which the future of Brendan Gallagher and Josh Anderson was discussed, in connection with their big contracts.

Players like Josh Anderson and Brendan Gallagher make more money than they should, but they’ll be valuable to a playoff club, especially if Montreal withholds salary.

Gally ($6.5 M per year until 2027) and Andy ($5.5 M per year until 2027) are rather, in my eyes, impossible to trade. And I’m not the only one who says that. #Stanley25

Even if Gallagher has a good season, that doesn’t mean it’s going to continue forever.

And in Anderson’s case, he’s having a hard time playing up to his talent and like he’s capable of. I can’t see any club taking on one of these contracts right now: the risk is too great.

To be continued, but…

Overtime

– Really?

– Patience.

– NHL adds an assist to Lane Hutson.

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Patrik Laine officially back: a “Christmas present” for Kirby Dach

Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

At practice this morning , Patrik Laine trained with Juraj Slafkovsky and Kirby Dach.

By all rights, this was an indication of what we thought was possible: Laine had signed on to play tonight. And now, the Habs have confirmed that he will play tonight.

No more conditionals.

After today’s practice, Kirby Dach was asked to comment on the news. And the center, who will benefit from the marker’s return, seemed very happy to see him back.

In front of the media, he said it was like an early Christmas present.

The holiday comparison is interesting because when he was injured, I didn’t expect to see him playing in December. And even when the Habs gave a timetable, I didn’t expect to see him play before Christmas.

But in the end, he will. And in fact, the main interested party said he could have played last week, in November. It’s not prudent for the Habs to wait, which is fine.

Details to come…