Author: Dose

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Top-4: Macklin Celebrini and Connor Bedard top the NHL scoring charts

It was a rather quiet Friday night in the National Hockey League last night, with only four games on the schedule.

Despite this, there were some good highlights.

Here they are.

1. Connor Bedard scores four points and climbs to 2nd in the NHL

The Chicago Blackhawks’ young prodigy is currently playing in his third NHL season, and let’s just say that so far in his career, he hasn’t yet impressed as much as one might have thought.

Bedard is undoubtedly very good, but he hasn’t yet produced at the level we saw him dominate in the NHL.

However, this season, the Hawks’ #98 seems to have made great strides, and more importantly, he seems to be growing in confidence, as Chicago boasts a better line-up than in the last two seasons.

Things are going so well for Bedard, that last night, with his four points in a 4-0 Hawks victory over the Calgary Flames, he climbed to the top of the NHL scoring charts for a while on the night.

Everything finally seems to be clicking for Bedard, and it shows, as evidenced by his magnificent goal last night.

The Hawks forward now has 22 points, including eight goals, and a plus-10 rating in 15 games.

That was good for first place in the NHL, until a certain Macklin Celebrini stepped in and took over the scoring lead.

2. Two points for Macklin Celebrini at the top of the scoring charts

Celebrini was back at the top of the NHL scoring charts last night, scoring two points in the San Jose Sharks’ 2-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets.

He also scored a magnificent goal, in the same style as Connor Bedard.

Celebrini then added an assist on Will Smith’s game-winning goal to take sole possession of the NHL scoring lead with 23 points (9 goals, 14 assists).

It’s pretty crazy that the NHL’s two current top scorers are the first overall picks of 2024 (Celebrini) and 2023 (Bedard) respectively.

The two youngsters are 19 and 20 respectively, and they’re dominating the NHL this season, playing for two of the league’s worst teams.

But so far, the Sharks (6-6-3) and Hawks (7-5-3) are showing great improvement, which helps both young stars shine.

In short, let’s hope that both continue to produce at this impressive rate, and that they fight it out for the Art Ross Trophy, awarded to the top scorer of the regular season.

3. Emil Heineman scores his 6th goal of the season

The Montreal Canadiens veteran is having a fine season so far with the New York Islanders, even if the team as a whole is struggling with its 6-6-2 record after 14 games.

Heineman is producing, and finding the back of the net with ease, as he did last night when he scored his 6th goal of the campaign on a superb passing play.

This now gives him nine points and a plus-5 rating in 14 games, which is a very good haul, considering that last season he scored 18 points, including ten goals, in 62 games with the Habs.

4. Second straight regular-season loss for the Red Wings

The Canadiens have lost their last two games in overtime, which has slowed them down somewhat in their battle for the top of the Atlantic Division.

Fortunately, the Habs’ closest pursuers have also lost their last two games in regulation time.

The Detroit Red Wings suffered their second consecutive defeat last night, losing 4-1 to the New York Rangers.

What hurts the Wings even more is that they have scored just one goal in their last two games, having lost 1-0 to the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday night.

In short, the Red Wings are two points behind the Habs and the top of the Atlantic Division with one more game to play.

Overtime

– Here are yesterday’s results.

– Here are yesterday’s top scorers.

(Credit: NHL.com)

– Today’s NHL schedule: 13 games.

(Credit: Google/NHL)
(Credit: Google/NHL)
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Marc Del Gaizo sold to the Rocket

To no one’s surprise, the Canadiens de Montréal made a move.

As was the case following the return trip out West, the Habs have sent their depth to Laval. Marc Del Gaizo is back with the Rocket.

This has just been announced.

The only reason Del Gaizo was with the Habs on the road was to have a guy in case of injury or illness before the game, for example.

In other words? An insurance policy.

But now, with the Habs back home, there was no point in having Del Gaizo up there. The defenseman is scheduled to play tonight at Place Bell.

We’ll see what the Habs do when they hit the road again. If Kaiden Guhle doesn’t return for the November 17 game against the Blue Jackets, expect to see Del Gaizo on the road to Ohio with the others.

Let’s not forget that the Canadiens are always looking to have as few players on the NHL payroll as possible, in order to gain salary flexibility on a daily basis ahead of the trade deadline.

That’s why Del Gaizo is commuting.

overtime

– One to watch.

– It’s rumor season in the MLB.

– Martin Brodeur: his life between St. Louis and New Jersey.[JdeM]

– Read.

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Trevor Zegras and the Flyers: Elliotte Friedman (already) talks contract extension

Things can change quickly in hockey. Just ask Trevor Zegras!

While the forward practically left the Anaheim Ducks as persona non grata, he’s off to a great start this season with 15 points, including four goals in 14 games with the Flyers.

Zegras is currently his team’s leading scorer and is one of the main reasons for the Broad Street Bullies‘ good start to the season, with a record of eight wins, five losses and one overtime defeat.

Quite a turnaround for the man who scored 32 points, including 12 goals, in 57 games last year.

The 24-year-old forward has suffered a number of injuries over the past two seasons that have slowed his development and production.

This is one of the reasons why the Flyers didn’t pay much for Zegras, giving away Ryan Poehling as well as a second-round pick in 2025 and a fourth-round pick in 2026.

If Zegras continues to produce at this rate, and especially if he can avoid injury, this trade could well become a steal for general manager Daniel Brière.

As we saw in Tuesday’s game against the Flyers, Zegras, who was surely the standout player for the visitors, is playing good hockey and is currently in full possession.

In fact, things are going so well for the American in Philadelphia that Elliotte Friedman believes he is currently in talks for a contract extension.

Zegras is in the final year of a three-year deal that pays him an average of $5.75 million a year, and the Flyers are likely to be interested in keeping the young forward for the long term.

Both the Flyers and Zegras seem happy with the current situation, which is why Friedman believes a deal between the two sides is imminent.

In short, a situation to follow in the coming weeks.

Overtime

– The Rocket opens the scoring.

– Bravo!

– His sixth already.

– What a pass!

– So close.

– Any movement to be expected?

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“Joe Veleno is not comfortable on the wing”

Although the Canadiens are off to a very good start this season, the team is currently third in the NHL, but some players could give more.

One of these players is Joe Veleno, who is having a rather difficult start to the season.

Offensively, his production is non-existent. In nine games, he has no points, seven shots and a minus-3 record.

As Pierre McGuire says on The Sick Podcast, Veleno doesn’t seem comfortable playing on the wing right now, and it shows in his overall game.

Martin St-Louis’ strategy of having two centers playing on different sides of the fourth line is understandable, but yesterday Veleno was one-for-four (25%), so nothing convincing for him.

By comparison, Jake Evans was much more effective in the face-off circle, with a 58.3% efficiency (7 in 12) against the Devils.

The problem with the Montreal-born player is that we don’t really have room for him at center right now.

Evans already does what you’d expect Veleno to do, only better, so putting him at the center of the fourth line is out of the question.

In fact, while Veleno’s season-to-date performance in the face-off circle is good at 51.2%, Evans’ is better at 57.4%.

Plus, right now, Olivier Kapanen and Kirby Dach are doing well on their respective lines, so we’re not touching that.

And, need I mention Nick Suzuki?

St-Louis will have to find a solution and possibly reshuffle his third and fourth trios to find the right chair for Veleno.

Shaking things up a bit could also help players like Brendan Gallagher and Josh Anderson, for whom it’s been more difficult in recent games.

Let’s hope the Habs coach can find a good combination for his forward lines, as Patrik Laine isn’t about to make a comeback.

Overtime

– He really takes the team to heart.

– A beautiful gesture.

– Bravo!

– He won his bet.

– Sad news.

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Pascal Vincent: “We are in the process of recalibrating Florian Xhekaj”

Last year was Florian Xhekaj’s first year in the pros. Arber’s little brother spent the year in the AHL… where he found a way to score 24 goals in 69 games.

And only four of those goals came on the powerplay. It was truly impressive.

And after breaking all records at camp in September, Xhekaj seemed destined to be one of the first to be recalled… except that it’s not so easy for him this year, with just one goal and three points in 10 games in Laval.

Speaking to Tony Marinaro’s Sick Podcast, Xhekaj’s coach Pascal Vincent was reassuring about his protégé:

We’re in the process of recalibrating Florian Xhekaj. – Pascal Vincent

Basically, what Vincent is explaining is that Xhekaj came to Rocket camp assuming that it would be easier for him this year. This is often a reality for a second-year player (especially after showing great things at the big club’s camp)… and it made the forward want to focus on scoring goals.

But Vincent doesn’t see it that way. In his eyes, Xhekaj won’t be called back to the NHL for his scoring skills. And he’s right: it’s more likely to be for his physical game and intensity, even if being able to score won’t be a bad thing up his sleeve.

At the moment, Vincent is trying to get Xhekaj to refocus on the basics, with a view to making him an NHL player one day. The fact that he’s always at the center of the Rocket’s fourth line (rather than on an offensive trio) is no mere coincidence.

And that leads me to believe that he won’t be recalled any time soon: recalibration like this doesn’t happen overnight, you know.

Overtime

– Speaking of the Rocket.

– That’s right.

– Yes, I agree.

– Ryan O’Reilly: if he’s traded, it will be to a contender.

– A name to keep an eye on.

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“Our TV set in Utah is worth more than all our installations in Arizona.”

Tomorrow night, the Canadiens take on the Utah Mammoth for the very first time in their history. This will be the first duel between the two clubs since the Utah outfit chose its name, as you may recall.

Tomorrow’s duel will take place at the Bell Centre, but the Habs will visit the Mammoth later this month. And what’s clear is that the Utah team likes its new market.

In fact, Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong spoke to Chris Johnston(The Athletic) about his new reality in Salt Lake City…

And you can tell he’s very, very impressed with the improvements:

Our TV in Utah is worth more than all our installations in Arizona. – Bill Armstrong

We know that Armstrong, who lived through the Coyotes’ final years in Arizona, also lived through the Arizona outfit’s financial difficulties. The Coyotes couldn’t even pay their arena rent, after all, so they ended up playing at Mullett Arena, Arizona State University’s arena.

This is in stark contrast to the brand-new (NHL-calibre) facilities that were built for the Mammoth in Utah.

And that, in the GM’s eyes, is a major factor in why the club is turning the corner in its rebuild. The guys are being treated like royalty, and the ownership group in Utah isn’t afraid to put money on the table to get the club where it needs to be.

That’s quite a change from the last few years in the desert, when the club was in survival mode. Good for the club members, then.

Overtime

– Ivan Demidov has been practicing his skating stroke for a long time.

– Still.

– Nazem Kadri: Frank Seravalli has questions about the Maple Leafs.

– He’s incredible.

– Can you believe it?

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Monty and Mike at Rona: A joke contest to win a poutine

Samuel Montembeault is the talk of the town for many reasons these days.

His performances on the ice are getting a lot of attention… but so is his new collaboration with McDo. Monty is McDo’s McJoy of the Year, and now he’s got his own poutine (which I haven’t tried yet, by the way).

The McDo ads also feature Mike from Rona saying a few lines. The result is cool, to be honest.

A new ad was released today… on Rona’s various social network accounts.

In the video, we see Monty and “Mike” telling flat jokes. The point? Whoever manages not to laugh wins the right to eat the goalie’s poutine.

The hockey bag and pocket joke… I have to admit I found that funny. Hehe :

It’s a good idea.

It’s creative, brings a more humorous side to things and makes for pleasant viewing. I had fun watching the video.

But if the video makes you laugh, it’s far from the case when you look at Monty’s season with the Canadiens. It’s been a real struggle since the start of the season, and let’s hope things turn around soon for the Québécois.

In fact, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Mike at Rona will bring him some luck on the ice. Because right now, the Québécois seems to be in need of some…

Overtime

– Wow.

– Good point.

– Great idea.

– Things are going well for some of Canada’s clubs.

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Nick Suzuki seemed to be playing injured yesterday: His streak of games with at least one point is dead

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12…

Obviously, you’ll understand that I can count to 12. Not bad, kid.

No joke, but I’m telling you about 12 for a reason. Nick Suzuki had collected at least one point in his last 12 games before the one against the Devils… but his streak came to an end last night in New Jersey.

(Credit: Screenshot / ESPN )

The captain didn’t look in top form last night against the Devils.

He didn’t look like the Nick Suzuki we know… and he didn’t have the biggest game ever. But in all this, it’s worth remembering that Suzuki sacrificed himself for his club late in Tuesday night’s game against the Flyers, blocking a shot in the dying moments.

Yesterday, he seemed to be playing hurt. And perhaps this sequence explains why:

Nick Suzuki has never missed a game since the start of his NHL career. He’s played 469 consecutive games, and that makes him a truly special player.

But let’s hope his discomfort goes away soon. The Canadiens need him at the top of his game, because we know how important the captain is in Martin St-Louis’ line-up.

If he needs to break his streak to get some rest, so be it. Suzuki probably won’t get a chance to rest next February, because he seems to have a good chance of competing in the Olympics with his current performance… and at some point, he’ll have to have the opportunity to heal his wounds.

Because we also agree on one thing: the holiday season is a long way off… and the guys don’t have much time to rest during this part of the season either.

I hope we’ll prioritize his health before his string of consecutive games. And let’s hope his injury isn’t too serious either.

Overtime

– Sick!

– Well done.

– Coming up.

– Happy reading.

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Cayden Primeau is placed in the waivers

A month ago, the Leafs put Cayden Primeau (and Samuel Blais) up for waivers.

But the Primeau experience in Toronto didn’t last long… because today we learn that the goaltender has (once again) been submitted to the waivers.

Will another team take a chance on Primeau?

The question arises because, in three games this season, Primeau’s statistics have been… disastrous. And I don’t mince my words:

  • 4.30 goals-against average
  • .838 save percentage

He’s won two games out of three, but still: his numbers show that he’s having trouble getting the job done in front of the net. And clearly, the Leafs have had enough.

Joseph Woll, who missed the start of the season, is close to a return to action.

He’ll play a few games in the AHL to get back into shape before returning to the Leafs in Toronto.

Did this news have an impact on the Leafs’ decision regarding Primeau? It’s possible. After all, the Leafs don’t need to keep three goalies up top, and Primeau was the easy guy to squeeze into the equation.

But then again, it’s not as if he’s had a lot of success proving to management that he belongs in the Queen City. We’ll have to keep an eye on what happens next in his case, and we’ll have more clues tomorrow.

I really wonder whether another team will ask for him after his difficult start to the season.

Extension

Reminder: in 23-24, Primeau was still good with the Canadiens. He was able to make the important saves, and that enabled him to play 23 games that season.

But since then, it’s been more than difficult. It really seems like a long time ago… although it hasn’t been forever either.

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6th defender: Mario Ferraro to “replace” Arber Xhekaj?

Arber Xhekaj hasn’t exactly been helping the Habs in recent weeks.

He’s doing his best (even if he hardly ever hits anymore) and even so, it’s not enough sometimes, because he’s also capable of getting his team into trouble. The Sheriff doesn’t always make the best decisions on the ice, and he’s not the most disciplined guy either.

He’s played an average of 11 minutes (10:56) per game so far this season.

After all, Martin St-Louis can’t give him more than that. The coach can’t use a defenseman like Xhekaj on the short-handed because he’s not reliable enough in his own territory.

To help the club in this respect, Jean-François Chaumont told Mario Langlois(98.5 FM) that he sees Mario Ferraro as a target of interest for the Canadiens. It’s not crazy, when you look at the résumé of the main interested party.

Ferraro is a 27-year-old left-handed defenseman who has always played with the San Jose Sharks. He’s played 422 career NHL games since being selected in the 2nd round of the 2017 draft, and is averaging 15 points per season.

But above all, we’re talking about a guy with a defensive style who’s really effective in his zone. He’s experienced and reliable on the ice, and his contract is worth $3.25 million per season.

He’s in the final year of his contract. Ferraro will be eligible to test the free agent market on July 1.

It wouldn’t be a huge risk for the Canadiens, if you look at it another way. It would allow Kent Hughes to add depth to the blue line, which is currently banged up with the absence of Kaiden Guhle… and we also know that you can never have too much defensive depth in a National League club.

All this to say, then, that Jean-François Chaumont’s idea isn’t crazy. Add to that the fact that it wouldn’t cost the moon to get Ferraro out of San Jose… and the matter becomes even more interesting for the Canadiens, too.

Overtime

– Attention all interested parties:

– Good.

– Hello, Sid.