Author: Dose

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Jordan Kyrou to be sidelined tonight: all bets are off

Nothing is going right in St. Louis.

The club has had a poor start to the season, and Jim Montgomery doesn’t know what button to push to get his team up and running at the start of the campaign.

And now he seems to have come up with an idea: leave Jordan Kyrou out.

Some think Kyrou is off to a good start (eight points in 14 games), while others think the forward is struggling and deserves a message from his coach.

Either way, the message is strong.

Is this the start of a storm? Will Pavel Buchnevich be next? It’s hard to say at the moment, because it’s such recent news.

But to me, it’s a message to everyone, not just Kyrou.

It’s easy to make links with the summer rumours. His no-trade clause came into effect on July 1, and the Blues shopped him before and after July 1, 2025.

Has this been playing on his mind?

It would be interesting to know what Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton think of all this. After all, the Blues player was a target of the Canadiens during the off-season. The Logan Mailloux deal could have been built around Kyrou…

He was ready to waive his no-trade clause in July for Montreal. Hard to believe he’d have changed his mind since then…

I don’t know if the Canadiens would still want to dance with the Blues, but a change of scenery seems to be a possibility for the St. Louis Blues forward.

To be continued…

overtime

– Interesting news.

– Numerical inferiority: Arber Xhekaj must improve. [98.5 FM]

– One to watch.

– Yes, he’s flying under the radar.

– Good segment.

– Read more.

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Jacob Fowler has no intention of taking #31 from Carey Price

The vast majority of Canadiens fans miss Carey Price in net.

Although the Samuel Montembeault – Jakub Dobes duo is interesting, both goalies will never be Price.

At least the Habs can count on Jacob Fowler to become an elite goaltender, as he’s had excellent stats everywhere he’s played.

Even in Laval with the Rocket in his professional debut (three starts last season and six this season), he had very good numbers (an average of 2.33 goals allowed per game and a 0.913 save percentage).

On the No Restrictions podcast with host Kevin Raphaël, Fowler was a guest on the most recent episode, and the subject of the number he’ll wear with the Habs was discussed.

First, Fowler mentioned that he’s used numbers 1 and 29 in the past, but he won’t be able to with the Habs, since those numbers are retired.

Another number he’s used in his career is #31, but in this podcast, he made it clear that he has no intention of using it, even though it’s technically a possibility.

The fact that he said up front that he wasn’t going to take Price’s number shows that Price is highly respected in the organization and is a legend.

If he doesn’t take #31, he doesn’t have much choice in “classic” goalie numbers. But unusual goalie numbers are becoming increasingly popular. One example is Dan Vladar, the Flyers goalie who faced the Habs, who wears #80.

In the above excerpt from the Unrestricted podcast, Fowler mentioned that at this year’s Habs camp, he chose #32.

He may decide to keep that number when he makes the jump to the NHL. If not, he’ll have to use his imagination and find a number that suits him and is available in Montreal.

Overtime

– Very interesting: Owen Protz is in Steven Ellis’ Team Canada Junior projection.

– Indeed.

– Very nice.

– He’s not getting any younger.

– Read on.

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Martin Brodeur says: he wouldn’t have liked to face Ivan Demidov

Martin Brodeur is perhaps the best goaltender in NHL history. 4 Vézina trophies, three Stanley Cups, 691 NHL victories…

We all have a different opinion on that.

But… in spite of it all, Brodeur is able to recognize the talent found in today’s National League.

The man who is now a member of the Devils’ staff talked about it today on BPM Sports: there are guys he wishes he hadn’t played against as a goalie.

And he mentioned Ivan Demidov. Wow!

Ivan Demidov’s talent is undeniable.

He proved, right from the start in the National League, that he had the skills to become one of the best players in the world. His hands, his creativity with the puck, his agility in finding his teammates as if nothing had happened…

But to see that one of the best goaltenders in history(if not the best) sees him as a special player at this stage of his career is even more telling. It shows that Demidov has earned the respect of some of the league’s legends… and it also shows that he has the potential to be one of the greats in league history.

I’ve always loved it, hearing legends of the sport talk about a youngster as being a player of great talent.

And coming from the mouth of Martin Brodeur, who has had so much success in the National League… it sounds more encouraging for the Canadiens and their fans.

Overtime

– Nice.

– Speak of the devil.

– Great idea.

– Hehe.

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Perfect time to trade Alex Newhook (according to JiC)

Alex Newhook isn’t the Canadiens’ greatest offensive player.

He racked up 26 points (15 goals) in 82 games last season, and when we saw his production, we all wondered what his real role was in Montreal.

But we’ve seen a different Newhook since the start of the season. He has nine points (five goals) in just 13 games… and he’s able to produce because he benefits from Ivan Demidov’s work on his line.

That said, this would be the perfect time for the Canadiens to trade him to JiC.

According to Jean-Charles Lajoie, we must take advantage of Newhook’s current value… because it will probably never be as high as it is right now in the four corners of the National League.

Despite the excellent services he’s currently rendered, we need to exploit Newhook’s great sequence and use it as bait by involving him in a package. – Jean-Charles Lajoie

The idea… is not crazy, in a way.

When you look at the Canadiens’ long-term situation, you realize that Newhook may not have a major role for much longer.

There are youngsters on the rise… and the player’s value is at an all-time high at the time of writing.

But I find it hard, in a way, to agree with JiC’s comments. And here’s why:

1. Alex Newhook is 24 years old. He’s not the best center in the National League, but we’ve seen that results can be achieved when the Canadiens exploit his speed on the ice. We know that this element can become really important… and we know that he often has good chances to score.

If he were able to convert more of them, maybe we wouldn’t even be having this discussion today…

2. On a third line, Newhook can (more than) do the job. He can bring the element of speed that the Canadiens are looking for, and that can make a difference.

3. We can see Newhook getting really good at the power play. I tend to believe that the Habs need him right now – and that he can improve over time…

I wouldn’t trade Alex Newhook for three bottles of water and 12 pucks. Nobody said that, either.

But what I’m trying to say… is that, in my eyes, you’d really have to acquire a high-quality player to see Alex Newhook leave the Canadiens. Because he’s such an important part of the lineup right now.

Overtime

– He’s fast.

– Hehe.

– Read more.

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Samuel Montembeault and the Olympics: Let’s talk about his rivals for a job

Is Samuel Montembeault playing like a guy who deserves to be in the next Olympics?

No. The answer is no.

Does this mean that Samuel Montembeault won’t be taking part in the next Olympic Games? Again… not necessarily. Because if you look at the work of Canada’s NHL goalkeepers since the start of the season, you can see just how little depth there is. And Pierre LeBrun was right to point this out on Tony Marinaro’s Sick Podcast:

If you look at the stats for each goalie, you realize that they’ve all (or almost all) struggled since the start of the season. And I’m not exaggerating:

  • 8-1-0 record for Scott Wedgewood (2.49 and .902)
  • 6-3-0 Logan Thompson (2.57 and .938)
  • 3-5-0 record for Jordan Binnington (2.34 and .859)
  • 4-3-1 record for Darcy Kuemper (2.57 and .900)
  • 4-3-1 record for Stuart Skinner (2.54 and .899)

Those stats are better than Monty’s, of course. But…

Obviously, things are going relatively well for Wedgewood and Thompson. But we know that, basically, it’s Jordan Binnington who’s going to have the confidence of Canada’s management because he’s the one who helped the club win the 4 Nations Confrontation a few months ago.

And Thompson wasn’t selected for the 4 Nations because they didn’t see him as Binnington’s assistant. Are they thinking along the same lines? Because if so…

What may help Monty is that he’s already done the club… and smashed it at the World Championship in 2023. He still finished the tournament with a 6-1-0 record, a 1.42 goals-against average and a .939 save percentage…

Management knows him well, to put it another way, and it’s not for nothing that he was selected for the 4 Nations team last February.

They believed in him… and maybe they’ll want to do the same, even if the Québécois is having a tough time in front of the net. Because then again, it’s not as if all Canada’s other goaltenders are dominant in the National League at the moment.

And that, too, can help Monty…

Overtime

– Sick.

– Boys!

– Good point.

– Oh.

– News from MLB.

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Nazem Kadri: another team in competition with the Canadiens

Nazem Kadri is becoming an increasingly popular name in the NHL.

There are rumors about him because of the Flames’ poor performance so far this season, and because the market for center players is so thin.

If he becomes available, there will be clubs interested in him. And the Habs will be high on their list too…

There’s one other team, though, that might be worth keeping an eye on. Nick Kypreos (Sportsnet) mentioned that the Hurricanes are likely to be really aggressive in their moves between now and the trade deadline to improve their roster… and that’s not crazy because we know the Canes are never afraid to move.

It makes you wonder, though, if Kadri is interested in playing in Carolina:

A potential trade to Montreal or Vancouver sounds easier than a deal to the Carolinas, since the two Canadian teams aren’t on Kadri’s no-trade list. – Nick Kypreos

There may be a silver lining to all this, however.

According to Darren Dreger(TSN), the Flames owner really likes Nazem Kadri. He wouldn’t want to trade him because he sees him as a really important piece in Calgary.

Could his opinion change if the Flames continue to rack up losses between now and the trade deadline?

I really have a feeling that it’s all going to depend on the team’s performance.

It’s all well and good to love Nazem Kadri… but as long as we keep him without any concrete results on the ice, the idea of trading him to maximize his value could become even more important in the coming months.

And clearly, the Canadiens – like the Hurricanes – will be the ones to watch if that happens.

Overtime

– A name to remember.

– Makes sense.

– Great story.

– Mérité.

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Here’s what Nick Suzuki needs to win the Selke

Nick Suzuki has dominated since the start of the season.

He’s one of the National League’s top scorers, and he’s also doing a fine job defensively. He’s becoming one of the NHL’s elite two-way forwards because he can do everything on the ice.

The captain is so good so far at 25-26 that he’s being talked about as a very logical candidate for the Selke Trophy. But not so fast…

Dom Luszczyszyn made a point of reminding us in a recent article(The Athletic): Nick Suzuki may be missing something for him to be in a position to go home with the Selke at the end of the season.

While he’s having a great campaign, it’s Suzuki’s lack of play on the short-handed that could sink him in the end. He spends, on average, 19 seconds per game on PK… and that could hurt him.

Careful here: just because he doesn’t play much shorthanded doesn’t mean Martin St-Louis doesn’t trust him. The problem is that Suzuki plays so much five-on-five with a man advantage that you don’t want to burn him either.

All in all, even if he’s not the most-used guy on the shorthanded side, it’ll be hard not to see him as the logical Selke candidate if he keeps up the momentum…

We knew even before the season started that Nick Suzuki was really good.

He’s been proving it for years, after all… and it’s hard to forget his excellent 24-25 campaign. He carried the club on his shoulders after the 4 Nations Confrontation and helped the Canadiens secure their playoff berth.

But this year, it feels different… because Suz seems to be on a mission.

And when you start hearing comparisons to Steve Yzerman, or that he’s the 3rd best center in the NHL right now, you realize just how special a player we’re talking about.

The Canadiens have a good one on their hands. And we’ve got to take advantage of it.

Overtime

– Fair enough .

– Love it.

– A real machine.

– More important news from Toronto.

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Jordan Kyrou to be sidelined tonight: all bets are off

Nothing is going right in St. Louis.

The club has had a poor start to the season, and Jim Montgomery doesn’t know what button to push to get his team up and running at the start of the campaign.

And now he seems to have come up with an idea: leave Jordan Kyrou out.

Some think Kyrou is having a good start to the season, while others believe the forward is struggling and deserves a message from his coach.

But either way, the message is strong.

Is this the start of a storm? Will Pavel Buchnevich be next? It’s hard to say at the moment, because it’s such recent news.

But to me, it’s a message to everyone, not just Kyrou.

It’s easy to make links with the summer rumours. His no-trade clause came into effect on July 1, and the Blues shopped him before and after July 1, 2025.

Has this been playing on his mind?

It would be interesting to know what Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton think of all this. After all, the Blues player was a target of the Canadiens during the off-season. The Logan Mailloux deal could have been built around Kyrou…

He was ready to waive his no-trade clause in July for Montreal. Hard to believe he’d have changed his mind since then…

I don’t know if the Canadiens would still want to dance with the Blues, but a change of scenery seems to be a possibility for the St. Louis Blues forward.

To be continued…

overtime

– Interesting news.

– Numerical inferiority: Arber Xhekaj must improve. [98.5 FM]

– One to watch.

– Yes, he’s flying under the radar.

– Good segment.

– Read more.

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Three reasons why Steven Stamkos might say yes to the Canadiens

Steven Stamkos’ name is back in the rumour mill.

With the Canadiens in the market for a #2 center, it’ s only logical that the Tampa Bay Lightning legend’s name comes up in Montreal from time to time.

Would the Predators member say yes to the Canadiens? Theoretically, he has at least three reasons to do so.

1. Martin St-Louis was his teammate in Tampa Bay. The two get along well, and MSL has been a mentor to the man who has become a Tampa Bay icon in recent years. Honorable mention to Vincent Lecavalier’s presence in the organization, by the way.

2. The Canadiens are good.

(Credit: NHL.com)

3. The word on the street is that, in order to accept a deal (there’s no guarantee he’ll leave, of course), Stamkos would have to play with a player who can pass him the puck.

And since the Canadiens have Ivan Demidov on their roster, Steven Stamkos could see an opportunity to play with a sort of Nikita Kucherov 2.0 again.

But then again. You also have to wonder if the Habs really want to go after a player who has slowed down quite a bit and is making $8 million a year for another two and a half years.

The Preds could withhold salary and the cap goes up… but still.

The real questions are: does the Habs feel capable of re-signing him? And do they want to take such a gamble with a player who’s quite a bit older than the club’s current core?

With Stamkos playing less center than he used to, these are legitimate questions.

extension

And of course, despite the factors that could attract Stamkos to the city, we have to wonder whether he’ll want to come and play in Canada and Quebec if the deal goes through.

There’s no question that the answer is yes.

Stamkos, who grew up in Toronto, has always signed in places where taxes are advantageous… and it’s possible he doesn’t want to uproot his family once again.

If he does leave, it may be to stay in a similar environment. And that’s if he leaves…

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Nick Suzuki is the third-best center in the NHL, according to Craig Button

Whether Nick Suzuki is a true NHL first-choice center is a question no one in Montreal asks anymore.

Everyone knows that the Canadiens’ captain is one of the best in his position. He’s getting stronger every year, and he’s at the heart of the Canadiens’ rebuilding plan.

I imagine that the top brass also like the culture that #14 helps to instill in the city.

But as much as we’d like to praise him, we have to admit that Craig Button has been pushing hard. On Tony Marinaro’s Sick Podcast, he ranked Suzuki as the third-best center in the NHL.

Only Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid are ahead of him, in the columnist’s eyes.

I don’t see how Sidney Crosby and Leon Draisaitl can be behind Suzuki. The same goes for Aleksander Barkov, who I’m counting on even if he’s injured this season.

In my eyes, Suzuki belongs in the top-10 discussion with guys like Mark Scheifele, Evgeni Malkin, Jack Eichel, Auston Matthews and even Macklin Celebrini.

And I’m not saying that to criticize Suzuki, who is excellent. He played an important role for the Canadiens in the playoffs in 2021 (we don’t talk about it much, but he’s got that experience) and he’s put the club on his shoulders since the Four Nations Confrontation.

The fact that he’s not guaranteed a spot in Canada’s line-up for the Olympics also suggests to me that he’s not exactly the third-best center in the world.

Ultimately, everyone agrees that the Habs are lucky to have him, and that the center rankings are somewhat subjective. Still, it’s an interesting debate.

What do you think?

overtime

– Of note.

– Maybe the Habs will face the Mammoth in the playoffs a few years from now.

– He deserves a tribute.