Author: Dose

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Zachary Bolduc works on his bets with Marc Bureau, according to Marco Normandin

Kent Hughes’ big personnel move on July 1 was the transaction that brought Zachary Bolduc to Montreal. The club took advantage of a surplus on the blue line to trade Logan Mailloux for a guy who had a great rookie season in the NHL.

He amassed 19 goals and 17 assists in 72 games, but really took off after the 4 Nations Confrontation.

With the Blues, Bolduc played on the wing. That said, it’s worth remembering that in junior, the Québécois played center… and that the Habs have a hole to fill in the middle of their second line.

So it’s interesting to learn that, according to Marco Normandin, Bolduc practiced on a Quebec City rink today… in the company of Marc Bureau.

Bureau, who used to be an ace face-off man, has been with the Habs for a few months now. And today, he worked with Bolduc specifically on face-offs.

So you have to wonder what all this means for the Habs’ second center position. After all, if Bureau made Bolduc work so hard on his face-offs, it’s probably not for nothing.

I wonder whether it was Bolduc who approached Bureau or whether it was the Habs who asked Bureau to go and practice with Bolduc. History doesn’t tell.

It should also be remembered that, apart from Alex Newhook (who plays center a bit by default), the Canadiens have no left-handed center. Bolduc is left-handed, and he could give Martin St-Louis another option at that level.

My feeling right now is that the Habs want to put Bolduc and Kirby Dach on the same line so that both take face-offs on their strong side. The club opted for this approach with Dach and Sean Monahan back in the day, and we could try to recreate it.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on all this, but we think there’s a real chance we’ll see Bolduc playing center in Montreal. Or, at least, to see him there part-time in the company of Kirby Dach.

That’s not to say it’s a certainty (Bureau has been practicing with Juraj Slafkovský in the face-off circle for several months, and no one sees Slaf going to center next year), but it’s a very interesting possibility.

Overtime

– Aatos Koivu: we still don’t know where he’ll play next year.

– Well done.

– Wow.

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“When I watch Ivan Demidov play, I see a central player”

Ahhh, the famous second center.

If you look at the Habs’ current lineup, you’ll see that the big question mark is at the center line, but especially at the center of the second line. Right now, Kirby Dach(who could well bounce back) is there, but he’s far from a sure thing.

Kent Hughes is currently working hard to find a solution on the trade market, but nobody wants to trade a top-6 center across the league. So we have to try to find solutions internally… and that’s where Ivan Demidov comes into the equation.

At his press conference on July 1, Kent Hughes mentioned the idea of Demidov playing center. He didn’t say it was likely, but he did mention it as an option on the table. And obviously, Eric Engels (who was on Tony Marinaro’s Sick Podcast ) seems to believe it:

When I watch Ivan Demidov play, I see a center forward. – Eric Engels

Engels notes that Demidov has what it takes to play center: he’s able to make his linemates better, he has excellent vision and he’s dynamic over 200 feet.

And in the modern NHL, the main responsibility of a modern center is to win face-offs. The rest can be worked around.

It’s also worth remembering that last year, during the pre-draft meetings in Montreal, Demidov was mentioned as a “possible future #1 center”. So, internally, the idea of him playing center has already been discussed, even before his arrival in the organization.

Of course, it would be a great way to solve a number of problems in town (the need for a top-6 center and the need for a left-handed center). That said, it still has to be the best decision for the kid, who has proven how dynamic he is when playing as a winger.

And he doesn’t seem to think he’d be great at center… but maybe there’s a way to convince him.

I expect Demidov to start the year on the wing, while the Habs probably won’t want to overload him early in his first full season in America. That said, he’s a bit of a wild card in this question of the second center: if Kirby Dach struggles or gets injured and Demidov seems capable of taking it, maybe the option will be on the table.

And if it works out, the Habs will really be in the driver’s seat.

Overtime

– Dave Hakstol hired as assistant in Colorado.

– Retirement for Riley Nash.

– Still!

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Noah Dobson: his minus-16 differential last year is (very) misleading

The differential statistic (the +/-) is, in my opinion, of very little use. In fact, it has certain uses (for example, to compare players within the same team and see extreme cases), but the vast majority of the time, we’re talking about data that is sorely lacking in context.

Using it to talk about a player’s defensive play is even worse: Macklin Celebrini, who showed great things in his rookie year and is very solid defensively, finished the campaign with the eighth-worst differential in the NHL at minus-31.

So, more often than not, the number that comes out is all crooked. And Montreal has a good case in point with Noah Dobson.

Last year, Dobson finished the campaign with a minus-16 differential, which isn’t exceptional. That said, this figure is really misleading.

Because in reality, at 5-on-5, Dobson finished the campaign with a differential of… plus-3.

It’s worth remembering that the differential decreases when a player is on the ice and a goal is scored against his team while they’re on the powerplay or have pulled their goalie.

The latter case is very reminiscent of Lane Hutson, who finished the last campaign at minus-2: the figure would have been much higher had it not been for all the times the defenseman was on the ice late in the game trying to tie the score while Samuel Montembeault was back on the bench.

A player’s differential can also be reduced if he’s on the ice when his team is scored on in overtime, when the game is 3-on-3. And once again, evaluating a player for his defensive play at 3-on-3 is not representative.

At 5-on-5, the game situation in which Dobson will most often play, he is a player who has found a way to have a positive differential in a particularly ordinary Islanders line-up, in a year that has been particularly difficult for him.

No, he’s not terrible defensively, as some would have you believe: without being Jaccob Slavin, he’s more than capable of holding his own at 5-on-5.

Overtime

– I love it.

– Nice read.

– News from the Tour de France.

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The Canadiens are right to believe that Kirby Dach will bounce back this season

Kirby Dach didn’t have a great season in 2024-25. The forward, who was coming back from a major knee injury, was limited to 10 goals and 22 points in 57 games, then missed the rest of the campaign due to (another) knee operation.

Coming back from such an injury isn’t easy… but considering the Habs were counting on Dach to pilot their second line, it wasn’t ideal.

And a few months later, we realize that Dach is once again on track to start the year at the center of the second line. That can always change, but right now, that’s where we’re putting him when we make the Canadiens’ projected line-up for 2025-26.

But the Habs seem to have faith in their young forward, as Marco D’Amico noted on The Shaun Starr Show:

[The Canadiens] strongly believe that Kirby Dach will bounce back this season. – Marco D’Amico

We know that Dach, in his first year in Montreal, showed great promise. In particular, he shone on the wing of the first line (in the chair now occupied by Juraj Slafkovský), and before the injuries, he was seen as the Habs’ possible first center of the future.

Yes, things have changed a lot in the last two years.

That said, Dach seems to be in better shape than ever… and there’s every reason to believe he can bounce back. The arrival of Ivan Demidov, for example, could give him a quality winger… but the arrival of Zachary Bolduc could also change things.

Because, as Arpon Basu noted in a piece (The Athletic) this morning, Dach’s numbers weren’t terrible when he didn’t have Patrik Laine as a winger. The “fit” between the two players, both returning from long absences, didn’t work… but away from Laine, Dach was a much better player.

There’s a world in which Laine arrives at camp strong, and a normal summer of practice means he’s back to being the Laine of the good old days. That said, if that’s not the case and the Finn struggles to get a big role, the Habs can always try to send a guy like Bolduc, who brings a more physical dimension, alongside Dach and Demidov.

Maybe that’s how the Habs can unlock their second center, after all.

Overtime

– That’s a lot of wingers in town even before a possible Jordan Kyrou trade. That said, unlike Kyrou, few of these players are top-6 prospects.

– The new collective bargaining agreement has officially been ratified.

– Good one.

– Wow.

– Ah.

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It may be difficult to find a (significant) role for Patrik Laine in 25-26

Is Patrik Laine’s first season with the Canadiens a great success?

Not necessarily, no.

But we can say that he helped the Habs in certain ways. Laine was useful on the powerplay, and without the 20 goals he scored (in 52 games), the Canadiens probably wouldn’t have made the playoffs.

That said, we don’t really know how he’ll fare at the next training camp, and that raises a few questions.

Will we see the Patrik Laine who’s more or less involved on the ice… or will we see a fit Patrik Laine who’s ready to work hard for the Habs’ success?

If it’s the first option, it’ll be hard to find an important role for him in Martin St-Louis’ lineup.

The acquisition of Zachary Bolduc changes a few things… because the Québécois could quickly find himself in the Canadiens’ top-6 if he adapts well to his new team.

And as Eric Engels mentioned in a recent article, Laine could be pushed to play on the bottom-6, which isn’t necessarily ideal.

If Laine is to contribute to the Canadiens’ success, there may be only one solution.

Give him his place on the first wave of the powerplay… because we know he’s excellent when the Habs find themselves with the man advantage.

We know, in fact, that he has a devastating shot and the ability to score goals.

But if it’s difficult for Laine on the powerplay too – as it was in the final stretch of the season – that’s where it could get pretty complicated.

Martin St-Louis will have to find a way of positioning him somewhere in the line-up so that he can be successful… but on a third line or a fourth line, the role of the main man concerned is likely to be minimal.

All in all, a real headache for the Habs head coach.

Overtime

– No, thank you.

– There’s interest in Dougie Hamilton.

– He’s having a great tournament so far.

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EXCLUSIVE! Jordan Kyrou would be willing to be traded to the Canadiens

Today is July 8, 2025.

Yes, right now, we can say that Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton made some good moves over the summer, but that they still haven’t gone and got what the team lacks most: a second center and some grit.

Except I’m repeating myself: it’s only July 8 and the season will start in early October.

Many insiders repeat that Kent Hughes hasn’t finished his shopping and that he’s probably the most active GM on the Bettman circuit right now.

And that’s exactly what I’ve been told over the past few hours.

Kent Hughes has one more target at the top of his shopping list: Jordan Kyrou.

According to excellent sources close to the matter, in recent days Kyrou’s agent asked his client if he would agree to waive his no-trade clause to come to Montreal, should a trade be completed between the Blues and the Canadiens.

Kyrou’s answer: of course I would!

What does it mean? The partial no-trade clause (15 teams Kyrou doesn’t want to be traded to) that came into effect on July 1 means nothing. It wouldn’t block a possible transaction.

So the July 1 date, identified as a deadline for any transaction involving Montreal, no longer holds.

I’ve also been told that Nick Suzuki and Jordan Kyrou know each other, that they have the same agent(David Gagner / Wasserman Hockey) and that they’ve discussed Montreal in recent days.

Jordan Kyrou played right wing last season, but spent his first six seasons mainly at center. Yes, he’s right-handed (we need a left-handed center) and no, he’s not extremely efficient in the face-off circle (40.3% in his career), but he’d still be an option at center on the second line. If only while waiting for Michael Hage..

After all, he’s just collected 37, 31 and 36 goals per season..

Another downside: Kyrou handed out only 50 checks in 82 games last season. He’d bring size, but not grit.

Why would the Blues actively seek to trade a guy with nearly 40 goals per season?

From what I’ve been told, it sounds like Kyrou – the team’s top earner at $8.125 million per season – has plateaued and that guys like Jimmy Snuggerud, Jake Neighbours and Justin Carbonneau will be able to fill Kyrou’s spot in a better way, and maybe for less money. At least, for several years..

Why hasn’t a deal been completed with the Canadiens yet?

From what I hear, the Blues have David Reinbacher and Michael Hage in very high regard, but Kent Hughes wouldn’t want to trade either of these two youngsters.

What’s more, adding a guy like Kyrou – even in return for a guy like Mike Matheson, could pose a problem for the salary cap. Or at the very least, severely restrict the Canadiens’ accounting flexibility.

Let’s hope Kent Hughes can pull another rabbit out of his hat, because theKyrou option is a lot more interesting than the Veleno or Kuznetsov options.

Overtime

– If you don’t like bickering and heated debates, don’t watch this video.

– Tomorrow, the Montreal CF will have more quality than its opponent. How does Marco Donadel anticipate all this?

– All closed-door practices this week for CF Montreal.

– Why didn’t you take a few minutes to thank Nathan Saliba on Saturday?

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The Canadiens are certainly among the summer’s winners so far

When the Canadiens’ season came to an end after the series against the Washington Capitals, there were questions to be asked.

Most notably, we wondered what Kent Hughes’ summer would look like, and there were several options on the table.

Especially when you consider that the Habs had two first-round picks, and there was a good chance those selections could be traded to acquire a quality player.

In the end, that’s what happened.

Kent Hughes sent his two first-round picks (and Emil Heineman) to Long Island to fill a need for a right-handed defenseman who could play on the top pair.

But the Canadiens’ GM wasn’t done yet… and traded Logan Mailloux, a player who spent the last two years in the AHL, for a goal-scoring forward in Zachary Bolduc.

This, too, was a major need in Montreal.

Hughes may have lost Joel Armia and Christian Dvorak to the market, and that hurts. That said, he also managed to fill one of his slots by bringing Samuel Blais to town, a guy who can hit and plays physical night after night.

When you think about it, the Habs did what they had to do:

  • Picked up a #1 defenseman (Dobson)
  • Grabbed a quality forward (Bolduc)
  • Added a guy who’ll help with his toughness (Blais)

Oh, and Kent Hughes was also able to sign another veteran goalie in Kaapo Kahkonen, a guy who may come in handy in case of injuries in Montreal.

(Credit: Getty Images)

In the four corners of the National League, there are other clubs that have improved.

I’m thinking of the Golden Knights, who acquired Mitch Marner…

I’m thinking of the Panthers, who found a way to keep Sam Bennett, Brad Marchand and Aaron Ekblad in Florida…

I’m thinking of the Ducks, who added Chris Kreider and Mikael Granlund to their roster…

I’m thinking of the Hurricanes, who signed Nikolaj Ehlers and acquired K’Andre Miller…

These teams have been among the winning clubs since the start of the summer, and the Habs are among them too.

Kent Hughes has not only found a way to fill holes, he’s found a way to fill the needs that Montreal had. Dobson will stabilize the defense, Bolduc will add offensive punch to the top-9 and Blais will add the rugged element we were looking for after getting pounded by the Caps in the playoffs.

The only thing missing would be for Hughes to add a 2nd center to his lineup. And if that happens… the Canadiens could be declared the off-season winner.

Overtime

– Interested parties:

– I love it.

– Coming up.

– Bravo!

– The Jays are on fire.

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Greg Wyshynski: “I have long believed that Sidney Crosby will end his career in Montreal”

Playing for the Canadiens de Montréal is special.

The history of the club, the magic of the Bell Centre… It makes the experience even more fascinating for an NHL player.

The Montreal organization is as prestigious as you could wish for, and that too weighs in the balance.

Perhaps it’s because of all this that, one day, we might believe in the chances of seeing Sidney Crosby in a Habs uniform.

We know that his future in Pittsburgh seems a little “complicated” given that the Penguins aren’t going anywhere… and since he’s nearing the end of his career, it’s safe to assume that he could be looking to finish his career elsewhere to end it on a high note.

And that’s what leads Greg Wyshynski to believe (for a long time) that the famous #87 will end his career in Montreal if not Pittsburgh.

The ESPN journalist discussed this with Jeff Marek on ” The Sheet ” podcast:

He could be part of a team on the rise and have a good chance of winning a championship at the end of his career with a team that hasn’t won since 1993. – Greg Wyshynski

It’s true that it would make a nasty story.

Crosby leaving the Penguins to come and win in Montreal, while Canadiens fans are still waiting to see the club lift its first Stanley Cup in over 30 years… that would be something.

But what’s attractive, too, is the fact that the Habs have what it takes to be successful before too long.

The club has a good core of young players, there are already some excellent players in place, the team has improved with the acquisitions of Noah Dobson and Zachary Bolduc… and the common denominator could also be Ivan Demidov.

He has the tools to be one of the best players in the National League in the next few years, after all.

And if the Habs sell Crosby on the idea of playing on the same line as him, it could be a very attractive proposition for a player who’s nearing retirement and wants to win as much as possible.

Clearly, this is one case that refuses to die…

Overtime

– He changed his game.

– Oops.

– It’s going to be a long one in Boston.

– Good point.

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Kuznetsov: There’s a reason why he hasn’t signed a contract yet

The Canadiens acquired Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders.

The Habs were also able to pick up Zachary Bolduc from St. Louis, a guy with great potential who could really help the club offensively.

But there’s one thing the Habs haven’t been able to do so far. And you see me coming…

No, Kent Hughes hasn’t achieved the goal he set himself at the end of the season.

The GM is still looking for a guy who can play center on the 2nd line… and Evgeny Kuznetsov has been the talk of the town in recent days. The CH is interested in him… but you also have to remember that the Russian isn’t the Habs’ #1 option right now.

Eric Engels explained it well on Tony Marinaro’s podcast, after all: there’s a reason why Kuznetsov hasn’t signed a contract yet.

He’s not a priority for any club… and he’s not proving to be a super enticing option either.

Does Kuznetsov have what it takes to fill a 2nd center spot in Montreal?

That’s the main question on my mind.

He scored 37 points in 39 games last season in Russia (along with Ivan Demidov), and the talent is there. He’s 33 and it’s not as if he can’t keep up either.

But… let’s not forget that in 23-24, his production dropped drastically. He racked up 24 points (eight goals) in 63 games with the Capitals and Hurricanes: we agree that’s not… extraordinary for a player renowned for his offensive style.

Oh, and there’s also the “attitude” factor, because we know he doesn’t necessarily have a great reputation. And we know that in Montreal, it’s often more difficult for these players…

The bottom line is that Kuznetsov shouldn’t be the CH’s #1 option.

IF the Habs can’t get their hands on another guy and Kuznetsov is willing to accept a very minimal contract to play in Montreal, fine.

But don’t think of him as the silver bullet. He’ll be a last-resort solution… and that’s okay, too.

In gusto

– Meh.

– Scary stuff.

– Bon.

– Nice contract.

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Joshua Roy: it’s reassuring to see that he knows time is running out

Joshua Roy is at a crossroads. Whereas this time last year, he had a training camp spot to lose, this year, a place with the big club would be almost an achievement for him.

He had no one to blame but himself for his under-performance last season, and he’s determined to avoid a repeat in 2025-2026.

As the team progresses, he’s well aware that he needs to arrive at camp more ready than ever.

“It’s going really well. It’s going to be a big summer, it’s probably going to be my most important season,” he told reporters at the Jonathan Huberdeau Golf Tournament.

He added that he was smart enough to realize that he still had a lot of work to do to get a permanent NHL job, but that he was willing to do whatever it took.

It’s reassuring to have Roy’s realization. He definitely has the talent to play in the NHL. The rest, , is up to him. His work ethic and consistency on the ice must now follow. If all the elements are in place, he can look forward to a career in the Bettman circuit, here or elsewhere.

I no longer believe he belongs with the Habs, at least not in the short term. Perhaps a trade would be the best thing for him. He could serve as a complementary piece for a transaction to get a second center for the team.

Overtime

– Podcast to listen to.

– He’s making a name for himself.

– The Alouettes are going to have to bounce back.