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Matthew Schaefer will have a better career than Cale Makar (according to the Snake)

As we know, Simon “Le Snake” Boisvert likes to make spectacular statements His most recent hot take on The Sick Podcast – Trust the Process: Matthew Schaefer will have a better career than Cale Makar.

Is this a bold long-term gamble by the Snake?

So far, Schaefer is off to an excellent start to his career with seven points, including two goals, in seven games while maintaining a plus-2 differential. The defenseman, who celebrated his 18th birthday on September 5, is beating several “youngest” marks since his NHL debut.

🤩

[content-ads] What’s more, beyond the stats, Schaefer is playing good, mature hockey for a rookie, and his coach, Patrick Roy, isn’t afraid to use him despite his age, as evidenced by his average ice time of 22:30 minutes so far this season.

In fact, if the first pick of the last draft maintains this pace of one point per game, he could break Larry Murphy’s 45-year-old record of 76 points for a rookie defenseman. However, he still needs to maintain this pace throughout the season. Performing in October is one thing. Doing it in January, when the game is tighter, when teams are getting used to Schaefer’s style of play and he’s going to be part of his opponents’ game plan, is something else. And that’s something Cale Makar has been doing for years, in season and playoff, and he already has a Stanley Cup, a Conn Smythe Trophy and two Norris Trophies to prove it.

Without taking anything away from Schaefer, let’s just say that he still has some crusts to eat, and we’ll have to wait a little longer than seven NHL games before talking about a better player than Makar. However, the Snake could very well be right.

As we’ve seen so far, Schaefer is brimming with talent and has all the tools necessary to have an excellent career, and he could become the best defenseman of his generation. On the other hand, it’s still a little early to talk about him as a better defenseman than THE best current defenseman in the League in Cale Makar.

And let’s not forget that Schaefer will be playing at the same time as a certain Lane Hutson, who could also have a stellar career [spacer title=’Overtime’] – Let’s go Rocket!

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starts tonight

– What a save!

– Too greedy for Nazem Kadri?

– At least two months away.

– He’s in shape!

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Ashton, BEHY, Relax Downlow and Warrior: Ivan Demidov is currently maximizing his revenues

I love Ivan Demidov. Just his backward pass towards the opposing goal – as if someone had pressed the R2 button on his PlayStation controller – gave me as many chills as season 3 ofAvant le crash.By the way, if you haven’t yet watched the Québécois TV series Avant le crash, don’t hold back; go!Except I have to confess something to you this morning: I’m beginning to think that Ivan Demidov accepts too many sponsorship and advertising deals.

Warrior in the spring… Olivier Primeau’sRelax Downlow afterwards… I can’t remember which product with Tony Marinaro (in French)…BEHY earlier this week… Then Ashton this morning![content-ads]After the healthy hydrating drinks, the big fat poutine from Quebec City!

I’d like to think that every day, Ivan Demidov’s agent is offered a partnership with a new company, and that in the end, it’s all a bit tempting for a 19-year-old kid: it’s getting to be a lot, isn’t it? Who’s the next company to sign a deal with Demidov? All he needs is a commercial where he’s lying on a freshly unwrapped mattress a la Jakub Dobes, hehe. On the one hand, yes, I think it’s cool to see an international star wanting to immerse himself in Québécois culture and do business with local companies… But on the other hand, I think that by accepting so many sponsorship deals, Demidov is diminishing the value of his brand image and seems almost desperate to increase his revenues at all costs. In the image business, you’re better off signing fewer but higher-paying deals than multiplying smaller sponsorships. Especially if you’re an athlete promoting junk food (a la McDonald’s)…You know, you can immerse yourself in Québécois culture, but you don’t have to do it just to get a paycheck.Am I mad? Not at all! Do I still love Demidov? Certainly! But if this keeps up, Ivan Demidov will be partnering up with La Belle Province restaurants in every Quebec city, hehe. content-ads]Ashton is a restaurant chain well established in the Quebec City area (since 1969) that is trying to conquer – with its famous poutine – the Montreal market. Ahston now has a branch in Mirabel, near the Outlets. However, many Montreal fans didn’t like to see Demidov associated with a Quebec brand, not a purely Montreal one. While in Quebec City, people are starting to criticize Ashton, saying it’s not like it used to be…Whatever. I’d much rather see Ivan Demidov used on the first power play (like yesterday) than see him sign a new business deal every other day. I’d rather see him fully focused on hockey. Lane Hutson wasn’t as good when he had his head in his wallet; I’d like to make sure Ivan Demidov isn’t distracted by his wallet, either. Ivan Demidov will sign a new contract in a year or two that will bring him tens of millions. And he has several bonuses to reach this season, if he wants to add a few hundred thousand dollars to his bank account. Does he really need a couple of bucks from Olivier Primeau or Ashton? So it’s not just the resurrection of the Nordiques jerseys that has people in Quebec City and Montreal talking this morning… Because in reality, Ashton did what Martin St-Louis and his power play did yesterday: he chose Demidov over a guy from Quebec City, hehe. #BolducIt was just a joke, that…[spacer title=’Prolongation’]I really hope Ivan Demidov isn’t the type to tell his commercial agent: go, we’ll take it all. Don’t leave a single penny on the table.If that’s the case, negotiations with the Canadiens could be tough next year… Unless those 1,001 sponsorships have the opposite effect of allowing him to leave money on the table?

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State of play: Habs 7th on NHL roster

Things have been going well for the Canadiens so far this season. Martin St-Louis’ men have won six of their first nine games… and maybe they’d have a 7-2-0 record if the referees hadn’t taken control of the game last night in Edmonton. But hey. Criticizing the work of the zebra men is pointless right now because the game is already over. There’ s nothing we can do to change the outcome today. Things are going well for the Habs, and we’re not the only ones in town to admit it. In its recent ranking of the league’s top clubs, the NHL placed the Canadiens 7th on its list… which is pretty interesting.Fun fact: the Canadiens are also 7th in the National League’s overall standings, as of today.

[content-ads] The Montreal club is also well placed in The Athletic’s recent ranking of the best teams. The Habs find themselves in 9th position on the list, and that’s not bad either. It goes to show one thing: these days, the Habs’ successes don’t go unnoticed. We didn’t necessarily expect the Canadiens to be this good right from the start of the season – even though they booked their ticket to the playoffs in 24-25 – and it’s interesting to know that things are going well right now. Of course, not everything is perfect, that said. Samuel Montembeault is struggling, the powerplay isn’t quite there yet… But if Monty can get back on track and the powerplay can unblock, it’s going to make things even more intriguing for the Canadiens. The guys are following Martin St-Louis’ plan on the ice, and it seems they want to play to win this season. You can see it, in fact, in the way the players behave on the ice. There’s no room for complacency, the effort is there night after night… and when it’s there, the results are often there.That’s what we’ve been seeing from the Canadiens since the start of the season. Spacer title=’Overtime’] – Transaction in the National League.

– Good news in Toronto.

– He’s not the only one…

– Reminder: Four games will be presented tonight in the NHL.

– Beautiful to see.

– MLB news,

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Ivan Demidov: The Habs were hoping he would score fewer points the year he was drafted

In a few years (or months?), Ivan Demidov could be the Montreal Canadiens’ best player. He has the potential – and the talent – to get there, and we’ve seen it since his arrival in North America. We know what he’s capable of and how dominant he can be on the ice,which iswhy the Habs were lucky, in a way, to have him slip all the way to No. 5 in the 2024 draft. What’s important to know is that Kent Hughes and the Canadiens’ management had had their eye on him for a long time. In an interview with Jonathan Bernier(Journal de Montréal), Hughes even admits that the Canadiens wanted Demidov to be rather “quiet” in his draft year, so that other teams wouldn’t be too interested in him.

Demidov finished the season with 60 points in 30 games in the MHL (Russia’s junior league)… but the Habs were still able to select him with the fifth pick in the draft.

In the year leading up to (the draft), the hope was that Ivan would score fewer points or that other teams wouldn’t travel to Russia.

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Kent Hughes

Jonathan Bernier’s text was also published on the TVA Sports website:

[content-ads] The Habs love Ivan Demidov, and it’s clear that they’ve had their eye on him for a long time… and that explains why they didn’t want him to destroy the junior league in Russia: the Habs knew the player had the talent to become one of the best in the National League.And they wanted to keep that “secret” within the organization, without it getting out to the four corners of the NHL. That said, even though Demidov had a very successful draft season, the Canadiens were still lucky enough to have him available at No. 5 in the 2024 draft. Managers would have been disappointed to see him selected by another team, and that’s normal, too. It would have changed things in Montreal. Fan enthusiasm – which is incredible right now – might not be the same for the club… And today, Ivan Demidov’s popularity wouldn’t be the same in town either. We know how much fans and sponsors (especially in Quebec) love the kid…

[spacer title=’Overtime’] – Absolutely.

– Things aren’t going well for Tampa Bay.

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– Yes.

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RUMOR: Without Sidney Crosby, the Canadiens could change direction

At this point, it’s clear that the Canadiens are holding out for Sidney Crosby. But the question is this: how long will the Canadiens wait for Sidney Crosby? A few weeks? Until the deadline? Until this summer? It’s hard to say… especially as we still don’t know if the Kid wants to leave his club, which is off to a better start than most expected. In fact, the Canadiens must prepare themselves accordingly. Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton keep in mind that their club hasn’t reached maturity yet, but… But if the Habs have a good season, buying at the deadline will have to be done. And from what we understand from reading a text based on information from David Pagnotta, it’s that if the Canadiens don’t manage to get their hands on Crosby by March 2026, there’s a world in which the club’s leaders will be waiting for him this summer.

Here’s the text in question:

[content-ads]Basically, what Pagnotta is saying is that if Crosby doesn’t move (or moves elsewhere than Montreal), the Canadiens might not necessarily go for a big player instead. #ChangeDirectionThe informant talks about thinking about “complementary pieces” so as not to mess with the club’s chemistry, which is known to be very good. Pagnotta doesn’t think the Habs need to move for a big player as much as the Senators, for example. I don’t know about you, but here’s what I’m reading: if it’s not Sidney Crosby at the deadline, let’s wait before going after a second-line player for the future. The word “complementary” doesn’t scream #2 center, after all. If Crosby doesn’t arrive in Montreal this spring AND it doesn’t line up to happen this summer, the Canadiens will see what they can do in the 2026 off-season, when they’ll have to move on to the next level.To me, that’s what Pagnotta’s text means: nothing to lock up #87 by next June. However, keep in mind that a plan can be changed. If the season goes well, it’s not illogical to believe that HuGo will want big reinforcements in March 2026, whether it’s Crosby or not.[spacer title=’Overtime’]- Please note.

– What do you say?

– Will he be on his way out?

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– Dodgers in 6.

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Jeff Gorton: the Maple Leafs have already asked the Canadiens to talk to him

Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes recently signed their second contracts with the Canadiens. They’re in town to stay, until 2031, and Jeff Gorton has been promoted to President of Hockey Operations, from VP. Obviously, this only confirms what everyone knew: he’s the boss of hockey operations. But since he didn’t speak French, it was hard to make him president in 2021, in my opinion.Having him as the Canadiens’ president of hockey operations also means that the club can’t really lose him to another team.You can call a guy from another club and ask to speak to him about a promotion. Inthe past, Geoff Molson has received such calls for his most trusted executive. The Blue Jackets in 2024 and the Islanders in 2025 are on the list, but now Elliotte Friedman has come up with a good one in his 32 Thoughts: the Maple Leafs are also on the list.

[content-ads]In 2023, when Kyle Dubas had just been sacked, the club made a phone call to Geoff Molson to speak to him. The latter refused to let Toronto talk to his VP, and the Maple Leafs (another original team, which is a trend for Jeff Gorton) turned to Brad Treliving instead. Would Gorton have agreed to work under a president, namely Brendan Shanahan? Would the Maple Leafs, who let Shanahan go in 2025, have tased the former NHLer to let Gorton take the wheel? We don’t know, but we do know one thing: at least three teams have called to talk to Jeff Gorton in the last 30 months or so. That means the Habs have a good one and he’s recognized throughout the Bettman circuit. [spacer title=’Overtime’]- Good question.

– Things are heating up in Boston.

– To read.

– A tough blow for Chicoutimi.

#

– What do you think?

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The Canadiens won’t let the Avalanche wear their Nordiques jerseys in Montreal

The relationship between the Habs and the Nordiques has always been… interesting. Even though the Montreal club has always publicly stated its support for hockey in Quebec City, we know that behind closed doors, this is not always the case. Jean Martineau, a former member of the Nordiques and Avalanche administration (Director of Communications), addressed the very subject on the heels of an interview on Radio X this week.

Basically, he recalls that in 1959, the Canadiens opposed the arrival of the AHL in the province’s capital. And 20 years later, it took a lot of pressure for the Habs to say yes to the Nordiques joining the NHL. We all know that. content-ads]But now, in his Radio X interview, Mr. Martineau has added fuel to the fire by talking not just about the past, but also about the present. Basically, he reminds us that it’s still difficult for the Canadiens when it comes to the Nordiques – and therefore the Québécois territory, which is clearly under the Montreal club’s sway in hockey terms.

What he’s saying is that this summer, Joe Sakic called Montreal to ask if it would be possible for the Avalanche to wear their Nordiques jerseys for the next game between the two teams at the Bell Centre, which will take place on January 29, 2026. And according to Jean Martineau, the Avalanche boss is still waiting for a return call. And since Colorado has announced seven dates when the club will wear its Nordiques jersey… and that doesn’t include the game at the Bell Centre, we understand what that means.

So yes, clearly, relations between the Nordiques and the Canadiens are still sensitive. And we can sense that Geoff Molson doesn’t want to concede an inch to the Nordiques, even if it means insulting some fans in the process. He must be thinking, since he’s in the process of converting many fans (including Régis Labeaume) to the Canadien cause, that it doesn’t make sense to bring the Nordiques jersey back to the forefront. Just as the Blue Jays shouldn’t wish the Expos back, it’s not to the Canadiens’ advantage to talk about the Nordiques. No, the rivalry is not going to die in the short or medium term. [spacer title=’en rafale’]- Official.

– Wow.

– Islanders get 2027 All-Star Game.

– The contract is coming.

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– Interesting.

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Samuel Montembeault gave away as many goals yesterday as Jakub Dobes has since May

Last night, the Canadiens lost(6-5), but it wasn’t all bad news. The club played well for 60 minutes. They were resilient, overcoming a 3-1 deficit to lead 5-3 at one point. Good goals were scored. The club controlled some of the game. It led 21-14 in shots on goal after 40 minutes. In short, there were positives. But in the end, the two points were left on the table. That’s partly because the defensive play was rotten. Because the Habs rolled with only five defensemen (Arber Xhekaj played less than nine minutes). Because the club was losing face-offs.The captain was at 22.2% last night. #OuchBut obviously, the two big things to note are the refereeing(we talked about it a bit this morning) and Samuel Montembeault’s outfit. Yesterday, he gave away six goals, including three in the third period.Giving away goals at the end of games is starting to become a nasty habit for him.

[content-ads]In five games, he has a 2-3 record and has given away 19 goals. Yesterday, even if the club didn’t put in its best defensive performance of the season, the goalie didn’t help his team. Really, he didn’t. After saying he had to be better, after working hard and after seeing his GM come out publicly to defend him, the Québécois had a hard time doing his job. It’s not easy to get out of a bad situation at work. Especially when your job is goaltending for the Canadiens.

(Credit: ESPN)

But at some point, the Québécois will have to perform. People want to see Dobes play on Saturday because in Monty’s last two games, the Habs should have won. Dobes, on the other hand, is making the club win.

(Credit: ESPN)

The club’s #2 gave away just six goals in the regular season. And since he gave nothing away in pre-season, he has as many goals allowed since May 1 as Montembeault had in yesterday’s game. Dobes leads the league (aside from goalies with only one start) in average and efficiency rate: 1.47 and .950. I don’t know how much Monty’s playoff injury still hurts him, but it’s clear that the Habs don’t like to use injuries as an excuse for their guys. The next time he’s called upon to play (we imagine it’ll be next week), he’ll have to inspire confidence in his team on the ice. If he doesn’t, there’ll be even more criticism for a guy who’s got the tools to get by, but is struggling.With the Olympic calendar, there are a lot of games in two nights, and the schedule is condensed in general. That’s always true, but it’s even truer this year. He’s got to be better.It’s also worth noting that his chances of making the Olympics are melting like snow in the sun. Nothing’s been done yet, but let’s just say that right now, he’s not an option. And if he is, we’ll say it’s really because we need a Francophone in the club… [spacer title=’en rafale’]- Really?– Réjean Tremblay talks about Serge Savard’s dismissal. [You‘re

– Carey Price wouldn’t point the finger at his teammates.

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For Martin St-Louis to plant the referees, they have to have been more than just bad

Last night, the Canadiens lost 6-5 to the Oilers, and after a relatively quiet start, tempers flared as the game wore on. Andwhen I say Montreal, I mean the fans and the club.Cole Caufield said the referees had taken control of the game, and he took the time to congratulate them on the win. Brendan Gallagher (the referees’ best friend) said the Oilers didn’t need the referees’ help to win, and added that the referees admitted that Juraj Slafkovsky’s penalty wasn’t really a penalty, in hindsight.

But what the Habs players didn’t like, I think, was the fact that normally, referees try to make amends. They try to give a penalty to the other team to “even things up”. Not only did this not happen, but the Habs were given three more penalties as a result, including one on Josh Anderson for unsportsmanlike conduct. The Canadiens’ veteran misjudged the temperature of the game and insulted the referees, so he was punished – and it didn’t make the Canadiens’ players happy, as they felt the referees were taking control of the game.

Giving the Oilers a gift like that didn’t pay off. The club was already slipping away and Samuel Montembeault was still trying to find his bearings…The Habs didn’t help themselves, even if some of the blame lies with the referees. Were the referees trying to make up for the fact that one of Cole Caufield’s goals shouldn’t have been good, considering the fact that the puck had been thrown into the net just before?

Who knows [content-ads]But what I do know is that Martin St-Louis normally keeps his cool in front of the media and refuses to make excuses for his team’s defeats. Yesterday, he didn’t use that as an excuse, but he did stick it to the referees publicly. He said he hoped people around the league would do what the coaches do: watch video to improve. #Ouch

St-Louis also said he’d had no explanation for Josh Anderson’s penalty. Soeven though the Oilers sometimes deserved to be punished, the Habs only had one powerplay. The Oilers, on the other hand, had five in the game. content-ads]The whole thing should be taken as a learning situation for the Canadiens. After all, the guys need to understand that even if the referees stole the game (for the wrong reasons) in favor of the home team and the best player on the planet, the players’ job is to stand up and win regardless. That didn’t happen, as on penalties from Mike Matheson and Josh Anderson, the Oilers scored. It was 5-3 before all that, and then the Oilers brought both teams back to square one. And at the very end of the game, the hosts won the duel via a goal with 69 seconds left in the game. This was the icing on the sundae… and brought to the surface Gary Bettman’s old comments about the NHL’s excellent officiating.

Nobody pays to see referees give phantom penalties and it’s a shame for the fans, yesterday’s game. But the Canadiens should keep in mind that against Chicago earlier this season, referees gave 10 penalties to the Hawks. Sometimes it goes one way, sometimes the other. spacer title=’prolongation]The guys’ goal at this point will be to let the frustration go and make sure they win the next game, which takes place tomorrow night (7 p.m. Quebec time) in Vancouver. Today, the club has the day off.

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Top-5: Colorado Nordiques beat Carolina Whalers

Last night, the Canadiens played in Edmonton in their second game in two nights. There were 11 other games on the NHL schedule. Here are the results and highlights:

1. Nordiques beaten by WhalersNordiques and/or Whalers fans, you probably watched the Avalanche-Hurricanes game last night. Why? Because both teams were wearing their superb alternate jerseys. Colorado wore Nordiques jerseys, while the Canes wore Whalers jerseys. It went like this:

Spectacular! And the visual spectacle carried over to the rink too. The two teams traded two goals in the opening minutes.

Seth Jarvis continued his excellent start to the season, scoring his team’s second goal shorthanded. With this goal, he extended his streak to seven games to start the season with at least one point.

Despite falling behind, the hosts didn’t give up. They scored two goals to tie the game and send everyone into overtime.

But Jarvis, the hero of the match, sealed the outcome in the shootout. Final score: 5-4 Whalers.

Before the game, Brent Burns was honored (against his former team) for his 1500th career game.

[content-ads]2. Two more goals for Emil HeinemanTo receive, you have to pay. And that’s exactly what Kent Hughes did, sending Emil Heineman and two first-round picks against Noah Dobson. Heineman scored twice last night, and would be the Habs’ second-leading scorer.

The Islanders crushed the Red Wings, who lost two games in 24 hours. Final score: 7-2 New York.

A rather zany situation occurred in this game, as the official asked Kyle Palmieri which of his penalties he wanted.

And for those who wondered if Matthew Schaefer was appreciated on the Islanders, yes, he is.

[content-ads]3. First win for the SharksFinally! The Sharks have won a hockey game. Yesterday, they won their first game of the season by a score of 6-5 in overtime against the New York Rangers. What do you think is more impressive: a Sharks victory or five goals scored by the Rangers at home? Whatever, San Jose won its first game of the season and Ryan Warsofsky got to keep his kids.

In the visitors’ win, there were two hat tricks. Macklin Celebrini finished his game with three goals and two assists. In overtime, he fed his good friend Will Smith well.

Here are the three goals scored by the Sharks’ future captain:

On the Rangers’ side, Taylor Raddish also scored a hat trick.

In defeat, the Blue Shirts lost the services of Matt Rempe, who struggled against Ryan Reaves.

[content-ads]4. The Lightning have just one win in seven games this seasonWe’re going to be honest: the Tampa Bay Lightning dynasty is coming to an end. And it may happen sooner rather than later. This season, the club has collected just one win in seven games. Yesterday, it lost to the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2, although the game was headed to overtime, but Ryan Donato had other plans.

Chicago is undefeated on the regular season (4-0-1) in its last five games.Maybe it’s because the team is cheating…

In the win, Frank Nazar continued his excellent start to the season with a goal and an assist, and now has nine points from eight games.

Andrei Vasilevskiy had never lost to the Hawks in his career.

[content-ads]5. Natural hat trick in less than five minutes for Logan CooleyIn St. Louis, the Mammoth was passing through, and the Utah club won quite comfortably by a score of 7-4. In defeat, Logan Mailloux, who is off to a poor start to the season, finished the game with a minus-2 record with just over 10 minutes of playing time. For the Mammoth, Logan Cooley shone. Not only did he score three goals and an assist, but all three of his goals came in under five minutes. 4:48 to be exact…

He’s very impressive the young man and since the start of the season, he has seven points in eight games. Early in the third period, the Blues had reduced the gap to one goal.

But the Salt Lake City club scored two more goals en route to victory. In addition to Cooley, Dylan Guenther, Nick Schmaltz, Clayton Keller and JJ Peterka were also on the scoresheet: they collected three points each.

On the losing side, Oskar Sundqvist and Colton Parayko picked up two assists. spacer title=’Prolongation’] – A first goal for Corey Perry with the Kings.

– Quite a start to the season.

– Five points from Mikael Granlund in Ducks win.

–

– Still.

– Oh.

– 15 players with three or more points.

(Credit: NHL.com)

– Quieter evening tonight.

(Credit: Google)