Author: Dose

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Habs end stay at home with victory

After a heartbreaking loss to the Rangers on Saturday night, the Canadiens had to put their work boots back on against the Buffalo Sabres tonight. A poor game from Samuel Montembeault on Saturday meant he lost his net for tonight’s game. Here are the lineups:

Midway through the first period, Oliver Kapanen, the team’s second-highest scorer, completed a superb play by Ivan Demidov.

What a play by Alexandre Carrier, the soccer player.

[content-ads] In the second period, the Canadiens were caught up in shots on goal, and by dint of shooting, the Sabres finally foiled Jakob Dobes.

Early in the third period, Montreal didn’t take long to regain the lead.

Well positioned at the mouth, Juraj Slafkovsky completed the fine play of Noah Dobson and Nick Suzuki.

[content-ads] Slaf had been removed from the first line late in the second. A little later in the period, a fine play by Alex Newhook allowed Lane Hutson to score a goal to double the lead.

On the sequence, Joe Veleno picked up his first point in a Habs uniform.

The Sabres closed the gap before the end of the game, but it was too little too late. Final score: 4-2 Montreal, who added a goal in an empty net through Jake Evans. The Canadiens (5-2-0) now head for Western Canada. First stop: Calgary, Wednesday. spacer title=’Prolongation’] – Well done.

– He’s playing some excellent hockey, yes.

– Such talent!

– He’s excellent.

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Evander Kane ate with the FBI director (and still gets criticized)

Evander Kane’s reputation is well known: he’s (too) often in the news for the wrong reasons, and he doesn’t give a damn about anyone’s opinion. He’s capable of stirring up controversy and we’ve seen it a few times in the past too.It happened again, that said.This weekend, the Canucks were visiting Washington to take on the Capitals. And Kane took the opportunity to have dinner with FBI Director Kash Patel, who is a close friend of Donald Trump.On X, the news didn’t go over well with some supporters in Vancouver.

Donald Trump isn’t the most popular guy in Canada – especially since he keeps talking about Canada becoming the 51st U.S. state. And to see Kane, who’s Canadian and operates in a Canadian market, sitting at the same table as the FBI director – a guy very close to the President of the United States -…some people didn’t hesitate to express their thoughts about the Canucks player, as TVA Sports also reported in a text [content-ads]

It’s normal, seeing Kane get criticized like that. Displaying this public relationship with a controversial political figure can really seem like a misalignment with the team’s local identification… and we agree that it’s still pretty obvious.Reminder: Kane plays in Vancouver and he’s from Vancouver too. When you go to lunch with a friend of Donald Trump, who wants to see the Canadiens become the 51st U.S. state… it’s bound to provoke negative reactions.Anyways. That’s the great Evander Kane… and it looks like I’m not surprised either.He’s got a knack for getting himself into trouble. And I wonder what the other guys in the room think in Vancouver… [spacer title=’Overtime’] – Can’t wait to see his performance.

– Will this change anything?

– Yes.

– Well.

– Oh wow.

– Sick.

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The Habs may have no choice but to recall a forward and a defenseman

The Canadiens will play the Sabres tonight in Montreal, then head out West with games against the Flames (Wednesday), Oilers (Thursday) and Canucks (Saturday) later this week. With Guhle currently sidelined, it’s only logical that a defenseman will be recalled from the Laval Rocket, because it wouldn’t make sense to go on the road with only six defensemen. And we might even expect to see a forward recalled as well… The reason is simple: right now, Kirby Dach and Patrik Laine – who missed this morning’s practice – are also injured. The Habs only have 12 healthy forwards so far (including Veleno and Beck, who played in the last game), and that’s not ideal. If the Habs decide that Laine and Dach aren’t ready to return to action this week, they’re going to need a 13th forward. And in Laval, we know there are some interesting candidates: Alex Belzile, Jared Davidson, Joshua Roy… But Florian Xhekaj’s name must be popular in the discussion because the Habs weren’t the same club on the ice when they got shuffled. Could we see the Unicorn being recalled tomorrow, before the Canadiens go on the road?

[content-ads] On defense, there are three names that seem to be obvious: Adam Engström, Marc Del Gaizo and Nathan Clurman. Engström had a good camp, Del Gaizo has NHL experience… and Clurman, on the other hand, is right-handed. They bring different things to the table and that makes them potential candidates for recall.I feel like we might want to give Engström the chance because the idea makes sense and because he was really good in camp, but I wouldn’t fall out of my chair either at seeing Del Gaizo get recalled in the context of playing 46 games with the Preds in 24-25.

(Credit: Screenshot / HockeyDB)

All this to say that we’ll have to watch the Canadiens’ practice tomorrow morning in Brossard to get some answers to our questions. The Rocket isn’t playing tonight, so we can’t get any clues on that front, but there are a few questions that come to mind when I think about all this. Will the guys who will be recalled from Laval – if we take into account that the Habs will want reinforcements on offense AND defense – play this week, or will they warm up the bridge instead? And if they do play, who comes out of the lineup? Could we see Engström or Del Gaizo take the place of Struble or Arber Xhekaj? Could we see Florian Xhekaj or another guy take the place of Owen Beck or Joe Veleno? Yes, that’s a lot of questions. And that’s why it’ll be interesting to see what the Canadiens’ plans are over the next few days – especially if Dach and Laine aren’t able to return to action.spacer title=’Overtime’] – I love it.

–

– Who wins tonight?

– Ah well.

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“If I were with the Canadiens right now, I’d love to be a part of this adventure.”

The Canadiens are a young, exciting team that just keeps getting better and better, and it’s not just Montreal fans and media who are seeing this. Former players also see this rebuilding and say to themselves: “If I were with the team right now, I’d want to be part of this adventure”. At least, that’s what Martin Brodeur, the Devils’ executive vice-president of hockey operations, said in an interview with TVA Sports,

25Brodeur never played in Montreal, but being a Québécois, he’s obviously always followed the club a bit.Clearly, Brodeur likes what he sees and had nothing but good things to say about the organization and the way the club has been rebuilt.The former goalie also talked about Lane Hutson and the team-friendly contract he’s been given. Brodeur was in a similar situation and confessed to having taken less money to continue with the New Jersey Devils. A bit like Lane. [content-ads] He describes him as “a hockey player”.

I think that shows the character of the kid. (…) It just says he’s a hockey player. He’s not in it for the money.

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Martin Brodeur

The TVA Sports article also states that Brodeur believes the 48 could have made a lot more money elsewhere, as he did in his heyday. It’s a real Kent Hughes masterstroke, then, and Jeff Gorton was keen to point that out too.

[spacer title=’Overtime’] – To be continued.

– The Mariners have taken the lead.

– Tough season for him.

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Match 7: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. arrives wearing a Leafs jersey

Sports fans, you’re in for a treat tonight. There are five hockey games across the NHL, including the Canadiens taking on the Buffalo Sabres. There are also two Monday night games in the NFL. First, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in Detroit to take on the Lions, and later in the evening, the Houston Texans are in Seattle to take on the Seahawks. But THE big event of the evening is game number seven of the championship series between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Seattle Mariners. The winner will go on to the World Series and play the Los Angeles Dodgers. This will be only the second final game in Blue Jays history, and for the occasion, star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. arrived wearing a Leafs sweater.C’mon.

[content-ads] As Stu Cowan said when he reposted the video on his X account: a Joe Carter sweater, not an Auston Matthews one, probably would have been more appropriate.

I don’t know if Guerrero Jr. is aware of the Maple Leafs’ failures in games seven, but if the Jays were to lose tonight, he’s sure to know. The Leafs have a 12-15 record in their history in ultimate games. I understand that Vladdy plays in Toronto and wants to cheer on the other Toronto teams, but in view of the most important game of his life, the jersey choice is a dud. If you think I’m the only one who noticed, think again.

[spacer title=’Overtime’] – A player to watch,

– Finally.

– So much the better.

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Calling Kevyn Adams for Tage Thompson: “I’ll do it in the morning”

All summer long, we’ve been saying that the Canadiens needed to improve their center line. Kent Hughes acquired Zachary Bolduc from the Blues to add some offensive punch to the attack, but he hasn’t been able to solve this “problem”. Even today, we’re still talking about the subject… because on paper, the CH doesn’t have 45 high-quality players who can play center. because it’s true that, on paper, the Habs don’t have 45 top-quality players who can play center. In the Sabres – who will be in Montreal tonight – there’s a player who could help at that level. And without doing too much research, you’ll guess I’m talking about Tage Thompson… a guy who has two seasons of 44 or more goals (44 and 47) in his last three NHL years. So the debate returned to BPM Sports earlier this afternoon: would you call Kevyn Adams for Tage Thompson? Marco D’Amico would… tomorrow morning:[content-ads] But as Marco D’Amico mentions, making a deal with the Sabres… that would be more difficult. Especially to acquire a guy like Thompson. The Sabres will be asking for the moon, and Kent Hughes doesn’t want to part with a core player to make a big splash on the market. Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Ivan Demidov, Nick Suzuki, Lane Hutson, Noah Dobson… these guys won’t be traded. They’re too important to the Canadiens’ future, and the Montreal GM knows it, too. The only plausible solution is if the Sabres want prospects and picks in return for the big right-hander. The Habs are counting on guys like Michael Hage, Alexander Zharovsky, Jacob Fowler, David Reinbacher… and they also have the luxury of first-round picks. But then again, Hughes won’t empty his bank of prospects and picks to get his hands on a player who can help now. It’s not part of his identity, and we know it’s not part of his plan either. That said, the idea of adding a Tage Thompson to the lineup… it’s appealing. Players of his style (6’6 and 220 pounds who can score) are non-existent in the National League, and we’re talking about a guy who would fit in well with the top-6 in Montreal.But it’s true that it would be hard for Kent Hughes to dance with the Sabres GM.spacer title=’Overtime’] – Great story.

– It’s true.

– Hello, boys.

– This is going to be special.

– Can’t wait.

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Brendan Gallagher found it difficult to be criticized because of his contract

Brendan Gallagher had a good 24-25 season, hitting the target 21 times (the Habs’ third-highest scorer of the campaign) and proving that he was still useful to the Canadiens on the ice. But this production – let’s be honest – was a little unexpected. Many thought he had nothing left to give his club because he was injured more often than not in the 21-22 and 22-23 seasons, and so many people wanted to see his contract bought out. He was being talked about as a guy who was hurting because of his $6.5 million salary, and that hurt him.He told Jean-Nicholas Blanchet (Journal de Montréal) in an interview: “

It was very hard.

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Brendan Gallagher

[content-ads] It can certainly have an impact on a person’s morale. Brendan Gallagher, after all, always gave his all on the ice. It’s not as if he had any control over the fact that his body was slowing down,and now he was being criticized for his salary in spite of everything. The good news is that the Canadiens’ little grinder was able to put the criticism aside and bounce back. He’s scored 15 and 21 goals in his last two seasons, and he’s no longer the talk of the town.On the contrary, in fact.Today, we all appreciate Gally for what he brings to the rink… but also for what he brings to the room. He’s one of the leaders of the club, he sets an example by working hard all the time on the ice, and that has an effect on the rest of the group too. We’re even talking about a player who can’t be ignored in the line-up at the moment. [spacer title=’Overtime’] – Victory tonight. 4-1. What’s your

– It’s going well for the Jets duo.

– News in the MLB.

– Logical.

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Martin St-Louis defends Samuel Montembeault

The #1 goaltending debate has returned to Montreal. Last season, when Jakub Dobes arrived on the Canadiens’ entourage during the holiday season and broke everything up, many wanted to see him get the #1 job. It’s the same thing at the start of 2025-2026: Dobes’ performance and Samuel Montembeault’s difficulties have Montreal talking. And that’s normal. It’s just as normal, however, that Martin St-Louis doesn’t want to get involved publicly. This morning, he said he was comfortable with his two goalkeepers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1W48EEn-Dus [content-ads]The head coach had no choice but to publicly defend Monty. Had he done the opposite, I’d have been the first to wonder what he was playing at – as I did with Zachary Bolduc, basically.But the fact remains that tonight, in a home game that had “Samuel Montembeault” written across the front, it’s the European goalie who’ll be in front of his team’s cage. Does this mean that Dobes is now the club’s official #1? No. But it does mean that Martin St-Louis, who took years to talk about Montembeault as the club’s #1, wants to see what Dobes has up his sleeve. It’s important to bear in mind that when it comes to a coach’s official words, I take them and leave them to concentrate on the club’s actions. After all, we feel that the plan is changing before our very eyes. This is a good thing, since the Canadiens must be hoping that an internal competition will bring out the best in Montembeault over the next few weeks.

(Credit: )

But with Jacob Fowler pushing forward, it’s clear that the Canadiens also want answers about the true potential of Jakub Dobes, in whom we have a lot of faith in Montreal. Having answers is important for the club’s leaders, who will one day have decisions to make. Goalie controversy? Not in my eyes. A youngster pushing the established veteran in the back to get some playing time? That’s how I see it,and it’s only fair since both Canadiens goalies are very talented.spacer title=’Overtime’]- Brad Marchand skates in Boston.

– Well done.

– Really rosy.

– It’s joke time in Vancouver.

– Stars of the week.

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Martin St-Louis: “Zachary Bolduc must play the game in front of him”

This morning, we had some questions about the Canadiens. Jakub Dobes will be in net tonight. The defensive trios and pairs will remain the same as for Saturday’s game. Patrik Laine and Kirby Dach didn’t show up for practice, but we also note that Zachary Bolduc, Brendan Gallagher and Josh Anderson, who will play tonight, weren’t able to make today’s practice either.

It’s only natural to wonder about Bolduc. The Québécois, who hasn’t scored in three games, clearly doesn’t seem to be at 100%.Remember that at the end of camp, he was briefly absent.Does he, like Kaiden Guhle and Noah Dobson, fall into the category of those who have (or have had) groin pain? Is this what’s affecting Kirby Dach and Patrik Laine, and if so, why? Did the guys skate too much this summer?[content-ads]But anyway. All this to say that Bolduc doesn’t seem to be at 100% at the moment… and we must point out a funny answer from Martin St-Louis this morning. At the end of his press briefing, the coach was asked about the fact that the young forward was, by necessity, penalized in terms of playing time at equal strength.

The driver’s response, how can Bolduc be so effective despite less five-on-five playing time? Playing the game that’s in front of him. It may seem like a trite answer. But Bolduc, who plays less at even strength, hasn’t seen his coach defend him, as he sometimes does in front of the media with certain players. St-Louis hasn’t made excuses for his player, and it’s not like him to do so. But if a guy’s playing hurt, a coach can go easy on him in front of the media, and that didn’t happen this morning. Bolduc played the last game with Joe Veleno and Owen Beck, who hadn’t played in the NHL yet this season, and his playing time at even strength was cut.

Is it fair to ask what’s going on? [spacer title=’Overtime’]- Interesting.

didn

– Wow.

– News from the Rocket. As for Josiah Didier, he’s day to day.

– Deserved.

–

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Jakub Dobes in place of Montembeault against the Sabres: the plan has (already) changed

Halak or Price? It’s been a long time coming…There hasn’t been a goaltending controversy in Montreal for 15 years. “Except thatOctober 20, 2025 could be the date when a new goaltending controversy makes its debut in the city. The Canadiens may be in fourth place in their association – tied with the Penguins and Capitals – but the question on every Habs fan’s lips this morning is: should Martin St-Louis give Jakub Dobes a real chance to challenge Samuel Montembeault for the #1 spot? Montembeault has just had two tough games, allowing four goals in each: the Kraken, then the Rangers. Since the start of the campaign, the Québécois goaltender has finished just one of the four games he’s played with a save percentage over .900.

(Credit: NHL.com)

Montembeault also struggled during the preparatory schedule, finishing his three preseason games (all played at the Bell Centre) with a goals-against-average of 3.75 and a save percentage of .877.Against the Maple Leafs, he let in no fewer than five pucks on 17 shots. This morning, statistically speaking, Montembeault is one of the worst goaltenders in the NHL, and Jakub Dobes one of the best. Only Igor Shesterkin and Eric Comrie have a better save percentage than Jakub Dobes in 2025-26.

(Credit: NHL.com)

Dobes allowed one goal to the Red Wings (in Detroit), then two to the Predators (in Montreal). He has two wins in two outings, and need I remind you that he was one of the only perfect goaltenders in the entire NHL during the preparatory schedule ? content-ads]We changed the planLast week, when we learned that Jakub Dobes was going to face the Kraken – even though there was no game the day before or the day after – many repeated that there was no controversy as to the identity of the #1 goaltender: it was Samuel Montembeault.

OK, so maybe the plan was to give Montembeault four of the first six games of the season, then Dobes two of the first six. Except that today, when we learn that it’s (most likely) Dobes who will defend the Habs’ cage tonight, we have to come to one conclusion: the initial plan has been modified.

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The basic plan would never have been to give Monday’s game to Dobes, knowing that there will be a two-in-two in the West on Wednesday and Thursday. It’s clear that Dobes and Montembeault will each play one of those two games,and you don’t usually give two games out of three to your number two…[content-ads]No, we can’t say that Jakub Dobes has become the Habs’ undisputed #1 goaltender after only two weeks of activity, but we can conclude that this year, coaches ‘ and managers’ patience will be shorter. Although some already see Jakub Dobes as #1…

For the first time since the arrival of Gorton, Hughes and St-Louis, the goal is clearly to win and make the playoffs, not to develop for the future.

Some would say chill out, but the NHL is not a chilling league. Dobes is currently playing better than Montembeault; let’s send him in front of the net more often. That’s it.Even Montembeault knows he has to be better, having taken the blame after Saturday’s game. Next question: when will we realize that Ivan Demidov plays better than guys on the first power play or top six? One thing at a time..