Author: Dose

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Stéphane Robidas defends Arber Xhekaj

In practice, everything was going well for Arber Xhekaj. The defender formed a fine pair with Alexandre Carrier and was really in control.

But now, at the start of the season, we can see that some difficulties are coming to the surface for #72. You can see it in his playing time, which is melting like snow in the sun.

If it weren’t for Kaiden Guhle’s injury, he might be defender #7 right now.

Today, Stéphane Robidas showed up in front of the media and answered reporters’ questions. And let’s just say it wasn’t long before the subject of the Sheriff came up.

The defensemen coach, who began by saying that Xhekaj was more than just a big guy who could fight and play physical, praised his defenseman’s qualities on the ice.

What did the coach have to say ?

Robidas likes his play with the puck and his zone exits. Xhekaj is better defensively, he has great reach because of his size and he has a good stick.

The Québécois also likes the presence that #72 is able to bring while on the bench or on the ice.

Even so, the defenseman has trouble sticking to the right outings in terms of playing time. He often gets benched for several minutes in games.

(Credit: ESPN)

This shows that despite some improvements, he still has things to work on. He needs to know what they are – and it wasn’t up to Stéphane Robidas to talk about them publicly in front of the media this lunchtime.

To be continued…

overtime

– Ouch.

– News from the Alouettes.

– Improbable.

– Interesting.

– Jacob Fowler on the bench.

– Nice.

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Video: Alexander Zharovsky takes control of the powerplay

Alexander Zharovsky gets a lot of attention. And I think this will be the case for many years to come.

Recently, he’s been in the news for reaching the point-per-game mark. As of this morning, he had 12 points in 12 games this season.

To do so at 18 in the KHL is… no worse than that.

But then, in his game of the day, Zharovsky managed to break the symbolic point-per-game barrier. He picked up two assists against the Admiral.

It started with an assist midway through the first period…

But most impressive of all was his second pass. Zharovsky took control of the powerplay by skating around the opposing net to spot an opportunity.

And he made a pass to his teammate, who had a great shooting line. Wow.

We seem to be seeing a bit of Ivan Demidov in his game. He’s often able to find the right passing line to score for his team.

That’s a nice quality.

The Canadiens are fortunate to have another such prospect (not on the same level as the Habs’ #93, obviously, but still) in their very solid bank of prospects.

Will this lead to anything good in the NHL? We’ll see in due course.

overtime

– Interesting stuff.

– Too easy.

– Wow.

– Logical.

– Well done.

– Great Slaf.

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Canadiens: 300,000 more people watched the Blue Jays on Tuesday (10:30 p.m./Québec)

Damn, it’s going to be a long day.

It’s cold, wet, windy… and 8pm can’t come soon enough. Why 8pm? Because that’s when the game between the Dodgers and Blue Jays gets underway in Toronto.

Will the World Series be won tonight? Maybe… although somewhere inside me, I’m dreaming of Game #7 tomorrow, with many of the best pitchers on both teams taking turns on the mound. It would be insane.

Let’s get back to tonight’s game before thinking about tomorrow’s (unconfirmed) one.

There are no tickets under $1,790 on StubHub right now, and some are going for close to $25,000.

Imagine paying that price for a defeat and a trophy that won’t be lifted.

Astronomical ratings
Few sporting events attract more viewers than a game – regular or playoff – for the Canadiens in Quebec. Usually, there’s the Super Bowl… and that’s it. The big golf and tennis tournaments, the NBA or MLS finals… they hardly ever attract more people than a Habs game on our two French-language Québécois sports networks (RDS and TVA Sports).

But that’s what happened on Tuesday night, when for 30 minutes, the Jays and the Habs played at the same time on TVA Sports and RDS.

From 10:30 to 11:00 p.m., Numeris estimates that around 500,000 people were glued to the Jays (TVA Sports) and fewer than 200,000 were watching the start of the Canadiens game on RDS. It’s completely insane! Especially given the Canadiens’ excellent start to the season.

The Jays craze is palpable from coast to coast in Canada, not least because it’s a bit of a USA vs. Canada championship, and that’s where the rivalry currently lies. Just think of the 4 Nations Final.

Of course, it can be said that there’s a FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) phenomenon with the Blue Jays, that the importance of a World Series game outweighs that of a regular-season game, and that many Québécois – notably revived by the documentary on the death of the Expos – have rallied behind the Blue Jays in recent years.

Still, somewhere out there, we’ve got a Toronto baseball team that attracts more attention than a hockey team – our national sport – from Quebec. And to see TVA Sports crush RDS during certain segments, even before 400,000 or 500,000 fewer subscribers, strikes the imagination.

How many of us will be watching the Jays tonight?

And if there is a Game 7 tomorrow night, how will TVA Sports and TVA Sports 2 divide up the pie?

Extension

MLB ‘s TV contract with RDS and TVA Sports is interesting. In an even-numbered year, RDS gets the All-Star Game, the home run contest, the American League Series, the World Series and specific days during the season (three or four specific days during the seven-day week). The following year, the whole package went to TVA Sports, and RDS retained only the National League Series, as well as three or four days a week during the regular season.

TVA Sports really hit the jackpot this year with the Jays ‘ odd-year run. The network also cashed in this year with the 4 Nations, Mboko’s run at the National Bank Open and the Habs series. So much the better!

When I asked people about the possibility of RDS and TVA Sports sharing some thirty or forty national games and special events, a bit like they do with MLB, I was told the following:

“It’s a possibility, yes, but the split should be less risky, like with the Raptors in English, for example. One network has games 1, 2, 5 and 7 and the other has games 3, 4 and 6 during one series, then it’s reversed the next series. This prevents one network from getting it all and the other from getting nothing at all. But don’t forget one thing: TVA Sports and RDS are not partners when it comes to French-language MLB broadcasts. The two companies have each signed a deal directly with MLB, not in partnership with each other.”

Will the NHL sell half its national French-language rights to RDS and the other half to TVA Sports?

If the price drops, it could happen. For now, the price is still too high.

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Sportsnet’s turn to link Evgeni Malkin to the Canadiens

The Pittsburgh Penguins are off to a better-than-expected start to the season.

In fact, at the time of writing, the Pittsburgh Penguins have the best record in the NHL. And while it’s a small sample size, it’s still pretty remarkable.

Who had that on their bingo card?

(Credit: NHL)

That said, I don’t really know if many people believe the Penguins will be able to keep up the pace to stay in the playoff hunt all season.

The result? There are trade rumors surrounding Penguins players.

The name of Evgeni Malkin, a player who is at the end of his contract and whose time in the NHL is coming to an end, continues to circulate. The Panthers’ name comes up a lot.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see him end up in Florida.

But other teams could also be in the running. And on this subject, Michael Amato (Sportsnet) has drawn up a portrait of certain teams that could be interested.

Among them are three Canadian clubs: the Canadiens, the Maple Leafs and the Jets.

This isn’t the first time Malkin’s name has come up. We know that Sidney Crosby is also being discussed. It’s the same for a player like Nazem Kadri.

It’s the same for a lot of guys, really.

So, the question is: with the Habs off to such an excellent start, at what point should the addition of an older center be part of the Habs’ thinking?

After all, the Canadiens turned the corner on rebuilding in 2025 rather quickly. And more than ever, the goal is to start winning soon.

Let’s wait and see if the start of the season isn’t just a flash in the pan. But…

But if the Habs hold their own, we’ll have to have a real debate on the question… especially bearing in mind that the Habs are the youngest club in the NHL and that a veteran presence would help.

overtime

– Have a good listen.

– Juraj Slafkovsky or Logan Cooley? [BPM Sports]

– Indeed.

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Blow to Ivan Demidov: Nick Cousins won’t be able to walk away tomorrow

During practice camp, the Senators played two games in Quebec City. One of them was against the Canadiens.

We remember that, in some respects, it got out of hand. Nick Cousins, who doesn’t have an excellent reputation throughout the National League, had given Ivan Demidov a stick for… no reason. It sent Montrealers into a tizzy.

Here it is again.

The Sens player couldn’t really be challenged by a Canadiens player afterwards, as he was punished and yelled at the officials to get himself kicked out of the game.

He didn’t want to continue playing and have to answer for his actions.

But tomorrow night, for the first time in the regular season and for the first time since the duel in Quebec City, the Senators and the Habs will cross swords at the Bell Centre.

And BPM Sports’ X account reminds us that the Habs will be out for revenge.

Will a player jump on Nick Cousins during the game? If so, will it be a player who isn’t Arber Xhekaj, considering Cousins is less than 6’0?

Good question. But whichever guy the Habs choose for an arm job, I can’t see Cousins bailing out. Unless he doesn’t play, of course.

That being said, whatever happens, the guys won’t have to be too unfocused. The goal will still be to get the two points and play well in front of Samuel Montembeault.

Stay tuned tonight.

overtime

– Read more.

– Tonight, the Blue Jays could be crowned world champions.

– What do you think?

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Top-5: An assist for Jonathan Toews against the Blackhawks

Last night, 22 teams were in action.

It was a rare Thursday when Montreal was off.

Here are the results and highlights:

1. An assist for Jonathan Toews against the Blackhawks

A big duel was on the cards between the Jets and Blackhawks.

It was Jonathan Toews’ first game against his former team, the Chicago Blackhawks.

In a 6-3 Jets victory, Toews picked up an assist.

Toews has now collected a point against all 32 NHL teams.

The former Hawks captain and Jets will be in Chicago on January 19. It’s one to watch.

But this game was marked by beautiful goals, but also bizarre ones. In the first half, Connor Hellebuyck was surprised by a rather capricious bounce.

Chicago is also capable of scoring beautiful goals.

Here, Andre Burakovsky scored a superb net.

But Kyle Connnor wasn’t about to be robbed of the spotlight.

Moments later, he scored the insurance goal.

2. Three-point game for Trevor Zegras

In Anaheim, it was clear that Trevor Zegras’ talent wasn’t being fully exploited.

In Philadelphia, that’s clearly not the case. Yesterday, he was his team’s best player in a 4-1 victory over the Nashville Predators. He collected three points, giving him 12 points in 10 games.

Two of his three points were goals.

What a great transaction from Daniel Brière!

Hats off to him.

Matvei Michkov also did well in the win, registering two assists.

In defeat, Nashville’s only goal was scored by Matthew Wood. His first NHL goal.

3. Ottawa’s national anthem singer in disguise

Today is Halloween, but that didn’t stop the Senators’ national anthem singer from dressing up the night before.

He put on a unique performance, anyway.

This performance clearly energized the locals, as they won in overtime.

It wasn’t easy – Ottawa came from behind three times and had no lead in the game – but the club was able to beat the Flames.

This shootout would not have been possible without the brilliance of Jake Sanderson.

The defenseman tied the game late to force overtime.

Former Habs Lars Eller picked up two points in the win.

4. A 1000th game for Adam Henrique

In the Oilers-Rangers game, the home team honored Adam Henrique.

Henrique was playing in his 1000th NHL game.

The visitors played spoilsport by winning in overtime, however.

It was JT Miller who sealed the game’s outcome in overtime.

In defeat, Evan Bouchard had another atrocious game defensively.

On the Rangers’ first goal, he was the one who committed the turnover.

And, as Mark Spector wrote in a piece on Sportsnet, his playing time isn’t diminishing.

That’s got to change.

5. Matthew Schaefer from hero to zero

There’s no doubt that Matthew Schaefer is off to an excellent start in his professional career.

I’m convinced he’ll be one of the finalists for the Calder Trophy. Yesterday, he scored a goal.

The Islanders, without Mathew Barzal, still lost.

And the young defenseman isn’t perfect. Andrei Svechnikov wished him a little welcome among men.

In the victory, Bradly Nadeau scored his first NHL goal.

It was his sixth game.

The Canes’ goalie, meanwhile, almost made a huge blunder.

Brandon Bussi, who made 26 saves in the win, thought New York had a late penalty. Fortunately for him, the visitors didn’t score.

Extension

– What speed!

– Ouch!

– What a start to the season for Kiefer Sherwood.

– A 1000th game for Tyler Seguin.

– He’s on fire.

– Last night’s top scorers.

(Credit: NHL.com)

– Three games on the bill tonight.

(Credit: Google)
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In pictures: The Canadiens’ Halloween costumes

Every year, the Canadiens throw their famous Halloween party on Thursday night.

And every year, we’re treated to some great costumes from the Habs players.

The first to be unveiled is probably the best. Juraj Slafkovsky was dressed as Tony “Scarface” Montana.

It’s the perfect costume for him, who’s had a scar on one cheek since taking a skate from Christian Dvorak during a prep game.

Second in this fashion show is Arber Xhekaj. He dressed up as Russell from the movie Up There.

Noah Dobson and his wife came up with a slightly spookier idea to get in the Halloween mood.

The defenseman dressed up as a Frankenstein’s monster, accompanied by his wife.

Brendan Gallagher and his wife Emma Fortin dressed up as prisoners.

The cutest part is their daughter Everly dressed as a policewoman.

Credit: Screenshot – Instagram (@Emmafortin14)

We end the ball with Patrik Laine dressed as Buzz Lightyear from the movie Toy Story!

His wife, Jordan, is dressed as Jessie.

We’re likely to see more photos of the players’ costumes in the coming days.

A little birdie tells me that Jakub Dobes’ costume might have something to do with a mattress or a bed…

Overtime

– Very scary.

– Utah can remain a competitive team for many years to come.

– Samuel Montembeault will be able to bounce back. [98,5 Sports][Journal de Montréal]

– Happy listening.

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Rumor: Canucks interested in Steven Stamkos

It’s not just the Canadiens who are looking for a good second center. The Canucks desperately need one.

That’s why a rumor is circulating that Vancouver has shown interest in Steven Stamkos.

This information was reported by Rick Dhaliwal of the Donnie & Dhali podcast, which follows Vancouver sports news.

A few hours later, Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects confirmed that he had also heard the rumor.

Both men are unable to confirm the rumor, but hearing it from two different credible sources suggests there’s some truth to it.

For now, Stamkos is far from the same player he was with the Lightning. So far this season, he has just one goal and one assist in 11 games.

Ah. And his goal was a lucky one against the Canadiens. His shot wasn’t even headed for the net and deflected off a skate.

A change of scenery could do Stamkos a world of good.

For their part, the Canucks really want to add a quality center forward. They traded for Lukas Reichel during the season, but let’s just say he’s no luxury second center.

Stamkos is in the second year of a four-season deal with the Predators. His contract is worth $8 million on the payroll.

With such a large salary, it’s to be expected that the Canucks will ask Nashville to retain part of it. In any case, without salary retention, he’s not worth much.

This is an issue to keep an eye on in the coming weeks.

In Overtime

– An important plateau for Tyler Seguin.

– Excellent costume!

– This is the kind of player many teams dream of having.

– We’ll have to wait to see Adrian Kempe sign a contract extension.

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David Reinbacher for Nazem Kadri: Would you?

With the Canadiens’ success in the first month of the season, the pressing idea of looking for a second center has taken a slight step back. Despite all this, the rumour mill in Montreal is still going strong, especially when it’s powered by a guy like Pierre LeBrun.

Earlier this week, LeBrun hinted that the Canadiens would be an interesting team for Nazem Kadri. It didn’t take much more than that to spark a lot of debate.

On Thursday morning, the BPM Sports Morning Club team came up with the idea of a deal to bring Kadri to Montreal. Gilbert Delorme believes the Flames would ask for a top prospect like David Reinbacher.

This is where the debate exploded.

On the one hand, the Canadiens really need a second center if they hope to make any headway in the playoffs. On the other, Montreal has two prospects with good potential in Michael Hage and Alexander Zharovsky to perhaps one day take over the second center position.

Kadri is 35 years old and, counting the current campaign, has four seasons left on his contract. This deal, which weighs $7 million on the payroll, may not help Montreal at a critical time when the player is 38 or 39 and has slowed down.

Kent Hughes decided to spend so much on Kadri because he believes in the Habs’ chances of going far in the playoffs this year. The season is going very well, but it’s hard to believe that Montreal is just one center like Kadri away from taking top honors.

And then the real debate is whether giving away David Reinbacher is cost-effective for the Habs.

Anthony Desaulniers seemed torn between the idea of waiting too long and risking Reinbacher becoming a flop, and the idea that the young right-handed defenseman could have a bright future with Montreal.

According to Gilbert Delorme’s comments in this debate, it’s by trading big pieces like Reinbacher that you can win a Stanley Cup.

And he’s right. It takes two to dance. To go big, you have to pay with something equivalent.

At some point, Kent Hughes will have to make a big decision and part with a player with good potential to improve the team. He’s already done this to some extent with the Alexander Romanov trade and the Dobson deal involving the two first-round picks.

But next time, to get his hands on a good second center, Hughes will have to pay dearly. Reinbacher could be the price to pay.

It remains to be seen whether Montreal wants to win now or remain patient and wait for the Hage and Zharovsky of this world.

Overtime

– Nick Suzuki has silenced many detractors since the start of his career.

– Great idea!

– Oops.

– A true enthusiast finds a way.

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NHL Power Rankings: The Canadiens in the top-5

After a few seasons of misery, the Canadiens are once again a competitive team. Since the return of the 4 Nations Confrontation last season, Montreal even ranks among the NHL’s elite.

The Habs’ start to the season has been impressive. Eight wins in 11 games place the team first in the Atlantic Division and fifth in the entire NHL.

Speaking of fifth place, that’s also the Canadiens’ position in the latest NHL power rankings compiled by NHL.com.

It’s a great accolade from the experts at NHL.com.

Only four teams are ahead of the Canadiens: the Mammoth, the Avalanche, the Devils and the Golden Knights.

With all this success, more than one Canadiens player is expected to take part in the Milan-Cortina Olympic Games. According to Jean-François Chaumont’s analysis, many Montreal players could join Juraj Slafkovsky (already named to Slovakia’s preliminary team).

We’re talking about players like Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Jakub Dobes and Oliver Kapanen.

After an “easier” October, we can expect a lot more action in November. In 11 games in October, the Habs played only two teams that made the playoffs last season, and both of those games were losses.

In November, the Habs will face such powers as the Devils, Mammoth, Golden Knights and Avalanche.

The Canadiens may well continue their wave of success over the next month, but expect a lot more adversity. So don’t start stressing out if a few losses follow against good teams.

Despite all this adversity, November will be a very entertaining month. In addition to taking on some big NHL teams, Montreal will be facing a number of important rivals, including the Senators, Maple Leafs and Bruins.

The Canadiens are on track for fifth place in the NHL power rankings, but they’ll have their work cut out to stay in the top five.

Overtime

– Alexander Zharovsky is on the right track.

– Nick Schmaltz’s value must be enormous.

– It won’t be an easy task.

– Jordan Harris to miss out due to injury.