Author: Dose

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Dany Dubé doesn’t expect Patrik Laine to finish the season with the Canadiens

The Canadiens took advantage of Patrik Laine’s debut last season to revive their playoff hopes, but this season, with the arrival of new players in the line-up, his role has greatly diminished. In his first column on TVA Sports’ JiC show on Thursday, Dany Dubé made it clear that he doesn’t expect Patrik Laine to finish the season with the Canadiens.

Last season, Laine greatly helped the Habs on the powerplay. With the arrival of Zachary Bolduc and Ivan Demidov, however, he’s been demoted to the second wave, leaving him with only about 40 seconds on the five-man attack, and that’s if the first wave hasn’t scored. At five-on-five, it’s not a great situation. According to Dany Dubé, Laine doesn’t contribute much at even strength, even though it’s the most important phase of a hockey game, so Dubé expects Laine to have to give up his place in the line-up to Joe Veleno at some point. This idea is far from far-fetched. As a center, Veleno can help out in the face-off circle and is capable of being much more involved than Laine [content-ads] Laine’s $8.7 million per season contract also weighs in the balance. That’s a lot of money on a fourth line. That’s why Dubé believes the Finnish forward will be out of the Habs lineup by the end of the season. At $8.7 million per season, let’s just say Laine would be hard to trade, but there’s always a way to send his contract to a lower-tier team with salary cap space before the trade deadline to afford to go after players who will make a real impact.

If Laine isn’t traded during the season, expect him not to receive a contract extension at the end of the campaign. No. 92 simply doesn’t belong on the team anymore. [spacer title=’Overtime’] – We can expect some movement from the Flyers or Blue Jackets.

– Alex Belzile refuses to give up;

– The Blue Jays really need Bo Bichette back.

– Wembanyama remains with the Spurs.

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Sidney Crosby or not, Mike Matheson must stay

Yesterday, on the JiC show, Renaud Lavoie mentioned that Mike Matheson can play a big role in attracting Sidney Crosby to Montreal.The two guys are good buddies and are very close to each other,but Sidney Crosby or not, Mike Matheson has to stay. And the reason is simple: the Canadiens need him… on several levels. Matheson is a respected veteran in the dressing room. He takes his leadership role to heart, and plays a huge role in the team’s results on the ice. But it’s also worth mentioning that Matheson has been playing great hockey since he was paired with Noah Dobson. The two form a truly effective pair in all three zones of the ice… and they’ve also been among the elite defensively so far this season. You can’t make this up:

[content-ads] Mike Matheson has said on several occasions that he sees himself staying in Montreal. He wants to play for the Canadiens because he likes it here and because he likes the way the Habs are building, and we know that the organization likes him a lot. Jeff Gorton reminded us that the Québécois is an important player for the club, which explains why his contract has become a priority since Lane Hutson signed.It wasn’t the first time we’d heard Gorton sing the defenseman’s praises . But Matheson’s contribution doesn’t stop at his play on the ice either. He’s one of those with the experience to guide the younger players on the team. He’s the one who took over David Savard’s place and role: today, Mike Matheson is the big brother to the guys in the room. He wears a letter on his sweater, he’s helping the club build a better culture because the effort is always there when you watch him on the rink, and you have to have guys like him in the club too.Add to that the fact that he’s still so good on the ice . the team really needs him. [spacer title=’En rafale’] – Hello, Nick.

– Indeed.

– Bad news in Ottawa.

– Hehe.

– Ouain.

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How about keeping an eye on Artemi Panarin and the Canadiens?

Artemi Panarin is in the final year of his contract with the New York Rangers, and this could be his last season in the Big Apple, period. Right now, there are rumors that he could leave (whether via trade or the free agent market) because the Rangers don’t seem ready to offer him a multi-season contract at a big salary. That’s what he wants.

Elliotte Friedman(FAN Hockey Show) and Frank Seravalli(Insider Notebook) have both talked about the Russian’s situation in New York, and what we understand is that things could be shaky if the Rangers have another bad season. And Panarin, who could test the free agent market on July 1, 2026, is one of the names that is also being talked about. The question I’m asking myself is this: how about keeping an eye on Artemi Panarin and the Canadiens?

[content-ads] The Canadiens reportedly have room under the payroll to offer him a big contract.

We also know that Jeff Gorton knows him well… because he’s the one who lured him to New York in 2019. Oh, and let’s not forget that Marc Bergevin and the Habs were among the finalists to sign him in 2015, when he left the KHL to come and play in North America.The links are there. Panarin is best known as an extra-creative player with the puck. He’s struggled a bit since the start of the campaign… but his last few years prove just how talented he is:

(Credit: Screenshot / HockeyDB)

I’m saying this just the same, but Artemi Panarin on a line with Ivan Demidov (both from Russia, no less), that would be… interesting. After all, the Habs are looking for a guy who can help the team on the ice offensively. Agreed: Panarin may not be a center… but when a player like him becomes available, even if he’s 33, it’s always pretty intriguing. And I really wonder if there can be a fit between the Habs and the Russian, especially in the context where there are already interesting links between the player and the team.

[spacer title=’Overtime’] – Nice.

– 5-2 CH.

– Of note

– News in MLB.

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Should Carey Price have left money on the table?

Do you remember July 2, 2017? no? That’s correct. I don’t remember what I did on that day either. But Carey Price, who was at the Bell Centre for the Habs’ opening game on Tuesday, must remember very well. Why do I say that? Because that’s when he signed his eight-year, $84 million contract with the Canadiens. That’s almost ten years ago… I’m telling you about Price’s contract today… because colleague Maxime Truman started the debate on the Georges Laraque and Stéphane Gonzalez show on BPM Sports.Max asked the two guys if Price should have done what Lane Hutson did and left money on the table to help the Canadiens… and it turned into a wicked good discussion in the end.[content-ads] Obviously, there are two ways of looking at this.1. Maybe it wouldn’t have made any difference in the end. Even if Price’s contract took up a large part of the Habs’ payroll, there are also some bad contracts that were handed out at the same time. Seeing the Habs save an extra million or two would have been nice… but it’s hard to believe it would have changed everything too when you consider the fact that there are other players who were making too much money for their value on the ice.2. If Price had taken that path, maybe others would have followed too. But it wasn’t popular to take a discount back then: guys were going to make as much money as they could, no matter what.That said, this is where it could potentially have made a difference. When your best player decides to take less money, it’s easier for the others to make the same decision… and we agree that Marc Bergevin would have had more room under his payroll to maneuver as he pleased. Sure, in the end, Price’s contract kind of hurt. The salary cap was a lot smaller, the goalie’s deal was really impressive… and it handcuffed Marc Bergevin a little in his dealings. But would it really have allowed the Habs to enjoy more success on the ice? That’s the thousand-dollar question [spacer title=’Overtime’] – The editing is sick

– It’s normal.

– Hehe.

– Bad news for this Canadiens legend (or not).

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Sidney Crosby: David Reinbacher’s name thrown into the discussion

The Canadiens are off to a good start. They’ll have the opportunity tonight to go for a fourth win in five games, and that could really happen when you consider that the Preds will be in town.We’re not talking about a Nashville powerhouse, after all.But even if the Montreal club is doing well, there’s one “problem” that remains: the Habs don’t have a big line of centers. And on that score, we all know that Sidney Crosby’s name has been linked to that of the Habs – especially given the Penguins’ situation in Pittsburgh. Everyone also knows that Crosby will make the decision. If he wants to stay, he’ll stay. But if he wants to give himself a chance of winning another Stanley Cup, he’ll have to leave, and if that happens, the Habs will be among the teams interested in him. It’s already one of the clubs keeping an eye on #87 right now to see what can happen, as Renaud Lavoie(Real Kyper & Bourne) discussed. What’s interesting is that the journalist also commented on what it would cost to get the Kid out of Pittsburgh. And that’s when he mentioned draft picks and David Reinbacher as pieces that might interest the Penguins. The Habs organization loves David Reinbacher. But to go get Crosby in Pittsburgh… I get the impression that Kent Hughes would be capable of letting his defenseman go.

[content-ads] If Crosby chooses the Canadiens, Kent Hughes will have the big stick in discussions with Kyle Dubas. And that’s what prompts Renaud Lavoie to say that the Habs would be in a position where they wouldn’t have to gut the club so much to acquire Sidney Crosby.That’s interesting, too. Then again, we shouldn’t think that Kent Hughes will be the only GM in the National League with his nose in the matter. But in reality, I get the impression that it’s Crosby who’s going to choose his destination… because he’s in a position to do so, given his age and status. And that’s why Hughes prepared himself by trading Carey Price’s contract at the beginning of September. This gives the Canadiens’ GM more flexibility, allowing him to be more creative in building a deal for his payroll.spacer title=’Overtime’] –

– Oh.

– From activity to waivers.

– That’s pretty clear.– Oh yeah?

– That’s a good one.

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Reinbacher’s return, no P. Diddy for the Habs and the end of Kotkaniemi

It’s October 16, 2025. The Canadiens – who have won three of their first four games of the season – are about to play their fifth game of the campaign. Will the Canadiens manage a fourth straight win tonight against the Predators? Would be nice…In the meantime, let’s take a look at some interesting files…1. It’s three weeks to the day since David Reinbacher injured his hand (on September 25 against the Maple Leafs). The Canadiens said Reinbacher would be out for four weeks, which means that in a week’s time, Reinbacher should be fit to play (in the AHL).Reminder: a medical professional told me he doubted Reinbacher would be able to return after only four weeks in the case of a fracture like the one he suffered. Especially since I’ve not heard that he’s started skating again in Laval yet…Whatever. Officiallywe can expect Reinbacher to face the Rochester Americans next Friday night south of the border. It will be interesting to see how Reinbacher performs on the ice. To put an end to Reinbacher’s rehab, wouldn’t it be wiser to wait until October 29 at home to send him back into the fray, which would ultimately result in a fifth week’s absence, but a more favorable context for Rhino?[content-ads]2. DJ Miss Shelton, the girl who was at the turntables Tuesday at the Bell Centre for the pre-game show, was on Max Lalonde’s (BPM Sports) show yesterday, talking about what a rewarding and enjoyable experience it was to push every Habs player intro song.

Max Lalonde asked her if any requests from the players had to be turned down, and she replied that they had: a song with P. Diddy had to be replaced because of the singer’s actions, and an internal decision was made to dose the Kanye West because of the latter’s polarization. Was it right to censor certain choices? Should we have separated the artist from the person? One thing’s for sure: there won’t be any P. Diddy songs playing at the Bell Centre this season, given that the club didn’t want to play any on Tuesday night.3. Ost* that Patrik Laine was good in Winnipeg. He’s really not the same player since his injuries

[content-ads]4. Who has been the Canadiens’ most-used player (on average per game) so far this season? If you answered Mike Matheson, you were right. Matheson has averaged just under 23 minutes per game on the ice. To think we wanted to use him a little less…Who’s second? Noah Dobson (22:22). Matheson has three points already and a plus-3 rating. Dobson? Two points and a plus-2.In short, the Canadiens now have a true first pair capable of attacking and defending against the opposition’s best players. Read on and you’ll come to the same conclusion as I: we’ve got to find a way to extend Mike Matheson’s contract without jeopardizing the team’s future (because of Matheson’s age).Especially if it means we’ll have Sidney Crosby in Montreal…[content-ads]5. Logan Mailloux isn’t the only one having a bad start to the season away from Montreal. No!After spending ten minutes or so on the ice on October 9 and 11, Jesperi Kotkaniemi was left out by Rod Brind’Amour on Tuesday night in San Jose. #HealthyScratchThe man the Canes were proud to have taken from the Canadiens is having trouble finding the back of the net. If you add up the current season, the 2025 series and the 2024-25 season, KK has just one goal in his last 41 games. We’re talking about a two-goal-per-season pace. #GomezStyle

The Hurricanes will have no choice but to buy out (advantageously given his age) his contract this summer. Kotkaniemi has become a liability for the team.

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Alexander Zharovsky: two more points (including a superb goal) today

Alexander Zharovsky could one day be added to the Canadiens’ core. He was drafted by the Canadiens not to break into the NHL at 18, but to add top-end talent to the Habs’ roster of prospects. And let’s just say that every time he touches the puck, you can tell he’s talented. Today, in his team’s 6-4 loss to Metallurg, he picked up two points. He has an assist… and a great goal that was shared by the official KHL account. Here it is.

[content-ads]As you can see, it takes hands to make a play like that. He cut towards the net to get a good backhand shot on the opposing goalie, and it worked. And it worked: at just 18, he now has six points in seven games in the second-best league in the world. As Marco D’Amico said, it takes special circumstances for an 18-year-old to get a lot of ice time in the Russian league, renowned for being tough on youngsters in terms of minutes on the ice. That wasn’t the case today, as he didn’t play much, but it’s often the case. And despite everything, the young man found a way to maximize his ice time.

Obviously, Zharovsky’s great talent is at the root of all this… but it also takes the right coach. Habs fans learned that the hard way in 2024-2025… #IvanDemidov #RomanRotenbergIt remains to be seen whether Zharovsky will make it through the season, but right now, he’s fine. His injury seems to be behind him and that’s important for the future. [spacer title=’en rafale’]- Keep an eye on him.

– Nice photo.

– Nice.

– Interesting.

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Brady Tkachuk: expect surgery (and a two-month absence)

Brady Tkachuk has a sore wrist. We’ve been wondering if the Senators’ captain would need surgery… and it looks like the answer to that is becoming clearer: yes, he should. Bruce Garrioch, who has been covering the club for a long time, would be surprised to hear otherwise.

Obviously, life without Brady Tkachuk won’t be easy. Can the Sens, who lost yesterday in Buffalo by giving up eight goals, recover from that? content-ads]What won’t be simple, for the Sens, is that the club doesn’t have its first-round pick in the 2026 draft because of the Evgenii Dadonov story.

We remember that, right?So not only will the Sens have no reason to tank (and may not have the club to succeed in moving up in the standings), but they’re also missing a big resource to try to pick up reinforcements on the trade market.Ouch.

Are we putting the cart before the horse here? Possibly, yes. But at the same time, it’s clear that these discussions are taking place on the second floor in Kanata. Let’s just say that the guys on the ice had better get up quickly so that the season doesn’t get off to a rocky start. [spacer title=’Overtime’]- When is the end for Alex Ovechkin?

– Please note:

– Listen up.

– Jusse Saros vs the CH for tonight’s game.

– Sick.

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Olympics: Lane Hutson added to U.S. preliminary list

Good news for Lane Hutson. The Canadiens defenseman has been added to the U.S. preliminary roster for the 2026 Olympic Games, just a few months away. Frank Seravalli broke the news.

Thatcher Demko and Brock Boeser, who weren’t on the list either, are there too. All three had not been invited to the American club’s orientation camp this summer.Does this mean that Hutson will definitely be at the Olympics? No, that’s not what it means. It simply means that Lane Hutson’s father’s threats have paid off – the American officials now have the Habs defenseman on their radar more than ever, which is good news for the young man. [content-ads]Details to come…

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Logan Mailloux has the NHL’s worst differential for a defenseman this season

To say that things aren’t going well on the ice for Logan Mailloux would be an understatement. The defenseman, who was told to find a place to live in St. Louis after training camp, hasn’t been able to get off the ground at all this early in the season. And even though it’s only been four games, we can talk about it. Of course, we can’t say he’ll be rotten forever, but we can analyze what we see anyway.Since the start of the season, at every Blues game, criticism of Mailloux (who has just two shots on goal) has been rife. Just yesterday, on the heels of the Blackhawks game, Blues fans were wondering just how bad Mailloux could have been in 15 minutes on the ice. His advanced stats are more than ordinary, let’s say.

[content-ads]Let’s just say that people aren’t happy, right now, to see that he’s been traded for Zachary Bolduc. And when I say people, I mean… people in St. Louis.While the Blues allowed eight goals (yes, yes) to the Hawks, Mailloux maintained a minus-4 differential. And those who watch his games see that he’s crooked, on the ice.The Snake (who sees Mailloux being sent back to the AHL within a few months) has been right, until now.In fact, in four games this season, the Ontarian currently has a minus-7 differential. Only two NHL players (Nikita Kucherov in four games and Sam Bennett in five games) are worse. They’re both forwards. That said, even if it all goes wrong, I agree with what Grant McCagg said in the last few days: he’s by no means finished and his career is just beginning. He has time to improve.

[content-ads]Developing a defenseman takes time. It wasn’t written in the sky that Alexander Romanov would become this good on Long Island. It was hard to say, with any certainty, that Mikhail Sergachev would become so good after his four tough games in Montreal.We agree that Sergachev was only 18, but we understand what I mean: a defenseman needs time to become the best version of himself.

The Blues may never see the defenseman they envisioned when Mailloux arrived (he’ll have to clean up his game in his zone to improve), but we’ll see in due course. One thing’s for sure, though: nobody in Montreal is regretting the trade right now

[spacer title=’en rafale’]- Interesting.

– Great news: Habs prospect

– Practice at 10:30 this morning in Brossard.

– The Habs are exciting.

– One to watch.