Author: Dose

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John Tortorella to coach the Sabres: Jeff Marek opens the door

While the Canadiens are heading in the right direction after a few years of misery, the Sabres are caught up in a rebuild that seems to have no end in sight. The New York State team hasn’t made the playoffs since 2013 and, despite the countless picks they’ve had in recent years, the culture hasn’t changed, nor have the results. You won’t be surprised to find that the Sabres aren’t off to a good start this season. They’re 1-3 and fans have already shown their frustration by throwing jerseys on the ice and selling tickets for $4. What will it take to wake the team up? A change of general manager?

[ content-ads] Sportsnet columnist Jeff Marek opened the door for the Sabres to seek out former Columbus Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekäläinen to replace current GM Kevyn Adams. Marek went even further, suggesting that John Tortorella could come in and shake things up. The two men worked together in Ohio, and in Buffalo, change has to come first and foremost at management level. It’s not right to have so many good selections, but not be able to rebuild a team. Then the new head coach shouldn’t be called John Tortorella. I have a lot of respect for his career, but it’s time to move on. His methods haven’t worked before, the results are ephemeral. There are so many good young coaches waiting for their turn in the AHL who could do the job, as we saw with Spencer Carbury last year. His arrival in Washington brought a much-needed breath of fresh air. The Sabres don’t have the same talent, but they have players like Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thomposon to build around.[spacer title=’Overtime’] – He’s made some good choices.

– A polarizing topic.

–

– Ça ne va pas bien à Ottawa.

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Zachary Bolduc: 40-goal seasons ahead, believes Jonathan Marchessault

Although he didn’t have his best game last night, Zachary Bolduc is off to a great start for the Habs. The 22-year-old has an excellent shot and knows where to go to score goals. It’s not for nothing that he already has three goals to his name. If he’s widening the eyes of Montreal fans, Jonathan Marchessault isn’t surprised by Bolduc’s success.The Predators player discussed the situation with JiC on his daily show, on the eve of the CH-Preds game.

“I expected it (to see him have success) and I’m happy to see that Zach is doing well. […] He’s probably going to score 20, 30, 40 goals in the future, and he’ll be doing it for another 10-15 years.”

–

Jonathan Marchessault

It’s a small sample, but I like a lot of what I see from Bolduc, and the goals don’t come to mind first [content-ads] He manages to get physically involved and create space for his teammates. He’s tough to play against and opportunistic when he’s got the puck on his stick. I think he’ll eventually reach the 30-goal plateau, but when his career is over, he’ll be remembered less for his regular-season goals than for his playoff contributions. He’s got the makings of a Brad Marchand and Brady Tkatchuk. The most exciting thing about him is that he’s only 22. If Marchessault’s prediction comes true, we could have a 40-goal scorer and who knows, maybe a 50-goal scorer.

[spacer title=’Overtime’] – Very early in the season.

– What a relief for the Jays!

– Good news!

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“He was more of a nuisance to Montreal than anything else”: Renaud Lavoie picks up Tyler Toffoli

Tyler Toffoli is a player who was appreciated in town during his time in Montreal. The forward, who spent just over a year in town (he was traded in his second season with the Habs), scored 37 goals and 70 points in 89 games with the Habs.And he quickly became a crowd favorite, but also in the locker room.

That said, the rumor that followed his departure was that he wanted to leave because of the club’s rebuilding. And today, on BPM Sports, Renaud Lavoie talked about Toffoli… for all the wrong reasons. In fact, according to the tipster, Toffoli was as much a part of the problem in town before he left as a guy like Mike Hoffman.

Tyler Toffoli] wasn’t helping Dominique Ducharme at all when he was coaching. In fact, he hindered him more than anything else.

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Renaud Lavoie

https://www.youtube.com/live/xFf9Y5I-yEA?si=xZFcmL5iNVyGK2gj&t=8071 [content-ads]Lavoie explains that Toffoli’s biggest problem was his carelessness. He explains that he’s never seen an NHL player with such an attitude on the ice.He’s not criticizing the person, saying that Toffoli is a good guy. He only criticizes the professionalism of the forward, who “was just waiting for the game to end” and who “didn’t want anything to do with playing for the Canadiens”.We know that Toffoli isn’t the surliest player on the ice. He’s a guy who’s not used to getting his nose dirty, and in that respect, it’s true that he may not have been the best example for the youngsters in town.But even so, we agree that these are very, very harsh remarks. And I wonder how much Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton, who traded him very quickly after taking over, wanted to get rid of him for those reasons[spacer title=’Overtime’]- Yes. Especially if it comes with Sidney Crosby.

– Indeed.

– Worth a read.

– Interesting.

– Signing in Sacramento.

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Sidney Crosby in Montreal: “It’s bound to happen if Mike Matheson stays”

For the past 24 hours, Mike Matheson has been the talk of Montreal. The defenseman is suddenly the most important file in town, now that Lane Hutson and the executives have been settled.And we know that Matheson, even though he’s a complex case, is really, really respected by his bosses.So we’ll have to see how this file unblocks… but tonight, on JiC, Renaud Lavoie gave a good argument to encourage the Habs to sign Matheson.And that argument is… Sidney Crosby:

[Sidney Crosby in Montreal], it’s definitely going to happen. He has to say yes, but he also has to have a guy like Mike Matheson, in my opinion.

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Renaud Lavoie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1spyX3h2u0 [content-ads]The source explains that Crosby and Matheson are very, very good friends. The two guys are very close to each other (they’re in contact year-round), and you’d think that goes back to when the two were teammates in Pittsburgh.And he adds that for Crosby, a guy who sticks to his routine, having Matheson around would help him in that respect.It’s an argument that must weigh in the balance when the time comes to decide whether the Habs are ready to pay the defenseman. If they really have good reason to believe that Crosby would be willing to come to town in the event that Matheson signs a contract extension, the club should seriously consider going that route.Even if it means giving him another year or two, you know: it’s worth it to bring Crosby to town. And you’d think Geoff Molson would have no problem paying that contract if it came with additional revenue, which would be the case with Crosby’s arrival.We’ll have to keep an eye on this, but it’s an extremely interesting piece of information. Spacer title=’Prolongation’] You have to ask yourself whether, from this point of view, it’s in the Habs’ interest to settle Matheson’s case quickly. Because if Crosby wants to leave at the next trade deadline and Matheson isn’t under contract for 2025-26, maybe that would make him less inclined to join the Canadiens.Assuming Matheson really is the key to all this, of course.

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Ivan Demidov’s pass: Martin St-Louis had him practice it yesterday morning

Last night, Ivan Demidov put on a show at the Bell Centre. The young Russian scored the tying goal late in the third period, earning a standing ovation from the crowd.He even took the time to thank the fans… in French.But above all, in the first period, he stole the show on Alex Newhook’s goal. In fact, it was Newhook who was credited with the goal, but it was Demidov who did most of the work on the sequence.

Now, what’s really interesting is that after the sequence in question, images of the morning practice (captured by Karine Hains) resurfaced. And what we notice on these is that the pass in question… had been practiced that very morning. Martin St-Louis

[content-ads]It’s worth remembering that this isn’t the first time we’ve seen something like this involving Martin St-Louis: a few years ago, he taught Caufield a new way of shooting at the net, adding a little deke before unleashing his shot.

And that same night, he scored against the Senators using this technique. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a85eJ_uWIUs What’s clear is that St-Louis is capable of teaching his players things that pay off. And it’s interesting to see that for both Demidov and Caufield, St-Louis taught them to slow down the game to create new angles and space to let them use their main asset. Clearly, this is something he’s trying to instill,because in reality, St-Louis doesn’t need to teach Demidov how to pass the ball or Caufield how to shoot the net. What he can do, however, is help them get into the right frame of mind to put those skills to good use.And, clearly, it worked yesterday.[spacer title=’Overtime’]- The guys are having fun.

– He had to leave yesterday due to cramps… and now finds himself in the starter’s chair.

– A name to watch.

– Interesting.

– Of note:

– Let’s see if this helps the Jays.

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Mike Matheson: Jeff Gorton talks like someone who (really) wants to keep him

Last night, we learned from Pierre LeBrun that the Habs have a new priority: to try to reach an agreement with Mike Matheson to keep him in town beyond the current season. With the contracts of Lane Hutson, Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton all settled, Matheson is next on the list –although, in reality, his case will be more complex than the others.Matheson, after all, will be 32 in a few months’ time, and his next contract should represent his last chance to break the bank. And given that the Habs have good young defensemen on the rise and have instituted a culture of signing in town at a discount, it could be complicated to find common ground with the veteran. But even so, when you listen to Jeff Gorton speak, you hear an executive who clearly would like to keep Matheson in town:

He’s an example of what we’re trying to build. […] We hold Mike [Matheson] in very high regard.

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Jeff Gorton

https://www.youtube.com/live/DjXQKXUBKF0?si=t8Q17yfPG6EJkK23&t=469 [content-ads]Gorton, who didn’t stick his neck out too much when the time came to talk about the possibility of Matheson signing before reaching the market (because it wouldn’ t be as much fun to give all the answers, hehe), nevertheless clearly praised everything Matheson brings to his club. The defender has taken on every role he’s been assigned since arriving in town, and he’s found a way to stand out in each of them.He’s not perfect, no one’s saying otherwise. But we’re still talking about a player who, with each passing year, has taken on an increasingly defensive role without ever complaining.Sowe‘ll have to see if Matheson, like his bosses, ends up signing an extension. And on that subject, Gorton confirmed that he has never considered leaving Montreal, andeven hopes to still be in town when his five-year contract expires next year. He’s really, really attached to the Canadiens… and he must hope Matheson is too, which would make negotiations to keep him in town easier.[spacer title=’Overtime’]- Speaking of Matheson.

– Obviously.

– Pheonix Copley is back in Los Angeles.

– Great Tony, hehe.

– JO 2026 : Gary Bettman is worried about the arenas, which are being built slower than expected.

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Ivan Demidov wants to be able to speak to people in French

Last night, after the Canadiens’ win over the Kraken, we heard Ivan Demidov say a few words in French. He thanked the fans for their support during the game and stepped out of his comfort zone to speak to them in French.It made for a great moment.

The Canadiens’ young player wants to acclimatize to his new environment. He’s been taking French lessons since he was drafted by the Habs, because he has a very specific goal in mind: to be able to speak French with other people. And that’s why he’s putting so much effort into his learning: last night we saw that he’s still able to get by with a few words.

[content-ads] Clearly, the kid knows how to please his new fans.

At least, it gives me the impression that he wants to stay here for a super long time… and we know how much the fans love it, to see a guy speak French because to see them immersed in Québécois culture is a sign of respect in a way. Demidov understands that. He knows it’s important in Montreal and he continues to make efforts at that level to improve. He already had a lot of fans… but it seems he’s got even more since yesterday with his comments in French. Hehe. All kidding aside, it’s special to see a 19-year-old think that way. It’s special to see a guy doing his best to try to acclimatize to Quebec culture, and it also shows that he’s at home here. And he’s not the only one making an effort, becausewe also heard Nick Suzuki give an interview in French before the start of the season. My hat’s off to him, in any case. spacer title=’Overtime’] – Logical:

– Great contest!

– Good point.

– Holy Slaf.

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Régis Labeaume will have a long grudge against Gary Bettman

Gary Bettman doesn’t hold a special place in Régis Labeaume’s heart, as we found out back in April… When the former mayor of Quebec City referred to the NHL commissioner as a “full of shit” in connection with the Nordiques’ return to Quebec City.No, there’s no love lost between the two men. That said, Régis Labeaume gave an interview to Martin McGuire and Daby Dubé(98.5 FM) and returned to the subject of the Nordiques. He mentioned that he still has a feeling of animosity when he thinks about it, because he really wanted to succeed in his goal of bringing a club back to Quebec City. And without going into too much detail… he also said that he can’t talk too much about the subject because Brian Mulroney – who had privileged access to the commissioner of the National Hockey League and who played a leading role in the negotiations to bring the Nordiques back to Quebec City as chairman of the board of Québecor – has passed away.But the last sentence is pretty revealing too:

The guy who kept me informed of discussions with Gary Bettman was Brian Mulroney. And he’s dead. So I can’t talk. That’s the problem. Maybe one day I’ll get fed up […] But I’m going to hold a grudge against Gary Bettman for a long time.

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Régis Labeaume

[content-ads] I’d be curious to hear what Régis Labeaume has to say about these discussions, even if he says he can’t talk about them in detail because of Brian Mulroney’s death. Because to hear him talk the way he did with Martin McGuire and Dany Dubé… You can sense that the ex-mayor of Quebec City has some resentment towards Gary Bettman. We know that he pushed hard to bring a club back to the province and that, in the end, the project never came to fruition as he would have liked. And obviously, he has a real grudge against Bettman over the whole thing. That said, Régis Labeaume probably isn’t the only one who feels this way. There are people in Quebec City who are still hoping to see the return of a team to the city, and this issue will continue to be the talk of the town as the years go by. [spacer title=’Overtime’] – Even so.

– Sick.

– A fresh start for defenseman

– One player on waivers today.

– Oh yeah?

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Senators vs. Sabres: $4 tickets for tonight’s game

If you love hockey, don’t have a lot of money and you’re in the Buffalo area, the solution is simple: follow the activities of the Buffalo Sabres, an organization that simply hasn’t been able to get out of trouble for years. Tonight, the Sabres will receive a visit from the Senators on the bangs of a duel that will be closely scrutinized throughout the NHL, and tickets are still available for the game. And as RDS said, for $4 Canadian, you can attend the game. #OuchMeanwhile, in Quebec City, the Centre Vidéo– ah pis laissez faire.Obviously, I don’t think I need to tell you that what’s happening in Buffalo is Sir pathetic. The club is still losing games by the ton, and right now, Buffalo fans can’t see the end of the tunnel. All the club does is lose, and there’s not much reason to go to the arena. Is the fact that Lindy Ruff has been imposed as coach by the owners part of the problem? To ask the question is, of course, to answer it.[content-ads]

At some point, the Sabres may potentially consider hiring another GM and another coach, but it feels like the same refrain is always going to be repeated over there.

It’s really sad for the fans and for the players.

[spacer title= Overtime]- Ouch.

– À lire.

– The impact of Martin St-Louis.

– Will Brady Tkachuk have surgery?

–

– Lucky Jake Allen is still out.

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Cayden Primeau: her sister’s party before her first game in Toronto for some close friends and family

Last night, Cayden Primeau played his first game in Toronto. In fact, after being traded to the Hurricanes this summer and claimed in the waivers just before the start of the season, this was his first official NHL game not involving the Canadiens, so it was a big moment for him. How did it go? He gave away four goals on 30 shots, but was able to pick up the win against the Predators in a game that ended 7-4 for the home side. Primeau thus got his first win since November 27… but it was in front of a crowd that didn’t include all his family members. Why? According to Primeau, it was his sister’s birthday, which meant many family members couldn’t attend.God only knows if he was insulted by the situation or if he understands.

[content-ads]Obviously, we don’t know if his sister had a big party planned in advance or if it was a simple family dinner that’s relatively easy to reschedule.

But it’s understandable if Primeau, making his NHL comeback for the team his father Keith cheered for as a boy in Ontario, ever felt the need to have more family in the stands.

When a player goes away to play hockey and you don’t know days in advance what game he’ll be playing, it’s not surprising that his family can’t always be there… even if it’s boring. I’m sure his family will come around.

[spacer title=’Overtime’]- President wanted to stay in town

– Interesting.

– Wow.