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Lane Hutson: “I think his contract talks are affecting him,” says Elliotte Friedman

Lane Hutson has one point in three games so far this season, and he opened his account Saturday night in Chicago with an assist on Kaiden Guhle’s late goal to give the Habs the win. That said, Hutson isn’t off to the greatest start in the world… and there may be a reason for that. after all, there are a thousand and one rumours about his next contract. Everyone’s been talking about it for a few weeks now, because the defenseman hasn’t signed his deal yet… even if he liked the idea of it being settled over the summer. And doesn’t he want to, with all the noise surrounding his contract discussions with the Canadiens, it can become a bit of a distraction on the ice. Elliotte Friedman(32 Thoughts Podcast) thinks it’s having an impact on his performance:

I think it’s affecting Hutson.

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Elliotte Friedman

For sure, Hutson is thinking about his contract.

[content-ads] Lane Hutson is 21 years old. He’s never been in a situation like this before, he’s about to break the bank, we know that discussions between his clan and the Habs’ have become more emotional… and clearly, that can have an effect on his play on the ice. Because it’s inevitable, in a way: Hutson wants to prove to management that he deserves to earn as much money as possible. And if he starts playing with the idea that he has to be good, that’s when he can start doing or thinking too much on the ice. The Canadiens need to know that, too. Kent Hughes, a former player’s agent, clearly understands the situation, and it makes you wonder if it can change the GM’s plan because he wants to see his team succeed this season. And for that to happen, the Canadiens need Lane Hutson 100% focused. We saw what happened last season, after all… Hutson had a fantastic first year in the NHL, winning the Calder Trophy, and he was a big part of the Habs’ playoff run. That’s the Hutson we all want to see… Spacer title=’Prolongation’] – Boom.

– Three players picked up a point yesterday in the only game presented (Capitals vs Rangers). Caps won 1-0:

(Credit: Screenshot / NHL.com)

– 10 games today in the NHL.

(Credit: Screenshot / Google)
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Kaiden Guhle hit Frank Nazar to avenge Ivan Demidov

After three games played in the 2025-26 season, we’re hoping to see more from some of the Montreal Canadiens’ players. We can’t fault Zachary Bolduc, who’s doing very well, unlike Logan Mailloux. However, there’s always room for improvement within a team, and even though Demidov hasn’t produced much so far (1 point), he’s shown us some new facets to his game. As we know, he threw down the gloves on Saturday night against the Chicago Blackhawks, and also pulled out all the stops to prevent the opposition from capitalizing.

Kaiden Guhle was also involved in the scrum, and has always enjoyed protecting his team-mates. Demidov was targeted against the Blackhawks, and Guhle came to blows with a solid hit on Frank Nazar at center ice. According to the Habs defenseman, he did it to avenge his teammate who was constantly being targeted by the opposition. That’s what we learn in this text from Arpon Basu.

[content-ads]

“If you target one of our young talented players, I’ll do the same. I think they (Blackhawks players) expected that.”

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Kaiden Guhle

That’s exactly the mentality we want to see in the Montreal Canadiens: a close-knit team that sticks together and protects each other as teammates. The Canadiens is no longer the club that lets itself be intimidated. This was evident in the preseason game against the Ottawa Senators in Quebec City, where the Rocket’s Florian Xhekaj, Luke Tuch and Tyler Thorpe are still with the team. The Habs will certainly be adding some player protection and physical strength in the years to come, and that’s encouraging.Also in Basu’s piece, Jake Evans recently spoke about Demidov, and according to him, it’s not even his talent that impresses him the most. In fact, it’s more the fact that Demidov is an excellent person. His enormous raw talent hasn’t turned him into an unpleasant teammate; rather, the Russian is always looking to learn from everyone. Evans’ comments can be found towards the end of Basu’s article:

“He always wants to learn. He doesn’t care if you’re a lot less talented than him, he always wants to learn from everyone.”

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Jake Evans

[content-ads]That pretty much sums up the type of person and teammate Demidov is. Not only is he bursting with talent and has all the tools to have a glorious career, but he’s also a hockey fanatic (a bit like Lane Hutson) and is constantly striving to become a better player.

However, if he wants to be more successful, he’s going to have to show more, because in Martin St-Louis’s eyes, he obviously doesn’t deserve much playing time(he’s the Habs’ third least-used player this season).I invite you to read this excellent article by Arpon Basucetexcellent article by Arpon Basu. Overtime] – The Habs aren’t the only ones looking for top-6 reinforcements.

– Would it be Dustin Wolf or another Flames goalie going the other way for an established goalie? Wolf has excellent potential, it would be counterproductive to trade him in my opinion.

– Cowan to make NHL debut on Maple Leafs top line.

– It’s about time.

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Nathan MacKinnon criticized his own supporters

Avalanche fans must have been impatient on Saturday night. During the game against the Dallas Stars, many of them booed their own team… right in the middle of the powerplay. In the end, despite a strong offensive performance, the Avalanche lost 5-4 in the shootout. The team won five powerplays and found the back of the net just once, on the last one, thanks to Mackinnon himself, yet it wasn’t the goal or the loss that caught the eye after the game, but rather the star player’s words. During the media scrum, MacKinnon sent a clear message to his fans:

“I know we got booed. I guess they don’t really know what a good power play looks like. We had an awful lot of chances, but the puck just wouldn’t go in.”

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Nathan MacKinnon

A direct, straightforward answer, typical of MacKinnon’s temperament. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0jFLxBYr9Y And it’s hard to prove him completely wrong. With players like Cale Makar at quarterback, Martin Necas at the top of the slot and Artturi Lehkonen in front of the net, Colorado’s power play is nothing to worry about. Against Dallas, the execution quickly took hold in the stands [content-ads], but Mackinnon doesn’t seem prepared to let the crowd turn its back on his team after just a few missed chances. His statement had the air of a reminder: the Colorado Avalanche are among the NHL’s offensive elite, and a powerplay, no matter how well executed, doesn’t always translate into a goal. In an organization as ambitious as the Avalanche, every night without a win is seen as a failure. When you have players of the calibre of MacKinnon, Makar or Necas, fans expect a constant spectacle. But that level of excellence also comes with enormous pressure, and on Saturday, that pressure seemed to weigh as heavily on the ice as it did in the stands, so what was supposed to be a simple regular-season game turned into a little arm-wrestling between the Canadiens’ star player and his own crowd. And as is often the case, Mackinnon made his stick talk… before making his outspoken point. [spacer title=’en rafale’]- Already one scored for Toffoli.

– What a save by Lindgren!

– Trey Yesavage speaks up,

– All these teams are still undefeated.

-A nice gesture from the Senators.

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Three goals in two games: Joshua Roy gets his season off to a flying start

Cut from the Canadiens a few days ago, it didn’t take long for Joshua Roy to remind us why his name is still in the conversation in Montreal. The Québécois forward is off to a fine start with the Laval Rocket, scoring twice this afternoon in his team’s opening 5-2 win over the Manitoba Moose. With three goals in two games, Roy seems to have taken his demotion as a personal mission. Withdrawn because the Canadiens wanted to see more from him on the ice, the young forward responded in the best possible way: by filling the back of the net. During the Canadiens’ camp, the coaching staff had been clear. Roy had to offer more without the puck, be consistent in his retreats and demonstrate that he could sustain an NHL pace on a regular basis. Offensively, no one doubted his abilities. Since his arrival in Laval, the message seems to have gotten through, despite his -1 record. Roy is playing with intensity, working in practice and regaining the confidence that made him a dominant player in recent seasons. His three goals since the start of the new campaign are proof of this, and his first powerplay goal today shows that he’s no longer just a peripheral player.

[content-ads] Roy isn’t back with the Canadiens yet, but if he continues at this pace, sooner or later he’ll force the organization’s hand and move up the pecking order for a recall. In addition to Roy, Laurent Dauphin, Sean Farrell and Owen Beck also found the back of the net. Veteran goalkeeper Kaapo Kähkönen made 25 saves in the victory. Honorable mention to Laurent Dauphin for his three points and to Alex Belzile for his two assists in this first victory. The Rocket will play its opening game next Friday at Place Bell, and it will be yet another opportunity for Joshua Roy to demonstrate all his talent and, above all, his progress in front of his own fans. [spacer title=’Overtime’]- He’s only three short.

-A return to action for Sonny Milano after more than a year away.

– This move may mean Cam York could miss the next game.

-The Devils already have an injured player.

-Two minutes that could cost the Canadiens dearly.

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Here’s what the Xhekaj brothers’ lunch looks like after practice

Seeing a pair of brothers on the same NHL team is always fun. Florian Xhekaj isn’t playing for the Montreal Canadiens this season (unlike his brother Arber), but rather for the CH’s club-school. However, fans of the Montreal club had the chance to see them play together and throw down the gloves in the same game during the famous warm-up game against the Ottawa Senators in Quebec City. And fans got their money’s worth, with several fights along the way and bloodied faces. Like it or not, fighting has always been part of the NHL, but it can certainly be a spectacle.

Florian Xhekaj arrived at Habs training camp last year weighing in at just over 190 pounds on a 6’3″ frame, but with the new measurements for the 2025-26 season, we’ve seen little brother Hanson Xhekaj put on a good ten pounds, now weighing in at 205 pounds.

The Xhekaj brothers’ mother (Simona) recently posted a photo of the breakfast her two giant children eat after morning training, and it’s easy to see why Florian has put on weight.

[content-ads]I actually asked ChatGPT to estimate the number of calories according to the photo and according to the artificial intelligence, they would eat over 1100 calories at breakfast with this meal.

Incredible, all the same.We know that the Xhekaj brothers are massive (especially Arber with nearly 240 pounds on his frame), but it’s not because they’re fat, quite the contrary. According to Anthony Martineau a few weeks ago, Arber has greatly reduced his body fat percentage this summer.

It’s clear to see that he’s in great shape physically, with very little body fat. Florian Xhekaj will need to be even more successful this season in Laval, and if his performances are worth it (and if a hole opens up up at the top somehow), he’ll most likely get his chance with the big club this year.

Let’s see how the two Xhekaj brothers do this season, and if fans will get to see them play in the same game in the regular season, or if it’ll have to wait. spacer title=’Overtime’] – A first win for the Laval Rocket this season.

– Luke Tuch’s big brother with the Oilers? Interesting.

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– Alex Formenton (ECJ 2018) wants to return to the Senators, but Steve Staios has given Formenton’s agent permission to talk to other teams.

– Read on.

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We’re not seeing the best version of Patrik Laine yet

If you take Joe Veleno, Jayden Struble, Samuel Montembeault and Jakub Dobes out of the equation, only three Canadiens players have yet to pick up a point so far this season. Can you name them? If not, we’re talking about Jake Evans, Josh Anderson… and Patrik Laine. Yes, it’s a small sample size, since the Habs have only played three games so far. But even so, it’s easy to see that #92 isn’t really helping the club on the ice right now. Laine’s playing time (13:23) hasn’t been exceptional since the start of the campaign, and that’s due to the fact that he plays on the team’s fourth unit. That said, he’s not playing like a guy who’s in the last year of his contract… and he’s not playing like a guy who wants to prove to the organization that he deserves a new deal at the end of the season. At least, if it goes on like this… it’ll be hard for Kent Hughes to find valid arguments to keep him in town.

[content-ads] We know that five-on-five is tougher for the Finn, but the problem is… it looks complicated on the powerplay too. Laine has (only) four shots on net in three games, and that’s not enough for a guy with a quality shot like his.He often misses the net on the PP, he seems to have trouble drawing the puck on reception – unlike what we saw last season – and that makes him a bit useless on the ice.Again, it’s a small sample size. But for a guy who said we were going to see the best version of himself, at the moment… it’s ordinary, and it was also very ordinary during the preseason games. So where’s the solution? I’m inclined to think that Martin St-Louis is asking himself the same question. The Habs pilot gave him the opportunity to play on the top-6 with Kirby Dach and Ivan at practice camp, but that didn’t work out either (and it’s fair to say that the experience turned out to be atrocious). Laine may have the qualities to help the Canadiens on the powerplay… but he’s no more capable of doing so right now. And that could become a problem pretty quickly, if things don’t change… [spacer title=’En rafale’] – Let’s go.

– Nice contract.

– Go Jays!

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Juraj Slafkovsky in A.N.: if he doesn’t go in front of the net, he doesn’t belong on the 1st wave

The Canadiens de Montréal barely escaped with a win over the mighty Chicago Blackhawks last night, with a goal in the final seconds of regular time courtesy of Kaiden Guhle.

The CH’s 3-2 victory was clearly not entirely deserved, considering that Club had every opportunity in the world to put the game out of reach with ten powerplays. Even though the Habs scored two powerplay goals, 20% effective, it’s clear that the A.N. has glaring problems, as we saw yesterday.

Both waves are clearly lacking in creativity and finishing, but if we look at the first wave alone, the problem really stems from the positioning of the players. Indeed, the big drawback, in my opinion, is that Juraj Slafkovsky plays on the side, when he should be in front of the net to veil the goalie’s view.

When Slaf goes in front of the net, it works, as we even saw last night on Kaiden Guhle’s winning goal.

[content-ads] So it’s obvious that if Slaf isn’t going in front of the net like that on the powerplay, he doesn’t belong on the first wave.

The Slovak winger lacks the vision and quick hands necessary to play to the left of the opposing goaltender on the powerplay, and we saw that very clearly last night. The Habs’ #20 made a few poor decisions and made several bad passes, costing valuable time on the powerplay.

Obviously, Slafkovsky isn’t the only culprit behind the Habs’ N.A. woes last night, but I seriously think Martin St-Louis should re-evaluate Slaf’s position if he wants to make it work. Slafkovsky seems to have figured out this season that he’s big and needs to play physical, so ideally he’d be placed in front of the net to veil the goalie’s view, allowing his teammates to get some nice shooting lines.

So, here’s what the first wave should look like.Opposing netJuraj Slafkovsky Cole Caufield – Zachary Bolduc – Nick Suzuki Lane Hutson [content-ads] I think such a combination would be much more effective, as well as bringing back the Suzuki – Caufield duo on the powerplay, a duo that had been flaming when Suzuki found a passing line to #13. Plus, Suzuki has already had a lot of success there with his wrist shot.

Add to that Bolduc, who plays the bumper role to perfection, and you’ve got another option for scoring goals from the slot, and I think the Habs would have much better scoring opportunities, with the puck flowing better, and the opposing goalie’s view obscured, which would increase the chances of converting shots on goal.

Because seriously, if St-Louis is going to leave Slaf on the side like he is right now, it’s better to play Ivan Demidov in that position and demote Slafkovsky to the second wave.

Speaking of the second wave, it was a real handful last night too, when the problem is very clearly that everything is telegraphed: we’re just trying to isolate Patrik Laine so that he can get a shot off on reception, without really trying anything else.

It’s obvious that Ivan Demidov and Noah Dobson want to get the puck to Laine, which creates too many telegraphed plays, and a concentrated threat in one place. In short, let’s hope Martin St-Louis makes some changes to his powerplay, as he saw on several occasions last night that several elements aren’t working.

[spacer title=’En Rafale’] – Nice to see.

– Nice observations.

– Indeed.

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8:18 of playing time yesterday: Logan Mailloux has had a difficult start to the season in Saint-Louis

Logan Mailloux was told to find a place to live in St. Louis after a good training camp, but… since the start of the season, it’s been more difficult for the former Canadiens defenseman. He wasn’t great in his first game (minus-2), and the advanced statistics show that he didn’t help his club at all in the Blues’ last game. Jim Montgomery even benched him for a few minutes… and in the end, the defenseman played less than nine minutes (8:18) yesterday against the Flames.

We all know that, offensively, Mailloux is a talented player.

He has a good shot, he’s capable of playing on the powerplay because he has a certain vision and his imposing size enables him to be a force in the opposing zone [content-ads]. But we also know that he’s always been a bit tougher defensively, and right now, that’s the observation you get when you look at his first two games in Saint-Louis. That could come with time, because a young defenseman with an offensive style has to learn to play better defensively. On the other hand, it won’t last forever… and maybe the Snake was right when he said he could see Mailloux playing in the AHL by Christmas.

Meanwhile, Zachary Bolduc… is on fire.

The Montreal Canadiens’ forward, acquired in return for Mailloux, has scored in his first three games of the season and is now the Habs’ second-highest scorer (behind Nick Suzuki).He has four points in three games and plays an important role in the team’s top-9 . Of course, it’s too early to say that Kent Hughes has stolen from the Blues. But the deal benefits the Habs right now, and that was Kent Hughes’ goal: to get a guy who could help right away. And the results are there, so far. [spacer title=’Overtime’] – Logical.

– Interesting.

– He’s approaching a truly incredible plateau.

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Zachary Bolduc: 45 goals in 82 games since the 4 Nations

The Montreal Canadiens may not have played a great game last night, but they still managed to come away with the win, thanks in part to a goal from Zachary Bolduc. Once again last night, the Québécois found the back of the net, making it three goals in as many games since the start of the regular season.

Zach Bolduc

Bolduc is on fire at the start of the season, picking up right where he left off last season with the St. Louis Blues.

Add Bolduc’s three goals in three games this season, and the Québécois is now on a 45-goal pace in 82 games since the break for the Four Nations tournament.

[content-ads] His 16 goals in his last 29 games represent a truly impressive pace, further solidifying his place as a sniper in the National Hockey League.

If some were worried after the preparatory games, there’s no reason to doubt the Québécois now, as he’s proved that scoring goals is one of his greatest strengths. He can score in all sorts of different ways, and he’s proved it since the start of the season

  • october 8 against the Leafs in Toronto: goal on a throw-in return
  • october 9 against the Red Wings in Detroit: perfect breakaway shot
  • october 12 against the Blackhawks in Chicago: shot in the slot on the powerplay

In short, #76 of the Habs has really shown us the full extent of his talent since the start of the season, and that’s extremely encouraging for what’s to come, especially considering that he plays the bumper role to perfection on the powerplay.

[content-ads] Of course, even if Bolduc is on a 45-goal pace, that doesn’t mean he’ll reach that plateau this season. However, it’s safe to assume that the Québécois will be able to score 25-30 goals this season, which would already be quite an accomplishment.

And if he does, one wonders what his next contract will look like, given that he’ll be a restricted free agent at the end of the season. The Habs will have to sign him this summer, and that could prove costly if he keeps this up.

On a long-term contract, i.e. 7-8 years, I think Zachary Bolduc could fetch 6-7 million easily, so it’ll be a very interesting case to follow, but for now, let’s enjoy his goals and his talent. [spacer title=’En Rafale’] – To be continued today.

– Interesting.

– We saw it yesterday, but the Senators’ success really depends on Linus Ullmark.

– This will be one to watch,

– Too bad.

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Top-5: Matthew Schaefer scores his first (and very strange) NHL goal

After suffering a day without any games on Friday, the National Hockey League had 16 games on the schedule yesterday, so all 32 teams were in action, after all having a day off. It’s a pretty weird schedule, but at least it gave us plenty of action yesterday, so here’s what caught our eye.1. A goofy first NHL goal for Matthew SchaeferAfter facing Sidney Crosby and getting an assist in his first NHL game, Matthew Schaefer faced Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals last night. And this time, the first overall pick of the last auction scored his first NHL goal. However, let’s just say it was a pretty weird goal for Schaefer, especially for a career first, as the Islanders defenseman really went for it.

Note that the Caps challenged the goal, but in the end, the goal was deemed good.

Schaefer became the second-youngest (18 years and 36 days) defenseman in history to score an NHL goal, and the youngest player to do so on the powerplay.

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Unfortunately, the Islanders lost this game 4-2, but what will be remembered is the incredible performance of #48.

Schaefer was sparkling, as he was the Islanders’ most-used player, with 26:04 of ice time. In short, a smashing NHL debut for Schaefer, but also at home last night, when he was simply dominant [content-ads]2. Five other players score their first NHLgoal Just like Schaefer, there were five other players who scored their first career NHL goal yesterday. Here they are

  • Ben Kindel – Center – age 18 – Penguins 11th overall pick in 2025

  • Sam Rinzel – right-handed defenseman – age 21 – Blackhawks’ 25th overall pick in 2022

[content-ads]

  • Gavin Brindley – Center – 21 years old – 34th overall pick by the Blue Jackets in 2023

  • Zeev Buium – Left-handed defenseman – age 19 – Wild’s 12th overall pick in 2024

  • Noah Philp – Center – 27 years old – Never drafted

[content-ads]3. Leafs suffer a Red Wings comebackThe Montreal Canadiens made short work of the Red Wings on Thursday night in Detroit. Last night, it was the Toronto Maple Leafs’ turn to visit Detroit, and we thought we’d see the same kind of result as for the Canadiens.

But in the end, after taking a 2-0 lead, the Leafs collapsed, losing 6-3.

The Wings completed the scoring with two goals in an empty net, giving them a nice first win this season after Thursday’s horrible performance [content-ads]4. Ryan Reaves scores and throws down the gloves in a crazy gameThe San Jose Sharks hosted the Anaheim Ducks last night, as we were treated to the most entertaining game of the night. 13 goals were scored in total in this 7-6 overtime win for the Ducks, as they came from behind by two goals to force overtime.

But the main thing to remember is that new Sharks forward Ryan Reaves not only threw down the gloves, but also scored a beautiful goal.

In short, a solid game with his new team for the 38-year-old tough guy [content-ads]5. Pavel Dorofeyev scores his 5th goal of the seasonThe 24-year-old Russian forward was a revelation in the NHL last season, scoring 35 goals and 52 points in 82 games with the Vegas Golden Knights.

And at the start of this season, Dorofeyev looks set to do even better, as last night, in a 2-1 Knights overtime loss to the Seattle Kraken, the Russian scored his 5th goal of the season already.

He now has five goals in three games, and if you didn’t already know, now you’re aware of how talented this young Russian is. [spacer title=’Prolongation’] – Here are all the results from yesterday.

– Here are yesterday’s top scorers.

(Credit: NHL.com)

– Today’s NHL schedule: a single game.

(Credit: Google/NHL)