Category: Dans les coulisses

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Dans les coulisses

Denis Gurianov: $2.9 million qualifying offer not worth it

The Montreal Canadiens were very quiet at the National Hockey League trade deadline.

This disappointed many fans, but it was to be expected, and almost all analysts and insiders were predicting that the CH would not be very active.

Nevertheless, a few days before the deadline, Kent Hughes made a move by trading Evgenii Dadonov, one of his only (if not the only) healthy and somewhat valuable assets on his team.

The state of health of Sean Monahan and even Joel Edmundson will have cost Kent Hughes some potential trades.

In return for Dadonov, the CH DG took a nice gamble by getting his hands on Denis Gurianov, a former first-round pick (12th overall) in 2015, now 25 years old.

Having already scored 20 goals in 2019-2020, Gurianov represented a nice asset obtained in return for a guy like Dadonov who had no future with the CH at the height of the 2022-2023 season.

The Gurianov gamble got off to a good start as the Russian put together a string of good games while scoring a few points, mostly goals.

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Gurianov’s talent frequently shone through, and you could really see the natural marker in him.

However, the semi-honeymoon quickly faded after nearly 13 games.

After eight points, including five goals, in his first 13 games with the Bleu Blanc Rouge, Gurianov went into hibernation for the next 10 games, which were also the last 10 games of the season.

So, in 23 games with the CH, we got to see the whole of Gurianov’s work.

We’ve been able to appreciate his good points, and criticize his bad ones.

The problem?

In general, his bad points outweighed his good ones.

And that’s when you have to wonder if Gurianov did enough in this trial with the Tricolore to earn himself a new contract.

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As Marc Dumont explains in his article, the CH must be cautious with Gurianov.

His start with the CH was very encouraging, but the second half of his career was marked by a number of worrying red flags, which led to his exit from Dallas.

Kent Hughes must now decide whether to offer the 25-year-old Russian a contract or not, and let him become a free agent.

Because yes, Gurianov is only a restricted free agent at the moment, which means the CH owns his rights unless Kent Hughes decides not to qualify Gurianov.

This option of simply letting Gurianov go without qualifying him is very possible considering the CH’s qualifying offer for number 25 is $2.9 million.

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2.9 M$ is still a lot for what Gurianov has demonstrated.

We therefore conclude that his qualifying offer isn’t really worth it, even if it was only for one year.

Gurianov would become an unrestricted free agent after this one-year contract.

So what we understand here is that Gurianov won’t be staying in Montreal.

However, let’s not jump to conclusions.

Gurianov could very well decide to come to an agreement with Kent Hughes on the terms of a one-year contract at a lower salary in order to prove himself to both the CH and other teams with a view to his complete autonomy in the summer of 2024.

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In short, if Gurianov is willing to drop his qualifying offer in order to stay with the CH for a year with a contract worth a little over a million, for example, I think it could be a win-win situation for both sides.

The Russian could make the mistake of sticking to his qualifying offer of $2.9 million and refusing the CH’s lesser offer, as he might not even get a contract on the free agent market, and especially not one around the $2.9 million mark.

Gurianov will also have the right to arbitration. If the CH qualifies Gurianov, but can’t agree on a contract, the situation will go to arbitration.

In short, it’s a complex situation that we’ll have to keep a close eye on this summer.

Personally, I think Hughes will want to keep Gurianov for another season, so that his gamble doesn’t last just 23 games.

Who knows, with the right development under Martin St-Louis and even Adam Nicholas, Gurianov could finally become the player the Dallas Stars saw in him when they drafted him.

In a gust of wind

– In any case, if there is one, the Montreal CF is in pole position.

– Speaking of CF.

– Fedorov has yet to lose a series since becoming CSKA Moscow coach.

– The young Slovak prodigy is targeted by the guys, considering she’s too dominant.

– We’ll see her again in six weeks.

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Dans les coulisses

Charity match: multiple fights between New York firefighters and police officers

There have been, and still are, many great rivalries in the history of field hockey.

Many of them have involved the Montreal Canadiens, whether in the CH’s glory years against the Quebec Nordiques and Boston Bruins, among others, or more recently against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

There are also regional rivalries, such as the Pennsylvania rivalry between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers, or the one between the three New York teams (Rangers, Islanders and Devils).

The problem with all these rivalries, however, is that for some years now, we’ve been noticing that today’s rivalries are nowhere near the same level as those of the good old days.

Opposing players in the same rivalry don’t really seem to hate each other as much as they used to, and there’s not as much tension between two teams as there used to be.

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In any case, while these rivalries no longer exist as they once did in the National Hockey League, elsewhere in the field hockey world, a few still do.

Let me introduce you to this incredible, almost 50-year-old rivalry between the New York Fire Department and the New York Police Department.

Every year, a charity field hockey match takes place between these two New York departments.

And yesterday, let’s just say that the 49th edition of this match didn’t disappoint.

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Indeed, there were plenty of intense fights during the match, which really set the place alight.

Not for nothing did this charity match take place in front of a sold-out crowd at the New York Islanders’ home, UBS Arena.

In addition to the impressive brawling, there was also a field hockey match, which was won by the New York Fire Department 8-5.

It’s a truly special event in New York between these two departments who work together on a regular basis in New York.

To see them put aside their friendships in this way for a field hockey game is a truly bizarre event not to be missed.

This rivalry is one that has remained intact in terms of intensity, and that’s why it’s one of the best rivalries in field hockey according to none other than Wayne Gretzky.

In a gust

– Very funny.

– AHL champions in their first season in Calgary.

– Fernandez wins big for Canada!

– It’s going to be a bumpy ride this summer in Pittsburgh.

– It’s crazy to think that there was a time when players scored over 200 points.

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Dans les coulisses

Six points for Joshua Roy in a convincing Phoenix win

The QMJHL playoffs have been underway for a few days now. The second round got underway last night.

Today, the four favored teams crushed their opponents.

First, the Olympiques gave themselves a two-game lead in the series with a (second) 5-0 victory. Canadiens prospect Riley Kidney picked up an assist on the winning goal.

In Quebec City, Patrick Roy’s team easily defeated the Océanic 5-1. The Remparts, too, lead their respective series 2-0. And it took two games before tempers flared behind the bench. We know that Roy and Rimouski’s Serge Beausoleil are two of the Q’s most intense head coaches.

After the game, Beausoleil complained that the Remparts players had tried to ridicule his team.

Here’s the footage in question:

The next few games are likely to be intense.

As for Joshua Roy and the Sherbrooke Phoenix, they easily disposed of the Voltigeurs by a score of 8-1. In a convincing victory, the CH prospect collected no less than six points. That’s 18 points in six games since the start of the playoffs. That’s three points per game.

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Like Gatineau and Quebec City, Sherbrooke leads the series 2-0 against its opponents. All three series are likely to come to an end very quickly.

Finally, the fourth and final series pitting the Halifax Moosheads against the Moncton Wildcats is tied 1-1. Halifax crushed Moncton today by a score of 7-1, but the underdogs won yesterday.

The most surprising thing about all this is that Halifax, who are the big favourites in this series, finished with 33 more points than Moncton in the regular season. But in the playoffs, anything can happen, of course.

The series resumes on Wednesday for three games in Moncton. The series, which is led 2-0 by one team, will resume on Tuesday. Hopefully, the association finals will be tighter.

In bursts

– Speaking of the team’s prospects.

– RHP on one of the first two trios next year?

– Things are bad in Montreal.

– This is serious stuff.

– Is it?

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Dans les coulisses

Ilya Samsonov: “We have the best team in the league”.

In three days’ time, the countdown to the start of the Maple Leafs’ golf season will begin. The Toronto team, trying to put its demons to rest, will cross swords with the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first game of the long-awaited series.

As in every playoff series for the past few years, the pressure is on. Not only are the fans fed up with losing in April, but field hockey fans everywhere will be watching the series with rapt attention. Naturally, they’ll be hoping to see them lose and continue to taunt them.

This year, however, things may be different. Sheldon Keefe’s team is more confident than ever and Tampa Bay, while still Tampa Bay, is not the team of recent years.

According to goaltender Ilya Samsonov, who missed the team’s last few games but will be back for the playoffs, the Leafs are the best team in the NHL, no less.

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Did you forget the Boston Bruins existed, Ilya?

It’s true that on paper and statistically, Toronto, who finished fifth in the NHL, is one of the best teams on the circuit. They had an impressive regular season, but until they win a playoff round, I don’t believe in their chances.

But if the team finally wins a round, it’s clear they’ll be among the favourites to win the Stanley Cup. It’s just a shame that if they manage to beat Jon Cooper’s team, they’ll be facing nothing less than the best team in NHL history…

Remember that Toronto, despite having the longest active playoff streak, hasn’t won a playoff round since 2004.

Do you have confidence in the Leafs? Would you dare take any of the team’s players in your playoff pool?

Breaking news

– An intriguing case.

– Lots of competition in Laval next year. [RDT]

– What a surprise…

– Jays too strong for Rays.

– What a performance!

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Dans les coulisses

Pierre-Luc Dubois: could the Jets accept a lower offer from the CH?

Until Pierre-Luc Dubois is no longer a member of the Habs, we won’t hear the last of it. By then, thousands of rumours will have been published.

Yesterday, it was Maxim Lapierre and Antoine Roussel’s turn to feed the rumour machine. Both were guests of Mario Langlois and shared their opinions on the Quebecer’s situation.

First, Lapierre would trade Jordan Harris, among others, for the center.

The logic behind this statement is quite simple: the CH’s depth to the left of the blue line is great. With Lane Hutson on his way out, Mike Matheson here to stay, Kaiden Guhle and company, Montreal could sacrifice a young lefty to fill a need.

Clearly, Kent Hughes would have to add other assets, but Harris is already a good base.

Lapierre and Roussel are of the opinion that the Jets could accept a lower offer from the CH, as Dubois absolutely wants to play in Montreal. Don’t be too quick to panic, however, in my opinion, this scenario won’t happen. Why would Kevin Cheveldayoff want less “out of respect” for a player who isn’t a Winnipeg legend and never wanted to play there?

It’s true that every NHL team knows what Dubois wants, but one of these teams could change his mind with a tempting contract, for example.

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Yes, Patrick Kane was traded for next to nothing because he wanted to go to New York, but don’t compare Kane to Dubois.

All the same, if Roussel were GM of the Jets, he wouldn’t trade the Quebecer immediately and he’d even wait until he became UFA.

I wouldn’t trade PLD and I’d keep him as a rental player. – Antoine Roussel

According to the Frenchman, this would keep the team’s fans hopeful of keeping the left-hander for the long term. And here again, I disagree, for the simple reason that no matter what the offer, Dubois will leave within the next two years.

Keeping Dubois until he’s completely autonomous would be like keeping a car with only one year left on the warranty. – Maxim Lapierre

In short, the Dubois issue has not finished spilling ink in Montreal… Let’s hope it’s resolved this summer.

In short

– Carey Price.

– Very possible.

– Hardy Häman Aktell in the sights of several teams. [RDT]

– No, of course not.

– The Yankees began to take him seriously.

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Dans les coulisses

Matvei Michkov: Grant McCagg doubts he’ll be drafted in the first round

Matvei Michkov is quite a field hockey player. The 18-year-old Russian forward has been turning heads for the past few years, and is clearly in a class with Connor Bedard and Adam Fantilli among the top prospects in the upcoming draft.

That said, there’s one problem with Mishkov: he’s Russian and he plays in Russia. The context of war with Ukraine and doubts about whether he’ll ever make it to the NHL mean that he’s often placed behind the leading duo (and even trio, if you include Leo Carlsson).

Yet, while many expect Michkov to emerge in the top-5 regardless, Grant McCagg made a rather inflammatory statement yesterday: he has his doubts that Michkov will be drafted in the first round.

How does McCagg come to such a conclusion? Based on an article in the Russian media outlet Kommersant, the KHL is determined to discourage its players from leaving the league. The Russian circuit wants to set up programs to achieve this, including one linked to compulsory service in the Russian army.

Kommersant doesn’t offer much in the way of details, but it’s reminiscent of the case of Ivan Fedotov, who never made it to North America because he never completed his compulsory military service.

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In the same article, however, we learn that for the past year (since the start of the war in Ukraine), the NHL has suspended its agreement with the KHL regarding recognition of the Russian circuit. Basically, this means that contracts signed in the KHL are no longer recognized by the NHL, so a KHL player could come to North America before the end of his contract.

This means that, theoretically, Michkov could make the jump to the NHL (or the AHL, let’s say) as early as the 2023-24 season, not just in three years’ time.

That said, no KHL player has exercised this right to date, and I’m inclined to believe that the KHL will make sure that Michkov isn’t the first to do so(especially since he doesn’t seem to want to make the jump immediately). It hurts my heart to even raise the possibility, but I sincerely hope that the death of Matvei’s father isn’t connected to all this.

In short, this will be a situation to watch, but unlike McCagg, I expect to see Michkov come out in the first round of the draft (and rather early, at that). The question is which team will select him and, more importantly, when he’ll make the jump to North America.

In bursts

– Obviously.

– Great read.

– Big news for the Jets.

– I don’t think this should hold the CH back , though.

– They will face either the Canadians or the Swiss in the final.

– Thatcher Demko seems to be in Vancouver to stay.

– Nick Nurse reflects on the Raptors’ season (and his future). My text on the subject.

– This was to be expected.

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Dans les coulisses

Luke Tuch to represent the United States at the World Championship

Since the Canadiens drafted Luke Tuch in the second round of the 2020 draft, the power forward has lost some of his credentials. Even though he already has three seasons under his belt in the NCAA, he hasn’t managed to establish himself as a star on his Boston University team.

I know it’s a bit of a lame comparison, but Lane Hutson, a first-year defenseman, had more than double Tuch’s points (48 for Hutson vs. 20 for Tuch) on the same team.

That said, Tuch remains a big power forward who could end up helping the CH if he finds his feet. Look no further than his brother, Alex, who needed time to establish himself in the NHL before becoming an excellent forward in Buffalo.

And speaking of the Tuch brothers, both have announced that they will be representing the U.S. at the World Championships.

The two brothers will finally have the chance to play together, a factor that weighed heavily in the balance. Alex noted that they don’t know if the opportunity will arise again, so they took advantage of it while they could.

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Because in reality, this is the very first time the two will be teammates.

In Luke’s case, it’s good news to see him accept the invitation to take part in the tournament. He’s played 40 games this season, and it’s not a bad idea to give him a little more field hockey in his legs, especially after a slightly tougher season.

Playing field hockey makes you a good field hockey player, doesn’t it?

At 21, it’s still far too early to throw in the towel with young Tuch. That said, seeing him against the pros at the World Championship will be a great way to see how he fares against the older guys.

And if he impresses, maybe the CH will jump at the idea of bringing him to the Rocket next season…

Good news from Toronto.

Interesting.

Retirement for Nigel Dawes.

I wonder if the CH would be interested in him.

– The Jays seem to have avoided a hot potato by letting Ross Stripling go. My text on the subject.

Threatening a nine-year-old for a simple basketball game is unacceptable.