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Dylan Cozens: not the only target of the Canadiens, who want to add a young player within a month

We do not yet know what Kent Hughes will do by March 7. But we know that everything is on the table.

We do not know if the GM will take a “traditional” strategy by being a seller or a buyer, as it is also possible to believe that the Canadiens could adopt a hybrid strategy.

After all, what would stop the Canadiens from doing both if the possibilities are on the table?

It is possible that the Habs might want to trade a rental player. And if that is the case, one could think that Joel Armia is just attractive enough to be traded, but he is not too little attractive (Christian Dvorak) or too important for the Habs (Jake Evans, David Savard) this season.

And indeed, regarding this subject, Elliotte Friedman (32 Thoughts, Sportsnet) wrote that Armia’s performances are being noticed elsewhere in the NHL.

It is true that in his role, a club might want him. And if he performs well in Finland’s colors in the coming weeks, he could really raise interest in him.

Time will tell what Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton think about all this.

But just because the Canadiens are potentially considering trading a player like Armia, for example, does not mean that acquiring a piece for the future cannot be done right now instead of waiting until this summer. It would allow for replacing Armia in the lineup.

The name of Dylan Cozens has circulated widely since yesterday. It is still a possibility.

But as Marco D’Amico (RG media) reports, Cozens is not the only player the Canadiens have on their radar. Adding a young player to the core – and doing it in the next month – is a goal for the team.

If it is not Cozens (who will not easily be pried away from Buffalo… especially for a division rival that does not want to part with its first-round picks before knowing how the 2025 draft will unfold), and it is someone else, that works too.

In addition to Cozens, the names of Trevor Zegras and Casey Mittelstadt are also in discussion. This is nothing new as these names have already been circulating in Montreal.

Bowen Byram could also be one to watch if the team decides to make a move on the blue line. So in other words: anything is possible for the Canadiens.

In brief

– Good news for Team Canada.

– Stay tuned.

– To note.

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Patrik Laine is not the same anymore: he should have shut his mouth

My grandmother always told me to always – because I often had the habit of getting into trouble – to bite my tongue seven times before speaking.

Marco, my buddy from childhood, would just tell me to shut my mouth.

It meant the same thing, even though it didn’t sound the same to my ears.

I don’t know what tone to take with Patrik Laine, but the message would be the same: you should have shut your mouth, Pat.

You’ll understand that I am referring to the comments made by the Finnish winger on December 23rd, when the CH was about to face the Blue Jackets. Laine had admitted to asking for a trade because he was tired of losing in Ohio, feeling that not all players and management had a winner mentality, and that he was fed up seeing his team give up, only to focus on the upcoming season by December.

The irony is that the Blue Jackets have four more points than the Canadiens this morning in the standings…

Mathieu Olivier and Zach Werenski were questioned about this, and there was no doubt: their former teammate’s comments had disturbed them. It was no coincidence that all Blue Jackets players were hitting Laine hard (on the shoulder) and that the main interested party did not play the last two periods of the game.

Why am I bringing up these events?

Because since that afternoon, Patrik Laine is no longer the same. And the numbers prove it.

Before December 23rd, Laine had scored 8 goals and 1 assist in 9 games. We’re talking about a pace of one point per game and nearly one goal per game.

Since then? He has only obtained 4 goals and 5 assists in 17 games! That’s about one point every two games… and one goal every four games.

Patrik Laine has not been the same since his outing in Columbus.
(Credit: Getty Images)

Laine is paid $9.1 million this season and will receive the same amount next year. Most of that money is offered to him to score goals. 4 in 17 games isn’t enough to justify such a salary.

It’s as if something has broken in Patrik Laine’s mind. #Swag

He still indicated a few days ago that his confidence was not very high at the moment…

There is a reason why the Canadiens got Patrik Laine at a discount. We’re currently experiencing it. Laine is a scoring machine who – when not in his zone and not filling the net – isn’t of much use otherwise. Effort, physicality, leadership, defensive play… those are sadly lacking.

Jean Trudel raised the hypothesis this week that Laine didn’t enjoy playing hockey.

It’s clear that when you finish eight games in a row with a neutral or negative differential, playing hockey is less fun…

Even more so when you are the least used player in a game like last night!

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Martin St-Louis: “The guys need to be honest about their performances.”

Do you want to use the excuse of fatigue to talk about the Canadiens’ loss to the Kings – and the team’s ugly streak – last night? No? Know that Jake Evans feels the same way.

When asked about it after last night’s game, the Canadiens center did not seem to be a satisfied customer regarding how the Montreal Canadiens have been playing lately.

In his view, everyone has a busy schedule, and the team can’t lean on that to justify the losses. He primarily acknowledges that the team was not ready for their match last night.

And that was the point.

The Habs shouldn’t be searching for excuses because it was a matter of starting the game on time. We can see this sometimes with the team whether the guys are rested or not.

This means the problem lies elsewhere.

Regarding that, last night, Martin St-Louis did not try to shield his guys. On the contrary: he took advantage of the defeat to remind that some needed to do more.

According to the coach, it starts on an individual level. St-Louis asks his players if they can be more alert or if they can give more on the ice.

It’s rare for him to speak this way.

Guys need to be honest about their performances and efforts. – Martin St-Louis

One might think that Patrik Laine, who has really been slowing down for a while, was specifically targeted. Yesterday, he was the least utilized skater for the Habs (11:33), and it was deserved.

Will this yield results?

in brief

– Interesting.

– Yeah.

– Simon Nemec recalled.

– Worth reading.

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12 consecutive matches coming from behind: that explains the position of the CH in the standings

“Playing catch-up hockey” is a cliché in the sports world. But it is for a reason.

After all, when you are always playing from behind, you can only play a different kind of hockey that is less conducive to victory. It’s just normal.

And these days, it partly explains why the Canadiens are just two points away from second to last place in the East.

(Credit: NHL.com)

Because yes, the Flannel is just sliding down the standings these days. The fact of always losing games and always playing catch-up hockey leads to these results.

Ah, the ups and downs of a rebuilding phase…

Reconstruction Jean Perron GIFfrom Reconstruction GIFs

It should be noted that for the last 12 games, the Canadiens have been behind in each of their matches. This information was provided by statistician Guillaume Villemaire.

And in the last 18 games, it has happened… 17 times.

In yesterday’s defeat by a score of 6-3 against the Kings, it was clear that the CH didn’t have it. Right from the start of the game, it was moving way too fast for Martin St-Louis’s men.

Seven shots (and one goal) in 99 seconds of play? That’s not ideal.

Clearly, the Montreal team was dominated by its opponents. During the match, the team recorded 16 fewer shots (37 to 21) than the locals, and on the ice, the eye test showed it reflected the nature of the game.

The advanced stats can’t tell us that the CH looked good there…

What caused the Canadiens to lose their match for the second time in three games in California? What were the elements of the defeat?

There are several. And the fact that the Canadian national anthem was sung in French is not one of them…

1. The power play had a little revival against the Sharks, but otherwise, lately, it has been struggling. And when a team has difficulty capitalizing on its power play opportunities, it doesn’t help.

The CH’s PP looks disorganized, and it’s possibly one of the aspects that made Martin St-Louis say that some needed to give more.

2. Jakub Dobes doesn’t have much offensive support, but he still allowed five goals on 36 shots. He is no longer as hot as he was at the start of his NHL career. That’s not unusual, but…

But getting a little more from him would help.

3. Logan Mailloux is not having a strong season in Laval. He is expected to take on a more defensive role, and last night, in his first NHL game in 2025, he wasn’t perfect.

But he found a way to score a goal.

4. When Nick Suzuki is not at his best, he hurts the Canadiens’ chances. And as the guys from the Morning Club discussed this morning at BPM Sports, the CH needs a healthy Suzuki to win.

And for three games now, he has been struggling a bit more than before.

5. Patrik Laine was the least used player by the Canadiens yesterday. He only played for 11:33… and it was deserved as he again looked very poor on the ice.

He’s going to need to step up.

Patrik Laine was the least used player by Martin St-Louis against the Kings, with a playing time of 11:33.

He has been blanked from the score sheet for a 6th game in a row.

— pfrioletrds.bsky.social (@pfrioletrds.bsky.social) February 6, 2025 at 02:25

Overtime

The Canadiens will be back in Montreal today. There won’t be a practice, which is normal given all the traveling and to allow the guys to rest.

After that, the goal will be to prepare for the Devils and the Lightning during the famous Super Bowl weekend at the Bell Centre. These will be the last two games before the break.

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Top-2: 25 points in 12 matches for David Pastrnak

Last night in the NHL, there were only three games.

In one of those matchups, the Canadiens lost to the Kings.

Here are the results and highlights from the other two games.

1. 25 points in 12 games for David Pastrnak

The player of the moment in the NHL is definitely David Pastrnak.

Yesterday, in a 3-2 loss to the Rangers, he scored a goal. He now has 25 points in his last 12 games. Wow!

His goal and the two goals in 16 seconds by the Bruins were, however, not enough.

On a power play, shortly after the halfway mark of the third period, Chris Kreider scored the winning goal.

This was the 50th game-winning goal of the American’s career, who will participate in the Four Nations tournament.

J.T. Miller was held scoreless with the Rangers for the first time since the 2017-2018 season.

However, he left his mark on the game in other ways.

2. Leon Draisaitl, the NHL’s top scorer

In Chicago, the Oilers were visiting.

They were close to losing but ultimately triumphed over the Blackhawks in overtime. Victory 4-3.

Zach Hyman scored the winning goal.

Alec Martinez had equalized late in the game.

And the crowd at the United Center erupted.

In the victory, Leon Draisaitl recorded two points (one goal and one assist).

He is now the NHL’s top scorer with a total of 81 points.

He just surpassed Nathan MacKinnon.

Let’s just say the race for the Art Ross will be very interesting, as usual.

Overtime

– Here is the German’s goal.

– Great save.

– Here are the top scorers from the previous night:

  • Quinton Byfield (Kings) 3 points
  • Leon Draisaitl (Oilers) 2 points
  • Ryan Donato (Blackhawks) 2 points
  • Teuvo Teravainen (Blackhawks) 2 points
  • Mika Zibanejad (Rangers) 2 points
  • Kevin Fiala (Kings) 2 points
  • Jeff Skinner (Oilers) 2 points
  • Warren Foegele (Kings) 2 points
  • Vladislav Gavrikov (Kings) 2 points

– A night with a bit more action in the NHL.

(Credit: Google)
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The Canadiens finish their trip in California with a loss

Last night (or earlier, yesterday morning), the CH ended its losing streak by defeating the Sharks 4-3.

Martin St-Louis’s team had the chance to win a second game in 24 hours. This time, they faced the Kings.

Here are the lineups:

Los Angeles started the period strong, and poor Jakub Dobes was left on his own.

He conceded a goal in the first period, right from the start, on a shot by Vladislav Gavrikov.

The CH did not score in the first period, marking the fourth consecutive period that Dobes had no offensive support.

Not ideal…

At the start of the second period, Alex Carrier received a penalty, but after it was served, Mike Matheson scored one of the weirdest goals of his career.

But 92 seconds later, Los Angeles took the lead again.

The goal was scored by Warren Foegele on a penalty shot.

Just 15 seconds into the third period, the Kings struck hard against the visitors.

They scored a third goal.

But Montreal did not give up, scoring a goal moments later.

Josh Anderson deflected a shot from Alexandre Carrier.

In the middle of the period, Lane Hutson, behind the play, received a stick to the face.

No penalty was called, and LA took advantage to score.

Once again, Montreal narrowed the gap moments later.

Logan Mailloux scored his second goal of the season in the NHL. It was his first game since October 29.

But the home team regained a two-goal lead just seconds later. Kevin Fiala, again.

Montreal once again left their goalie on his own during the play. And Pierre Houde said Dobes should have stopped that shot. Come on.

Final score: 6-3. Los Angeles added a goal into an empty net.

Montreal, who finished their trip in the American West with a record of 1-2-0, will return to action at home on Saturday. The team will face the Devils at 1 PM. The following day, they will play against the Lightning at the same time. #SuperBowl

Overtime

– High risk, high reward, as they say.

– Well done.

– Still.

– A 600th game for Adrian Kempe.

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Increase of the cap: Carey Price’s contract becomes tradable

Even though Carey Price’s contract does not affect the Canadiens’ salary cap during the season, it is still a burden.

And I imagine that for the right price, Kent Hughes would have no trouble trading him. But then again, a team would need to agree to take on such a contract. It is not typical for the Montreal GM to offer a pick for a team to take on a bad contract.

However, with the rise of the salary cap (potentially up to $95.5 million in 2025-2026), things could change, and the goalie’s contract could become tradable, according to Pierre LeBrun. Simon Snake Boisvert also discussed it in the latest episode of Processus.

Things could change because the cap will increase, but the floor will too.

And poorer teams will have to comply with this floor. It’s a shame the Arizona Coyotes are no longer around…

This floor will be higher, and if a team is slow to reach the floor, the contract of number 31 is very appealing. Why? Because it has a salary cap hit of $10.5 million, but the owner will only have to shell out two million dollars. It is really the owner who will have to pay and not the insurers, confirms LeBrun.

It’s enticing for a less wealthy team, in any case.

Price’s deal expires after the next season, so if he is traded (and he must agree due to his no-move clause), it will be in the upcoming year, until March 2026.

But number 31 has every interest in lifting his no-move clause, because no matter where he would be traded, he would pay less tax than in Quebec. There won’t be a problem, then.

In Brief

– Yes.

– Things are going badly in Toronto.

– GMs in the NBA believe they are in a video game lately.

– A guy I would target if I were the Canadiens.

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Logan Mailloux will face the Kings tonight

Last night, the Canadiens inserted Owen Beck into their lineup. With the young player who had been called up to provide extra personnel during the trip to the West, the opportunity to give him a chance was great.

That said, it’s worth noting that Beck wasn’t the only one recalled: Logan Mailloux was as well… but he didn’t play last night.

However, tonight will be different: Mailloux will be in uniform against the Kings.

He will therefore play his sixth game of the season in the NHL.

Mailloux will take the place of Jayden Struble, who will be left out.

That means that tonight, the Canadiens will have three lefties and three righties on their blue line. It’s worth noting that Mailloux will be paired with Mike Matheson on the first pair of the team.

Lane Hutson and Alexandre Carrier will be paired on the second duo, while Arber Xhekaj and David Savard will form the third pair.

That said, what will be particularly interesting is to see if Mailloux can hold his own defensively. We know it’s a challenge he faced during his call-up earlier this season… and we’ll have to see if he has improved in that regard.

He will have the opportunity to impress Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton… and especially, he will have the chance to do so against the team for which the one who drafted him, Marc Bergevin, works. I wonder if he will be at the game.

We will see if Mailloux, who had amassed three points in his five games in the NHL this season, will be able to prove his worth tonight.

As for having him with the big club, this is a great opportunity to evaluate him.

Overtime

We should expect Mailloux to be sent back to Laval after tonight’s game. After all, he is currently with the team out of necessity more than anything else… and it’s better to give him substantial minutes in Laval on a regular basis.

I expect the same for Owen Beck… although in Beck’s case, giving him both games this weekend in the event that Emil Heineman is not ready to return to play does not seem like a bad idea.

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Poll: Patrick Roy among the coaches who are not favored by the players

For the past few years, The Athletic has had a very interesting concept: the media surveys players regarding various issues related to their sport. Obviously, these are anonymous surveys, but they provide insight into the players’ perceptions on different hot topics.

And the anonymous format allows guys to speak their minds. It results in interesting findings.

The exercise was conducted again with NHL players, and besides seeing that Gary Bettman is a divisive commissioner, we learned a bit about the coaches and their popularity ratings across the league.

Martin St. Louis, for example, is a well-liked coach (not as much as Jon Cooper, who is by far the most popular, but still)… but not all can say the same.

Among those who cannot, there is… Patrick Roy, who came in sixth place on the question “For which coach would you not want to play?”

Without surprise, it was John Tortorella who came in first with 38.46% of the votes (out of 93 respondents). Behind him were Bruce Cassidy (we’ll get back to that), Mike Babcock (who is no longer in the league, but remains unpopular), Greg Cronin, and Lindy Ruff.

Then, it’s the Islanders’ coach who appears, with 4.62% of the votes.

Obviously, the sample doesn’t cover the entire NHL, so we don’t know how widely shared that sentiment is throughout the league. That said, seeing Roy’s name in this category is still surprising.

Is his reputation for being demanding catching up with him? It’s not impossible.

Returning to Bruce Cassidy, seeing him in second place is surprising. After all, he has a solid track record in Boston and Vegas… but you can sense that he is not popular regardless.

I imagine the current noise about Logan Thompson being ignored by Canada for the Four Nations Showdown because Cassidy reportedly advised against it after a bad experience in Vegas won’t help him… because Thompson is really the best option in the country right now.

 

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For Michel Bergeron, Alex Newhook is not an NHL player

When looking at the statistics for the Canadiens this season, it is noticeable that Alex Newhook is having avery difficult campaign. In fact, if we consider the 12 regular forwards on the team (including Emil Heineman), none of them have scored fewer points than the former Avalanche player.

Christian Dvorak has the same number of points as him (16), butall the others have more.

Considering that Newhook plays on the top-6 and on the power play, that is quite disastrous. The club did pay a good price for his services (the 31st and 37th picks in 2023), but he doesn’t seem like a guy worthy of playing in a top-6.

More and more, one might think that if his future is in Montreal, it will probably involve a spot on a third line.

However, for Michel Bergeron, it’s even worse than that. During his appearance on JiC tonight, the Tiger stated that for him, Newhook is outright not an NHL player.

Nothing less.

The former coach is clearly not a big fan of Newhook, whom he sees as “a fourth-line player who is fast.”

And clearly, he does not think that his vision of the game is particularly excellent either…

On the power play, I think that he himself, if you opened the doors behind him, he would leave for the Zamboni. – Michel Bergeron

It goes without saying that Newhook’s season has been quite difficult so far. In the current state of things, it is hard for the Canadiens to see Newhook as a future piece of their top-6… which is not ideal in a context where there are also doubts about Kirby Dach’s position.

At least, Ivan Demidov seems to be a fairly safe bet at that level, and Michael Hage could become one… but as the saying goes, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. And right now, Newhook is not exactly the “bird” in that saying.

There is a world in which Newhook becomes a quality piece on a third line in the long term. That said, for a role in the top-6 long term, it seems increasingly clear that the Canadiens would be better off looking elsewhere.

A strong finish to the season from Newhook could change things… and we’ll see if the break from the Four Nations Tournament will do him good.

In brief

– Kaiden Guhle: we should have news in a few weeks. We need to wait for the wound to heal.

– Make your predictions.

– Ryan Hartman is appealing his suspension.

– Not easy, the Mike Cammalleri treatment.

– A notice to baseball fans.