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Marc-Édouard Vlasic admits that the Sharks are really not good

When certain teams go through difficult times, their players find excuses to explain the level of play of the team. It’s rare to see players being transparent in defeat.

However, that is exactly what happened with Marc-Édouard Vlasic on Monday evening.

During an appearance on TVA Sports’ JiC show, Vlasic simply stated that the Sharks are really not good.

“Maybe that will change. We are really not good.” – Marc-Édouard Vlasic

This is a pretty direct message, but the good news is that Vlasic said this with a laugh. He seems to accept the fact that the Sharks are in a rebuilding phase and that losing is not the end of the world.

Vlasic is absolutely right. The Sharks have only won four of their last 22 games. They sit at the bottom of the NHL standings with just 36 points from 54 games.

The Canadiens will visit the Sharks on Tuesday, and listening to Vlasic, Montreal might take the opportunity to break its five-game losing streak.

Montreal hasn’t won a game in San Jose from 1999 to 2021, but since that victory away on October 28, 2021, the CH has yet to lose on the road against the Sharks.

This would be a good time to continue that winning streak in San Jose.

Returning to Vlasic, he is aware of the Sharks’ situation, but he hasn’t hidden the fact that he would like to see his team become competitive sooner than expected.

His contract expires at the end of the 2025-26 season, and let’s just say that with his recent performances and at 37 years old, it would be surprising to see him sign a new deal in San Jose.

However, even when he is no longer there, Vlasic is not worried about his team. He sees a bright future for his young teammate Macklin Celebrini. He even guaranteed that Celebrini will become a captain or an alternate in the coming seasons.

In Brief

– Happy All-Star Game to the two Rocket players!

– It would concern the defensive lineman Joshua Archibald.

– Cooper Kupp is going to change addresses.

– We can’t wait to see him in action.

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The potential logos for the Utah HC look like NHL game logos

The Utah HC didn’t have much time to plan its very first season in the NHL. The team’s identity was not a priority, which is why we currently have a team named Hockey Club in the NHL.

The idea of waiting to make the best choice was a good one, but it also means that expectations will be higher regarding the quality of the new identity.

On Monday, the three potential logos for the Utah team leaked on X, and Frank Seravalli from Daily Faceoff confirmed that these were indeed the three options presented to Utah HC fans.

Here they are:

We already knew the potential names (Mammoth, Outlaws, and Hockey Club), but these logos surprised more than a few people. Let’s just say they lack originality.

The logos for the names Mammoth and Outlaws are bland. They look like logos that could be modified while creating a team in the EA Sports NHL game.

Check out the game logos. The style is clearly similar.

I would even go so far as to say that some of the NHL game logos are even prettier than those of the Mammoth or the Outlaws.

For the Outlaws logo, a Reddit user even noted that it strangely resembles a logo that could be selected in the EA Sports Madden game.

(Credit: SportsLogos.net)

The funniest part is that even the official NHL game account reacted, saying that these logos looked “familiar.”

The only logo among the three that has potential is the one that comes with the name Hockey Club. It’s a yeti with a mountain-shaped head. It’s quite clear that the team probably focused more on the logo for the potential name Yeti, before losing the rights to use it due to copyright issues.

It’s a shame because most people seemed to like the name Yeti and the potential it could offer for a quality logo.

One can only hope that the Utah HC leaders change their minds about these logos. Their new fans deserve something more interesting.

In Brief

– A nice reunion.

– It’s part of the game.

– We wouldn’t have been surprised to hear the opposite.

– He should change address.

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No tariffs on Mexico for a least a month

American President Donald Trump decided on Monday to suspend his 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico after a negotiation with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.

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“I just spoke with the President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum. It was a very friendly conversation during which she agreed to immediately provide 10,000 Mexican soldiers at the border separating Mexico and the United States,” Mr. Trump said on Truth Social.

This contingent of the Mexican National Guard aims to combat drug trafficking, particularly fentanyl, as well as illegal migrants. In return, the United States commits to preventing high-powered arms trafficking to Mexico, Mr. Sheinbaum announced on his X account.

The American president also stated that during this tariff freeze, negotiations will be conducted by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, as well as high-level representatives from Mexico.

He added that he is “looking forward” to participating in these discussions with Ms. Sheinbaum to reach an agreement between the two countries.

Getty Images

The tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada, and China were initially set to take effect on Tuesday. This measure targeting the three main trading partners of the United States had caused a shockwave in the North American economy.

Getty Images

However, the new agreement with Mexico allowed the stock market to recover.

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Patrik Laine: “My confidence, obviously, is not very high.”

Patrik Laine is at the center of several criticisms right now.

And it’s not just the fact that he hasn’t scored in his last six games that is concerning. It’s more about the way he behaves on the ice.

It seems that sometimes he is simply not interested in the idea of putting in the effort…

Everyone knew that this was part of his identity, but Martin St-Louis had enough last night: the coach benched his player during the third period and his decision caught attention.

What does Laine think about it?

After the team’s practice today, the forward told reporters on site that he knows his level of effort needs to be better.

He knows he has to find a way to help the team on the ice even if he is not producing. But he finds it difficult at the moment… Because he doesn’t feel confident:

My confidence, obviously, is not very high. Other than that, I feel good. It’s tough when the body is fine and the confidence isn’t. – Patrik Laine

TVA Sports shared a piece on the subject:

The player in question has returned to the game after missing nearly a year, and he is clearly still looking for his bearings on the ice.

Confidence will come with time… But time is starting to run out because he needs to help on the ice if the Canadiens want to make the playoffs.

Let’s remember that Laine scored 12 goals in his first 18 games of the season, and since January 19 (his last goal), it’s been radio silence.

This is what a streaky scorer is: a player can be on fire for 10 games in a row, but can also be invisible in the next 15.

However, we didn’t know Laine would be so ineffective when he isn’t producing… And even though we knew he wasn’t the most involved player on the ice, we didn’t think it would be this difficult.

The good news in all of this? He can only improve by the end of the season…

In brief

– Good point.

– Things are looking better for the Wings!

– Darn.

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No points in five games: Lane Hutson has lost his magic

Nothing is going well for the Canadiens.

The team has lost its last five games and the timing couldn’t be worse as the club is fighting for a playoff spot.

But still. It’s hard to believe in victories when you see the club slipping back into its bad habits…

Nick Suzuki (four points), Cole Caufield (three points), and Juraj Slafkovsky (three points) are the top scorers for the Canadiens over the last five games.

The first line is doing what it has to do… Even if it’s not always perfect, especially in Slaf’s case.

That said, it’s moments like these that you want to see more from your good players.

Laine has just one assist in five games, and the same goes for Alex Newhook and Mike Matheson…

Dach has one goal and one assist in his last five games…

And then there’s Lane Hutson, who has been really struggling lately as well. The small defenseman has gone blank in his last five games and has lost his magical touch.

His minus-6 rating isn’t looking great either:

(Credit: NHL.com)

Should we hit the panic button for Lane Hutson?

No. Absolutely not.

The sample size is small after all, and we’ve seen him be really excellent 90% of the time since the start of the season. He’s just going through a tougher patch… which can happen to any other player in the National Hockey League.

But in fact, I find that he doesn’t look like the Lane Hutson we know since Martin St-Louis moved him to the right side. Hutson looks a bit confused sometimes, and in the offensive zone, his potential is more limited because he has less space to maneuver at the blue line on the right side.

When he plays on the left, it’s easier for him to open up the play by coming back toward the middle in the opposing zone:

Amid all this, there’s also the element of fatigue that comes into play.

Lane Hutson isn’t used to traveling and playing this much since he’s never done it before arriving in the NHL (NCAA seasons are really much shorter), and let’s not forget that he’s the second most-used player by Martin St-Louis this season.

Only Mike Matheson plays more on average per game:

(Credit: NHL.com)

It’s been tougher for Hutson over the last five games, and that’s showing in the team’s results on the ice.

He helps the Canadiens win… But it’s harder for the Habs to succeed when their best offensive defenseman is off his game.

In a nutshell

– Attention to those interested:

– Minor transaction between the Wild and the Utah team.

– I wish him well.

– He’s having a great season.

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“Tariffs will be paused for at least 30 days”

Justin Trudeau confirms that the proposed tariffs will be suspended for at least 30 days.

Donald Trump has triggered an economic war by signing a decree imposing a tariff surcharge on Canada, Mexico, and China starting Tuesday.

However, after negotiations with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, American President Donald Trump decided on Monday to suspend the 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico.

Following two conversations between Donald Trump and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Canada is also benefiting from a temporary suspension of tariff increases, for a duration of at least 30 days.

Although the initial discussions did not seem to favor a quick resolution of the conflict, Trudeau ultimately confirmed that Canada would receive the same treatment as Mexico.

The Prime Minister, still in office while awaiting the election of his successor, stated that he was working jointly with Trump. He also confirmed that during this negotiation period, the tax increases on Canadian imports would be put on hold.

I just had a good call with President Trump. Canada is implementing our $1.3 billion border plan — reinforcing the…

Posted by Justin Trudeau on Monday, February 3, 2025

A story we will follow closely.

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David Reinbacher practiced… on the Canadiens’ second line

The Canadiens practiced today in San Jose in preparation for tomorrow’s game against the Sharks.

Josh Anderson was unable to participate in practice as he received another day of treatments.

However, there are also two aspects in particular that caught attention during the Canadiens’ practice…

Before continuing, I will share the lines that were announced by the Canadiens, and you can tell me what seems off.

It looks like this:

  • Slafkovsky – Suzuki – Caufield
  • Newhook – Dach – Reinbacher
  • Laine – Evans – Armia
  • Pezz – Dvorak – Gallagher

Obviously, it is easy to notice that David Reinbacher practiced… But on the Canadiens’ second line.

They were lacking forwards with Anderson’s absence: let’s remember that Owen Beck was reassigned to the American League so he could participate in the AHL All-Star Game tonight.

That’s why Reinbacher practiced as a forward. Because no: the organization’s plan was not to avoid Matvei Michkov in the draft to convert Reinbacher into a winger who can play in the top-6. In fact, I hope that’s not the case… Hehe.

Joking aside, it should also be noted that it was Patrik Laine (and not Reinbacher) who took Josh Anderson’s spot in the lineup.

Does that mean Martin St-Louis wants to shake things up in preparation for tomorrow’s game?

It would make sense to see Laine get benched.

The forward only sat out once last night in the third period because Martin St-Louis didn’t like his game.

Laine needs to give more… And last night, he looked like a passenger on the ice.

That’s a risky play for St-Louis, but the head coach of the Canadiens wanted to send a message to his player.

On the other hand, even though Anderson seems to be bothered by an injury, he deserves to take Laine’s place on the second line because he shows up for every game.

You can see the Josh Anderson from the 2021 playoffs and if St-Louis wants to reward him, that idea wouldn’t be so crazy.

To be continued, then. It will be interesting to see what the lineup looks like tomorrow against the Sharks!

Overtime

Note that Samuel Montembeault will get the start tomorrow night.

He will try to find a way to bounce back after a more difficult January.

Monty has only three wins in his last nine games.

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Another day of treatments for Josh Anderson

During yesterday’s game, we saw that Josh Anderson was not at the top of his game.

He retreated to the bench at one point after receiving a check and he looked uncomfortable.

The veteran is clearly bothered by a minor physical issue.

I say this because today, Anderson will be absent from practice.

He is getting a treatment day… As has been the case several times in the last two weeks:

  • January 22
  • January 27
  • January 29

At this time of year, it is normal to see that some guys are banged up. Travel and fatigue set in and it’s harder to stay healthy during these moments because the body struggles to keep up.

We can only hope that it’s not too serious for #17…

Ultimately, Josh Anderson must be looking forward to February 9.

It will be the last game for the Canadiens before the long break until February 22… And it will allow him to recover a bit.

This timeframe will be important for most of the guys as they will be able to rest in view of the end of the schedule.

Samuel Montembeault, Joel Armia, and Patrik Laine won’t get that chance because of the Four Nations Tournament… But well.

It is what it is, as we say in good Quebecois!

Let’s also remember that yesterday, Nick Suzuki also got hurt blocking a shot at the end of the second period. However, he is able to practice today.

That said, I have the impression that Josh Anderson is not the only one dealing with minor injuries at the moment…

In a nutshell

– Wow. Tough blow for the Islanders.

– The informant said the same thing last Friday.

– Yikes!

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Puck Empire 👑 (@puckempire)

– Well done.

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Laceration of Kaiden Guhle: he is lucky to just think about playing again one day

Kaiden Guhle recently suffered a serious cut. You know that.

We now know that he underwent emergency surgery following a laceration to his quadriceps. His own skate cut him, and clearly, his loved ones were really scared about what was to come.

This is felt when reading an article by Nicolas Cloutier, who spoke to Guhle’s agent (Allain Roy) and reported his comments for TVA Sports this afternoon.

In fact, his agent and family simply feel happy to know that he was not cut more severely. No one is thinking about a timeline since no one is at the stage of seeing him skate for the moment.

In light of his discussion with Guhle’s agent, Nicolas Cloutier wrote a sentence that we must remember.

Consider yourselves lucky that the Montreal Canadiens’ defender can lace up his skates again at some point in the future. – Nicolas Cloutier

In other words? If he is fortunate enough to simply think about lacing up his skates one day, it’s that he is lucky not to have been forced to retire due to his injury.

That’s big… and it explains Martin St-Louis’s eyes.

Currently, the family’s fears are focused on the risk of infection. They do not want the leg to get infected following the surgery, and that is a reason behind the increased monitoring of his condition.

Guhle’s agent said he has seen the photos and that they are not pretty.

Even though the accident is considered a “freak” by Roy, the defender is currently keeping his spirits up. He was present at the Bell Centre recently, which means he can at least move around.

Don’t expect a return to play this season. I was already thinking that, but after reading the TVA Sports article, it’s even clearer to me.

In Brief

– Oh really?

– The stars of the week.

– Do you like it or not?

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Jakub Dobes: in the series, it is he who must guard the nets for the Rocket

For the last five games, the Canadiens have been struggling.

With five consecutive losses, the dream of making the playoffs (which was already a long shot, let’s be honest) is becoming increasingly unlikely this year. Unless there’s another comeback?

At six points from a playoff spot, nothing is impossible. That said…

The question we must ask ourselves is this: since the Canadiens are not on track to make the playoffs, how should the development of Jakub Dobes be managed by the team?

In my opinion, this is a question that often arises in the CH offices.

I mention him particularly because among the regulars in Montreal right now, he is the only player I see as a candidate to finish the season with the Laval Rocket.

Perhaps Jayden Struble will be one as well… but waivers complicate things. I’m talking here about guys who can go down to Laval without any problem, which is the case with Dobes.

Right now, Dobes is in his place in Montreal, and Cayden Primeau is doing well in Laval. He is undefeated in nine games.

As long as the CH was relatively close to the playoffs, it was clear that Dobes had to stay up, being the goalie who gives the CH the best chance to win a game – along with Samuel Montembeault, of course.

But already, at that point, we were wondering if, once the CH was out of the playoff race, Dobes would head to Laval to backstop the Rocket, which is a powerhouse in the AHL.

But now that the CH is struggling, the question becomes: when should Dobes return to help the Rocket? And I’m not saying this because he doesn’t deserve his place in Montreal; quite the opposite.

Because yes, in my mind, it’s clear: the priority is not the development of Primeau, but rather that of Dobes. And playing in the playoffs in the AHL would be quite an experience.

Anthony Marcotte (BPM Sports) also discussed the topic this morning on the radio.

At the time of writing this, Dobes has played 30 fewer games than last year due to injuries and his role as #2 in Montreal. A goalie his age needs to play, and Laval is the best place to play games.

That’s a lot, 30 games.

(Credit: Hockey DB)

Note: I’m not saying he should be sent down tomorrow morning. But what I am saying is that at some point, whether it’s just for the playoffs or a few weeks beforehand, Dobes will need to play games in Laval during a playoff race.

That’s my view of things, at least.

It’s the right thing to do for the CH management. After all, the Rocket is brimming with confidence, unlike the Canadiens, and the idea of letting him experience the NHL and the playoff race before the end of the season is worth its weight in gold in my eyes.

Depriving him of such an experience would not be optimal for his development. No?

in brief

– Drew Doughty is in shape.

– Austin Mack talks about the Super Bowl. [BPM Sports]

– Oh really?