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Marcus Pettersson in Vancouver: the Canucks now have three Petterssons

Last night, the Vancouver Canucks decided to give us a second big Friday night in a row in the NHL, making a major trade of their own, just like the Hurricanes and the Avalanche (Rantanen/Necas) did last Friday.

Indeed, after several weeks of rumors, the Canucks finally parted ways with J.T. Miller, as they traded him to the New York Rangers in exchange for Filip Chytil among others.

Miller waived his no-trade clause for the Rangers and is thus returning south of the border as he wanted, while also joining a city he knows well, having played there for six seasons from 2012 to 2018.

In short, the Canucks handled a big issue last night, but they didn’t stop there.

Patrik Allvin, the general manager of the Canucks, made another move last night, this time much later in the evening, acquiring defenseman Marcus Pettersson from the Pittsburgh Penguins.

This trade is directly related to the J.T. Miller deal, as the Canucks sent the first-round pick received from the Rangers to the Penguins.

Here are the full details of the transaction, which also involves Quebec defenseman Vincent Desharnais heading to Pittsburgh.

In short, the Canucks made two moves last night, and after all that, well, they now have three players with the last name Pettersson.

Indeed, with the addition of Marcus Pettersson, Vancouver now counts three Petterssons, as Elias Pettersson (the forward) and Elias Pettersson (the defenseman) are already on the team.

It’s quite a funny situation, as it could require quite a bit of work from the commentators to describe the game by identifying the right Pettersson to clearly communicate the play to the fans.

It must have already been difficult with two Elias Petterssons, just imagine now with a third Pettersson.

As for Marcus Pettersson, well, he is a 28-year-old left-handed defenseman who is having a relatively good season, considering he was playing with the Penguins, one of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference.

In 47 games, he recorded 18 points, including three goals, and he will bring solid support to the Canucks’ defensive squad, which has been struggling lately.

Too bad Elias Pettersson is also a left-handed player because a Pettersson – Pettersson pairing would have been fantastic.

In short, it’s a nice acquisition for the Canucks, who are battling for a playoff spot in the West against the Calgary Flames.

Quick Hits

– Not to be missed.

– He will play again on the first line.

– Interesting. What do you think?

– To be continued.

– Why not.

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Top-5: Martin Necas scores his first goal with the Avalanche

We had four games last night in the National Hockey League, with eight teams in action.

Each game brought us some great highlights.

Here is a recap.

1. Martin Necas scores his first goal with the Avalanche

After Mikko Rantanen on Thursday night with the Carolina Hurricanes, Martin Necas also scored his first goal with his new team, opening his account with the Colorado Avalanche in style last night.

Indeed, Necas made a superb rush and entry into the zone to then fire a quick shot that beat Joel Hofer, in the Avalanche’s 5-0 victory over the St. Louis Blues.

A beautiful goal that now allows Necas to tally five points (one goal and four assists) in four games since arriving in Colorado.

2. Three points for Jonathan Drouin

It is also worth noting that in this 5-0 victory for the Avalanche, Jonathan Drouin also shone, as he recorded three points, including two goals.

The Quebecer is now producing at a rate of one point per game, as he has 20 points in 20 games this season.

3. A first defeat without J.T. Miller for the Canucks

After weeks of rumors, the Vancouver Canucks finally traded J.T. Miller.

The star forward was traded to the New York Rangers in exchange among other players for Filip Chytil.

, just before their game against the Dallas Stars.

Miller was traded just minutes after arriving at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.

In short, the Canucks played their first game without Miller, and unfortunately for them, it ended in defeat.

The Stars won 5-3, while only managing 16 shots on goal against Thatcher Demko.

Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz had a good time.

4. The Blue Jackets win a third straight game

In contrast to the Montreal Canadiens, the Columbus Blue Jackets have not slowed their impressive pace.

They are still hot in the playoff race, thanks to three consecutive victories, including last night’s 3-2 overtime win against the Utah Hockey Club.

The Blue Jackets came back from behind last night, and they managed to grab two very important points, bringing them to 59 points now, placing them as the first wildcard team.

The CH has 53 points to give you an idea, with one game less played.

It was Zach Werenski who secured the victory for the Blue Jackets in overtime.

5. Jiri Kulich gives the Sabres the victory

Does this name ring a bell?

If I mention the end of the first round of the 2022 draft.

In fact, Kulich is the forward who was drafted just two spots after Filip Mesar (26th overall).

The Canadiens therefore preferred Mesar over Kulich, and let’s just say that today, this doesn’t reflect well for the Tricolore.

Mesar is producing at a fairly ordinary rate in the American League, while Kulich plays in the NHL and is on a good pace.

Moreover, last night, Kulich scored two goals, including the winning goal in the Sabres’ 4-3 victory over the Nashville Predators.

This now brings him to 16 points, including 11 goals, in 37 games this season.

The kind of young goal-scorer that the CH could really use.

Kulich is only 20 years old I remind you.

Overtime

– Here are all the results from last night.

– Here are the top scorers from last night.

(Credit: NHL.com)

– On the agenda today in the NHL: nine games.

(Credit: Google/NHL)
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8th victory in as many matches for Cayden Primeau with the Rocket

The matches keep coming for Cayden Primeau. The Rocket’s goalkeeper has responded very well since his return to the American Hockey League.

Tonight, he just won his eighth game in as many appearances in front of the Laval net.

This time, he stopped 30 of the 31 pucks directed at him in his team’s 3-1 victory.

Since his return to Laval, he has a goals-against average of 1.85 and a save percentage of 0.925. He is getting the job done despite a very rough start to the season with Montreal.

I tip my hat to him. He was almost ridiculed with the big club, with a goals-against average of 4.70. I remember very well his brief time in net against the Penguins where everything seemed to go in.

Since then, he has bounced back very well with the Rocket. I wish him a good finish to the season so that a team takes an interest in his services. A fresh start in another place could be beneficial if he wants to establish himself in the NHL.

In Montreal, Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler seem to be ahead of him in the hierarchy, and the last few weeks won’t change anything about the situation.

In the meantime, Primeau has a great opportunity to lead the Rocket into the playoffs, and maybe even to lead the team to a Calder Cup. Unless Dobes is called upon to finish the season in Laval, but that is far from decided.

In brief

— A great one too

— What a hit!

— Interesting analysis.

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Now, Elias Pettersson is better off giving it his all

Finally, the JT Miller-Elias Pettersson saga is over. The Canucks have sent Miller to the Rangers, and let’s face it, the return is not commensurate with the center’s talent.

Recall that the Canucks received Filip Chytil, a protected first-round pick, and Victor Mancini, an AHL player. The only good news for Vancouver is that New York will absorb the entire contract. This is also another reason for the quite minimal return.

This is what happens when the market is non-existent for a player who also had a no-trade clause.

As Scott Wheeler points out, the return is very weak considering Miller has been in the top-10 scorers in the NHL in two of the last three seasons.

Now, all eyes are on Elias Pettersson. He has no choice but to produce and become the face of the Canucks for the coming years.

It’s quite incredible how this situation has escalated. That two teammates don’t like each other off the ice can happen, but for it to become serious enough that one of them must be traded is something else.

It was the logical choice to keep Pettersson, as he is younger, but that will come with pressure, of course.

He has 32 points in 44 games this season, including 11 goals. Clearly, that’s not enough to make up for the loss of Miller. With all due respect to Chytil, he is not going to be the savior either.

Pettersson simply has no excuses left. We’ll see his response in the upcoming games. It starts tonight in Dallas.

In Brief

– Everything is happening very fast.

– The Rocket is ahead after 40 minutes.

– That’s going to be good.

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The CH has the third easiest schedule until the end of the season

The Canadiens are experiencing their first slump in nearly two months as the team has lost its last four games (0-3-1)

Back to reality or did the team simply stumble? Hard to say.

However, the CH must quickly find the path to victory if the team wants to stay in the race as it is already four points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets and the last playoff spot.

At least, the Canadiens can count on having one of the easiest schedules until the end of the season.

According to the site Tankathon, the Tricolore would have the third easiest schedule, being surpassed only by the Maple Leafs and the Predators.

(Credit: )

Moreover, if we look at our opponents directly involved in the playoff race, only the Senators are in the top tier, sitting fourth just behind Montreal.

At the other end of the standings, among our direct rivals, we find the Islanders (31st), the Rangers (28th), the Flyers (26th) and the Blue Jackets (22nd) as the teams with the toughest schedules.

Except for the Rangers, the other three clubs have two matchups against the Capitals, who don’t lose often this year.

Will the Tricolore take advantage of this opportunity?

The problem is that the CH often has the bad habit of losing games against poorer teams, so even if the team has a favorable end to the season, it will need to ensure it wins these matchups.

Furthermore, among its strong opponents, the Sainte-Flanelle has three matchups against the Florida Panthers and the Carolina Hurricanes scheduled. That’s potentially 12 points that won’t be easy to obtain.

In short, even though the Canadiens have an advantage on paper, that doesn’t necessarily mean it will be easy for the team until the end of the season.

Especially with the loss of Kaiden Guhle, who may miss the remainder of the season, the CH could face its first real adversity in several weeks as the club has been able to field complete and healthy lineups.

In Brief

– One shot, one goal!

– What a shot!

– A must-read.

– Potential concept.

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J.T. Miller has agreed to be traded to the Rangers: he is leaving the Canucks

Fridays follow one another and look alike.

Last week, Mikko Rantanen made his way to Carolina. The Hurricanes traded Martin Necas to Colorado after discussing the big names available in Vancouver: J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson.

But now, one of the two big names from Vancouver is about to leave: J.T. Miller. He is en route to New York to continue his career since the Canucks traded him to the Big Apple.

In the last few minutes, several insiders have reported that Miller has agreed to waive his no-trade clause and that he will not play for the Canucks tonight.

So that’s confirmed.

This is shaping up to be a big trade. Filip Chytil and Victor Mancini are involved, as they are heading to Vancouver along with a protected first-round pick.

Erik Brannstrom and Jackson Dorrington are also making their way to New York with the star forward.

Miller, an American, wanted to return south of the border and especially wanted to stop working with Pettersson. He is ultimately returning to the team that drafted him in the first round in 2011.

As the Rangers are performing better than at the beginning of the season, he must be happy with the situation.

In 40 games this season, he has 35 points. He is not on track to score more than 100 as he did last year, but a change of scenery might do him some good.

We’ll see.

extension

Miller earns eight million dollars per year, and this will continue until the summer of 2030. He still has just over five seasons left in New York, where he started his career before heading to Tampa Bay.

There are no salary cap implications in the deal.

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Rumor Corner: Marchand could leave the Bruins (according to Elliotte Friedman)

Could Brad Marchand leave the Boston Bruins?

In his latest podcast 32 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman discusses this possibility (at the 24th minute).

The journalist believes that if the Bruins are sellers by the trade deadline, the team might be interested in parting ways with their captain.

At the moment, the team is just one point behind the Columbus Blue Jackets for the last playoff spot. The problem is that the team has played more games (53) than most of its rivals in the playoff race (50 or 51).

Although there is still plenty of hockey to be played, if the Bruins continue to display inconsistent performances, they could very well miss the spring meeting this year.

If the Bruins decide to sell, Marchand could be an interesting trade asset as several teams will be looking for offensive depth.

Elias Pettersson interests the Blue Jackets

The Pettersson/Miller saga continues in Vancouver.

It has been known for several weeks that the Canucks are trying to trade one of their star forwards, either T.J. Miller or Elias Pettersson, as the two players have a difficult relationship.

According to Pierre LeBrun, the Canucks and the Columbus Blue Jackets have had discussions about acquiring Elias Pettersson.

No players are mentioned, but since these are two teams in the thick of the playoff race, one can expect a trade involving big names on both sides, similar to the one between the Avalanche and the Hurricanes last week.

Contract extension for Charlie Lindgren?

The Capitals seem eager to ensure stability in net for the coming years.

After offering a 6-year contract to Logan Thompson for $35.1 million ($5.85 million per year), the Caps are reportedly preparing to sign an extension with their number two goaltender Charlie Lindgren.

According to Kevin Weekes, the former Canadiens goalie could see a substantial pay raise as a contract between $3.5 million and $4 million per year is being discussed for the player who is in the final year of a 3-year deal worth $3.3 million ($1.1 million per year).

Although it’s unclear how many years the deal will be, with this signing, the Capitals could very well settle their goaltending situation for several seasons.

In Brief

– How much for Hutson?

– The Lions’ lineup.

– Five to seven weeks out for Gourde due to a hernia.

– What a save!

– Baseball in Montreal?

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David Pagnotta: Kent Hughes is looking to make a trade involving Dach / Newhook / Laine

The Canadiens have lost their last four games but are still very much in the race for a playoff spot.

However, with Guhle’s long-term injury, it can be said that the coming months could be tougher – especially defensively.

Yesterday, Pierre LeBrun said not to expect Kent Hughes to panic to replace Guhle. But the informant also stated that the GM might be interested in the idea of acquiring a defender who can help the Canadiens now and in the long term.

In a recent segment of The Fourth Period, David Pagnotta confirmed LeBrun’s information… but approached it with a slightly different angle.

The informant claims that Kent Hughes wants to make a deal similar to Dach / Newhook / Laine:

He (Hughes) wants to add a player of that caliber in terms of age and potential to his roster. He will seek to make those kinds of additions. – David Pagnotta

Pagnotta continues, stating that if Hughes is unable to make such a deal by March 7, the Canadiens GM might make moves around the draft:

If we go by Pagnotta’s words, Kent Hughes is active.

Last week, Jeff Gorton said during his appearance on The Sick Podcast – The Eye Test that the Canadiens are considering improving the team because the players deserve it.

Is that still the way the management thinks… or has Kaiden Guhle’s injury really changed the game?

It’s worth noting that, according to Pagnotta, there is still a possibility of seeing some players leave before the trade deadline.

He mentioned the names of Jake Evans, Christian Dvorak, David Savard, and Joel Armia, four guys whose contracts will expire at the end of the current season.

All of this means it’s hard to see clearly into Kent Hughes’s strategy right now.

However, it is still interesting to know that the Canadiens GM is looking to improve his club given the recent failures on the ice.

I imagine that the big month the Canadiens experienced has changed expectations…

In Brief

– Good point.

– Come on!

– Miro Heiskanen will meet with a specialist on Monday.

– To be continued.

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CH vs Sens in Quebec: All tickets are already sold out

The Montreal Canadiens and the Ottawa Senators will face off in Quebec on September 30.

The two teams will compete for victory in a preseason game.

That being said, tickets for the match went on sale this morning… And they have all already been sold. Even those in the boxes!

We therefore expect the game to be presented in front of a full house of 18,259 spectators at the Videotron Centre in Quebec.

There is likely to be a great atmosphere:

It had worked well during the Kings’ visit to Quebec last fall… Even if it had caused a stir for the reasons we know. #GovernmentSubsidy

17,334 spectators attended the first game against the Bruins (the match was presented on a Thursday), and for the Saturday game against the Panthers, there was talk of an attendance of 17,320 spectators.

However, it is normal to see that ticket sales have been just as successful for the game between the Sens and the Habs because we are talking about two teams that play close to Quebec.

The Videotron Centre is not thousands of kilometers away from Montreal or Ottawa… And fans of both teams will be able to travel to attend the match.

Obviously, the goal is to fill the amphitheater to send a message to the National Hockey League.

We want people to show their interest to make it clear to the league’s decision-makers that it can work in a market like this. And in the context where tickets are already sold for the Habs vs Sens match, we are certainly satisfied on the organizers’ side.

Let us note in closing that it is reported in an article by Jessica Lapinski (Journal de Québec) that 5,000 tickets have already been sold for the Senators’ second match in Quebec (against the Devils).

Martin Tremblay, the head of operations for Quebecor Sports and Entertainment Group, claims that ticket sales are much better than last year for the visit of the Kings:

When we compare this year’s ticket sales to those of last year, we are already at more than double after the same number of hours on sale. – Martin Tremblay

In Brief

– It must be quite special.

– Absolutely.

– Great offer.

– Wow!

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EN: No goals scored on the power play in the last four games

The Canadiens are on a dry spell.

The team lost its fourth consecutive game last night, and if we push the note even further, we realize that the CH has only four wins in its last ten outings.

Things are getting complicated…

If the CH has six losses in ten games, it may be because the power play is not working anymore.

And when I say it’s not working anymore, I’m really not exaggerating.

In their last ten games, the Canadiens had the chance to be on the power play 24 times. And they converted only three of those chances…

It’s not a coincidence that the CH has lost its last four games either: it’s been four games in a row that the team hasn’t scored on the power play…

(Credit: NHL.com)

To start, it’s easy to point the finger at Patrik Laine.

The forward – who had an exceptional start to the season – hasn’t scored with the man advantage since January 18 against the Leafs…

It’s been a long time, to put it another way. He has no goals in his last five games, and it’s during these times that he should be able to help the Canadiens.

Especially since it’s his specialty and he was notably brought to Montreal to produce on the power play.

But in general, it’s all the guys who have been slacking off for several games.

The first unit seems to be mixed up at times because the players are looking for the perfect play… And the second unit doesn’t necessarily have the talent to dominate the offensive zone for a few seconds.

Zone entries are difficult, shots are often off-target, and chemistry isn’t always there… It’s therefore “normal” to see that the Canadiens are struggling lately.

That said, the CH will need to get back on track at this level if they want to continue fighting for a playoff spot.

The good teams in the NHL are capable of winning because their special teams are working well: things are going relatively well on the penalty kill… But the Canadiens need to find a way to be better on the power play to move forward.

In a nutshell

– Nice contest!

– Defensive reinforcement for the Islanders:

– Nice.