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Ivan Demidov is eager to play for the Montreal Canadiens

Ivan Demidov is the best prospect for the Canadiens in a long time.

Canadiens fans are eagerly awaiting him as he has the potential to make a difference in Montreal. This will happen at the beginning of the next season, barring any changes.

On this subject, Bob Hartley, who has his contacts in Russia, stated that people close to the prospect reported this to him: Ivan Demidov is looking forward to joining the NHL and playing for the Canadiens.

This was mentioned on L’Antichambre yesterday.

Obviously, it’s not exactly surprising since we know that the main interested party has always been very open to the possibility of joining the NHL – primarily with the Canadiens, who drafted him.

But it’s good to be reminded of this in light of his recent successes in the KHL.

For the past few weeks, since the Canadiens executives visited Russia, there has been a sense that the Russian is on another level in terms of results. He has taken off and it’s working.

We don’t know if Kent Hughes found the words to convince SKA to give him more playing time or if he simply restored Demidov’s confidence, but the results are there.

This shows, in any case, that Hughes’ impact on Demidov is indeed real.

Let’s remember that it would be very surprising for the stars to align to allow Demidov to finish the season in Montreal. But be that as it may, he will arrive next season and that will be perfectly fine.

And from there, watch out. With Lane Hutson on the power play, it could cause some damage…

In brief

– Not surprising.

– Death of Shawn Simpson, known in the hockey world in Ottawa. Sad news.

– The sports world supports those involved in the tragedy in Washington.

– It’s Arber Xhekaj’s birthday.

– Well done.

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If Logan Mailloux is recalled, he must play

For now, alongside the major injury to Kaiden Guhle and the call-up of Jayden Struble, the Canadiens have six healthy defensemen. And until proven otherwise, those are the six guys who will play tonight.

The Canadiens had to recall Struble in the coming days, and before Guhle got injured, it wasn’t hard to predict that the American would be recalled before the trip to California.

Expect the Montreal team to depart tomorrow for Martin St-Louis’s men.

But for the trip, it seems obvious to me that the CH will need to call up one more guy. After all, the club can’t have just six healthy defensemen while playing at the other end of the continent.

Yes, Logan Mailloux will also be in California during the AHL All-Star Game… but you understand what I mean: it’s easier to recall a guy when the club is at home.

So who will the extra defenseman be?

The answer on everyone’s lips is Logan Mailloux. He is regaining his form in Laval with important goals, he is right-handed, he is a first-round pick, etc.

But be careful before assuming it will be Mailloux. After all, we must ask ourselves: what role does the CH want to assign to the player who will be recalled? Will it be an on-ice role at the expense of Jayden Struble? Will it be a role as a spectator?

Because that changes the game.

Obviously, the player who will be recalled will be part of a group aimed at replacing Guhle since no one can do it alone. Each must have his specific role.

And that’s why I say we need to know what the CH is looking for to determine the player the club needs.

Mailloux is not playing at the same level as Guhle (even if they are trying to make him a defensive player in Laval) and it’s possible that the Canadiens are looking for a more reliable player defensively.

And it’s also possible that Martin St-Louis wants to play Struble. He will, however, need to have a strong game tonight to demonstrate that he can be counted on.

If that is the case, the name of Gustav Lindstrom should be kept in mind – as I mentioned yesterday and as Anthony Marcotte mentioned this morning on the radio. The defenseman could very well be recalled to go watch the games in all the arenas in California without changing the future of the organization.

No, I am not suggesting Lindstrom for his innate scoring talent, you’ll understand.

Because even if the CH has been winning more than before for two months, the goal remains the same: we must develop young players properly. We need to think about what is best for them.

If the best for Mailloux is recalling Lindstrom (who is also better defensively than Mailloux in the NHL, as noted) to keep hope alive in the AHL, so be it because he really should not be warming a bench in the press box.

But if the CH determines that it’s better to promote Mailloux (whether to develop him, to get minutes, or to showcase him), that’s what must be done.

Will the answer come in the next few days? Clearly, yes.

In Brief

– Happy listening.

– Excellent choice for captain.

– Depth is needed in Toronto.

– The CH will practice at 10:30 this morning.

– David Reinbacher: a crucial return. [BPM Sports]

– The CH is still just two points away from the playoffs.

(Credit: NHL.com)
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Cries of pain and a blue foot: do not hope to see Kaiden Guhle again this season

Kaiden Guhle will not be returning to the Canadiens in the short term. His severe cut should keep him out of action for a considerable amount of time.

Why do I say this? Because… it’s evident. But more importantly, I say this in light of what Tony Marinaro (who was among the first to talk about a cut) reported on TVA Sports.

In short, he reported that Kaiden Guhle was bleeding so much at the scene that there was blood everywhere on the stretcher used to transport him to the hospital. He also had a tourniquet on his knee and his foot was blue.

There was a lot of blood and his foot was blue. He was screaming in pain and a tourniquet was applied [to his knee]. There was blood everywhere on the stretcher. — Tony Marinaro

I don’t think I need to draw you a picture to understand that it’s not tomorrow that the defender will be back on the ice. Marinaro has also been told that Guhle’s season is over.

And I’m not surprised.

Even though it would be unfair to say that Guhle cut himself due to being injury-prone, it remains that in three years in the National Hockey League, he has only played 158 games so far.

If he doesn’t return to play, he will have played only 64% of the games in his entry-level contract… before his $5.55 million per year deal for six years comes into play. That’s not many games.

We must wonder to what extent the Canadiens, who have often seen Guhle leave a game for a few minutes after a hit from an opponent, are concerned about his injury history.

This question can be raised, in any case.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that all is certainly lost for the Canadiens since there exists a world in which Guhle returns to play. Dr. Pierre Ranger, on the airwaves of BPM Sports, analyzed the possibility, indeed.

But in a realistic world, Martin St-Louis must still understand that the playoff race will happen without one of the most reliable defenders in the organization. This is definitely a tough blow.

At the time of writing these lines, the Canadiens have six defensemen up. We can expect a call-up before the departure to California… but for tonight’s game, here’s what I would do if I were in Martin St-Louis and Stéphane Robidas’ shoes.

What do you think?

Hutson – Matheson
Xhekaj – Carrier
Struble – Savard

Hutson and Matheson have been successful together, and this would allow Xhekaj and Struble to play with a more experienced and reliable defenseman. I don’t mean to knock Savard and Wi-Fi, but I don’t see Struble on a top-4.

This demonstrates that the Canadiens did well not to wait until they were in trouble to acquire Alexandre Carrier.

But more importantly, as colleague Marc-Olivier Cook wrote yesterday, the Canadiens simply can no longer consider trading David Savard – unless they find a replacement in the same mold.

That would be a very poor decision.

After all, aside from the fact that the CH wants to make the playoffs and aside from Savard’s positive influence on others, if Savard is traded and Mike Matheson or Alexandre Carrier gets injured, it would put too much pressure on the young defensemen.

That wouldn’t be serving them well, and I’m sure Kent Hughes knows it.

In brief

– It won’t be easy, that.

– Four Nations confrontation: who will be the captains?

– Yes.

– Pascal Vincent is having fun. [98.5 FM]

– Martin Necas says goodbye to the Hurricanes.

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Top-5: Third shutout of the season for Jake Allen

Last night in the NHL, there were only five games on the schedule.

However, there was no lack of action.

Here are the results and highlights:

1. Third shutout of the season for Jake Allen

In New Jersey, the Devils easily dealt with the Flyers thanks to a 5-0 victory.

Shutout with 24 saves for Jake Allen and it was already his third of the season.

What I also noted from this game was a sequence where Luke Hughes completely ignored his brother during a two-on-one play.

However, it paid off as he found the back of the net.

The better of the Hughes brothers didn’t have a bad game either.

He finished with one goal and one assist.

As for Brandon Dillon, he solidly checked Owen Tippett and John Tortorella was not happy.

2. 30th victory for the Wild before heading to Montreal

The Canadiens will face Marc-André Fleury and the Wild tonight, but yesterday Minnesota was in action.

The team faced the Maple Leafs and with a 3-1 victory, they reached the 30-win mark this season.

No player from either team recorded more than one point in the game, but Filip Gustavsson was outstanding.

He stopped 31 of 32 shots directed at him.

In any case, opposing rinks do not scare him.

3. An assist for Dmitry Kulikov in his 1000th NHL game

The Kings faced the Panthers and it was Dmitry Kulikov’s 1000th NHL game.

The defenseman didn’t waste any time making his mark on the game as he recorded an assist on the first goal.

The other assist was earned by Matthew Tkachuk, and he finished the game with a goal and two assists.

In addition to making plays, the American is also very good at bothering the opponent.

29 save shutout for Sergei Bobrovsky in the victory.

4. The Canucks in a playoff position

With a 3-1 victory over the Preds in Nashville, the Canucks are currently in the playoffs.

At the time of writing this, five of the seven Canadian teams are in the playoffs. The only ones that are not: the Canadiens (who are two points out) and the Flames (who are one point out).

So far, things are looking good in Canada.

Filip Forsberg killed his team’s chances of coming back in the match late with that stupid penalty.

Thatcher Demko was solid, stopping 31 shots on 32.

Linus Karlsson scored his first NHL goal. It was even the game-winning goal.

5. Vintage Sidney Crosby in Utah

In Utah, the Penguins were making their first visit and Sidney Crosby showed the new hockey fans why he is considered one of the greatest players of all time.

In overtime, he demonstrated the extent of his talent with a superb goal.

It was his 23rd game-winning goal in overtime.

But without Erik Karlsson, the overtime wouldn’t even have happened.

What a shot to create the equalizer.

In the victory, Quebecer Bokondji Imama shone by dropping the gloves.

Liam O’Brien was his opponent.

Overtime

– Great goal in the QMJHL.

– Very funny.

– A strong game for Tkachuk.

(Credit: NHL.com)

– 10 games on the schedule tonight.

(Credit: Google)
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A commercial airplane crashes in Washington after colliding with a military helicopter

CNN/Capture

22:54: 3 soldiers were on board of the helicopter, MSNBC reports.

22:30: 60 passengers and four crew members were on board of the plane, American Airlines confirms.

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Incredible story coming from Washington DC, as a commercial airplane crashed after colliding with a military helicopter, possibly a Black Hawk, reports CNN.

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A story as shocking as it is extraordinary, as several questions still arise at the time of writing, particularly regarding the circumstances of the accident and the number of potential victims.

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More details to come.

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The Hurricanes were interested in Mitch Marner before acquiring Mikko Rantanen

If there is one trade that has shocked many, it is that of Mikko Rantanen.

Seeing that the Colorado Avalanche received not only Martin Necas, but also Jack Drury, Taylor Hall, and a few draft picks must please the club.

The Avalanche did not seem close to an agreement with Rantanen for a contract extension, and the return is more than respectable.

However, while listening to the podcast DFO Rundown from Daily Faceoff, with Frank Seravalli among others, we learn that the Hurricanes were targeting another franchise player before acquiring Rantanen.

According to what Seravalli reported, the Canes were interested in none other than Mitch Marner, who will also become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 (unless a contract extension is reached).

You can listen to the episode on YouTube, among other places, at the 42:00 mark where the segment on Marner begins.

“I believe the Hurricanes at least inquired about Marner during the process with Mikko Rantanen. I don’t know how far they got (in discussions) and I don’t know if it’s a possibility that the Canes weren’t a team Marner wanted to play for.”

It should also be understood that Marner has a full no-movement clause with the Leafs, making it more difficult to trade him.

Max Lalonde actually added a very interesting comment about Marner following this news: the softest player in the league.

When you think about it, he isn’t wrong, because we know that when the playoffs come, Marner is not the same.

He is not known for his competitiveness, and we remember last year’s playoffs when William Nylander was not afraid to express his thoughts on his teammate who only complained:

If you only complain in the NHL, it won’t lead you to anything good. In fact, it’s the same for life in general: you have to get up and lead by example.

Nonetheless, Marner is overflowing with talent, as his 68 points and 53 assists in 51 games show (statistics updated with the Leafs’ loss tonight against the Wild).

He is one of the best playmakers in the NHL, but he needs to be more competitive if he wants to aspire to great honors.

In a nutshell

– The G.O.A.T. simply.

– A nice accomplishment for Jesper Bratt, who is only 26 years old.

– The Raptors’ winning streak continues.

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Carey Price open to the possibility of being involved in hockey

Carey Price has been an idol for many in Montreal. He is undoubtedly one of the greatest goaltenders in the history of the Montreal Canadiens and the NHL.

His forced departure due to the condition of his knee has saddened many.

We all love to hear updates about #31, and the Antichambre team has provided us with insights on how he is doing currently, having conducted an interview with the goaltender.

The interview will actually be aired at 9:30 PM tonight (Wednesday) on the Antichambre show, but it was recently published on RDS’s YouTube page.

I strongly encourage you to listen to the full interview, which features some good comments from the main subject.

What stood out the most in this interview is the fact that he would be open to the possibility of being involved in hockey again in the future.

He prefers to enjoy time with his three children, all under eight years old, but eventually, he would like to return to the scene.

Imagine if he could come back to Montreal in some role. I’m convinced that many would be very happy.

However, we will have to wait until his children are all at least teenagers.

Besides this interesting information, he also took the opportunity to give advice to Samuel Montembeault in view of the Four Nations Tournament, as well as to Jakub Dobes.

Living in the present moment, focusing on the game ahead of them, and not worrying too much about the rest.

He also praised Dobes’ work so far, mentioning that his body language and level of competitiveness stand out the most in his game.

Price believes that his body language gives his team confidence, and it’s crucial to have the club’s trust.

P.J. Stock also asked Price which moment in his career still plays on loop in his head to this day.

In response, #31 said that one of his greatest moments in Montreal was when he witnessed the jersey retirement of Patrick Roy, being right next to him.

Price also mentioned in the interview that Roy and Martin Brodeur were inspirations for him growing up, but that it was mainly his father, his greatest idol.

When stepping away from hockey, he thought he would have more free time as a full-time parent, but he was mistaken.

Another point that caught my attention was when Stéphane Waite, his former goaltending coach, asked him if he had any regrets.

Price obviously talked about how he would have really liked to win a Stanley Cup, but besides that, he believes he accomplished everything he could in his career.

He indeed had a glorious career.

I invite you again to listen to the interview: it’s always good to hear Carey Price sounding very well.

In Brief

– To listen: this week’s episode of the Passion MLB podcast.

– MPP demonstrating again that she is one of the greatest in women’s hockey, if not the greatest.

– What a sublime goal.

– Magnificent.

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“Don’t give in to lies, don’t give in to fear,” says Jim Acosta in his last appearance on CNN

Jim Acosta, news presenter at CNN since 2007, announced his immediate departure at the end of his live show. In a heartfelt and emotional message, he urged viewers not to succumb to lies or fear, encouraging them to hold on to truth and hope.

This message comes after he was relegated from his morning show to a night slot, from midnight to 2 AM, a decision widely seen as a clear signal intended to push Jim Acosta out.

Today’s show was my last at CNN. My closing message: It’s never a good time to bow down to a tyrant… don’t give in to the lies. Don’t give in to fear. Hold on to the truth… and hope.

— Jim Acosta (@jimacosta.bsky.social) 2025-01-28T18:07:30.523Z

Known for challenging Trump during his first administration and openly criticizing his actions, Acosta represented positions that CNN now seems to want to exclude from its network.

CaptureCNN

In a message filled with grace despite the tense circumstances with his employer, Acosta took the time to thank everyone working behind the scenes at CNN as well as the network itself for nearly 18 years spent within the organization.

However, after careful consideration of the new time slot that had been offered to him, he decided to turn the page.

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In his resignation message, it is clear that Acosta chose not to comply with an alleged directive from CNN aimed at avoiding criticism of Trump and his administration:

“It’s never good to bow down to a tyrant.”

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“One last message: do not give in to lies, do not give in to fear. Hold on to truth and hope. Even if you have to, pick up your phone and record this message: I will not give in to lies, I will not give in to fear. Post it on your social media so that people can hear it from you.”

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It should be noted that a recent restructuring was announced at CNN to bring significant changes for several other iconic figures at CNN, including Wolf Blitzer and Jake Tapper, but for Jim Acosta, it was perceived as a major setback, as the company sidelined him from strategic time slots.

Among these major programming changes, The Lead with Jake Tapper, previously aired weekdays from 4 PM to 6 PM (ET), will be moved from 5 PM to 7 PM (ET) starting March 2025, as part of this significant network reorganization.

The schedule change for Wolf Blitzer, who was previously leading The Situation Room aired weekdays from 6 PM to 7 PM (ET), now places him in a new morning slot, from 10 AM to 12 PM (ET), where he will co-host with Pamela Brown, thus replacing the slot previously occupied by Jim Acosta’s show.

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Some perceive CNN’s decision as being related to Donald Trump’s return to the White House, with Jim Acosta being one of the most critical hosts of the former and current president.

Acosta also stated in his message that he has always considered it essential for the press to hold power accountable. He claimed to have always attempted to fulfill that role at CNN and expressed his intention to continue doing so in the future.

He made history in 2018, notably during a direct confrontation with President Trump, who wanted to silence him.

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Acosta stated he would share his future plans in the coming days while expressing gratitude for the honor of being welcomed into viewers’ homes all these years at CNN.

His departure undeniably represents a major loss for CNN.

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Universal Music and Spotify reach a significant agreement

The world’s largest record label Universal Music Group (UMG) and the leader in music streaming Spotify have signed a long-term agreement. This will particularly impact the remuneration for recorded tracks and publishing rights.

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The two giants of the music industry have promised that artists and consumers will benefit from new and scalable offers, new tiers of paid subscriptions, a bundled offering of musical and non-musical content, as well as a richer catalog of audio and visual content.

UMG, which represents established artists like Taylor Swift and U2, had already strengthened its partnership with Spotify last year by incorporating album premieres and music videos.

In recent years, the Spotify platform, which boasts over 640 million users, has offered audiobooks and podcasts in addition to its music offering. However, according to the specialized site Billboard, this bundled offering reduces the percentage of revenue paid to artists, as the total content is more extensive.

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For this reason, last May, the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC), an organization tasked with advocating for artists’ rights on streaming platforms, filed a complaint against Spotify with the Federal Trade Commission in the United States.

“Spotify maintains its bundled offering, but with this direct agreement [with UMG], it has evolved to take into account broader rights, including a different economic treatment for musical and non-musical content,” announced a spokesperson for Spotify on the site Music Business Worldwide.

Lucian Grainge, CEO of UMG, stated in a press release that this agreement illustrates his company’s “vision” for “streaming 2.0“. This is an approach aimed at prioritizing high-end subscriptions and product sales, rather than the number of streams.

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Brandon Saad will leave $5 million on the table to leave St. Louis

Brandon Saad has made quite an impact with the Chicago Blackhawks and the Columbus Blue Jackets.

He won two Stanley Cups in Chicago before being traded to the Jackets, only to eventually return to Chicago.

He performed well upon his return with the Blackhawks, but since then, it has become more difficult for the 32-year-old veteran.

In the summer of 2021, he signed a five-year contract for $4.5 million per year, but his statistics this season are quite disappointing (16 points, -14 in 43 games).

Yesterday, it was reported that the St. Louis Blues placed him on waivers, and no team claimed him.

Normally, a player who is not claimed is sent to the AHL, but for Saad, it’s different.

In fact, the Blues and he reached a mutual agreement to terminate his contract.

He will thus leave a little over $5 million on the table to become an unrestricted free agent and thus exit St. Louis, according to Chris Johnston’s report.

It’s not easy… that’s the least we can say.

On the other hand, this will allow him to join the team he wants (depending on the offers he receives) and continue playing in the NHL at a low salary.

Because at $4.5 million, it’s understandable that the other 31 teams turned up their noses at the veteran.

He will thus have the chance to help a team looking towards the playoffs, as he can still bring depth to a team in need.

The idea of seeing him join the Edmonton Oilers has recently circulated and it would make a lot of sense.

On a fourth line, he will be able to play a more defensive role and also bring experience.

Two Stanley Cups in three years is worth something.

In Brief

— Dimitri Kulikov records an assist in his 1,000th career game.

— Always there for his fans, that Marc-André.

— To be continued…

— It’s incredible that he has the audacity to ask to serve his sentence at home…

— The Raptors are thirsty for victory, having won their last four games in a disappointing season (14-32). Cohesion seems to suddenly be present: look at this beautiful passing play.