Category: Uncategorized

Categories
Uncategorized

After 48 matches, Ivan Demidov is just one point away from Matvei Michkov’s record at the same age

We are starting to realize it more and more, but Ivan Demidov is not just a promising talent.

Many are starting to believe that he will be a superstar, even a generational player.

It’s been a long time coming in Montreal.

In short, even today, Demidov made headlines again with another beautiful performance: nothing less than a hat trick.

He is starting to get more and more playing time per game, and the results are following.

It was about time that Roman Rotenberg trusted him.

With his three-goal haul, he is dangerously close to the record for the most points in a season for a player under 20. Kirill Kaprizov holds this mark with 42 points (20 goals and 22 assists) in 49 games.

Matvei Michkov is just behind the Wild star with a tally of 41 points in 47 games.

Demidov has played 48 games so far and could join – or even surpass – the two Russians in his next match.

However, it should be noted that the average ice time of Demigod (12:44) is significantly lower than that of Michkov (16:58) and that of Kaprizov (15:30). This makes his season even more impressive.

Not to mention that he is starting to see playing time on the power play.

If we put everything over 60 minutes, we can see how dominant Demidov is. My colleague Raphael Simard recently talked about it.

We can never talk about this enough, but imagine if Rotenberg had trusted him from the start, or at least earlier.

We can only dream about what he could have accomplished with 16-17 minutes of ice time per game.

Let’s focus on what he will do in the 19 remaining games on the schedule for SKA Saint Petersburg.

He will have played more games than Kaprizov and Michkov, but the Wild player’s record won’t hold for long if he keeps up this pace.

’En

– A first point collected by Taylor in his new colors.

– That was quick.

– It’s shaking in Tampa Bay.

– A must-read.

– Good news.

Categories
Uncategorized

Patrik Laine and Nikolaj Ehlers had dinner together last night

This evening, the Canadiens will try to secure a big victory.

The task does not seem easy since the Winnipeg Jets are in town.

We’re talking about the second-ranked team in the NHL standings!

Patrik Laine will have the chance to reconnect with his former team and former teammates.

I predict a great game from #92…

Let’s also note that Laine will have the opportunity to play against one of his best friends, Nikolaj Ehlers.

The two guys even went out for dinner together last night:

Did Laine try to convince Ehlers to sign in Montreal next summer? I’m sure the two friends talked about it last night.

Ehlers, who will celebrate his 29th birthday in February, will be free as a bird starting July 1…

And for what it’s worth, Éric Bélanger would like to see the Canadiens interested in his services if Ehlers decides to test the free agent market:

In December, while Ehlers was sidelined due to an injury, Laine brought him a signed Montreal Canadiens jersey.

It was Ehlers who asked for it:

Of course, seeing Patrik Laine go out to dinner with one of his friends… That might not mean much in the end.

But the link between Ehlers and the Canadiens is interesting nonetheless.

After all, we know that the Habs were interested in his services last summer. The forward’s name was at the center of several rumors in Winnipeg, but the Jets ultimately decided to keep him in town.

That said, it might not be crazy to think that the Canadiens could still have him in their sights next summer if Ehlers hasn’t signed his new contract yet.

The player is proud of what Patrik Laine has accomplished in the past year: could that encourage him to come join him in town?

Who knows…

In Brief

– Oh no!

– Anthony Mantha went to visit his former teammates.

– The result is splendid.

– He is on fire.

Categories
Uncategorized

Mikko Rantanen in Edmonton: The (rather outlandish) idea of Andy Strickland

Mikko Rantanen has been traded to the Hurricanes in recent days.

But even though the trade was unexpected, it doesn’t mean he will automatically continue his career in Carolina for the next few years.

The reason is simple: this summer, the forward will be able to test the free agent market. The Hurricanes better pull out the big bucks if they want to see him stay within the organization…

It’s going to be expensive to sign him, and if the Hurricanes can’t afford it, another club will.

At this point, Andry Strickland stated on his podcast that there is a team to watch if Rantanen hits the market.

He’s talking about… the Edmonton Oilers:

According to the informant, the plan could work because the Oilers will have cap space to offer a huge contract to Rantanen.

He reminds us that Rantanen and Draisaitl share the same agent (Andy Scott)… And he also points out that the salary cap is set to rise in the coming years.

But realistically, seeing the Oilers make a move like that seems illogical.

Because if we look at the team’s salary cap, we realize that there are already players earning big salaries.

Connor McDavid is making an annual salary of $12.5 million until the summer of 2026, and it’s understood that he will sign an even more lucrative contract extension by then…

Leon Draisaitl just signed a $14 million deal that is valid until the summer of 2033…

Zach Hyman earns $5.5 million annually, and his contract ends in 2028…

Ryan Nugent Hopkins has a contract worth $5.125 million per season extending until the end of the 2029 season…

Darnell Nurse has a terrible contract that will pay him $9.25 million per season until the end of the 2029-2030 season…

Oh, and there’s also Evan Bouchard, who is likely to sign a big contract in the coming months. The defenseman – who is among the elite in the NHL – is currently earning just $3.9 million per season and needs to sign a new deal this summer…

The question to ask is: how would the Oilers manage to offer a huge contract to Mikko Rantanen?

(Credit: PuckPedia)

Obviously, there exists a universe where Stan Bowman decides to trade players to make room for one of the best forwards in the National League.

But would having McDavid, Draisaitl, and Rantanen at $14 million and more per season really help things?

The salary cap may be increasing… But the Oilers could quickly find themselves in trouble by signing Rantanen to a long-term deal.

It’s cool to think about having three forwards like that on the same team.

But there still needs to be money to build around them, and that’s where the problem lies…

In brief

– Who will replace Alex Pietrangelo at the Nations Cup?

– To be continued.

– The result is stunning!

– Oh really?

Categories
Uncategorized

Marc-André Fleury asked his coach to let him play Thursday in Montreal

Marc-André Fleury is in his final moments in the National Hockey League.

The decision is clear in his mind: he plans to hang up his skates at the end of the season after more than 1000 games played since his debut in the NHL.

At 40, he feels the time has come for him to move on.

The goalie will notably be at the Bell Centre this week for the visit of the Wild, and for the occasion, he has asked his head coach for a special favor.

What is it about?

It’s simple: Fleury wants to be the starter for Thursday’s game because he knows it will be his last career start in Montreal.

So we should expect to see him in front of the net against the Canadiens in two days:

This is the first time in his career (according to Stéphane Waite) that Fleury has asked to play a specific game.

That said, he truly deserves the opportunity to play in Montreal on Thursday because he is making his final rounds in the NHL.

Stéphane Waite raises a good point, by the way.

The fans on site are likely to give the goalie a very warm welcome, and it’s sure to be a special moment for Fleury.

He has never played for the Canadiens… But all hockey fans appreciate him in Quebec for his personality and his talent.

If there is one player who is loved in the city and across the league, it is Marc-André Fleury!

Let’s note in conclusion that the goalie has a record of 27-13-6 with a goals-against average of 2.91 and a save percentage of .904 against the Canadiens during his career.

Will he be able to secure one last victory against the CH in his career on Thursday night?

For that to happen, the Wild will need to work hard with the absence of Kirill Kaprizov…

In Brief

– Guess who’s back!

– Oh really!

– I love it.

– What a great play.

– Reinforcements for the Kings.

Categories
Uncategorized

Even Jim Rutherford admits it: the Pettersson / Miller conflict is causing distractions in the locker room

When things are bad in a sports team’s locker room (no matter the level), it is never a good sign.

This is exactly what is happening right now in Vancouver: Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller are not able to relate to each other, and it is impacting the team’s performance.

The Canucks have won only 10 of their last 27 games, and that is unacceptable when looking at the talent present within the roster.

Even Jim Rutherford admits it: the Pettersson/Miller conflict is causing distractions in the locker room.

The president of the Canucks knows that there are frictions within his team, and he is not afraid to say that all the drama caused by Pettersson and Miller is very disruptive right now.

When the president of a club openly says this, it means things are going badly.

But at the same time, Rutherford might have avoided saying something like that because the Canucks could lose the upper hand in their discussions with teams interested in the services of Miller or Pettersson.

Other clubs know that the Canucks want to make a change after all. And in my eyes, one of those clubs will take advantage of the situation to acquire one of the two star players at a good price…

We’ll see how the Canucks will get out of this negative situation!

Simon Boisvert and Mathias Brunet talked about the situation of the Canucks in the recent episode of Processus and they wondered what it would take to bring Pettersson to Montreal.

According to the Snake, the Canadiens should at least part with Nick Suzuki and Kaiden Guhle to convince Rutherford to let the Swede go…

Personally, at that price, I’d rather pass on it:

I see Nick Suzuki and Kaiden Guhle as two untouchable players in Montreal.

The forward wears the “C” on his jersey and is already excellent in all facets of the game… while the defenseman has what it takes to be the general on the blue line for many years.

It’s agreed that Pettersson has averaged 95 points in his last two NHL seasons, but still: I wouldn’t be ready to give that much to bring him to Montreal.

How about you?

In Brief

– Oh.

– The answer is perfect.

– Tough break for the Wild.

– Martin St-Louis defends Mike Matheson.

– André Tourigny understands why the Avalanche traded Mikko Rantanen. [98.5 FM]

Categories
Uncategorized

Broken wrist: an uncertain return for Emil Heineman before the break?

A few weeks ago (two, to be precise), the Canadiens announced that after being struck by a car, Emil Heineman would need to be absent for three to four weeks.

If we fast forward two weeks, we know that the Canadiens will be on break for the Four Nations Challenge. Will Heineman manage to return to play before that?

Last week, Renaud Lavoie stated that we could expect to see him back before the break. The Habs will go on break after the game on February 9, the day of the Super Bowl.

Since then, one might wonder if things have changed. Why?

Because according to reports from The Fourth Period, we can question whether the European will return to play before the Habs go on break.

Heineman has a broken wrist and has already missed two weeks. He could return before the Four Nations Challenge, but that’s questionable.

Before bringing him back to play, the Canadiens must ensure that the young man is fully healed. There is no point in rushing his return, which can very well wait until after the NHL tournament.

We don’t quite know how his hand is doing since there are few clues. Even on Instagram, he is hiding his hand.

In the meantime, let’s remember that Michael Pezzetta is taking his place. Owen Beck has been tested a bit, but even though Rafaël Harvey-Pinard has been called up, it is Pezz’s position.

There are seven games left for the Canadiens before the break. We will see if he recovers quickly enough from his injury to play a few of them.

In brief

– The Quebecer has found a job.

– Kirill Kaprizov operated on? The Wild will be in Montreal this week.

– Mike Matheson keeps in mind that many fans support him.

– Not to be missed.

– Follow colleague Truman for your CF Montréal updates.

– If they wanted, they could.

Categories
Uncategorized

Another beautiful goal for Ivan Demidov

The more the season progresses in the KHL, the more we see Ivan Demidov gaining confidence.

He is taking advantage of his coach giving him quality playing time to help his team on the ice.

Again today, Demidov started the match on the first line of SKA St. Petersburg.

The Canadiens prospect did not take long to make his mark in today’s game.

Demidov, left in the slot, took advantage of a lovely pass from his teammate to outsmart the goalie with an excellent shot to the top of the net.

His 17th goal of the campaign is a beautiful one:

Things have been going well for Demidov recently – especially since the Canadiens’ visit to Russia.

Since December 17 (the date of CH’s trip), Demidov has played 14 games and has earned at least one point in ten of those games.

With his point earned today, Demidov has now tallied 18 points in his last 14 games.

That’s great!

It’s really clear that Roman Rotenberg is starting to like him for real. The SKA coach defends his player against journalists’ criticisms, trusts him by giving him more ice time… And ultimately, it’s the coach who looks like a genius right now because the results are there.

If only Rotenberg had decided to take this path from the start of the season…

Overtime

Last year, Matvei Michkov garnered 41 points (19 goals) in 48 games in the KHL.

Demidov, in his 48th game of the season, has just produced his 38th point of the campaign.

The two outputs are quite similar… But the difference is that Michkov played an average of 17 minutes (and 12 seconds) per game.

The Canadiens prospect, on the other hand, averages 12 minutes and 34 seconds on the ice per game since the beginning of the season…

Categories
Uncategorized

Samuel Montembeault will be in goal tonight

Yesterday, during the Canadiens’ practice, Kaiden Guhle and Josh Anderson both took advantage of a day of treatments.

This morning, it was necessary to monitor whether the two players would be able to practice. The bad news? Anderson was not on the ice for the morning skate prior to the game.

The good news? Kaiden Guhle was there.

Seeing Guhle skating is good news. And considering the seventh defender of the Canadiens (Jayden Struble) is in Laval until proven otherwise, it made sense to think he must be playing.

And Martin St-Louis confirmed it: there will be no change to Saturday’s lineup. Guhle will therefore be in uniform.

Offensively speaking, Anderson will be able to play. And since there will be no change to the lineup, this means Michael Pezzetta will play again… and Rafaël Harvey-Pinard will be in the stands.

Why? I don’t know.

In goal, Samuel Montembeault will be starting. The Canadiens have decided to send their #1 goalie for the game against the powerful Jets and their excellent goaltender.

This is not a big surprise.

Does this mean Jakub Dobes will face the Wild on Thursday before the big trip to California? It’s not impossible, indeed. But we’ll see in due time.

The important thing, that being said, is tonight’s game.

In Brief

– Interesting.

– It’s Alex Newhook’s birthday.

– News from CF Montréal.

– Ivan Demidov on the first line of SKA.

– Connor Hughes is sick.

Categories
Uncategorized

David Reinbacher: “He is so good, it’s scary”

Yesterday, David Reinbacher skated with the guys from the Canadiens for the first time since he underwent surgery.

The defender, who is progressing faster than expected, looked good on the ice not only because we didn’t expect his knee to hold up like that… but also because he was playing well.

Listening to Renaud Lavoie, who discussed the topic with Jean-Charles Lajoie last night, Reinbacher’s talent was evident on the ice.

In his eyes, his vision and talent were apparent on the ice. The journalist finds that “Reinbacher is so good that it’s scary,” and clearly, he was impressed by what he saw.

This is an interesting viewpoint because normally, it’s a discourse reserved for Matvei Michkov, who was overlooked by the Canadiens in favor of the Austrian defender.

If Reinbacher can become the defender that the Canadiens hope one day, it could solve some issues in Montreal. After all, on the right side, apart from Logan Mailloux and him, the prospects are thin…

But there is still a long way to go before arriving there.

It is also worth noting that Renaud Lavoie, in his column, mentioned that David Savard was assisting David Reinbacher a lot during yesterday’s practice. Is anyone surprised?

The veterans clearly hold Reinbacher in high regard.

He has that little something extra. – Mike Matheson on David Reinbacher

In an ideal world, Reinbacher would have a strong finish to the season in Laval and start the next season off well with the Rocket. And from there, if he is a reliable defender, a call-up could become an option.

We shouldn’t rush him.

I also imagine that the Canadiens, knowing that Matvei Michkov has plenty of talent, will want to give the defender every chance possible to succeed in the National Hockey League.

One step at a time… but for the past 24 hours, there has been a very positive vibe around Reinbacher.

In brief

– Too strong.

– Thomas Chabot: his father hates the Habs. [JdeM]

– Emil Heineman is improving.

– It won’t be easy.

– Yes.

Categories
Uncategorized

Connor Hughes got himself a new Canadiens mask

I don’t know if you like the masks of the goalies. But if you do, you will be pleased with Connor Hughes’ mask.

The artist Sylabrush, who is behind several masks, has just unveiled the Canadiens-colored mask made for Connor Hughes of the Laval Rocket.

It is simple, but it is also beautiful.

 

View this post on Instagram