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The CH fights to make it to the playoffs: Why is Michael Pezzetta still playing?

Against all odds, the Canadiens are currently fighting for a playoff spot.

And in the context where the CH needs to win games to solidify their position in the Eastern standings, there is a question that needs to be asked right now.

Why is Michael Pezzetta still playing?

Martin St-Louis praised his player, saying he is a good teammate and behaves like a true pro.

But that’s not an excuse to keep him in the lineup either…

Pezzetta, as of January, claims an average ice time of 4:25 minutes per game. He has been in the lineup since Emil Heineman’s injury, but he doesn’t play much because he often hurts the team.

That said, isn’t there anyone in Laval who could fill a fourth-line role until Heineman is ready to return to the lineup?

Rafaël Harvey-Pinard, who was called up on Saturday, couldn’t have taken Pezzetta’s place in the lineup considering the latter played just seven minutes?

Seeing Pezzetta in the lineup right now is simply illogical… Especially when looking at the Canadiens’ position in the standings:

(Credit: NHL.com)

There are guys in Laval who deserve the chance to be called up.

And here, it makes sense to think of Jared Davidson, who is frankly having a great season in the American League.

He has the qualities to play on a fourth line: Davidson is gritty, he can disrupt the opponent, he has a good skating ability, and he also has strong individual skills… Moreover, we’re talking about the best scorer in the American League in terms of plus/minus.

(Credit: Theahl.com)

In my opinion, it’s Davidson who should have been called up by the Canadiens, not Harvey-Pinard.

RHP hasn’t been impressive since his return to play in Laval, but the CH decided to recall a guy with experience, which is understandable as well.

However, to make use of Harvey-Pinard’s experience, he needs to play… And at this point, it’s really time for the Canadiens to understand that things are not working out with Michael Pezzetta.

In brief

– Oh.

– He’s having a big season in Columbus.

– The same goes for Oliver Kapanen in Sweden.

– Evander Kane is nearing a return.

– Interesting…

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Sweater Ottawa / Quebec: Senators fans are angry

This morning, we learned that the Los Angeles Kings and the Ottawa Senators will play two preseason games in Quebec next September.

They will face off against the New Jersey Devils on the 28th, and two days later, the Canadiens will be there to challenge the Sens for victory.

Colleague Charles-Alexis Brisebois wrote an article about the Canadiens’ upcoming visit to Quebec:

For their part, the Senators are delighted with this opportunity.

They shared a photo on their Twitter account showing the team’s mascot… wearing a special jersey.

Half of the jersey features the colors of the Nordiques, while the other half is in the colors of the Sens.

That said, I invite you to check the comments under the post to see how upset the fans are:

“What the f*ck…”

“Remove that…”

“Disgusting…”

“What a bad idea…”

“We are the Senators. Stop…”

The reactions are numerous. And it’s clear that it is really not going over well with management:

(Credit: Twitter)
(Credit: Twitter)
(Credit: Twitter)

The fans’ anger is palpable, and it’s agreed that it’s normal.

Replacing half of your jersey with that of another team is acceptable if you’re a fan attending a game.

But it doesn’t sit well for a professional organization.

Imagine if the Canadiens published a photo of Youppi! with his big smile wearing half of the jersey in Leafs colors… There would definitely be some unhappy fans in Montreal!

All this to say that the Sens dropped the ball, and it will be interesting to see if the organization does anything to remedy the situation.

Although the damage seems already done…

In brief

– We hardly hear about him lately, either.

– He had some good moments in the NHL during his first year with the Red Wings.

– This topic will always be talked about in the MLB.

– Well deserved!

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Trading Savard for another right-handed defenseman: A scenario that exists (according to Arpon Basu)

David Savard no longer needs an introduction.

His qualities are well known in Montreal, and it’s clear he is a useful player in Martin St-Louis’s lineup, even if he is slowing down a bit.

That’s why the idea of seeing him traded by March 7 is not unanimous in the city. Especially if the Canadiens are still battling for a playoff spot in just over a month!

Speaking of the defender, Arpon Basu (The Athletic) raised a possibility that could make sense to some.

What if the Canadiens traded Savard… to find his replacement for the coming years?

There could even be a scenario where the Canadiens trade Savard as a rental player and acquire a replacement on the right side. – Arpon Basu

This is the first time we’ve heard of this idea:

There are two ways to look at this.

The first: David Savard is no longer the defender he once was, and Kent Hughes could take advantage of that to maximize his value. There is also a chance of seeing the defender leave this summer through the free agent market if he cannot come to terms with the Canadiens on a new contract.

In other words, the CH could lose him for nothing in a few months.

The second: Even though the Quebecer is 34, he is still an extremely important player in Montreal. He wears a letter on his sweater, is one of the big leaders of the team, and enjoys being in a big brother role. He could help the team fight for a playoff spot until the end of the season because of his competitiveness.

Players who are willing to sacrifice themselves like he does are hard to come by:

If I were Kent Hughes, I would definitely listen to offers for Savard. But it would take a lot to let him go.

And there’s the problem, exactly.

It would be surprising to see Savard traded for an excellent draft pick or a great prospect, and it makes one realize that the defender still holds greater value in Montreal.

Because we know how important he is to the Canadiens and that he is willing to do anything to win here.

In Brief

– Another honor for Jacob Fowler. He was notably excellent Saturday night, as my colleague Mathis Therrien pointed out in an article yesterday.

– Logical.

– Nicolas Aubé-Kubel placed on waivers.

– Another defender heading to the Islanders.

– New contract (deserved) for Logan Thompson.

– Your turn to respond!

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Nick Suzuki does not like criticism against Mike Matheson

For a few weeks now, it’s been less easy for Mike Matheson.

The Quebecer is not placed in an easy situation (he lost his role on the club’s first power play and regularly plays on the penalty kill) in special teams…

But playing with Lane Hutson at even strength also means that at the moment, he is on a duo that is more risky defensively speaking. It’s not as reliable as that of Alexandre Carrier and Kaiden Guhle, let’s say.

But anyway. All that to say that even though Matheson makes mistakes, he remains an important defenseman for the Habs. He eats up big minutes and is placed in situations that are not obvious.

And let’s remember that he does all this without complaining about his role in front of the media.

Many Habs fans are criticizing Matheson these days, and even though several people from the hockey community have come to his defense, nothing carries more weight than the one who just defended Matheson: captain Nick Suzuki.

During his media availability, Suzuki took a moment to defend #8.

Basically, Suzuki said that Matheson plays big tough minutes against big players. He added that a mistake by a defenseman gets magnified and reminded everyone that he is the best defenseman on the team.

Suzuki added that “people are being too hard” on Matheson.

It was through his fiancée that Suzuki learned that people were criticizing Matheson, which is why the captain felt the need to stand up and speak out. He doesn’t like seeing the defenseman criticized like that.

Suzuki is a good captain on this one – and in general. It was his job to do this and he took his role seriously.

In brief

– The Lightning must win in their division.

– Oh really?

– Interesting.

– Well done.

– To be continued.

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John Tortorella: not the right coach to let Matvei Michkov express himself

When it comes time to talk about Matvei Michkov and John Tortorella, his coach, everyone has an opinion on the matter.

Is the fiery head coach, who likes to break his players and be quite authoritative, the right coach for the rookie to become what is expected of her?

Because Michkov is going through a more difficult period and missed his turn earlier this season, the question arises.

On this subject, Nikita Zadorov (who addressed the topic in an interview published on RG Media) has his opinion as well. The Bruins player knows how Tortorella operates and, in his eyes, Michkov does not have enough room to fully express himself.

And be careful: when I say “express himself” talking about Michkov, I am not talking about speaking. I am talking about expressing himself on the ice.

I think playing in Philadelphia under John Tortorella is a tough place to showcase your talent.

He is the kind of coach who demands 100% predictability at all times, and because of that, you may not have enough space and time with the puck. – Nikita Zadorov.

According to Zadorov, who has faced Michkov a few times as a member of the Bruins, it is possible that Michkov may miss out on the Rookie of the Year title because of this.

It will depend on his end of season… but it is indeed a possibility.

It is clear that Michkov’s strength lies in not being too predictable and being creative with the puck. Under Tortorella, this limits his ability to change the game.

Let’s remember that Martin St-Louis, who loved playing for Tortorella, is more the type to let the puck carrier do what he wants because his concepts revolve around how the other four guys – the future – will position themselves. Good for Ivan Demidov, then…

In Brief

– Mikko Rantanen: what does he want?

– The Gaudreaus support the Eagles.

– Interesting.

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«David Reinbacher is progressing faster than he believed»

You probably saw it, but earlier this morning, David Reinbacher practiced with his teammates from the Canadiens.

This wasn’t the first time he skated since his knee surgery, but it was the first time he trained with the rest of the team since his operation in the fall of 2024.

Obviously, he wasn’t wearing a jersey that allowed him to take contact… but that’s normal.

What’s crazy is that it has been less than four months since he was operated on. And without saying he is close to returning to play, let’s just say that on the ice, Reinbacher looks good.

Clearly, he is able to test his knee.

In the original diagnosis from October 1st, the Canadiens were talking about five to six months. Five months is March 1st… and six months is April 1st. And the way he skates, he doesn’t look like a guy who will have to wait until April 1st.

Setbacks can always occur in his rehabilitation, of course, but still.

What we learn through Patrik Bexell is that during the holidays, Reinbacher told a source of Bexell that he was progressing faster than he thought. So can we expect to see him return to play in February, if all goes well?

Maybe. In any case, today’s images are hopeful.

If I had told you, after the preseason game where Patrik Laine and David Reinbacher got injured, that we would be here (Laine scoring like crazy and Reinbacher skating fluidly) on January 27, would you have believed me?

But yet…

In Brief

– For now, we are only talking about two preseason games – without the help of the government.

– For fans of CF Montreal.

– Interesting.

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Canadian: David Reinbacher trained with the group

In recent days (on January 22, to be precise), several players were absent from the Canadiens’ practice. We are talking about Josh Anderson, Joel Armia, Kaiden Guhle, Patrik Laine, and David Savard.

Despite that, all five players played this week.

On Saturday, there was uncertainty about whether Josh Anderson and Brendan Gallagher would be able to play… but in the end, they participated in the game against the Devils, leaving Rafaël Harvey-Pinard in the stands.

This is to say that there are a few players with uncertain health statuses within the team at the moment.

This morning, about thirty hours before the next game, two players were unable to practice due to receiving treatment: Josh Anderson and Kaiden Guhle.

Should we expect to see them play tomorrow? Probably, yes. A day of treatment is not unusual in the course of a season for players like them.

It is too early to worry.

However, regarding the practice itself, it is interesting to note that the centers practiced with Marc Bureau, the CH specialist, in the faceoff circle.

Juraj Slafkovsky was also there.

But what stands out the most is the fact that David Reinbacher practiced with the other Canadiens players for the first time since his major knee injury.

In recent days, he has tested his operated knee solo, but not in a group. So this is a step in the right direction.

We know that Reinbacher is in the Canadiens’ environment during his rehabilitation process. He is doing his conditioning with the CH, so it is normal to see him return to the ice with the main team – and not, for now, in the Rocket’s environment.

It should be noted that he is wearing a jersey that prohibits him from receiving contact. But despite that, he seemed comfortable.

Let’s remember that the plan will be to send him back to Laval, if all goes well, to finish the season strongly. And if he practices with the group in January, the club can hope that in a few weeks, he will be ready.

To be continued.

In Brief

– Oh yeah?

– Carey Price stays informed about what’s happening with the CH. [JdeM]

– The Sens are making progress.

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Confirmed: the Canadiens will play in Quebec on September 30th

Yesterday, there were discussions regarding the presence of the Ottawa Senators in Quebec, on the sidelines of the training camp.

And now everything is confirmed: the Sens will face the New Jersey Devils on September 28 in the Quebec capital. And two days later, on the evening of September 30, the Flanelle will be in Quebec.

It’s a Tuesday, for those wondering.

The Ottawa Senators will, like the Kings in 2024, spend a few days (four) in Quebec. There will be training, games, and community activities.

Ironically, considering there have already been rumors about the Sens relocating to Quebec.

It would have been even more special if the team had hired Patrick Roy as coach last season – but that’s a completely separate issue.

The Senators will thus be at home for these games, which will result in fewer preseason games in Kanata.

For the CH, this is a good thing: it allows for a game close to home, but without losing a home preseason game. I expect the CH to play at least four preseason games at home, one in Quebec… and one or two more in Ontario.

This is great news for the people of Quebec, who will get to see NHL hockey. It’s not like it’s the Nordiques, but at least, it’s NHL hockey coming to town.

In Brief

– Four nations: Drew Doughty’s name keeps coming up.

– Life is good for Carey Price. [JdeM]

– Noteworthy.

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Carrier – Guhle: the first pair of Canadiens currently

The Canadiens had a challenging schedule last week, facing the Lightning, the Red Wings, and the Devils, two teams currently in the top eight in the East and another just a few points behind.

The Montreal team started poorly in each of their games, as they found themselves down 0-2, 0-3, and 0-3… but they still managed to grab three points out of a possible six. We avoided the worst.

However, a worrying trend – which seemed to have vanished for a month – has returned: the Canadiens are once again being completely outplayed by their opponents in terms of shots on goal.

35-22 against the Lightning on Tuesday, 45-29 against the Red Wings on Thursday, and 44-32 against the Devils on Saturday. Let’s remember that two of the three games were held at the Bell Centre.

In their last five games, the Tricolore has given up 7, 4, 2, 4, and 4 goals. The team’s defensive play is problematic once again.

Yet, the arrival of Alexandre Carrier, linked to the departure of Justin Barron, had seemed to solve everything…

Not Carrier’s fault
I was listening to Anthony Marcotte this morning on BPM Sports and he made a good point: only the pairing of Carrier – Guhle is reliable defensively. Hutson and Matheson are always a bit risky, while the duo Xhekaj – Savard cannot handle 20 minutes per game anymore.

On Saturday night, the top four defensemen each played more than 22m57 on the ice, while Xhekaj and Savard had to settle for 13m56 and 12m37 respectively. Does Savard still have juice left in the tank?

Alexandre Carrier has not finished a single one of his last seven games in the negatives. The same goes for Kaiden Guhle.

Alexandre Carrier and Kaiden Guhle form the best defensive duo of the Canadiens in recent games.
(Credit: Getty Images)

Carrier has three points in his last five games, while Guhle has four.

Since joining the Canadiens, Carrier has collected 10 points in 18 games (compared to just 7 points in 28 games in Nashville). Not bad for a defenseman who’s considered mainly defensive…

On his side, Lane Hutson has been held scoreless in his last two games and has a cumulative differential of minus-8 since the game against the Leafs, which is since the beginning of the stretch where the Canadiens are allowing too many shots (and too many goals).

Matheson has not scored a single point in six games, also showing a differential of minus-4 last week.

You can see where I’m going with this?

It seems obvious to me that for the past few games, the most useful, effective, and best pairing on the Canadiens has been the one formed by Guhle and Carrier, not Hutson and Matheson.

Guhle and Carrier are genuinely performing like a first pair right now.

Beware! This is not to throw stones at Lane Hutson and Mike Matheson (many of you are already doing that for the BAD pass he received from Patrik Laine in overtime on Saturday), but rather to applaud Alexandre Carrier and Kaiden Guhle.

To think we got Carrier in return for Justin Barron, who has only three points in 13 games in Nashville, faced criticism from some teammates and journalists, and has a differential of minus-2 there.

At least, things seem to be turning around for him recently. Good for him!

Overtime

The Canadiens will host the Jets (Tuesday) and the Wild (Thursday), before heading west afterwards. The two weekday games will actually take place at 10:30 PM next week…

We should expect to see Jayden Struble recalled as the seventh defenseman.

But will Rafaël Harvey-Pinard and Michael Pezzetta really be the 12th and 13th forwards on this trip? Will Emil Heineman be ready to return, which would likely send RHP back to Laval?

The next few days will be interesting for the Canadiens.

Looking forward to seeing if the pairing Guhle – Carrier will once again be the most complete and effective.

If so, we’ll have to start talking about them as the first pairing…

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Alex Pietrangelo: 24 minutes on the ice after saying no to Team Canada

Yesterday, we learned that Alex Pietrangelo would have to skip his turn for the Four Nations showdown scheduled for next month.

According to what the Golden Knights announced publicly, it is to “treat an illness” that the Canadian defenseman will not be present at the Four Nations confrontation.

These things happen. But…

But when you look at his last month (I could have said his year in general, too), it is clear that the Knights’ general is capable of playing. He hasn’t missed a single game and plays over 23 minutes per game in 2025.

Just yesterday, we’re talking about 24:22 of ice time.

But clearly, there must be something going on. The Golden Knights surely couldn’t pull him from there if he were at 100% of his health—oh no, never mind: we’re talking about the club that asks Mark Stone not to finish regular seasons to come back and play in the playoffs.

Will the Knights’ decision have an impact on other players who might decide to do the same? No idea. We will see in due time.

But more seriously, it is clear that Pietrangelo, who has clearly something going on, is opening the door for other players to do the same. Many clubs would prefer to see their players rest, two months before the playoffs, than to send them to Montreal and Boston.

So I expect that Pietrangelo will not be an isolated case.

If there are other players saying no to their team, perhaps that could open doors for Nick Suzuki and/or Cole Caufield, who are playing like guys who could stand out at the tournament.

But Pietrangelo is not a forward—and he is not American, in Caufield’s case. It will take another situation to open doors for both forwards from the Canadiens.

In our case, the name Mike Matheson could be circulating. After all, he is a Canadian defenseman and he can be a very good defenseman on the ice.

And that’s even if it has been more difficult these days… and many people are keen to remind that.

But because Matheson is a lefty and has his ups and downs, he is probably not the first candidate on Team Canada’s list. At least, this morning, Elliotte Friedman (32 Thoughts) did not mention him in his podcast when it came time to raise names.

Drew Doughty, MacKenzie Weegar, Brandon Montour, and Chris Tanev are names that Friedman raised.

Lastly, it is worth noting that Friedman claimed to have talked to people who confirmed to him that the Four Nations is like an All-Star Game: if you’re healthy, you must go.

Will Pietrangelo be penalized if he doesn’t go and continues to play? Can he prove that he is “just injured enough” to play with Vegas, but not take on more with Canada? We’ll see.

In brief

– To be continued.

– Things are going well for Pascal Vincent’s club.

– Indeed.

– Well done.