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Dany Dubé: “For me, it will be between Dvorak and Evans.”

Will Christian Dvorak be back with the Canadiens next season?

Obviously, it is a bit early to answer that question.

The Canadiens will have to make a decision: offer him a new contract, trade him by March 7… Or let him leave via free agency.

D-Vo primarily plays the role of third-line center on the Canadiens roster, but we also know that Jake Evans has the qualities to be in that spot.

And in the context where Evans is also looking for a new contract, it leads Dany Dubé to think that the Canadiens will have to choose between one of the two for the upcoming years.

He spoke about it last night on the airwaves of 98.5 FM:

But for me, it’s going to be between him and Jake Evans. – Dany Dubé

In fact, there is a specific reason why Dvorak can be seen as a player of some importance in Montreal.

He wins more than half of his faceoffs (55.6%) and Martin St-Louis trusts him when he needs puck possession.

That’s why we sometimes see #28 on the ice at the start of a overtime.

But at the same time, if the Canadiens really had to choose between Evans and Dvorak… I feel that the decision would be quite easy to make.

Evans is a bit worse in the faceoff circle (51.7%), but he plays on the first unit for penalty kills, has a better plus/minus than Dvorak, more goals, more assists, more points…

What I’m trying to say is that both guys have similar qualities (and they are both 28 years old), but Evans seems to be a more effective player at the moment.

And I’m convinced that the organization thinks the same way!

Ultimately, D-Vo could prove to be a backup solution if Evans does not return to town. But if Evans stays – which would be logical given recent discussions – we might have to forget the name Christian Dvorak in Montreal.

In brief

– Machine!

– Will the Canadiens take advantage?

– Well done.

– It’s going to be a special evening!

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Jake Evans: Darren Dreger is confident that he will sign a new contract in Montreal

The situation of Jake Evans is making waves with the Canadiens.

The center player, who is useful in Martin St-Louis’s lineup, is in the last year of his contract.

If he does not reach an agreement with the Canadiens by July 1, Evans will be able to test the free agent market.

There is also a scenario where Kent Hughes sends him elsewhere by the trade deadline, but as time goes on, it is becoming clear that the chances of this happening are slim.

The Canadiens are in the hunt for a playoff spot at the moment, and if that is still the case in March, I do not see the Canadiens trading one of their key players.

In Evans’s case, we are mainly wondering what his contract will look like if he agrees with the Canadiens.

We know that he wants a five-year contract… But perhaps the organization is not ready to give him that many years.

That is why both sides might find common ground.

But regardless of the contract, Darren Dreger (TSN 690) believes that Evans will continue his career in Montreal.

He enjoys playing for the Canadiens… And the club’s management appreciates the player for what he brings on the ice.

I think they will find a way to come to an agreement together. – Darren Dreger

I have the impression that the main issue is not the salary, but rather the length of the contract.

Evans wants a multi-year contract and that is normal because he is 28 years old and is looking for stability.

But on the other hand, the Canadiens have to ask themselves whether a contract of that sort would hurt the team starting from year 3 and that complicates things.

The salary cap could be $105 million by the 27-28 season, but still: there is no NHL team that wants a negative contract on its books.

That takes away maneuvering room in the salary cap, and that’s not ideal.

The situation remains to be followed, then.

But in the context where we know that Evans enjoys playing in Montreal and that the Canadiens also have affection for him, it makes sense to believe that he has a good chance of staying in the city.

In Brief

– Hmm…

– 😂😂

– Attention interested parties:

– Logical.

– Do you share the same opinion?

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Tony DeAngelo signs a contract with… the Islanders

Surprise in the NHL.

The Islanders have just announced the signing of Tony DeAngelo. We’re talking about a contract worth $775,000 that is valid for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.

He will have to clear waivers today since he played in Russia this season as well:

Tony DeAngelo with Patrick Roy and Lou Lamoriello… It seems a bit odd in my head.

I can’t wait to see how this group gets along in New York!

After all, we know how unique the personalities of the three can be.

DeAngelo better keep his cool… Hehe.

Ultimately, this news comes somewhat out of nowhere.

Ten days ago (January 14), we learned that DeAngelo was leaving Ivan Demidov and SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL… But we didn’t necessarily expect him to find a job so quickly.

Especially in the NHL!

Let’s remember one thing in all of this, for example.

Last November, the defenseman praised Patrick Roy and highlighted his coaching abilities.

DeAngelo – who played for the Hurricanes in 23-24 – was impressed by the way the Islanders performed in the playoffs last year.

The Hurricanes eliminated the Islanders in five games:

The Islanders are currently second to last in the standings in the East, but are still eight points away from a playoff spot.

Lou Lamoriello needed to do something to help his team – which isn’t scoring much, by the way – and that’s what he did by adding an offensive defenseman to his roster.

The choice may seem a bit strange to some (and for good reason), but DeAngelo has proven himself: we’re talking about a guy with two seasons of 50 points or more in the NHL and he was almost at a point-per-game pace in the KHL this season.

We’ll see if it can work for the defenseman with two other strong personalities in the same organization.

Extension

The Islanders really needed reinforcement on defense with Noah Dobson’s injury.

Because as it stands… let’s say it’s not looking great:

(Credit: Daily Faceoff)
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The Ducks’ coach called an idiot by Jakob Silfverberg: not the same culture as in Montreal

I don’t know if you’ve seen this, but the Anaheim Ducks are in a tough situation.

Jakob Silfverberg, who played in Anaheim for 11 years, let loose on Greg Cronin, the Ducks’ coach. I mention this because he recently called his former coach an idiot. This was in an interview with the media Expressen.

Why? Because of his actions.

Cronin forced us to go on the ice and look him in the eyes while he yelled at us. I thought, “What are you doing? Do you want to humiliate us?”

He acted like a real idiot. – Jakob Silfverberg

Silfverberg, who now plays in Europe, said he lost the love for playing hockey in Anaheim. Things are better now… but he still has a bitter taste from his last year in California.

And clearly, he doesn’t hide it.

Obviously, it’s not easy to lose games. But what I notice is that even though the Canadiens have mostly lost their games under Martin St-Louis since February 2022, the guys respect the coach.

No one is throwing themselves under the bus in the Canadiens’ environment – quite the opposite.

Martin St-Louis has managed to create a family atmosphere in Montreal, and even those who see their roles diminished (Mike Matheson, David Savard, Jayden Struble, Michael Pezzetta, Cayden Primeau, etc.) do not complain publicly.

For all the rumors of discord in the NHL, there is none in Montreal. #CompanyCulture

Do you think this could be linked to the fact that, unlike the Ducks, the Canadiens are managing to turn the corner of their rebuild in order to win hockey games?

I do too.

extension

– Cronin responded to his former player by saying that everyone has their own style in life.

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Corey Pronman on Lane Hutson: “People don’t know if you can win with him.”

If you are a bit into social media, you have seen Corey Pronman being very… resistant when talking about Lane Hutson’s future. Let’s put it this way for now.

Pronman, whose job is to evaluate young players, had said that one day, he might see Hutson in a top-4. He had mentioned Hutson as the 39th best player under 23 and questioned the defender’s work ethic.

And that did not go over well in Montreal.

Since then, there have been games that supported his views at times (the game against Toronto and yesterday’s match in Detroit) regarding the quality of his defensive play… but he still got it wrong in volume.

And instead of adjusting his stance, he doubled down.

In a recent article published on The Athletic’s website, Pronman mentioned that he liked his offensive game, but once again he was unsure about what his defensive game would yield.

Here’s what he wrote.

I think his size will be an issue for playing defensively, especially in the playoffs.

When I spoke about this to teams at the All-American Showcase and the OHL Top Prospect Showcase recently, this was a recurring theme: he’s good, but people aren’t sure if you can win with him. – Corey Pronman

Pronman adds that it’s not just him that the debate exists (Adam Fox and Quinn Hughes as well), but that yes, there are people questioning whether a defender like Hutson can help win.

He also added that only two defenders of that size have ever made it to the Stanley Cup final.

Because Lane Hutson doesn’t get knocked around too much (on the contrary) despite his size, because he is already a top defenseman, and because guys like Hughes and Fox perform well in the playoffs, one wonders where Wheeler’s comments are coming from this time.

But in my opinion, that doesn’t keep Hutson awake at night… even knowing that playoff hockey is tougher.

in brief

– Oh.

– To be continued.

– A name to remember.

– Well done.

– It’s been like this for a long time on social media. And not everyone is obliged to find it nice.

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Owen Beck is going to the All-Star Game

Recently, Joshua Roy and Logan Mailloux received the LAH invitation for the All-Star Game.

However, since Roy got injured, someone needed to replace him. And here comes another Canadiens prospect, Owen Beck, who has been chosen to represent Laval at the annual classic.

He will therefore head to Coachella Valley on February 3rd.

It is important to note that the three players chosen from the Rocket (including Roy) have spent some time in the NHL this season, but did not make much of an impact during their time in Montreal.

Beck has just returned to Laval in recent days.

It’s great to see him playing heavy minutes down there (and getting the chance to go to the All-Star Game) rather than sitting on the fourth line of the Canadiens.

Good for the young player, then.

After the disappointment of being back down, Beck can at least say that things are going well for him down there. Individually, he is having a season worthy of the All-Star Game, which is noteworthy.

And as a team, the Rocket, who are at the top of their division, will have reinforcements starting tonight.

In the coming days, the Rocket will play in Hartford (tonight) and against Providence, Sunday on the road. Next week, Hartford will be in Laval next Friday and Saturday.

These are the games that Struble will be able to play, theoretically.

In a nutshell

– Indeed.

– Good point.

– Interesting.

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«The Canadiens probably should have traded Josh Anderson 18 months ago» – Frank Seravalli

The Canadiens are very much in the mix. Even though they played one of their weaker games of the year yesterday in Detroit, the CH has 52 points, which is one less than the Blue Jackets, who hold the eighth and final spot for the playoffs in the East.

No less than nine teams have between 48 and 54 points; they are all fighting for three spots in the playoffs right now.

Jeff Gorton indicated just a few hours ago that if his team remains in the mix, he will not sacrifice his initial plan (thinking long-term before making a move). However, the VP of hockey also stated that his guys deserved help from management.

“If we can help them, we will evaluate our options.” – Jeff Gorton

One should not expect the Canadiens to sacrifice their best prospects or their top draft picks, but if a team is willing to let go of a good player (still under contract, and not on loan) in exchange for a prospect on whom they have given up, the Canadiens could very well complete other transactions similar to Laine vs Harris or Carrier vs Barron.

Such transactions help in the short and medium term, while not harming long-term plans.

Joshua Roy and Logan Mailloux could be players sacrificed, based on what I hear.

But even if the Canadiens are poised to be a (disciplined) buyer or a quiet player (not trading your unrestricted free agents is somewhat buying, right?), experts continue to place the names of several Montreal players on their potential targets list as the trade deadline approaches.

March 7th is in six weeks.

Frank Seravalli’s List (DailyFaceoff)
Seravalli is one of the best insiders in the hockey world. When he speaks, he doesn’t open his mouth for no reason.

He has released his list of players (important) most likely to change addresses by March 7.

We find Jake Evans in 17th place, David Savard in 21st, and then Josh Anderson in 27th.

“If the Canadiens are in a playoff race, they will surely keep Jake Evans” – Frank Seravalli, who is nonetheless not convinced that Kent Hughes will be able to sign him for next season.

“David Savard’s best days are behind him […] another team will have to offer something relatively good (third-round pick?) because otherwise, Montreal will keep him until the end of his contract rather than insert a young player who isn’t ready into their lineup.” – Frank Seravalli on David Savard

“Eighteen months ago, the Canadiens’ phones were ringing often; teams were ready to offer a lot for Anderson […] the Canadiens probably should have said yes. There’s still interest in Anderson. He can be a big playoff threat. But the Canadiens have to get there first.” – Frank Seravalli on Josh Anderson

Chris Johnston’s List (TheAthletic)
Chris Johnston conducted a similar exercise to Frank Seravalli, except he went to 32 players.

However, he was a bit less sensitive to the Canadiens’ playoff race, noting that David Savard – whom he placed in 5th position on his list – had a very good chance of leaving following the acquisition of Alexandre Carrier.

I understand Johnston’s reasoning, but how could a team fighting for a playoff spot say bye-bye to a stable and dedicated defenseman like Savard, whom everyone appreciates in the locker room? What kind of message would that send?

Especially since there are no other right-shot defensemen ready to participate in a playoff run in the organization.

Johnston also placed Jake Evans in 18th place on his list, which is about the same spot as Seravalli (17th).

“Playing with an expiring contract, the depth center is having his career year at the perfect time […] while the Canadiens like him a lot, his rise in power could turn him into bait rather than someone they want to sign to another contract. Evans isn’t very big, but he’s a fast skater and an effective player on the penalty kill. He would be a quality option on the fourth line of a team aiming for the top honors.” – Chris Johnston

Do I need to remind you that Evans is the forward who plays the most short-handed in the entire NHL?

Johnston did not speak about Josh Anderson, though. Probably because he is still under contract (very lucrative)…

Note that Christian Dvorak and Joel Armia did not attract the attention of Seravalli and Johnston. Probably because they are not interesting enough to be talked about…

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Jayden Struble is going to play in Laval

Important news in Montreal.

The Canadiens have assigned Jayden Struble to the Laval Rocket… for conditioning purposes. This means he avoids waivers but must return to Montreal after two weeks.

The goal? To let him play a bit down there, with his consent, to shake off the rust.

A player who is absent from the lineup (whether injured or not) for several consecutive games can avoid waivers to spend 14 days (maximum) in the American Hockey League to regain form. He must agree, that said.

This is what the CH did with Rafaël Harvey-Pinard earlier this season… before ultimately placing him on waivers.

In Struble’s case, I recently wrote that leaving him in the stands too long was an issue, as he had earned the right to be put on waivers in recent months… but is too much up top.

And unlike Michael Pezzetta in the forwards, it’s clear the CH wants to get Struble some playing time. That way, if he returns to play with the CH eventually, he won’t be as rusty.

This is a win-win for everyone: the CH, who is at home for a while, doesn’t need him, the player gets to play (with his NHL salary), and the Rocket benefits from his presence in the lineup for good hockey.

The Rocket is in Hartford tonight. Will Struble be there in time for the game? We imagine so since otherwise, the CH would have waited before sending him down.

Right now, until proven otherwise, the Canadiens only have 12 healthy forwards and six healthy defensemen. If the team has an injured player, they will have to act and bring in someone from Laval.

But right now, that’s not an issue.

In brief

– At least a month out.

– Obviously.

– A name to watch.

– Big signing in Vegas.

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Gary Bettman is preparing for his retirement: Steve Yzerman suggested by Renaud Lavoie

As you may have seen, Gary Bettman is preparing for his retirement.

The NHL commissioner, as Michael Russo and Chris Johnston from The Athletic inform us, is quietly starting to think about when he will retire.

It’s not happening tomorrow, but still: such a change doesn’t happen overnight.

The owner of the Wild, Craig Leopold, recently said he is concerned about the succession plan because it reassures him and the other league shareholders to have a Bettman with both hands on the wheel.

Don’t doubt it: Bettman is beloved by the league’s owners.

We are a company worth five or six billion dollars – the whole league is.

When your boss is preparing to leave, the transition worries us. All I’m saying is we’ve had a commissioner for over 30 years, and he is extraordinary. – Craig Leopold

Therefore, the question we need to ask is: is Bill Daly, Bettman’s right-hand man, the favorite to become, in a few years, the new commissioner of the NHL?

It’s a name to watch, yes.

But this morning, on BPM Sports, Renaud Lavoie brought up a name in the conversation that contrasts with Gary Bettman: Steve Yzerman.

He didn’t say he was one of the favorites; he merely suggested his name. But between you and me, when a well-connected guy like him brings up a name… it’s not always by chance.

In Lavoie’s eyes, even though Yzerman is not a lawyer, having a respected former player like him at the top of the NHL could make sense. He played the game… and he is Canadian, which could help hockey’s cause in the country. The journalist emphasized this point in his column today.

This matter is worth following because many names will likely circulate in the next few months.

in quick succession

– Matthew Schaefer is a name to watch for the next draft.

– Caleb Desnoyers wants to keep a cool head. [TVAS]

– Jose Altuve in left field?

– Ouch.

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Ranking: the Canadiens at the heart of nine teams separated by just six points

The standings in the East are very tight. This means that it’s hard to know who will make trades in the conference, once the deadline is upon us.

Do you know how tight it is? Right now, no less than nine teams (including the Boston Bruins, who are third in the Atlantic) are separated by just six points.

It’s crazy how tight it is… and it’s crazy how the Rangers are coming back strong.

(Credit: Sportsnet)

Yesterday, seeing the Canadiens lose to the Red Wings meant that Martin St-Louis’s men did not “secure” their playoff spot in the Eastern standings.

But it’s not the end of the world, considering how quickly everything can change.

And since several teams lost (Columbus, Ottawa, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh), it’s not like the Canadiens fell too far behind the others by losing.

The deadline in the East will be fascinating.

The problem for the Canadiens is not that they lost last night. After all, these things happen. The problem is that the team played one of their worst games in a long time and was never really in the game.

And even though the team had won its last eight games while coming back strong, one could say that letting the Red Wings take the lead was not a problem for the Canadiens; yesterday, it became a problem.

After all, the Canadiens were never able to come back from that deficit.

Right from the start of the game, it was clear that the Canadiens were not in the game. In the first period, the team was outshot 17-4. The eye test confirmed that the team was not in the game.

It got a little better afterwards, but the damage was done and the gap was too wide.

In fact, when the Red Wings scored their third goal of the game (the shorthanded one), it was really a turning point in the match.

It wasn’t ideal.

It’s hard to pinpoint a particular player in the game to explain the team’s troubles. Why? Because collectively, the Canadiens were not doing well yesterday.

Lane Hutson had a tough game. The captain wasn’t having his best game either. Samuel Montembeault, even though he shouldn’t be too blamed for the loss, wasn’t exactly having his best game either.

He did make some good saves, but there are certain goals – including the second one – that he would surely like to have back.

I don’t know if fatigue played a role, but the Canadiens have given up 17 goals in their last four games, since last Saturday’s game against Toronto.

Maybe if the Canadiens were rolling with 12 regular forwards, things would go better. But that’s not in my hands.

overtime

Yesterday, the Canadiens returned to Montreal in the early hours of the morning. Martin St-Louis’s men have a day off before facing the Devils tomorrow night at the Bell Centre.

Will Jake Allen face Samuel Montembeault? Will a forward be called up tomorrow morning? Will Jayden Struble sit out again? We’ll see tomorrow.