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Calder Trophy: According to some journalists, it’s pro Dustin Wolf

The Calder Trophy race is really entertaining this season.

There are four guys who could win it: Matvei Michkov, Dustin Wolf, Lane Hutson, and Macklin Celebrini.

These four players are having a (very) good first season in the National League… and it’s hard to determine a favorite since they’re all so good.

In fact, Matvei Michkov seems to have dropped out of the race a bit because he’s had some tougher moments.

But as for Wolf, Hutson, and Celebrini… it seems really tight.

Renaud Lavoie took advantage of his visit to Florida at the general managers’ meeting to ask for the opinion of his fellow journalists. And from the start, here’s what the TVA Sports journalist says in a recent article :

To my great surprise, neither Lane Hutson nor Macklin Celebrini were the favorites, but rather the Calgary Flames’ goalie Dustin Wolf. – Renaud Lavoie

It’s still interesting… because we know how good Hutson and Celebrini already are.

There are several ways to look at things.

1. Dustin Wolf allows the Flames to be in the playoff race in Calgary.

His team is four points away from the Blues and the last playoff spot, and he plays a huge role in the Flames’ successes.

2. Lane Hutson is the top scorer among NHL rookies, playing as a defenseman, and he plays a similar role to Wolf in Calgary.

Without him, the Canadiens probably wouldn’t be sitting in 2nd Wild Card spot in the East… and the Canadiens probably wouldn’t be fighting for a playoff spot right now, with 13 games left to play.

3. Macklin Celebrini missed some games and is still just one point away from Lane Hutson and the top spot among first-year players.

However, his team is at the bottom of the National League standings, and even if it’s not entirely his fault, maybe the success of the Canadiens and Flames could work against him in the end.

Nevertheless, these three guys really deserve to go home with the rookie of the year trophy.

This shows just how tight the race is… and I also have the impression that it will come down to the very end.

Overtime

– Note to interested parties:

– Good news for the Bruins.

– Hmmm…

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Being Kent Hughes, it’s Jordan Kyrou that I would target this summer

Kent Hughes is likely to be aggressive this summer because he has a goal in mind.

He wants to acquire a player who can evolve in the top-6 and would rather make a trade than go after a free agent.

And at that level, a few names have already started to circulate.

For example, Mathias Brunet – in an article by La Presse – mentioned Matt Duchene, John Tavares, Mikael Granlund, Brock Nelson, Hendrix Lapierre, Mason McTavish, Ryan O’Reilly, Trevor Zegras, Dawson Mercer, and Sam Bennett.

David Ettedgui, for his part, targeted the names of Mason McTavish, Robert Thomas, Martin Necas, and Mathew Barzal.

But in the context where Kent Hughes wants to go after an established player who “fits” with the average age of the core already in place in Montreal, we can already eliminate several names that have been mentioned above.

Briefly.

For me, there is one name that has been on my mind since the trade deadline, March 7th. In fact, David Pagnotta said that morning that we should keep an eye on Jordan Kyrou in St. Louis… and I haven’t stopped thinking about him since then when it comes to interesting targets for the Habs.

Jordan Kyrou is listed as a center on almost all possible sites, but he plays more on the wing with the Blues.

We’re talking about a guy who is 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighs 196 pounds (according to HockeyDB data).

But above all, we’re talking about a 26-year-old player who is good in all three zones of the ice. Kyrou – who has a good skating ability – also has interesting skills since he is currently in his third consecutive season with 30 goals or more.

He has a really intriguing profile for a young team like the Canadiens. At his age, Kyrou would fit in well with the rest of the group:

The main interested party is already under contract: he is in the second year (out of eight) of an agreement that earns him $8.125 million per season.

It’s more than Nick Suzuki, you’ll tell me… but the Habs won’t always be able to respect their salary scale if they want to add very good players to their lineup.

We understand that the Blues won’t let him go for nothing either. That being said, we know that Kent Hughes has several resources to make a big trade and he might be able to take advantage of the situation in St. Louis to get him out of there.

Because in fact, the Blues are in a bit of a strange situation right now. The organization has good players in place, but the team’s leaders are aging (Brayden Schenn is 33 years old, Pavel Buchnevich is about to turn 30)… and the organization doesn’t necessarily have a strong prospect pool either.

We’ll also have to make room for Dalibor Dvorsky in the top-6 soon in St. Louis.

All of this to say that I think it would be worth it for Kent Hughes to call Doug Armstrong and inquire about Jordan Kyrou. Again, Kyrou is young, has the talent to explode alongside talented players in Montreal, and has already proven himself in the National League.

This would be my target of choice, personally… even if he doesn’t necessarily play center.

And it’s a good thing: we’ll be able to see him in action tonight, when the Canadiens will be in St. Louis to face the Blues and Jordan Kyrou.

In Overtime

— It’s definitely different.

— 😂😂

— I’m looking forward to seeing him progress.

— Well done.

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Lane Hutson could become the highest paid defenseman in the NHL (according to Tony Marinaro)

The news of the day in the NHL, it’s the signing of Jakob Chychrun to Washington.

The defenseman has signed an eight-year contract extension that will earn him $72 million for the total duration of the agreement.

A lot of money for one of the good defensemen in the league… but it will also have an impact on Lane Hutson’s next contract in Montreal. Colleague Charles-Alexis Brisebois wrote about the subject earlier today.

Tony Marinaro also talked about Chychrun’s new contract in Washington and Lane Hutson on his show on BPM Sports.

And the radio host came to this conclusion: seeing Chychrun being able to sign a contract like that, Marinaro believes the Habs defenseman could become the highest-paid player at his position in the NHL.

That would be really something… especially considering he has only one complete season in the NHL behind him.

Because Chychrun is often injured, he is less good offensively than Lane Hutson, he has had two difficult seasons recently, and he will earn $9 million per season… it leads Tony Marinaro to believe that the Habs defenseman could be able to get even more money.

Of course, that would be good news for Hutson. But for the Habs, maybe it would change the team’s plans a bit.

We know that this summer, Kent Hughes wants to go get some reinforcements for the forward position. He wants to get a quality player… but necessarily, he will have less room to maneuver if Lane Hutson signs a crazy contract.

On the other hand, no matter the amount of the contract, it would ensure that the Habs can keep one of the best offensive defensemen in the NHL. With the salary cap going up, Hutson’s salary would become “less important” in just a few years…

It’s all to be continued, then. But with Chychrun’s contract, we see how much the market is changing… and it will be interesting to see what happens with Lane Hutson’s next contract – who is establishing himself as one of the best players at his position.

Overtime

– Talking about Chychrun:

– Of course…

– Oh!

– Reminder: it’s a big night in the NHL.

– The Golden Knights are having fun at practice.

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People across the league know that Jakub Dobes has an issue

At the moment, the Canadiens are going with Samuel Montembeault. The team tried to have Cayden Primeau as the number two goalie, but it didn’t work out. Now, Jakub Dobes is in town to back up the Québécois since the holiday season.

The results were conclusive at first, but he slowed down. He couldn’t keep the pace.

As a result, Dobes is a goalie who plays little. The Canadiens would probably like to give him more games, but they can’t afford to send him to Laval.

And they can’t afford to put him in front of the net in Montreal either.

In fact, if the team can’t have him play in the top league, it’s mostly because other teams know he has an apparent weakness that prevents him from performing well.

Pierre McGuire, on his podcast, reported that teams know he goes down on his knees too quickly and often gets beaten in the top of the net. And it’s not the first time we’ve heard that.

So when he plays, teams simply aim for the top of the net. And generally, it works.

For now, we can potentially expect to see Dobes play three times before the end of the regular season. We’re talking about the last three blocks of “two games in two nights” for the Canadiens. But even that can change.

All the Canadiens can hope for is that the fact that he has played too little since Christmas won’t hinder his development. After all, you know as well as I do that a young goalie needs to play often.

Maybe he’ll have the chance to play a few games in the playoffs in Laval, though.

Overtime

– Yes.

– Ah?

– Absolutely.

– Good question.

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72M$ for Jakob Chychrun: Lane Hutson’s agent must be drooling

The Washington Capitals have just settled a major issue.

The club did what the Ottawa Senators were never able to do, which is to sign Jakob Chychrun long-term. He will earn $72 million over eight years, or $9 million per year.

This is a big move for Washington.

Jakob Chychrun is 26 years old and in his prime. Even if he’s not the most important defenseman for the Capitals (John Carlson is), he still has a good impact on his team.

He’s coming off two more ordinary seasons, but apparently, the Capitals have chosen to turn a blind eye.

But anyway. All this shows us that prices have gone up. $9 million per year is still a lot of money for a defenseman.

And necessarily, Lane Hutson’s agent must be salivating.

That being said, what we need to understand is that Lane Hutson doesn’t have 18 goals. You’ll tell me he has a lot more than Chychrun’s 43 points, which is very true.

But most importantly, the key element is that Chychrun was eligible for full autonomy this summer.

If Lane Hutson were to sign an eight-year contract that would be valid from 2026 to 2034, the Canadiens would be buying out a few years of autonomy, but also many years before he becomes eligible for full autonomy.

Those years aren’t worth as much because Hutson isn’t 100% free to go elsewhere.

If you think that has nothing to do with it, you’re wrong. Look at the no-trade clauses of players who sign such contracts: they often kick in when the player would have become a UFA. It’s just one indication among many.

I don’t necessarily think, despite the rising cap, that Hutson will earn more than Chychrun. And if Kent Hughes manages to sign him long-term this summer at a fair price for the player and the club, it will be one of his best moves since his arrival as GM with the Canadiens.

extension

On the other hand, if we play devil’s advocate, we note that Lane Hutson’s agent could tell Kent Hughes that at 21, Jake Sanderson took a little over $8 million per season… and that his client is more offensive than the Senators’ defenseman.

And Sanderson signed before the cap increase. Really, the negotiations with Hutson will be fascinating.

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Does David Savard need to rest?

The question many people are asking right now is: who will give up their spot in the Canadiens lineup when Kaiden Guhle is ready to return to play?

It’s not imminent (certainly not this week), but it’s getting closer and closer.

Unless the Canadiens go with an 11-7 format (Joshua Roy and Emil Heineman would be the candidates… but I don’t believe it if everyone is healthy), it will be a defenseman.

Lane Hutson, Alexandre Carrier, and Mike Matheson will not be taken out of the lineup.

It’s time to give some respect to Matheson, who is the most important defenseman for the Canadiens right now. He plays big minutes, and if Kent Hughes can really give him $20 million over four years, he should do it.

So, we agree that it’s between David Savard, Jayden Struble, and Arber Xhekaj.

My first thought is to think of Xhekaj. Not because he deserves it, but because he plays less than Struble, who forms an excellent duo with Lane Hutson, and because the two are left-handed.

But if we look at it a little further, until the end of the regular season, it could be a kind of rotation between the three guys.

In the playoffs, if that happens, I see Savard playing. But until then, is it possible to think about giving a defenseman who is slowing down a bit of rest?

It’s often said that if Savard returns in 2025-2026, it would be as a depth defenseman who isn’t guaranteed to play every game. We say that because of his play this year.

So, it’s not far-fetched to think that he could use some rest right now.

Of course, Savard won’t raise his hand to ask for time off. But having him sit out a game or two should be considered by the head coach when Guhle returns. A few days off could help him be more on his game when he comes back.

But we’ll see about that in due time.

Overtime

– Ah yes?

– Big move in Washington.

– Good listen.

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Series: Ivan Demidov will not be on the SKA’s top-12 for the first game

The ups and downs of Ivan Demidov continue.

The Habs prospect, who is not always in the good books of his coach, has seen Roman Rotenberg confirm that for the first match of his team’s playoffs, he will act as the 13th forward.

The game, against Dynamo, will take place in two days.

Demidov, who has played on all lines this season, who has acted as the 13th forward, and who was recently left aside, never really knows what to expect in terms of playing time.

And if he is the 13th forward, it is possible that he will play little in the playoffs.

Of course, Roman Rotenberg said that his player was fine with all this and the door is open to see him get more playing time if the circumstances become favorable, but…

But it’s not starting well.

Of course, Demidov can’t say publicly that he’s unhappy because that would have serious implications that would be too important. And with a few weeks left in the season, it’s pointless to put the club’s back up against the wall.

So for now, he can only wait. And that, even if he’s the team’s top scorer this season.

Note, for those who think Demidov could finish the season in Montreal, don’t hold your breath. Don’t expect to see SKA release him before the end of his contract at the end of May.

The most realistic scenario remains to see him sign an entry-level contract starting in June, when the Habs will probably no longer be alive. And next year, he’ll be there.

Overtime

– Ah yes?

– What do you think?

– He’s developing well.

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The Canadiens’ big advantages: their number of games played and the difficulty of their schedule

Tonight, as Gilbert Delorme would say, it’s the biggest game of the year for the Habs.

On the menu tonight? The Blues of Saint-Louis, another team that is in eighth place in their association and is fighting to make their place in the playoffs – just like the Habs. This will not be easy, all that.

After all, the Blues, like the Habs, are a club that has lost very little in recent weeks.

This will not be an easy challenge for Martin St-Louis’ men, who will do everything to come out of tonight’s game with a victory. After all, right now, there is not much room for maneuver.

But what is interesting, nonetheless, is to note that the Habs have more room for maneuver than other teams. Not enough to rest on their laurels, but still.

Why do I say that?

Because when looking at the standings, it’s clear that no other team in the NHL has played fewer games than the Habs (who still have 13 games to play before the end of the regular season) this season.

(Credit: Sportsnet)

The Islanders, who are one point behind the Habs (and who came close to winning yesterday), have 70 games played. The Rangers have one point and two games behind the Habs. The Blue Jackets and the Red Wings, respectively two and three points behind the Habs, have 70 games played.

And the other teams are a bit far away.

Another advantage for the Habs is that they have an easier schedule than the four teams that follow them in the standings until the end of the season. According to Tankathon, the Habs have the 23rd most difficult schedule in the league, which puts them in a good position.

But the same cannot be said for the teams from New York, the Blue Jackets, and the Red Wings.

  • Red Wings: the most difficult schedule in the NHL
  • Islanders: fourth most difficult schedule in the NHL
  • Blue Jackets: eighth most difficult schedule in the NHL
  • Rangers: 15th most difficult schedule in the NHL

The Senators, who are ahead of the Habs and have also played 69 games, have the easiest schedule in the NHL until the end. Let’s say the Sens are in a good position to make the playoffs… if they do what they have to do.

For those who are wondering, here’s what the Habs’ schedule will look like after the road trip to Saint-Louis, Philadelphia, Carolina, and Florida.

The Habs in April.
(Credit: NHL.com)

But as I said, the Habs still can’t take their foot off the gas. The guys will have to keep giving it their all and play #7 games, to use Martin St-Louis’ mentality.

Will the team, which has a 49% chance of making the playoffs according to the numbers, hold on? We’ll see.

Overtime

– Good news.

– That’s a must.

– Prospects of the Habs to watch in the NCAA. [JdeM]

– Wow.

Wow! The Rocket de Laval and the Remparts de Québec are attracting crowds this season!

(: Jonathan Roy/@quebec_remparts)

[image or embed]

— RDS (@rds.ca) March 24, 2025 at 1:43 PM

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Top-4 : Obviously, the Jackets-Islanders match was decided in overtime

Yesterday in the NHL, there were four games on the schedule.

The game to watch was obviously the one between the Blue Jackets and the Islanders.

Here are the results and highlights:

1. Obviously, the Jackets-Islanders game was decided in overtime

In New York, the Islanders and the Blue Jackets from Columbus faced off. It was a big game for them, who could get closer to the playoffs.

In Montreal, they especially didn’t want a three-point game.

And that’s what happened, a final after the 60 minutes of regular time. The locals took a two-goal lead, but Columbus didn’t give up and came back.

First, Adam Fantilli beat Ilya Sorokin with a perfect shot.

Later, Boone Jenner created the tie.

At the end of the second period, Patrick Roy’s team took the lead in controversy.

Not sure this goal would have always been accepted.

At the end of the third period, the visitors came back again.

Kirill Marchenko scored his 26th goal of the season. Sean Monahan, who also stood out physically, picked up an assist on his return to the lineup.

The Islanders thought they had won in regular time, but this goal was refused.

What do you think? In any case, Patrick Roy didn’t hold back after the game: “If Toronto is afraid to overturn the decisions of its referees, maybe we don’t need Toronto”.

Direction shootout, as overtime was not enough to determine a winner.

Columbus finally won a big game thanks to Adam Fantilli’s goal in the shootout. The club therefore ends a sequence of six defeats.

Here is a portrait of the playoff race in the East.

(Credit: NHL.com )

2. Sheldon Keefe on Johnathan Kovacevic: “he is the best”

Two days ago, Sheldon Keefe threw his defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic under the bus.

He said that instead of talking, he should focus on his game. Apparently, Kovy listened to his coach’s instructions. Yesterday, he stole a goal from the opponent.

Keefe therefore mentioned that his defenseman was the best.

The relationship between the two men is still good, then.

Timo Meier led the charge for New Jersey with a two-goal performance.

After the goal by Erik Haula, the players went wild.

Jake DeBrusk, at the very end of the game, sent everyone into overtime.

Thatcher Demko, in his first game since February 8, stood out during the fourth period.

What a save here!

Like the Columbus-New York game, a shootout was necessary.

In a duel between Luke and Quinn Hughes, the Canucks finally won the game.

Final score: 4-3 in a shootout.

3. Mikko Rantanen takes a puck straight to the face

The Wild was visiting Dallas.

This game was marked by an injury to Mikko Rantanen’s face. The new arrival took a puck straight to the face.

More fear than harm, fortunately: he returned with a full face shield.

The Finn finally picked up a point in his team’s 3-0 win.

The Stars’ first two goals came in a span of 58 seconds.

First, Wyatt Johnston found the back of the net for the 26th time this season.

And Matt Duchene scored his 27th of the year.

Jake Oettinger took care of defending his team’s net.

In the second period, he stole Marco Rossi at close range.

The goalie finished the game with a 32-save shutout.

4. The Wings are still alive

Last night, two teams in a similar situation faced off.

The Wings were visiting Utah. Detroit finally won 5-1.

Big win for the Michigan club, big loss for Utah. Here is a portrait of the playoffs in the West. Utah remains six points away from the Blues and the last rank giving access to the playoffs.

(Credit: NHL.com )

As for the game, Dylan Guenther picked up his 100th career point in the loss.

He scored his team’s only goal.

In the win, Alex DeBrincat and Simon Edvinsson were the top scorers with two points each.

Don’t rule out the Wings too quickly from the playoff picture…

They are only three small points away.

Overtime

– A nice dish.

– Solid.

– Seven players with two points.

(Credit: NHL.com )

– Today, we’re taking the Canadiens (of course), the Sabres, the Leafs, the Avalanche, the Kraken, and the Kings.

(Credit: Google)
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Mathias Brunet would offer $20M over four years to Mike Matheson

In the heartbreaking loss to the Avalanche on Saturday, the Habs didn’t know what to do at the end of the third period.

The big guns were containing the Habs in their defensive territory, but Samuel Montembeault and the defense held up.

Alexandre Carrier was excellent on defense, but his partner on the blue line, Mike Matheson, was just as effective.

The veteran seems to have understood his new role since the arrival of Lane Hutson and he’s taking it very well.

I’d say the Habs fans also appreciate Matheson’s work a lot, even if he’s not producing as much offensively as last year.

Although he’s starting to get older (31 years old), he still has very good hockey to give.

His agent believes his chances of staying with the team at the end of his contract next year are very good, thanks to his skating, which will allow him to keep up with the pace even in a few years.

his daily column in The Return of the Athletes.

He talked about Matheson, among other things, and would even be willing to offer him $20 million over four years.

When you think about it, it makes sense.

He’s in his thirties, but that’s not going to slow down the Québécois. His skating is well above average for a defenseman of his age and he’ll be able to keep up with the best players for a while.

At $5 million per year until he’s 35, it sounds more than reasonable, considering he can still play on the second powerplay unit and log big defensive minutes.

Plus, you need veterans, especially on the blue line, to surround a core as young and talented as this one.

David Savard excels in this mentor role for young players and has clearly improved the quality of play of players like Arber Xhekaj by playing with them.

However, Savard is already 34 years old and his body is much more worn out than Matheson’s. He was never a speed merchant either, which means he won’t be able to play in the NHL for much longer.

By securing Matheson for four years at a reasonable salary, he would bring the presence of a veteran that Savard won’t be able to provide for much longer.

You also can’t forget that Matheson is from Montreal and could easily accept a lower salary to stay close to his family and possibly even finish his career there.

In short, it’s something to think about.

Overtime

– Very interesting. Dobes seems to have a clear difficulty with high shots.

– Former Habs defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic got the message from Sheldon Keefe.

– The star player temporarily left the game after being hit in the face with a puck, but everything seems fine for the Finn.

– Interesting fact, defenseman Adam Boqvist was used on the right wing for the game against the Blue Jackets (his former team) and picked up two points in the game.