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Dylan Cozens : the Sabres wanted Cole Caufield or Juraj Slafkovský in return

Last Friday, on the trade deadline, the Senators made a big move by acquiring Dylan Cozens. The club paid a good price (Josh Norris and Jacob Bernard-Docker), but they got a good player.

Cozens has two goals and three points in three games with the Senators, after all… and the Senators have not lost since his arrival.

That being said, if Cozens arrived in Ottawa, we know that several people in Montreal were hoping to see him join the CH. In the context where Kirby Dach is injured (and his season was not obvious to begin with), Cozens would have been an excellent second center to help Nick Suzuki.

And according to Mathias Brunet, who discussed all this on the airwaves of BPM Sports, Kent Hughes did his homework in the case of Cozens. That said, the price to pay was… very high.

The journalist claims that it would have cost… Cole Caufield or Juraj Slafkovský. Nothing less.

We know that the Sabres did not want to hear about getting draft picks or prospects in return for Cozens. The club wanted established players (and that’s what they got in Norris and Bernard-Docker), and the CH would have had to pay a high price to get Cozens.

And that, even if he had been struggling a bit for two years in Buffalo.

For the CH, therefore, getting Cozens would have cost one of the members of their top line. It might have balanced the team’s top-6 more… but when we look at the CH’s performance since the return of the Confrontation of the 4 Nations, breaking up the only productive line on the team would have been very, very risky.

And above all, it would have probably not been well received in the city. We know that Caufield and Slafkovský are extremely appreciated in the city, after all.

This shows one thing, however: if the CH really wants to make a big move this summer and go get a second center, they will have to be prepared to pay a high price. It’s not going to happen with a B-level prospect and a sacred second-round pick: it’s going to cost a lot.

In a nutshell

– Stan Bowman is trying to avoid being subpoenaed to testify in court in the Kyle Beach case.

– I love it.

– Interesting.

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If the Canadiens fans don’t like Slafkovsky, trade him to my team

The relationship between Montreal Canadiens fans and Juraj Slafkovsky is one of love and hate. When he produces, he’s a future elite player in the NHL. When he’s having a tough time, fans think he didn’t deserve to be a first overall pick.

This is the reaction of people who watch him play every game. When you always watch someone play, you focus a bit more on their flaws than their qualities. You always want a little more.

However, people who are not part of the Canadiens’ entourage and watch him play from time to time would be willing to pay a high price to acquire him.

This is the case with Ray Ferraro of TSN, who didn’t hide his opinion in the latest episode of the Ray & Dregs Hockey Podcast.

“If the Canadiens fans don’t like Slafkovsky, trade him to my team.” – Ray Ferraro

What Ferraro wants Canadiens fans to understand is that Slafkovsky is still very young and is producing despite his age. He hasn’t reached his full potential yet and is still learning how to use his physicality to his advantage.

It’s precisely this physicality that will help him dominate in the NHL, according to Ferraro. Slafkovsky will be able to make plays that only a handful of other players in the NHL can make. He’s a good mix of talent and imposing size.

Ferraro even compared Slafkovsky to a player like Valeri Nichushkin.

Finally, a realistic comparison after hearing comparisons to Mikko Rantanen for so long.

Nichushkin is an imposing player who knows how to use his size to his advantage. He also has excellent offensive talent, which allows him to find the back of the net multiple times.

Ferraro’s prediction is that Slafkovsky will become a 35-goal scorer per season. That’s excellent considering he brings more than just goals to the ice.

When Slafkovsky plays with grit, his opponents have no chance. His goal against the Canucks on Tuesday night was a great example. He pushed the puck towards the opponent and then went to retrieve it to score.

He’s the kind of unique player who may not be the best player on your team, but will be one of the most important cogs when you need a win.

Since the return of the Four Nations faceoff, Slafkovsky has been playing like the player he should be, and that’s exciting for his future in Montreal. He has scored six goals in nine games, which puts him fifth among NHL goal scorers since the return from the break.

The development of a special player like Slafkovsky can take time, but he’s already proving he’s on the right track. He needs to maintain the same intensity and continue to produce to convince all Canadiens fans that Kent Hughes made the right choice in 2022.

Rapid Fire

— That’s a lot of nicknames.

— Two-game suspension for Zary.

— A playoff goal for the Canadiens’ prospect.

— A great day for the Quebecer.

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Lane Hutson will win the Calder if he gets at least 60 points, according to Georges Laraque

Lane Hutson is having an incredible season. Normally, he would already be the favorite by a large margin for the Calder Trophy, but Macklin Celebrini is hot on his heels with good performances.

Despite everything, Hutson is still the leader among NHL rookies for points, with 51 points so far.

No matter what Celebrini can do, Georges Laraque is convinced that Hutson will win the Calder Trophy. Laraque’s only condition is that Hutson reaches the 60-point plateau this season.

That’s what he explained on BPM Sports, Thursday.

To summarize Laraque’s comments, we shouldn’t take anything away from Celebrini, but what Lane Hutson is doing this season is simply historic.

Since the beginning of the campaign, he has been breaking team records for the Canadiens and continues to do so week after week. We can take, for example, Wednesday’s game, where he collected two assists or more in his 12th game as a rookie, surpassing Mats Naslund’s mark of 11.

Hutson only has a three-point lead over Celebrini, who has played 11 fewer games than him, but we must compare apples to apples. We’re talking about a defenseman and a center here.

We all expected Celebrini to score more points than Hutson this season. Due to the games missed by the Sharks player, it’s possible that won’t be the case.

Hutson has 17 games left to score nine points and reach the 60-point plateau this season. At his current pace, he should finish the campaign with 64 points.

Hutson’s exploits are so impressive that they have changed the mind of Scott Wheeler from The Athletic in just a few months. In September, Wheeler ranked Hutson fifth in his ranking for the Calder Trophy. On Thursday, he published an update, placing the Canadiens defenseman in the top spot.

And that’s without forgetting NHL.com, which recently placed Lane Hutson at the top of its list for the Calder Trophy.

Hutson is indeed leading the race, but it’s far from over. The Canadiens defenseman must continue his good streak, with 10 points in his last nine games.

At this rate, it would be surprising if he doesn’t reach the 60-point plateau this year.

In a hurry

– Pittsburgh is not ready for that.

– This is going to be good!

– Incredible!

– Mason Rudolph is back in Pittsburgh.

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Acquiring Mason McTavish through a hostile offer: Mathias Brunet’s idea

It will have taken a second injury to the right knee to confirm that the Kirby Dach project was a fiasco. Kent Hughes took a gamble by going after the center player through a transaction, but he will surely not be the Canadiens’ second center in the long term.

As the Tricolore finds itself just one point away from the playoffs, it’s clear that the team will need a second center starting next season. Micheal Hage and Oliver Kapanen may be future projects, but we can forget about them for next season. They wouldn’t be able to play such a big role in the NHL right away.

This creates a dilemma for Kent Hughes, who could find another player in the style of Kirby Dach. A player who has shown great things and has good potential, but who has had difficulties in their development.

In his article Rondelle libre on Thursday, Mathias Brunet tried to find all the options that will be available to Kent Hughes during the offseason. By doing the exercise, we realize that there are very few players who check the desired boxes for the Canadiens.

Brunet, however, believes that Montreal could try to imitate the St. Louis Blues by making a hostile offer to Mason McTavish of the Ducks.

The difference between the Blues’ situation and the one the Canadiens could have is that St. Louis was able to poach the Oilers, who were stuck under the salary cap, with Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg.

The Ducks, on the other hand, currently have nearly $16 million in cap space. They could easily match a hostile offer from the Canadiens. Anaheim could, however, be tempted by the return from the Canadiens in the event of a hostile offer. A hostile offer of around $5 or $6 million per season would bring them a first-round pick and a third-round pick.

Unless, as Mathias Brunet explains, Kent Hughes could also try to convince the Ducks to part with their center player.

The idea of a hostile offer always carries the risk of putting a team off for future transactions, and in the case of the Ducks, the chances of them matching the Canadiens’ offer are high. Going with a trade could be the way to go.

With 12 picks in the next draft, Kent Hughes has good assets to convince Anaheim to trade McTavish.

But the Ducks are also a team trying to end their rebuild quickly. Maybe picks won’t be enough. Hughes should probably offer a prospect who will establish themselves soon to convince Anaheim.

This is where Montreal could sacrifice one of its long-term prospects, like Oliver Kapanen. It remains to be seen how much Kent Hughes is willing to pay to get his hands on a second center.

In brief

– New signing with the Rocket.

– The future of the Rays is still uncertain.

– A player to watch for the future.

– Very funny!

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Maple Leafs and Mitch Marner: getting involved in the Mikko Rantanen file would have been a mistake

In Toronto, teams have a knack for getting into trouble with stars from other teams.
The Blue Jays tried to sign Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto by offering at least $700 million to each guy when they were on the free agent market, but the club can’t put $500 million on the table for Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Result? Vladdy sees it as a slap in the face, he has a good chance of leaving, and his price has gone up, recently… but the Blue Jays don’t have Soto or Ohtani to console themselves.

Surprise: the file is a distraction. https://t.co/aHEjdudR2L
— Passion MLB (@passion_mlb) March 13, 2025

It’s a bit the same thing in the case of the Maple Leafs. The club is trying to keep Mitch Marner long-term, but they tried to trade him to Carolina for Mikko Rantanen.
Marner said no. But in my eyes, the problem isn’t just there. The problem is also that Toronto wanted to offer $13.5 million per year to Rantanen to sign him long-term. Let’s recall that the Maple Leafs were visibly on Rantanen’s list of four teams.

Other than Dallas, Mikko Rantanen was reportedly willing to be traded and sign an extension in Edmonton, Florida or Toronto.
— theScore (@theScore) March 12, 2025

Result? Marner has a basis for comparison. And he undoubtedly wants to feel respected.
No, Marner doesn’t have Rantanen’s success in the playoffs. However, he already has 80 points this season and is on track to have excellent numbers in his last year of contract.
He knows the club is capable of putting its hand in its pocket, and he knows the cap will go up. He can therefore say he knows the Toronto market and that he’s having a better season than Rantanen.
So, right now, he can demand $14 million per year if he wants.

“I think that Marner’s probably looking at 14 sheets now in Toronto”
@BizNasty2point0 on the recent drama surrounding Marner and the Maple Leafs, a potential feeling of disrespect, and what the star winger could command on the open market
— The Sheet with Jeff Marek (@thesheethockey) March 12, 2025

If the Maple Leafs plan to let him go this summer, it doesn’t change anything. But in the (logical) scenario where Toronto wants to bring Marner back long-term with the club… the last few days have hurt.
The Rantanen file may have (unnecessarily) created a bad precedent for the Maple Leafs.
It’s also interesting to note that Auston Matthews earns $13.25 million per year on average. Is he happy to see the club offer $13.5 million to Rantanen? Is he open to seeing Marner earn more than him?
If Matthews “forced” the Maple Leafs to give him the “C” of captain, he may want to be the highest-paid player. Isn’t that right?

– A new start awaits him.
À bientôt mes amis —
— Arash Madani (@ArashMadani) March 13, 2025

– The question arises.
Montréal est-elle ENFIN en train de devenir une destination de choix dans la LNH?
Le nouvel épisode des Compteurs est ici
— commissionathletique (@Commissionathl) March 13, 2025

– It will continue to be talked about.
Quels candidats au poste de centre pour le Canadien ?
— Mathias Brunet (@mathiasbrunet) March 13, 2025

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Juraj Slafkovsky produced twice as much in February, March and April

The first trio of the Canadiens is on fire since the 4 Nations tournament (in which none of the three attackers participated).

Nick Suzuki (two more points last night in Seattle) is the top scorer in the entire NHL since the return to competition: 17 points in nine games.

No NHL player has scored as many points as the Canadiens’ captain since February 21. #Vrai1erCentreDeQualité

Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky have each collected 10 points in nine games, the same number as Lane Hutson, by the way…

Caufield and Slafkovsky also rank fifth among the top scorers since the 4 Nations tournament.

In short, the Canadiens’ first trio is on fire and it’s this trio that allows the Canadiens to be just one small point away from a playoff spot this morning. Because no, the second trio is not of the same caliber: Roy, Newhook, and Gallagher.

Will the Canadiens end up burning out Nick « Ironman » Suzuki by using him more than 20 minutes per game? We’ll see.

Nick Suzuki has taken matters into his own hands.
(Credit: Getty Images)

Let’s talk about Juraj Slafkovsky
We constantly praise Cole Caufield’s shot and Nick Suzuki’s all-around game, but we don’t talk as much about Juraj Slafkovsky’s game.

Slafkovsky has been excellent for almost a month… except that it seems like he always has to play poorly, realize he’s playing poorly, work hard, and get involved to start playing well.

In October, November, and December, Slaf collected 21 points in 34 games.

From January 1 to the 4 Nations Tournament: 9 points in 19 games.

Why did Slafkovsky have to watch intense international games – and compare his start to the season to that of Brady Tkachuk – to start playing like a first overall pick?

Remember his comments when he returned from the tournament…

By analyzing Slafkovsky’s statistics since his arrival in the NHL, we notice that the more the season advances, the more he produces. Look at his production per month, over the last three seasons (combined):

(Credit: X)

The most optimistic people will say that Slaf is better in the months when it matters most and that this is encouraging for the future of the organization. Because spring hockey is always harder than fall hockey…

The most pessimistic people will say that Slaf should produce more at the start of the season, that he may not arrive in shape at training camp and/or that he is better when it doesn’t matter.

But the Canadiens are currently in the midst of a playoff run and Slaf is producing…

Slafkovsky has had three relatively modest starts to the season since his arrival in the league… and two very good ends to the season. In his first year, he was injured in the second half of the season.

Next year – at $10 million USD – Slafkovsky will have to make sure he can produce more than 0.43 points per game before Christmas. It’s his role, his job… and he’s very well paid to do it.

in a nutshell

– For those who like to see a stick get hit.

– Will Lane Hutson win the Calder?

– Tough blow to New Jersey.

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Michael Hage : a Western club had him on their list before Tij Iginla

Since Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton took control of the Canadiens’ hockey operations, there have been several prospects they’ve drafted who are getting a lot of attention despite not being first-round picks.

In 2022, there was Owen Beck and Lane Hutson. In 2023, there was Jacob Fowler and Florian Xhekaj.

But in 2024, that’s not the case. Not even Saku Koivu’s son (Aatos) is really getting attention, and no one outside of the first round is seriously catching the fans’ attention.

But the first round itself? That’s a different story.

Obviously, there’s Ivan Demidov, who’s seen as a savior, but there’s also Michael Hage, who’s loved by fans. Not like Filip Mesar, a distant first-round pick in 2022.

We expect Hage won’t make the jump to the pros before 2026, but he has the potential to be an impact player for the Canadiens in a few years. The team’s management likes him.

And apparently, they’re not the only ones.

According to information from Marco Normandin, who works for Habsolument Fan and is also associated with the PoolCast podcast, a scout from a Western team had Michael Hage in high esteem during the draft.

To what extent? To the point where Hage was ranked higher than Tij Iginla, Carter Yakemchuk, and Jett Luchanko.

For those who don’t remember, Hage was picked 21st overall. And the other three? Seventh for Yakemchuk, 13th for Luchanko, and sixth for Jarome Iginla’s son.

Iginla, who was the pick of the Salt Lake City club, was drafted right after Ivan Demidov at fifth overall. This puts things into perspective.

What’s interesting is that the Canadiens have a prospect they like, but who was also highly regarded by at least one other team. And this Western scout who spoke out probably isn’t the only one who thinks the same.

Let’s recall that Tony Marinaro, who was present on PoolCast, mentioned that he knew the Canadiens loved Hage. He talked about it during the draft when we had our hands full.

in rapid fire

– He changes the game, him.

– A must-read.

– I love it.

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History Trevor Zegras : “Logan Mailloux was never part of that”

This summer, Marco Normandin (Habsolument Fan) reported that the Canadiens, on the sidelines of the 2024 draft, had pulled the plug on a transaction to get their hands on Trevor Zegras and a second choice.

In return, Logan Mailloux and the choice that allowed the drafting of Michael Hage would have taken the opposite path.

It recently came back into the news because Alexandre Gascon (Radio-Canada) reported that it was true and that the CH had said no when they saw that they could draft Ivan Demidov.

We must therefore conclude that the Canadiens wanted to add talent at all costs and that Zegras was a backup plan, in a way.

So it didn’t happen… and the more time passes, the less I feel that Zegras is still, at this point, a realistic target for Kent Hughes and the Montreal Canadiens.

I say this because the CH needs a real number 2 center (not a reinforcement on the wing, where Zegras often plays) and the Ducks player is not regaining his form compared to the start of his career.

The friend of Cole Caufield, for two years, has not been doing anything.

(Credit: Hockey DB)

And this morning, I brought the subject back due to a statement by Renaud Lavoie on the waves of BPM Sports. Asked about the file, the informant has no doubt that Zegras was in the game for the CH… but he doubts that Mailloux was.

He was told that Logan Mailloux was never part of it.

I have more and more the feeling that even if Zegras would benefit from a change of air, a transaction will be difficult to realize. After all, the Ducks will surely not want to trade him cheaply and clubs will not necessarily pay a high price to get him.

The famous “buy low, sell high” is not a cliché for nothing.

And to a certain extent, if Kent Hughes waits too long, maybe one day we’ll say the same thing about Logan Mailloux, who has been circulating a lot in trade rumors for a year.

To be continued, therefore.

In brief

– That’s good.

– Interesting.

– It’s going to negotiate.

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The injury of Rafaël Harvey-Pinard and the lack of depth in the organization

The Canadian went west with only one extra player: Michael Pezzetta.

Leaving with six defensemen is a risk.

Even if Owen Beck was replaced by Joshua Roy, it didn’t change the fact that there was only one extra player. It’s one thing in Montreal, it’s another on the road.

Maybe the Canadian wouldn’t have called back a guy even if the club had been at home (due to limited recalls after the deadline) in relation to injuries, but in the west, it forced the club to play Michael Pezzetta three times.

Not ideal in a playoff run.

Patrik Laine’s “flu” and Joel Armia’s injury meant that all the guys who could officially play did play, in the last three games. What timing, anyway.

All this to say that the CH’s depth is really thin right now.

Did the GM have a duty to go get another depth player (not a star at a high price, obviously) at the deadline? The more time passes, the more I think yes.

We are in mid-March and there is still hockey to be played – which means injuries can occur.

This is true for the Canadian, but also for the Rocket, who is in a playoff run and is also affected by the Canadian’s injuries. The minor league team is high in the standings, which helps to give room for maneuver, but…

But too many injuries can hurt.

Yesterday, for example, Rafaël Harvey-Pinard got injured. We can think that his absence will not be short, which will hurt the Rocket, but which will also make a recall for the Canadian more difficult.

I’m not saying RHP would have been recalled. But it’s potentially harder to recall another guy knowing that the Rocket, in a playoff run, has already lost a good piece.

Will the Canadian run out of personnel? We’ll see.

In any case, the criticism towards Kent Hughes and his management of the deadline makes us realize that just like Martin St-Louis at the beginning of the season, the honeymoon with the fans is no longer as strong – to say the least. This is not abnormal, however.

This doesn’t mean the GM is no longer liked… but the criticism is starting.

Rapid Fire

– Speaking of the Rocket.

– Speaking of Michael Pezzetta.

– Good listening.

– He must get up.

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When Patrik Laine uses his shot and vision, he is able to help the Canadiens

What was that game all about?

The Canadiens were in Seattle last night… and the game was weird. You could feel it from the start of the game, when Jakub Dobes came out of his net and that led to the Kraken’s first goal.

By the way, what a bad first period. The guys clearly had a lack of energy at the end of the trip.

Then, in the second, the Canadiens got up. They took advantage of some bad plays by the Kraken, a team that’s not exactly built to spark passion in fans, to take control of the game.

They also took advantage of the refereeing – you read that right – in some ways. #JurajSlafkovskyGoal

But the icing on the cake was the lead that slipped away at the end of the game, leading to the most one-sided overtime in a long time. The Canadiens players got caught like school kids with the “no guy at the blue line” formula at the start of overtime.

The Kraken crossed the red line (via Brandon Montour) before the face-off… Christian Dvorak won the face-off and left it free behind him… the Kraken surprised the Canadiens, who looked like school kids. Everything was weird.

 

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It was a hard game to follow when looking at the overall lines of the game. There wasn’t really a common thread.

But conclusion #1 to draw from all this, the Canadiens left a point on the table in the playoff race. The team therefore played for .500 (1-1-2) on the western trip and is currently one point away from the playoffs.

(Credit: NHL.com)

But what were the factors of the defeat? What made the Canadiens not have as many points as the Columbus Blue Jackets in the standings this morning?

There are several elements to note.

1. Jakub Dobes allowed the Canadiens to stay a little in the game at the beginning, but he wasn’t perfect at the end of the game. In the end, he wasn’t the determining factor the Canadiens needed.

At least, he brought the team to overtime.

2. Juraj Slafkovsky is another thorn in the second half of the season and last night, he allowed the Canadiens to believe. Again, he found a way to get two points (two goals) in important moments for the team.

His first goal was created on a beautiful play… and he can thank the refereeing for his second. Look at the guy: he didn’t even believe he had just collected his 100th point in the NHL.

3. If the Canadiens were in the game, it’s thanks to Patrik Laine. He scored exactly as you can imagine and he also used his vision to feed Alex Newhook.

This Patrik Laine, who is supposedly coming back from the flu, is useful and necessary. Without him, the game wouldn’t have gone to overtime. And that, even if he wasn’t too visible elsewhere in the game.

4. A little earlier this week, Drew Helleson (Ducks) scored his 10th point of the season. He is in second place among rookie defensemen in the NHL.

And since last night, he is 41 points behind Lane Hutson.

Hutson scored his 50th and 51st points of the season, making him the first NHL rookie to reach 50 points this season. Right now, Macklin Celebrini is at 48.

Among active NHL defensemen, only Quinn Hughes had a better rookie season than Lane Hutson with 53 points. Expect to see the Canadiens’ defenseman break his mark.

5. In the first period, the Canadiens didn’t have it at all. It was Patrik Laine who broke the ice for the Canadiens, but it was on a pass from the captain. Yes, it’s still him that it’s going through, the attack. He’s often the one who gives the guys a rhythm.

Yesterday, Nick Suzuki (who got two assists) brought his record to 69 points in 65 games. He is one assist away from his first 50-assist season in his career.

6. The refereeing missed the call on Slaf’s goal, but they also missed the call on the #20 of the Canadiens in the sequence involving the hit on Jakub Dobes.

How did Eeli Tolvanen and Slaf not get penalized for that?

7. The Canadiens lost in part because Brandon Montour looks like Jeff Skinner when he faces the Canadiens. In October, he scored three goals and got an assist.

And yesterday? Two goals, including in overtime, and two assists.

8. Not to mention, when Joel Armia is not there, it shows. In a game like that, having Armia instead of Michael Pezzetta would have helped. Pezz is invisible on the ice.

Let’s see if Armia’s absence will be long.

overtime

For the Canadiens, it’s a travel day. There is no practice scheduled and we can’t wait to see if Martin St-Louis will let his guys rest a bit tomorrow.

In any case, they will have to be ready for the Panthers on Saturday night. It’s a game the team can’t afford to lose.