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David Reinbacher : “a top-3 defender on a team”

Last week, David Reinbacher made his big return to the game after a few months of absence.

In his first game, he was obviously a bit rusty, but overall, he had two very good consecutive games. He didn’t play the second game in two nights over the weekend to get some rest.

His coach had already said that he was impressed, but today on BPM Sports, he reiterated his words. He even said that he could be a top-3 defender on an NHL team.

Vincent is impressed: he’s not in the highlights, but he has a good reading of the game and has a very good stick. Without making comparisons, Martin Lemay, mentioning Jaccob Slavin, reminded people what a defender with a good stick can do.

Confidence with the puck is an aspect that also surprised Vincent.

But obviously, the former fifth overall pick in the 2023 draft is not perfect, and according to his coach, his physical strength needs to be worked on. The Austrian is big and tall and needs to use his size even more. However, he is still young and has plenty of time to improve in this area.

On the Processus podcast, Simon Boisvert also noticed that the right-hander wasn’t himself and it was as if he was afraid to do what he does best. Snake and Mathias Brunet gave the example of Lane Hutson, who wasn’t afraid to be himself.

But we have to be patient with the defender. He’s still young and had a pretty tumultuous professional start in North America. This season won’t be lost, and the guys from Processus have even opened the door to him playing games with the big club as early as this season.

Maybe he’ll even have a chance to start the year in Montreal next season. Four months ago, it was a highly unlikely scenario…

In brief

— Obviously.

— John Tortorella didn’t want to get back on the plane with the Canadiens. [JdM]

— To listen.

— The Russians will be back soon?

— How much?

— Good.

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Éric Bélanger would take KK before Kirby Dach

Even though he had to come back from a serious injury and was given time to get back on track, we’ve reached a point where it’s normal to say that Kirby Dach is not having a great season.

He had a lot of difficulties at the beginning of the campaign and often looked lost on the ice.

Dach had a better period before getting hurt again (again)… But we can’t say he was excellent either.

The 24-year-old forward is not helping the Canadiens as much as he did in his first year in Montreal. Martin St-Louis has tried everything to get him going… But it never really worked.

And as part of the Hurricanes’ visit to the Bell Centre tonight, Martin Lemay had fun on the Retour des sportifs by asking his guests a “funny” question.

Kirby Dach… or Jesperi Kotkaniemi?

Eric Bélanger, who was one of the guests on Martin Lemay’s show, leans towards the second option:

I went with KK because I like what I see from KK right now. And that tells you how tough a season Kirby Dach is having. – Eric Bélanger

The player who has played over 800 games (820) in the NHL says he prefers to have a player who competes every night.

He backs up his argument by saying that KK is better than Dach at center and that KK has been more consistent on the ice lately, unlike the Canadiens player.

I agree with his comments.

But just by asking the question, we realize that the Kirby Dach trade never had the expected impact in Montreal.

We know that it’s been tough for KK since his arrival in Carolina… And yet, some people would still take Kotkaniemi over Dach, even though he hasn’t been able to establish himself as a real impact player in Carolina.

This says a lot. And it helps us understand that the Dach experience in Montreal is not working out as we had hoped when he arrived with the Canadiens.

It’s too bad.

In a nutshell

– Let’s go, Lane!

– Notice to interested parties:

– Let’s not!

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Two Quebec hopefuls who could be traded

There will be plenty of action in the NHL by next Friday.

The trade deadline is approaching (March 7) and we will see teams trying to improve for the NHL playoffs.

This is always an exciting period for the league’s fans!

No one can really predict what will happen around the league.

But right now, there are two Quebec hopefuls who are getting attention… because they could change addresses in the coming days.

In Dallas, the Stars seem ready to gear up for war.

And to get reinforcements for the playoffs, David Pagnotta believes the Stars could use Mavrik Bourque to add talent to their lineup.

TVA Sports also shared an article on the subject:

It’s ironic, but Hendrix Lapierre is in a similar situation to Bourque.

I say it’s ironic because the two were selected in the first round of the 2020 draft.

They have never been able to carve out a regular spot with their team and now their names are making waves.

But where we see that there are easy links to make between Bourque and Lapierre, it’s when we look at the overall NHL standings.

The Stars (3rd) and the Capitals (2nd) are among the best teams in the National League. And it’s normal to see that they want to do everything to win the Stanley Cup this year with the players getting older on their respective teams.

It may be the last chance for Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin in Dallas… While in Washington, the end of Alex Ovechkin’s and John Carlson’s careers is approaching.

This is why Lapierre’s name is getting attention in Washington:

Among the Quebec players who could be traded by March 7… We must not forget Mathieu Olivier in Columbus.

We know that the Blue Jackets want to keep him for obvious reasons.

But we also know that the main interested party has great value on the market and that his contract will end when the 2024-25 season is over.

This could perhaps encourage Don Waddell to send him elsewhere…

Rapid Fire

— Yes!

— To follow.

—

— News in the MLB:

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David Reinbacher could still play about forty games this season

David Reinbacher returned to the game last week.

He had to miss the first months of the season due to an injury that required surgery. 

But ultimately – even if it was a shame to see him seriously injured during training camp in Montreal -, not everything is lost in his case.

After all, Reinbacher is now healthy and in Laval, there are still many games to play.

The Rocket still has 22 games to play before the end of the calendar in the American League. And in the context where the Canadiens’ affiliate team is ranked 2nd in the overall standings of the American League, we can believe that the team has a chance to go a long way in the playoffs.

This would be ideal for Reinbacher: if he participates in the games until the end of the season and the Rocket goes all the way to the playoffs, the defender will have played at least 40 games this season.

Anthony Marcotte talked about it on the JiC show yesterday: 

Honestly, it would be the perfect scenario.

Reinbacher would be able to continue his development in ideal circumstances because young players learn a lot in the playoffs.

And we agree that if he wants to become one of the best defenders for the Canadiens one day, he must have the opportunity to play to develop.

At first, it’s clear that we all thought the same thing when we saw him fall in battle even before the season started.

“Not serious”…

But now, at least, he seems to have avoided the worst… And even if he had to miss a long period, knowing that he could still play about 40 games this season is really good news.

It’s clear that we’re happy on the organization’s side. 

In a hurry

— Nice. 

— It happens.

— Okay.

— That’s it! 

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Erik Karlsson : “If Dubas could, he would trade him in the blink of an eye”

Erik Karlsson is in his second season with the Penguins.

How is it going?

Let’s say he, uh… In fact, let’s say we expected more from him in Pittsburgh when Kyle Dubas went to get him from San Jose.

Karlsson – who came out of a 101-point season with the Sharks – collected 56 points in his first year with the Penguins.

We can agree that this is more than respectable production for a defenseman… but still: after seeing him be so good with the Sharks, we thought he would have a huge impact in Pittsburgh.

But the Penguins are not equipped to stay up late and now, we start to hear rumors about Karlsson.

At this level, Josh Yohe (The Athletic) claims that Dubas would not hesitate to trade him… Not even two years after acquiring him:

If Dubas could, he would trade him in the blink of an eye. – Josh Yohe

The time might be well chosen.

After all, the Penguins are going nowhere right now and Karlsson still has two years left on his contract after the current season.

The Pens have the upper hand, moreover: they are able to keep part of Karlsson’s salary (11.5M$ per season) to facilitate a transaction.

Again, the Pens won’t be good for the next few years and that’s why keeping part of Karlsson’s salary wouldn’t be a huge problem.

I wonder, however, what the principal’s value looks like.

Karlsson will be 35 in May and he is still capable of helping a team offensively. He’s still producing at a 55-point pace this season…

Seeing Erik Karlsson being traded so quickly would still be special.

But apparently, the possibility is on the table.

If a team calls and offers a good price to Kyle Dubas, I really have the impression that we could see Karlsson join a new team soon… And if that happens, it will be interesting to see what the plan is for the rest with Sidney Crosby.

In rapid fire

– Good point.

– He has a sense of humor.

– Well done.

– The Trent Frederic case is holding attention in Boston.

– Good news.

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Filip Mesar still injured: The Rocket announces an absence that can go up to 6 weeks

Filip Mesar is not having a big season.

He has only been able to play 25 games due to injuries and he was not exceptional when he played.

Now, we learn that he is still injured…

The Rocket announced that the forward will be out for a period that could be up to six weeks.

That’s a lot, especially in the context where he missed eight weeks of activity at the start of the season.

Let’s say he hasn’t really had the opportunity to develop since the start of the campaign…

But now, with this news, we have to ask ourselves a question.

Is Mesar a guy who is prone to injuries? We know he’s not the biggest at 5 feet 10 inches. We know the American League is a very physical league… And now, in his first full season as a pro, he can’t stay healthy.

But it goes even further than that: in his first year in junior, Mesar only played 54 games (out of 68). In his second season in Kitchener, he participated in only 45 Rangers games…

Ultimately, things haven’t been going as planned since he was selected by the Canadiens in the first round.

He didn’t meet expectations in junior, he’s having a miserable season in the American League because he doesn’t have the physicality to compete with players who have a larger build, and it’s his development that’s suffering right now.

That being said, it will be three years in June since he was drafted by the Canadiens. Is it too early to talk about a “flop”? Maybe… But let’s say that for now, there’s not much encouraging in his case.

Extension

Note that the Rocket also announced that Noel Hoefenmayer will be out for four to six weeks.

This is a tough blow for Pascal Vincent because the defender has an important role in the team.

At least, Reinbacher is already back in the game!

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Nick Suzuki : Kent Hughes did not tell players that the club was a seller

At the Canadian’s early-season golf tournament, Nick Suzuki publicly stated that he no longer wanted to see the CH trade established players in exchange for draft picks. The message was clear.

But you know as well as I do that it’s on the ice that the guys had to deliver the message. And even if Suzuki is excellent (again) this year, the club hasn’t dominated long enough to silence trade rumors.

Ten days before the deadline, the CH is in a position where selling rental players is a logical avenue.

(Credit: NHL.com)

If we go back to Suzuki, it’s clear that it can’t please him to see his teammates in trade rumors. After all, he wants to win as soon as possible.

Suzuki will therefore be in “convince the GM not to sell” mode in the coming days.

After today’s practice, he said he hadn’t received a memo saying the club would sell by March 7. Result? Until then, he’ll play with the intention of convincing Kent Hughes not to do so.

That’s his mentality… and the club’s. After all, he spoke in the “we” when saying that.

Obviously, it may be too late and maybe Hughes isn’t saying everything. But that’s not the captain’s problem, who must do everything to keep his club motivated.

Suzuki doesn’t have the power to make trades. Each has their own role.

Players must have the knife between their teeth. But on the other hand, Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton must keep in mind that if guys leave, it will demoralize the club.

This should be part of the discussion.

in rafale

– Note.

– What will he do?

– Well done.

– A page turns.

– To follow.

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Pierre LeBrun adds about Evans: “For now, everything indicates that he will be traded”

It’s been a while since Jake Evans’ name has been popular all around the league.

And with the trade deadline approaching, there’s been a lot of talk about the center player lately.

That being said, Pierre LeBrun has provided new information on his file in Montreal.

If you love Evans and want to see him stay in town, you probably won’t like the following sentence.

Because the Canadiens and Evans are still (very) far from an agreement, Pierre LeBrun (TSN) firmly believes his days in Montreal are numbered.

For now, everything indicates that he will be traded.

And I also know that the Canadiens have spoken to teams in the past few days. – Pierre LeBrun

This is consistent with the information from Marco D’Amico.

But the fact that the Canadiens are not really close to agreeing with their center player is also significant.

The trade deadline is on March 7 (next Friday).

Time is running out…

Pierre LeBrun mentioned that there is a chance to see Evans agree with the Canadiens by then. But the chances seem slim, and that’s what leads him to think Evans will be traded soon.

Note that the informant also spoke about the idea of seeing the Canadiens trade Evans with Joel Armia in order to get an even bigger return.

Because LeBrun wanted to remind everyone: teams will waste their time if they think they can get Evans for a low price.

The informant also mentioned that the Canadiens could decide to keep him if no one offers a 2nd round pick (at best)… Even if there is a risk of losing him for free next summer.

Inrapidfire

– Tough blow for the Wild.

– I love it.

– Note:

– Absolutely!

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J.T. Miller : the Avalanche thought he was going to say yes to Colorado

Right now, the topic of the hour is the Mikko Rantanen case.

He’s not making headlines for the right reasons (his contract and physical shape are at the heart of the story) and I’m wondering more and more if he won’t be playing for four clubs in 2025.

He couldn’t have expected that just two months ago.

In connection with all this, we have to wonder what the Avalanche wants to achieve. After all, Martin Necas is a good hockey player, but is he the only player the Colorado management was targeting to replace Rantanen?

The answer is no.

According to what Renaud Lavoie reports on the airwaves of BPM Sports, the Avalanche really thought that J.T. Miller was going to agree to lift his no-movement clause to go to Denver.

The journalist even uses the term “convinced” to talk about the case.

Be careful: that doesn’t necessarily mean Miller didn’t want to play in Colorado. What it means is that he preferred to lift his no-movement clause for the Rangers.

We don’t know if he let the Colorado management believe he would go there. That can change everything, but we don’t know.

extension

We can think that the fact that he was drafted in New York, the fact that he’s an East Coast guy, and the fact that he’s friends with Vincent Trocheck are elements that made him choose the Rangers.

If you want my opinion, I think the Avalanche is an attractive destination and the team can go after a guy who doesn’t want to create trouble with all his teammates… but that’s just my opinion.

 

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That being said, I’m looking forward to seeing what the Avalanche will do by March 7. According to Cap Wages, the team has $4.7 million in cap space before the trade deadline, which gives them a bit of room to maneuver.

The story is therefore worth following.

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Owen Beck will play with Patrik Laine and Alex Newhook

Here, seeing that Owen Beck was present at practice, we suspected that the Canadians had called him up to play. A young man like that, you don’t bring him to stay in the stands.

Quickly, we understood that due to Kirby Dach’s lower-body injury (to the knee?), Beck would be useful in Martin St-Louis’ lineup against the Hurricanes.

Reminder: Dach will not play tonight. But at least, he doesn’t have crutches to move around.

What we were wondering, however, was where Beck would play. After all, Emil Heineman’s return to health means that the Canadians are regaining the Joel Armia – Jake Evans – Emil Heineman trio that was working.

No need to break it.

And that’s what will happen: he will play with Patrik Laine and Alex Newhook tonight.

I don’t necessarily expect Beck’s trio to be used as a “real” second-line trio. I expect Evans’ trio to take a bit more.

Especially since the Toronto center is in the shop window.

But logically, if we trust the guys, we can say that Beck will play in the top-6 tonight. It will be an opportunity for him, regardless of the number of shifts he will have, to play with a guy who can put it in, like Laine.

Will Beck come out strong? To be seen.

in quick succession

– Tough blow for the Wild.

– Brad Marchand wants to stay in Boston.

– What do you think?