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Julian Gaudio
JulianGaudio@THNew
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Julian Gaudio is a reporter for the Vegas Golden Knights, Seattle Kraken and Winnipeg Jets team sites with The Hockey News. You can follow him on Twitter @JulianGaudio89.
Joined at May 13, 2024Activity
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Demidov Faces Criticism
Montreal Canadiens's prospect, Ivan Demidov, played in his
first KHL playoff game on Thursday, and as expected, he was used sporadically
as the 13th forward. The expectation came not from his performances in the
regular season but rather from coach Roman Rotenberd's announcement that he
would be used as such.
Three Takeaways From The Canadiens' Deserved Loss In CarolinaCanadiens: Is Xhekaj Facing The Axe?Exclusive Interview With Jayden Struble On His Game, His Teammates And The Upcoming Lineup Change
Demidov knew going in that he wouldn’t see much action. For
a 19-year-old who has been the most productive player on his team during the
season in less-than-ideal conditions, seeing reduced ice time regularly was
undoubtedly disheartening.
Not once during the season did he complain about his ice
time, or anything else for that matter, but with the stakes being higher in the
playoffs, the young man showed a crack in his armor.
A video of a rink-side interview before the first game is making
the rounds on social media, and to say Demidov was a hard interview would be an
understatement. You can judge for yourself here:
It’s natural for a player to be upset in his situation, but
the reporter has a job to do and isn’t responsible for his hardship. I can
imagine how she felt, but good for her for getting through it professionally.
As for Demidov, he’s learning to be a professional hockey
player, and that’s part of it. A career rarely is smooth sailing all the way
through; there will be ups and downs, and there will also be media scrutiny,
especially in a market like Montreal. Hopefully, he will learn from the
experience, and it’s not a bad thing that happened before he hit the NHL. There’s
no doubt in my mind that the Canadiens’ communications department has seen the
footage and that he will be trained accordingly.
From SKA St. Petersburg’s practice yesterday, it looked like
the youngster will be starting today’s game on the top line alongside Evgeny
Kuznetsov and Zakhar Bardakov. It will be his chance to prove he should have
played more in game 1.
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Canadiens: Update On Ivan Demidov and Oliver Kapanen
Montreal Canadiens prospects Ivan Demidov and Oliver Kapanen
were in action on the other side of the pond. The former registered a point in
SKA St. Petersburg’s first win of the KHL playoffs, while the latter was blanked
like the rest of his team Timra, who lost 1-0 to Frolunda in the SHL playoffs.
Canadiens: The Final Showdown With The PanthersCanadiens: The Gallaghers Are Doing A Fund RaiserCanadiens: The Jacob Fowler Watch Is On
With that loss, Timra is now out of the playoffs, meaning
Kapanen’s season in Europe is over. In his post-trade deadline presser, GM Kent
Hughes said that Kapanen would be coming over to land a hand to the Rocket once
his team would be out of the playoffs, so expect that to happen in short order.
Meanwhile, SKA’s 5-3 win wasn’t exactly convincing. Roman
Rotenberg’s team had a 3-1 lead, but Dynamo Moscow managed to claw its way back
into the game and tie the score at 3-3. There were just six minutes left in the
game when SKA scored the game-winning goal, and they added an empty netter with
less than two minutes to go in the match.
Even though Demidov got an assist on the game’s first goal,
he only saw 9:37 of action. His line, the first at the start of the tilt, became
the third line as the game continued. The youngster hardly touched the ice once
Dynamo tied and SKA took a five-minute penalty.
It will be interesting to see how Rotenberg uses
his players for the fourth game. Now down 2-1 in the series, St. Petersburg
could tie it up with a win in their second home game, which is scheduled for
Friday.
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Report: Fowler To Sign Amateur Tryout Contract And Join Laval Rocket
We’ve discussed Montreal Canadiens prospect Jacob Fowler at length this week. We saw his teammates Ryan Leonard and Gabriel Perreault sign their entry-level contracts with the Washington Capitals and the New York Rangers, respectively. He attended both of their debuts, as any supportive teammate would do.
Canadiens: Getting Ready For The Old EnemyCanadiens: Kapanen To The RescueGuhle’s Return Has Been Impressive
Canadiens fans wondered when his debut would come, and there were some rumblings that he was considering heading back to Boston College next season to attempt to win them the elusive championship. Others believed there was a discussion between the Fowler clan and the Canadiens about the best course of action, with the Habs wanting the player to sign an ELC starting next season and an ATO to allow him to join the Laval Rocket in their pursuit of the Calder Cup.
Last night, the content director and director of film scouting with Elite Prospect Cam Robinson reported that, contrary to his previous statement, it now seemed highly likely Fowler would be signing an ATO and joining the Laval Rocket when they return from their current road trip. He, however, insisted that earlier this week, the netminder was still debating what the best course of action was.
As for TSN Insider Pierre Lebrun, he posted yesterday that there was no reason for Habs fans to panic and that he expected Fowler to join the Rocket once they return from their road trip out west. Pascal Vincent’s team has played its last two games against the Manitoba Moose and faces the Abbotsford Canucks in a back-to-back this weekend. Then, the club will head east to take on the Rochester Americans on Friday the 11th.
Logic dictates that we should have developments on Fowler soon and that he should join the team to practice and get acclimated to his surroundings in Laval during the club’s four days off. From a development standpoint, it makes sense for him to graduate to the AHL before he’s thrown into NHL action.
The goaltender position is a tricky one, and it takes time for the best in the profession to hone their craft. Furthermore, the NCAA and the professional ranks are two entirely different animals. This season, with the Canadiens in the middle of a playoffs race, he will see much more action in Laval, and who knows, he might lead the team to the Calder Cup. Does that remind you of another goaltender, Habs fans?
Carey Price joined the Canadiens' AHL affiliate Hamilton Bulldogs at the end of his last junior season and only had time to play two regular-season games with the then Hamilton Bulldogs. However, he played 22 games in the playoffs and led the team to the championship, winning the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy, which was awarded to the AHL playoffs MVP in the process. That was the start of quite a career. I’m sure Fowler wouldn’t mind that experience.
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Three Takeaways From The Canadiens' Deserved Loss In Carolina
For the first time since the end of January, Kaiden Guhle was on the ice for the Montreal Canadiens on Friday night as they tried to end their four-game losing streak against the Carolina Hurricanes. Before the game, the blueliner was interviewed by Marc Denis on RDS and explained he thought the Habs needed to focus on defense considering how many goals they had given of late, adding they knew they could score goals since they have talented players…
Demidov and SKA St. Petersburg Lose First Playoff GameThe Canadiens Will Have Another Wedding To Attend SoonMichael Hage Has His Sights On a Big Sophomore Season
About The Lineup
With Guhle ready to return, Martin St-Louis elected to dress seven defensemen and 11 forwards, meaning Joshua Roy lost his place in the lineup. While Roy hasn’t been breathtaking since being called up, he can at least shoot the puck, which is more than can be said of a diminished Joel Armia, who has been struggling with a wrist injury.
Roy had two goals in the last four games but was minus-one in the previous two contests. Still, it’s a questionable decision to me. As willing as Armia is, if he cannot take a shot, he cannot help the team.
Lane Hutson Should Have More Room To Move on the Power PlayExclusive Interview With Jayden Struble On His Game, His Teammates And The Upcoming Lineup Change
Furthermore, that formation makes it rather hard to manage everyone’s ice time and the pairings on the blueline. Given Guhle's long absence, it was understandable to use seven blueliners.
There Needs To Be A Balance
While Guhle was right in saying the defense needed to improve, you cannot forget about the offense. Just like scoring without defending won’t win you any games, defending without scoring will have the same result.
Montreal came out strong out of the gate and scored just 23 seconds in, but Carolina tied up the score 18 seconds later, taking the wind out of the Canadiens’ sails. It was a lucky goal, which is a shame considering how well Samuel Montembeault handled himself for the rest of the period, but there comes a time when you must make the big saves, the game-changer to give your team wings. That goal on the Canes’ first shot was a gut punch.
To make matters worse, the first line struggled against Rod Brind ' Amour’s team, with the top line accounting for a single shot in two periods. As reported in our pregame article, this has always been a tough matchup for the Habs’ top dogs. Cole Caufield didn't take a single shot on goal, while Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky had one a piece.
The Canadiens had four shots on goal in the first frame and three in the second to make it seven over the first two periods, their lowest total of the season after 40 minutes. They managed just eight three times this season and nine once. Montreal finished the game with 15 shots, nowhere near enough at any time in the season, but especially now that it's crunch time.
A Mistake Xhekaj Cannot Afford
With seven defensemen dressed, Arber Xhekaj looked to be feeling the pressure of a possible scratch. He was directly responsible for the odd-man rush on the Hurricanes' third goal. He took himself right out of the play by trying to land a big hit at the blue line, forgetting his defensive coverage and leaving Sebastian Aho free to score an insurance marker.
Xhekaj’s gritty play can be an ace up St-Louis’ sleeve, but only when he plays smart. The rearguard had been making better reads this season, but not on this rare Friday night game. In the end, he only spent 3:52 on the ice, including a single shift in the final frame that lasted four seconds. That was a 12th consecutive loss in Carolina for the Canadiens who haven't won in Raleigh since 2016.
The Canadiens lost a fifth consecutive game, this time 4-1, and with the Columbus Blue Jackets beating the Vancouver Canucks, the Habs are now outside of the playoffs picture looking in. At least, the blame lays squarely at their door. While Montreal has a day off on Saturday, the New York Islanders, who have a game in hand, will be taking on the Tampa Bay Lightning and with a win, they would leapfrog both the Habs and the Jackets to land the second wild card spot. Columbus could get it back with a win against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night however.
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Big Goal For Demidov In Another SKA St. Petersburg Loss
On Saturday, Montreal Canadiens prospect Ivan Demidov and his
SKA St. Petersburg teammates were taking on the Dynamo Moscow in the second
game of their best-of-seven first-round series. SKA had lost the first duel 3-1,
with the youngster skating as their 13th forward and seeing very
little action.
Getting Close To The Playoffs Isn’t a Guarantee Year to YearDemidov Faces CriticismCanadiens: Aiming To Stop A Five-Game Losing Streak Against Florida
For the second game, coach Roman Rotenberg dramatically
changed his approach. He promoted the Habs prospect to his team’s first line
alongside former Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes forward Evgeny
Kuznetsov, and former New Jersey Devils seventh-round pick Zakhar Bardakov.
Demidov wasted no time showing his coach what he deprived
his team of in the first tilt by scoring the game's first goal halfway through
the first period. Unfortunately for SKA, it would turn out to be their only lamplighter.
Rotenberg’s men put up a good fight, pushing the game to overtime,
but former NHLer Nikita Gusev gave Moscow the 2-1 win after a little over 10
minutes of extra time. SKA now heads back home down 0-2 and finds itself in dire
need of a win when the battle resumes on Monday.
Of the nearly 71 minutes the game lasted, Demidov spent
17:36 on the ice, including 2:50 in overtime with the game on the line. He
finished his workday with a goal and five shots (the most amongst SKA players).
It was the right winger’s best performance in the last month, which should allow him
to keep his top-line spot for the next duel.
With his back nearly against the wall, Rotenberg will be
obligated to use the right winger to his full potential, refusing to sign an
extension of not. The time to try and pressure the kid into signing is long
gone, and the goal must now be to win at all costs, which should always have
been the case.
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3 Takeaways And A New Nickname
The Montreal Canadiens came to play at the Bell Centre on April Fools ’ Day. The visiting Florida Panthers looked anything but the Stanley Cup Champions in the first period, and the Habs set the tone early. Even though the Cats had already lost three times to Montreal this season, they looked like they weren’t expecting what hit them…until the start of the second frame, that is.
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There’s No Fear In Hutson
Lane Hutson got his 55th assist of the season in the first frame, equaling Chris Chelios for the most assists by a rookie defenseman with the Tricolore, a mark set in 1984-85. That was also his 60th point of the season, and he became only the 10th rookie defenseman in NHL history to achieve the feat. However, he wasn’t done for the night, as he added another two assists to his name to finish the night with 57. He now needs three more assists to tie Larry Murphy’s league record for most assists by a rookie defenseman.
As weird as it seems to say, we’ve come to expect this from the rookie blueliner now, but the play that impressed me the most was seeing the 162-pound player skate in the corner to retrieve the puck knowing full well that 209-pound AJ Greer was coming at full speed to crush him into the boards.
Not so long ago, we saw Ottawa Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot back away from a puck when he saw Josh Anderson closing in on him. Chabot isn’t 162 pounds; he’s 203 pounds and a 28-year-old veteran. The Canadiens’ 20-year-old rearguard knows no fear.
A Big Second Period For Montembeault
There have been games where Samuel Montembeault has looked exhausted lately, but not in that one. The netminder made several big saves in the second stanza to keep Montreal in the game.
In fact, after 40 minutes, he had surrendered two goals, but neither of them came from the Panthers’ sticks; they were both deflected, the first by Jake Evans and the second by Kaiden Guhle. From five shots in the first, Florida went to 13 in the second, while the Canadiens could only muster seven, spending much of their time stuck in their own zone.
Montembeault got another nine shots in the final frame but held the fort and ultimately gave his team a chance to win, which they did.
The Terminator?
It’s hard not to be impressed by Nick Suzuki’s game. He added another two points to his name tonight to set a new career high with 79, but what’s even more impressive is the knack he has for being in the right place at the right time.
No one will say otherwise about the equalizing goal, which came from a lucky bounce. Martin St-Louis, however, mentioned that he had the presence of mind to hang by the back post there. Perhaps, like one of the greatest players to ever play the game, he knows where the puck will be, not just where it is.
When the coach was asked which qualities make his captain the player that he is, he replied:
Oh, he’s got an elite computer, you know. His software is high-end, obviously, and he’s got all the tools to do what his brain tells him to do, you know, so he’s very connected that way. Tonight I felt you saw that on many occasions. I think he’s a proud guy, and he wants to lead this team, and he’s doing that.
That’s an accurate description from the coach, and perhaps we should start calling Suzuki the Terminator, considering how he ended the game tonight.
With this 3-2 overtime win, the Canadiens remain in the second wild card spot, even though the Columbus Blue Jackets signed an 8-4 victory over the Nashville Predators tonight. Montreal has a two-point lead over the Ohio outfit, but the Jackets do have a game in hand. As for the New York Islanders, they lost in regulation and find themselves trailing the Canadiens by five points. The New York Rangers were inactive and remain two points behind the Habs, while the Detroit Red Wings trail them by four points.
According to Moneypuck, the Canadiens now have a 50.1% chance of making the Spring dance, they have the Rangers at 26.2%, the Blue Jackets at 18.8%, the Red Wings at 3.7% and the Islanders at 2.9%.
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Canadiens: Is Xhekaj Facing The Axe?
With Kaiden Guhle ready to return to action on Friday night, Martin St-Louis decided to ice seven defensemen. The fact that Guhle had been inactive for two months must have played a part in the decision, but the fact that it would have been hard to decide which one to scratch could have as well. Asked about him after the game, the coach said:
Yeah, he got on the highway on the left lane…I liked his presence; that’s what I was expecting.
As for what pushed St-Louis to use a seven-defenseman lineup, he simply said “a bit of everything.” Make of that what you will.
On Sunday, the Montreal Canadiens will face the Florida Panthers and considering Guhle pretty much hit the ground running, it would be surprising to see St-Louis stick to an 11-7 formation. Which defenseman should make way for a forward?
Considering how little Arber Xhekaj played on Friday night, he instantly becomes the prime candidate. While some will say his deficient read on the Carolina Hurricanes’ third goal explains his reduced ice time, the fact remains that this goal happened at 16:10 in the second frame, and much of the game had already been played. Of course, the goal led to him only seeing one more shift in the game (four seconds in the final frame), but even without it, he would have been last in ice time.
While I believe Xhekaj's physicality offers a significant upside, the Canadiens are in must-win mode, and the game plan must be well executed, including making appropriate reads and risk assessments.
Yes, Mike Matheson makes his share of mistakes, but his offensive contribution makes up for them, and the same can be said for Lane Hutson. Even with some defensive mistakes, he is too important to the Canadiens to sit and shouldn't even be mentioned in this discussion.
David Savard has lost a step this season, and while Kaiden Guhle is just as efficient at blocking shots, the veteran is a big part of the penalty kill. Xhekaj has been used on that unit at times, but since his performance on Friday night was far from comforting, I struggle to see how St-Louis could give him more responsibilities.
Alexandre Carrier plays safely and predictably, something a coach values, so he should also be safe, which leaves us with Jayden Struble. While Xhekaj saw the least time on ice on Friday, Struble spent over 14 minutes on the ice (five more than Savard), blocked a shot, and landed four hits. He has also formed a very good pairing with Hutson of late. Scratching him wouldn’t be fair or very good for the team culture. Ice time has to be earned, and he has earned it.
For all these reasons, I wouldn’t be surprised if Xhekaj came out of the lineup to face the Cats, even if they do have some players who like to step over the line sometimes. Although, it could be an idea to put him on the wing of the fourth line, give Joel Armia a break and bring back Joshua Roy. It would be a more conservation 12-6 lineup, and everyone could shoot.
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Canadiens: Kent Hughes Is Thinking Long Term
While some Montreal Canadiens fans are getting worried that
blue-chip goaltending prospect Jacob Fowler hasn’t signed his entry-level
contract yet, I think it’s perfect sense that there’s a bit of a chess match
going on.
3 Takeaways And A New NicknameLane Hutson Wins Rookie of the Month HonorsThe Fowler Wait is the Hardest Part
Kent Hughes is at the helm of a rebuilding team. Its
competitive window hasn’t opened yet, so it’s simply his job to try and get his
players for less money for as long as possible. This is the GM who managed to
convince Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky to sign for less money than Nick
Suzuki, even though the captain had signed a year and two years before them.
Hughes said he wanted to build a perennial contender when he
was hired. That’s the mindset you need to transition from a rebuilding team to
a contending team. Drafting great assets is part of it, but getting them to
stick around for a long time and being able to afford them is also essential.
On the other hand, Fowler's desire to burn a year of his ELC
is also perfectly normal. Since most kids out of the NCAA want that, who can
blame them? More money, sooner—it’s just human nature.
I wouldn’t put it past Hughes to talk him into signing an
ELC starting next year, though. I mean, he did manage to talk Jake Evans out of
testing the market when all signs pointed to more money elsewhere.
As long as the GM doesn’t push too hard and damage the
relationship with the Fowler clan, there’s no harm done, and negotiating is how
Hughes made his living and became one of the most respected agents in the
business. I don’t think the Canadiens fans have anything to worry about.
It’s unsurprising that Ryan Leonard signed immediately with
the Washington Capitals. They are at the exact opposite end of the spectrum
right now. They’re contending right now and want to win while they still have
Alexander Ovechkin. Nobody can blame them. Learning from the Great Eight will undoubtedly
be beneficial for the youngster.
It’s a long off-season; there’s no need to panic yet. Even
if Fowler decided to head back to Boston College and try to win them a
championship, the Canadiens would still have his rights until August 15, 2027.
Of course, jumping to the professionals would probably be more beneficial for
his development, but it wouldn’t be an unmitigated disaster.
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Canadiens: The Jacob Fowler Watch Is On
It’s probably not how Jacob Fowler and his Boston College teammates envisaged things would go down. Last season, they had fallen at the last hurdle, the final of the Frozen Four, and they wanted to go all the way this time, but they couldn’t. After winning their first-round matchup by the skin of their teeth against the Bentley Falcons, they faced the defending champions, the Denver Pioneers, in the second round. For the second year in a row, Denver sent Boston packing. The Pioneers won 3-1 this time, with the third goal scored in an empty net.
Three Takeaways From The Canadiens' Excellent Display On SundayBig Goal For Demidov In Another SKA St. Petersburg LossMIchael Hage Has His Sights On a Big Sophomore Season
For the Montreal Canadiens, it’s time to negotiate with Jacob Fowler. After a dominating sophomore performance, chances are the young man is ready to turn pro—he has even said he wants to. In 35 games, the netminder kept a 25-7-2 record, posted seven shutouts, and had a 1.63 goals-against average and a .940 save percentage. Those numbers speak for themselves, and it’s time to take the next step.
Of course, after seeing his Frozen Four dream collapse, the young man may need some time to grieve, but GM Kent Hughes will undoubtedly contact him soon. Mind you, Cole Caufield’s Wisconsin Badgers were eliminated on March 26, 2021, and on March 27, he signed his entry-level contract.
The question is, however, whether he will sign an ELC that starts this season and get a taste of NHL burning a year of his first pro contract and being ineligible to play for the Laval Rocket in the playoffs? Or will he put pen to paper on a contract that starts next season and includes an amateur contract with the Rocket for the remainder of this year to help them in their quest for the Calder Cup?
Players normally prefer to burn a year of their ELC, which makes them eligible for a standard contract a year earlier, but right now, with the Canadiens in the thick of the playoffs race, will Hughes want to bring a rookie goaltender into the fold?
While Jakub Dobes had a fantastic start to his NHL career, he has struggled recently, and Martin St-Louis only seems to have eyes for Samuel Montembeault. Fowler could always sign and not see any action, but that may not be very pleasant to the young man. Or are the Canadiens so adamant that he is ready that they’d be willing to get him in there with high stakes and the pressure being on? Hughes won't be the only one chasing a Boston College Eagle, Washington Capitals GM Chris Patrick will be getting in touch with Fowler's teammate Ryan Leonard.
Plenty of questions and a fascinating situation to keep tabs on this week, on top of the race to the Spring dance…
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Demidov and SKA St. Petersburg Lose First Playoff Game
Montreal Canadiens’ prospect Ivan Demidov and his KHL team, SKA St. Petersburg, were kicking off their chase for the Gagarin Cup yesterday, and to say it was a disappointing start would be an understatement.
In Hainsight: Coaching Has ChangedTaking On The HurricanesFive Takeaways From The Canadiens Loss To The Flyers
As reported, Demidov started the game as SKA’s thirteenth forward, and while Roman Roterberg had said he would play, he rode the pine for the entirety of the first frame. After 20 minutes, SKA was losing 2-1 to Dynamo Moscow.
The right winger then saw 3:30 of action in the second frame and a further 4:16 in the final one, including a two-minute shift at six on five when St. Petersburg was desperate to find a goal, losing 3-1. It was too little too late, however, and the score remained the same.
Demidov ended his work night with 7:46 ice time, two shots on goal, two hits, and a blocked shot. Will Rotenberg decide to change the lineup after that less-than-ideal result? We’ll see when the two teams face off again on Saturday.
Two former Canadiens are skating for the Dynamo in that series. One is Jordan Weal, who spent three seasons in the Habs’ organization, registering 25 points in 65 games in the NHL and 24 in 34 games with the Laval Rocket in the AHL. The center got a pair of helpers in the 3-1 win, while the other, Cedric Paquette, also grabbed an assist.
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In Hainsight: Coaching Has Changed
Hours before the Philadelphia Flyers were set to take on the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night, the organization announced that coach John Tortorella had been relieved of his duties.
The move shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone. After the last Flyers’ game, he was quoted as saying:
I’m not really interested in learning how to coach in this
type of season.
Canadiens: An Opportunity To Bounce BackSam Montembeault Must Be BetterNo Room For Ivan Demidov
If that’s not walking straight on the plank to be pushed at sea, I don’t know what is. His stay in Philadelphia lasted less than three complete seasons. In 237 games, he had a 97-107-33 record with the Flyers, his second-shortest stint in the NHL; he only stayed in Vancouver for a single season.
While Tortorella was a very effective coach in the past, his style doesn’t really fit in today’s NHL. The days of the tough coaches are long gone in the NHL. Martin St-Louis often tells the media that a significant part of his job is selling his teachings to the players.
Once upon a time, hockey players were like robots and would do as the coach ordered them. Athletes want to understand why they must do or act a certain way. Juraj Slafkovsky didn’t start playing a more physical game because he was told to do so. It was explained to him why the organization needed him to play that way to become the best player he could be.
Don’t get me wrong—the man once was a great coach. He’s ninth in all-time wins among NHL coaches with 770 wins (12 short of Al Arbour in eighth place). He won the Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004 and captured the Jack Adams Trophy in 2017 with the Columbus Blue Jackets and in 2004 with the Bolts. The Canadiens coach has repeatedly said he has learned a lot from his former coach, but it’s obvious to anyone watching him interact with his team that he didn’t take all the leaves out of Tortorella’s book
The game has evolved, and the coaching has as well. St. Louis is a perfect example of it, and Tortorella is part of a near-extinct species. It will be interesting to see if another team is willing to take a gamble on the 66-year-old bench-boss.
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Canadiens: The Gallaghers Are Doing A Fund Raiser
We reported last month that Montreal Canadiens alternate
captain Brendan Gallagher had lost his mother, Della Gallagher, to brain
cancer. Yesterday, the right winger took to social media to announce his sister
Bree would be running the Vancouver Marathon on May 4 to honour her mother.
Canadiens: The Final Showdown With The PanthersMikkola’s Fine was EarnedCanadiens: The Jacob Fowler Watch Is On
The Gallagher family has started a GoFundMe page to raise
funds for cancer research and, more specifically, to the USC Brain Tumor
Center. During her fight with cancer, Della was taken to the University of
South California Keck Medical Center, where she was lucky enough to benefit
from revolutionary medical interventions.
Thanks to her doctors’ tireless efforts, she was able to live
for three and a half years with the illness, far longer than the average life
expectancy after receiving a glioblastoma diagnosis, which stands at 14,6
months.
Thanks to the care received, the mother was still around to
see Gallagher get married to Emma Fortin last Summer and meet her granddaughter,
Everly Mona Della Gallagher, before she lost the hardest battle of her life.
The Gallagher family hopes to raise $40,000 for research,
and their GoFundMe page has raised just under $15,000 so far. It’s a worthy
cause to donate to, especially if you’ve been affected by cancer or lost a
loved one to it.
As for Gallagher, he’s having a real bounce-back season with
the Canadiens. He currently has 18 goals and 15 assists in his name, and with
nine games to go, he could reach the 20-goal total before the end of the season.
He has not reached that mark since the 2019-20 season when he scored 22 goals.
While Gallagher only has two more points than his total of last
season, he’s only been assessed 35 penalty minutes this year compared to 74
minutes last year. There’s no denying the Canadiens’ biggest warrior has looked
at peace with his role this season and showed no sign of frustration while
still being a leader and an inspiration to his teammates.
As things stand, Gallagher has 236 goals and is 22 goals
away from making his way to the top 10 goal scorers in Canadiens history. Mario
Tremblay is currently the franchise’s 10th best scorer with 258
tallies, and with two years left in his contract, he could get there.
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The Fowler Wait is the Hardest Part
Jacob Fowler hasn't signed with the Montreal Canadiens so maybe it has to do with burning that year of the ELC. Guess what, that's what you do when you sign a potential NHL star who plays college. That's the deal and if the Canadiens don't do that, he will stall. This is expected.
Fowler has his NHL dream and he should get at least one game and then he should go to Laval for the playoffs. He has great ability but he is 20. He is mature and plays like an older goalie but this isn't the time to throw him into the soup. I'm sure that's part of this conversation they must be having as well.
Fowler needs to play at least half a season in the AHL next year to make sure he is up to the task. Most need much more time to develop. There's a reason there aren't a lot of very young goalies in the NHL. There is a path to development that most teams follow especially with goalies because it's a hard position mentally.
The Canadiens don't have any bargaining power here. Fowler could go back and then watch Montreal sweat after that. I don't think that's going to happen but the longer this goes the more it makes you think about it.
Burn the first year of ELC. Give him all top bonuses. Give him a game and move on. He is your future. Trying to reinvent the wheel here can create bad feelings between the player and the organization and that's the last thing you want to do.
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The Canadiens Will Have Another Wedding To Attend Soon
Last Summer, the Montreal Canadiens got married in droves.
Brendan Gallagher and Emma Fortin tied the knot in town, Jake Evans and Emily
Flat did it in Ireland, and Josh Anderson and Paola Finizio got married in
Puglia, Italy.
Lane Hutson Should Have More Room To Move on the Power PlayDemidov and SKA St. Petersburg Lose First Playoff GameLane Hutson Hit 50 Assists And Keeps Chasing History
Meanwhile, in April, Nick Suzuki proposed to Caitlin
Fitzgerald in the Dominican Republic, and in August, Patrik Laine got engaged
to Jordan Leigh. Samuel Montembeault proposed to long-time girlfriend Daryanne
Ayotte in September. So far, no dates have been announced for those nuptials,
but the preparations for the Montembeault-Ayotte nuptials are underway.
New mum Fortin took to Instagram today and shared what
appears to be a “bridesmaid proposal” from Ayotte. She took a picture of the
box received, which featured a picture of the two women at the Canadiens’
casino night, a candle, and beauty products.
While the players are all focused on their fight to the
playoffs, it’s nice to see that team spirit is also running high amongst wives
and girlfriends. The ladies may not set foot on the ice, but it’s a positive
when they’re getting along. Who doesn’t remember the famous Mrs. Karlsson vs.
Mrs. Hoffman saga that interfered with the Ottawa Senators’ dressing room?
The Canadiens will face the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday
night and must win if they want to remain in the playoff race. The New York
Rangers (against the Anaheim Ducks) and the Columbus Blue Jackets (against the
Vancouver Canucks) will be in action on Friday night. They trail the Canadiens
by one and two points, respectively.
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Checking In On Sean Farrell
Sean Farrell is still 23 so I am not here to bury him as a player in the Canadiens system. His season is an improvement over last so that begs the question, is he just a good AHLer or is there still NHL ability there?
He currently has 16 goals and 21 assists in 59 games. That’s pretty good. He’s sixth on the team in goals. Do I expect more? Yes, but that’s not a bad number and he still has the playoffs to show that he’s progressing in his development.
Farrell is a terrific skater. That’s not the issue. The issue here is about production plain and simple. As a smaller player, he has to produce more or he won’t get called up. The Canadiens are getting to the point where they may start to leave some of these players in the AHL and only use them on an emergency call-up basis.
I’ll determine next year if he is going to make it or not. Some guys take a bit and he didn’t miss any time due to the pandemic. He went back to the USHL and dominated so it seemed like he was on track and now, he might still be, but this is a slow-moving train.
His scoring touch may be improving based on some new video I’ve seen. We shall see. That’s part of being consistent and making a real playoff push along with the team. The team has made all the right moves with him and I think they will continue to do so. Sometimes that last piece of development is the hardest and it usually falls on the player.
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MIchael Hage Has His Sights On a Big Sophomore Season
Michael Hage is an impactful center and one of the best prospects in the Montreal Canadiens organization depending on your definition on how long a player remains a prospect. By every metric, he had a solid freshman season at Michigan but has to deal with the disappointment of not making the Frozen Four tournament.
“I thought it went well. For me individually and as a group. I thought there were some really good moments. I learned a lot about what it takes to win at this level. To have success at this level in general I think I made great relationships and met so many people this year that I will be friends with for the rest of my life. I loved it this year. The result wasn’t what we were looking for and there were some lacking of consistency for us. I thought the year was good. I came in with the mentality that I could make an impact. I feel like I did a pretty solid job of that. Now I have to take steps and keep getting better.”
Getting used to NCAA after the USHL is an adjustment.
“It comes along in your first five games. You see how much better the goalies are. They are older and stronger,” Hage noted. “The first game was against Minnesota State. There were first game jitters. And you just realize how much older these guys you are playing against. I got adjusted pretty quickly. We had a lot of practice time. You get a feel for it then. I think training camp helped with that.”
Hage was 46% on face-offs. That’s a solid number considering it’s against tough competition.
“It was difficult. I felt that it was bad at the beginning of the year,” Hage admitted. “Having older guys on the team to help you out and that’s an area I want to continue to get better at. It comes with experience. You have to understand what it feels like. It was a challenge.”
Hage had 34 points in 33 games. As a true freshman, that’s a solid season. This summer he will go back home and have some fun with some of his Canadiens future teammates.
“A lot of the alumni will come back and skate. When I go back to Burlington, it’s usually me, Owen Power (Chicago Steel alumni along with Hage), the Xehaj brothers, and Kent Johnson was out there a few times.”
When I asked if he worried about the physicality of the Xehaj brothers even under those circumstances, his answer was humorous, “Not too much. Granted, we are in the same organization but there’s not too much of that in these summer skates.”
According to InStat, he averaged 16:49 in TOI. That’s a big number but he’s ready for more when he returns to Michigan next season.
“That’s the goal. I want to be someone who plays in more situations. It takes more merits and more trust from the coaching staff. That starts with me getting stronger and then you get those extra minutes at the end of the game, after icings and face-offs. It just all adds up."
An advantage to playing college hockey is the ability to workout and get stronger throughout the season.
“You have more time during the week. To work on things. Rather than just playing games all the time. At the same time, puck battles are going to get harder. When you’re going up against older, stronger players. That was the biggest thing for me,” Hage responded. “I felt like I got stronger during the year. We have a great training staff at Michigan.”
The Canadiens were in Michigan numerous times and that’s what you want. They’ve been very hands on. Hage will have a banner year next year. I can feel it and then he will probably decide when he wants to turn professional.
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Three Takeaways From The Canadiens' Excellent Display On Sunday
Less than 48 hours after a less-than-convincing performance against the Carolina Hurricanes, the Montreal Canadiens had a much better showing against the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers.
Oliver Kapanen And Timra Facing EliminationBig Goal For Demidov In Another SKA St. Petersburg LossMIchael Hage Has His Sights On a Big Sophomore Season
Tweaked Lineup
The big news of the day was Arber Xhekaj being scratched to make way for Michael Pezzeta, allowing Marting St-Louis to return to a 12-6 standard formation. Pezzetta slotted in on the fourth line while Emil Heineman was bumped up to play with Alex Newhook and Patrik Laine.
While returning to a more traditional formation was needed, the insertion of Pezzetta instead of Joshua Roy is interesting. Once again, the gritty winger saw very little ice time, spending 5:43 on the ice while St-Georges plays typically over 10 minutes. Perhaps the bench boss felt he needed a bit of sandpaper in the lineup since he had taken Xhekaj out.
If that’s the case, I maintain that trying the rugged defenseman up front might have been a viable option. Still, the Canadiens managed to pull off the win, so don’t expect Xhekaj back anytime soon. Coaches rarely change winning formulas.
The Power Play
Before the game, the Canadiens had failed to score in their previous 10 power plays, which was one reason they kept on losing. On Sunday, the power play finally clicked and accounted for two of the Habs’ four goals.
Interestingly, in the same game, we saw how dangerous it can be to have a power play that’s too predictable and how, at times, it doesn’t matter at all if the predictable play is executed to perfection.
Russ Cohen wrote earlier this week about Lane Hutson's need for more freedom on the man-advantage and the Canadiens' need to eliminate the slingshot play, where the puck is passed backward to Nick Suzuki, who skates it in the offensive zone. Well, today, they once again made that play, and the Panthers pounced, knowing exactly what the Canadiens would do. The captain regained the puck, and no harm was done, but that should have been seen as a stern warning.
At the other end of the ice, though, the Habs’ first goal was scored by Patrik Laine on what had become the Canadiens' patented top play on the power play. Suzuki and Lane Hutson set the table for the Finnish sniper, with the rookie sending him a picture-perfect pass. Even though Sergei Bobrovsky knew full well the Laine shot was coming, he was powerless to stop it as the play was executed perfectly.
Still, having been burned once, the Cats kept a closer eye on the Finn in the next man advantage, and birthday boy Juraj Slafkovsky scored a goal. It was a near perfect day for the special team at the office.
Mesmerizing Hutson
If the Canadiens skated away with the two points, it’s primarily due to how good their rookie defenseman is. The Habs scored four goals during the game and the only one that Hutson didn’t manufacture was Brendan Gallagher’s empty-netter tally.
On Suzuki’s goal, Florida was so mesmerized by the youngster that all five of the Panthers’ skaters had their eyes on him instead of covering the other Canadiens’ players. The Cats all had a front-row seat to admire the cross zone pass Hutson sent right in front of the blue paint at the perfect speed to allow Suzuki to unleash a one-timer that gave Bobrosvky no chance, even though it came from a very tight angle.
With those three points, Hutson takes back the rookie scoring lead, which he shared with Matvei Michkov. Michkov has been on a tear since coach John Tortorella was fired. Hutson now has a three-point lead and nine games left to play, just like Michkov and Macklin Celebrini, who has 53 points, three behind Michkov.
Hutson’s 59 points are the most by a rookie defenseman since Nicklas Lidstrom got 60 in 80 games played in 1991-92. It’s hard to imagine how the young man won’t blow past that number before the end of the season. His 54 assists are the third-highest total by a rookie defenseman in a season. Chris Chelios had 55 in 1984-85, and Larry Murphy had 60 in 1980-81. It’s quite conceivable that he could overtake them both.
Since the beginning of 2025, Hutson has been the second-most prolific defenseman with 33 points, behind only Cale Makar, who has 38. It’s also worth mentioning that he made a couple of key defensive plays on Sunday. While he is minus-14 on the season, Celebrini is minus-31 in 13 fewer games.
Suzuki also got three points on Sunday which brings him to 77 points and ties his career-high. With nine games left to play, the captain is well on his way to becoming a point-per-game player. If everything goes according to plan, the center will become the first player to get over 80 points in Montreal since Alex Kovalev in 2007-08.
The Canadiens somehow survived their disastrous road trip and will return to Montreal in the second wild card spot against all odds. On Tuesday, they will host the Panthers for the fourth and final duel of the season between the two sides, and given how Sunday’s game ended, there could be some rough stuff.
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Mikkola’s Fine was Earned
The Department of Player Safety has spoken:
Florida Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola has been fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for unsportsmanlike conduct during NHL Game No. 1170 in Florida on Sunday, March 30, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today.
The incident occurred at 19:58 of the third period. Mikkola was assessed a minor penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct as well as a 10-minute misconduct.
The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
This was earned but it almost guarantees a fight between Mikkola and ____ next game. I remember when the league was doing its best to put a stop to late game shenanigans but that doesn’t seem to be in full force with such a light fine.
I expect a lot more of this down the stretch has the games become more important. I wonder if the league expects this too? I guess time will tell with this one.
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Canadiens: Aiming To Stop A Five-Game Losing Streak Against Florida
The Montreal Canadiens are now outside looking in to the playoffs race, thanks to a five-game losing streak. For Martin St-Louis’ men to even have a chance to make the Spring dance, they must return to their winning ways now, but it could be challenging. The Habs have only 10 games left on their schedule, and their next two games will be against the defending Stanley Cup Champions, the Florida Panthers.
Demidov Faces CriticismCanadiens: Is Xhekaj Facing The Axe?Three Takeaways From The Canadiens' Deserved Loss In Carolina
Despite being without Matthew Tkachuk because of an injury and Aaron Ekblad because of a suspension, the Canadiens are marching on. They have a 6-4-0 record in their last 10 games and have won their previous two. However, the Canadiens have won the first two matchups with Florida this season.
The 4-0 win at the end of December was a turning point in the Canadiens’ season. It marked Jakub Dobes’ fulgurant start in the league, but he has lost some of his shine since then. He’s dropped his last three starts and expects to see Samuel Montembeault for most games, if not all, as long as the Habs are in the mix. As for the 3-1 victory in mid-March, it put an end to a losing streak and was a springboard for a dominant win over the Ottawa Senators.
The stakes are even higher now, and even if the Habs had a day off on Saturday, it’s easy to know Montembeault will be in goal on Sunday. He has a 2-4-1 record in eight games against Florida, with a 4.21 goals-against average and a .886 save percentage. Dobes played them once and was flawless, but the coach’s confidence in his young netminder has been shaken.
There’s no confirmation as to who will be on duty for the Panthers, but Sergei Bobrovsky has a 16-8-1 record with a 2.45 GAA and a .919 SP against the Canadiens, while Vitek Vanecek is 3-1-0 with a 2.76 GAA and a .894 SP.
Up front, after a tough outing against the Carolina Hurricanes, captain Nick Suzuki should welcome a matchup with the Cats. He has 15 points in 17 games against Florida, six points behind alternate captain Brendan Gallagher, who has 23 points in 38 games, and four points behind Patrik Laine, who has 22 in 21 duels.
The Habs will need to keep an eye on an old foe in new colours, as Brad Marchand has 48 points in 57 games against the Canadiens. Captain Aleksander Barkov comes in second place with 47 points in 37 games, and veteran Sam Reinhart comes third with 22 points in 32 games.
Not to sound like a broken record, but this is an absolute must-win game for the Canadiens who will hope to keep their dominance on the Cats this season going. Montreal has only won three of the last 10 games against their host, so this remains a tall order for the young Habs. It will be interesting to see if St-Louis keeps an 11-7 formation of if he scratches a defenseman.
On Saturday, the Senators did the Canadiens a favor by beating the Columbus Blue Jackets in regulation, meaning they dropped behind the Canadiens who momentarily got the second wild card back, only to lose it again when to the New York Rangers when they beat the San Jose Sharks in regulation. The silver lining for the Habs is that they still have two games in hand on the Blueshirts, just like Columbus and the New York Islanders mind you.
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Getting Close To The Playoffs Isn’t a Guarantee Year to Year
Well, for some of the well-established teams, it mostly is. For the New York Rangers, it may not be. For the Philadelphia Flyers, who were eliminated on the last day of the season, it isn’t. This league is changing, and you have to have certain bases covered before you become that team.
There’s no way I can say I am comfortable with the Montreal Canadiens goalie tandem if they want to battle for the playoffs next year. It’s not good enough and Jacob Fowler is too young to throw into the NHL no matter how good he looks.
Sam Montembeault has been up and down this year. He’s NHL mediocre. He’s no longer developing and asking him to be better than NHL average for a full season doesn’t seem possible. He is a good 1B. That’s what I think he is.
Jakub Dobes is 23. He is still developing. Is it possible for him to be a 1A starter? Maybe, but I haven’t seen that in him aside from his hot start when he was promoted to the NHL. He’s a good AHL goalie, but not at the top of the league, so in the NHL, he has some steps to take but I don’t see the Canadiens being better next year with the same tandem.
There will be changes on defense next year. Kaiden Guhle being healthy will be a big bonus and maybe they will go out and get another established defenseman to replace David Savard. I wouldn’t re-sign him under any circumstances. His game has dropped off to the point where the team can’t play as fast as they want to when he is in the game. In a reduced role, he can help another team.
The center depth has to improve as well and I don’t have a quick fix there. Kirby Dach may not be the answer any longer. He never really got to that next level and maybe he will but that’s an if and you can’t build an offseason with maybe’s.
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