MHN Puck Links: Price Trade Rumors; Another Habs Game Postponed

Get used to NHL trade rumors surrounding Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price as he works his way back to the lineup.

The Habs made another great organizational move on Wednesday.

Will the Montreal Canadiens ever play a home game again? It doesn’t seem that way with more and more Bell Centre games getting postponed.

That and more in the latest MHN Puck Links:

Montreal Canadiens

Ready or not, it appears Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price is about to become a regular on the NHL trade rumor circuit. Could it be more than rumors though? (MHN)

Just a great hire by the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday as they brought in longtime RDS reporter Chantal Machabée as their new Vice President of Communications. (MHN)

Another Montreal Canadiens home game has been postponed and as of now, the Habs won’t play at the Bell Centre until at least Jan. 27. (MHN)

The Montreal Canadiens may be at the bottom of the Eastern Conference and NHL standings but they do lead the league with the most players in COVID Protocol. (MHN)

National Hockey Now

Goalie Tuukka Rask took a huge step towards returning to the Boston Bruins Wednesday, signing a professional tryout agreement with the team’s AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins. (Boston Hockey Now)

Speaking of the Bruins, head coach Bruce Cassidy met with ‘The Perfection Line’ of Brad Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-David Pastrnak over the Holiday/COVID pause and they decided it was time to split arguably the best line in hockey up to start the New Year. So far the move has been a resounding success for the Bruins. (Boston Hockey Now)

Unlike the Montreal Canadiens, the New York Islanders have made it through the COVID woods for now and have no players in COVID protocol. (NYI Hockey Now)

Do the Pittsburgh Penguins need to trade for a new backup goalie? (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

Could former Montreal Canadiens forward Daniel Carr be playing for Hockey Canada in the Men’s Olympic Tournament next month? (Washington Hockey Now)

Should Florida Panthers forward and Saint-Jérôme, Quebec native Jonathan Huberdeau be an early Hart Trophy candidate? (Florida Hockey Now)

Happy Birthday to our main man on the Colorado Avalanche beat, Adrian Dater! Speaking of Adrian, he says that Cale Makar’s amazing goal to beat the Chicago Blackhawks in overtime Tuesday night was the best goal in Avalanche history. (Colorado Hockey Now)

In case you somehow missed Makar’s highlight-reel goal, here’s another look:

Enforcer Ryan Reaves will make his first return to the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas Thursday night when he and the New York Rangers take on the Golden Knights. Our man in Vegas, Owen Krepps, takes a look back at Reaves’ greatest moments with the Knights. (Vegas Hockey Now)

The San Jose Sharks could be without their defensive pairing of Erik Karlsson and Jake Middleton for a bit. (San Jose Hockey Now)

Capitals defenseman John Carlson isn’t surprised that his former coach Bruce Beaudreau is off to such a great start for the Vancouver Canucks. (Vancouver Hockey Now)

Former Tampa Bay Lightning forward Blake Coleman will receive his 2021 Stanley Cup ring Thursday night when the Calgary Flames play the Bolts in Tampa Thursday. (Calgary Hockey Now)

NHL

It appears that the Edmonton Oilers do not have any faith left in their goalie Mikko Koskinen. Mike Smith is struggling too so what will the Oilers do? Carey Price? (Sportsnet)

How will the NHL finish the regular season on time with COVID still running rampant and no signs that it will stop anytime soon? That and a Montreal Canadiens GM search note from Elliotte Friedman in his latest 32 Thoughts. (Sportsnet)

For those that still don’t think COVID can have lingering effects, Minnesota Wild forward Marco Rossi’s story will hopefully help you realize that you’re wrong. Not everyone’s COVID story has a happy ending like Rossi’s – and he’s still not out of the woods – but what he went through after having the virus is scary and sad. (NHL)

Finally, I’m not crying, you are! A touching story on how hockey can give anyone a second chance in life:

Meet Reggie Millette, a young man from Jacksonville, Florida, who fell in love with hockey the moment he stepped on the ice.

Listen as he shares his story with @BauerHockey. pic.twitter.com/SEmZKFhDdU

— NHL (@NHL) January 3, 2022