Canadiens Wrap-Up: Hughes’ LTIR Strategy, Price, Waivers & More

MONTREAL — There’s never a dull moment when it comes to the Montreal Canadiens, but many fans lead a very busy life, meaning it’s not always possible to keep up to date with every news story.

But don’t worry, we’re here to help!

Every Sunday we will recap the most exciting and relevant news stories that you may have missed throughout the week.

Monday 

• The Canadiens sent down Arber Xhekaj to the Laval Rocket before the 5 pm deadline to maximize their cap space, or, better yet, their LTIR relief space.
• The Canadiens announced that four rookies have cracked the roster to start the season, but, for Juraj Slafkovsky and Jordan Harris they’re not out of the woods just yet.
• The Canadiens began practicing with their final roster today and their line combinations certainly have people talking, giving them a glimpse of what to expect on Wednesday night against Toronto.
• The Montreal Canadiens have made their last round of cuts during training camp ahead of the opening of the 2022-23 season.

Tuesday

• Take a look at the consolidated points projections for the #GoHabsGo this upcoming season, as well as individual projections for forwards Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky:
• Will Cole Caufield keep up his preseason goal-scoring rate? Can the defence hold? Is Connor Bedard a possibility for the Canadiens? A closer look at 5 big questions facing the Montreal Canadiens this season:
• The Canadiens chose to start Juraj Slafkovsky in Montreal and “paper” Arber Xhekaj to Laval; a shrewd move by GM Kent Hughes. It not only helped them maximize their LTIR, but also ensured they can rotate their prospects without cap penalties.

Wednesday

• The Canadiens would prefer to see Filip Mesar play in the OHL this season, but negotiations are ongoing, as there are other options to choose from.
  
• Kent Hughes isn’t afraid to send young players to Laval. He made it clear this year is about development, and doing what’s best for top prospects.
• Carey Price‘s return to play seems to be more and more unlikely, as he breaks down all the obstacles impeding him from returning.

Thursday

• Fresh off a two-goal performance against the Toronto Maple Leafs, sniper Cole Caufield is quickly leaving last year’s early-season struggles behind.
• The Montreal Canadiens’ current cap situation may seem a little convoluted after a flurry of roster moves, so here’s a breakdown of how much cap space the Habs currently have.
• The Habs announced that newly-acquired defenceman Mike Matheson was placed on the injured list, resulting in the call-up of Corey Schueneman from their AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket.
• Carey Price made an appearance at the Montreal Canadiens season opener and was met with a deafening ovation, and he returned the favour in kind by thanking fans on social media the next morning.

Friday

• Kaiden Guhle is now the top left-handed defenceman on the team due to injuries; a big opportunity for him to prove he shouldn’t be part of the prospect rotation this season.
  
• Filip Mesar wants to play with the Laval Rocket this season and now has a chance to prove he belongs.
• Kent Hughes currently has around $1.8M in LTIR relief space to play with, but they’ll likely wait a bit before weaponizing it, just like they did this summer.
• The Montreal Canadiens signed William Trudeau to his entry-level contract, likely meaning that he’ll be playing with Laval all season.
• The Canadiens weren’t able to muster much offence in their shutout loss to the Detroit Red Wings, but Jake Allen and Kaiden Guhle stood out in big ways.

Saturday

• Both Sean Monahan and Kirby Dach are showing great potential for the Montreal Canadiens.
• Montreal Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis and goaltender Jake Allen praised their young defence and viewed their loss to Detroit as a teachable moment.
• The Montreal Canadiens have loaned Filip Mesar to the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers for the season to continue to develop his offensive game.
• Despite their lack of experience, Jonathan Kovacevic and Jordan Harris have done a fantastic job holding the fort for the Montreal Canadiens on the third pairing.
• The criticism regarding Jonathan Drouin‘s production isn’t just cruel given his openness about mental health, it’s not factual.
• Juraj Slafkovsky probably needs more ice time; at the very least, he should have an opportunity to play on the lifeless powerplay.

Sunday

• Joshua Roy is dominating the QMHJL, and that’s exactly what the Canadiens wanted to see.