Habs Daily: Canadiens Prospects Flourishing, Goalie Trade Talk

Here’s all the latest Montreal Canadiens news, highlights, and stories you may have missed this weekend.

Habs News

• ICYMI: The Habs were once again playing a team that’s on the tail-end of back-to-back games, but the Panthers, standing ninth overall in the league, thanks (mostly) to a red-hot Sam Reinhart, are never an easy opponent. The locals managed to earn the win in a low-event game, thanks to two powerplay goals. [Dry Offense, Poor Penalty Kill Cost Canadiens Against Panthers]
• The Habs closed out 2023 with a very, very weird game. Johnathan Kovacevic scored one of the oddest goals you’ll ever see, but it was not enough to secure a win against the Lightning. [Canadiens Close Out 2023 With Weird Goals & Big Hits vs Tampa]
• Montreal Canadiens prospects Filip Mesar and Lane Hutson are enjoying a great 2024 World Junior Championship. Mesar started hot and continues to provide excellent playmaking for Slovakia, while Hutson started slow but has ramped up his play in recent games.

Cutter Gauthier is now 1st in the entire tournament in xG buildup.

Essentially, it's a measure of impact that a player has through "little things"

It comes in bursts sometimes. But when he's on? He carries lines. pic.twitter.com/bMKu70Tptb

— Derek (@SuitableAlias) December 31, 2023

• As for prospect Owen Beck, he scored his first goal of the tournament for Team Canada during their 6-3 win over Germany on Sunday afternoon.

Sick pass from Carson Rehkopf (#SeaKraken) finds Owen Beck (#GoHabsGo) in front of a wide-open cage and gives Canada a 3-2 lead! #2024IIHFWorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/QvMhHZomwD

— Elite Prospects (@eliteprospects) December 31, 2023

• Teams continue to look for solutions to their goaltending issues. Consequently, two NHL goaltenders were placed on waivers Sunday. [Top NHL Teams That Should Trade For Canadiens Goalies]

Placed on NHL waivers today: Eric Comrie (BUF) and Ilya Samsonov (TOR).

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) December 31, 2023

National Hockey Now Network

• Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has become such an icon and symbol of greatness that other athletes wear his jersey. And Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray knows how to make an entrance and upset fans in the process. [Pittsburgh Penguins]
• Just when the New Jersey Devils thought they had squashed the injury bug, he bit again. Amid the Devils’ 5-2 loss to the Boston Bruins, forward Timo Meier suffered another injury in the second period. [New Jersey Devils]
• Decisions made at the NHL trade deadline come at a cost. They affect careers and families, break hearts and make skilled young skaters play with a career-long chip on their shoulders.. [Boston Bruins]