Habs Daily: Bergevin Disrespects Legends, Hutson’s Hobey Hopes

Check out the latest Montreal Canadiens news, highlights, and stories you may have missed on Friday

Habs News

• Former Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin was not a favourite among alumni when he decided a strict set of rules was in order to limit their interactions with the current players on the team. Bergevin went as far as telling a security guard to advise franchise greats Jean Béliveau and Guy Lafleur that they should not walk near the locker room because it bothered the players. [Former Canadiens GM Reportedly Disrespected Team Legends]

• Habs prospect Lane Hutson will once again be in the hunt for the Hobey Baker Award as the top collegiate hockey player. He’ll have some stiff competition, as fellow Terrier Macklin Celebrini will also be in the mix. [Hobey Showdown]
• It’s rare, but it happens. Hutson was held off the scoresheet on Friday night as the Boston University Terriers lost in overtime to the Providence Friars. [Hutson Shootout Attempt]

• The underpowered Laval Rocket beat the Hartford Wolf Pack 5-2 thanks to a hat-trick effort by Jared Davidson. Despite losing a half dozen players to the Canadiens, the Rocket are inching closer to a playoff berth.

Son deuxième du match!
His second tonight! https://t.co/98UYq9KGYC pic.twitter.com/NlqffLJN87

— Rocket de Laval (@RocketLaval) February 17, 2024

• Florian Xhekaj can’t stop scoring for the Brantford Bulldogs. The 2023 fourth-round pick now has 26 goals this season, including 10 goals in the last 9 games. Don’t forget, Xhekaj is one of the prospects eligible to fill out the 9th and 10th spots on our Canadiens prospect power rankings. [Canadiens Prospect Power Rankings: Fan Vote Time!]

🚨FLO GETS THE FIRST WITH THE NEW JERSEYS 🚨

1-0 #BFD | #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/Yx65z451Q2

— Brantford Bulldogs (@BulldogsOHL) February 17, 2024

• Xhekaj isn’t the only prospect on a heater. Owen Beck is loving life with his new team, the Saginaw Spirit.  His offensive prowess for the net has been on full display since joining the Memorial Cup hosts.

OWEN BECK RELAX 😳

Make that 7 goals in 5 games for the @CanadiensMTL pick!@SpiritHockey | #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/3EwSRF4Ww2

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) February 17, 2024

National Hockey Now Network

• Former New Jersey Devils captain, Zach Parise, confirmed on Thursday that following the 2023-24 season, he will be retiring. Parise disclosed he will be hanging up the skates following his final pursuit for a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche. [New Jersey Devils]

• Just hours before being named the 20th captain in Philadelphia Flyers history, Sean Couturier stripped his gear off, sat back in his locker room stall, and was promptly greeted by a scrum of media members. Couturier was the only one in that scrum who knew the news that would later be announced, but that didn’t stop the Flyers’ captain from keeping things in perspective. [Philadelphia Flyers]

• Back in 2015, the Colorado Avalanche lured Chris MacFarland away from the Columbus Blue Jackets to become Joe Sakic’s right-hand man. It worked out, as MacFarland and Sakic helped rebuild the Avalanche, with all of their efforts culminating in a Stanley Cup win back in 2022. With other teams in pursuit of MacFarland to run their team, Colorado promoted him to general manager in the summer of 2022, moving Sakic up to President of Player Operations. [Colorado Avalanche]