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Canadiens Wrap: Allen Halted Trade, Habs Salary Cap, Reinbacher

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Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes

MONTREAL — Habs fans are well aware there’s never a dull moment when it comes to the Montreal Canadiens, but it’s not always possible to stay up to date with every breaking story. On Sundays, we recap the most exciting and relevant NHL news stories that you may have missed throughout the week so that you can stay in the Canadiens loop.

 

Monday

  • There was an update on the David Reinbacher situation. Visp had been eliminated from the SL playoffs, but Olten was still alive. They also took a 3-2 series lead on Sunday. If Olten ended up losing, it meant Reinbacher would be available to leave EHC Kloten earlier than anticipated. In other news, we will have to keep an eye out for Adam Engstrom’s entry-level contract, whereas Bogdan Konyushkov isn’t heading to Canada any time soon, but he’s had a very solid season in the KHL.  [Habs Prospects: Reinbacher Watch, Engstrom’s ELC, Konyushkov]

 

  • The Montreal Canadiens have added more picks leading up to the NHL Trade Deadline, setting up what is likely to be an active summer. The Canadiens were able to trade Sean Monahan and Jake Allen leading up to the March 8 trade deadline, netting a 2024 1st-round pick and a conditional 2025 3rd-round pick in the process. [Canadiens Hughes Hints At Increased Trade Activity This Summer]

 

  • The Canadiens started Saturday’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on the right foot by scoring less than a minute into the game. The Leafs eventually emerged with a win, but not before 19-year-old Juraj Slafkovsky had set up two important goals. [Slafkovsky Earns Two Points In Hard-Fought Loss To Leafs]

 

  • With points against the Kingston Frontenacs and the Guelph Storm, Canadiens prospect Owen Beck has extended his scoring streak to 15 games. The Saginaw Spirit centre produced 12 goals and 13 assists in that stretch. N.B. the graphic posted below is not up to date, as it was published before Saturday’s game.

 

Tuesday

  • Now that the trade deadline is in the rearview mirror we have a better understanding of what Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes will be working with in terms of financial maneuverability. The outlook for 2024-25 is very interesting. Not only will the Habs have plenty of cap space, but they’ll also have a plethora of draft picks that they can use to acquire a player who is ready to make an immediate impact, as they did when they traded for Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook.  [Canadiens Salary Cap Outlook Gives Team Many Exciting Options]

 

  • The Habs made a trade with the New Jersey Devils on Monday morning. Nathan Legare will be heading to New Jersey, while the Canadiens will be receiving 25-year-old Arnaud Durandeau in exchange. Since it was a post-trade deadline deal, neither player can be recalled or participate in the NHL playoffs. Durandeau projects as a player with a little more offensive talent than Legare, which bodes well for the Laval Rocket’s current playoff push.  [Montreal Canadiens Swing Post-Deadline Trade With Devils]

 

  • Habs defenceman Jordan Harris is a great person, both on and off the ice. The young man will take part in the NHL Player Inclucsion Coalition. Here’s the information from the NHLPA’s website. “The National Hockey League (NHL) and National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) today announced the completion of a Leaguewide educational tour led by members of the NHL Player Inclusion Coalition (NHL PIC). Beginning at the start of the 2023-24 season, NHL PIC members hosted one-hour guided conversations with active Players in all 32 locker rooms where discussions focused on diversity and inclusion, emphasizing how inclusion builds the foundation for stronger and higher-performing teams.” [ NHLPA]

 

  • Forward Juraj Slafkovsky continues to deal with a lingering injury. The 19-year-old did not participate in practice on Monday.

 

Wednesday

  • The Montreal Canadiens got off to a great start against the Columbus Blue Jackets by scoring three first-period goals. Brendan Gallagher, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Joshua Roy scored for the Habs, but it was netminder Cayden Primeau who stole the show. He made over 40 saves to secure his second career NHL shutout. [Canadiens Goaltender Primeau Steals Show Versus Blue Jackets]

 

  • Primeau discussed his shutout win shortly after the game was over, stating that it was just the beginning of his time in the NHL. As we all know, goaltenders tend to develop slowly. We have a perfect example in Samuel Montembeault. If Primeau can follow in his footsteps, the goaltending situation should stabilize for the foreseeable future.

  • The NHL is interested in expanding, but anyone holding out hope that the Quebec Nordiques could be on the docket should probably re-adjust their expectations. It’s not that Quebec City is a bad market, but rather, the NHL is clearly not interested in adding a Canadian team to the league. Their focus is almost exclusively on American expansion options.

 

  • The PWHL Montreal chapter will play a game at the Bell Centre. The attendance and support for the new league have been fantastic, which led to the decision to give them a chance to shine on the biggest stage in the country.

Thursday

  • The Montreal Canadiens did end up trading Jake Allen to the New Jersey Devils at the deadline, but Allen blocked a trade earlier in the season due to the uncertainty involved in the Devils’ goaltending situation. Considering what happened in Montreal, it’s understandable that Allen wanted to have a say in where he would end up playing. [Canadiens Trades: Allen Blocked Trade To Devils Earlier In Season]

 

  • Mike Matheson is a polarizing player. His offensive abilities are beyond criticism, but his defensive play tends to leave something to be desired. So, what is Matheson’s true value? Check out the latest deep dive by special guest contributor Andrew Berkshire to find out. [Canadiens Analysis: Mike Matheson’s Impact On The Lineup]

 

  • Habs prospect Jacob Fowler was among the players named to Hockey East’s All-Rookie team. The goaltender enjoyed a very solid regular season, as evidenced by his NCAA-leading 26 wins. In addition, Fowler sported a sparkling .924 save percentage while acting as Boston College’s backstop.

 

Friday

  • The Montreal Canadiens will be paying close attention to their Draft Lottery odds from here to the end of the year. Athletes will never intentionally tank, but fans are well within their rights to suggest the Habs could stand to add another top offensive talent to the mix at the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. With that in mind, it will be a tight ‘race’ to the bottom in the final stretch of the season.  [Canadiens Tank Watch: A Tight Race To Improve Lottery Odds]

 

  • Canadiens head coach Martin St-Louis made a few changes to his lineup ahead of Thursday’s game against the Boston Bruins. Jordan Harris and Colin White re-entered the lineup, while Jayden Struble, Michael Pezzetta, and Jesse Ylonen watched the game from the pressbox as healthy scratches. [Canadiens Game 66: Lineup Changes Versus the Bruins]

 

  • It was a low-event game, but the Habs can be proud of their effort against the Bruins. Joel Armia had a great game, both at 5v5 and on the penalty kill, while the rest of the lineup matched up nicely against one of the best teams in the NHL. [Montreal Canadiens Push Rival Boston Bruins To The Limit]

Saturday

  • Top Montreal Canadiens prospect David Reinbacher will not have to feature in Kloten’s playout series versus Ajoie. The series is no longer necessary now that Olten has been eliminated from the Swiss League playoffs. Here’s what to expect next when it comes to Reinbacher’s Canadian arrival. [Canadiens Top Prospect David Reinbacher Available To The Organization]

 

  • A year ago, the outlook for the Montreal Canadiens’ goaltending depth chart was very worrisome, but it’s quickly becoming an organizational strength. The future of the Canadiens’ crease has been a major topic of conversation ever since the departure of Carey Price, as the Canadiens didn’t seem to have anything in the pipeline ready to replace him yet. However, within the last year, the Canadiens have been able to add some interesting names, as well as benefit from surprising upswings in development, to shore up a position of dire need. [Canadiens Goaltending Overhaul Paying Dividends For Club

 

  • Speaking of goaltenders, prospect Jacob Fowler was named the Hockey East Goaltender of the Year in addition to being included in the Hockey East First-Team All-Stars.

  • Fowler is joined by Boston University freshman Macklin Celebrini and Montreal Canadiens prospect Lane Hutson, who was also named to the first All-Star Team.

 

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