Canadiens Daily
Habs Daily: Hage Stays Hot, Demidov 5-Game Streak, Trades
Here are the Montreal Canadiens news items, highlights, and stories you may have missed on Thursday.
Montreal Canadiens News
Prospect Michael Hage was buzzing all night for Michigan as they faced the USNTDP in their annual exhibition showdown. His hard work paid off, with Hage scoring the overtime winner. It’s also worth noting a nice toe drag by Hage that led to a scoring chance was the reason the Wolverines were on the powerplay in the first place.
Michael Hage ends this one in OT pic.twitter.com/o7LUfTM1tz
— Michigan Hockey (@umichhockey) October 26, 2024
According to Pierre LeBrun, the Canadiens have started making calls to gauge the NHL’s trade market. Even though there are some players who could be moved without hurting the current lineup, improving the roster via an early-season trade will be a difficult task for general manager Kent Hughes. [Montreal Canadiens Options For Early-Season Trades]
Don’t look now, but top prospect Ivan Demidov is on a five-game scoring streak in the KHL. The 18-year-old forward assisted on Sergei Plotnikov’s goal during SKA’s 5-2 win over Spartak. As for the recent ice time drama, we should recognize he was given 16:21 TOI, which also led to four shots on net. With five goals and 11 assists this season, Demidov is tied for third in team scoring with former NHLer Evegeny Kuznetsov, though the latter has played 5 minutes more than Demidov on average per game. [Canadiens Prospect Rankings: Ivan Demidov Is A Game Changer]
I missed what took him out of the game, but there was some unfortunate news for prospect Filip Mesar. A lower-body injury will keep him in Laval as the team travels to Utica for the second leg of back-to-back games against the Comets.
L’attaquant Filip Mešár (blessure au bas du corps) n’accompagnera pas l’équipe sur la route ce soir.
Forward Filip Mešár (lower-body injury) will not travel with the team tonight.
— Rocket de Laval (@RocketLaval) October 26, 2024
The Rocket were out shot 30-22 on Friday night, but they emerged with a 4-3 win thanks to goals from Zach Hayes, Laurent Dauphin, Joshua Roy, and Florian Xhekaj. The game-winning goal by Xhekaj was the first of his professional hockey career.
SON PREMIER BUT PRO
HIS FIRST PRO GOAL 🚀#GoRocket https://t.co/Kuf97hkykA pic.twitter.com/RR7ytJ6bev— Rocket de Laval (@RocketLaval) October 26, 2024
National Hockey Now Network
Whether it was Michael Rasmussen flattening Jack Hughes on the clinching goal, to Christian Fischer stepping up in weight to trade haymakers with Brenden Dillon, or Ben Chiarot finally deciding he had enough of Jonathan Kovacevic, Detroit was letting New Jersey know during a 5-3 victory on Thursday that they aren’t about to suffer fools. [Detroit Red Wings]
With a classic humorous twist, Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella explained the thought process behind his seemingly endless lineup changes after practice on Friday. [Philadelphia Flyers]
Hunter St. Martin was one of the breakout stars of training camp after the Florida Panthers took him in the sixth-round of the NHL draft just a few months before. On Friday, the team announced it signed St. Martin to his entry-level contract. [Florida Panthers]
