Habs Daily: Matheson Trade Talk, Slafkovsky Relieved, Caufield

Make sure to check out the Montreal Canadiens news items, highlights, and stories you may have missed on Thursday,

Montreal Canadiens News

Prior to the matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets, forward Juraj Slafkovsky hadn’t registered his name on the scoresheet since November 11, a three-point effort against the Buffalo Sabres that was arguably his best game since joining the Montreal Canadiens. The goal on Wednesday should go a long way in re-establishing a higher level of confidence for the 20-year-old winger, especially since he was playing alongside captain Nick Suzuki when he scored.

une victoire pour commencer le voyage

started the trip with a dub#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/YvwleoNTo7

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) November 28, 2024

The trade deadline is months away, which means we shouldn’t anticipate a trade in the near future, but seeing as Mike Matheson’s name is popping up on trade bait boards, we may as well discuss the situation. There’s a lot to like while evaluating Matheson’s impact, which should lead to a healthy list of suitors on the NHL’s trade market. [Examining Potential Canadiens Trade Involving Mike Matheson]

Cole Caufield visited the Johnny Gaudreau Memorial during the team’s visit to Columbus. Gaudreau was a big influence on Caufield growing up, which is why the Canadiens forward switched his number to No.13 this summer following the tragic news of Gaudreau’s passing. Caufield ended up scoring his 13th goal of the season against the Blue Jackets on Wednesday night. [Habs Highlights: Slafkovsky Has Big Game, Caufield Scores Again]

Caufield also said he took some time to see the Johnny Gaudreau Memorial inside Nationwide Arena. #GoHabsGo #CBJ https://t.co/bagulu89DI

— Mark Scheig (@mark_scheig) November 28, 2024

It was an incredibly quiet Thursday from a hockey standpoint, with both the NHL and AHL avoiding any American Thanksgiving matchups due to the NFL’s supremacy. Unsurprisingly, the Canadiens gave the day off to their players. Between the CHL and NCAA, only four games were scheduled, which means it’s a good time to take a look back at the Laval Rocket’s 3-1 win over the Belleville Senators last Saturday. The game featured a big fight involving Florian Xhekaj, a three-point effort by Joshua Roy, and a solid outing by goaltender Jakub Dobes.

National Hockey Now Network

Philadelphia Flyers rookie goalie Aleksei Kolosov lost in each of his first four NHL appearances, including his first three NHL starts. Suddenly, at the drop of a hat, Kolosov has won in the NHL for the first and second times in the span of five days [Philadelphia Flyers]

In the scope of a long season, the Florida Panthers losing streak really will not matter. When things are decided, the Panthers know they are going back to the playoffs. [Florida Panthers]

22 games into the 2024-2025 NHL season, the Buffalo Sabres are one point out of a Wild Card spot. Thanksgiving Day is a perennial benchmark in a team’s outlook, as 77% of the NHL teams sitting in a playoff position end up qualifying for the postseason. Whether it’s Tage Thompson, the new additions, or Lindy Ruff, the Sabres have plenty to be thankful for. [Buffalo Sabres]