Habs Daily: Patrik Laine, Primeau’s Development, Dach Discussion

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

Montreal Canadiens

Patrik Laine was taking semiregular shifts at practice, a very encouraging sign when it comes to his Montreal Canadiens debut. He’s not expected to play on Saturday versus New York, but there is a chance he’s good to go by Sunday’s game against the Boston Bruins. Mike Matheson, on the other hand, took part in the full practice, and is expected to play versus the Rangers. Game-time decisions are to be expected in both cases.

Laine also ended up on the ground following an accidental incident involving defenceman Justin Barron, which led to a few angry comments on social media. I absolutely understand that fans are a little defensive when it comes to Laine’s health, but beyond the fact that it was accidental, there’s no avoiding contact in practice, because that’s what gets you ready for real games. Absorbing a few hits at practice is perfectly normal, and to a certain extent, necessary before you jump into a mid-season game with almost a year of rust in play.

Une grosse frousse pour Patrik Laine ce matin à l’entraînement 👇🤯 pic.twitter.com/kUyXyl5k65

— Le 5 à 7 (@5a7RDS) November 29, 2024

We don’t want to suggest Cayden Primeau has nothing to do with his underwhelming results in recent years, but it’s impossible to ignore the absolutely ridiculous development plan put in place for the goaltender. From the time Primeau was rushed into the AHL to this season, he has had to share the net with no fewer than two other goalies, with the average being closer to three or four. The Habs fumbled the assignment on several occasions with Primeau, an important lesson to remember as we witness top goaltending prospect Jacob Fowler dominate the NCAA. [Canadiens Goalie Primeau Perfect Example Of Poor Development]

Elliotte Friedman suggested a player such as Kirby Dach could be a good fit for the Pittsburgh Penguins, especially since his ice time is on the decline. Friedman was clear this was not a report, just a discussion, and while that’s perfectly fair, it’s also fair to suggest moving on from Dach at this point is incredibly unlikely. Unless the Penguins would overpay for him, which is also quite unlikely, there’s not much there to build the framework of a potential trade involving Dach. [Montreal Canadiens Trade Talk: Kirby Dach’s Name Surfaces]

The Montreal Victoire, the name given to the previously unnamed PWHL Montreal Chapter, open their season on Saturday versus the Ottawa Charge. Last I checked, tickets were almost sold out, but if you do happen to be near Place Bell before 5 pm, you may be able to snatch a few tickets if you’re lucky. As is tradition, Marie Philip-Poulin will lead the charge for Montreal, supported by a very strong cast featuring the other half of the team’s All-Star duo, Laura Stacey, as well as Team Canada blueliner Erin Ambrose. They’ll also count on contributions from several younger players looking to take the next big step in their careers, such as Mikyla Grant-Mentis and Maureen Kennedy, among others. To top things off, they’ll once again run with an unreasonable amount of talent in the crease, with Anne-Renee Desbiens and Elaine Chulie set to guard the net. [Montreal Victoire Tickets]

Prêtes à combattre

Ready to battle pic.twitter.com/zOuwHwUzic

— Victoire de Montréal (@PWHL_Montreal) November 29, 2024

ICYMI: 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]

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]

Despite struggling in his last start, New Jersey Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe went back to goaltender Jacob Markstrom on Friday in Motor City against the Detroit Red Wings on the first night of back-to-back games. [New Jersey Devils]

The worst penalty kill in the NHL did in the Detroit Red Wings again on Friday. Allowing three power-play goals in four chances was spelling a death knell for Detroit hopes in a 5-4 loss to the New Jersey Devils at Little Caesars Arena. [Detroit Red Wings]