Habs Daily: Beck Producing, Laine’s Impact, Trade With Oilers

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

Montreal Canadiens

Prospect Owen Beck is quietly putting together a very solid rookie season for the Laval Rocket. The 20-year-old forward scored his fifth goal of the year against the Toronto Marlies on Friday night, pushing his season totals to 17 points in 22 games. He’s currently serving as the team’s second-line centre, while also helping out on special teams, displaying the same type of efficient versatility that led him to being named the Memorial Cup MVP in June.

Many wanted to see Beck produce at a professional level before suggesting he’d be capable of handling a shift in the NHL, and while the concerns about his scoring have been greatly exaggerated, he’s once again providing us with ample evidence that his style of play should translate nicely when the Canadiens come calling.

Beck’s positioning, anticipation, and offensive awareness were on full display on Friday when he pounced on the puck with the speed and ferocity of the Kool-Aid man smashing through a brick wall.

Owen Beck sort de nulle part, saisit la rondelle et compte!

Owen Beck comes out of nowhere, gets the puck and scores! https://t.co/vScrMdMEgD pic.twitter.com/9IcZhJ6VIA

— Rocket de Laval (@RocketLaval) December 7, 2024

Joshua Roy also scored for the Rocket, but they fell 3-2 to the Marlies, and to make matters worse, Cedric Pare, the player who injured Patirk Laine in the preseason, scored the game-clinching goal in the shootout. Pare was invited to fight a few occasions throughout the game, but declined every time, which led to a chorus of boos from Rocket fans.

Pare got the last word, as he gave it right back to the fans when he scored the shootout winner.

On that note, there’s a chance another chapter in this saga is yet to be written, as the Marlies and Rocket renew hostiles on Saturday afternoon (3pm ET). Expect Connor Hughes to get the start for the Rocket, seeing as Jakub Dobes had to leave Friday’s game with an injury.

Well, well, well, how the turntables…

Paré scores in the shootout to clinch the win for Toronto and then gives it back to the Rocket fans, who had been on his case all night. pic.twitter.com/5IHY7YQkrf

— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) December 7, 2024

Patrik Laine has fit in quite nicely with his new team. Beyond the fact that he scored two goals in as many games, his presence in the lineup has been a game-changer in a few other offensive departments, exactly what the doctor ordered for a team like the Canadiens. [Top 5 Positives Sniper Patrik Laine Provides The Canadiens]

The Habs made a trade, though it seems like they were probably forced into it, as prospect Jacob Perreault was not happy with his situation, which involved an assignment to the ECHL. Kent Hughes sent Perreault to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for defenceman Noel Hoefenmayer. [Montreal Canadiens Make Minor Trade With The Oilers]

Speaking of the ECHL, check out this save by Trois-Rivières Lions goaltender Zachary Edmond. The Lions are off to a great start to the year thanks to a 10-3-3 record.

QUEL ARRÊT DE ZACHARY ÉMOND🤩@ECHL pic.twitter.com/TLNFNQdIWH

— Lions de Trois-Rivières (@Lions3r) December 7, 2024

Marie-Philip Poulin opened the scoring for the Montreal Victoire with a great individual effort while shorthanded. Mikyla Grant-Mentis scored the game-winning goal in the 2-1 win over the Ottawa Charge, while Elaine Chuli once again reminded us that she’s clearly good enough to serve as a starter for any team.

That’s not to say Ann-Renée Desbiens is holding Chuli back per se, because few goaltenders have more pedigree and big-game experience than the Victoire starter, but Chuli’s fantastic numbers are impossible to ignore. After finishing the 2023-24 season with a sparkling .949 save percentage, Chuli put together a .963 performance to open 2024-25. There simply aren’t enough teams for all the excellent goaltenders in the PWHL, at least not yet.

Marie Philip-Poulin scores a nice goal while shorthanded. Victoire are up 1-0 vs. the Charge. #PWHL pic.twitter.com/bVnseasxu2

— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) December 7, 2024

National Hockey Now Network

When the Florida Panthers are not playing particularly well in a game, Paul Maurice tends to speak out. That wasn’t the case in the team’s most recent game, and things worked out nicely. [Florida Panthers]

Many Red Wings fans were hoping the team would land defenceman Jacob Trouba, who was traded to the Anaheim Ducks on Friday. But if we’re being honest, there’s a high likelihood Trouba would have been Ben Chiarot 2.0 for the Red Wings. [Detroit Red Wings]

The city may never sleep, but the Pittsburgh Penguins took a few catnaps in the first, second, and third periods while playing in New York. [Pittsburgh Penguins]