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Canadiens Wrap

Habs Wrap: Laine’s Great Start, Beck’s Evolution, Oilers Trade

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patrik laine montreal canadiens

MONTREAL — There’s always Montreal Canadiens content to absorb, but there are only so many hours in a day. 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.

Seeing as the Habs played back-to-back games last weekend, this edition of the weekly wrap only covers Tuesday through Saturday, as last week’s wrap was pushed to Monday.

Tuesday

The Canadiens players were given the day off after a very frustrating weekend, but there was some action from a lineup standpoint, as prospect Joshua Roy was returned to the AHL. Roy didn’t make much of an impression during his short audition, but it’s only fair to point out he was given minimal minutes in the bottom six, the exact opposite of the situation in which you should use talented prospects. There’s no word on whether the decision to return Roy to the AHL is directly related to Patirk Laine’s impending return, but that does seem to be the case, as Laine has taken part in the team’s last few practices. Once Laine is back to play, a healthy dose of patience will be in order. Remember, he hasn’t played an NHL game since 2023. [Canadiens Send Prospect To AHL, Patrik Laine Return Imminent]

Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky are all producing more points per 60 than they did last year. In fact, most Canadiens forwards are scoring with more regularity, but the goal production from the team’s defencemen has been halved.  [Montreal Canadiens Analysis: Comparing Year-To-Year Scoring]

The Habs usually have a strong contingent of prospects at the yearly World Junior Championship, which takes place during the holidays. This year, that will not be the case, as most of their top prospects are either too old, or are playing for teams that did not qualify. It’s a normal step for any franchise a few years into a rebuild, as the key prospects are usually close to making their NHL debuts, but it will still be quite a change of pace for Habs fans. [Potential Canadiens Prospects To Watch At 2025 World Juniors]

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]

ICYMI: 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]

Wednesday

It’s not official yet, but according to several hockey insiders Samuel Montembeault will be among the players set to represent Team Canada at the 4 Nations Faceoff. Montembeault will join goaltenders Adin Hill and Jordan Binnington, and though there’s no guarantee he ends up playing any of the games, the fact that Montembeault went from being given away on waivers to earning a roster spot with Canada is quite the impressive journey.

Nick Suzuki, on the other hand, is not expected to be part of the Canadian lineup despite his current point-per-game scoring pace.

Unfortunately, it appears that Team USA has opted not to invite Cole Caufield, even if he’s among the country’s most productive players. The Americans have gone full galaxy brain, as they are set to bring Chris Kreider and Vincent Trochek to the tournament. With 16 goals and seven assists to his credit this season, Caufield has more points than both players combined. Team USA is also set to leave Tage Thompson behind, yet another player who has outproduced Trochek and Kreider by a wide margin.

There was no guarantee Patrik Laine would end up playing for Team Finland, especially since the injury in the preseason prevented anyone from getting a good read on his overall form. The Finns did not hesitate, as Laine’s name was included on their official roster.


Tuesday’s game against the New York Islanders marked Laine’s debut with the Canadiens, and you’d be hard-pressed to argue he did not enjoy a fantastic start. He opened the scoring with a very nice shot on the powerplay, while Montembeault and Suzuki took care of the rest. It was clear Laine is still rusty, and the expectations should stay reasonable, but you couldn’t help but feel great as you watched the Bell Centre faithful serenade Laine with his first Montreal ovation. [Canadiens Instant Recap: Welcome To Montreal, Patrik Laine]

Laine continues to be openly discuss the importance of maintaining strong mental health, a good reminder that these are not hockey robots, but rather, humans.


As for Laine’s play alongside Kirby Dach and Juraj Slafkovsky, the trio struggled from a statistical standpoint at 5v5, but it’s much too early to worry about early results when they’re only beginning to create a little chemistry. Head coach Martin St-Louis liked what he saw from his second line, to the point that they were given more 5v5 ice time than the top line.

Thursday

Top prospect Jacob Fowler was named the Hockey East Goaltender Of The Month, after yet another successful stretch of games in the NCAA for Boston College. The 20-year-old netminder has appeared in 12 games for the Eagles this season, leading to a 9-2 record, a 1.67 save percentage, and a sparkling .936 save percentage. Thanks to his excellent play, Boston College is currently ranked third in the collegiate hockey rankings.

Seeing as he’s playing lights out hockey, there will inevitably be a discussion whether he should stay in the NCAA for an additional year, or start his professional career early. It’s worth remembering Cayden Primeau also had an excellent two-season run in the NCAA before the Habs convinced him to leave Northeastern early. The rest, as they say, is history. Of course, they’re not the same player, but it’s important to remember trying to hasten a goaltender’s development rarely works out. The more experience they gain in the NCAA or elsewhere, the better. [Canadiens Goalie Primeau Perfect Example Of Poor Development]


Team Finland will have a certain Montreal Canadiens flair to their lineup, as both Patrik Laine and Joel Armia are set to represent their country at the 4 Nations Faceoff in mid-February. Unfortunately, despite being the country’s best goalscorer, Cole Caufield was not invited to play for Team USA. Neither was Tage Thompson. Say what you will about putting together lineups for a short tournament, but leaving two of your best players behind is clearly an unforced error. [Canadiens Goalie Primeau Perfect Example Of Poor Development]

As we discussed earlier in the week, Samuel Montembeault will take part in the 4 Nations Faceoff festivities, joining Adin Hill and Jordan Binnington in Canada’s crease. His aforementioned counterparts are likely to receive the bulk of the starts, but if Montembeault does end up playing, he’ll have an opportunity to take the reins with a strong performance. Nick Suzuki was not named to the team, and while you could make an argument he could easily fit into any role, a short break for one of the busiest players in the NHL is never a bad thing. Unlike most of his teammates, Suzuki has not missed a single game since entering the league, and what’s more, he’s always representing the Habs at the All-Star weekend, robbing him of a rare opportunity to rest every season.


Not only did Laine score a goal in his first game with the Canadiens, his mere presence seems to have reinvigorated the team at practice on Wednesday. Most players were all smiles, and the energy level was as high as it’s been all season. More on that shortly.

Before we get to the Habs players having fun, I’d like to address a comment I received this morning suggesting Laine isn’t excited to be playing in Montreal due to his “negative body language”, and I have to say, with all due respect, that’s pure nonsense (and I don’t respect it). Attempting to read body language in a bid to understand someone’s thoughts is on par with phrenology when it comes to accuracy and medical relevance. Laine is presenting a humble front, which is quite understandable when we consider all he’s been through, and how hard he worked to get back into the NHL.

It’s also why Laine has been living in the moment, as he knows there are no guarantees in hockey, let alone in life.

Anyhow, here’s Kaiden Guhle and Brendan Gallagher going all out after scoring at practice

Friday

Goaltender Samuel Montembeault reacted to the news he would represent Canada at the 4 Nations Faceoff with his typical affability. Montembeault would go on to make 29 saves in a 3-0 shutout win over the Nashville Predators.

Make that two goals in two games for sniper Patrik Laine. The 26-year-old winger took advantage of an extended 5-on-3 powerplay, not to mention his elite accuracy, to provide the Habs with an important insurance goal on Thursday night. Jake Evans, who happens to be on pace to set a career best in points, scored a great shorthanded goal that allowed Martin St-Louis’ team to play with a lead for the majority of the game, a rare occurrence in Montreal. [Habs Highlights: Patrik Laine Scores Again, Montembeault Dominant]

It’s still early, but it seems like Laine is fitting in perfectly with the team’s young lineup, both on and off the ice.


Defenceman Kaiden Guhle was a late scratch against the Predators due “illness”, with Justin Barron taking his spot in the lineup. The Habs have given their players a day off following the shutout win, making an update unlikely until Saturday. [Canadiens]

Prospect Michael Hage was named the NCAA’s Rookie Of The Month by the Hockey Commissioners Association. His 10 points in 7 games pushed his season totals to nine goals and eight assists in just 13 games for the University of Michigan.

Saturday

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.

Update: Beck scored the game-winning goal for the Rocket on Saturday afternoon, powering the team to a crucial win against their rivals, the Toronto Marlies. On top of the GWG, Beck also set up Adam Engstrom’s opening goal, as well as scoring the team’s second goal of the game. With the three-point effort, Beck now leads the Rocket in scoring, a rather impressive feat given that he’s a rookie.

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.


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.

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