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Habs Wrap: Demidov Excellence, Trade Interest in Cozens, Hutson

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1 month ago

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MONTREAL — There’s always Montreal Canadiens news to be absorbed on a daily basis, 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.

Monday

The Montreal Canadiens did not call up anyone prior to departing for their annual California trip. However, as we predicted, they did end up recalling Owen Beck and Logan Mailloux on Saturday. Originally, I had assumed they would recall Beck and Mailloux after Sunday’s game, but seeing as both Alexandre Carrier and David Savard missed practice, the Habs are in need of some warm bodies.

Beck and Mailloux were set to represent Laval at the All-Star Weekend, which is coincidentally taking place in California, but I doubt either will bemoan their promotion to the NHL.

Don’t look now, but top prospect Ivan Demidov tied the KHL record for the most points by an Under-20 player in league history. Demidov registered two assists in SKA’s 4-3 win over Dynamo, and given that he’s set to feature in many more games this year, it’s safe to say he’ll finish the year as the highest-scoring U-20 player in KHL history.  [Top Montreal Canadiens Prospect Ivan Demidov Ties KHL Record]

ICYMI: Not only is Demidov scoring highlight goals, he’s already among the top producers in league history (U-20). Given that he’s been given less ice time than all his historic counterparts, Demidov is officially producing at a higher rate than any other U-20 player in KHL history. [Top Canadiens Prospect Ivan Demidov Is Making History]

Tuesday

ICYMI: The NHL announced salary cap estimates, and it’s pretty exciting news for Habs fans. They’re expecting a 10 percent increase per year, over the course of the next three years, culminating with a $113.5 million salary cap in 2027-28. By then, both Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield’s contracts should be considered an absolute steal, which allows for plenty of financial manoeuvrability in Montreal. [Impact Of NHL Salary Cap Increase On Montreal Canadiens Future]

Florian Xhekaj scored the game-winning goal to secure a big win for the Laval Rocket against the Hartford Wolf Pack. Laval was down 4-1, but mounted an impressive comeback to ensure goaltender Cayden Primeau maintained his perfect record (9-0).

Full marks to Xhekaj and Co., as they’re seized their opportunities while dealing with adversity, but we also have to send some praise Pascal Vincent’s way. The Rocket head coach is trusting young players in key roles, unlike, well, any of his predecessors. The era of hired mercenaries in the AHL seems to be mercifully coming to an end.

Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky, noted goons!

Wednesday

It’s painfully clear Kirby Dach and Patrik Laine have no chemistry together, but if you needed further proof than what you see on the ice, the numbers support the idea that splitting them up is the right path forward. [How The Montreal Canadiens Can Avoid Benching Patrik Laine]

Right on cue, head coach Martin St-Louis ran new lines at practice.

Dach and Alex Newhook took rushes with David Reinbacher, who was in a non-contact jersey. Meanwhile, Patrik Laine lined up with Jake Evans and Joel Armia on the third line. That left Michael Pezzetta, Christian Dvorak, and Brendan Gallagher on the fourth line.

Assuming Reinbacher was keeping Josh Anderson’s seat warm, I have to say I’m not particularly excited by the new lines. Playing Anderson higher in the lineup no longer pays dividends, while Newhook and Dach produced terrible numbers together long before Laine was added to the mix.

Of course, there’s a roster construction issue at play. There’s not much St-Louis can do to solve the second-line issue. Giving Evans or Dvorak second-line duties is far from ideal. Such is life in a rebuild.

It was quite apparent that Anderson was not in great health as he faced the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday. Consequently, the 30-year-old was not present at practice on Monday afternoon.

We all know we’re watching something special whenever Lane Hutson takes to the ice, but his historic comparisons are equally encouraging.

He’s trending toward a Quinn Hughes career, with a historic dose of Paul Coffey and Brian Leetch. Not bad at all.


Oh hey look, Ivan Demidov received another accolade in the KHL. The future Hab joined former Hab Zach Fucale in the league’s Players Of The Week. [Top Canadiens Prospect Ivan Demidov Is Making History]

Thursday

It’s official. Top prospect Ivan Demidov now holds the record for the most points (43 pts) in KHL history by a U-20 player. The talented forward assisted Zakhar Bardakov’s second goal of the game during a difficult 8-3 loss to Ak Bars, pushing his season totals to 19 goals and 24 assists in 51 games. If you’re wondering, he’s also the most productive U-20 player in league history based on points per 60 minutes. [Top Canadiens Prospect Ivan Demidov Is Making History]

The NHL continues to underwhelm when it comes to American viewership. It probably doesn’t help that the Winter Classic has become a gimmick, rather than an interesting, innovative event. Special events aren’t so special when you schedule them regularly.

The NHL Trade Deadline is set for March 7, which means it’s time to have an honest discussion about the Canadiens’ intentions, as well as the potential returns for players who may garner interest on the NHL’s trade market. The Habs aren’t out of the playoff race, at least not yet, but they’re also not comfortable enough to ignore any potential offers. [Canadiens Trade Bait: Projecting Realistic Deadline Returns]

The Habs promoted both Logan Mailloux and Owen Beck to the NHL shortly prior to the puck drop in San Jose. Mailloux watched from the press box, while Beck took Michael Pezzetta’s spot on the fourth line. The Habs could afford to wait until the last moment to make it official, as they were both participating in the AHL All-Star Game, which was also taking place in California. For what it’s worth, Beck scored three goals during the All-Star matchup.


Those of you that went to bed at a reasonable hour missed one of the most exciting games of the year, and you should really feel bad about it.

Okay it was actually a very hard watch. You made the right decision, and I’m a little envious.

BUT, the Canadiens won, and they need all the points they can get. Alex Newhook led the charge at 5v5, and the formidable penalty killing duo of Jake Evans and Joel Armia sealed the deal with yet another great shorthanded goal. [Habs Highlights: Newhook, Armia Lead Charge In Important Win]

Friday

According to Kevin Weekes, the Montreal Canadiens are among the several NHL teams that have inquired about a possible trade involving Buffalo Sabres forward Dylan Cozens. He’s a 23-year-old centre with decent offensive upside, but there are clearly a few red flags in the mix. [Canadiens Trade Talk: Habs Interested In Forward Dylan Cozens]

ICYMI: The NHL Trade Deadline is set for March 7, which means it’s time to have an honest discussion about the Canadiens’ intentions, as well as the potential returns for players who may garner interest on the NHL’s trade market. The Habs aren’t out of the playoff race, at least not yet, but they’re also not comfortable enough to ignore any potential offers. [Canadiens Trade Bait: Projecting Realistic Deadline Returns]

Cayden Primeau’s time in the NHL was difficult, but he’s been lights out since returning to the AHL. The 25-year-old netminder is yet to lose a game for the Laval Rocket, and has paired a sparkling .923 save percentage to his 9-0 record.

His great stretch led him to being named The Goaltender Of The Month in the AHL.

There’s no denying Ivan Demidov’s current scoring pace puts him in the same group as some of the best players in the history of the NHL.

Yes, you’re seeing that right.

Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Connor McDavid serves as some of the comparables.

Not bad, I guess.

I had to watch last night’s debacle versus the Los Angeles Kings, but the good news, hopefully, is that you went to bed early, recouped some important sleep, and can now read the recap in the morning without wasting three hours of your life. That’s a sweet deal, my friends. [Habs Highlights: Jakub Dobes Hung Out To Dry Versus Kings]

Saturday

Forward Jake Evans was mentioned by Elliotte Friedman in his most recent edition of 32 Thoughts. That’s not new, however, Friedman also threw Finnish forward Joel Armia in the trade mix. Daily Faceoff also mentioned Evans and Armia, in addition to listing forward Josh Anderson and defenceman Savard on their most recent trade target list. [Canadiens Trade Bait – Projecting Realistic Returns]

– Top prospect Ivan Demidov put another point on the board, pushing his season totals to 19 goals and 25 assists in 52 games.

– Speaking of Demidov, he’s tracking rather well. His shooting, in particular, is through the roof, which is incredibly encouraging.

We’re reaching the point where the hype train is out of control, and usually I’d err on the side of caution, but it’s hard not to get exciting about the possibility of a franchise player joining the rebuild next season.

– Rookie Owen Beck is still getting used to life in the NHL, but the early results suggest he’s not just taking a step forward, he’s flourishing during his limited usage. Knowing Beck is quickly adapting to his new surroundings gives general manager Kent Hughes more trade options moving forward. [Prospect Owen Beck Gives Montreal Canadiens More Options]

– Sometimes the stars align to align you with a star. Good work by Andrew to dig out this little nugget of Canadiens history.

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