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Canadiens Wrap

Habs Wrap: Bolduc Trade, Projected Canadiens Lineup, L.J. Mooney

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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.

Tuesday

The Montreal Canadiens stole the show on draft day by acquiring talented defenceman Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders. The trade cost the Habs both their first-round picks (16th, 17th overall) and forward Emil Heineman. [BLOCKBUSTER NHL TRADE: The Canadiens Acquire Dobson]

On top of trading for a top-pairing defenceman, general manager Kent Hughes avoided losing any of his top prospects in the deal. There’s no doubt they paid a (relatively) steep price, but the trade should ensure a continued upward trajectory for the Habs. [Instant Analysis: Dobson Trade Smart Business By Canadiens]

Dobson immediately signed an eight-year contract extension worth $9.5 million per season, making him a core member of the Canadiens. The trade might also lead to a few other deals should the Habs require additional cap space. [Potential Canadiens Trades Following Dobson Blockbuster]

The Canadiens are reportedly still interested in adding Jordan Kyrou to the mix, though the Blues don’t seem to be in a rush to move the 30-goal scorer. [Latest Canadiens Trade Rumours: Dobson And Kyrou]

NBA champion Luguentz Dort was set to make one of Montreal’s picks in the first round, but the trade led to a different assignment.

Wednesday

The Habs started the day by once again swinging for the fences. They acquired talented forward Zachary Bolduc from the St-Louis Blues in exchange for defenceman Logan Mailloux. Bolduc enjoyed a fantastic year in the NHL last season, and while it’s true Mailloux is always a threat to score in the offensive zone, he barely improved his underwhelming play in the defensive zone during his two seasons in the AHL.  [Canadiens Trade Mailloux To St-Louis Blues]

On top of trading for a top-pairing defenceman at the NHL Entry Draft, the Habs landed a very talented young man when they acquired Bolduc. His offensive production is encouraging, his defensive impact is excellent, and he’s just 22 years old. All things considered, this was yet another smart trade by general manager Kent Hughes. [Instant Trade Analysis: What To Expect From Zachary Bolduc]

The Habs also bolstered their AHL lineup, signing Alex Belzile, Kaapo Kahkonen, Samuel Blais, and Nate Clurman. There’s always a turnover in talent at the AHL level, but I’m excited to see Belzile back in the organization. You’ll find few players around the league that work harder every day, and he’s the perfect leader for the Laval Rocket.

Even though I do my best to remain objective whenever a trade goes through, basing the analysis on facts rather opinions, there’s always a little bias that shines through. That’s why it’s always a good idea to see what the data analysis experts are saying about recent trades.

Thursday

Okay, so the Habs don’t necessarily have a bona fide No.2 centre in the lineup, but they do have options, and those options improved with the fantastic trade that saw Zachary Bolduc join the organization. In our (very early) projection, Bolduc serves as a second-line forward. [Projected Canadiens Forward Lineup Including Bolduc]

Bolduc scored most of his goals on the third line last season, but his impressive production rate suggests he’s ready for an uptick in ice time.

In a bid to include more non-Habs related opinions, it seems that analysts are feeling bullish about Montreal potential after a good start to the offseason. [TSN]

The Canadiens continue to solidify their AHL lineup, signing prospect Sean Farrell and defenceman Marc Del Gaizo to one-year contracts.

Friday

With Noah Dobson and Lane Hutson in the mix, the Habs will certainly enter 2025-26 with much more mobility on the back end, but how will the actual defensive pairings shake out? For the first time in a long time, head coach Martin St-Louis has some options. [Projecting Canadiens Defensive Pairings Including Dobson]

L.J. Mooney may be the smallest player at development camp, but there’s also a healthy chance he’s one of the most talented. The 5’7″ forward stole the show as the prospects took part in an intrasquad scrimmage on Thursday morning. [Highlights – Mooney & New Habs Prospects Standout At Camp]

Aatos Koivu’s shootout goal was a nice homage to his father’s classic move.

Michael Hage and Owen Protz were among the prospects invited to take part in Hockey Canada’s World Junior Summer Showcase.

Saturday

The Habs let Joel Armia, Christian Dvorak, Michael Pezzetta, and Rafael Harvey-Pinard walk in free agency, and though they weren’t the team’s most popular players, there’s no doubt the team lost a little depth. Fortunately, there are plenty of players waiting in the wings to take advantage of the liberated ice time. [Former Canadiens Players Find New Homes in Free Agency]

A highlight video featuring Montreal Canadiens prospect LJ Mooney through the years is ample evidence to suggest he was always one step ahead of the curve. [Habs Prospect – Mooney Impressive Youth Hockey Highlights]

Speaking of Mooney, he did well when presented with a fairly ridiculous question.

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