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Great to see Reinbacher get a dozen games in Laval under his belt, on smaller ice and intro to NA pro game. Laval Rocket eliminated from playoff contention with loss (habseyesontheprize.com) Luke Tuch stood out for me quite a bit among the forward group. He plays somewhat of a thankless game that probably won’t show up on the scoresheet a lot, but he back checks like his life depends on it, and is very capable in the dirty areas. If he keeps bringing that level of effort at both ends of the ice, he’ll eventually find himself getting a chance in the NHL. David Reinbacher is just so quietly effective. Outside of his assist, what really stood out for me was his puck distribution in his own zone. He seems to have an innate sense for where his teammates will be, and his first pass on the breakout is almost always right. He’s on the right track, and it will be interesting to see how he develops next season.

We need your A game tonight buddy. Habs can’t afford a win…

Ottawa pulls out the 5-3 victory.

"My son weighs about 25 pounds and I struggled to hold him in my arms for more than a minute without discomfort," he said Tuesday morning during a lengthy interview with La Presse. Despite a "daily routine" that allows him to cope with pain, sitting or standing for a long time is now painful. Air travel, therefore, is "difficult". "I got to a point where I couldn't go on," he says. "I spoke with the medical staff of what my life after hockey could look like if I didn't stop. There was a lot of doubt about how it would affect me in the long run. When we started talking about it, it became real. Life is long after the end of a career."

Years ago, on this very site, I crunched a bunch of numbers on Koivu and discovered that he produced like a PPG player, except that he would have long slumps of, like 10-15 games per season where he would basically produce nothing. 🤷‍♂️ Hence the endless argument over whether he was a #1A or a #2C. The other thing about him was that (with all due respect to Commandant) he was a playoff beast. I mean, he put Joe Thornton in his back pocket even while playing through a cracked rib. The tragedy of Koivu, as I’ve lamented many times, is that he was never the same after his knee was destroyed. I am sure he could have been a top-10 player if not for that. He was that dominant before the knee injury.

It may have taken me 18 attempts but I am glad I was able to finally pull it off. It didn’t look promising after the second to last game because the Habs needed only 1 point but Detroit’s miraculous comeback with 3 seconds left, followed by the the Habs’ overtime/shootout loss in the final game sealed the deal. Thank you @alfredoh2009 for the congrats and @Peter Puck for hosting, as always. GHG

Go Bruins, Sweep it up.

I heartily endorse the general sentiment. The Bruins are an authentic rival, and a truly great (and duly hated) opponent over the years; the Leafs are a creation of the TO hype machine. No amount of suffering is too much for them. And I know that if they win, we will NEVER hear the end of it - celebrated over and over on HNIC and the national media as the Greatest Day in Hockey History, universally beloved, blablablablah. Over and over, year after year, until we die. No thanks. The two worst things that could possibly happen to me as a hockey fan are these: 1. The Habs fold and leave town. 2. The Leafs win the Cup. I'm pulling for the Bruins 100% in this series. I'll cheer against them thereafter.

No it's not. It's an easy decision. I find it easy to cheer for the Bruins in this series.

Keep in mind any comparison is a stylistic comparison, not a talent one.... so just cause someone is compared to Aho doesn't mean that the point totals is what we are comparing. He's a centre IMO. Yes, I see him in the NHL in 25-26, but I wouldn't say regardless of who takes him. Every team has different philosophies on what they do for development, but I'd think barring injury and lost development time in 2024-25, he'd be in the NHL by then. Some teams might even put him in the NHL 2024-25. What are people missing? I think he has almost no weaknesses. He does everything you need a player to do at an above average level, while still being elite in a few areas

Arizona should celebrate with winning their last two games 🎉

WHY in the world would the Habs want to "ice their best lineup"? Wins only have the potential to worsen their draft position. Hutson is getting at least one game because that burns a year of his ELC ... THAT and getting some $$$ in his pocket immediately is why he signed now ... there was always the "possibility" of his waiting and ultimately deciding to play another NCAA season. Struble is with the Habs because they only have 7 healthy defencemen and one of them could be injured/get sick before the game roster is submitted. @dlbalr made it clear that Baby Xhekaj is playing because Stephens can't, not to "give him a game". So, not the management screw-up you seem to so often hope for.

Boy, look at Morgan Reilly's numbers. I always liked his game - my kind of defenceman. For a guy in TO, where they pump the tires of every bum who cycles through the lineup, he seems almost underrated. And that's the only nice thing I'm gonna say for the next 12 hours. F**k off, Leafs. I hope Boston or whoever takes a leaf-blower to you and sweeps you in 4.

A team filled with NHL prospects is not the way to succeed in the AHL, though, that's a different type of team construction.

College free agency has started up. I've done a series of pieces for PHR with an overview of some of the better options by position. Some goalies/defence have signed since posting while the forwards were just posted this weekend so they're all still available for now. Gorton mentioned recently that they were doing some planning for college free agency so it appears they'll be trying to sign some players, likely some of the ones in these columns. Goalies: https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/2024/03/2024-college-free-agency-preview-goaltenders.html Defence: https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/2024/03/2024-college-free-agency-preview-defensemen.html Centres: https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/2024/03/2024-college-free-agency-preview-centers.html Wingers: https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/2024/03/2024-college-free-agency-preview-wingers.html

It was a fun game to be at last night. First time in eons the Habs came away with a win in Colorado. There was a nice tribute video for Newhook, and he interacted with a few fans wearing his jersey during warmups. I was a bit surprised at the amount of "give me a stick" type signs that folks were holding up during warmups, I guess pictures or pucks isn't enough anymore to satiate some greedy fans. The Habs have a strong skating defense. Guhle and Matheson are fun to watch.

I'm quite OK with other people being excited about it now, and I'll get excited about it myself come draft day. But, for now, I'm not going to invest a ton of time learning about prospects that may never pull on the CH sweater. That's just me. 🙂 And I'm still keenly following all our prospects, and especially those that might be joining the team for the final games of the season. That's excitement enough for me!

Quinn Hughes on being small offensive d-man going form NCAA to NHL. Canadiens weekly notebook: An awkward milestone, an endorsement for Lane Hutson and more - The Athletic “I figure why you’re asking, but I’m sure he’ll figure it out and he’ll be fine.” "He, of course, is Canadiens prospect Lane Hutson, a similarly undersized offensive defenceman currently completing his season at Boston University. Hutson’s name was never mentioned to Hughes, but he had no problem identifying the reason behind the question. Hutson has been compared to Hughes for years, and Hughes clearly knows it." “Right away, for the most part, I think I felt very confident. My first year couldn’t have gone better. I had a great season, and the second year, we struggled. I thought my third fourth and then this year have been really good. It’s just about building,” Hughes said. “Lane’s going to … it’s not about how good he is at 20 or 21, it’s about how good he is at 25, 26. I tell my brother Luke that, focus on one foot in front of the other, and he’s having a great year, too, but just keep grinding so that at 23, 24 you can say you’re one of the best in the league."

Utah is not going to be run the same way phoenix was, talking everyones bad contracts. That ends with the new ownership who are going to spend on actual players

Anaheim is stocked on LD. Im also not sure Mtl is done at C. Consider that Newhook is probably better on the wing and while we all hope Dach will come back and take the next step hes missed like 2.5 seasons out of his last 4. It wouldnt be wise to put all the eggs in that basket. Zegras also can play wing. Im not crazy about giving a lot for him and Ive said why, but I dont think we are so stocked at C to look away from that.

I suspect Kovacevic will be worth more to the Habs than in a trade.

I'm hoping for a Bruins sweep, with all 4 games being lopsided . I want maximum pain and suffering for the Leafs and their fans, creating absolute chaos for the Leafs organization over the offseason.

I was disappointed that Freidman went full "cruise control" just to get a mention of the Habs in the column ... ClickBait30 could have done as well.

Syracuse is leading Utica 4-3 at the end of 2. Utica could be eliminated today

I think we all secretly or not secretly hope/wish/dream that will happen, just don't want to get my hopes up when the odds are 8.5%

How wonderful would it be if Anderson returns to a 25 goal pace and plays with speed and power!?! If he doesn’t get his game back then I want Marty to stop coddling him and treat him like any other unproductive player.

He knows he sucked. From HEOTP: Josh Anderson has no excuses for his play this season.

As much as it pains me to see another year of rebuilding hockey, it's been way overdue in Montreal. It's been about 20 years of just ok teams, that may or may not make the playoffs, but had no real shot at a cup. The shots they did have, nobody really saw coming. For the sake of 10-15 years of high quality hockey as the prospect, I'm happy they're staying committed to the full rebuild.

That's good since Molson made it clear the other day he will not grant Gorton permission to talk to other teams.

Mailloux has a new number. I hope he scores and looks good in a losing effort.

I think it's just a case of alternating the goalies like they have been doing and it's Primeau's turn.

Hoping the Habs pair Mailloux with Hutson. They can score four goals and let in six, it would be perfect. Yes I know it’s not happening

Nice to see Gallagher score, maybe he will get a hatty tonight. Just awesome! Why draft 5th when you have a chance at 7th? Don't mind me, just rambling, I don't expect the players to quit. Actually 14 goals is not a terrible year for Gallagher, still obviously vastly overpaid but he is out there working.

Yes. But PK will be needed in in 2025-26 as well. Possibly after that, too. 🙂 My point really is that players like Evans and Armia do have value beyond their point production. And that we'll need some capable PK players as well. We'll see what Hughes decides to do in this regard.

Breaking the rules here but no GDT so here it is. Seriously, we need to lose this one

Yup ... and just because he is evil doesn't mean he isn't sometimes right.

It's funny how this goes. For some time, I've been excited about what I've heard about Hutson. He seems like a 'Quinn Hughes A' type, not a franchise player like Hughes but potentially a truly elite offensive defenceman. Now that he is on the Habs, my optimism immediately shriveled into anxiety: "What if he disappoints? What if he's overwhelmed?" Etc. Fan neurosis brought about by too many disappointing prospects over the years, I suppose.

As sacrilegious as rooting for Ottawa sounds that’s is exactly what we all should be doing tonight.

Actually, I believe Torts has been most successful with young teams. Rebuilding Rags, rebuilding Columbus, Tampa when they were developing into champs. He completely flopped with a veteran team in Vancouver. And he had great success in Philly UNTIL, as others noted, he crapped on and humiliated the veteran captain. Veterans probably tire quickly of his ego and his abuse. Young players, hungry and eager, are probably more willing to follow him, especially when his demanding style has them suddenly winning games after years of failure. He's a jackass in my book, anyhow, so I'm not shedding tears over his problems.

Yeah, I think it's more this than anything. This is a team that was 'built' to contend for first overall in the lottery standings and even sold at the trade deadline when they were in a playoff spot. A letdown was bound to happen.

At the moment Anderson has a higher ceiling but his floor is also much lower than Gallagher's.

For those that were questioning Florian's pick in the draft, he is good enough to take Jakov Novak's spot in the lineup (3RV Lions best scorer)... not too shabby

Yup, Armia is now 3rd on the team in goals. Just like I predicted at the beginning of the year. LOL

2024 Bruins pick is with the Sens (via Detroit) ... as for the Flames 2024 pick https://prosportstransactions.com/hockey/DraftTrades/Future/Flames.htm

Koivu elevated his game to elite levels at the Olympics and during the playoffs. Remember how dominant he was the year he got his eye carved out? He was leading the league in playoff points. Koivu always had an extra gear or two for the playoffs. Don’t think that’s “clutch” I think it’s pushing your body through injury limits (like his knee). Price did that during our cup run and so did Weber

Sorry brain fart. Meant to say we package our our pick and D prospects for front line forwards. We need some bonafide wingers for Dach.

Christian Dvorak on ice at #Habs practice this morning wearing full-contact sweater #Habs I thought he was done for the season but perhaps we see him soon.

Geez, that is some rarified air. Well, except for Plasse, LOL.

Hey just remember what our lineup used to be. Price was supposed to lead THEESE GUYS??? to a cup? Pacioretty-Desharnais-Cole Cammalleri-Plekanec-Kostitsyn Moen-Eller-Gionta Darche-Gomez-Leblanc Palushaj, Blunden Markov-Subban Emelin-Gorges Gill-Diaz Y. Weber Price-Budaj I’m definitely happier with where the team is now and the upward trajectory that the team is on.

He improved all season? He scored two goals last year. Two. In 58 games. Yes, he had some assists and was okay most nights but, again, two goals. When you're one of the highest-paid forwards on the team, it's hard to put improved and two goals in the same sentence.