GHT120

I tend to agree with @Commandant on this ... Armia has played well enough since the New Year to have value to some other teams, especially if "July 1st" doesn't address their needs that he fills ... not likely to require retention or garner much return.

I expect HuGo to be making moves based on where they want the team to be in 25/26 or 26/27 ... not 24/25.

Is it worth risking that he regresses to his norm and becomes difficult to trade, or should they strike while the iron is hot even if the return is "modest".

Always a good point to consider ... better to hope than build expectations.

Three of the current roster (Pearson, White, Ylonen) likely not back next season ... Anderson and Gallagher wouldn't be if I had a magic wand ... Armia is I-M-O unlikely to be extended (despite his post New Years play) and hopefully tradeable at the 25/25 deadline ... Evans has one more season but likely will be too expensive to renew as a 4C, and not I-M-O a 3C on the playoff/Cup contender the Habs are rebuilding towards ... so the question is likely whether Tuch's skill, size and aggressiveness gives him a better bottom-6 NHL future than RHP, Pezzetta and any Rockets ... my hope is that in 2-3 years Tuch and Whekaj could be 2/3 of the 4th line.

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

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.

I don't expect 2 games by Lane will have any impact on Cole's draft positioning ... I also don't expect Lane to get anything more than a "dipping a toe in the shallow end" in terms of TOI these two games.

Or give him a shot in goal

Hopefully he signs and plays the last two games against Detroit next week ... don't want him in against Tkachuk and the Sens Saturday.

Leaves them $1,464,183 under the projected cap for 18 players, for the 18 players currently on their NHL roster/cap ... although up to $6,464,183 as Lehner undoubtedly will be on LTIR again next season ... Marchessault, Mantha and Stephenson pending UFAs ... also Martinez, but I expect Hanifan is his direct replacement. VGKs ownership is certainly committed to doing what it takes to "keep the team together" ... will they manage to (do they want to) keep Marchessault? He could be of interest to HuGo on a short-term deal.

I believe the Habs could also negotiate a "loan agreement" so Kapanen could play in Laval next season ... Kimmo doing a favour for his dad?

I believe MSL was responding to an "any lineup changes" question when he said "non" (around 10:45), followed up by "Samuel dans net".

I-M-O ... the Coyotes move to SLC, rather than the previously rumoured Houston, because there is a deep-pockets owner who wants the team and the NHL is not "losing" a future franchise fee as the city is not high on the NHL's preferred expansion sites ... SLC is far smaller than Houston, Atlanta, "Pheonix" (if someone can figure out an arena), Portland, KC, Cincinnati, Columbus ...

For once, Google wasn't helpful in turning up a list ... the $64,000 Question is whether the players who "asked out" are players you can build a winning team around, or are they "me first" types who couldn't handle Torts' expectations/accountability. Other than his "1 & done" stint in Vancouver, Torts well exceeded the average term (2-3 years) for NHL head coaches in New York, Tampa and Columbus ... won't be surprised if he is back next season in Philly.

Typical Anderson goal ... nothing at all to do with his linemates.

Don't forget the 13th forward.

Is it? The same shoulder being injured again would obviously be concerning ... but how much better is it to have both shoulders suffer injuries significant enough to warrant surgery?

Five more losses and nothing Arizona or Ottawa or Calgary can do to the Habs' draft position.

Habs would either have to sign him ... OR ... he would have to accept an Amateur Try-Out contract from The Rocket. Assuming Hutson will sign as soon as BU completes their season, not certain HuGo will want to use up one of their other 4 open contract slots before July 1st on Florian ... those slots give them flexibility in trades around the draft.

It was important for HuGo to see how he reacted when assessing their plans for next season ... well done CP.

100%

Although the Habs almost immediately (29 seconds) surrendered the 4-0 goal by McMann