dlbalr Posted August 16 Posted August 16 Pugachyov was cut from his KHL team and is back at the MHL (junior) level. Quote
GHT120 Posted August 16 Posted August 16 Just now, DON said: Play related, no spot for him or just politics? Like the US Junior team, there is a lot of "contract politics" over there Quote
dlbalr Posted August 16 Posted August 16 9 minutes ago, DON said: Play related, no spot for him or just politics? He's an 18-year-old with limited KHL experience. I don't think there's anything fishy behind it, it's just them probably thinking him playing big minutes at a lower level is better than having him as one of the designated young players who usually play about one shift per game. I'm a little surprised he went down two levels instead of to the VHL though. Quote
GHT120 Posted August 16 Posted August 16 2 hours ago, dlbalr said: Pugachyov was cut from his KHL team and is back at the MHL (junior) level. For what little it likely may be worth: Patrick Guillet @PatGuilletAccording to my colleague @mpetit97, the fact that he played a preseason game in the MHL does not mean he has been demoted. It is quite common in the KHL to send 18-year-old prospects to play in the MHL when there are a few days off between two preseason games. Quote
DON Posted August 17 Posted August 17 Hopefully NCAA seasoning will work wonders. Supposedly has lots to work on, like defending & skating. 2026 Canadiens Top 25 Under 25: #21 Timofei Runtso A mature version of Runtso would combine a big frame with a long reach and active stick, which would make him into a very effective defensive package. If he gets there, the Canadiens may have found considerable value in a 57th-overall pick. Quote
dlbalr Posted August 17 Posted August 17 15 hours ago, GHT120 said: For what little it likely may be worth: Patrick Guillet @PatGuilletAccording to my colleague @mpetit97, the fact that he played a preseason game in the MHL does not mean he has been demoted. It is quite common in the KHL to send 18-year-old prospects to play in the MHL when there are a few days off between two preseason games. While he's not wrong in that it's commonplace for players to get spot games in that situation, he was indeed cut. Torpedo announced its roster over the weekend and Pugachyov is clearly in the seconded category, as in, demoted to a lower level. https://hctorpedo.ru/teamroster/ Quote
tomh009 Posted August 18 Posted August 18 On 8/14/2026 at 4:37 PM, Prime Minister Koivu said: Much of what Hughes does seems to be big swings at the fence, even if many swings don’t make it. Paupanekis seems to be one of those. I hope he makes it In the third round you really need to swing big if you want a chance at a player who's more than a fourth-liner. Quote
GHT120 Posted August 18 Posted August 18 And a segment of Habs fans go crazy that Zharovsky played centre Quote
DON Posted August 19 Posted August 19 Hope his transition to pro in Laval goes well and his defensive game shines. A hard hitting 3rd pairing and PK guy would be nice to see develop. More physical than Struble and better defensively than Xhekaj, see how he does vs men, not alot of teenagers this season. 2026 Canadiens Top 25 Under 25: #19 Owen Protz Protz has been described by many as one of the most violent defenders outside of the NHL, and certainly the most violent in the OHL. He has the size, weight, and reach that you like to see in defence-first prospects, and he isn’t remotely shy about using that size to land punishing hits. What’s more impressive about his hits is that he keeps the vast majority of them clean. He gets leverage by lowering his centre of gravity, then drives through his opponent with a tucked elbow. Violent he is, but he maintains control at a level far beyond his years. His gap control against the rush is some of the best that I’ve seen from a Junior player. He patiently angles players to where he wants them to go, and when he decides to close that gap, he does so with authority. He doesn’t chase the hits he wants to land to put himself out of position, either. Again, controlled violence, as he does love to impose himself but remains mindful of where he needs to be defensively. Quote
Prime Minister Koivu Posted August 19 Posted August 19 3 hours ago, DON said: Hope his transition to pro in Laval goes well and his defensive game shines. A hard hitting 3rd pairing and PK guy would be nice to see develop. More physical than Struble and better defensively than Xhekaj, see how he does vs men, not alot of teenagers this season. 2026 Canadiens Top 25 Under 25: #19 Owen Protz Protz has been described by many as one of the most violent defenders outside of the NHL, and certainly the most violent in the OHL. He has the size, weight, and reach that you like to see in defence-first prospects, and he isn’t remotely shy about using that size to land punishing hits. What’s more impressive about his hits is that he keeps the vast majority of them clean. He gets leverage by lowering his centre of gravity, then drives through his opponent with a tucked elbow. Violent he is, but he maintains control at a level far beyond his years. His gap control against the rush is some of the best that I’ve seen from a Junior player. He patiently angles players to where he wants them to go, and when he decides to close that gap, he does so with authority. He doesn’t chase the hits he wants to land to put himself out of position, either. Again, controlled violence, as he does love to impose himself but remains mindful of where he needs to be defensively. Protz is the exact player that many feel Montreal needs. I am very hopeful that his game continues at the next level. Quote
GHT120 Posted August 22 Posted August 22 Were they playing mental games with him or getting him playing time? Quote
dlbalr Posted August 23 Posted August 23 Or the MHL team is off for a few days and he's up with the big club to get some practice in with them in the meantime. It sounds like the plan is to shuttle him back and forth this season. Quote
DON Posted August 24 Posted August 24 Has tough road to hoe to make it. 2026 Canadiens Top 25 Under 25: #16 L.J. Mooney What Montreal identified was one of the most creative and dynamic offensive players in his draft class, one who consistently produced offence against older competition. That combination of elite offensive instincts and exceptional competitiveness explains why numerous scouts considered him one of the biggest value selections last year. Quote
tomh009 Posted August 26 Posted August 26 Nit-picking here...but the correct phrase is actually "a tough row to hoe". It's originally farming-related, and refers to a row in a field that is challenging to clear of weeds (using a hoe). Once you know the etymology, "row" starts making sense! 😊 Other than that, I do agree with your comment! Quote
Commandant Posted August 26 Author Posted August 26 1 hour ago, tomh009 said: Nit-picking here...but the correct phrase is actually "a tough row to hoe". It's originally farming-related, and refers to a row in a field that is challenging to clear of weeds (using a hoe). Once you know the etymology, "row" starts making sense! 😊 Other than that, I do agree with your comment! And here i thought it meant the streets were dangerous for a lady of the night.... tough road to hoe. Quote
DON Posted August 29 Posted August 29 Dosent seem like a long list of good centres. Its Hage (if he even ends up being a NHL centre) then its Beck. 2026 HabsWorld Prospect Position Rankings: Centres – HabsWorld.net Still, Hage is a very promising offensive talent. He’s quick and has a well-rounded offensive repertoire. If all goes well, he could solve the long-standing need for a quality second centre behind Nick Suzuki, allowing the Habs to fill that role from within over paying a hefty price to acquire one. That would be huge. And if he ultimately fits more on the wing, he’s still well-positioned to be a key piece for this franchise for a long time. 1 Quote
DON Posted August 29 Posted August 29 Mooney and Rohrer are best RW prospects. Mooney not a big goal scorer, but works hard and was productive in 1st NCAA season. Will Rohrer be joining the Habs in the spring? 2026 HabsWorld Prospect Position Rankings: Right-Shot Wingers – HabsWorld.net ... It would be fair to say that Rohrer’s ceiling isn’t particularly high. This isn’t a case of a top-sixer who could fit in the bottom six. No, this is a third-line-if-all-goes-right type of profile, where his skating and intensity give him a chance to mesh on either an offensive or defensive line. I think he can bounce back in 2026-27 but if he doesn’t, his stock in the organization is probably going to tumble. Great to hear Gleb can skate well. 2026 Canadiens Top 25 Under 25: #11 Gleb Pugachyov ... His imposing frame is difficult enough to deal with, but he’s also a very strong skater, one of the most gifted in the entire organization. That makes him almost impossible to avoid on the ice as he quickly closes in on puck-carriers. It’s the biggest reason why he has success no matter what level he plays at; there are few players even at the pro level who match his physical abilities. He can play the same game in the KHL as he does in the MHL, and find success doing so. 1 Quote
dlbalr Posted Sunday at 05:35 PM Posted Sunday at 05:35 PM Yevgeni Volokhin signed a new three-year deal in the KHL, keeping him signed there through 2028-29. He had two years left on his original contract so he gets an extra season and presumably more money. Quote
GHT120 Posted Sunday at 05:38 PM Posted Sunday at 05:38 PM 1 minute ago, dlbalr said: Yevgeni Volokhin signed a new three-year deal in the KHL, keeping him signed there through 2028-29. He had two years left on his original contract so he gets an extra season and presumably more money. That will carry him through his early developmental years ... may work well for the Habs if it goes well and he is interested in the NHL come 2029 Quote
tomh009 Posted Monday at 12:26 AM Posted Monday at 12:26 AM 6 hours ago, GHT120 said: That will carry him through his early developmental years ... may work well for the Habs if it goes well and he is interested in the NHL come 2029 24 is not so old for a goalie. If he's good, Habs may have a need for a second goalie after an expansion draft ... Quote
Habs Fan in Edmonton Posted Monday at 01:30 AM Posted Monday at 01:30 AM 1 hour ago, tomh009 said: 24 is not so old for a goalie. If he's good, Habs may have a need for a second goalie after an expansion draft ... Not even close to being so old. Look at Johnny Bower, played 11 years in the AHL and he turned out ok, won 4 cups. 1 Quote
tomh009 Posted Monday at 08:02 PM Posted Monday at 08:02 PM 18 hours ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said: Not even close to being so old. Look at Johnny Bower, played 11 years in the AHL and he turned out ok, won 4 cups. Back in those days, long waits were not unusual for goalies. Only six teams and the starting goalie would often play 60+ of the 70 games. Even Jacques Plante didn't get a starting role until he was 25. Quote
DON Posted Tuesday at 10:00 AM Posted Tuesday at 10:00 AM Rohrer 4pts in 5 pre-season Swiss games. An 'active' 1st two pre-season games for this big kid. Wesley Royston - Habs Prospects Position: RW Height: 6-4 Weight: 186 Shoots: Right Birthdate: 2007-11-22 Age: 18 Birthplace: Oro-Medonte, Ontario, Canada Drafted in the 6th round (190th overall) in 2026 Contract (must be signed before June 1st, 2030) 2026-27: Owen Sound Attack - GTHL U15 Champion, 2021-22, Toronto Jr. Canadiens U15 AAA - World Under-17 Hockey Challenge Gold Medal, 2023-24 Dates Games GP G A PTS +/- PIM TOI August 29, 2026 vs. Oshawa Generals 1 1 0 1 +2 6 - August 30, 2026 @ Barrie Colts 1 1 0 1 +1 7 - OHL pre-season Total: 2 2 0 2 +3 13 - Several Habs russians in this one. (not that Sobolev is a real prospect) August 30 games Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod 7 Spartak Moscow 6 (Final OT) - KHL pre-season Yevgeni Volokhin - 3 goals on n/a shots (2 goals on 14 shots for 3rd/OT periods) (replaced Ivan Fedotov at 10:36 of the 2nd period)Bogdan Konyushkov - no pointsGleb Pugachyov - wasn't in the lineupDaniil Sobolev - no points 1 Quote
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