2025-26 Montreal Canadiens discussion thread

[Prime Minister Koivu]

I miss hockey 😓

 

Demidov practicing today 

 

 

[Prime Minister Koivu]

 

 

I'm bored 

[GHT120]

ClickBait30 gushing over Laine bonding with his fellow Canadiens at Suzuki's wedding:

 

Just a few weeks ago, everyone was already sending him elsewhere. Chicago, San Jose, Anaheim... all possible destinations were circulating to free up Patrik Laine's $8.7 million.

 

Even Canadiens fans, who were generally benevolent, were willing to pack his bags in exchange for a 3rd round pick simply to get rid of his salary.

We imagined him to be solitary, disconnected, distant, like this famous photo where he looks at the window of the plane, lost in his thoughts, far from the group.

 

But last night, at Nick Suzuki's wedding, Laine literally turned the internet upside down.

 

The Canadiens captain's party wasn't just a celebration of love between Nick and Caitlin Fitzgerald. It was also, without us knowing it, the social and sporting coming out of Patrik Laine. A resurrection. A statement.

 

And what a statement! Open shirt, glass in hand, bright smile, and dance moves that exploded social networks.

 

Jordan Leigh, his wife, is now full of absolutely legendary videos. In one of them, we see Laine dancing like crazy, surrounded by his teammates, completely relaxed, living the moment to the fullest. In another, he leads a line of players who follow each other on the dance floor laughing like children.

 

No more erased wool. No more staring into space. He's not a player who is leaving. He's a player who settles in.

 

And let's be clear: we're not just talking about a drunken party or a viral video. It's a strong image. Laine's, arm in arm with Caufield, Xhekaj, and the others... it means something. It means: I am one of you.

 

Even before this wedding, we had already noticed that Laine was in Brossard, long before the majority of the players. He skated, he trained, he smiled.

It was in complete contrast to the cloud of rumors that had been hovering over him for months. Then there was the massive return of the core: Suzuki, Caufield, Demidov, Dach, Slafkovsky, Carrier, Newhook, Montembeault, Toffoli, the Xhekaj brothers... all on the ice, practicing before camp.

 

And Laine? Always there. Involved. Concentrated. Invested.

 

You don't keep a player in such a dynamic if you plan to trade him. We don't put him at the heart of social and sporting activities if we prepare for his departure.

Laine is not part of the Canadiens' plan B. He is in the process of imposing himself in plan A. And last night, that impression became certain.

 

From the trading bench to the first wave of the power play?

 

But the real question now is: where will he play? Because this team is deeper than ever.

 

Demidov is untouchable and will certainly be in the first unit. Suzuki and Caufield are the dream duo that is also untouchable. Lane Hutson has his place.

 

Who will be the 5th? Slafkovsky? Laine? Zachary Bolduc who will push very hard?

Speaking of Bolduc, everyone saw the Quebecer completing a line with Dach and Demidov. But now, with such an invested, flamboyant Laine, can we really leave him on a third line?

 

Or worse, out of the first wave of the power play? Remember that he scored 15 of his 20 goals in 52 games in power play last year... despite a late insertion.

Logic dictates that Laine should be given a chance to regain his full offensive value. Not by hiding it in the shadows. But by giving him ammunition. And in Montreal, there is no shortage of ammunition.

 

The video of Laine, almost shirtless on the dance floor, made many laugh. But what is even more striking? He is not overweight.

Despite all the jokes about his fitness, despite the mockery, despite the derogatory comments, Laine doesn't look like an out-of-shape guy.

 

On the contrary. He looks thinner, more confident. Less inflated. More lean.

And when you combine that with his newfound smile, his visible complicity with the other players, his desire to integrate into the core... We understand that he is no longer the same man.

 

The guy who was hesitant to open up to the group is now the one who leads the dance, literally and figuratively.

 

We must not forget what Patrik Laine has been through in the last year. He signed up for the NHL's assistance program for mental health reasons.

 

He lost his friend Johnny Gaudreau in a tragedy that shook the entire league. He went from a lost prospect in Columbus to a late recruit in Montreal, hustled, uncertain, unstable.

 

And despite all that, he scored 20 goals.

 

Today, he is getting back on his feet. He smiles. He dances. He lives.

 

And in this context, our thoughts are with him. No matter what you think of his contract, no matter what the statistical projections are, you must first see in him a human being who has come a long way.

And that's stronger than any prediction.

 

Yes, Laine is playing for a new contract. Yes, he is playing for his reputation. But above all, he plays to show that he is part of something bigger. That the Canadiens can count on him. That it was not an accident that he was traded to Montreal. That it was here that he wanted to relaunch his career.

 

The coming season could be one of redemption. And if the rumors of an exchange have faded, it is because images speak louder than words.

And there, we saw a happy Lainé. We saw a living Lainé. We saw a Laine integrated.

 

Fans may laugh at his swaying hips, his girlfriend's comments, or his questionable sunglasses at midnight... But deep down, they smile because they feel something different.

 

They feel that Patrik Laine... is back.

 

And if it continues like this, it will no longer be a surprise. It will be a rebirth. And maybe, who knows, a 40-goal season.

 

Dance, Patrik. Dance. Because this time, Montreal is dancing with you.

 

 

Yes, news is THAT slow

 

[tomh009]

Yes, it's ClickBait30, but the author is Marc-Andre Dubois, who writes well and credibly. No hard news on the article above, but if Laine is engaged with the team, positive and in shape, it can only be good news for the Habs.

 

After all that, though, the proof of the pudding is in the eating ...

[Prime Minister Koivu]

Looks like he had a banger of a time

[Prime Minister Koivu]

Still think he gets traded in late August

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

18 hours ago, tomh009 said:

Yes, it's ClickBait30, but the author is Marc-Andre Dubois, who writes well and credibly. No hard news on the article above, but if Laine is engaged with the team, positive and in shape, it can only be good news for the Habs.

 

After all that, though, the proof of the pudding is in the eating ...

 

Yeah, last year was also supposed to be his resurrection, etc. 

 

I do get that mental health is a process BUT hopes that “The Real Him Is Back!” (as Bob Dylan once wrote, in the context of his own fans forever pining for a return to his 1960s style) have been trailing him around for years. At this point, he needs to show that he is more than a one-dimensional shooter. And he needs to show that game-in and game-out for months. 

 

If he doesn’t, he will no longer be part of this team that seems to have been so beneficial to his emotional state.

[DON]

5 hours ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

Yeah, last year was also supposed to be his resurrection, etc. 

Not quite.

Coming off ilness, surgery, and then training camp injury, finishing up with broken finger.

Fans had to give him benefit of doubt

But given all that baggage, he still had a 20g in 52 game season. 

[Prime Minister Koivu]

Good times

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

45 minutes ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

Good times

 

Is it a requirement to unbutton your shirt at weddings nowadays or what? if so, I’m in big trouble, LOL.

[Prime Minister Koivu]

I've been saying for a while that Struble is getting traded. 
 

Matheson is only traded if he is part of a 2C package - or possibly a trade deadline deal

[dlbalr]

That's not much of a prediction as by this time next year, Matheson has probably signed a UFA contract elsewhere unless he really wants to stay in Montreal.  

[Prime Minister Koivu]

3 hours ago, dlbalr said:

That's not much of a prediction as by this time next year, Matheson has probably signed a UFA contract elsewhere unless he really wants to stay in Montreal.  

I'm not sure that Matheson is in Hughes’ long term plans and is a likely trade deadline deal. 
 

I don’t think Struble makes it to camp because Xhekaj needs playtime and there are sick/hurt fill in players in laval

[GHT120]

18 minutes ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

I'm not sure that Matheson is in Hughes’ long term plans and is a likely trade deadline deal. 
 

I don’t think Struble makes it to camp because Xhekaj needs playtime and there are sick/hurt fill in players in laval

*** I *** prefer Struble over Xhekaj ... Just think he is the better defender and deserves the icetime more than Xhekaj, except in specific circumstances that require Arber's unique talents ... if one must go, I'd trade Xhekaj before Struble.

[dlbalr]

1 hour ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

I don’t think Struble makes it to camp because Xhekaj needs playtime and there are sick/hurt fill in players in laval

 

If they're content with rotating the two of them until an injury strikes, I could see Struble staying past training camp.  

[Commandant]

Struble is needed.  Reality is that the team is likely to use 9 or 10 defencemen over the course of an 82 game season. 

[Prime Minister Koivu]

3 hours ago, Commandant said:

Struble is needed.  Reality is that the team is likely to use 9 or 10 defencemen over the course of an 82 game season. 

Surely Engstrom and Reinbacher could cover injuries. 
 

I like Struble, I think he is getting traded because Marty doesn’t like him - my perception based on coach’s comments about Struble. 
 

5 hours ago, GHT120 said:

*** I *** prefer Struble over Xhekaj ... Just think he is the better defender and deserves the icetime more than Xhekaj, except in specific circumstances that require Arber's unique talents ... if one must go, I'd trade Xhekaj before Struble.

I agree with you but I’m not sure the team agrees. I think the Habs want a “Xhekaj” type and perhaps he has more potential upside than Struble 🤷‍♂️

 

It’s just a guess about Struble getting traded and we will know soon enough. 

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

11 hours ago, dlbalr said:

That's not much of a prediction as by this time next year, Matheson has probably signed a UFA contract elsewhere unless he really wants to stay in Montreal.  

 

Agreed, not exactly going out on a limb. 

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

5 hours ago, Commandant said:

Struble is needed.  Reality is that the team is likely to use 9 or 10 defencemen over the course of an 82 game season. 

 

Exactly, depth on defense is really important. 

[hab29RETIRED]

2 hours ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

Surely Engstrom and Reinbacher could cover injuries. 
 

I like Struble, I think he is getting traded because Marty doesn’t like him - my perception based on coach’s comments about Struble. 
 

I agree with you but I’m not sure the team agrees. I think the Habs want a “Xhekaj” type and perhaps he has more potential upside than Struble 🤷‍♂️

 

It’s just a guess about Struble getting traded and we will know soon enough. 

It seemed to me that Marty played Struble over Xhejac - particularly when it counted to start the playoffs, and seemed to have more of an issue with Xhejac’s penchant for taking bad penalties.

[Prime Minister Koivu]

2 hours ago, hab29RETIRED said:

It seemed to me that Marty played Struble over Xhejac - particularly when it counted to start the playoffs, and seemed to have more of an issue with Xhejac’s penchant for taking bad penalties.

That is true that Xhekaj was benched a couple of times for stupid decisions. Still, Marty never said anything negative about him. 
 

Marty said that Struble lacked effort and intensity. 

[GHT120]

3 hours ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

That is true that Xhekaj was benched a couple of times for stupid decisions. Still, Marty never said anything negative about him. 
 

Marty said that Struble lacked effort and intensity. 

Could be differences in the temperament of the players and what sort of motivation is required for each (i.e., one "sulks" if criticized publicly, the other is motivated by it).

[DON]

7 hours ago, hab29RETIRED said:

It seemed to me that Marty played Struble over Xhejac - particularly when it counted to start the playoffs, and seemed to have more of an issue with Xhejac’s penchant for taking bad penalties.

Agree

5 hours ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

That is true that Xhekaj was benched a couple of times for stupid decisions. Still, Marty never said anything negative about him. 

Benching is not a positive and Struble never had as many glaring gaffs or poor/costly decisions.

 

Also agree Habs mgmt likes having Xhekaj's toughness alot, but I think Marty simply wants him to improve his defense enough to maybe be a PK option at some point, especially if Matheson is dealt..

 

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

It's a massive season for WiFi. It'll be his fourth. Can he make the jump to being a trusted lineup regular or not? Enough's enough with him.

 

Like many, I have more faith in Struble's establishing himself as a solid bottom-pairing guy. But I do like the depth right now on LD. 

 

 

 

 

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

1 hour ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

It's a massive season for WiFi. It'll be his fourth. Can he make the jump to being a trusted lineup regular or not? Enough's enough with him.

 

Like many, I have more faith in Struble's establishing himself as a solid bottom-pairing guy. But I do like the depth right now on LD. 

 

 

 

 

 

It is a big year for WiFi, he needs to gain Marty's confidence. If he can improve his discipline/decision making then I like his upside over Struble but that's a big "if".