It took a long time before another NHL organization trusted him again, and it was finally Lou Lamoriello and the Islanders who welcomed him with open arms.

And they did well, as Patrick led the team to the playoffs and has already begun to establish a different and favorable culture in the locker room.

When someone like Roy decides to take the lead, many people want to follow, and that’s what’s happening now. According to sources, the Islanders are hiring Martin Laperrière as an assistant coach, who currently works with the Laval Rocket.

“According to my 100% reliable sources

Never missed. Of history.

Martin Laperrière from the Rocket is joining Patrick Roy as assistant coach with the Islanders.” – AGN

It makes perfect sense, as the two men have previously worked together with the Quebec Remparts. Therefore, an official announcement can be expected in the coming days.

Additionally, there happens to be an assistant coaching position open under Roy, as one of his assistants from last season will not be returning.

Roy is drawing from the Canadiens’ pool

Obviously, the Canadiens do not have an offer to make to Laperrière, as their coaching staff is well established with Martin St-Louis, Trevor Letowski, Alex Burrows, and Stéphane Robidas.

Whatever happens, let’s wish Martin good luck in his future challenges!

The post Patrick Roy is dipping into the Canadiens’ pool, and it’s big appeared first on All Habs.

The connection is easy to make with Martin St-Louis and Vincent Lecavalier. However, the latest news suggested it would never happen.

Indeed, the Lightning and Julien Brisebois confirmed that Stamkos was a priority for them, but also that he would test the free agent market a few hours later.

Then, the Lightning traded Mikhail Sergachev and his $8.5 million contract until 2031, which suggested they were making room to keep the captain in Tampa Bay.

Major turnaround, as the Bolts just acquired the rights to Jake Guentzel, so a contract announcement should come today.

“Latest addition coming to Tampa!

We have acquired forward Jake Guentzel from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.”

– Tampa Bay Lightning

Obviously, with his current contract ending tomorrow, the Lightning must be sure to sign him before midnight; otherwise, they will have simply lost a third-round pick for nothing.

In my opinion, Stamkos is coming to the Canadiens, and he will be a perfect leader while awaiting the arrival of Ivan Demidov and other forwards in the club.

This is just a prediction and not a rumor. I could obviously be wrong, but one thing is certain: there will be a new captain in Tampa Bay next season.

The post Prediction: Steven Stamkos is coming to Montreal tomorrow appeared first on All Habs.

According to the most well-connected insiders, it wasn’t for lack of trying. Hughes is involved everywhere, and that’s still the case. He hasn’t finished his summer shopping, far from it.

It’s known that a young player on his radar is Rutger McGroarty, and this has been confirmed by Elliotte Friedman.

It was even very possible that the 21st pick was in the offer, but for some unknown reason, it didn’t happen, and the Canadiens selected Michael Hage.

“Also Rutger McGroartythere were couple of cases where the Jets thought they were close [to trading him], there were some conversations with Montreal”

– Elliotte Friedman, via HabsOnReddit

When the team believes a trade is about to be concluded, it’s really very close to happening.

If we recall, just before going on stage to announce the 21st pick, Kent Hughes made a phone call, and everyone got excited at the idea of a possible trade on the draft floor.

And if that call was to the Jets, to tell them that Michael Hage was available and the trade was therefore aborted? That’s my hypothesis, but one thing is certain, there was smoke in this case.

The net result is that the Canadiens haven’t yet acquired a promising young forward via trade this summer, but nothing is set in stone, as Trevor Zegras, Martin Necas, Rutger McGroarty, Patrik Laine, Cole Perfetti, Marco Rossi, and several others are still available.

It’s confirmed that Rutger McGroarty greatly interests the Canadiens, and Kent Hughes could still be working on this case.

To be continued…

The post It’s now confirmed for Rutger McGroarty and the Canadiens: Hughes is in appeared first on All Habs.

At 5th overall, the Canadiens made a major acquisition with Ivan Demidov, a hockey prodigy.

It’s incredible to see he was available at that rank, and the Canadiens’ management couldn’t believe it.

Even the Blackhawks tried very hard to get him.

Ivan Demidov to Chicago: massive trade that fell through

While the young man is very cheerful and excited to have been selected by the Canadiens, he shared some bad news.

Indeed, the forward will not be able to attend the development camp, so we’ll have to wait a bit longer to see him in action.

“Ivan Demidov says he does not have a Canadian visa so will not be able to attend Canadiens development camp.” – Arpon Basu

It’s unfortunate, but knowing he’ll play in the KHL next season, it doesn’t change much.

He’s still very happy to be in Montreal and will return as soon as his contract in Russia ends, at the end of the next season.

He will get to play against men in an excellent league and arrive strong with the Canadiens.

The post Ivan Demidov brings us bad news: his chances are shattered appeared first on All Habs.

His salary of $10.5 million for two more seasons is still the highest, even as the highest-paid active player is Nick Suzuki.

A notable fact has been highlighted concerning Price and newcomer Ivan Demidov.

Indeed, when Carey was selected 5th overall in 2005, Demidov hadn’t even been born yet!

If the goaltender had remained healthy, he would still be in the lineup, and his second successor as the 5th overall pick (after David Reinbacher last year) could potentially play with him during his final contract year in 2025-26.

Personally, I remember Carey Price’s selection vividly, the famous year of Sidney Crosby.

“Wanna feel old?

Ivan Demidov wasn’t even born when Carey Price was drafted by the Habs.”

Habs on Reddit

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At 21st overall, they chose Michael Hage, a Canadiens fan who speaks French fluently. He’s seen as a definite favorite, a resilient and charismatic young player.

In the third round, they made another sentimental choice with Aatos Koivu, son of Saku Koivu. After these three picks, the draft looked very solid.

However, the remainder of their selections didn’t sit well with everyone, primarily because no Honetown players were chosen by the organization this year.

According to Anthony Marcotte, this is unacceptable, and many agree with him.

“Being drafted by an NHL organization is a vote of confidence. You’re associated with the team for at least two years before they decide whether to sign you or not.

The fact that the Canadiens invite local youngsters to their development camp every year is commendable. However, it doesn’t have the same impact or pride.

Regardless of what happens in his career, the young player can always say he was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens.

A 7th-round pick has an extremely low chance of making it to the NHL, especially in his first year of eligibility. That’s what disappoints me about the Canadiens. Why isn’t it automatic that the last pick in a draft is a Homwtown player? In the worst case, he’ll have a chance to play in Laval in a few years and maybe even play a significant role there.

But hey, I’ve said it before. It’s not a crime, just disappointing. You can bookmark this tweet because it might happen again next year.”

Anthony Marcotte

I agree that great stories can emerge from 7th-round picks, as we’ve seen with players like Raphaël Harvey-Pinard. However, I understand why the Canadiens might not have done so.

Players drafted from the CHL only belong to the team for two years, unlike players from other leagues. Given equal talent, it’s more advantageous to pick a European or NCAA player.

Certainly, I’d like to see more local players in the organization, and I hope this happens more each year. But I can understand that sometimes it’s not possible.

In any case, the Canadiens have drafted well over the past three years. We should continue to trust them and follow the plan set by the new management.

The post Kent Hughes is in the midst of controversy and it’s causing a stir appeared first on All Habs.

From start to finish, Ivan Demidov was Kent Hughes’ top choice.

“Elliotte Friedman: «The word is you coveted Ivan Demidov for a long time, is that true?»

Kent Hughes: «Very true.»

A straightforward answer from Hughes, via HabsOnReddit. The Montreal Canadiens have always loved Ivan Demidov.

Beyond the non-verbal cues and the stagecraft with Céline Dion to announce the Canadiens’ pick, the smiling faces of Kent Hughes, Martin St-Louis, Martin Lapointe, and Nick Bobrov spoke volumes after the selection. They can thank the Anaheim Ducks, who played a wild card with Sennecke.

Beyond his on-ice talent, however, it was his in-person interview with Kent Hughes that was most revealing for the head of the Bleu-Blanc-Rouge. By his own admission, it was one of, if not the best interview he had ever been a part of in his career! Wow! Quite a statement from Kent Hughes considering his background as a player agent.

But that’s not all…

The Canadiens’ GM revealed a little secret about the real reason for his and Jeff Gorton’s notable absence from Ivan Demidov’s Combine in Florida. The two heads of the Canadiens were not present at the Combine. This absence caused quite a stir and dispelled any doubts about the Canadiens’ interest in the Russian.

“Kent Hughes explained that the reason he and Jeff Gorton did not go to Florida to meet Demidov was that they did not want to show how much they liked him. The meeting in Vegas was good enough and Demidov only solidified his place among them thanks to this interview.” – Arpon Basu

Wow! It’s rare to see executives admit their strategy regarding a player. They wanted Demidov so badly, and they were so convinced, that they pretended not to be too interested in him. They boycotted the Combine in Florida.

They did everything to conceal their huge interest in Ivan Demidov.

One could say these two men were brilliant! How can you not like the work of the Gorton-Hughes duo!

It has been worth the game so far. Now we just have to see him in the CH jersey…

The post A major secret concerning Ivan Demidov revealed by Kent Hughes appeared first on All Habs.

This means Kent Hughes will have a lot on his plate to improve his team by October. Most experts expect him to be active in the trade market, particularly to bolster the offense.

However, as reported by Marqueur.com, we might see a trade involving a defenseman from the organization to acquire valuable assets. A renowned journalist even predicts that a candidate from the blue line is more likely to be traded.

David Savard on the trade market? A target for the Montreal Canadiens, according to David Pagnotta

In recent days, David Pagnotta has indeed compiled a list of the 25 players most likely to be traded this summer. On this list, David Savard is ranked 10th.

With one season remaining on his four-year contract, David Savard is on the shopping list of at least three teams. These teams are highly interested in a player who excels at physical play and blocking shots—a recipe that helped the Panthers win the Stanley Cup.

The Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche, and Winnipeg Jets have significant interest, according to sources.

“For teams looking to add a solid and reliable defenseman to their blue line, Savard meets several criteria. He is entering the final year of his contract and could strengthen the back end of a contender for the 2024-25 season.

Teams interested in David Savard:

The Dallas Stars, the Colorado Avalanche, and the Winnipeg Jets.”

The Stars risk losing Christopher Tanev to free agency and will be looking for a defenseman to fill Tanev’s role. Will these three teams be willing to sacrifice quality prospects to acquire David Savard? It’s clear that the Canadiens won’t get a young player of Mavrik Bourque or Logan Stankoven’s caliber for David Savard’s services.

And if Kent Hughes is unable to trade his defenseman during the summer, he can always rely on the trade deadline as Savard will become a free agent in the summer of 2025. It will be interesting to see where the Canadiens stand next March.

Credit: Marqueur.com

David Savard traded by Kent Hughes and the Canadiens? New details surface

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If you recall, the GM had failed to re-sign Alexander Radulov, who had just had a very good season. Feeling the pressure, Bergevin made this trade, hoping that Drouin would become a star in Montreal. Several years later, we still regret this trade.

Sergachev is a solid defenseman who helped the Lightning win two Stanley Cups.

The issue in Tampa is related to the salary cap, and Sergachev commands a high salary. With Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh also on the left side, Tampa’s defense is very strong.

Sergachev trade: bad news for the Canadiens

Indeed, with Steven Stamkos potentially exploring the trade market and the Canadiens possibly being very interested, this salary savings changes the situation in Tampa Bay.

We’ll see what unfolds in the coming days.

The post Huge trade: Former Canadiens player Mikhail Sergachev changes teams appeared first on All Habs.

However, it almost didn’t happen, as the Blackhawks tried a bold move.

Indeed, Chicago was heavily debating between Demidov and Levshunov, ultimately choosing the defenseman. They then made every effort to acquire the 4th overall pick from the Jackets, but to no avail.

“Could have been fireworks at the top of the draft tonight. Hearing that the Blackhawks offered next year’s 1st Rd pick, unprotected, plus another pick, in return for the fourth overall pick. Believe it came pretty close but the Blue Jackets passed. They really love Cayden Lindstrom and couldn’t pass up taking him.”

– Pierre LeBrun

So, the Canadiens almost didn’t land Demidov. The consolation prize would have been Cayden Lindstrom, which is still highly regarded, but Demidov is seen as a much more talented player in my opinion.

According to some analysts, the Canadiens’ 5th pick could be a 100-point-per-season player once he reaches his full potential.

If that indeed happens, we can say Kent Hughes and the Canadiens’ management have finally made a significant impact.

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