I would have rather seen Sammy Blais in the lineup than Joe Veleno to make up for the loss of Alexandre Texier, but for whatever reason NHL coaches just don’t seem to trust him.
First period
There’s a whole lot of red in the lower bowl in Buffalo.
The pace is as high as I expected it to be in such a big game. The crowd seems pretty anxious to start however, or maybe they’re just enjoying the tempo.
The players on both teams are little too amped maybe, making passes that...
about 1 month ago
| 8 reads
Game 55: Montreal Canadiens @ Buffalo Sabres
Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST In Canada: CityTV, Sportsnet East (English), TVA Sports (French) In the Sabres region: MSG Buffalo Streaming: ESPN+, Sportsnet+
The Detroit Red Wings had a rare bad game this afternoon, losing 5-0 to a Colorado Avalanche squad that clearly got tired of losing after its 7-3 defeat in Montreal. That means one of the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres will pull within one point of the Red Wings a...
about 1 month ago
| 8 reads
Game 55: Montreal Canadiens @ Buffalo Sabres
Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST In Canada: CityTV, Sportsnet East (English), TVA Sports (French) In the Sabres region: MSG Buffalo Streaming: ESPN+, Sportsnet+
It was a weakened Colorado Avalanche team that came to the Bell Centre on Thursday. The Canadiens, who had been guilty of playing down to opponents in recent years, were able to pounce and get out to a quick lead, carrying that all the way to a 7-3 win. It improved their...
about 1 month ago
| 7 reads
Laval came into Friday’s matchup against the Syracuse Crunch looking to get headed back in the right direction. Laval had dropped five of its previous seven games and had averaged less than 2.5 goals per game during the stretch.
With Syracuse sitting just three points behind Laval in the North Division, the Rocket needed to regain some distance in the standings.
The lines stayed fairly consistent from Monday, with the only change to the forward core being Xavier Simoneau’s return. Fl...
about 1 month ago
| 4 reads
Montreal Canadiens news and notes
If Juraj Slafkovský and Ivan Demidov continue to develop their chemistry over the next few years, there’s no telling what their offensive contributions could look like. [ TVA Sports ]
Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Lane Hutson are all on pace for career years and developing as a group of stars the like of which the Canadiens haven’t seen in decades. [ RDS ]
Caufield should get consideration for the Hart Trophy. [ TVA Sports ]
Caufield he...
about 1 month ago
| 5 reads
The best team in the National Hockey league, the Québec Nordiques Colorado Avalanche, rolled into the Bell Centre on Thursday night for the final game there before the Olympic break. Keeping pace in the hotly contested Atlantic Division required the Montreal Canadiens to find a way to earn points against a formidable opponent that had routed them 7-2 in their last meeting. As a group, they came together to do precisely that, returning the favour from back in November with a 7-3 rout of their o...
about 1 month ago
| 5 reads
Montreal Canadiens news and notes
Jakub Dobeš’s competitive fire impresses his teammates. [ Montreal Gazette ]
New goalie coach Marco Marciano got his start in Cape Breton. [ CTV News ]
Eric Raymond’s firing shocked Samuel Montembeault. [ Journal de Montreal ]
Laurent Dauphin is perched atop the AHL’s scoring summit. [ Montreal Gazette ]
Is there an opportunity for Montreal to pursue Jesper Wallstedt? [ The Hockey Writers ]
Zachary Bolduc is becoming more of a p...
about 1 month ago
| 6 reads
I’m a big fan of this blue versus red jersey battle with the Avalanche in Nordiques blue. I wouldn’t mind seeing the Canadiens wear their reds when they go to Minnesota next week either.
First period
It’s a pretty quick start for the Avalanche, but Jakub Dobeš is quicker to make the first couple of saves.
Lane Hutson and Noah Dobson are making up a pairing tonight, and they just combined for the opening goal of the game. Hutson walked into the slot looking at the net the who...
about 1 month ago
| 6 reads
Game 54: Montreal Canadiens vs. Colorado Avalanche
Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French) In the Avalanche region: Altitude Streaming: ESPN+, RDS, TSN+
The Canadiens conclude the first two-thirds of the 2025-26 season with a measuring stick game against the Colorado Avalanche. The Avs are dealing with a few injuries and are not at the same level they were through the opening half of the year, but even without Gabriel Landesko...
about 1 month ago
| 7 reads
Game 54: Montreal Canadiens vs. Colorado Avalanche
Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French) In the Avalanche region: Altitude Streaming: ESPN+, RDS, TSN+
A couple of months into the season, it seemed clear that the best teams in the NHL resided in the Central Division: the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, and Minnesota Wild. As the calendar was set to flip to 2026, they ranked first, second, and third, respectively in the overall s...
about 1 month ago
| 6 reads
Montreal Canadiens news and notes
After struggling under Dominique Ducharme, Cole Caufield hasn’t looked back since Martin St-Louis first sat him down when he took over the reins. [ Montreal Gazette ]
Goaltending coach Eric Raymond was fired by Montreal on Wednesday and is a cautionary tale for his replacement, Marco Marciano. [ Sportsnet ]
Has Jakub Dobeš earned the number-one spot? [ Montreal Gazette ]
Rejean Houle, Chris Nilan, and Michel Lacroix remember the excitemen...
about 1 month ago
| 5 reads
After a few months has seen the collapse of the Montreal Canadiens goaltending, President of Hockey Operations Jeff Gorton announced that the team’s goaltending coach Eric Raymond has been relieved of his duties.
The Canadiens have relieved goalie coach Eric Raymond of his duties. News release ↓ #GoHabsGo https://t.co/6mWGKeRClL — Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) January 28, 2026
Raymond will be replaced by Marco Marciano, who had the same role with the Laval Rocket. Marc...
about 1 month ago
| 4 reads
After a wildly disappointing third-period collapse against Boston on the weekend, the Montreal Canadiens had two days off to forget about it and prepare for the Vegas Golden Knights to visit the Bell Centre. With the Atlantic division race becoming more heated by the day, the Habs found another one of their overtime thrillers to secure two points that will help keep pace with their rivals as we approach the Olympic break.
In tight games like that, goaltending will often play a crucial rol...
about 1 month ago
| 5 reads
With 29 games remaining in the 2025-26 season, the Montreal Canadiens are sitting in the first Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference with 65 points, a +5 goal differential, and 49.6% control of expected goals at five-on-five, adjusted for score and venue. Compared to the same point in 2024-25, they are 12 standings points better, six places higher in the standings, +28 better in goal differential, and +3.17 percentage points better at controlling play. Yet, the vibes at the moment are not g...
about 1 month ago
| 4 reads
Montreal Canadiens news and notes
The Canadiens are wisely biding their time with Patrik Laine. [ Sportsnet ]
Kaiden Guhle’s bizarre year. [ La Presse ]
The Habs need to find a winger for Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. [ The Hockey Writers ]
Joe Veleno is making the most of his time with his hometown team. [ Montreal Gazette ]
Around the league and elsewhere
The secrets to the Colorado Avalanche’s dominance. [ ESPN ]
Ondrej Palat has been traded by the ...
about 1 month ago
| 7 reads
First period
I’m not sure why the fans are booing Mitch Marner whenever he touches the puck. Maybe they were just sick of hearing about him after his return to Toronto.
A pretty lazy start from both teams. But at least it’s not a disastrous one like the game versus Buffalo.
One shot for the Habs through six minutes. They could have really asserted themselves with an energetic start, but alas.
Montreal’s best chance comes off an offensive-zone faceoff win by Nick Suzuki. A...
about 1 month ago
| 5 reads
Game 53: Montreal Canadiens vs. Vegas Golden Knights
Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French) In the Golden Knights region: Scripps Streaming: ESPN+, RDS, TSN+
The five teams covered by six points that rank third to seventh in the Atlantic Division are all set for 7:00 PM puck drops on a busy Tuesday night. The gap among the group could be even smaller depending on how the results play out.
With that being the situation, t...
about 1 month ago
| 4 reads
Game 53: Montreal Canadiens vs. Vegas Golden Knights
Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French) In the Golden Knights region: Scripps Streaming: ESPN+, RDS, TSN+
The Vegas Golden Knights posed no challenge to the Ottawa Senators on Sunday, only managing to save themselves the embarrassment of being shut out in a blowout loss with a late goal from newcomer Rasmus Andersson to makes the score 7-1. It was the Golden Knights’ third loss i...
about 1 month ago
| 5 reads
The Laval Rocket entered the final portion of their trip to Western Canada on Monday night having earned at least a point in their last three games, with a win on Saturday in Calgary helping to give them a three-point lead in the North Division. The Rocket would again square off with the Wranglers with a chance to move five points clear of the Toronto Marlies, but would have to do so without David Reinbacher, who was out day-to-day.
Reinbacher’s injury moved William Trudeau back up to the...
about 1 month ago
| 2 reads
Montreal Canadiens News and Notes
Phillip Danault is enjoying the things that make this version of the Habs different from the team he played with the first time around. [ Montreal Gazette ]
Nick Suzuki believes that the Habs accept their teammates as they are, and that would translate to accepting a gay teammate or opponent. [ TVA Sports ]
Sam Montembeault is not alone when it comes to the Habs struggles. [ The Athletic | La Presse | Radio-Canada ]
The recent struggles h...
about 1 month ago
| 4 reads
The Montreal Canadiens went 1-2-0 during the third week of January and sit fourth in the Atlantic division with a record of 28-17-7.
The Habs started the week with two days of rest before hosting the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday at the Bell Centre. Montreal put in a gutsy performance, managing to best a stellar performance from Jesper Wallstedt with a 4-3 final. Cole Caufield delivered another last-second dagger, a sweeping one-timer that beat Wallstedt with just 15 seconds left in the game...
about 1 month ago
| 2 reads
With Alexander Zharovsky’s rise in the KHL, I reached out to an old friend and colleague, Ivan Letyagin, to get his input on the Montreal Canadiens prospect’s situation.
“Zharovsky is a very talented player, playing now in my homeland city in Ufa,” Letyagin begins. “His talent and potential are so huge that I would say that there have not been any such hockey players in Russia for a long time.”
There is a slight pause before Letyagin moves on to try to compare him to other top talent...
about 1 month ago
| 5 reads
Montreal Canadiens news and notes
Jordan Kyrou or Robert Thomas could be deadline acquisitions who fit the Canadiens’ long-term vision. [ RDS ]
Juraj Slafkovský says he and Ivan Demidov are discussing the minute details of the game trying to get better together the same way Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield have over the years. [ TVA Sports ]
Goaltending and the penalty kill are threatening to derail Montreal’s season. [ La Presse ]
Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson have been amo...
about 1 month ago
| 6 reads
Badaboom! The Laval Rocket’s weekend series with the Calgary Wranglers begins with Filip Mešár scoring. Adam Engström causes a turnover on the offensive blue line and Lucas Condotta springs Mešár, who has time to deke the goalie inside out. Thirty-seven seconds in, Laval has the advantage on the scoreboard.
Only a minute later, Laval gets a power play opportunity as Étienne Morin takes a delay of game penalty. While the pressure is good, it doesn’t lead to any goals.
A lot of puck-wa...
about 1 month ago
| 3 reads
The Montreal Canadiens held a third period lead against the Boston Bruins on Saturday night, but were unable to hold on. Two goals in 12 seconds proved to be the difference as they left Boston without a point, and squandered a chance to put some distance between them and the teams around them for the fourth straight game.
There will always be games where you deserve a better fate, but what hurts in this specific instance is the fact it is the fourth straight loss to teams closest to them ...
about 2 months ago
| 3 reads