Montreal Canadiens Clean House

Montreal Canadiens Clean House

Written by Fred Arshoff

As most of you know on Sunday November 28, 2021 Montreal Canadiens owner Geoff Molson announced the team had relieved General Manager Marc Bergevin, Assistant General Manager Trevor Timmins and Paul Wilson, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs and Communications, were let go effective immediately.

On Saturday November 27, 2021 it was announced that VP Scott Mellanby had resigned his job with the team effective immediately. Also Geoff Molson announced that he asked the New York Rangers for permission to speak to their former General Manager Jeff Gorton, who has since accepted to be Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations. This will be for day to day operations while a search is carried out for the next general manager of the team.

Two Surprises

My first surprise is that Martin Lapointe also wasn’t let go at this time as he was also brought in by Bergevin. Lapointe currently is director of player personnel and amateur scouting.

My second surprise is the firing of Paul Wilson as senior vice president of public affairs and communications. I don’t see how he is responsible for the teams poor performance this season, unless Molson felt he was misleading the media in injury updates etc.

Bergevin and Timmins

I’m not surprised at all with the firings of Bergevin and Timmins with the team’s play this season, as Timmins was in charge of amateur scouting many first round picks never made to the Canadiens or to the NHL. Also this past draft with selecting of Logan Mailloux as their first overall pick in the first round, when Mailloux himself said he didn’t wish to be drafted due to his conduct. Some noteable first round draft picks that never made any impact while with the Habs, Michael McCarron. Some can say part of the problem could have been the Montreal Canadiens player development department, but if lower round draft picks made the Canadiens it shows me the player development department is doing the job and the wrong players were drafted in the first round. In Timmins defence I will say the drafting of Louis Leblanc was something Geoff Molson wanted, a Francophone player from Montreal.

Why Not Fire The Coaching Staff Now

I feel the main reason no one from the coaching staff was fired, at this time, was Molson is being prudent and wants to allow the new general manager to hand pick the coaching staff so they will be on the same page. The type of players you will want to acquire in a trade should be able to play the system the new coach plays. Also none us knows or will we ever find out if any of the players who were dressed or healthy scratches were due to direct orders of Bergevin.

Mathieu Darche As New General Manager Of The Montreal Canadiens

Mathieu Darche As New General Manager Of The Montreal Canadiens

Written by Fred Arshoff

This article was written November 25, 2021 after the Canadiens game November 24th

At the time this article was written the Canadiens record, for the 2021-22 season, is 5-14-2 for a total of 12 points. That is 2nd last place in the Atlantic division, 3 points ahead of the Ottawa Senators. With a record like this unless they go on a huge winning streak and teams above them lose in regulation time, so they don’t pick up the point for a tie at the end of regulation time, the chances of them making the playoffs are very slim.

At this point and time I don’t feel a trade, return of the injured players such as Weber, Price, Bryon and Perrault will be enough to push them into the playoffs.

Normally at the USA Thanksgiving teams are deciding depending where they are in the standings and how far/close they are to getting into the playoffs if they will be buyers or sellers. In the case of the Habs it’s a given they will be sellers. I’d rather have whomever will be General Manager, for the 2022-23 season, make all the player moves come trade deadline so the house is in order the way they want to be going into the off season.

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What I would like to do is start to reset for the 2022-23 season, and that requires changes right at the top. I know some will say it’s still early to make changes to get ready for the 2022-23 season but the 2022 NHL Trade Deadline is March 21 at 3 p.m. ET. as the NHL announced as part of releasing it’s critical dates calendar for the 2021-22 season. I admit this seems far away but you would want a new general manager to be in place way before the trade deadline, so they can evaluate the players and decide who they wish to keep and who they would like to trade and get the assets they feel would help the team going forward. This date from https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-announces-critical-dates-for-2021-22-season/c-326440404

What I would like is that the Habs owner Geoff Molson speak to Tampa Bay Lightning General Manager Julien BriseBois.

Who Is Julien BriseBois

A native of Greenfield Park, Quebec, BriseBois was employed by the Heenan Blaikie law firm before joining the Montreal Canadiens. During that time he worked in sports law, where he represented several NHL and Major League Baseball clubs in arbitration cases as well as acting as an advisor in contract negotiations. BriseBois also participated in the reform of the constitution and by-laws of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
BriseBois spent nine seasons with the Canadiens after joining the organization on September 1, 2001, as director of legal affairs. In July 2003, he added director of hockey operations to his duties before being named vice president of hockey operations on July 24, 2006. In this capacity, he oversaw the Canadiens’ AHL affiliate, the Hamilton Bulldogs. The Bulldogs won the 2007 Calder Cup during the first season under his direction. He would later hire future National Hockey League head coach, Guy Boucher, to coach the Bulldogs on June 29, 2009. Boucher won the Louis A. R. Pieri Memorial Award as the American Hockey League’s most outstanding coach for the 2009–10 season. Over three seasons the Bulldogs’ amassed a record of 137–78–25 under BriseBois before he was hired by the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Why Speak To BriseBois

I would speak to BriseBois to ask for permission to speak to Tampa Bay’s Director of Hockey Operations Mathieu Darche, so the Canadiens can interview Darche for the position of General Manager. Darche is under contract to Tampa Bay so you must have permission to speak to him. In most cases the teams will give permission to speak to members of their hockey operations personnel if it’s for a promotion, and this would be a promotion.
I would think BriseBois would give the Habs permission to speak to Darche. BriseBois also is a personal friend of Darche and sure he would like to see his friend get a promotion and not at his expense.

Why Mathieu Darche As General Manager

One of the first things Geoff Molson, owner of the Habs, wants is a general manager and head coach who are fluently bilingual. In Darche that is achieved as he is a Francophone and he went to McGill University thus he speaks both languages perfectly. He has been Director of hockey operations for the past two seasons and in both years they have won the Stanley Cup, the ultimate trophy in hockey.

Mathieu also played for the Habs from the 2009-10 season to the 2011-12 season. Thus he knows the Canadiens culture. Since he has been with Tampa Bay they have won the Stanley Cup both years, so he has seen and can help bring a Stanley Cup to a team. Also when he was a player he was the NHLPA REP for the Habs. He also knows how to bargain and will know the ins and outs to negotiate contracts for the players. Let’s remember instead of taking a 2 way contract, that would pay him more money if in the NHL, he took a 1 way contract with less pay at the NHL level to ensure his income and make it harder for a general manager to send him to the AHL.

Also by hiring him it would be an outsider who would bring in a fresh approach to the teams strategy. The present approach isn’t working, and to keep recycling people makes no sense to me. If you would hire someone in the Canadiens hockey operations department I feel at least they would continue with the same approach, as Bergevin, as most just worked under him, with the exception of Trevor Timmins.

What I Would Allow Darche To Do

I would allow him to fire any member of the people in the hockey operations department including coaching staff. I would allow him to hire, for the hockey operations department, the people he thought would best work with him to rebuild the team to respectability. He would have a free hand in trading or terminating any player’s contracts he deems won’t benefit the team with his approach.

I would like, though, him to keep the Laval Rocket coaching under Jean Francois Houle as they seem to be doing a good job and developing players. This is their first year as the Laval Rocket coaching staff with the exception of Marco Marciano who has been with them for several seasons but mostly as video coach last season. He is also goalie coach.

Please Mr. Geoff Molson hire Mathieu Darche ASAP as General Manager so we can rebuild and have a respectful team for the 2022-23 season

A Legend – Dick Irvin Sr

A Legend – Dick Irvin Sr

July 19, 1892 to -May 16, 1957

Written by Fred Arshoff

Before diving into the article many thanks, to Marlene Wall, for the photos of Dick Irvin Sr.

His Early Life

Dick was born July 19, 1892 in Hamilton Ontario and was one of ten children (6 boys and four girls). Two of his brothers passed away as infants. All his sisters died of tuberculosis when very young. The family moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba when he was eight. He also played baseball and played curling with two of his brothers, he was very competitive as well in those sports.

Personal Life

Dick kept a home in Regina, Saskatchewan for most of his life. In 1964 he moved to Montreal. Dick married Bertha Helen Bain and had two children, a daughter and son (Dick Irvin Jr. who also is a legend as a broadcaster). He passed away May 16, 1957

Hockey Playing Career

In 1916 he started to play for the Portland Rosebuds of the Pacific Coast Association and he was the fourth highest scoring rookie leader with 35 goals. He didn’t play hockey in 1917 and 18 as he was in the Army. Dick in the MHL SR played in 47 games had 156 goals and 16 assists for a total of 172 points. In the NHL Dick played in 94 games, had 29 goals and 22 assists for a total of 52 points. In the WCHL/WHL Dick played 102 games had 58 goals and 24 assists for a total of 82 points. His playing career ended at the end of the 1928-29 season, with the Chicago Black Hawks. He also was the Head Coach that season.

Coaching Career

Dick started coaching in the 1928-29 season as a player coach. He coached them till the end of the 1930-21 season. Then he went to coach the Toronto Maple Leafs from the 1931-32 season until the 1939-40 season. He coached the HABS from the 1940-41 season to 1954-55 season. He then went to coach the Chicago Black Hawks for one season till he retired. As a coach he won four Stanley Cups.

Awards and Achieveme

• Allan Cup Championship (1915)
• Stanley Cup Championships (1932 – Toronto, 1944, 1946, and 1953 – Montreal)
• Lost in the finals a record 12 times as a Coach (1931 – Chicago, 1933-35-36-38-39-40 – Toronto, 1947-51-52-54-55 – Montreal)
• NHL First All-Star Team Coach (1944, 1945, & 1946)
• NHL Second All-Star Team Coach (1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, & 1941)
• Inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in 1983
• Selected to Manitoba’s All-Century First All-Star Team and named Coach of the Century
• “Honoured Member” of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame

What’s Mattias Norlinder’s Fate

What’s Mattias Norlinder’s Fate

Written by Fred Arshoff

I feel after the game Saturday November 20, 2021 against the Nashville Predators the fate of Mattias Norlinder, for this season, has been sealed by the Montreal Canadiens.

If you noticed even when the Canadiens were leading 5-0 Norlinder was getting very little, if any, ice time. To me with a lead like that would be a great time to play a young upcoming player and get them NHL experience. As the game became closer, like when 5-3, then I would have gone back to the most experienced defencemen to seal the deal.

For him to stay, with the Habs, won’t do him any good at all. He needs to play in meaningful games to develop and learn the North American game. Staying with them, with the way things are presently, if things don’t change and they lose more games than the win may hurt his confidence level, and we don’t want that.

From all accounts Norlinder is one of the best defence prospects the Habs have although in the NHL Entry draft in 2019 he was a 3rd round draft pick, the 64th overall player selected. I felt he slipped down as he was playing in Europe and no one knew if he would want to come to North America and also have to adjust his game to the North American style. Since the 2015-16 season, in almost every year, the team Norlinder was playing for made the playoffs. That is also a great asset, to have playoff experience, even though not the Stanley Cup playoffs but from the league he plays in, still is playoffs.
What I feel will happen is when Joel Edmundson is ready, and he is getting closer and now is practicing with the team, although wearing a “NO CONTACT Jersey”. I feel his return to play will be sooner rather than later unless he suffers another setback or his father’s cancer gets worse. Once he is ready to resume playing NHL games I feel Mattias will be sent back to Sweden.

Although playing for the Laval Rocket I believe would be best for him, to adjust to the North American game, he has the “OPT OUT CLAUSE” in his contract and I feel he will use it. Unlike Alexander Romanov who said before last season he would play for the Rocket to learn the North American game. Norlinder never made a statement like that.

Sports Journalist Extraordinaire Randy Tieman

Sports Journalist Extraordinaire Randy Tieman

1954- 2018

Written by Fred Arshoff

Sadly on November 23, 2018 Montreal lost its second legendary sports journalist in under one year, the other being Red Fisher.

Randy worked at CTV Montreal for 34 years when management decided to not have any local sports departments. Sadly he only enjoyed one year of retirement.

I recall Randy from way back when he worked at CFCF 600 radio doing sports. I knew back then he would be a great anchor on TV never mind radio. From Radio Randy went to CFCF 12 TV as it was called then (now CTV Montreal) as a sports journalist. I believe when Randy was hired at CFCF TV that Ron Reusch was the sports director.

Randy not only covered professional sports but did a weekly segment called “Randie’s rookies” and he would take part of the sport the person, he was interviewing was in, be it swimming, wrestling, baseball etc. He also always made sure all the guests professional athletes or the Randy’s rookies were comfortable.

Randy also made all his co-workers happy and laughed and there to always help them. Be it a sports journalist or news reporter Randy was there to help all. Many have said he loved hugging his co-workers.

Here are some quotes from some of Randy’s former co-workers and other journalists who knew him well

Brian Wilde@BWildeGlobal

I was so hoping my good friend Randy could enjoy retirement for a decade or two with Liane.

Life is a series of memories. We can only hope to get a chance to live beautiful ones with love and laughter.

Mitch Melnick@HunterZThompson

I feel sick about this. Randy barely had time to enjoy retirement. Deepest sympathy to Liane and family and to Randy’s many friends.

Tony Marinaro@TonyMarinaro

I woke up to some terrible news this morning. Just found out about the passing of Randy Tieman. I had the privilege of working with him. I will cherish those memories. RIP @SportsStache you will be missed!

Stu Cowan@StuCowan1
https://twitter.com/StuCowan1

I am so saddened by this. Randy is the nicest man I ever met – and I’m sure others feel the same way. He was a great man and a great friend who always had a smile on his face. He was a real-life teddy bear. My condolences to his family, that he loved so much.

These are links to articles that Stu wrote about Randy
https://montrealgazette.com/sports/hockey/nhl/hockey-inside-out/stu-cowan-randy-tieman-was-a-shining-star-on-and-off-the-ice

https://montrealgazette.com/health/ordeal-of-a-human-zipper-for-randy-tieman-its-been-a-long-fight

Cindy Sherwin@CSherwinCTV

Randy Tieman was the colleague who never let you down. He was always generous on-air or in the newsroom. Helping me with any sport stories I covered & making me laugh. We talked about our teenagers, our families, health and life. He was a gigantic presence. A very sad and enormous loss.

Sean Coleman@SColemanUFA

Tieman used to call his son Harry after every broadcast. I never heard someone laugh, counsel and enjoy talking on the phone more than Randy on those nightly calls. I learned a lot from him about being a broadcaster, learned more about being a father.

Sean Coleman with Randy Tieman

Justin Trudeau‏ @JustinTrudeau

For decades, Randy Tieman invited viewers to share in his joy for sports – professional, amateur & everything in between. His love of the game came straight from the heart, and Montrealers felt it. He’ll be deeply missed. My condolences to his family and everyone at @CTVMontreal.

Some Podcasts links

CTV’s Mutsumi Takahashi speaking on Randy’s Tieman’s passing (Podcast on Melnick in the afternoon)
https://www.tsn.ca/radio/montreal-690/takahashi-tieman-was-always-true-to-himself-1.1212560

Rod and Ron Francis on Melnick discussing Randy Tieman’s passing
https://www.tsn.ca/radio/montreal-690/remembering-randy-tieman-1.1212548

Rest in peace Randy you will be missed by all who knew you and watched you on TV

Mistake Made By Bringing Up Cole Caufield On November 18, 2021

Mistake Made By Bringing Up Cole Caufield On November 18, 2021

Written by Fred Arshoff

I’m writing this article as Stephen Lynn asked this question and as I always do I prefer to answer in an article so everyone knows my thoughts.

The Transaction

As most of you probably know by now that on November 18, 2021 the Montreal Canadiens called up Caufield. He was sent to the Laval Rocket on November 1, 2021. To make room for Cole, on the roster, Alex Belzile was sent back down.

Caufield’s Play For The Laval Rocket

From the period of November 1, 2021, to November 18, 2021 Cole played in 6 games. In that span he accumulated 2 goals and three assists for a total of 5 points. He was a +6 and had no penalties.

It looked like to me he was regaining his confidence and that is very good.

Why The Call November 18, 2021 Was Wrong

I feel the call up back to the Habs was too fast. Although he started to get points, and was regaining his confidence, he would have been much better served long term by playing the duration of the 2021-22 season for the Laval Rocket under Head Coach Jean-Francois Houle.

Let’s remember until Caufield signed his NHL contract he played NCAA hockey. For those, who don’t know, in the NCAA you normally play 2 games a week, then during exam period (mid term and finals) there are no practices or games. Also during the Christmas and Easter breaks again there are no practices or games. Caufield has to adjust to playing more frequently with no off -time during the season. In the NCAA Cole was almost like scoring at will against smaller and less experienced players than himself. When he played for Team USA in the WJC his numbers dropped a lot due to playing against bigger and stronger players.

Most forwards, after being drafted, need at least one season of development in the AHL unless it’s a top 5 pick overall. Cole was the 15th overall played drafted in the 2019 NHL Entry draft. I will admit, in the 2020-21 season, he played 2 games for the Laval Rocket then under Head Coach Joel Bouchard and accumulated 3 goals and 1 assist and was a +1 and with no penalties. Then he was called up to the Canadiens where he played in 10 games scoring 4 goals and 1 assist for a total of 5 points. He was a -1 and had 2 penalty minutes. During the playoff run he played in 20 games and accumulated 4 goals and 8 assists for 12 points but he was a -5 with no penalties. You can really say this was a full year of development at a professional level.

Also this season when sent down to the Rocket he was a minus player. So this shows me that he has to do some work on his defensive play as in the Habs system the forwards also all have to be defensively sound, although centers more so. I don’t see the Canadiens wanting a forward who is always a minus. I’m very sure over time Jean-Francois Houle and his assistant coaches can help Caufield very much in this aspect of his game.

Also the way the Habs are losing games may cause Cole again to lose his confidence. For the most part the Rocket are winning and that will help improve confidence.

I feel very strongly it would be much wiser and prudent to keep him in the AHL for the duration of the 2021-22 season to develop fully and come to the 2022-23 season that much more ready and mature.

Adam Brooks’ Short Stay With The Montreal Canadiens

Adam Brooks’ Short Stay With The Montreal Canadiens

Written by Fred Arshoff

Before diving into the artitcle I like to thank Marlene Wall very much for the mergring of the photos of Ryan Poiehling and Micheal Pezzetta that is lower down.

The Start

The Montreal Canadiens claimed Adam Brooks off waivers, on Monday October 11, 2021. Yes, Thanksgiving Day. He was placed on waivers by the Toronto Maple Leafs so they could send him to the Toronto Marlies, their AHL (American Hockey League) affiliate.

The reason I believe the Habs claimed Brooks was that Ryan Poehling wasn’t having a good training camp and not showing very much intensity. Also the plan, to the best of my knowledge, was to have Micheal Pezzetta play the entire season for the Laval Rocket to further his development.

Due to that and the injured players they had at the time, including Mike Hoffman, they wanted to have a spare forward who had some experience in case of further injury.

Brooks’ Play

While he was with the Canadiens he got into four games. In those games he had no goals and one assist. He also was a -1. I will admit playing infrequently makes it hard for a player and also having different linemates, when he played, didn’t make it easier. Also he had to learn to play Dominique Ducharme’s system instead of the system he played with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Toronto Marlies, last season. Perhaps if he was with the Habs from the start of training camp it would have been easier for him to adapt to the Habs’ systems.

Ryan Poehling And Micheal Pezzetta’s Play

When Poehling was sent down to Laval, this season, unlike last season he had no attitude and was playing very well until his injury. Upon his return he played very well again.

Pezzetta wasn’t even on the radar, at the start of training camp, to be able to play a game for the Canadiens rather than play the entire season for the Rocket. His play at training camp and then his play in the Laval regular season showed he was ready for the NHL. I haven’t seen a game where he didn’t show me his intensity.

Adam Brooks On Waivers

On November 16, 2021 they put Brooks on waivers and he was claimed by the Las Vegas Golden Knights on the 17th. When a player is placed on waivers it is never announced, till the day after at noon, if the player was claimed or not. This is to give all teams a chance to decide if they wish to claim the player. If more than one team puts in a claim the player goes to the team lowest in the NHL standings. If Las Vegas decides to put Brooks on waivers, before 30 days to send him to their AHL affiliate, and if Montreal claims him they can send him directly to the Laval Rocket.

The Cost/Saving Factors Brooks On Waivers For The Canadiens

As the Habs obtained Brooks, when the Toronto Maple Leafs placed him on waivers, they don’t lose any asset. The only cost factor was his salary, and it was a minimal $750,000 for the season, so they only have to pay him for the time he was with them.
The saving of losing Brooks isn’t necessarily monetary but it created a roster spot, and they have 1 less contract. They presently have 23/23 of roster spots allowed and have 47/50 of contracts allowed.

Closing Remarks

In closing I’d like to thank Brooks for what he did for the Habs, when he played, and wish him the best of luck with the Las Vegas Golden Knights. Let’s hope it’s longer than just a cup of coffee.

Samuel Montembeault Play

Samuel Montembeault Play

Written by Fred Arshoff

I know many are saying, and I do have to agree, that Montembeault is allowing soft goals, but I expected that and I will explain why.

Some Basic Information

Sam was drafted by the Florida Panthers as the 77th overall player, in the 2015 NHL Entry draft, in the 3rd round.
On October 2, 2021 the Habs claimed him off waivers as the Panthers tried to send him to the Springfield Thunderbirds, their AHL affiliate.
They claimed him as a matter of necessity as they knew, or felt, Carey Price wouldn’t be ready to start the season due to his off season knee surgery (this was before Price went to rehab for substance abuse) and they wanted to keep Cayden Primeau with the Laval Rocket, their AHL affiliate, so he can get lots of playing time to further his development.

I’m sure had they known, at the time, Price would be out so long due to going to rehab and then Jake Allen getting injured they may have tried to make a trade to get a better goalie. I won’t blame Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin for this as no one knows if and when injuries will come or that Price would be going, for one month, for substance abuse rehab.

The Facts

The Facts
Montembeault hasn’t regressed at all although some may think he has. If you look at his stats since the 2013-14 season, where he played for the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada of the QMJHL, with the exception of the 2015-16 season his save percentage has always been in the high .800’s. In the 2015-16 season his save percentage was .903. With a save percentage in the .800’s you’re not going to win many games and means you are allowing some goals you should have been able to save. For the statistics please see https://www.capfriendly.com/players/samuel-montembeault

The reason I feel the Panthers placed him on waivers was to send him back to the Thunderbirds for further development. This would have been his fourth season, playing in the AHL, but with that save percentage you can easily tell he really isn’t NHL ready.
My feeling is once Price and Allen are both ready, to resume playing, the Canadiens will place him on waivers. If not claimed send him to Laval, as the Rocket’s third goalie, as I rate both Primeau and McNiven above him on the depth chart.

Players Complaining About Player Development With Montreal Canadiens

Players Complaining About Player Development With Montreal Canadiens

Written by Fred Arshoff

I’d like to thank Marlene Wall, very much, for the merging of the four photos into one to make the cover photo for this article.

The main reason I am writing this article is Bobby Boutilier said Jesperi Kotkaniemi was correct and did the right thing. I admit I added several other players, or their family members as well, who have called out the Montreal Canadiens. I prefer to do it all in one article than each player individually

The following former Habs players, or in their organization, have called out the Canadiens this season: Kotkaniemi, McNiven, Frolik, and now Fucale.

I will go into detail about them all with the exception of Frolik. You can read my thoughts on him at https://montrealsportsblog.wordpress.com/2021/11/08/michael-frolik-speaking-out/

Jesperi Kotkaniemi

I won’t say anything bad about him taking the contract that the Carolina Hurricanes offered him. I’m sure we all would take as much salary, as we could, and if someone would want to overpay us we wouldn’t complain at all. What I do have a major problem is calling out the Canadiens about his development. In the 2020-21 season he had the same coaches as Nick Suzuki and Jake Evans, after he was called up, and we can see how well they have developed. I will admit by making the trade, to obtain Eric Staal, did take away ice time. And not being dressed for all games but every General Manager will make moves they feel will improve their team and hopefully bring them the Stanley Cup.

Perhaps if the Habs allowed KK to play a full season with the Laval Rocket, instead of with the big club, his development may have been better. I believe he had an OPT OUT clause, in his contract, so if he was sent to the Rocket he could have opted out of his contract and gone back to Finland to play for his father’s team. None of us will ever know, with any certainty, if he would have used his OPT OUT CLAUSE if sent to Laval.

Being a first round draft choice, third overall player selected in the NHL Entry draft in 2018, doesn’t bring an automatic guarantee you will be playing every day. Just as the coaching staff has to help you develop, the player has to also do their part. If that means hiring a personal trainer to work with you, during the off season, on the elements of your game that need improvement do it. One has to invest in themselves.

In the 2019-20 season when they saw how he was playing they did try to help him by sending him to the Rocket, then coached by Joel Bouchard who worked very well with young hockey players to get them NHL ready. As an example of Bouchard’s coaching Jake Evans, who was a 7th round draft choice, is now a regular with the Canadiens. When KK suffered a spleen injury, while playing for the Rocket by a dirty hit, the Habs got him the best medical help they could. They never rushed him to come back, but told him to let the injury heal properly.

He has 1 pt in his last 9 games and had a season low TOI of 9:51 last night vs. St. Louis as of November 14, 2021. He is on the same team as friend Sebastian Aho and both are fellow countrymen from Finland. In 13 games KK has 2 goals and one assist. These numbers show it’s not the Canadiens development that failed him so maybe he should look inward.

Zack Fucale

In this case it actually wasn’t him that called out the Canadiens, but his father, so I can’t put full blame on Zack. What I will say is family members, girlfriends etc of professional athletes shouldn’t be calling out teams at all. All the other teams hear that and it will make it harder for the athlete to find employment as no team wants to be called out. As case in point, of this, is Greg Pateryn whose wife called out the Habs in the 2016-17 season. Since then he has played for four different organizations.

Fucale was drafted by the Canadiens in the 2013 NHL Entry draft. He was the 36th overall player chosen, in that draft, in the second round. He started playing in the Habs organization, in the 2015-16 season, bouncing around between the AHL and ECHL until the end of the 2017-18 season. They did a lot to try and get Zack playing time and help him get his confidence back by loaning him, in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 season, to Team Canada of the Spengler Cup. The Goalie Coach of the St. Johns Ice Caps was Vincent Riendeau who since then is now a Goalie and Russia Scout for the Canadiens. At the same time he was also Assistant General Manager of the St. Johns Ice Caps. Due to that perhaps he didn’t have enough time to work one on one with Zack but I’m sure one of the team’s other coaches worked with him.

When the Las Vegas Golden Knights signed him, in their first season, Fucale didn’t make their AHL team and was sent to their ECHL team.
In the 2020-21 season Zack signed with the Washington Capitals.
To date all of his contracts have been two way contracts.
Perhaps if he too invested in himself, by hiring a personal trainer to work with him one on one during the off season, he would be better. True it costs money but if you’re better you will get paid more and have a longer career.

Michael McNiven

Of all the players, or family members, that have called out the Canadiens, this season, the only one still with the organization is McNiven.

He was undrafted and signed by the Habs, for the 2015-16 season, and at the time won the Award as Goalie Of The Year in the OHL (Ontario Hockey League).

One of the biggest problems he faced, when he signed with the Canadiens, was they had also just signed Charlie Lindgren who they thought more highly of thus worked to try and get him NHL ready faster. Then they drafted Cayden Primeau who they considered the best of the three.

Due to that McNiven has been sent, more often than not, to ECHL teams. I can understand his frustration as with each different team is a different Goalie Coach and they may have a different way they want you to play.

As an example of how much he has been bounced around in the ECHL, by the Canadiens, in the 2019-20 season he was sent to three ECHL teams to get playing time.
McNiven actually when they were in the bubble, before being approached by the Canadiens, went to work out with the forwards who started to practice to show good faith.

There isn’t very much Michael can really do as at the end of this season he will still be an RFA thus can’t sign with another team unless they give him an offer sheet and then hope the Habs don’t match it.

McNiven is one player I’d like to see get a fair chance, of playing for the Habs or another NHL team, as he has done everything asked of him but hasn’t been given a fair chance. There are other goalies they’ve thought more highly of.

Pressure On Ryan Poehling

Pressure On Ryan Poehling

Written by Fred Arshoff

I am writing this article as Ray Auclair asked me if there was pressure on Poehling, and as I always do I answer in an article so everyone sees my thoughts on the subject.

feel very strongly Ryan Poehling put a lot of pressure on himself unknowingly by scoring a “HAT TRICK” and the game winning goal in the shootout in his first NHL game April 6, 2018 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

With his parents and three brothers watching from the stands, Ryan’s late third-period equalizer sent the game to overtime. In the shootout, after John Tavares failed to win it for Toronto, the Bell Centre crowd erupted when Poehling stepped onto the ice.

As a side note legendary broadcaster Bob Cole called his final game after a 50-year career

Poehling, Montreal’s first pick (25th overall) in the 2017 draft, became the third Canadiens player in franchise history to score at least three goals in his NHL debut. He’s the first to do it since Alex Smart in 1943. Joe Malone scored five goals in the inaugural game of the newly formed NHL in 1917.

At the time he was 20 years young and had just finished playing for St. Cloud State University.

Also most players selected after the fifth pick in the NHL Entry draft do need seasoning/development at the AHL level before playing in the NHL. Just because you had an extraordinary first game in the NHL doesn’t mean you will always have games like that.

After that the fans expected him to score like that game in and game out. No player can ever score at that rate for an entire NHL career that’s more than a few games. If you did that for three or four consecutive games, when first called up, if you didn’t score a goal or get an assist in the fourth game you wouldn’t be demoted as all the coaches know full well that no player will get points each and every game.

Poehling when sent to the Laval Rocket as one of the last cuts by the Canadiens at the 2020-21 training camp, took the cut badly and Head Coach Joel Bouchard mentioned that Ryan didn’t give his all. I can fully understand his disappointment after scoring a hat trick and the game winner in his 1st NHL game not to be kept on the Habs roster, but as a young player you have to earn your keep to stay on the big team. Also with Nick Suzuki and Jesperi Kotkaniemi on the Canadiens, who also are young, and then having an experienced center in Phillip Danault it was going to be very hard to crack the 23 man roster to start the season. Perhaps had he went all out in every game with the Rocket he might have been called up in the 2020-21 season.

If Poehling is played in the right spot he will produce and be a good center/left winger or where ever the coaches decide to play him. I don’t believe he ever will be a superstar. I picture him as a 15-25 goal scorer, per year, over his NHL career provided no extra pressure is put on him.

Also we’ve seen, just before the NHL playoffs, the way pressure affected Jonathan Drouin so that he had to step away from the game due to insomnia and anxiety from not getting points. Let’s not do this to Poehling as well.

Let’s just stop expecting him to score a goal, or get an assist or two, in each and every game and allow him to play his game.

Video of Poehling “HAT TRICK”