Devante Smith-Pelly

Devante Smith-Pelly

Written by Fred Arshoff

For the benefit of those who don’t know Devante Smith-Pelley is a UFA (Unrestricted Free Agent). In the 2021-22 season he played 24 games for the Laval Rocket, the Montreal Canadiens AHL (American Hockey League) affiliate, under 2 PTO’s (Professional Tryout Contracts). The reason for 2 is each one is for the team’s next 25 games then has to be renewed and can only be renewed once during a given season. Smith-Pelly also did play most of the Rocket’s playoff games.

Next I will say I don’t want Smith-Pelly as a player for the next season. So now you’re wondering why I’m writing about him. I see something else for him that will help the Montreal Canadiens organization as a whole. What I propose is hire him to work in the Player Development Department. Presently there are no full time player development personnel who were forwards in their hockey careers. Presently the head is Rob Ramage a former defenceman and Francis Bouillon was also a defenceman. Recently hired Marie Philip-Poulin only works part-time when she isn’t playing Women’s Hockey or training, was also a forward.

What I like about the hopeful hiring of Smith-Pelly is as he just played for the Laval Rocket he would know the returning players and have a very good idea of their strengths and weaknesses. The players also know him so that would also help. Two returning forwards who I feel would really benefit are Rafael Harvey-Pinard as well as Joel Teasdale. Two recently signed forwards who were with the Laval Rocket during their playoff run are Joshua Roy who did get to play in one game as well as Riley Kidney who just practiced with the team. These two players are supposed to be blue chip prospects, but only time will tell and the right development will help ensure they will be very solid NHL players. In my way of thinking it would be best to have a former forward develop a forward instead of a defenceman.

If you’re concerned about Smith-Pelly and Montreal, when he played in the 2015-16 and 2016-17 season he did say he liked Montreal very much. Also I don’t believe he would have come to play for the Laval Rocket on a PTO if he didn’t.

Of course Smith-Pelly will have to decide for himself if he thinks he would enjoy coaching/developing young hockey players. Not all former NHL players are into that.

No matter what Smith-Pelly decides I’d like to thank him very much for helping the Laval Rocket during the 2021-22 season and mentoring the younger players.

Source for Smith-Pelly’s stats

https://www.capfriendly.com/players/devante-smith-pelly

Who To Hire To Replace Luke Richardson As Defence Coach

Who To Hire To Replace Luke Richardson As Defence Coach

Written by Fred Arshoff

As most of you probably know by now the Chicago Blackhawks hired Luke Richardson to be their Head Coach on June 24, 2022.

Also as most of you know I rarely if ever start or pass on a rumour but I’m wondering who will be hired to be the replacement. In this case I won’t say he will be hired but will just state my case why I feel they should be the person hired to replace Luke.

My suggestion is a former Montreal Canadien, defenceman Andrei Markov. Before his falling out, with then General Manager Marc Bergevin, he got along with everyone in the organization. What made Markov very bitter was he wanted a one year extension to his contract as he was just 10 games shy of playing 1,000 games with the Habs, a feat very few players reach especially with just one team. The only two people left in the Canadiens’ Hockey Operations department, from back then, are Martin Lapointe presently Director of Player Personnel as well as Co-Director of Amateur Scouting as well as John Sedgwick who now is Director of Legal Operations for the Habs and the Laval Rocket. At the time of the disagreement he wasn’t a director.

Markov has stated, since he retired as an active player in the KHL, he would like to coach hockey. For some unknown reason when he did the paperwork to become a hockey coach in Russia the paperwork wasn’t done properly thus he can’t coach there. To be a coach in North America there is no paperwork needed to be done. All that is needed is to sign a contract. Visas to work in Canada and the U.S. would be easy enough to get done properly as well.

Let’s remember when Markov played for the Canadiens he was the one they paired most of the rookie defencemen with such as Mike Komisarek, who left when he was a UFA to sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and P.K. Subban. From this we can see Markov knows how to work with younger players and teach them. Although most of the defencemen, I expect to be at the Montreal Canadiens training camp, never played with Markov but have heard of him.

What Markov also brings to the table is that he played on the penalty kill and power play that both need to be fixed up, and with his experience by playing on both units he will have ideas he can give Martin St. Louis the Head Coach.

Also since Kent Hughes has taken over as General Manager he is trying his best to hire people he knows of and I’m very sure head coach Martin St. Louis knows Markov from playing against him as well as Special Advisor to Hockey Operations Vincent Lecavalier.

Also by going with someone who never coached they will bring in fresh ideas instead of recycling the old ones that didn’t work. We saw at the end of the 2021-22 season changes St. Louis made and he also has no professional hockey coaching experience.

As for the defencemen who make the Canadiens’ out of training camp they will see photos of Markov in the locker room at the Bell Center and see how great a D man he was and what he can teach them.

As for the defencemen who make the Canadiens’ out of training camp they will see photos of Markov in the locker room at the Bell Center and see how great a D man he was and what he can teach them.

Sean Burke Leaving The Montreal Canadiens To Take Similar Job With The Las Vegas Golden Knights

Sean Burke Leaving The Montreal Canadiens To Take Similar Job With The Las Vegas Golden Knights

Written by Fred Arshoff

As was reported Saturday June 25, 2022 in the morning by Elliotte Friedman on Sportsnet, Sean Burke is leaving his job with the Montreal Canadiens as Head of Goaltender Operations to take the same role with the Las Vegas Golden Knights.

In some ways I’m surprised that Burke left but I can see why as well and I will present the facts to you.

Let’s go back to March 2, 2021 when then Canadiens General Manager Marc Bergevin announced he had hired Sean Burke as Director of Goaltending Operations, replacing the recently fired Stephane Waite. At the time Burke was living on the West coast of the USA and was a professional Western scout for the Canadiens. When named to the newly created position he couldn’t coach the goalies as he had to be in quarantine due to the COVID regulations. During that period of time Marco Marciano who was goalie coach of the Laval Rocket (Canadiens AHL affiliate) was called up to coach the goalies. Once Burke was able to coach the goalies Marciano was sent back to coach the Laval Rocket. Marciano continues to serve as goalie coach of the Laval Rocket. Before the start of the 2021-22 season the Canadiens announced they hired Eric Raymond as goalie coach for the Habs.

Before anyone says that Las Vegas tampered by offering Sean Burke a contract while under contract with the Canadiens his contract is set to expire July 1, 2022 so even if Kent Hughes filed a grievance with the NHL very little would be done as all Las Vegas would have to do is wait until July 1 and then sign him. There is nothing set in stone that you have to extend with the team you’re presently working for.

Now let’s look at the goaltending in the Canadiens organization. It is hard to say how Carey Price did as he played so few games due to injury. I was happy with the play of Jake Allen and Samuel Montembeault for the most part. I was very impressed by Andrew Hammond during his short stint with the Habs. So far so good. The trouble starts with Laval Rocket goaltending as director of goaltending operations, at least in my eyes, the director is also responsible to see that the team’s younger goalies make progress in their development and be NHL ready. For the most part this season Cayden Primeau, when up with the Canadiens, was bad and even with the Laval Rocket was less than stellar until the Calder Cup. Michael McNiven, who started the season with the Laval Rocket, on Wednesday March 2, 2022 was traded to the Calgary Flames for future considerations. For more information on this trade please see my article https://montrealsportsblog.wordpress.com/2022/03/03/analysis-of-the-michael-mcniven-trade/

The only goalie with the team’s organization I seen any progress from is Kevin Poulin who was originally signed to be the goalie for the Habs ECHL affiliate Trois Rivieres Lions. And his progress surpassed my expectations of him. For more details please see my article on this
https://montrealsportsblog.wordpress.com/2022/03/02/congratulations-kevin-poulin/

With this being said I can also see Kent Hughes wishing to name his own Director of Goaltender Operations. There are several names that come to mind but I won’t name them as I don’t wish to start rumours.

Also for Sean Burke working in Vegas brings him closer to home and that is something he really wanted.

In closing I would like to thank Sean Burke for his work with the Canadiens and wish him the best of luck with the Las Vegas Golden Knights.

Recap of Friday June 10, 2022 Laval VS Springfeild hockey game

Recap of Friday June 10, 2022 Laval VS Springfeild hockey game

Written by Fred Arshoff

The Laval Rockets made some lineup changes to start the game ro add beef, as Springfeild where trying to physically out muscle them them througght the prevoius game. The physical players didn’t get any points but did for the most part keep the game being played without the smaller skilled Laval Rocket players being hit as much.

The game started out badly for the Laval Rocket as Xavier Ouellet had a bad gibe away that led to a Springfeild goal. Springfeild scored a second goal as well, and I thought the flood gates might open. Jeam Sebastien Dea scored a goal with just .1 second left in the first period to give a big big boost to the Laval Rocket knowing they where down only 1 goal instead if 2 goals. The first period was wild as between the two teams there where over 45 shots in goal. In the first period Fairbrother who was playing in his first game in over a month got roughly three minutes of ice time,

Early in the secomd period Cedric Paquette scored to tie the game at 2. There was no further scoring in the second period and for the most part the games was played well and no team had a real advantage, In the second period Fairborther ice time was equal to the other six defemce that Laval Rocket head coach Jean Francois houle dressed for the game,

In the third period there was no scoring and again both teams played well.

To start the overtime Springfeild had the edge in scoring chances but Primeau came through with flying colours, Who else but a local hometown player would score the winning goal in overtime but Rafek Harvey-Pinard, Until three games ago in the playoffs Rahel Harvey-Pinard didn’t score a goal and now he is scoring in his last three games, so the monkey is off his back.Thats also where the trouble started as the Laval players where celnrating the win on the ice the Springfeild players came off their bench and started toi fight with the Laval Rocket players, Their where almost 100 penilty minutes given out due to that,

The president of the AHL was in attdance so perhaps he will speak to both teams about the fighting and also speak to the on ice officals to watch for anything that may lead to fighting that could carry over due to the bad blood. There was also a problem in the prevouis game when a Springfeild vetern with almost 500 games professional hockey experience punched Joshua Roy in the head with under 5 minutes to play , that was Joshua Roy’s first game as a professional hockey player, and he was punched as he ried to score a goal,

Primeau was 3^rd star of the game while Rafel Harvey-Pinard was the first star of the game,

Video of winning goal

OMG @anthonymarcotte 🔥 #GoRocket pic.twitter.com/t5aqpsw2fA

— Rocket de Laval (@RocketLaval) June 11, 2022

Canadiens Keep Promise To Improve Player Development Department

Canadiens Keep Promise To Improve Player Development Department

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 Communication. At that time Geoff Molson said the Player Development department was one area of concern to him among other things such as scouting. For more information on the firings please see my article at https://montrealsportsblog.wordpress.com/2021/11/30/montreal-canadiens-clean-house/

On Friday March 4, 2022 the Montreal Canadiens announced they hired Adam Nicholas as Director of Hockey Development. For more information on this hiring please see my article at
https://montrealsportsblog.wordpress.com/2022/03/14/adam-nicholas-hired-as-director-of-hockey-development/

On Tuesday June 7, 2022, early in the morning, Kent Hughes announced the Montreal Canadiens have hired Marie-Philip Poulin as Player Development Consultant.

Marie-Philip Poulin, in her role as Player Development Consultant, will be reporting to Adam Nicholas, Director of Hockey Development, as well as Rob Ramage, Director of Player Development. In her role, as consultant, she won’t be working with the Canadiens on a full time basis as she also wants to continue her stellar hockey career. When not playing games, or training, she will be working with the Habs.

Marie-Philip Poulin will be the first woman working in the Montreal Canadiens Hockey Operations. They do have other women working in other important capacities. Poulin won’t be the first, or only woman, working in a professional hockey team’s Hockey Operations Department. One who works for the Toronto Maple Leafs is Hailey Wickenheiser, who also works in Player Development.
There are two things I really like about this hiring. First of all she is known to be an excellent hockey player and all the younger players, who she will be working very hard to develop into excellent NHL players, have heard of her and know themselves how great a player she is. Secondly, but just as important, is presently the two people, Rob Ramage and Francis Bouillon, in Player Development were defencemen Marie-Philip Poulin is a forward so she would be excellent to work with the new upcoming players such as Joshua Roy and Riley Kidney, two very promising forwards.

Also starting off as a consultant and working part time does a few things as well. Poulin can see if she enjoys the work. Just because you’re an excellent hockey player doesn’t always mean you will enjoy coaching others. Also it will give Kent Hughes a chance to see how she works and if she can work with the others in developing the young prospects into NHL players. As a case in point, as great a hockey player as Wayne Gretzky was he wasn’t a very good hockey coach as he didn’t have to work so hard in practices and couldn’t come up with ways to improve players.

One area where Poulin may have trouble is teaching the young players how to body check as in women’s hockey there is no body checking, but she can teach them other skills and how to play without the puck in your end of the ice.

I do feel very strongly with the hiring of Adam Nicholas, and now Marie-Philip Poulin, the Montreal Canadiens player development will be much better than it has been in years.

In closing I’d like to wish Marie-Philip Poulin the very best in her new position as Player Development Consultant.

Video of press conformance (30 minutes)