Marc Dumont
Here are the Montreal Canadiens news items, highlights, and stories you may have missed on Friday.
Montreal Canadiens News
There was some unfortunate news on Friday when the Montreal Canadiens announced forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard would miss at least four months of action due to a surgical intervention to repair a broken leg. Given that he had a difficult time in 2023-24, the injury will only further complicate things for the 25-year-old winger, as his contract is set to expire next summer. The silver lining is that his absence should lead to an opportunity for one of the many Canadiens prospects looking to earn a full-time job in the NHL, including Alex Barré-Boulet and Emil Heineman. [Harvey-Pinard Injury Opens Door For A Canadiens Prospect]
Columbus Blue Jacket forward Patrik Laine is looking for a change of scenery. The Canadiens are looking to improve their offensive firepower. There’s a match there in principle, but there are several factors that must be considered if the Habs are to engage in a serious discussion that could bring the former 40-goal scorer to Montreal. [Canadiens Trade Talk: Exploring A Potential Patrik Laine Trade]
This isn’t Canadiens news per se, but it will eventually have an impact on some of their most important prospects. The NCAA announced a significant expansion to the allotted scholarships per program, which means there will be an additional six scholarships available per team.
NEW: The NCAA’s historic expansion of scholarships to extend to full rosters means that roughly 790 new scholarship spots are available across the 40-plus NCAA sports listed in the settlement, per a @YahooSports
calculation. https://t.co/MGD0SHm1Y8 pic.twitter.com/dEPrGDDd71— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) July 26, 2024
National Hockey Now Network
The Boston Bruins began the off season with a flurry of moves, but since, like the rest of the NHL, have fallen dormant in the last few weeks. While training camp doesn’t start until the middle of September, this is as opportune as any time to assess the state of the Bruins roster ahead of the 2024-25 season. [Boston Bruins]
After signing a massive new contract on Thursday afternoon, Travis Konecny has effectively become a member of the Philadelphia Flyers for life. Long-term contracts, in all sports, inherently carry risk, and it goes without saying that the risk varies by player for a number of reasons. For Konecny and the Flyers, the two greatest risks are age and style of play. [Philadelphia Flyers]
It’s been a big summer for Detroit Red Wings personnel who honed their hockey skills in the Big Ten. The club signed former Michigan Wolverine Tyler Motte as a free agent. They’re also promoting a graduate of the Ohio State University in their front office. [Detroit Red Wings]
