NHL: Montreal Canadiens at Buffalo Sabres
Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images

MONTREAL — Every hour offers more Montreal Canadiens content to be absorbed, and we’re all bound to miss a story or two. On Sundays, we recap the relevant NHL news you may have missed, to help you stay in the Habs loop.

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ICYMI: There’s still time to vote for the top-10 Canadiens prospects, based on their overall value in the organization. [Habs Fan Vote – Ranking Top 10 Montreal Canadiens Prospects]

Montreal Canadiens News And Notes

We covered several topics in the most recent edition of the Canadiens mailbag, including potential trade assets, Patrik Laine’s use going forward, prospect shelf life, mangoes, and more. [Canadiens Mailbag: Trade Talk, Prospect Shelf Life, Laine’s Value]

Prospect Aatos Koivu scored in TPS Turku’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Lahti Pelicans. He’s now up to three goals and five assists in 33 games, putting him on pace for a 13-point season.

An article published in French touched on David Reinbacher’s relatively slow progression this season. It’s a solid, first-hand account of what the 21-year-old defenceman is going through in the AHL at the moment. For those of you who do not speak or read French, the conclusion suggests it’s much too early to panic in Reinbacher’s case. [Tout Sur Le Hockey – FR]

Believe it or not, Martin St-Louis is the NHL player who has assisted on Steven Stamkos’ powerplay goals with the highest frequency throughout his career.

Jake Evans played the hero role versus the Vegas Golden Knights, scoring an important overtime goal to secure a 3-2 win. Jakub Dobes was very solid, making 32 saves in the win. [Canadiens Highlights: Unlikely Hero Secures Big Win]

Evans’ teammates were beyond excited to celebrate his overtime marker.

Cole Caufield has been on a tear since being snubbed by Team USA for the 2026 Winter Olympics. The American sniper has nine goals in the last six games, and is among the hottest goalscorers in the NHL.

Captain Nick Suzuki had nothing but good things to say about his longtime linemate.

At the very least, the referees apologized after yet another ghost call. On this occasion, it was Caufield who was sent to the box without touching an opposing player. This is the second time in the last few games a referee has had to admit they made a terrible call versus the Habs.

The Nazem Kadri trade rumour has resurfaced, with Elliotte Friedman suggesting the main sticking point is salary retention. We evaluated the potential impact of acquiring a player such as Kadri earlier in the season, and while he’d surely improve the centre situation, the 35-year-old doesn’t fit Montreal’s ideal age of acquisition. [Evaluating Canadiens Rumour Linking Kadri To Montreal]

The Habs made a coaching change that was a long time coming, replacing goaltender coach Eric Raymond with his Laval Rocket counterpart, Marco Marciano. The team had already decided they were not going to offer Raymond a contract extension, and several NHL teams had been circling the waters with regard to Marciano’s future. [Canadiens Management Discuss Reasons For Firing Goalie Coach]

With the new netminder mentor in place, it’s the ideal time to evaluate how Jakub Dobes, Jacob Fowler, and Samuel Montembeault have performed for the Habs this season. [Canadiens Goalies: Key Areas In Need Of Improvement]

Marciano did not waste any time getting to work with his new clients.

Patrik Laine was once again spotted taking reps on the first line, alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield.

The Habs took their revenge on the Colorado Avalanche for the 7-2 loss earlier in the season. Montreal beat Colorado 7-3, with captain Nick Suzuki leading the offensive charge, as per tradition. [Canadiens Highlights: Suzuki Stars In Goal Bonanza]

Our analyst took a look at the potential involved in placing Lane Hutson and Noah Dobson on the same pairing. Defensively speaking, there’s a certain risk involved, but there’s no doubt the offensive prowess is worth keeping in mind. [Canadiens Analysis: Dobson Potential Playing Alongside Hutson]

Perfect timing alert! Canadiens head coach Martin St-Louis opted to play Hutson and Dobson together on Thursday night, a decision that immediately paid dividends.

We’ve long since passed the point of diminishing ghoulish returns when it comes to the NHL trying to profit from Quebec’s demise by squeezing the last few dollars from the nostalgia tree, but there’s no denying the Nordiques had some of the best jerseys in the league.

Lost in the excitement after the win, Jakub Dobes had a solid game, stopping 26 of the 29 shots sent his way by the league-leading Avalanche. Dobes has not lost a game in regulation since December 9.

As it stands, the playoff situation in the Eastern Conference is quite hectic, but it’s also unfolding fairly well for the Habs. Their playoff odds have improved, if only slightly, over the course of the last three weeks. [Canadiens Highlights: Suzuki Stars In Goal Bonanza]

Top prospect Michael Hage continued his dominant ways in the NCAA for the University of Michigan. The 19-year-old forward registered a multipoint game on Friday night versus the Ohio State Buckeyes, to the tune of three assists.

Hage now has 12 goals and 23 assists in just 25 games this season.

Jacob Fowler stopped 20 of the 21 shot sent his way to secure a 2-1 overtime win over the Syracuse Crunch. Adam Engstrom scored the winner, his ninth goal of the year.

Russian prospect Yevgeni Volokhin is enjoying a great stretch. The 20-year-old netminder has put together back-to-back shutout efforts in the VHL.

Alex Newhook was spotted skating in Brossard on Friday morning. Newhook broke his ankle in mid-November, and is expected to return after the Olympic break.

The Canadiens didn’t put together their most dominant effort on Saturday night versus the Sabres, but they excelled when it mattered most, leading to an important 4-2. Cole Caufield scored two goals, while Jakub Dobes made almost 40 saves to secure the win. [Canadiens Highlights: Dobes And Caufield Power Crucial Win]

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By Marc Dumont
Marc has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for Journal Metro, The Athletic, The ... More about Marc Dumont

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