NHL: Stanley Cup Final-Montreal Canadiens at Tampa Bay Lightning
Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images

MONTREAL — Every single day brings more Montreal Canadiens content to be absorbed, and we’re all bound to miss some news. On Sundays, we recap the relevant NHL and Habs events you may have missed, to help you stay up to date with all things Habs.

Given the Habs played on Sunday, this edition of the weekly wrap was pushed to Monday.

Montreal Canadiens News And Notes

Make sure you don’t miss any Canadiens news by signing up to our weekly newsletter! You can also sign up for various other NHL teams, or the daily newsletter covering the most exciting developments in sports.[Sportsnaut]

The Canadiens made a rather interesting decision, assigning netminder Samuel Montembeault to the Laval Rocket of the AHL for a conditioning stint.

According to the CBA, (13.8 Conditioning Loan), “Such Conditioning Loan shall not extend for more than 14 consecutive days.”

In other words, he’ll be back with the Canadiens by December 30, and he will also maintain all the same benefits and salary that he’d otherwise enjoy in the NHL. It should also be noted that Montembeault had to agree to the assignment in the first place.

All things considered, it was the right move for the Habs, Montembeault, and the Laval Rocket, a team that has lost half a dozen talented players to the Canadiens already.

According to head coach Martin St-Louis, Montembeault won’t spend the full two weeks in the AHL. He expects the Canadiens to re-assign him by Sunday.

On Saturday, the Habs put together one of their best games of the year. On Tuesday, Dr. Jekyll gave way to Mr. Hyde, with unforced errors by the Canadiens immediately leading to goals against versus the Flyers. Jacob Fowler was among those who made a mistake, but given his lack of experience, there’s no point in crying over spilt milk. [Canadiens Highlights: Lack Of Focus Costs Two Points]

If you’re under the impression that the Habs hit a lot of iron, you’re right. Versus the Flyers, Nick Suzuki hit iron twice, which means the Habs are quickly approaching the 50-post mark.

Prospect Michael Hage continues to impress at Team Canada practice. Not only is he scoring in the shootout, he was also promoted to the first line on Tuesday, playing the centre role between Gavin McKenna and Brady Martin.

Kaiden Guhle was spotted skating alone in Brossard. This is the first time he’s hit the ice since his most recent injury, a torn abductor muscle that required surgical intervention. He’s only expected to return in mid-January, therefore we shouldn’t get our hopes up, but it’s always good to see an injured player return to the ice, regardless of the recovery time frame.

The Habs have a pressing issue on the second line. Rookie Oliver Kapanen is among the best goalscorers on the team, and yet, his underlying numbers suggest he’s being outplayed on a nightly basis. It’s easy to suggest a change is needed, but the options to play alongside Ivan Demidov are limited, and goals are always difficult to come by. [Canadiens Analysis: Second Line Goals Versus Process]

Top prospect Michael Hage took part in Canada’s pre-tournament warm-up game versus Team Sweden, playing on the first line between Gavin McKenna and Brady Martin. The line scored twice for Canada in the 2-1 win, with Hage assisting on the game-winning goal in the third period.

Michael Misa is likely to take over the No.1 line centre duties for Canada, but it’s still quite interesting that the team gave Hage a look in that spot. I’d argue it bodes well for his ice time throughout the upcoming World Junior Championship tournament.

The Canadiens held an optional practice on Wednesday morning, because they were busy in the afternoon spending time with sick children and hardworking nurses during their yearly hospital visit. (Photo Credit Pierre Bourgault / Club de hockey Canadien Inc.)

The NHL’s holiday roster freeze comes into play on Friday, which means teams cannot trade, or waive a player, ensuring they have some stability during the holiday season. That being said, the Canadiens can still recall Samuel Montembeault from the AHL. [Impact of NHL Holiday Roster Freeze On Canadiens]

The Canadiens enjoyed a dominant performance versus the Chicago Blackhawks, powered by the dominant defenceman known as Lane Hutson. I promise I won’t use the word ‘dominant’ for the rest of the article, but there’s no other way of describing Hutson’s play in the NHL. We’re seeing domi… nus efforts from one of the best players in the country, also known as a dom… inion.

Full credit should be sent Zachary Bolduc’s way as well, seeing as he finally scored at the Bell Centre, and it was so nice, he did it twice. [Canadiens Highlights: Hutson Continues Domin… eering Ways]

Top prospect Alexander Zharovsky refuses to stop scoring for Salavat in the KHL. He’s now up to nine goals and 15 assists in 29 games, and continues to lead his team in scoring.

The Canadiens pulled off a trade with less than an hour left before the NHL’s holiday roster freeze. Former Hab Phillip Danault is rejoining the fold, after a difficult start to the season with the Los Angeles Kings. Danault, 32, will immediately improve Montreal’s centre depth, which is always difficult to do in the NHL’s trade market. [Instant Canadiens Analysis: Impact of Danault Trade]

Now that San Jose Sharks forward Michael Misa is at Team Canada’s camp, top prospect Michael Hage is set to anchor the second line, with Tij Iginla and Brady Martin on his wings. He’s also set to work the half wall on Canada’s second powerplay unit. [Canadiens Prospect Rankings – The Dynamic Michael Hage]

Adam Engstrom is yet to register his name on the scoresheet, but a look at his defensive numbers points to a rookie who has done a great job adapting to the NHL. His play alongside Arber Xhekaj has solidified the third pairing at a time when a considerable number of Canadiens defencemen are struggling to tread water. [Assessing Canadiens Rookie Engstrom By The Numbers]

Caitlin and Nick Suzuki announced they are expecting, which is great news, because it means there will be at least one more Suzuki in the world in the near future. If it all goes according to the iron-man script, Suzuki Jr. will never miss a single kindergarten block-building assignment, or middle school recess.

The talented Gavin McKenna had great things to say about Habs prospect Bryce Pickford. Pickford, 19, is enjoying a fantastic season in the WHL, with 25 goals and 19 assists in 31 games to his credit. As a reminder, Pickford is a defenceman.

Jacob Fowler was perfect on Saturday night, stopping all 30 of the shots sent his way versus the Pittsburgh Penguins to secure his first career shutout. His calm presence in the net is a nice change of pace for the Canadiens, a team that usually falls on the chaotic side of things when discussing goaltending. It should also be noted that Owen Beck scored his first career goal, and Josh Anderson found the back of the net on two occasions in the 4-0 win. [Canadiens Highlights: Welcome To The Fowler Show]

Fowler was quite appreciative of the support from the Bell Centre faithful, and even managed to end his post-game interview with a little French, which is sure to garner even more support from Habs fans.

Now that Phillip Danault is a Hab, again, it’s time to discuss his ideal usage. There’s no doubt his lack of offence this season is a concern, but context is always key in hockey. Playing alongside a talented player like Ivan Demidov could help him find his offensive rhythm, while adding a much-needed defensive presence to the mix. [Canadiens Analysis – Potential Forward Lines Including Danault]

By assisting on Beck’s first career goal in the NHL, Lane Hutson is officially the fastest Canadiens defenceman to reach the 100 points in the NHL, and the 11th fastest defenceman in NHL history.

11th fastest?

Only?

Sheesh, he’s really mailing it in these days!

avatar
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

Tap Here To Add Sportsnaut As A Trusted Source on GoogleTap Here To Add Sportsnaut As A Trusted Source on Google