Hockey Free For All

Episode 40 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast 4-23-2023

Episode 40 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast topics include.
#1. What is wrong with people who even remotely suggest or consider trading Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield for Conner Bedard?
#2. Who’s is going to be left for Bedard to line up with?
#3. These kinds of trades or thoughts are exactly what keeps a franchise as a bottom feeder teams on their league.
 #4. It would seem that many want to see Montreal continue to be one of the worst teams in the league for the foreseeable future with no chance of improving by acquiring Pierre Luc Dubois.
#5. Will Slafkovski play in Laval or Montreal in the 2023/2024 season.
#6. Will Sean Farrell play in Laval or in Montreal in the 2023/2024 season.
#7. The number one thing that Sean Farrell, Raphael Harvey-Pinard, Xavior Simoneau and Jordan Harris all need to work on is adding muscle.
#8. So, if Slafkovski and Farrell are both playing in Laval next season, who will be left to play left wing for Montreal in the 2023/2024 season. How about Emil Heineman, Raphael Harvey-Pinard, Joel Teasdale and Michael Pezzetta.
#9. Laval’s Defense will be stacked with the addition of Logan Milloux, Migel Tourgany, Pateri Nurmi to go along with William Trudeau will form a very solid young and talented defensive group as the core 4 in Laval.
#10. Dennis Gurianov is not worth taking up a roster spot in 2023/2024.
#11. With a little luck Joel Armia, Jonathan Drouin, Christian Dvorak, Josh Anderson, Jake Evans, Rem Pitlick, Chris Tierney, Joel Edmundson, David Savard, Chris Wideman, Jake Allen, Anthony Richard, Mitchell Stephan's will all be gone.
#12. Lucas Condotta is the perfect center to play on the 4th line between Alex Belzile on the right wing and Michael Pezzetta on the Left Wing
A 3rd line With Sean Monahan on a new 1-year contract at Center with either Raphael Harvey-Pinard or Emil Heineman on the Left Wing and either Jesse Ylonen or Brandon Gallagher on the Right Wing
A 2nd line consisting of Kirby Dach at center, Perhaps Joel Teasdale or Emil Heineman at Left Wing and either Jesse Ylonen or Brandon Gallagher on the Right Wing
And a 1st line of Nick Suzuki at center, Cole Caufield on Right Wing and either Emil Heineman or Raphael Harvey-Pinard on the left wing.

Episode 39 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast April 7 2023

Episode 39 of the hockey Free For Podcast include -
#1. Small players and how they can’t do, can’t be as successful as, or can’t achieve to the levels of what 6 foot plus players can according to the so-called in the know experts. If that’s true, explain players like Martin St. Louis, Theo Flurry or Brad Marchand who is 5’ 09 176lbs and their successes and corner stone importance to their clubs?
 #2. How an NHL team can’t have too many of them, or should not build around them, and how they just won’t be able to hold up to physically of the league, according to the so-called experts. If true, explain how players like Martin St. Louis, Theo Flurry or Brad Marchand who is 5’ 09 176lbs have done so well?
#3. If any of the what small players can’t do or are not capable of had even a remote amount of merit to it, then everyone must truly be at a minimum seriously concerned about, or outright horrified about what will happen to the coming generational talent as he’s referred to as, the one and only Connor Bedard, who is 5’ 09 and 175lbs?
#4. No one has the ability to determine what anyone else is or is not capable of. Come off your mountain perch and put your ego in the trash where all ego’s belong.
#5. Geoff Molson hire the right people, when he hired Jeff Gorton, Kent Hughes and Martin St. Louis. They were the perfect choices and have been nothing short of extraordinary and exceptional at their jobs. Each one of them have not been even remotely concerned about the status quo, the traditional way, anyone’s opinions or having to explain themselves to anyone, nor should they be concerned with such trivial irrelevant issues.
#6. Isn’t the definition of insanity doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result?
#7. Sorry, time has run out for Savard and Edmundson. The starting 6 Defensemen are Barron, Kovicevic, Harris, Xhekaj, Ghule and Matheson. The far bigger and right around the conner problem is how are the Canadiens going to fit in/make space for Logan Milloux and Lane Hutson who are absolute locks for the starting 6 on the roster, pounder that. The silver lining with Lane Hutson might be to protect himself at the NHL level, his frame might and I only might need additional or more physical development, but Logan Milloux is there with the sole possible exception of his is at the moment, just under the perfection of everything else, and Montreal has not seen a right defenseman like Milloux since Larry Robinson. I’m not even remotely saying Milloux will be Robinson, but at this point of completing their junior careers they are a virtual carbon copy.
#8. Goaltending Sam Montembeault has been more this season than thought possible and has been a fantastic story. The chances of Carey Price coming back are just shy of zero even with lots of luck on his side. Jake Allen’s time in Montreal is over. Cayden Primeau is clearly not the answer. So what does this mean for the position of goaltending for Montreal. They have Jakub Dobes and Emmett Croteau in their pipeline already. The moment the college seasons end Yaniv Perets from Quinnipiac, Ludvid Person from Miami-Ohio and Ian Shane of Cornell, Montreal should sign all 3. Why is it completely impossible to think or imagine either one of these 3 or the 2 Montreal already has in their prospect pool couldn’t come in and outright steel the starting role in Montreal next season and never look back. Has everyone forgotten what Ken Dryden did in 1971. Is this a carbon copy of there’s no way Montreal would dare to start 3 or more rookie defensemen in the same season, it will ruin there careers, OPPS! I truly believe that either Yaniv Perets or Jakub Dobes or that both of these goaltenders are going to be something special.

Episode 38 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast April 4 2023

Episode 38 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast include discussion about-
#1. Just in case anyone thought that there were not quite enough Injuries in Montreal, Not only has Christian Dvorak been added to that long list of season ending injuries, but you can now also add Kaiden Guhle and Josh Anderson to that list as well. There is no signs indicating that Injuries will even remotely slow down with this team this year. This is just nuts or insane, pick your preference on how to describe it.
#2. On a positive note Brendan Gallagher and Kirby Dach have returned to the line up. Brendan Gallagher seems extremely excited and chomping at the bit to contribute and make as much of a difference as he can for the remainder of this season, which is great, and Kirby Dach did not look out of place at all, or like he had missed any games and showed zero signs of needing to knock off any rust at all, which was fantastic to see.
#3. May every single injured player of the Montreal Canadiens return from their injuries with no negative impacts or lingering effects on them in any way.
#5. Let’s talk about the position of goal within the organization, where is the panic of there is a need and the next one has to be found right now? How about promising prospect is Jakub Dobes, who is 6’ 05, 200 plus pounds and was drafted in the 5th round and was the 136th overall in the 2020 NHL entry draft and has put up 2 consecutive lights out seasons at Ohio State in the Big-10 U.S. College program in which he has posted amazing save percentages, has played a solid amount of games in each season and his movement as well as his on ice positioning have all be outstanding.
The other bright goaltending prospect is Emmett Croteau, who is 6’ 03 and is also 200 lbs plus, and he has also posted a very respectable 3rd season after being drafted in the 6th round at the 162nd position in the 2022 draft by the Montreal Canadiens playing for the Waterloo Blackhawks of the United States Hockey League.
#6. Does anyone else see the similarities  between the position of goaltender on a hockey and the  quarterback on a football team, these 2 positions are significantly and drastically more effected by the other players and their skillsets that are on the team than any other position is.
#7. So, where else can Montreal look to obtain and fill there talent pool with additional prospects regarding this key position. Well, Montreal can look at undrafted free agent college prospects such as Ludvid Perrson who plays for Miami of Ohio University, Ian Shane at Cornell “Did anyone have an immediate flash back to Ken Dryden here”, who also played at Cornell, Luke Pavicich out of UMass-Amherst and not to be left out, not mentioned or forgotten is Yaniv Perets out of the University of Quinnipiac who has put the numbers of a 929% save percentage with a 1.52 goals against average followed up with 939% save percentage with 1.17 goals against average. Was ECAC Goaltender of the year in 2022 and is a Hobey Baker Finalist this year. He is better than likely anything in the upcoming 2023 draft? Many of these college free agent could very well be better than what’s available in the 2023 draft and potentially best the next best throughout the NHL moving forward.
#8. However, if that’s not exciting, or there’s anyone who  just can’t bring themselves to get on board with those options, the next option would be at the 2023 NHL draft, which Montreal has already amassed lots picks for and have at the ready, and can obtain more picks by trading the litany of got to go players that’s been relentlessly discussed prior to, as well as through the entire 2022/2023 regular season and can thereby address this need at the 2023 NHL entry draft if preferred.
#9And after all of that, there will be the option of discovering undrafted prospects that have somehow been overlooked, 2nd guessed or that have slipped through the cracks to grab and secure the nets in Montreal for years. I can’t wait to see what talents Montreal obtains with these options, as the organization possesses an incredibly talented internal staff top to bottom to find and fill this organizational need.
#10. But the filling of, or finding the next one, if you will to play in goal, is not the immediate oh my god we have to figure this out or fill this need right this very second issue that some want to make it out to be. In reality it’s the last piece of the puzzle issue.
#11. Nobody wants to see what Carey Price has been, and continues to go through now, happen again in the future, because it wasn’t learned from the first time.
#12. What’s with the ridiculous view of small players can’t make it. Here are 4 fantastic and beloved player of Montreal’s past by the name of Yvan Cournoyer was 5’ 07 and a 165lbs, Doug Jarvis was       5’ 09 and 165lbs, Jacques Lemire was only 5’ 10 and 175lbs and Rejean Houle who weighed only 165lbs, what was that about small players can’t succeed? can’t contribute? That there can’t be too many of them on your roster? Ironically, here are the 4 fantastic smaller players of today that Montreal has, Cole Caufield, Sean Farrell, Lane Hutson and Raphael Harvey Pinard. All have very special skill sets and will all be very key pieces of the team.
#13. Sean Farrell’s season came to a decisive conclusion when Harvard got blown out 8 to 1 by Ohio State. It should mentioned again here that the netminder for Ohio State was none other than Canadiens Goaltending prospect Jakob Dobbes. The time has arrived for everyone to take him far more seriously than they have previously have, and really look at his numbers, and what he’s accomplished before continuing on with the there’s no hope and coming prospect within Montreal’s talent pool for the goalie position moving forward.
#14. Kent Hughes is the man once again with the touch of gold. Sean Farrell has been signed to a 3-year entry level contract by Kent Hughes in less than 48 hours after his season at Harvard concluded.
#15. Jeff Gorton, Kent Hughes and Martin St. Louis are the best since Sam Pollick and Scotty Bowman. Montreal hit the lottery 3 times when these 3 were hired .

Episode 37 of the Hockey Free For Podcast March 23 2023

Episode 37 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast Include
#1. What to do with the 2 biggest elephants in the room by far Carey Price and Brendan Gallagher. Both players have been significantly affected by their injuries, but yet very differently. One player is all but officially retired and the other still has a few options.
#2. Carey Price is selling his residence in Montreal based on reports flying around out there, and being that he is from Western Canada, it would not require any type of inside information, knowledge or for one to have to be at least at a rocket scientist to speculate with a relatively high accuracy, that he will return to the Western Canada area just like Shea Weber did or end up in the greater Seattle area which is where his wonderful wife is from and where her family still resides.
#3. Carey Prices contract could be beneficial to an organization that is creatively staying in compliance with the minimum required team payroll stated in the collective bargain agreement by acquiring such a contract that the acquiring organization knows ahead of time is purely to transfer to their LTIR or that will allow them additional active roster cap space.
#4. Three teams that might take on Carey Prices contract are the Vancouver, Seattle, and Arizona, and all three trades are different.
#5. What would be coming back to Montreal. Given the status of and injuries to the player traded, future considerations, which in all likely hood would either a future 7th round draft selection or a late round previous asset that was agreed upon between the general managers.
#6. The 2nd elephant in the room situation that needs to be addressed, which is similar, but has more options than the first one does as this player can still play, and it’s pretty obvious that this discussion is about Brendan Gallagher.
#7. Every general manager wants at least a few Brendan Gallagher’s on their team if not ideally a complete 20 player roster of. Brendan Gallagher is an every situation player with a work ethic 2nd to none, and has a heart and relentlessness of a lion, no question about that.
#8. Unfortunately, that same relentlessness and reckless abandonment that he plays with and has subjected himself too, coupled with not having consistent linemates who have the right mix of size and skill to play with throughout his career in Montreal, could have reduced the games impact on him dramatically and the injuries he now deals with on a daily basis.
#9. The compensation for Gallagher will be virtually the same as the returning assets were in the Carey Price trade options.
#10. Of the remaining played discussed in episode 37, it has to start with Johnathan Drouin.
#11. Paul Byron, like Caret Price is also very likely played his last game.
#12. It’s overdue for Mike Hoffman to go away.
#13. How about Jake Evans to Minnesota, here’s why.
#14. How about Rem Pitlick to Dallas, here’s why.
#15. What about Joel Edmundson with David Savard or Jake Allen in a package to the L.A. Kings for prospects Francisco Pinelli and Alex Laferriere?
#16. One can’t Leave out Joel Armia, for whatever can be obtained for him!
#17. The one and only player out all the soon to be expiring contracts or that time is running out on that I would even consider resigning and that player is Sean Monahan, and here’s why.
#18. Let’s wrap this up on this now with talking about the remaining and most interesting 2 players left to discuss Christian Dvorak and Josh Anderson. Could they fetch Montreal 2 more 1st round draft picks at the 2023. Listen to how and why this is a legitimate possibility regarding both of these players.

Episode 36 of the Hockey Free For All March 81 2023

Episode 36 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast topics of discussion include-
#1. Begin with the so-called tankers out there must be experiencing a resurgence of excitement and celebration as Montreal’s schedule is without question causing them to quickly fall in the league standings.
#2. The desire that the Florida Panthers also do not win another game this season, as Montreal owns there 1st round pick in the 2023 NHL draft as well.
#3. Josh Anderson is lighting it up and his trade value will never be higher that it will be after the completion of the 2022/2023 season, and if Montreal management want the best chance to successfully achieves their goal of securing at least one more pick in the first round of the 2023 NHL draft, one has to think that Josh Anderson is the player that would most likely be traded to gain that pick.
#4. The interest expressed by Philadelphia Flyers Head Coach John Tortorella earlier this season, sets up a very intriguing potential off-season trade.
#5. Will Josh Anderson still be as effective when Montreal is ready to challenge?
#6. Montreal can take advantage of a very restless Philadelphia fan base and organization, and make a block buster trade that starts with Josh Anderson.
#7. Raphael Harvey Pinard has been a great story and outstanding addition to the Montreal Canadiens Roster, and has been described as Brendan Gallagher 2.0.
#8. Alex Belzile has not looked out of place at all in Montreal for a second since arriving, and has along with Michael Pezzetta and Raphael Harvey Pinard been the type of character players added to the roster that there has been few of for a long time.
#9. Kaiden Guhle’s game is evolving quickly right in front of everyone and yet there’s people that are not nearly as impressed as they should be.
#10. Kaiden Guhle will be named an assistant captain very soon, he’s displayed tremendous leadership qualities, calmness of a veteran player and can already be counted on to play in all situations.
#11. The future of Montreal’s blueline is fantastic and will be one of the top 3 defenses in the NHL for years, and there is still lot’s talent coming.
#12. The Montreal Canadiens have announced that they have signed Jayden Struble, who just day’s ago wrapped up his senior year at Northeastern University, so the chaos and fear rumors that many wanted start, have no merit  
#13. The obsession of Pierre Luc Dubois continues.
#14. If though that there were just no more injuries that Montreal could suffer, you can now add center Christian Dvorak to the season ending injury list and he has already had knee surgery.

Episode 35 of the Hockey Free For All March 13 2023

Episode 35 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast
This episode’s topics of discussions include
#1. The injury situation in Montreal altered their trade plan is ever way possible. There were so many players expected to be moved.  Injuries destroyed any hope of being able to showcase any players Montreal intended to trade.
#2. After a disappointing trade deadline, it sets up a most intriguing offseason starting at the 2023 draft, and the eligible list of players to move should be inclusive of Josh Anderson, Christian Dvorak, Joel Edmundson, David Savard, Chris Wideman, Joel Armia, Jake Evans, Jake Allen and Mike Hoffman.
#3. The only player that has an expiring contract that I would even think about offering a contract to is Sean Monahan.
#4. As for Jonathan Drouin, Montreal just needs to let him just walk away at this point.
#5. What is with the continued obsession regarding Pierre Luc Dubois?.
#6. Kaiden Guhle is going to be a fantastic leader and undoubtably will be named an assistant captain of the team sooner rather than later.
#7. Arber Xhekaj is going to be a corner stone player for the organization.
#8. Jordan Harris seems like he’s been in the NHL for years already, he has played at and with a comfort level that veteran players play with, he doesn’t get rattled, he’s always calm and that his skating and transition games is beyond his years.
#9. Jonathan Kovacevic and Justin Barron have provided a much-needed upgrade on the right side of the Canadiens defense.
#10. It’s absolutely fantastic to see  a quality of arriving players in Montreal that has not been seen for decades, except occasionally
#11. There should be a very long line of people lining up to apologize to former General Manager Marc Bergevin.

Episode 34 of the Hockey Free For Podcast March 5 2023

Topics covered in episode 34 include-
The dud trade deadline for the Montreal Canadiens and how injuries changed everything.
The Maple Leaf's, Rangers, Blues, Sharks, Blackhawks, Arizona stole the headlines by gearing up for the playoffs and in the case of Arizona now has 30 plus draft picks in the next 3 drafts.
Several team's now have 3 draft picks in the 2023 draft and Montreal is not one of them.
What does all of the mean for off season for Montreal, will Josh Anderson, Christian Dvorak, Mike Hoffman, Joel Armia, Joel Edmundson, David Savard and others be traded at the 2023 draft or in the off season.
Will Montreal take a very deep look into there extensive injuries, medical staff, training group and even organization nutritional staff?
An enormous shoutout to Coach Martin St. Louis and his perfect response regarding the trade with the Dallas Stars for Denis Gurianov
 

Episode 33 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast February 25 2023

Episode 33 topics of discussion include:
#1. The extensive injuries around the entire league and the impacts that they are having on the trade market.
#2. Are the Las Vegas Golden Knights or the Dallas Stars the ideal trading partners for Sean Monahan?
#3. Are the Dallas Stars or the Minnesota Wild the Ideal trading partners for a Christian Dvorak trade?
#4. Why trading Cayden Primeau to the Philadelphia Flyers or to the New Jersey Devils makes sense,
#5. Montreal has had 5 rookie defensemen this season claim their long term roster spots and that leaves Mike Matheson, Lane Hutson, Adam Engstrom, Jayden Struble, William Trudeau and Logan Mailloux all fighting for that 6th spot, what would make anyone think that Montreal needs to acquire a defensemen from outside the organization?
#6. The injuries of the last 2 years to Defensemen Joel Edmundson and there impacts to both him and on his trade value.
#7. Potential landing spots for forwards Jonathan Drouin and Evgenii Dadonov.
#8. The offensive talent that has already arrived in Montreal and the truck load of prospects that Are on their way in the near future.
#9 The Pierre Luc Dubois trade and rumors that just will not go away for some reason.
#10. How does anyone even remotely think that they actually have some type of ability, skill set or privilege to question Jeff Gorton, Kent Hughes, Martin St. Louis, any player at any level or anyone else when they have never walked a single day in the shoes of the people that they dare to critique.
If someone hasn’t done everything that the person has done and is not far better at it, they have no business critiquing anyone else for any reason and have clearly overstepped themselves.

Episode 32 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast February 19 2023

Episode #32 topics include-
#1. Trades, Trades and trades.
#2. The trending style involving multiple teams to make them
#3. The impacts of trades
#4. The likely compensation that Montreal is now looking at Versus previous values of players.
#5. What players can still net Montreal 1st round draft pick compensation in return, if there leveraged in the right deal, with the right team and why.
#6. The staggering amount of not just injuries , but season ending injuries in the entire league.
#7. For the 2nd season in a row, the Montreal Canadiens are by far and away leading the league with injuries in this injury ravaged season.
#8. What the NHL could have done back in the 90’s that would have significantly reduced injuries of significance moving forward.

Episode 31 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast February 12 2023

Topics Covered in Episode 31 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast
#1. Finally for the first time in a long time a coach of Montreal’s AHL team is preparing players for the NHL and they players being called up actually look ready and are able to step in and not look lost and out of place. It appears that J.F. Joule and his staff have installed a concept that is inline with the concept of the head coach of the Montreal Canadiens at the same time, so players that are called up don’t look like they were randomly selected off the corner of the street and inserted into the lineup.
#2.Let’s recognize the coaching staff and the administration inclusive of the coaching staff in Montreal for actually working together and being on the same page at the same time, because the benefit and success is extremely obvious, as one has can see it in Justin Barron and Raphael Harvey Pinard. They have not looked out of play in any way or at any time, meshing seamlessly into the roster, and to top it all off are actually producing as well and playing solid minutes, not just making occasional appearances to spot or relive other players who need a break.
#3. Kirby Dach’s outstanding play and how its been absolutely fantastic to watch all the nay sayers from the moment that he was acquired during the 2022 draft just have to eat non-stop crow as he continues to develop and flourish and excel.
#4. The glut of undrafted, F.A. and accessible talent for the Canadiens to cash in on coming out of the U.S. College/NCAA programs. Let’s get that party started and rolling continuously. This would be an exceptional way to acquire, fill in the spots of and supplement primary, secondary and supportive organizations talent and roster spots, not to mention add not just depth, but high quality depth.
#5. Not a lot of team’s with a better talent list of prospects than Montreal.
#6. Rumors that coach John Tortarella who was the coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets when Joh Anderson broke into the NHL and proceeded in having his best and most productive season of his career under, would love to have John Anderson in Philadelphia.
#7. The astounding play of Arber Xhakaj and that he remains my choice far away from anyone else as the team’s 2022/2023 MVP, as the rookie of the year, not only for the Montreal Canadiens but in the NHL. He is the definition of how bad do you want it and are you all in and willing to go the distance.
#8. Five (5) Rookie defensemen have come together this season and have claimed both their roster spots and the teams defence as their own, and that is not only remarkable but has to absolutely be the highlight of the 2022/2023 season without question. How can it not be.
#9. The obsession with the massive amount of injuries that have occurred again for this franchise as well as all the negatives such as Johnathan Drouin, Joel Armia, Mike Hoffman, Evgenii Dadonov. But how and why is the focus not on this amazon defence and what these 5 rookie defensemen have accomplished and how they have come together or gelled if one prefers? Why hasn’t there been far more focus on the season that Sam Montembeault is having, what’s he’s accomplished and how he has risen to be the teams number goalie
#10. Why and where is the extensive focus on Kirby Dach, who has improved his faceoff percentage, is having a career year, has fit into multiple lines, in different positions and not looked out of place? Where’s that excessive coverage. How about Raphael Harvey Pinard. I would think that the city of Montreal, the media and fan base, as well as the Province of Quebec itself would be all over him far more. He checks all the boxes. He’s local, he’s a French Canadien, he has fit in seamlessly and has anyone noticed his enthusiasm and energy level for day one is on a level with Cole Caufields. Raphael Heavy Pinard, was not only ready and prepared to join the Canadiens, He is a top 6 forward, but can fit on any line that’s needed, can play whatever minutes are needed, can play 5 on 5, kill penalties or play in other critical times and has yet to look out of place and shows no signs of doing so. Really, this hasn’t and doesn’t create a bigger buzz?
#11. I would like to see recalled from Laval soon is Lukas Condotta. I have always thought his game translates better to the NHL than the AHL. He has a pro game and pro size and would be a solid #3 or #4 center.
#12. The opportunity has presented itself to conduct an organizational evaluation in every conceivable way, and at every level possible.
#13. At what irrational point did anyone start believing that any organization should start to or in any way needs send out letter of explanation and organization directions, Seriously!