Hockey Free For All

Episode 30 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast February 3 2023

Episode 30 topics include-
#1. Trades, Trades & more trades, and there is not a team that has more players to trade is the Montreal Canadiens.
#2. Let’s start with the 3 players making the most noise. Josh Anderson, Joel Edmundson and Sean Monahan.
#3. A Joel Edmundson trade makes complete sense as the Canadiens have a log jam of defensemen and its yet another opportunity to rid another contract, and a predominantly injured player over the last 2 years, and that 5 rookies in Arber Xhekaj, Kaiden Guhle, Jordan Harris, Jonathan Kovacevic and Justin Barron have claimed their spots on the Montreal roster just this year and leaves 1 open spot for 9 other players to claim.
#4. Sean Monahan’s trade value has apparently gone up radically after the Bo Hovert trade, and is now viewed as the best of the rest that’s available.
#5. Josh Anderson who is a virtual ghost most nights is viewed as a must have players and the Canadiens want a massive haul in return.
#6. If for some reason the Canadiens can’t wait for Pierre Luc Dubois to become a UFA, then swap Josh Anderson one for one for Pierre Luc Dubois and nothing more.
#7. Beyond Josh Anderson, Joel Edmundson and Sean Monahan the Canadiens also have Christian Dvorak, Jonathan Drouin, Evgenii Dadonov, Joel Armia, David Savard, Chris Wideman, Jake Allen, Brendan Gallagher and Mike Hoffman from the Canadiens Roster to unload, as well as Jesse Ylonen, Anthony Richards, Michael Stephans, Nate Schnarr and Cayden Primeau from the Laval roster to unload.
#8. The canadiens will like obtain more in return from the Philadelphia Flyers or the New Jersey Devils for Cayden Primeau than any other team.
#9. Laval has produced the next impact player to added to the Montreal Canadiens roster in Rafael Harvey Pinard. He has not looked even remotely out of place in any game, engaged in any game, he’s been active in every games and has been interchangeable with lines and continued to be consistent in every game on every shift.
#10. Does anyone actually care about any of the pro sports All-Star Games and Skills competition weekend events? The majority of the players voted for every year would rather not even play in them! The last ones I had even a remote interest in was in 1989, that’s how irrelevant and point all these games have become, and the case of the NHL All-Star weekend, it needs to be replace with a 3-game yearly international tournament.

Episode 29 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast January 22 2023

Here is episode 29 of the Hockey Free For All podcast for all of you hockey fans out to take a listen too. Episode 29 topics include-
#1. Injuries, injuries and more injuries, very of which are short term, most of them are several months or season ending injuries. Let’s hope Cole Caufield’s and Juraj Slafkovsky’s injuries are not career altering or threatening in any way, as it would be both divesting and devastating to them, after the unimaginable work they have put in to get to where they are at this short point of amazing careers. That would be a very cruel life joke without question.
#2. With all these injuries, what are the options for the Montreal Canadiens to be able to ice an actual 20 man roster to play games with.
#3. With this insane amount of injuries does this season now become an opportunity to discover as insert prospects from multiple levels of the organization to truly understand what level depth they really have?
#4. With all of these injuries where does it level Montreal in regard to the trade deadline, can they still move every player they intend to?
#5. To what extent will these injuries play into Montreal’s draft position in the 2023 now, does this enhance Montreal’s chances of a lottery pick or are the season that Columbus, Chicago and Anaheim having created to much space for any other team to legitimately catch at this point?

Episode 28 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast January 16 2023

Welcome to episode 28 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast our topics of discussion this week include-
#1. Injuries are back with a vengeance for the Canadiens in the 2022/2023 season
#2. Arber Xhekaj, Jordan Harris, Jonathan Kovacevic, Kaiden Guhle, Cole Caufield, Kirby Dach, Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky have claimed their roster spots, and one could also legitimately argue for Sean Monahan and Samuel Montembeault. But, as for everyone else, if the right offer is made to Montreal for any of those remaining players, make the trade and wish them the best moving forward.
#3. For all those who keep saying Montreal has too many prospects and draft selections, this season has and the small percentage that actually make it blows that theory out of the water.
#4. Its going to be amazing to watch the Canadiens Management Team assemble the organizational roster over the next 2 to 4 years, it will be nothing seen before.
#5. Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes are the best management team since Sam Pollock
#6. Josh Anderson, Christian Dvorak, Sean Monahan, Joel Edmundson, Mike Matheson can each net Montreal a 1st round pick or more. As for Johnathan Drouin, Joel Armia, Evgenii Dadonov, Brendan Gallagher, Mike Hoffman, Rem Pitlick, David Savard and Chris Wideman, they will be a far greater challenge to move for value.
#7. A look at Alexander Ovechkin’s amazing chase to rewrite most goals scored by one player in league history.
#8. I discuss Austin Mathews and the solid season he is having along with Mitch Marner, William Nylander and John Tavares who are also having outstanding seasons for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
#9. I present the altimate question to you. You’re a General Manager of an NHL team, and in this hypothetical dream scenario, any and all players from every team in the league are available for you to select to create your team roster, who are those 20 players that you would select.
Here are mine for offense, Conner McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Nikita Kucherov, Mitch Marner, Alexander Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Artemi Panarin, Joe Pavelski, Austin Matthews and Elias Pettersson as the 13th forward. That’s when one recognizes the level of talent. Now as for defense, Cale Makar, Adam Fox, Miro Heiskanen, Roman Josi, Quinn Hughes and yes Arber Xhekaj. As the 7th extra defensemen Rasmus Dahlin
Now for goalies Linus Ullmark and Filip Gustavsson as 1 & 2 and as a 3rd option is case of injury Ilya Sorokin. So, the fun with this question how many people will absolutely loose there minds as they believe, how could you not choose or include fill in the blank ______________________________________?

Episode 27 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast January 10 2023

Episode 27 of the Hockey Free For Topics include-
Injuries are stacking up with Sean Monahan, Brendan Gallagher, David Savard, Mike Matheson, Kaiden Guhle all still out of the lineup, with no set return dates for any of them in the foreseeable future.
What will Montreal do with Joel Edmundson, David Savard, Chris Wideman and Mike Matheson now as Arber Xhekaj, Jordan Harris, Jonathan Kovacevic, Justin Barron and Kaiden Guhle have claimed 5 of the 6 starting regular lineup spots on the teams defense.
Arber Xhekaj is not only the MVP of the Montreal Canadiens this season, but should be in the top 3 finalists for the league rookie of the year Calder trophy without question.
At the trade deadline, not only is there the need to trade Edmundson, Savard, Wideman and Matheson from the defense, but also the need to move out Josh Anderson Christian Dvorak, Joel Armia, Mike Hoffman, Jonathan Drouin, Evgenii Dadonov, Jake Evens and Rem Pitlick.
The talent that has already arrived and is coming soon to Montreal with recent strong drafting
The tremendous Draft Capital Montreal should obtain and have for at least the next 3 drafts.
The 3 worst moves by the Canadiens organization since 1980. Drafting Doug Wickenheiser rather than Denis Savard creating a no-win situation for Doug Wickenheiser from day 1. The Scott Gomez Trade and the most recent, the Mikhail Sergachev trade for Jonathan Drouin.

Episode 26 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast 12-30-2022

Topics covered in episode 26 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast
#1. Josh Anderson, Joel Edmundson and Christian Dvorak are getting a lot of trade interest from General Managers of other NHL clubs, which should net Montreal at least a 1st round draft pick in return for each player.
#2. Unless Jonathan Drouin, Evgenii Dadonov, Joel Armia or Mike Hoffman picks up their level of play, Montreal be able to nothing more than watch these players walk away for nothing as their contracts expire.
#3. Jake Evan’s, Jake Allen and Rem Pitlick could be legitimate trade targets.
#4. Team can never have too many draft picks or draft capital.
#5. Late round draft picks are just as important as 1st, 2nd or 3rd round picks now as many late round picks have become conner stones of their teams.
#6. Every level of every sport is under the microscope all the time.
#7. Sports teams no longer have just a strength and conditioning coach, they have entire development staff inclusive of nutritionists and food scientists on staff.
#8. Players leave organizations for a litany of reasons not limited to city of preference, language differences, Privacy, Education for family members, Safety, Weather, taxes and not to be forgotten is a chance to win the Stanley Cup.

Episode 25 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast December 20 2022

Episode 25
For all of you hockey fans out there take a listen to topics that include the excellent play of Kirby Dach, the ever-improving play of Juraj Slafkovsky. The enhanced play of Mike Hoffman that should only improve his trade value, and what Montreal can obtain when they trade him.
Although the world cup tournament has indeed been exciting with a lot of teams winning games that they were not predicted to win. However, the tournament doesn’t hold a candle to the 72 Canada cup, The 1960 or 1980 winter Olympics, Rendezvous 87 when the best of the NHL played against the Soviet Selects at the collisee in Quebec, or any annual world junior’s tournament. Soccer just doesn’t compare.
Pro Athletes do not belong in the Olympics, it ruined the Olympics. The Olympics belong to Amateur athletes. Amateur athletes are not allowed to just randomly take roster spots and play for pro championships, so pro athletes should not be able to just take roster spots away on Olympic rosters and play for the Olympics. The Olympic roster spot belong exclusively to the amateur athletes only.
What’s with the continued obsession with acquiring Pierre Luc Dubois and the insanity of mortgaging the future of the organization or trading anyone other than Jonathan Drouin, Evgenii Dadonov, Mike Hoffman or Joel Armia for him. He’s not worth any other player or prospect within the organization.
The ridiculous comments being made of how the Montreal Canadiens won’t be able to retire Carey Prices jersey now.

Episode 24 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast December 16 2022

Episode 24 of the Hockey Free For All podcast focus's on players that have not been the focus so far such as, Jonathan Kovacevic, who has brought far more of a game, and been far more of an impact on the Montreal roster this season than expected when they selected him off of the waver wire before the season started.
His strong skating, good first pass, excellent transitional game, the fact that he can join the rush and not look out of place at all, and that he is likely the best pure right handed defenseman in the organization currently.
Other players such as Justin Barron, Logan Mailloux, Adam Engstrom, Mattias Norlander, Petteri Nurmi, Miguel Tourigny, Jordan Harris, Jayden Struble and Nicolas Beaudin who was acquired from Chicago.
And a potential list of players that could very well be traded by the trade deadline, or by the end of next off season before the 23/24 season starts. That entire list could include Jonathan Drouin, Evgenii Dadonav, Joel Armia, Mike Hoffman, Jacob Olofsson, Cayden Primeau, Jake Even, Jake Allen, Rem Pitlick, Joel Edmundson, David Savard, Chris Wideman, Christian Dvorak, Josh Anderson, Brendan Gallagher, Sean Monahan, Mike Matheson, Logan Mailloux and Justin Barron. 
 
 

Episode 23 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast December 8 2022

Episode 23 Topics
#1. A very interesting first quarter of the 22/23 regular season
#2. Team that were expected to lead their divisions and conferences right out of the gate and have not, such as Toronto, Colorado, St. Louis.
#3. Teams that have played far better in the 22/23 season than expected such as, New Jersey, Seattle and Montreal.
#4. Games are far more entertaining.
#5. Goals are way up, which should make everyone happy
#6. The Conner Bedard sweepstake
#7. The continued performance of excellence by Jeff Gorton, Kent Hughes and Martin St. Louis
#8. Why are a few negative topics dominating headlines and the things being reported, rather than the many, many, many positive things going on. How can negative issues be even remotely more interesting than the plethora of positive topics to discuss and cover.
#9.Why aren’t the amazing and beyond anticipated seasons that Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Kirby Dach, Kaiden Guhle, Arber Xhekaj and Jordan Harris being focused on as the predominant story lines?
#10. Injuries that have been hitting many other teams for a while have hit the Montreal Canadiens hard with Mike Hoffman, Jonathan Drouin, Joel Armia, Brendan Gallagher, David Savard, Sean Monahan all added to the injury list to go along with Carey Price and Paul Byron.
#11. How the injuries present tremendous opportunities for Juraj Slafkovsky, Michael Pezzetta and Rem Pitlick regarding both an increase in playing time and situations to play in.
#12. There is no need for Montreal to acquire any players from outside their organization.
#13. The incredible amount of talent Montreal already has within their organization.
#14. Montreal’s future starting 12 offensive and starting 6 defensemen is amazingly talent laden.
#15. Not only has Shayne Wright been named to team Canada, but has Owen Back, Riley Kidney and Joshua Roy, while Filip Mesar has been named to the Slovakian Team, Adam Engstrom has been named to team Sweden, Vinzenz Rohrer has been named to team Austria while Lane Hutson has been named to team U.S.A. preliminary roster.
#16. The 2023 NHL draft will be one of the deepest drafts in NHL history

Episode 22 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast November 30 2022

For all of you hockey fans, Episode 22 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast discusses-
#1. The continuation of Montreal’s remodel
#2. Who should be the starting 4 centers in Montreal
#3. It would be a completely unrealistic dream to think that Jake Allen or Sam Montembeault would resemble Carey Price in any way.
#4. The 2 most important upcoming contracts of Cole Caufield and possibly Sean Monahan based on a conversation with management.
#5. The pending trades of Jonathan Drouin, Evgenii Dadonov, Joel Armia and Mike Hoffman and what Montreal obtain in return.
#6 How specially trading Josh Anderson, Christian Dvorak, Sean Monahan and Joel Edmunson can all net Montreal additional 1st round draft picks and much more.
#7. How these trades would relieve the log jam of extra players, reduce team payroll drastically and set the team up for extensive success.
#8. Its very unlikely Carey Price is coming back
#9. Cayden Primeau will not be the answer in goal for the Canadiens, he has yet to look even remotely comfortable in any game he has ever played in Montreal. One can see that in his body language
#10. Out of the current goalie prospects have within the organization including Frederik Dichow, Jakab Dobes, Joe Vrbetic and Emmit Croteau, Jakub Dobes is looking more and more to be the best of the group.
#11. With all the draft picks Montreal want to collect and have on hand for the 2023 draft, the 2023 draft could be the perfect place to find their next goalie.
#12. The last thing Montreal needs to is go out and over pay someone and end up with more uncap friendly bloated contracts.
#13. The extremely poor judgement and very inaccurate assessment of Marc Bergevin, as the team is about to experience the significant benefit of his 2019, 2020 and 2021 drafting.
#14. the exceptional jobs that Jeff Gorton, Kent Hughes and Martin St. Louis have done from the moment they walked through the doors.

Episode 21 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast November 25 2022

In Episode 21 Discussions include Nick Suzuki was the perfect choice for team Captain, his game has only improved, he has the perfect demeanor, personality and relational skills for the Montreal media.
The horrendous pre-judgement of the abilities and success that Cole Caufield, Arber Xhekaj, Jordan Harris, Kaiden Guhle, Juraj Slafkovsky, Kiby Dach and Jonathan Kovacevic will have as they have turned out to be exponentially inaccurate.
Mike Matheson, Joel Edmunson, David Savard, Chris Wideman and Jonathan Kovacevic should also share in the rotation of who sits out games, not just Xhekaj, Harris and maybe Guhle. Arber Xhekaj and Jordan Harris have been the best 2 defensemen in Montreal this year by far. 
Episode 21 addresses the insane rumor about trading Jordan Harris for the sole reason that he will be a RFA at the end of this season, which makes zero sense.
If team MVP voting was held today, Arber Xhekaj is the undisputed choice, even above and beyond Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield.
Looks like not only did Montreal Management know exactly what they were doing, but made the correct choice in drafting Juraj Slafkovsky at the 2022 draft, rather than selecting Shane Wright.
Discuss future prospect's such as Sean Farrell, Filip Mesar, Jan Mysak, Riley Kidney, Owen Beck, Joshua Roy, Lane Hutson, Vinzenz, Cedrick Guidon, Xavier Simoneau, Frederik Dichow, Jakob Dobes, Joe Vrbetic and Emmett Croteau.
 
Episode 21 addresses the insanity of trading players immediately just to trade them rather than to maximize their value and use to the organization.