Hockey Free For All

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!

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.