Hockey Free For All

Episode 179 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast 10-17-2025

Welcome to Episode 179 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast hockey fans, this week’s Topics include-
#1. The Montreal Canadiens sign defenseman Lane Hutson to an 8-year 70.8 million dollar contract with an annual cap hit of 8.85 million dollars per season.
#2. The Montreal Canadiens have announced the signing of Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes to new 5-year contracts and promotion.
#4. Surprise! Noah Dobson and Mike Matheson are a perfect pair, no kidding.
#5. Think Edmonton Oilers of the 80’s regarding the Pairing of Noah Dobson and Mike Matheson.
#6. Neither Noah Dobson nor Mike Matheson will ever be compared to or confused with being big physical defensive defensemen. Not their game style or skill set.
#7. Mike Matheson and Noah Dobson are gifted offensive defensemen and very fluid skaters.
#8. Oh look, there are those who just can’t stand a good thing and be happy for the Montreal Canadiens solid start to the 2025/2026 season!
#9. It’s only 5 games in, out of 82, go get a 2nd job to fill your free time.
#10. Fortunately, the Montreal Canadiens are the definition of professionalism, Character, maturity, ethics, integrity and most importantly owned and ran by individuals that are brilliant deep thinking, non-reactionary, calculating, tactical people.
#11. The Montreal Canadiens are just fine in goal.
#12. On the day that Jakub Dobes was drafted in the 5th round of the 2020 draft out of Ohio State I said that the Montreal Canadiens have found themselves a diamond.
#13. Ever hear that old saying “history repeats itself” ya, that is exactly what you have here. Should they have kept Caret Price or Jaroslav Halak?
#14. Who do the Montreal Canadiens this time? Samual Montembeau or Jakub Dobes.
#15. My Choices were and remain to this day Jaroslav Halak and Jakub Dobes.
#16 So 5th round draft picks don’t matter, never develop into key players? Montreal Canadiens 5th round selections in NHL entry draft selections. 2024, RW Tyler Thorpe, 2023 LW Sam Harris & Goaltender Yevgeni Volokhin, 2022 C. Jared Davidson. 2021 RW Joshua Roy. In the 2020 NHL entry Draft Goaltender Jakub Dobes and in the 2010 NHL entry draft right winger, heart and soul, as well as leave it all on the ice every game player RW Brendan Gallagher, interesting!
#17. Jakub Dobes is a legit number one NHL goaltender.
#18. Henrik Lundqvist was a 7th round draft pick in the 2000 NHL entry draft by the New York Rangers, did he matter? Was he a relevant player for the N.Y. Rangers? HUUUUUUUU MMMMM.
#19. Goalies from other countries deal far better with outlet behaviors of North America, with the sole exception being U.S. grown goalies Playing in Canada are also unaffected.
#20. Besides Samual Montembeau and Jakub Dobes, don’t forget about Jacob Fowler, Yevgeni Volokhin, Mikus Vecvanags, Arseny Radkov or Alexis Cournoyer.

Episode 178 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast 10-10-2025

Welcome to Episode 178 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast. The regular season has arrived. This week’s topics include-
#1. Left winger Michael Pezzetta leaves the Montreal Canadiens, signs with the Toronto Maple Leaf’s, and still ends up in the AHL.
#2. The Toronto Maple Leaf’s have signed former Montreal Canadiens goaltender Cayden Primeau.
#3. The Toronto Maples have also signed forward Sammy Blais who was placed on waivers by the Montreal Canadiens at the conclusion of the 2025/2026 pre-season training camp.
#4. Sammy Blais played for current Maple Leaf’s head coach Craig Berube, when Craig Berube was the head coach in St. Louis Blues.
#5. Connor McDavid has signed an extremely interesting new 2-year contract.
#6. Connor McDavid clearly holds all of the cards at the end of his new 2-year extension.
#7. How about Kaiden Guhle, David Reinbacher and Patrik Laine to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Sidney Crosby straight up. Or add forwards Riley Kidney and Joshua Roy for 2 additional 3rd draft picks from the Pittsburgh Penguins, but absolutely nothing else from Montreal.
#8. I am surprised that Oliver Kapanen was the prospect out of all the prospects was the one that made the Hab’s roster. But he was absolutely the proper center for Ivan Demidov and Alex Newhook, and it’s an excellent and talented line.
#9. The Line of Brendan Gallagher, Kirby Dach and Zack Bolduc has been both solid and impressive.
#10 Juraj Slafkovsky is looking great with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield.
#12. Samual Montembeau did not look ready in Toronto.
Jokub Dobes looked in mid-season form in Detroit.
#14.  Noah Dobson didn’t look ready in Toronto but was solid in Detroit.
#15. Noah Dobson and Mike Matheson should be paired together all season long.
#16. Lane Hutson should be paired with Adam Engstrom.
#17. Arber Xhekaj and Jayden Struble should be paired together for the entire season.
#18. Ryan Lenard was and would have been my pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.

Episode 177 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast 10-03-2025

Welcome to Episode 177 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast. Topics include-
#1. Alex Newhook and Oliver Kapanen are not only having excellent training camps, but have formed a line with is having a solid training camps, but have formed a line with Ivan Demidov that immediately has chemistry, with a great combination of skill.
#2. Florian Xhekaj continues to show his value and why he needs to be part of the roster. Florian Xhekaj brings a sandpaper and grit element to the roster that no one has since Chris Nilan did.
#3. Kaiden Guhle’s frequency and variety of injuries continue and that has to be extremely concerning to the organization.
#4. I said from the moment the Noah Dobson trade was announced, I didn’t like the trade. He’s a defensive liability and he is proving my point in training camp. The Canadiens’ coaching staff has a lot of work to do with Noah Dobson
#5. Noah Dobson doesn’t use his size or weight in his game; he is a perimeter defenseman.
#6. David Reinbacher’s injuries are mounting up and affecting every season and his development. This has to be extremely concerning to the Montreal Canadiens Management.
#7. In the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, I also would have drafted David Reinbacher and not drafted Matvie Michkov.  Matvie Michkov is a headcase and extremely self-impressed. But my choice then and to this very day would have been Ryan Leonard from Boston College.
#8. Can anyone else imagine a right-wing line of Cole Caufield, Ivan Demidov, Ryan Leonard and Tyler Thorpe for the Montreal Canadiens. Wow!
 #9. In 2 seasons, will Kaiden Guhle, David Reinbacher or Noah Dobson even still be with the Montreal Canadiens?
#10. I didn’t like the trade of Logan Mailloux for Zac Bolduc. Zac Bolduc better be the real deal, right out of the gate and never look back.
#11. Think about the defenseman that the Montreal Canadiens have traded away. Wow!
#12. This is exactly why you don’t trade Adam Engstrom, Jayden Struble or William Trudeau, and you don’t rush to move Mike Matheson.
#13, In 2 seasons’ from now could the starting 6 defensemen for the Montreal Canadiens be Lane Hutson paired with Bryce Pickford, Adam Engstrom paired with Arber Xhekaj, Owen Protz paired with Carlos Handel with Rasmus Bergqvist as the seventh defensive option? It’s a real possibility.
 #14. Jayden Struble’s value and position on the team has certainly increased.
#15. Kirill Kaprizov is not even remotely worth his new 8-year 136-million contract.
#16 The Minnesota Wild could have cleaned up trading Kirill Kaprizov.
#17.  Luke Hughes of the New Jersey devils is not remotely worth 63 million dollars over 7 years.
#18. Someone please explain and somehow rationalize the 8 years, at 9-million per season contract that has been handed to defenseman Jackson LaCombe by the Anaheim Ducks.

Episode 176 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast 09-26-2025

Hello Hockey fans out there. Episode 176 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast has arrived for your hockey fix. Take a listen, this episode’s topics include-
#1. What is with the continued insanity about acquiring Sidney Crosby?
 #2. Why would anyone strip a club of its roster talent, organizational prospects and future draft picks to acquire a 38-year-old that won’t even be there that long?
#3. The same insanity also exists regarding Mason McTavish?
#4. Mason McTavish has proven absolutely nothing to date at the NHL level. Someone please explain how this even makes sense!
#5. Montreal has 10 organizational centers beyond Nike Suzuki, who is without question the club’s number #1 center and captain. 5 of them are #2 center quality and that doesn’t even include Michael Hage.
#6. The injuries to Noah Dobson, Kaiden Guhle and now David Reinbacher are the quint essential proof as to why an organization does trade their talent and depth away.
#7. Fortunately, the Montreal Canadiens can still Mike Mathenson, Arber Xhekaj, Lane Hutson, Jayden Struble, Alexander Carrier and Adam Engstrom, which is a better top 6 defensive group than most other clubs have.
#8. Florian Xhekaj is having an outstanding training camp and is proving his worth and there for him to be on the opening day NHL roster.
#9. Owen Beck is having an outstanding training camp, showing his value in all area’s of the ice and game.
#10. Oliver Kapanen has had a solid training camp and shown immediate chemistry with Ivan Demidov and Patrik Laine
#11. Joshua Roy’s star is dimming very quickly.
#12. Everyone should be extremely excited about a future line of Florian Xhekaj, Tyler Thorpe and Luke Tuch. That line will add an element a value to Montreal’s roster that they have not had in decades.
#13. Montreal’s organizational goaltending depth looks outstanding.  

Episode 175 of the Hockey Free For All 09-19-2025

Episode 175 of the hockey free for all podcast has arrived for your enjoyment and to get your hockey fix. The episodes topics include-
#1. Kirill Kaprizov is not even remotely worth 16-million dollars.
#2. Kirill Kaprizov is not worth more than Leon Draisaitl, Connor McDavid or Alexander Ovechkin.
 #3. A Noah Dobson and Mike Matheson defensive pairing offensively is exciting but defensively is very concerning.
#4. Noah Dobson should be paired with Kaiden Guhle.
#5. Lane Hutson should be paired with David Reinbacher.
#6. Arber Xhekaj should be paired with either Adam Engstrom or Jayden Struble.
#7. Mike Matheson and Alexander Carrier should be leveraged and moved, to continue to stockpile draft assets to keep the team stuffed full of talent
#8. Juraj Slafkovsky’s has improved every season. He’s only 21, leave him alone and let him grow and blossom.
#9. Kirby is ready to go according to Management and the coaching staff.
#10. This is a make-or-break season for Kirby Dach. Prove your worth and actual skill set or your out!
#11. This is a make-or-break season for Patrik Laine. Prove your worth and actual skill set or your out!
#12. If Kirby Dach and Patrik Laine do not put up the numbers in the 2025/2026 especially if they have Ivan Demidov on their line, they are out.
#13. Ivan Demidov is a far better player than Patrik Laine is.
#14. Ivan Demidov is a far better player than Kirill Kaprizov is.
#15, How anyone even suggest trading Ivan Demidov for Kirill Kaprizov or any other player in the entire NHL?
#16. Ivan Demidov’s shills are off the chart.
 #17. Ivan Demidov has the abilities and skills that will allow his to surpass, most goals by, most assists by and most career total points by a Canadiens player by the end of his career.
#18. Why would the Montreal Canadiens acquire Pavel Zacha from the Boston Bruins when they have Kirby Dach, Alex Newhook, Owen Beck, Oliver Kapanen, Florian Xhekaj, Vinzenz Rohrer “who by the way is having an excellent training camp” Jared Davidson who is a very strong dark horse candidate, Sean Farrell as well as the Newly Acquired Zach Bulduc at center depth, and that does not even include Nick Suzuki, Jake Evans or Joe Veleno. That is a massive group of talent in the waiting.
#19. Owen Beck is having an outstanding training camp.
#20. Noah Dobson’s and Zach Bolduc’s training camps better be light’s out.
 #21.  Joshua Roy’s training camp not going well. Looks like a change of scenery might be beneficial.
#22. Why is Adam Engstrom even being mentioned in anything trade related. Is it just ignorance?
#23 I hope Geoff Molson signs both Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes to new 10-year contracts.

Episode 174 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast 09-12-2025

Hello hockey fans, episode 174 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast, the goaltending episode has arrived for your hockey fix and to get you to training camp. Topics include-
#1. Carey Price to the San Jose Sharks along with a 5th round draft pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft has been traded to the San Jose Sharks and in return the Montreal Canadiens received 22-yaer old right-handed defenseman Gannon Laroque who was the 4th round pick of the San Jose Sharks in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.
#2. The Montreal Canadiens have gone from being nearly 6-million dollars over the cap to 4.75-million dollars under the cap, and no they do not need to spend it!
#3. Congratulations to the Montreal Canadiens Management for continuing to unload stifling contracts within the organization that are purely dead weight.
#4. No NHL club has done a better job at scouting and drafting than the Montreal Canadiens for the last 6 straight years.
#5. Here’s to the Montreal Canadiens staying their course and sticking to their plan and ignoring outside ignorance.
#6. Let’s make moves and discissions that hand cuff and leave no flexibility, opportunities and that cash straps and organization. That sounds like a stupendous idea!
 #7. Ken Dryden has passed. The sport of hockey has lost the greatest goalie ever. But the world has lost and even greater Human Being that touched so many lives far beyond the sport of hockey.
#8.  Ken Dryden was not a generational player. Ken Dryden was a transcendent player that not only changed and redefined the position he played, but every life he touched.
#9. Ken Dryden won 76 of 80 games he played at Cornell University. Won the Conn Smyth Trophy only playing in 6 games on a team of stars with an extremely high expectations, before winning the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in his first full season the following year. 5 Vezina Trophies, 6 Stanley Cups, all in 8 seasons!
#10. There will never be another Ken Dryden. Ken Dryden was truly the definition of Integrity, ethics, honor, commitment and follow-through in everything he did. To say he will be missed is an understatement. Ken Dryden has left far too early and the impact that he made will be missed on every conceivable level.

Episode 173 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast 09-05-2025

Hello hockey fans, as August is now in the rereview mirror, and September has arrived, so has Episode 173 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast. Topics include-
#1. Saku Koivu was an awesome player, but best and most beloved captain of all time?
#2. Is Saku Koivu the best Captain and most beloved of recent times? Ok, that’s a valid discussion.
#3. Has everyone forgotten about John Beliveau?
#4. Is Carey Prices contract the contract that the Montreal Canadiens really needs to get out from under and trade?
#5. Other than reaching the bottom limit of a team cap, what else does acquiring Carey Prices contract do for the acquiring team.
#6. The last year of Carrey Price’s contract can be easily buried in LTIR.
#7. Instead of trading Carey Prices contract and possibly having to throw in a draft pick or prospect of any kind, how about trading Patrik Laine and his contract to the Anaheim Duck, enticing Anaheim with the possibility of what Patrik Laine and Leo Carlsson might be able to do and look like on the same line?
#8. How about the Montreal Canadiens trade Patrik Laine to the Anaheim Duck for Center Nathan Gauncher, who is 6’ 03, 222lbs, is 21-years old, and was the 22nd pick overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, and oh by the way is also a RIGHT HANDED Shot and a 2nd or 3rd round draft pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft from Anaheim, why not make this trade? 8.7 million comes off Montreal’s cap, Montreal doesn’t have to throw in anything else, and Laine is 27-years old.
#9. Moving Laine’s contract is far more advantageous for Montreal. Relieves cap space and net’s Montreal a need asset in the minds of many.
#10. Patrik Laine is not the perfect pairing partner for Ivan Demidov. Doesn’t anyone remember the me, me, me and disingenuous behavior and remarks made by Patrik Laine when Ivan Demidov first arrived? Laine was extremely jealous of Demidov immediately!
#11. Aggressively look to move Gallaghers and Anderson’s contracts at the 2026 trade deadline, which is going to be tuff to do without a specific need that another club has.
#12. Hat’s off to the NHL for putting in place cap compliancy that carries into and throughout the playoffs and Stanley Cup finals as well. It’s been long overdue, as there has been extremely questionable ethics, integrity professionalism by many.

Episode 172 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast 08-29-2025

Hello hockey fans out there, episode 172 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast has arrived for you hockey fix to get you through the summer months and back into rookie and regular training camps.
#1. Stop. Lane Hutson did not get snubbed regarding the 2026 winter Olympics.
#2. The team USA roster already has 44 members, that are going to have to be paired down!
#3. There are only 20 starting spots, along with 3 to 5 reserve positions. Do the math!
#4. A carbon copy of the false and poor journalism when Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki choose to skip country invites to ensure their health and recovery to ensure they would be at 100% and ready int the coming regular season.
#5. The Montreal Canadiens do not need to acquire Mason McTavish, as the cost would be astronomical and destroy the organization. The asking price is off the charts stupid that Anaheim is asking for.
#6 Acquiring Nazem Kadri makes absolutely no since and sending Juraj Slafkovski, Alex Newhook and a high draft pick for a 34-year-old who is on the back 9 of his career, make an even more incompetent trade. There is no doubt that Calgary would love this trade. It would be pure robbery for the Calgary Flames, and absolute stupidity by the Montreal Canadiens if they were to make it.
 #7. Wow, really! Jared McCann, why?
#8. Let’s see the actual accuracy of the report’s indication that Kirby Dach is behind in his recovery.
#9. A group of staring 4 center that has Nick Suzuki at number 1, Alex Newhook at number 2 with Jake Evans and Jared Davidson interchangeably occupying the 3rd and 4th center positions is as good as at least 75% of the rosters in the league.
#10. The real problem with any or all of the acquisitions of Mason McTavish, Nazem Kadri or Jared McCann is the asking ransom price the other clubs are asking for, as their true desire is to rape and pillage the Montreal Canadiens, as the Montreal Canadiens have out drafted everyone for serval years and counting.
#11. Don’t believe it. Just look at the last several years of 4th and 5th picks alone, and that coming talent and skill set.

Episode 171 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast 08-22-2025

Hello hockey fans out there. As summer continues, you can continue to get your hockey fix as Episode 171 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast has arrived for you, topics this week include-
#1. Has summer really gotten that boring, that is there is nothing else to do but compare  Guy LaFleur and lane Hutson? Seriously?
#2. Two completely different games!
#3. Two completely different times
#4. Most importantly, one is a forward who won 5 Stanley Cups and played in 6 all star games, to a current player who plays defense and is just starting his career.
#5Two gifted players that play un-comparable positions.
#6. The Montreal Canadiens send to the Chicago Blackhawks.
#7. In Return the Montreal Canadiens receives from the Chicago Blackhawks.
#8. This trade makes zero cents, no matter how you look at it, or how you slice it up.
#9. Why would the Montreal Canadiens tear apart it’s NHL roster or decimate their existing or inbound prospect talent, with trades like these.
#10. One wonders what the level of complete insanity will escalate to, when the contracts of Carey Price, Patrik Laine, Brendan Gallagher and Josh Anderson are all off the books in Montreal.
#11. Extremely little chance of NHL team payrolls and caps even remotely approaching the levels of the NFL, the NBA or major league Baseball.
#12. Another proposed trade, that does not even remotely improve the Montreal Canadien s, has the Montreal Canadiens sending Juraj Slafkovsky, Alex Newhook and a high draft choice to the Calgary Flames for Nazem Kadri. What?
#13. I have no doubt in my mind that the Calgary Flames would love to make that deal.
#14. Trades proposals like these make as much sense as the Edmonton Oilers trading Connor McDavid to the Montreal Canadiens for either Micheal Pezzetta, Ty Smilanic or Riley Kidney straight up, or at most all three.
#15. Who’s coming up with these trades? A 21-year old, first overall pick, that has improved every season he’s played, that has a frame to be durable in the NHL for 15-years, plus a 24-year old, who is one of the fastest players in the entire NHL, that can shift up and down the lineup as needed, along with a high draft pick, for a declining 34-year old player, who is on the back half of his NHL career, and who carries 6 more years of a very bloated, and excessive contract, that improves the Montreal Canadiens how?

Episode 170 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast 08-15-2025

Hello hockey fans, episode 170 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast has arrived for your summer offseason hockey fix, topics-
#1. There are no guarantees of a roster spot in the upcoming Olympics. Every spot has to be earned. Samuel Montembeau will have to earn it.
#2. There is no Lane Hutson contract dilemma, stop trying to create chaos and distractions.
#3. Andrei Markov was an unexpected 6th round draft pick in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft.
#4. Andrei Markov was a good transition game defenseman
#5. Andrei Markov was very good at carrying the puck into the opposition end and setting up the power play.
#6. Andrei Markov had a solid hard low shot from the point.
#7. Stop trying to include Andrei Markov on the same list with Doug Harvey, Tom Johnson, Emile “Butch” Bouchard, Serge Savard, Guy Lapoint, Jacque Laperriere, Larry Robinson, Brian Engblom, Rod Langway, Craig Ludwig or Chris Chelios. Andrei Markov is not on or part of this list.
#8. Maybe it’s because of the teams and era that Andrei Markov played on and in?
#9. Lane Hutson and other current Montreal Canadien defensemen will leap over Andrei Markov by the completion of their careers.
#10. Stop with the ridiculous and unfounded chaos of needing a 2nd line center at any cost.
#11. Saku Koivu was an excellent captain!
#12. Let Aatos Koivu make his way, find his own game, curve out his own style and most of all, stop with the comparisons of his father.
#13. The Montreal Canadiens have had, and continue to have many great captains.
#14. How about determining if the health reports on Kirby Dach are actually accurate?
#15. Alex Newhook is the go-to answer If Kirby Dach can’t go. Why? Alex Newhook has earned that chance based on the final 20 to 25 games of his performance in the 2024/2025 season. Montreal gave up the 31st and 37th picks to acquire him, it doesn’t rush any prospects and he has the skating speed and distribution skills to keep pace with and get the puck to skilled wingers who can bury it.
#16. The Montreal Canadiens as an organization, have impressive center depth.
#17. Regarding Marco Rossi and Brad Marchand. Many said Marco Rossi would not make because of his size. Many said Brad Marchand could not make it because of his size. Anyone even remotely recall the comments and remarks of Canadiens Director of Hockey Development Adam Nicholas about Sean Farrell?