Hockey Free For All

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?

Episode 169 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast 08-08-2025

Hello Hockey fans. Episode 169 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast has arrived, and this is the Jonathan Huberdeau episode.
#1.This has to be the most insane trade proposal out of all, that have been rumored all offseason long. This trade has the Montreal Canadiens acquiring the 84-million dollar, 8-year contract, right winger Jonathan Huberdeau who by the way has 6-years remaining on that Albatross of a contract, in return for Josh Anderson, Arber Xhekaj, Owen Beck and a 2nd round draft pick.
#2. The Montreal Canadians have been suffocating under the weight of Carey Prices 84-million-dollar contract for years, who’s contract will finally conclude at the completion of the 2025/2026 season. In what rational world would the Montreal Canadiens take on another 84-million-dollar contract with 6-years left, for an aging player, who is a one trick pony and requires specific linemates.
#3. Where would the acquisition of Jonathan Huberdeau leave the acquisition of Zack Bolduc?
#4. Please stop with the veteran leadership diarrhea, it consistently spews from mouths of the clueless. The Montreal Canadiens have plenty of leadership in Nick Suzuki, Brendan Gallagher and Mike Mathenson, plus Kaiden, Cole Caufield, Samual Montembeau, Arber Xhekaj and Lane Hutson as well as Head Coach Martin St. Louis, General Manager Kent Huges and the leader himself of all hockey operations Mr. Jeff Gorton forms a tremendous group of leadership.
#5. I would not send Patrik Laine straight up for Jonathan Huberdeau.
#6. I would not trade Joshua Roy straight up for Jonathan Huberdeau.

Episode 168 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast 08-01-2025

Hello hockey fans out there, episode 168 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast has arrived to address your hockey fix during the summer. This episodes topics include-
#1. David Reinbacher better be amazing soon.
#2. Tristan Jarry is not the solution or answer or solution to the Edmonton Oilers goaltending issues.
#3. What qualifications does David Pastrnak have to call out Juraj Slafkovsky regarding he lacks humility.
#4. David Pastrnak should focus on himself, his own game and most importantly come down from the mountain top he apparently thinks he’s on top of.
#5. The Montreal Canadiens need to trade Patrik Laine first and foremost.
#6. The Montreal Canadiens do not need to acquire Nick and Jason Robertson as depth or defensive players to replace Christian Dvorak and Joel Armia. The Montreal Canadiens have plenty of internal organizational depth.
#7. Why can’t a line of Brendan Gallagher, Jake Evans and Josh Anderson replace Christian Dvorak and Joel Armia?
#8. The Montreal Canadiens have 10 NHL ready defensemen, what is with the senseless panic over David Savard?
#8. Of course, Michael Hage has been very impressive at the Canada Cup this summer, how can anyone actually be surprised is my question?
#9. The Montreal Canadiens knew Michael Hage was the steel of the 2024 NHL entry, does anyone actually wonder why the Montreal Canadiens moved up from 24th to 21st to draft him.
#10. Michael Hage should not even be traded or included as part of a trade package for Connor McDavid, Sidny Crosby or Cal Makar.
#11.  Ivan Demidov should hands down win it in 2025/2026, unless he gets injured, providing the Montreal Canadiens with back-to-back rookie of the year players.
#12. Ok, Nathan Beaulieu retired, players retire all the time. Why is this viewed as anything outside the norm?  He has decided to move on, that’s it.
#13. It will indeed be a critical coming year for Kirby Dach, Alex Newhook, Patrik Laine and Joe Veleno.
#14. The Montreal Canadiens need to let Arber Xhekaj play to his strengths, style and game, rather than trying to change him. The Montreal Canadiens have not had a player like Arber Xhekaj since Chris Nilan. Arber Xhekaj is an extremely rare combination of size physicality with a blend of skating and offensive skills that’s more unusual that the generational talents are.

Episode 167 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast 07-25-2025

Hello Hockey Fan’s out there. As we move through the offseason and very hot summer months, take a listen to episode 167 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast, to get your hockey fix. This episodes topics include-
 
#1. Carey Price actually has to be officially retired as a player and off of the team roster payroll for 3-years, before he can even be considered for the hockey hall of fame!
 
#2. The NCAA has once again raided the superior Canadien Hockey League in an effort to be considered talented.
 
#3. The decentralized draft format was not only a complete disappointment but is also a slap in the faces of and an insult to the fans of the sport.
 
#4. Pro sports leagues have clearly forgotten that their drafts are all about and are for their fans. The drafts of each sport is the premier event to give backs to the fans of each sport.
 
#4. Pro sports continually screws over the fans and bleeds them dry of money in any and every way possible, the drafts are the premier fan event.
#5. Drafts are a moment within a season that leagues cater to the fan’s by showing up in its entirety, along with the prospects at no cost to the fans, so the fan continue following and retain their passion for the game.
#6. It’s irrelevant that drafts are inconvenient or expense to a league. Without fan the entity goes away!
#7. Montreal’s starting 4 centers will come out of these 5 players. #1 Nick Suzuki, #2 Kirby Dach if he is and can stay healthy. If not, the #2 center will be Alex Newhook. If Dach remains healthy, than Alex Newhook will be the #3 center.
If Dach doesn’t remain healthy and Newhook moves up to the #2 center, then the #3 center is the recently acquired Joe Veleno and the #4 center is Jake Evans.
 
#8. Unless Jacob Fowler comes into training camp and gives a lights out Ken Dryden type performance, Samual Montembeau and Jakub Dobes will be the goaltending tandem for the 2025/2026 season.
 
#9. The defense is the part of the Montreal Canadiens roster that is truly the most intriguing as the team prepares for the 2025/2026season.

Episode 166 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast 07-18-2025

Hello to all the hockey fans, episode 166 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast has arrived with a litany of topics to keep you up to date with during these long hot summer months.
#1. The Montreal Canadiens do not need Joey Kyrou.
#2. Yes, trade Patrik Laine now
#3. Montreal signs former first round draft choice, center Joe Veleno, a perfect replacement for Christian Dvorak.
#4. No thanks on acquiring Sydney Crosby after the 2026 Olympics, unless Montreal can get him for Kirby Dach and Oliver Kapanen straight up?
#5. In what way is Nazem Kadri even remotely the answer to the Number 2 center role in Montreal? He’s in his mid-thirties, he’s slower and he’s on the back nine of his career.
#6. Nazem Kadri bring an extremely bloated contract with, which has 4-years remaining on it.
#7. Montreal has a plethora of internal options at a far cheaper price for any and all positions.
#8. Of course, the Calgary Flames would not only love to unload Nazem Kadri, but even more, the Calgary Flames would love to get their hands on as many of Montreal’s outstanding prospects as possible.
#9. Nope Montreal Doesn’t need center Anthony Cirelli of the Tampa Bay Lightning and take on that bloated contract either. Nor does Montreal need to make the Tampa Bay lightning a better team by sending them A-prospect talent, that’s used against the Montreal Canadiens for years to come that haunts them relentlessly.
#10. Montreal is not facing tremendous trouble in replacing David Savard. His game was clearly in a steep decline since January 1st, 2024.
#11.  Christian Dvorak and Joel Armia were role players that Montreal has a plethora options to replace them with at a lower cost.
#12. Let Jayden Struble go to arbitration and is he’s rewarded an excessive amount, trade him and keep the assets pouring into Montreal
#13. It will be extremely interesting to see if the excitement around prospect center Oliver Kapanen translates to the NHL Level.
#14. It’s challenging seeing Oliver Kapanen as a 2nd line center in the NHL.
#15. I’m far more excited about what Aatos Koivu can do than Oliver Kapanen.
#16. Hage is the undisputed 2nd line center for the Montreal Canadiens. Michael Hage
#17. Owen Beck is a solid 3rd two-way center to me, that can play it any way you want to. But I think that Florian Xhekaj is the Dark horse in the role of 3rd line center, and it remains to be seen if Vinzenz Rohrer’s style can translate to the NHL’s game?
#18. I won’t even be remotely surprised at all if Adam Engstrom makes the Canadiens roster after the completion of training camp.

Episode 165 of the Hockey Free For All Podacst 07-11-2025

Hello hockey fans out there. Episode 165 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast has arrived. Take a listen and keep up on things happening in the off-season summer months that will affect the coming regular season.
#1. Hello! Carey Price can’t be voted in to the Hockey Hall of Fame. He’s not officially retired. He needs to be retired for 3 years at a minimum before he is even eligible.
#2. What is with the continuous trade insanity in Montreal?
#3. The definition of stupidity is?
#4. Players will want out of and prospects will reenter drafts if the is no path or roster spots for them in Montreal.
#5. Enough Trades in Montreal. Neither the Dobson or the Bolduc trade has made the Montreal Canadiens better. These trades appeased people. They were not hockey trade or for the betterment of the team’s roster.
#6 The Montreal Canadiens better hope that the trade of Logan Mailloux doesn’t haunt them for the next 10, 13 or 15 years!
#7. At the amount of Money Zack Bolduc is making he better be a minimum of a point per game player, which translates too a minimum of 82, soon to 84 points per season player, and that’s at a minimum. His contract value and yearly payroll impact should have expectations of a 100 point per season level.
#8 The soon to arrive prospects that there better be roster spots for in Montreal, starting with the forwards include, Alexander Zharovsky, Hayden Paupanekis, L.J. Mooney, Ivan Demindov, Michael Hage, Tyler Thorpe, Florian Xhekaj, Luke Tuch, Jared Davidson and Sam Harris. On the defensive side, prospects include David Reinbacher, Bryce Pickford, Owen Protz, Bogdan Konyushkov and Adam Engstrom. Anyone of these prospects are better than anyone else, on any other NHL club, that Montreal could obtain.
#9. Not fan of Grant McKenna signing with Penn State of the NCAA. I don’t see how, in any way, this prepares Grant McKenna any better for the NHL.
#10. The CHL is a far better league and player development system than the NCAA is.
#11. NCAA players are ready for the NHL any sooner.
#12. NCAA players are not any better developed.
#13. NCAA players do transition to the NHL game or its physicality any faster.
#14. Hockey is Canada’s sport. Always has been, always will be. Every other country is a guest at the table. Just like Baseball, Basketball and Football are America’s sports, always have been, always will be. Soccer is, always been and always will be Europe’s sport and no one else’s. This has been and always will be the reality for every one of these sports

Episode 164 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast 07-04-2025

Hello Hockey Fan’s, out there. The 2024/2025 regular season, playoffs, Stanley Cup Championship, 2025 NHL Entry Draft and Free Agent frenzy may be over, but the topics to discuss continue at a relentless pace.
The topics of Episode 164 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast include-
#1. Was trading the 16th and 17th picks in the first round of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, plus NHL roster forward Emil Heineman the right move to acquire Right-Handed Defenseman Noeh Dobson.
#2. The highlight of Noeh Dobson’s career in his first 6-years, has been one 70 point season?
#3. Noeh Dobson is not a physical defenseman.
#4. Mitch Marner goes in a sign and trade with the Las Vegas Golden Knights that net’s the Toronto Maple Center Nicolas Roy
#5. The Montreal Canadiens trade goalie Cayden Primeau to the Carolina Hurricanes for a 7th round pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
#8. Michael Pezzetta signs a 2-year free agent contract with the Toronto Maple Leaf’s
#9. The Edmonton Oilers have lost free agent winger Corry Perry to the Los Angeles Kings.
#10. The Montreal Canadiens trade Logan Mailloux in a 1 for 1 deal to the St. Louis Blues for Forward Zack Bolduc.
#11. Congratulations to the many people who just couldn’t see or understand how the Montreal Canadiens could draft Logan Mailloux.
#12. Better hope trading Logan Mailloux to the St. Louis Blues doesn’t haunt the Montreal Canadiens for the next 13-years.
#13. Imagine if Logan Mailloux has a lights out Stanley Cup Final against the Montreal Canadiens, eliminating them, and holds up the Stanley Cup in a victory lap around the Bell Center in Montreal.
#14. No idea what the signings of free agent forward Alex Belzile, defenseman Nate Clurman and forward Samuel Blais for 1-year contracts bring to Montreal other than veteran depth players for the Laval Rockets.
#15. One signing that does make sense is the signing of goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen as it provides Jacob Fowler in Laval with a legitimate back with experience.
#16. David Savard, Emil Heineman, Christian Dvorak, Michael Pezzetta and Joel Armia are gone. Hopefully it opens up roster spots for internal prospects.
#17. Rapheal Harvey Pinard signed by the Pittsburgh Penguins.
#18. Fortunately, the Montreal Canadiens still have David Reinbacher, Adam Engstrom, 2024 4th round draft pick defenseman Owen Protz and 2025 3rd round draft pick defenseman Bryce Pickford.
#19. Left Wing Nikolaj Ehlers has signed with the Carolina Hurricanes.
#20. It would be fantastic if the Montreal Canadiens traded Patrik Laine and center/left wing prospect Oliver Kapanen to the Carolina Hurricanes for Nikita Artamonov, Bradly Nadeau, Alexander Perevalov and Ryan Suzuki.