Hockey Free For All

Episode 60 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast 07-24-2023

Episode 60 Of the Hockey Free For All Content Page
#1. David Reinbacher has been diagnosed with Osgood Schlatter Disease which results in cartilage and Bone fragmentation in knees, and in the case of David Reinbacher with both knees.
#2. How will it, or will affect David Reinbachers career?
#3. What’s the effect on the future of the right side of the Canadiens defense?
#4. Suddenly the concern of how will Montreal keep and sign all of their prospects, might be answered from an organizational perspective by these types of career threats.
#5. That old saying of there is strength in numbers may be put to it true test.
#6. Guy Boucher is back to the NHL, as Toronto has added Guy Boucher to their coaching staff for the upcoming season.

Episode 59 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast 07-23-2023

Topics of Episode 59 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast include-
#1. What is star power, What’s the actual definition and who actually falls into this classification? Is it based on the number of Stanley Cups you win? Is it a player who every time steps on the playing surface of their sport and single handedly changes the game and elevates the skill sets of everyone else on their line to levels that others do not possess without that players presentence and abilities and skill set or is it something else.
#2. Are the only true stars of their games Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Mark Messier, Bill Russell, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Tom Brady. Back to hockey, If the number of Championships is the determining factor. If Stanley Cups are the determining Criteria, then regarding Hockey at least, there is no one else other than Henri Richard who won 11, Jean Beliveau and Yvan Cournoyer who won 10, Claude Provost who won 9 and Maurice Richard, Red Kelly, Jacques Lemaire and Serge Savard who all won eight.
#3. Would Jaromir Jagr have put up the numbers that he did because he played with Lemieux, what would have Jagr’s numbers looked like had he not played with Lemieux or if he played on another team? I have no idea, I’m just posing the question.
#4. Let’s talk about prospects, Nick Suzuki has the ability to be a 96 point if not 100-point player moving forward, Cole Caufield is a legit 50/50/100 plus player. Meaning 50 goals, 50 assists and 100 plus point season’s consistently, Kirby Dach is at least a point per game player The newly acquired Alex Newhook could quickly develop into a legit point per game player with the proper linemates. Why aren’t players such as Juraj Slafkovsky, Sean Farrell, Owen Beck or Filip Mesar who have high skill sets and high hockey I’Q’s, who if are not stuck on a line with the wrong linemates with the wrong skill sets being discussed as legit point per game players.
#5. Why aren’t players such as Emil Heineman, once again Owen Beck or Jared Davidson being looked at as future Frank Silk Trophy candidates.
#6. Regarding the defensive side Unless Lane Hutson for some unforeseen reason fall apart at the NHL level, there is no reason not to look at in any other way than a legit Norris Trophy winning defenseman. Where’s the support for Kaiden Guhle, Logan Mailloux or Adam Engstrom as legit trophy level players.
#7. What’s with the ridiculous Alexis Lafreniere offer sheet rumors. The Canadiens already have 16 forwards heading into training camp.
#8. Retiring Carey Prices Jersey number? Guy Carbonneau’s number 21 has not been retired and was a winner of the Stanley cup on multiple teams, multiple frank silk trophies as leagues best defensive forward, an outstanding team captain.

Episode 58 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast 06-14-2023

Episode 58 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast Topics include-
#1. Alex DeBrincat is going to Detroit for what? Left Winger Dominik Kubalik, who was a 7th round pick 191st overall in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft by the L.A./ Kings, Left-Handed Defenseman Donovan Sebrango who was Detroit’s 3rd round pick 63rd overall in the 2020 NHL Draft and conditional 1st and 4th round picks from Detroit in the 2024 NHL draft. Does anyone else think that Steve Yzerman is a Genius Criminal here and that he just stole Alex Debrincat from the Ottawa Senators?
#2. How does Vladimir Tarasenko signing with the Ottawa Senators make any sense to anyone?
#3. Why is Filip Zadina’s release and subsequent availability major league news?
#4. A wakey, wakey, Light Bulb moment and reality check, regarding the selection of David Reinbacher. No such privileges exist period.
#5. Good for him: Denis Gurianov does not end up in the KHL, surprisingly signs a 1-year contract with the Nashville Predators. Hopefully, Gurianov will find the missing consistency within his game, a chemistry with line mates that he has yet find with any consistency, and his game will be able to flourish in Nashville.
#6. Free agency update: The New York Rangers have signed defenseman K’Andre Miller, the Carolina Hurricanes have signed forward Brendan Lemieux, the Philadelphia Flyers have signed right winger Garnet Hathaway, the Montreal Canadiens have signed RFA Alex Newhook, UFA defenseman Nicolas Beaudin and UFA forward Lucas Condotta.
#7. Take a deep breath, training camps are months away.
#8. The Las Vegas Golden Knights have hired former Montreal Canadiens Head Coach Dominic Ducharme to their coaching staff.
#9. After signing him less than 2-weeks ago on July 1st, the Arizona Coyotes have already placed former Canadiens 1st round pick Alex Galchenyuk on unconditional waivers for the purposes of terminating his contract.

Episode 57 of the Hockey Free For Podcast 07-07-2023

Episode 57 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast, the last 9 bazaar days in review. Topics include-
#1. From a very interesting draft that was that was just flat with no excitement, to the opening of free agency period, that was about as exciting as watching fly paper dry.
#2. How about trusting the organization that one is supposedly a fan of, that they knew what they were doing when they selected RH Defensemen David Reinbacker?
#3. It will be extremely interesting to watch the development of Ohio State Big-10 goalie prospect Jakub Dobes, Goal tending prospect Emmett Croteau who has been playing in Waterloo of the USHL and the 3 goalie prospects that the Canadiens drafted in the 2023 draft.
#4. The wait for a trade involving Joel Edmundson is over. The compensation value ended up being far less. Montreal got spanked hard on this player’s trade value.
#5. What are the reasons behind the signings of forward Philippe Maillet and Brady Keeper?
#6. The signing of Lias Andersson has the potential to be a very interesting experiment.
#7. Which players have left Montreal during free agency.
 #8. Speaking of the Pittsburgh Penguins, what was the train of thought signing Tristian Jarry a new 5-year contract with an annual value of 5.375 million per season and a total value of 26.875 Million?
#9. Tristian Jarry’s and Brendan Gallaghers contract will haunt their organizations for years.
#10. Paul Byron’s contract has come off the books freeing up cap room.
#11. Does forward Denis Guianov end up in the KHL?
#12. Great move by the Canadiens getting left winger Rafael Harvey-Pinard signed to a 2-year 2.2 million deal.
#13. What’s going on with the New York Islanders, handing out 7-year contracts to Left Winger Pierre Engvall and defensemen Scott Mayfield?  The 8-year contract to goalie Ilya Sorokin one can justify, but a 4-year contract to Varlamov?
#14. Has anyone from the N.Y. Rangers called the G.M. Pierre Dorion in Ottawa Senators and offered either left winger Alexis Lafrenière or right-handed defensemen K'Andre Miller straight up, one for one for forward Alex DeBrincat?

Episode 56 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast, The post draft episode 06-29-2023

Episode 56 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast, the post draft episode, the topic include-
#1. So much for all of the excitement of massive and continuous trades at the 2023 NHL Draft. Wow, it was truly like crickets, there was nothing going on at all.
#2. The 24 hours prior to the draft were insane.
#3. Montreal’s draft was a complete dud.
#4. So many were looking forward to Montreal making a ton of noise at the draft, starting with a trade with the Washington Capitals for Mitchkov that never happened.
#5. I have nothing against David Reinbacker, I’m sure he is a good player. However, that was not Montreal’s pressing or priority need.
#6. Montreal already has Justin Barron, Jonathan Kovacevic, Kadian Guhle, Arber Xhekaj, Jordan Harris, Mike Matheson, Joel Edmundson, David Savard, Chris Wideman which makes 9 defensemen on the NHL roster right now. That doesn’t include the all world/all class Lane Hutson or Adam Engstrom or William Trudeau or Miguel Tourginy or Petteri Nurmi.
I purposely left the best to talk about for last, and that right defensive prospect is Logan Mailloux, who is a number 1 right pairing defenseman, who is 6’ 03, 215 plus pounds, is a top end NHL level skater right now, has an excellent NHL level transition game right now, who is a power play quarterback with a heavy and extremely accurate NHL caliber rifle shot right now! and plays a physical game with a mean streak. Oh, and I almost forgot can play 28 plus minutes a game, and is on the ice in any and all situations right now. Montreal has not seen a defensive prospect like Logan Mailloux since Larry Robinson, and I am not saying that Logan Mailloux will be Larry Robinson or have a career like his, but I am saying that Montreal has not had or seen of defensive prospect with frame, package, and skill that Logan Mailloux has since Larry Robinson.
#7. Anyone else develop their own mock draft? I have since the 1978 draft. In some draft my predictions, they players selected actually match who I believe Montreal will take. In other years its hit or miss, with mostly hits in round 3 and above. However, in the 2023 NHL draft for the Montreal Canadiens. Wow, I was not even close. I predicted one player they took correctly and one thing that Montreal would do in the 2023 draft. Montreal did in fact draft 3 goaltending prospects like I thought they would, however, the goalie prospects that I wanted Montreal take were already gone, and the one and only player that I had on my mock draft that Montreal did select was Florian Xhekaj in the 4th round with the 101st pick.
#8. The trade for forward Alex Newhook.  Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes have hit home runs with everything that they have touched from the day they took their positions. There has been very times and even fewer things in my entire that I have used the phrase, ones just going to have to trust things. Call me highly skeptical if you want, buts it truly kept me alive and repeated made the not possible, not only possible, but a reality, and that is what I am going to have to do regarding the 2023 draft and the acquisition of forward Alex Newhook.
Kent Hughes likely know this players better than anyone else in hockey having coached him, as well as having been his agent. With that knowledge, perhaps that’s the reason why Kent Hughes did not see the need to draft any of the offensive talent available in the 2023 draft, as he believes he has already obtained an NHL ready now version at 22 years of age in Alex Newhook. I hope that Newhook turns out to be at least as good as the acquisition of Kirby Dach has, if not, it will be the first blemish, and a big one for the organization.
#9. Montreal’s trade with Colorado that sent the 31st and 37th selections in the draft to Colorado changed the 2023 draft for Montreal far more than they thought it would. I had a funny feeling that Montreal Management thought that they were going to be able to get back into the bottom half of the first round and back into the 2nd round, and I think that door got slammed in their face hard, as there was very little activity at all, verses what was expected.

Episode 55 of the Hockey Free For Podcast, The Pre-Draft episode 06-28-2023

Episode 55 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast, the pre-draft episode
This episode is all about the draft, signings, and a wild day of trades.
#1. The 2 trades episode 55 has to kick off with are, the Montreal Canadiens acquired a very highly skilled forward in Alex Newhook with elite skating, elite stick and puck skills and elite Hockey I.Q. from the Colorado Avalanche for the 31st pick in the 1st round of the 2023 draft, the 37th pick in the 2nd round of the 2023 draft and Left Defensive prospect Gianni Fairbrother.
#2. Gianni Fairbrother is the latest prospect in a group that has had brutal health issues that have significantly limited growth and directly affected their careers.
#3. Very, very likely Alex Newhook will be the right winger on the number 1 line with Center Nick Suzuki and left winger Cole Caufield.
#4. Now this brings the discussion to the 2nd most important trade. Thankfully the Pierre Luc Dubois saga has mercifully come to a conclusion, and he is on his way signed sealed and delivered with an 8-year contract in hand at 8.5 million per season to the L.A. Kings. I hope Pierre Luc Dubois has both a great career and an even better lifestyle out there. I am so thankful that Montreal did not acquire him as it would have been nothing short of a circus environment from day one of his arrival and a total disruption and destruction to the team.
#5. Winnipeg fared much better than most though possible by obtaining the 23-year old, 6’ 03, 200lbs plus center Gabriel Vilardy, The highly effective and always engaged forward Alex Iafallo, A very reliable defensive center prospect in Rasmus Kupari, who also has a high offensive upside to his game and a 2024 2nd round pick. Very few gave Winnipeg even a chance of netting that type of return, so Kevin Cheveldayoff deserves a lot of credit and respect for they way he was able to bring closure to the Pierre Luc Dubois saga and drama and make the Winnipeg Organization stronger in the end. One down and many more to go in Winnipeg.
#6. I am still very curious to see if Connor Hellebuyck is traded to Toronto for the 28th pick in the first round of the 2023 draft and if there is a multi-player deal with Nashville in the cards that sends Nikolaj Ehlers, Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler and Sam Gagner to Nashville for center Cody Glass, Left Winger Zachary L’Heureux, Defenseman Tyson Barrie and Defenseman Mark Borowiecki and all of Winnipeg’s issues are solved, wrapped up and summer break can be in full swing for the entire organization.
#7. If you like to keep up on signings and trades, wait until you hear what’s happened in the last 96 hours.
#8. Even though it will be fantastic to watch Connor Bedard, Adam Fantili Leo Carlsson and Will Smith all get drafted, the biggest question has got to be is Mitchkov there at 5 when Montreal Selects, and if he is does Montreal take him, or does Montreal clean up with potential trades to either the Philadelphia Flyers or the Washington Capitals? One can almost see an insane like the Herschel Walker trade scenario where Montreal acquired an unimaginable amount of draft picks.
#9. The other thought that I can’t get out of my head at the moment is that the trade between Montreal and Colorado yesterday that brought Alex Newhook to Montreal, can’t be Montreal’s only activities in the 2023 draft. It seems highly unlikely to me that Montreal would pick at number 5 overall and just patiently sits there until their next pick at 69 in the 3rd round, and this is why I believe that if Mitchkov is there when Montreal picks at number 5, there will be a trade with Philadelphia who picks at 7th overall and again at this point at 22nd overall in the first round, and trade begins with the inclusion of those 2 first round picks in the 2023 draft and many other picks as well. I guess we will all find out in a few hours.

Episode 54 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast 06-28-2023

Hey Hockey Fans, Episode 54 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast has arrived quickly, topics of discussion include-
#1. First up is an organizational update from around the league such as. new assist coaches for the New York Rangers and the Calgary Flames and much much more.
#2. The meltdowns in Calgary and Winnipeg continue. But Winnipeg seems to be in a far better situation out of the 2 teams. Regarding Winnipeg, what about a trade that sends Mark Scheifele, Nikolaj Ehlers, Sam Gagner, and Blake Wheeler to the Nashville Predators in return the Winnipeg Jet’s receive, Winnipeg Native Center Cody Glass, NHL ready 20 year old Left Winger Zachary L’Heureux, NHL Defenseman Tyson Barrie and NHL Defenseman Mark Borowiecki?
#3. The New Jersey Devils are locking up player’s long term.
#4. Yes! It looks like Pierre Luc Dubois has got at least one foot out the door and is on his way to L.A. Best of luck, I hope he has a great career there.
#5. It’s come to this, that there are actually people who Montreal to bring back Max Pacioretty and Tyler Toffoli! What! Why?
#6. Take a breath and give Juraj Slafkovsky a chance, he’s only played 39 NHL games in his life and a total of 31 games internationally in his life, what is wrong with people?
#6. How about bringing back P.K. Subban as well. That way all of the locker room disruption, chaos dissension can return and completely destroy team chemistry as well. What the hell is wrong with people.
#7 There must be a lot of people who want to see and really prefer that the Montreal Canadiens remain, a league doormat team or cellar dweller team forever. This is just unbelievable.
#8. Interest now is squarely on where does Mitchkov fall to and does Montreal take him or do the Montreal Canadiens clean up with trades to the Philadelphia Flyers or the Washington Capitals?

Episode 53 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast 06-27-2023

Episode 53 Topics for the Hocket Free For All Podcast.
#1. The Pierre Luc Dubois saga continues. The L.A. Kings look like the clear front runners prepared to offer the most. But one can’t ignore what Boston and Pittsburgh are doing, perhaps they making room for him?
#2. There is 2 very toxic environments in Calgary and Winnipeg.
#3. How about Sending Mark Scheifele to Nashville for Cody Glass
#4. What about trading goaltender Connor Hellebuyck to the Toronto Maple Leaf’s for the 28th pick in the first round of the 2023 draft?
#5. Why not send Jonathan Huberdeau to the Pittsburgh Penguins who are in a win now mode?
#6. How about Noah Hanifan to the St. Louis blues for the 10th overall pick in the first round of the 2023 draft.
#7. Montreal does not need D’Andre Miller!
#8. David Reinbacher would not be the right or a good pick with the number 5 pick overall!
#9. If Matvie Mitchkov drops in Montreal’s lap, does Montreal make a trade with the Washington Capitals?
#10 What about Josh Anderson, goaltending prospect Cayden Primeau and the remaining rights to Johnathan Drouin for Philadelphia first round pick in the 2023 draft that is the 7th overall pick in the 2023 draft?
#11. If Montreal did make those trades with Philadelphia and Washington, they would then have 7th and 8th overall picks in the first round back to back and Montreal, could those positions net defenseman David Reinbacher and forward Oliver Moore?

Episode 52 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast 06-24-2023

Episode 52 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast is here. Topics of discussion include
#1. There is clearly a new plan and a new direction in Philadelphia.
#2. Clearly the time has arrived for more past players to get into management roles.
 #3. Has anyone else noticed that 63 million dollars over 8-years has become the go to, long term deal numbers for contracts or is it just me?
#4. The rumors surrounding the 2023 draft have reached the irrational Level.
#5. Here’s to hoping that either the San Jose Sharks or the Columbus Blue Jackets draft Matvie Mitchkov.
#6 If Mitchkov is there at the 5th pick, what about trading the 5th overall pick to the Washington Capitals for their 8th overall pick in the 2023 draft and their first-round picks in the 2024 and 2025 NHL Entry Drafts.
#7. It makes absolutely no sense to mortgage away all of your prospects to obtain a Conner Bedard or  Adam Fantilli , these Players need to be surrounded with talented players. It’s a team sport, it’s a 20-man roster. We’re not talking about golf here, hello!
#8. The 2023 draft has the potential of being the busiest draft in decades.

Episode 51 of the Hockey Free For All June 21 2023

Episode 51 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast Topics Include-
#1. Let’s talk Pittsburgh Penguins from the clubs new president Kyle Dubois, to newly Names Assistant G.M. Jason Spezza to Pittsburgh core 3 of Sydney Crosby, Kris Latang and Evgeni Malkin.
#2. The N.Y. Rangers have hired Peter Loviolette, he is the perfect coach for the New York Rangers right now
#3. All 7 NHL coaching vacancies have now been filled and there was not even a sniff of an opportunity for Patrick Roy. But Could Patrick Roy be a fit in Ottawa after the 2023 draft.
#4. I can’t help but think that there will be more changes after the draft is completed, and those changes could be at the moment the draft wraps up to the end of July or later, there just seems like there is unfinished business.
#5. Here’s the list of that the Montreal Canadiens successfully unloaded and said goodbye to by open night of the 2023/2024 regular season, starting with from the NHL roster Josh Anderson, Joel Armia, Johnathan Drouin, Christian Dvorak, Jake Evens, Brendan Gallagher, Denis Gurianov, Mike Hoffman, Rem Pitlick, Chris Tierney, Joel Edmundson, David Savard, Chris Wideman and Jake Allen from the NHL roster. The one and only name that I left off was Sean Monahan, and my only reason for doing that was if he can be signed at something like 1.5 or 1.7 million with a heavy bonus structure that is based around his health and performance type contract, then there is reason to hold onto him. If not or someone else makes a far better offer, then it only makes since for his own security and to let him move on as well.
From the Laval AHL roster, I would also love to see Montreal move on from Cayden Primeau, Anthoney Richards, Brandon Gignac, Danick Martel, Peter Abbandonato, Gabriel Bourque, Patrick Dube, Jesse Ylonen, Fredic Allard, Tory Dello, Mattias Norlinder, Madison Bowey, Corey Schueneman, Tony Sund, and Nicolas Beaudin and even goalie Joe Vrbetic.
There are even prospects that I would love to see Montreal clear out in this time period, these players include Blake Biondi, Alexander Gordin, Jack Gorniak, Oliver Kapenen, Jacob Olofsson, Rhett Pitlick, Ty Smilanic, Jack Smith and Dmitri Kostenko. Yes, that makes for a total of 40 players that I would love to see moved and all for future draft picks.
#6. If we’re going to kick around insane wants and trades from the 2023 draft, then here’s mine. I want to see Montreal walk away with center-Will Smith, Right Winger-Ryan Leonard, Left Winger Gabriel Weber and goal tender Michael Hrabal at the end of the first round in the 2023 draft. Montreal could actually achieve that by moving a combination of the players that I mention in topic 5, nothing more to make it happen, and it would be thievery.