With the passing of Ken Dryden final month at age 78, Frank Mahovlich (87), Yvan Cournoyer (81), Serge Savard (79), Peter Mahovlich (79) and Man Lapointe (77) are the one remaining Habs gamers from Group Canada within the 1972 Summit Sequence. Are they extremely concerned as alumni with the present membership? Cournoyer was the final nice captain of the Nineteen Seventies groups earlier than Habs captains started to be traded. One would suppose his management across the crew could be extremely sought. As Danny Gallivan used to say: “Time turning into a important issue …”
Grant Manson, Brampton, Ont.
Cournoyer and Savard had been each on the Bell Centre for the
Canadiens’ home-opening 5-4 extra time win
over the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday. They nonetheless dwell in Montreal and are sometimes seen within the crew’s alumni lounge through the season. Frank Mahovlich lives close to Toronto and Peter Mahovlich has lived in the USA for the final 40 years. Peter was once seen usually on the Bell Centre as a scout for the Florida Panthers, however retired a few years in the past. Lapointe can also be seen every so often within the alumni lounge after 20 years working as coordinator of beginner scouting for the Minnesota Wild.
The Canadiens do have a number of former gamers working as ambassadors for the crew.
Réjean Houle, 75, lately stepped down as president of the crew’s alumni affiliation,
changed by 54-year-old Patrice Brisebois. Houle will stay as an envoy, together with Cournoyer, Man Carbonneau, Vincent Damphousse and Chris Nilan.
Since president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton and basic supervisor Kent Hughes had been employed virtually 4 years in the past, they’ve made the alumni really feel welcome on the Bell Centre, which wasn’t the case underneath former GM Marc Bergevin.
“I get it, it’s these gamers’ time,” Nilan stated on The Gazette’s Hockey Inside/Out Present this week. “Our time has handed. It’s their locker room, I get all that. I simply know once I was introduced up on this group, having a few of these (old-timers) round and visual, it was invaluable for us. Dickie Moore, Doug Harvey, Toe Blake, guys come within the room after the sport. Like, hey! Jean Béliveau, even Man (Lafleur) in retirement.
A number of Stanley Cups on this image pic.twitter.com/l7QNpJR7Xq
— Chris Nilan (@KnucklesNilan30) October 14, 2025
“It’s essential,” Nilan added. “I feel Bergy had a little bit little bit of … I don’t know if he was insecure having these guys round. I don’t suppose any of those guys are ready, ‘Oh, I’m going to go in and coach these children and we’re going to inform them what to do.’ None of that. It’s simply good to see these guys round. They’re not going to be round perpetually. Taking a look at these guys on the bench (through the pre-game ceremony Tuesday night time), that performed with Ken Dryden, they’re within the twilight right here. I’m getting there, too for Christ sake. … It’s good to be a part of.”
Relating to your article on Lane Hutson’s contract … wow! What a deal for all. Hutson makes a beautiful sum of money after only one full season and a Calder Trophy win, adopted by an unbelievable under-the-ceiling cap hit of one other future star for the Canadiens. Do you suppose different basic managers and house owners are saying to themselves: “What the f…? What are they doing in Montreal we don’t appear to be doing right here?” The place else within the NHL is there the sort of success in re-signing for long run, beneath market ceiling? The place are the gamers right here in search of arbitration, demanding trades or squeezing each greenback they’ll out of possession the way in which some have achieved within the NHL, most lately in Minnesota?
Rick Woods
No crew within the NHL has ever gained the Stanley Cup with a participant having an annual salary-cap hit greater than US$10 million. That’s one thing Gorton and Hughes are clearly conscious of with the highest-paid participant on the Canadiens this season being Noah Dobson with a US$9.5-million cap hit.
Hughes was in a position to persuade Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky to signal eight-year contracts for barely lower than captain Nick Suzki’s cap hit of US$7.875 million after which received Hutson to signal an eight-year cope with a cap hit beneath Dobson’s at US$8.85 million.
“I at all times like to see guys receives a commission and get what they’re price,” Suzuki stated after Hutson signed his contract final Monday. “We’ve type of constructed a tradition right here the place guys are usually not making an attempt to interrupt the financial institution. I feel all Lane needs to do is win and I feel he’s positively set us up for that chance shifting on sooner or later.
“We’re in a distinct world in contracts now than once I signed 4 years in the past,” Suzuki added. “The contracts are larger, the cap’s greater. You need to go along with the occasions. I feel having Dobber and Laner the place they’re and all of us that signed eight-year offers that the place we’re is nice for the crew. … I actually couldn’t care much less who makes what and who’s the very best. It doesn’t actually matter. I signed 4 years in the past and I knew I used to be going to be locked in. I’m completely high-quality.”
Each GM within the league would like to have a crew that thinks that manner, however gamers are entitled to make as a lot cash as they’ll throughout what could be quick careers.
It actually appears like Kirill Kaprizov broke the financial institution in Minnesota when he agreed to an eight-year, US$136-million contract extension that kicks in subsequent season with an annual salary-cap hit of US$17 million — an NHL report. That’s some huge cash to pay one participant, even when the NHL wage cap will go up from US$95.5 million this season to US$113.5 million by 2027-28.
Longtime participant agent Allan Walsh said lately {that a} huge motive why former NHLPA government director Bob Goodenow led a battle for NHL gamers in opposition to a tough wage cap was as a result of he predicted groups, media and followers would label the most effective gamers “grasping” and “egocentric” in the event that they didn’t take a reduction on contracts with the intention to assist the crew.
That appears to be the case now — and never simply with the Canadiens.
Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid lately agreed to a two-year, US$25-million contract extension that kicks in subsequent season, giving him the identical US$12.5-million salary-cap hit he has on his present eight-year, US$100-million contract.
What’s going to Martin St. Louis do with Patrik Laine? He appears misplaced with Josh Anderson and Jake Evans. Joe Veleno or Florian Xhekaj would assist make an awesome fourth line.
Deborah Hart
The trouble degree has been there with Laine because the begin of coaching camp however his velocity — or lack of it — is a matter with the fast-paced sport St. Louis needs his crew to play, being very aggressive on the forecheck and within the impartial zone. Laine is barely averaging 12:36 of ice time per sport, the second-lowest amongst forwards, forward of solely Oliver Kapanen (12:25). Laine has a minus-3 differential, tied with Evans for the worst on the crew, whereas Anderson is minus-2. The fourth line has but to attain a aim.
St. Louis stated earlier than Thursday’s 3-2 extra time win over the Nashville Predators that he didn’t need Veleno to take a seat for much longer within the press field and it wouldn’t be a shock if he performs his first sport with the Canadiens as early as Saturday in opposition to the New York Rangers on the Bell Centre. It will likely be attention-grabbing to see if St. Louis would take out the veteran Laine or the rookie Kapanen. Veleno’s velocity would positively assistance on the fourth line with Evans and Anderson.
The Canadiens are 4-1-0, which is able to make it simpler for St. Louis to be affected person with Laine. As for Xhekaj, I count on we’ll see him with the Canadiens earlier than the tip of the season, whether or not it’s due to an harm or a commerce.
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