What the Puck: Canadiens need to re-sign Lane Hutson, add toughness
Article content
This is going to be a defining summer for the Canadiens management team of Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes.
Article content
The Toronto Maple Leafs had (have?) their Core Four and we all know how that worked out, right? Not so good. Their top hockey boss was shown the door this week and the team is no closer to contending for a Stanley Cup than they were back in 2014 when Brendan Shanahan was named head of hockey operations.
Article content
Article content
The Canadiens have their Core Five, all of whom we got to admire on the power play during the Washington series once Patrik Laine went down with an injury. The Fabulous Five are, of course, Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov.
Article content
Article content
That is, indeed, an amazing young core. But now comes the hardest part, that which Leafs management has consistently failed to address — building a support staff to surround the core group. Hockey is the ultimate team sport. It's never about one or two or three guys. It's about the entire team. Look at the Florida Panthers. They have some great players — hello, Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov — but they're the best team in hockey right now because they are the most complete one. (It also helps that, especially in the playoffs, they're also the dirtiest team, but that's a topic for another day.)
Article content
Article content
Article content
In other words, Gorton and Hughes have much work to do. So without further ado, here are five things I'd love to see them do this summer.
Article content
Sign Hutson long term
Article content
The extraordinary 21-year-old defenceman from Holland, Mich., is under contract until the end of next season, but the Canadiens will be able to sign a new contract with him as early as July 1 this summer, and there is every reason to believe they will ink him to a rich, long-term deal close to that date. My advice? Sign him for eight years at $10 million a year. Don't wait and don't even think of a shorter bridge contract.
Article content
My Facebook pal Doug Miller nailed it: 'Get bigger and meaner.' Yup. The takeaway from the Capitals series, which the Habs lost 4-1, is the Canadiens got beat up — literally and figuratively. Tom Wilson alone went through the Montreal roster like a one-man wrecking machine. The only toughness on display from the CH came from Josh Anderson, who had an amazing series, and Arber Xhekaj, who only came into the lineup in Game 3 for the usual reasons (as in the coach doesn't trust him).
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Vancouver Sun
21 minutes ago
- Vancouver Sun
Oilers' Kapanen's Stanley Cup Final Game 1 performance eerily similar to his dad's
In Game 1 of the 2002 Stanley Cup final, Sami Kapanen had two assists, as his Carolina Hurricanes beat the Detroit Red Wings in overtime. Twenty-three years later, his son, Kasperi, put up a two-assist performance for the Edmonton Oilers in a Game 1 triumph over the Florida Panthers. Call the numerologist. Cue The X-Files theme music. And, there's more to this case of history repeating itself through generations. The coach of that Carolina team in 2002? Paul Maurice, who is now behind the Panthers' bench. 'I saw that this morning, that he had two assists and two shots like me, the same ice time on the same day,' Kasperi said ahead of Game 2 Friday. 'It's a little spooky.' Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. But, Oilers fans will hope the parallels stop there. After that Game 1 win in 2002, the Hurricanes felt the wrath of the super-powered Red Wings roster. Detroit won the series in five. Kasperi said his dad will fly to Edmonton in time for Game 5, which falls on June 14. That happens to be Sami's birthday. But, does Kasperi remember his early childhood in North Carolina? For the most part, no. He said most of his recollections of his dad's playing days come from when Sami was a Philadelphia Flyer later in his career, and the family lived in the Jersey suburbs. While his dad isn't set to get to Edmonton till Game 5 (and we're still at the stage where we need to put in the qualifier 'if necessary'), Kasperi and Sami do regularly chat. 'We don't talk about hockey as much,' said Kasperi. 'He just wants to see how I'm doing, asking me how I am doing emotionally. Obviously, we've been playing well so it's mostly been positive.' And, while Kasperi doesn't remember much from his dad's time in Carolina, his dad has spoken about his relationship with Maurice. 'I think he loved him,' said Kasperi. 'I think there are so many positive things to say about Paul. Obviously, he's a tremendous coach as well. Nothing but good stuff.' Maurice, though, was happy to share his favourite Sami Kapanen story. It came from when the Hurricanes' enforcer was Darren Langdon, back in the early 2000s. Sami, like his son, was a blur on skates. Langdon was not. 'He took off in front of me, and I'd never seen a guy skate that fast in my life,' Maurice said. 'And I was standing beside Darren Langdon one day… he was a tough lad. And (Sami) took off in front of us, and Darren said, 'Man, just once in my life I'd like to skate like that.' So, I went over and told Sami that. I am not going to pretend that I can do his accent, but he said, 'Yeah, but if I could fight like that once, I'd kill everybody.'' Sami twice won fastest skater at NHL All-Star Games. Kasperi now has the chance to do something his dad couldn't — and that's to hoist the Stanley Cup. Earlier this season, Kasperi's career was left for dead when he was placed on waivers by the St. Louis Blues in November. He had just one point in 10 games. The Oilers claimed him off the waiver wire, and, after sitting in the press box through the first round of the playoffs. He added energy to the Oilers when coach Kris Knoblauch dressed him for Game 3 of the second-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights. Since then, he's made himself a fixture on the Oilers second line with Leon Draisaitl, and Edmonton is the only place on the planet where the Rocket Richard Trophy's trio would be called the second line. Kasperi's greasy net-front overtime goal sealed the Oilers' series win over the Knights. Now, Kasperi's on hockey's biggest stage. 'It's hard to put into words, I guess,' Kasperi said. 'It's always something you dreamed about when you're a kid. You dream about a lot of stuff, but you never know if it's going to happen. I'm finally here. I'm excited. I am going to cherish every moment.' Because he knows from his dad's experience, you might get to the biggest stage once, and never get back there again. Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don't miss the news you need to know — add and to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters . You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post, and 13 other Canadian news sites. The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun
Ottawa Citizen
an hour ago
- Ottawa Citizen
Cowan: Canadiens bank on healthy David Reinbacher to blossom into NHLer
At first, the hit didn't look like anything serious. Article content During a pre-season game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Bell Centre on Sept. 28, Canadiens defenceman David Reinbacher dumped the puck into the offensive zone after carrying it over the red line and was hit by Marshall Rifai, a Beaconsfield native. Reinbacher fell backward into the boards and injured his left knee badly enough to require surgery. Article content Article content Reinbacher, the No. 5 overall pick at the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, didn't play again until late February with the AHL's Laval Rocket. Article content 'The guy came and I tried to protect myself,' Reinbacher said Thursday about the hit from Rifai when Rocket players met with the media for the last time this season after getting swept by the Charlotte Checkers in the Eastern Conference final. 'I kind of hooked in the boards with my heel and I fell down. I heard a click right away in my knee. I stood up and tried to finish the shift, but I couldn't put weight on (it). I jumped over the boards and I knew, OK, it's over.' Article content Life has not been easy for the 20-year-old Austrian since the Canadiens drafted him. Many Canadiens fans were upset the team didn't draft forward Matvei Michkov instead and expressed their anger on social media. Michkov posted 26-37-63 totals in 80 games this season as a rookie with the Philadelphia Flyers, who took him with the No. 7 overall pick at the 2023 draft. Article content Article content Reinbacher struggled during the 2023-24 season with Kloten HC in the Swiss National League, posting 1-10-11 totals in 35 games to go along with a minus-15 rating. He also missed time with knee and hand injuries. This season, Reinbacher was limited to 10 regular-season games with the Rocket, posting 2-3-5 totals and a plus-5. In 13 playoff games, he had 2-4-6 totals and a minus-2 rating. Article content While it's still too early to say the Canadiens made a mistake drafting Reinbacher — who brings added value as a right-hand shot on the blue line — things aren't looking good at this point. Reinbacher, 6-foot-3 and 207 pounds, said his knee is 90-95 per cent healed. Article content Article content 'There's a little swelling still in there, which is bothering me a bit,' he said. 'But I think that's part of the process. It wasn't an easy surgery. … With some rest now and with the doctors and physios and everything, from now on I think we can set up a good plan and get the swelling back (down) and just have a normal knee again.'
Ottawa Citizen
an hour ago
- Ottawa Citizen
Oilers' Kapanen's Stanley Cup Final Game 1 performance eerily similar to his dad's
Article content In Game 1 of the 2002 Stanley Cup final, Sami Kapanen had two assists, as his Carolina Hurricanes beat the Detroit Red Wings in overtime. Article content Twenty-three years later, his son, Kasperi, put up a two-assist performance for the Edmonton Oilers in a Game 1 triumph over the Florida Panthers. Article content Article content Call the numerologist. Cue The X-Files theme music. Article content And, there's more to this case of history repeating itself through generations. The coach of that Carolina team in 2002? Paul Maurice, who is now behind the Panthers' bench. Article content Article content 'I saw that this morning, that he had two assists and two shots like me, the same ice time on the same day,' Kasperi said ahead of Game 2 Friday. 'It's a little spooky.' Article content Article content But, Oilers fans will hope the parallels stop there. After that Game 1 win in 2002, the Hurricanes felt the wrath of the super-powered Red Wings roster. Detroit won the series in five. Article content Kasperi said his dad will fly to Edmonton in time for Game 5, which falls on June 14. That happens to be Sami's birthday. Article content But, does Kasperi remember his early childhood in North Carolina? For the most part, no. He said most of his recollections of his dad's playing days come from when Sami was a Philadelphia Flyer later in his career, and the family lived in the Jersey suburbs. Article content While his dad isn't set to get to Edmonton till Game 5 (and we're still at the stage where we need to put in the qualifier 'if necessary'), Kasperi and Sami do regularly chat. Article content Article content 'We don't talk about hockey as much,' said Kasperi. 'He just wants to see how I'm doing, asking me how I am doing emotionally. Obviously, we've been playing well so it's mostly been positive.' Article content Article content And, while Kasperi doesn't remember much from his dad's time in Carolina, his dad has spoken about his relationship with Maurice. Article content 'I think he loved him,' said Kasperi. 'I think there are so many positive things to say about Paul. Obviously, he's a tremendous coach as well. Nothing but good stuff.' Article content Maurice, though, was happy to share his favourite Sami Kapanen story. It came from when the Hurricanes' enforcer was Darren Langdon, back in the early 2000s. Sami, like his son, was a blur on skates. Langdon was not. Article content 'He took off in front of me, and I'd never seen a guy skate that fast in my life,' Maurice said. 'And I was standing beside Darren Langdon one day… he was a tough lad. And (Sami) took off in front of us, and Darren said, 'Man, just once in my life I'd like to skate like that.' So, I went over and told Sami that. I am not going to pretend that I can do his accent, but he said, 'Yeah, but if I could fight like that once, I'd kill everybody.''
