- Eric Engels of Sportsnet reported that Montreal Canadiens forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard won’t return tonight but is close. Harvey-Pinard is continuing to recover from a broken leg that has put his start to the 2024-25 NHL season on pause. He hasn’t played meaningful hockey since last season scoring two goals and 10 points in 45 games for Montreal.
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Canadiens Rumors
Atlantic Notes: Hage, Harvey-Pinard, Bennett
Montreal Canadiens center prospect Michael Hage has quietly shown the world why the Habs made him a first-round pick (21st overall) in this year’s NHL Entry Draft (as per Marco D’Amico of Responsible Gambler). The 18-year-old has been putting together a stellar season in the NCAA as a member of the Michigan Wolverines and praised his coaching staff and teammates for his seamless move into the NCAA from the USHL.
Hage has five goals and four assists in his first nine games of the season and has a plus/minus of +6. His nine points are good enough to lead the Wolverines in scoring.
In other Atlantic Division notes:
- Canadiens forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard sported a regular jersey at team practice today as he tries to work his way back into Montreal’s lineup (as per Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports). The 25-year-old had surgery in July to repair a broken leg that he suffered during a summer scrimmage. The original prognosis was that Harvey-Pinard would need four months to recover and given that he is skating in a regular sweater, he looks to be on schedule. The Saguenay, Quebec native dressed in 45 games last season for the Canadiens and struggled offensively with just two goals and eight assists.
- Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett reportedly feels better today after he was scratched with an upper-body injury last night (as per Panthers’ content manager Jameson Olive). The news came from Panthers head coach Paul Maurice who was cautiously optimistic, adding that the team would look to see how Bennett looks tomorrow morning before making a call on his status going forward. Bennett is second in team scoring this season with nine goals and six assists in 15 games. The 28-year-old will be eager to get back onto the ice as he is less than eight months away from hitting the open market as an unrestricted free agent.
Joe Vrbetic Signs With ECHL Indy
- Canadiens prospect Joe Vrbetic has signed a one-year deal with ECHL Indy, per a team announcement. Montreal drafted the 22-year-old in the seventh round in 2021 but he hasn’t played with any of their affiliates this season. Vrbetic had a 3.52 GAA with a .891 SV% in 33 games last season with ECHL Trois-Rivieres. The Canadiens hold his draft rights until June 1, 2025.
Atlantic Notes: Canadiens, Zub, Pinto
Many of the players on the Montreal Canadiens believe that they are in the learning-to-win stage of their rebuild and see a pair of recent losses as falling below expectations (as per Arpon Basu of The Athletic). Montreal lost to both the Pittsburgh Penguins and Calgary Flames in the past three days and could have won both of those games, particularly the Flames game (a game they led with less than three minutes left to play).
The Canadiens players have tried to look at the moral victories they can take from their two most recent losses, but given their expectations for this season, they can only see their recent stretch of play as falling below the standard they have set for themselves this season.
In other Atlantic Division notes:
- Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia is reporting that Ottawa Senators defenseman Artem Zub could play tomorrow night when the team takes on the New York Islanders. Zub skated today as he tries to work his way back into the lineup after missing nine games. The 29-year-old suffered a concussion on October 14th against the Los Angeles Kings and has dressed in just three games this season. Ottawa badly needs Zub back on the ice, as his injury has thrust veteran Travis Hamonic into the top four, which isn’t an ideal situation for a team with playoff aspirations.
- Senators center Shane Pinto could also suit up tomorrow night, according to Ottawa head coach Travis Green, who said that he is close (as per Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia). Pinto had skated on Monday before Ottawa made the trip to Buffalo and skated again today as he tries to work back from an undisclosed injury that has caused him to miss six games. Pinto’s presence in the lineup gives the Senators bottom six a completely different dynamic, given that Pinto is probably good enough to play in the top six but is relegated to third-line center duties because of the team’s depth down the middle.
Canadiens Loan Oliver Kapanen To SHL, Recall Lucas Condotta
The Canadiens announced a flurry of roster moves Wednesday morning, most notably returning center Oliver Kapanen to Timrå IK of the Swedish Hockey League. They filled his roster spot by recalling center Lucas Condotta from AHL Laval, as initially reported by Marc Antoine Godin of Radio-Canada. He’ll join the team for their four-game road swing starting in New Jersey tomorrow.
Kapanen, 21, had cracked the Habs’ opening night roster somewhat unexpectedly. The Finnish pivot had earned praise early in September after a strong showing for Timrå in the SHL’s exhibition schedule before reporting to Montreal for NHL training camp. The 2021 second-round pick was a healthy scratch for the season opener but has played in every game since, recording two assists and a -4 rating in 12 appearances. He averaged 11:38 per game and recorded 13 shots on goal while going 23-for-50 on faceoffs (46.0%).
Possession-wise, things didn’t grade out spectacularly for Kapanen. Even accounting for Montreal’s league-worst 43.3 CF% at even strength, Kapanen’s shot-attempt share lagged behind the team average in relatively even two-way deployment. It’s far from unsurprising for a rookie center, though, and he did flash legitimate upside with his strong skating ability.
Since Kapanen wasn’t a first-round pick, he couldn’t have been assigned to Laval without first being offered back to his Swedish club, thanks to the NHL’s transfer agreement with the country. It’s no surprise Timrå wants him back in the fold. He already established himself as an impact player in a top European league last year with Finland’s KalPa, whom he led in postseason scoring with 14 points (7 G, 7 A) in 13 games. He also polished off his season nicely with six goals in eight games for the Finns at the 2024 World Championship.
It’s the second recall of the young season for the 27-year-old Condotta. The first lasted just two days in late October, serving as an extra forward for an Oct. 27 matchup against the Flyers. He watched from the press box and was returned to Laval the following day. The 6’1″, 223-lb pivot has four NHL games under his belt, all coming in a Montreal sweater over the past two seasons. He scored once, coming in his NHL debut back in 2022-23, and has averaged a paltry 8:23 per game.
Given Kapanen had been centering the Habs’ fourth line for much of his time in the lineup, it’s fair to assume Condotta may get a crack in the same role and earn a more extended audition than he has in the past. The stocky Ontario-born pivot was named Laval’s captain prior to the start of the season and has responded with four assists through his first nine games. He’s never been a major offensive factor at the AHL level, only recording a career-high 16 goals and 31 points in 72 games two years ago. But he’s carried intrigue for the Habs as a potential bottom-six checking piece ever since he signed, and he’ll now get a chance to help stop the bleeding and help Montreal limit chances against.
Atlantic Notes: Ostapchuk, Zub, Laine, Slafkovský, Motte, Benson
The Senators papered Zack Ostapchuk back up to the active roster today after sending him down to AHL Belleville yesterday, per a team announcement.
Ottawa has now recalled the young center on three separate occasions this season. After initially cutting him from their roster on the final day of training camp, he’s been recalled thrice in the past week to serve as an injury fill-in while David Perron and Shane Pinto are out of the lineup.
Ostapchuk has served as the Sens’ third-line center between Noah Gregor and Michael Amadio and will do so again against the Sabres tomorrow, according to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia. The 21-year-old went without a point in seven appearances last season but has managed to get on the scoresheet in 2024-25, recording his first career assist and a +1 rating while averaging 11:55 through three games.
While Ottawa will remain without Perron and Pinto for a while yet, they’re getting healthier on the back end. Defenseman Artem Zub will make his return from a concussion “sooner than later,” Garrioch said today. He’s been practicing with the team for the better part of the past week but will likely miss his ninth straight game Tuesday in Buffalo. He sustained the concussion in the Sens’ third game of the season against the Kings on a hit from L.A. winger Tanner Jeannot.
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Canadiens winger Patrik Laine hasn’t yet debuted for the team after sustaining a knee injury in preseason, but his return timeline predicates he’ll hit the ice and return to regular-season action sometime next month. He’s still done enough throughout his career to put himself in consideration for a spot on Finland’s roster for February’s 4 Nations Face-Off, general manager Jere Lehtinen told Shawn P. Roarke of NHL.com. There’s a solid chance he won’t get to see game action before rosters for the tournament are due in early December, but leaving him off the roster would leave the already-underdog Finns without a dynamic offensive talent. Health has been a significant hurdle for Laine over the past few years, but his 0.91 points per game since the beginning of the 2021-22 season rank fourth among Finnish NHLers behind Mikko Rantanen, Aleksander Barkov and Sebastian Aho.
- Still with the Habs, winger Juraj Slafkovský practiced today after leaving Saturday’s loss to the Penguins late after a high hit from Pittsburgh forward Noel Acciari, relays Patrick Friolet of RDS. Slafkovský confirmed to reporters that he didn’t suffer a concussion on the play and will remain in the lineup against the Flames tomorrow, albeit in a slightly reduced second-line role alongside Jake Evans and Alex Newhook, while Kirby Dach takes his spot on the top-line alongside Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki. Slafkovský, 20, already missed three games earlier this season with a shoulder injury. When in the lineup, he has a goal and seven assists in nine appearances.
- The Red Wings will have forward Tyler Motte available on Wednesday against the Blackhawks after he missed the last seven games with an upper-body injury, head coach Derek Lalonde told reporters today, including Ansar Khan of MLive.com. However, he may still be out of the lineup as a healthy scratch after Detroit escaped their division-rival Sabres with a 2-1 win over the weekend. Signed to a one-year, $800K deal on the second day of free agency, Motte did not have a point with a -2 rating in four appearances with Detroit before exiting the lineup.
- The Sabres may activate winger Zach Benson from injured reserve before tomorrow’s contest against the Sens, head coach Lindy Ruff told Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News. The 19-year-old has sat out the last five games with a lower-body injury he sustained in their Global Series games against the Devils that never wholly resolved. It showed in his performance, as he was held off the scoresheet and logged a -4 rating in six appearances when in the lineup for Buffalo last month.
Afternoon Notes: Slafkovsky, Acciari, Point
Montreal Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovsky left the team’s Saturday night game late into the third period, after taking a high hit from Pittsburgh’s Noel Acciari, shares Erik Leijon of The Montreal Gazette . Canadiens enforcer Arber Xhekaj jumped in with a retaliatory fight, while Slafkovsky skated to the bench after laboring for a moment. So far, no update has been provided on the availability of the former first-overall pick. Montreal hosts the Calgary Flames on Tuesday before embarking on a four-game road trip.
Slafkovsky has continued to take on responsibility in Montreal’s lineup. He has seven assists and eight points through nine games this season, despite averaging just over 18 minutes of ice time – the lowest of Montreal’s top-five scorers. He’s become more involved off-puck as well – averaging 11.41 hits per 60 minutes, up from 6.20 last season. It’s an encouraging sign of growing confidence from the 20-year-old Slafkovsky, who put up a commendable 20-goal, 50-point season last year. Montreal will likely turn towards Lucas Condotta or Michael Pezzetta should Slafkovsky miss time, though neither player naturally plays Slafkovsky’s right-wing. The Canadiens would need to turn towards the minors for a better fit. Right-shot Joshua Roy currently leads the Laval Rocket in scoring with seven goals and 10 points in nine games.
Other notes from around the league:
- While no update has come on Slafkovsky, Noel Acciari isn’t expected to face supplemental discipline for the high hit per Sportsnet’s Eric Engels. Acciari didn’t appear to make contact directly with Slafkovsky’s head, though Sportsnet’s post-game panel dispelled the hit as dirty. Despite this incident, Acciari has been largely unpenalized through the early season – with just four penalty minutes in 13 games. He’s also recorded three points, standing taller in Pittsburgh’s middle-six after only appearing in 55 games last season. He fills the role of downhill bruiser well, but may need to take a bit more caution moving forward.
- Tampa Bay Lightning superstar Brayden Point left the team’s Sunday game against the Winnipeg Jets after the first period. No reasoning was provided, though Point was seen nursing lower-body pain per Scott Billeck of the Winnipeg Sun. Point scored Tampa’s second goal of the game – a power-play score assisted by Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman. It was his 12th point of the season, continuing Point’s string of dominant scoring after 95 points in 2022-23 and 90 points in 2023-24. He’ll be incredibly difficult to replace should he miss any time, though Tampa Bay may be able to bear it with five other players currently scoring at-or-above point-per-game pace.
Jake Evans Drawing Trade Interest
Little has changed for the basement-dwelling Canadiens to start the season. Their 4-6-1 record has them tied with the Bruins for last place in the Atlantic Division, and their -15 goal differential is second-worst in the league, behind only the Sharks’ -17 mark.
The slow start can mainly be attributed to poor team defense. The Habs are controlling an abysmal 43.2% of shot attempts and 41.2% of high-danger chances at 5-on-5, contributing along with average goaltending to a league-worst 4.18 goals against per game. But a lack of high-powered offense despite a fiery-hot top line of Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovský and Nick Suzuki isn’t helping matters either. With patience slowly beginning to run thin, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet wrote recently that general manager Kent Hughes is “looking for an edge up front,” just not at the expense of any up-and-comers they think could make an impact in the next couple of years.
But the Habs have a bevy of legitimately useful NHL talents, especially down the middle, that could be flipped in hopes of landing a piece with more offensive punch. One of them is 28-year-old Jake Evans, who sources tell Marco D’Amico of Responsible Gambler is drawing early-season trade interest from “at least three teams.”
A seventh-round pick back in 2014, Evans has consistently shouldered third-line minutes over the past few seasons. While doing so, he’s posted decent possession metrics in challenging even-strength deployment for one of the league’s worst defensive teams. He’s kept that up this season, rocking a 43.4 CF% and a 48.3 xGF% that ride above team averages. He’s also upped his game offensively in a small sample, scoring twice and adding three assists for five points in 11 games. That works out to 0.45 per game, a marginal uptick on the 28 points in 82 games (0.34 per game) he recorded last season.
Evans isn’t much of a chance generator on his own. After recording 124 shots on goal in 72 games in 2021-22, leading to a career-high 13 goals and 29 points, he’s only averaged around one shot per game. He gets involved physically, however – his 65 blocked shots ranked second among Habs forwards last season behind Slafkovský. Since making his NHL debut in the 2019-20 season, he’s also been their most oft-deployed forward on the penalty kill, averaging 2:27 per game while shorthanded over his career. He’s averaged 3:31 on the PK this year, 38 seconds more than second-place Christian Dvorak.
But Evans is a pending unrestricted free agent, and given his age, he’s likely playing the most effective hockey of his career. That means he won’t be a core part of the Canadiens teams the organization hopes to challenge for playoff spots in the next few years, and if he does stick around, it would be in a reduced role. With his career-average 51.0 FOW%, he can help more competitive teams looking to add a more defensively responsible pivot to their bottom six.
As D’Amico points out, the Canadiens aren’t just considering changing their forward group. They would also like to add a right-shot defenseman if possible. While Evans alone won’t get them a premier talent there, flipping a player who’s questionable to re-sign could at least help them shore up their depth at the position.
Rafaël Harvey-Pinard Still In Non-Contact Jersey, Traveled On Road Trip
- Canadiens winger Rafaël Harvey-Pinard continues to inch closer to a return after undergoing offseason surgery to repair a broken leg. He’s practicing again today in a non-contact jersey and has traveled with the team on their two-game road swing, per Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports. He’s eligible to come off long-term injured reserve at any time. If he does so in the next few days, it’ll be weeks ahead of schedule. He was given a four-month recovery timeline for his late July surgery, which would have put his estimated return around U.S. Thanksgiving. The Habs have an open roster spot and would not need to make a corresponding transaction to activate him.
Canadiens Activate Kaiden Guhle From Injured Reserve
The Canadiens announced that Kaiden Guhle will be back in the lineup tonight against the Capitals. The defenseman will be activated from injured reserve, but with two open roster spots, no corresponding transaction is necessary. Justin Barron will also return after missing the last three games with an upper-body injury.
Guhle’s activation was prefaced yesterday by Logan Mailloux’s return to the minors. It wasn’t necessary to open up a roster spot, but Mailloux was going to be sitting in the press box once Guhle was ready to come back. That’s not the right move for the 21-year-old’s development away from the puck, so he’ll return to the AHL to improve his defensive game.
Guhle, 22, had missed the last five games with an upper-body injury. He was off to a hot start on the scoresheet before exiting the lineup, scoring once and adding three assists with a +4 rating in five appearances. His 20 blocked shots still rank third on the team, but as possession metrics indicate, that’s more indicative of how much time he spent in his own end than anything else. Guhle had been given challenging even-strength deployment, but the Canadiens still only controlled 34.5% of shot attempts and 49.9% of expected goals with him on the ice at even strength in the early going.
A left-shot, Guhle will return to his usual top-pairing role on his off side next to Mike Matheson. Barron, a 22-year-old righty with one goal in seven games this season, will comprise Montreal’s third pairing with Jayden Struble. Arber Xhekaj, a healthy scratch twice earlier this month, will sit in the press box to make way for Barron.
Guhle is in the final season of his entry-level contract. Over the offseason, he signed a six-year, $33.3MM extension that will pay him an average of $5.55MM per season starting in 2025-26.