Four-Time Cup Champion Bobby Rousseau Passes Away At Age 85
Former Montreal Canadiens forward Bobby Rousseau has passed away at the age of 85, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Rousseau was a part of the Canadiens’ push to two rounds of back-to-back Stanley Cup wins, in 1965 and 1966, then 1968, and 1969. He also won the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s best rookie in 1962, after posting 21 goals and 45 points in 70 games.
Rousseau, born Joseph Jean-Paul Robert Rousseau, began his career in the QMJHL. He led the league in scoring as a rookie, with 85 points in 44 games. Montreal acquired his rights soon after, and loaned him to the Hull-Ottawa Canadiens of the Eastern Professional Hockey League for the 1960-61 season. That same year, Rousseau was also loaned to the Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen, who represented Team Canada at the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley. He would take home a Silver Medal from that tourney, in a year where USA won Gold and the Soviet Union won Bronze.
All of that came before Rousseau’s NHL career, which kicked off in-full in the 1961-62 season. He took home the Calder that year, en route to planting his feet as a routine 20-goal, 50-point challenger in the Canadiens’ lineup. He held that role through his age-24 season in 1964-65, but broke out in the 1965-66 season with 30 goals and 78 points in 70 games – all career-highs. Rousseau bounced between 60 and 70 points for the next three seasons, before dipping back to 58 points in the 1969-70 campaign.
That was enough to turnover his position in the Canadiens’ lineup. Rousseau was traded to the Minnesota North Stars, where he spent one season before again being traded to the New York Rangers. He was technically a later-named future considerations in the latter trade, a move that would prove foolish after Rousseau posted 157 points in 236 games, and four seasons, with the Rangers. His career came to a gradual close in the 1973-74 season, and officially in 1975 – the same year that his Montreal Canadiens would kick off another spree of Stanley Cup wins.
Rousseau is remembered for his fast skating and hard shot. More than that, he’s remembered for taking over games with bouts of skill, and the dynamic option that skill offered Jean Béliveau and Henri Richard in some of their best years. Rousseau was a key winger for Montreal, alongside the links of Gilles Tremblay and Claude Provost.
Rousseau’s older brother, Roland, also won the Memorial Cup. The family completed the Memorial Cup hat-trick when Rousseau’s grandson, William Rousseau, won the 2023 Cup with the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts. William went on to win the QMJHL’s ‘Goaltender of the Year’ award in 2024 and now plays professionally with the ECHL’s Iowa Heartlanders.
Bobby Rousseau will forever be rememebred as one of 119 players to have their name on the Stanley Cup four different times. He leaves behind his wife, Huguette, as well as eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. His name is among Montreal’s true greats. Pro Hockey Rumors sends our condolences to Rousseau’s family, friends, and the Montreal faithful. For more insights and quotes, visit NHL.com’s story remembering the Canadiens legend.
Jets Activate Connor Hellebuyck
The Winnipeg Jets will get an MVP-boost to Saturday’s match against the Washington Capitals. Reigning Hart Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck was activated off of injured reserve just in time for Hellebuyck to take on the starting role. He underwent an arthtroscopic knee procedure on November 21st that was originally expected to hold him out for four-to-six weeks. He now returns just three weeks later.
This will be some great news for the Jets, who have posted a dismal 2-7-1 record since Hellebuyck’s exit. They’ve been among the NHL’s worst performers in that stretch, allowing the second-most goals against (38) and the third-worst goals-against per-game average (3.80) of any team. Their offense has struggled just as much, only scoring 24 goals, or 2.40 goals-per-game.
Winnipeg was rock solid before losing their superstar goaltender. They had a 12-7-0 record and 64-to-52 goal-differential prior to Hellebuyck’s absence. The three-time Vezina Trophy-winner himself had eight wins and a .913 save percentage in 14 games. That’s his lowest save percentage since the 2021-22 season, but still ranks as the sixth-highest in the league among goalies with 14-or-more starts.
Hellebuyck’s precedent often sits far above sixth-best. He led the NHL in wins (47), save percentage (.925), and goals-against-average (2.00) among goalies with at least 35 starts last season. It was enough to earn Hellebuyck MVP acknowledgement, making him the first goaltender to take home the Hart since Carey Price in 2015. Hellebuyck certainly sits in-line with that company – boasting a career-long .918 Sv% in 582 games, to Price’s career .917 Sv% in 712 games.
The Jets’ goalie room quickly dries up with their starter on the shelf. Eric Comrie took on the starting role over the last few weeks, but only managed to bring his stat line up to six wins and a .886 Sv% in 15 appearances. Thomas Milic also posted a .871 Sv% in three appearances. The 22-year-old is only one season removed from an extended run in the ECHL. With these shifts, Hellebuyck will return to an unrivaled role in Winnipeg’s starter’s crease, while Milic heads back to a competition for the AHL starting role.
Maple Leafs’ Bobby McMann Suspended One Game
The NHL Department of Player Safety has announced that Toronto Maple Leafs forward Bobby McMann has been suspended one game for high-sticking.
The infraction in question occurred during last night’s Maple Leafs game, when the club took on the Tampa Bay Lightning. Early in the third period, Toronto was defending a 1-0 lead, and Toronto’s Simon Benoit took down Tampa Bay’s Jack Finley with a hard, legal check. Tampa Bay forward Gage Goncalves appeared to respond to the hit by delivering his own check to Maple Leafs defenseman Dakota Mermis, who was collecting a puck in Toronto’s corner. Things escalated from that point, with a scrum breaking out near the center of the ice and Goncalves fighting Maple Leafs forward Dakota Joshua.
Goncalves was assessed a match penalty for his hit on Mermis, with the key point of controversy on the play being the apparent knee-on-knee contact of Goncalves’ hit. During the center-ice scrum that broke out as a result of Goncalves’ hit, McMann responded to a shove from Lightning forward Oliver Bjorkstrand by hitting Bjorkstrand on the top of the helmet, with some force, with his stick. McMann was assessed his own match penalty on the play.
In their video explaining their decision, the Department of Player Safety said that McMann struck Bjorkstrand’s head “with sufficient force to merit supplemental discipline.” The Department of Player Safety drew a clear distinction between the aggressive manner in which McMann lowered his stick and the conventional way a player would be expected to lower a raised stick. They also considered the intentionality of the act, stating that McMann was “in full control” of his stick and his body at all times of the incident in question. They added that McMann “simply must display more control” to ensure his stick does not strike an opposing player’s head in such a manner.
McMann has no prior history of supplemental discipline at the NHL level, which is a factor the Department takes into account. This suspension will cost McMann the chance to play in Toronto’s game on Thursday against the San Jose Sharks. McMann has eight goals and 14 points across 29 games this season. He ranks seventh among Maple Leafs forwards in time on ice per game, averaging 14:19 per game with most of that being at even strength.
Latest On Olympic Rink Construction
NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly met with the media to share the latest on the ice rink construction for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, with updates summarized by ESPN’s Emily Kaplan. Daly confirmed that the rink will finish construction on February 2nd, just three days before the women’s tournament is scheduled to begin. The men’s tournament is set to start on February 11th. Daly added that the NHL has sent their own ice technicians and experts to Milano Cortina to support the construction, saying:
We’re basically moving everybody there to try to help get this done in a way that’s acceptable for NHL athletes. And I’m cautiously optimistic it will be fruitful.
The NHL is hearing positive updates, per Daly, and doesn’t view the construction challenges as an insurmountable barrier. At the same time, Daly said the NHL won’t send players if the ice conditions are deemed unsafe to play on. The ice sheet itself is set to be a standard international size – 196.85 feet by 85.3 feet (60 meters by 26 meters). That was the sized used in past Olympic events, but goes against an agreement made this summer between the NHL and IIHF. The NHL found out about the improper sizing last week. They okayed the it for 2026 but will expect proper dimensions for the 2030 Winter Olympics, per Daly.
The NHL is set to pause play for two weeks for the Winter Olympics. With an insistance that there is no contingency plan – Olympic hockey will only play at this newly-constructed arena next year – the NHL could find themselves in a true all-or-nothing situation. Daly spoke to the league’s optimism but also acknowledged that they may need to come up with an emergency solution, if faced with worst case scenario. What that solution would look like will be up to little more than speculation. The NHL set history with the 4-Nations Face-Off – an international, best-on-best tournament hosted by the NHL – last February. That could be a framework that let’s jettisoned Olypmians get back on the ice, while not disturbing the vacation plans of those not headed to Italy.
Golden Knights Recall Dylan Coghlan, Assign Jaycob Megna
The Vegas Golden Knights have swapped depth defenseman on the NHL roster. Dylan Coghlan has been recalled, while Jaycob Megna has been reassigned to the AHL. Neither player has appeared in an NHL game this season.
Megna, 32, was recalled to the Golden Knights roster on December 1st. He has been rotated between the NHL and AHL roster three times since clearing waivers on October 2nd. Through that movement, he’s managed to appear in 15 games with the Henderson Silver Knights. He’s recorded five points, 12 penalty minutes, and a plus-six in those appearances. That includes two points, four penalty minutes, and a plus-three in his last four games. Megna also has eight seasons of NHL experience. He has appeared in 193 games, and scored 27 points, through stints with the Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks, and Florida Panthers.
Coghlan, 27, has performed well in-line with Megna. He has 10 points, 10 penalty minutes, and a plus-four in 20 games with Henderson. This is his recall of the season. He appeared in six games with the Winnipeg Jets, with no scoring, last year and 18 games with the Carolina Hurricanes between 2022 and 2024. Coghlan has appeared in 112 games across six seasons, and three teams. He has 22 points and a minus-10 in those appearances.
This swap surely has more to do with roster technicalities than it does lineup implications. Megna will only be able to spend 15 more days on the NHL roster, before he will have to clear through waivers to be reassigned to the minors. The Golden Knights appear to be using those days sparingly, after recalling Megna for one week in October and the first week of December.
Canadiens Reassign Kaapo Kahkonen
12/8: The Canadiens have reversed this move with Montembeault feeling better.
12/7: The Montreal Canadiens have recalled goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen from the AHL. He will backup Jakub Dobes with Sam Montembeault under the weather, per hockey insider Frank Seravalli.
Kahkonen has served as backup for the AHL’s Laval Rockets this season. He has a 6-2-0 record and .895 save percentage through nine games. Those numbers pale in comparison to rookie starter Jacob Fowler, who has 10 wins, three shutouts, and a .919 save percentage in 15 games. Recalling the veteran Kahkonen will allow Montreal to keep Fowler in a starting net with three games ahead this week.
Kahkonen has fallen down the depth chart, but still brings plenty of experience to the fill-in role. He has appeared in 140 games across seven NHL seasons. That includes a nightly backup role through two years with the Minnesota Wild, and two years with the San Jose Sharks, between 2020 and 2024. He routinely eclipsed a .900 save percentage through his first five seasons in the NHL. That includes a .913 save percentage in 36 games of the 2021-22 season, which he split between Minnesota and San Jose. His performance fell off with a move to the Colorado Avalanche last season, landing him in a routine AHL role. That role has now stretched across four AHL clubs – three last season, then a move to Laval this year. He isn’t likely to curb the slow years on this recall, but should offer a steady hand if the Canadiens need it.
Blues Recall Hugh McGing
The St. Louis Blues have recalled center Hugh McGing with their open roster spot. He will join the Blues with three games ahead of them this week. McGing has six points, 25 penalty minutes, and a minus-seven in 18 games with the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds this season.
McGing has been near the top of St. Louis’ call-up sheet since 2022. He has appearead in six NHL games in that span, with no scoring, no penalties, and a minus-five. He brings a hard-working energy to the bottom of the lineup. Despite his 5-foot-8 frame, McGing isn’t afraid to get involved with puck battles in the corners or in front of the net. That grit has earned him a key role as Springfield’s third-line center. He has also appeared on the team’s penalty-kill.
The Blues will be looking for any help they can to keep their recent hot streak going. They have won their last two games by a combined score of 6-4 – after losing eight of their previous 11 games. The Blues face two of the top 15 offenses in the league through their next five games in Boston (ranked seventh in goals-for) and Chicago (ranked 14th). They’ll get a bit of respite with two matches against the Nashville Predators, who are one of only five teams with fewer goals than the Blues this season.
McGing will offer an alternative for Matt Luff, who made his Blues debut on Suunday. Luff recorded one hit, two shot blocks, and a minus-one in eight minutes of ice time.
Avalance Reassign Trent Miner, Scott Wedgewood Expected To Return
Wild Reassign Hunter Haight
Sabres Recall Zach Metsa, Reassign Noah Ostlund
The Buffalo Sabres have recalled defenseman Zach Metsa from the AHL’s Rochester Americans. Metsa was reassigned last Monday. He played in three games with Rochester last week and recorded two points, one penalty, and a plus-two.
Metsa played in the first four NHL games of his career earlier this season. He hasn’t found a scoresheet yet, other than one penalty, but has recorded a plus-three. Metsa has been a much more electric piece for Rochester. He has 13 points in 14 games with the Americans, good for second on the blue-line in scoring behind Zac Jones’ 20 points in 20 games.
Metsa, 27, is emerging as a potential NHL option after two strong AHL seasons to start his career. He joined Rochester as an undrafted free agent in 2022-23, after five years at Quinnipiac University, where he won one NCAA National Championship. Metsa had a quiet first year – with just 28 points in his first 72 AHL games. That preluded a true breakout last season. He recorded 49 points in 77 games, including playoffs, last season. That led Rochester’s defense in scoring and ranked third on the team overall. He has kept up the hot scoring through this season, helping to cement his spot on top of Buffalo’s call-up sheet over the more experienced Jones.
To make room for Metsa’s recall, Buffalo has also loaned center Noah Ostlund back to the AHL. The second-year pro has been Metsa’s counterpart on offense, bouncing between the NHL and AHL lineup for much of the year. He has seven points in six AHL games and six poinst in 20 NHL games. It’s the first scoring of his NHL career, after he failed to produce in the first eight games of his career last season. Ostlund will look to rediscover his offensive production with a return to the Americans, after only posting one assist in his last nine games with Buffalo.