Montreal Canadiens

The Montreal Canadiens have traded defenseman Shea Weber to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for forward Evgenii Dadonov, the team announced Thursday.

General manager Kent Hughes said in a statement:

First of all, I would like to thank Shea for all that he has done for and represented to the Montreal Canadiens. Not only was Shea an exceptional hockey player who played through significant injuries in an attempt to bring the Stanley Cup back to Montreal, he was also a great leader whose leadership will have a positive impact on our team well beyond his time with us. I also want to welcome Evgenii Dadonov to our organization. He is a talented forward who has produced at all levels since the start of his career.

Weber has four years remaining on the 14-year, $110 million deal he signed with the Nashville Predators in July 2012. The Predators traded him to the Canadiens in June 2016 in exchange for P.K. Subban, who now plays for the New Jersey Devils.

Weber had spent the last five seasons of his career in Montreal, tallying 58 goals and 88 assists for 146 points in 275 games. He was named the team's captain in 2018.

Seeing as how Weber has a cap hit of nearly $7.9 million per year over the remaining years of his contract, it's not hard to see why the Canadiens traded him. Montreal finished the 2021-22 season with the worst record in the NHL at 22-49-11, and the Weber trade means that the team is committed to a rebuild.

That said, Dadonov is 33 years old and isn't going to help speed up Montreal's rebuild. However, he provides the Canadiens with more financial flexibility and he has just one year remaining on his contract at $5 million before entering free agency.

The Golden Knights initially tried to trade Dadonov to the Anaheim Ducks in March, but the trade was invalidated by the NHL because of a discrepancy in the status of his no-trade clause that prohibited him from being sent to the Ducks.

In 78 games with the Golden Knights during the 2021-22 season, Dadonov tallied 20 goals and 23 assists for 43 points.

While the Canadiens cleared freed up some money by trading Weber, they still have just $1,923,334 in cap space, per CapFriendly. That's not going to be enough to make any significant additions in free agency.

That said, the Canadiens own the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NHL draft and will be able to select a player to build around for the future. Selecting someone like Shane Wright, Juraj Slafkovsky or Logan Cooley will help put Montreal back on the right path.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price has won the 2021-22 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy as the player "who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey," the NHL announced Friday.

"There's obstacles in life that will always challenge you, and I think having the ability to overcome those and keep things in perspective and keep moving forward is something that we should all be teaching our children and loved ones," Price said in his acceptance speech.

The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is given to the NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.

Carey Price took the opportunity to thank the many people in his life that supported him this season. #NHLAwards pic.twitter.com/LxVdtwYws0

— NHL (@NHL) June 3, 2022

Price finished ahead of New York Islanders defenseman Zdeno Chara and Philadelphia Flyers forward Kevin Hayes for the honor. He received 50 first-place votes and finished with 343 points to win the award.

Here is the tabulation for the 2022 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, voted on by 183 @ThePHWA members.

We take a lot of pride in telling these @NHL and @NHLPA stories each year in our local markets. The proof is in 31 of the 32 deserving nominees receiving at least one vote. ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/bSklcDT0lc

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) June 4, 2022

Price is the sixth player in Canadiens history to claim the honor, joining Max Pacioretty (2011-12), Saku Koivu (2001-02), Serge Savard (1978-79), Henri Richard (1973-74) and Claude Provost (1967-68).

Price missed most of the 2021-22 season after undergoing offseason knee surgery. He also voluntarily entered the NHL's players assistance program, which helps players and their families with mental health, substance abuse and other issues, in October.

The 34-year-old didn't make his season debut until April 15 against the Islanders. In five games, he posted a 3.63 goals-against average and an .878 save percentage.

Price has been a staple in the Montreal crease since the 2007-08 season after the team selected him fifth overall in the 2005 NHL draft. He is 361-261-79 with 49 shutouts, a 2.51 GAA and a .917 save percentage in 712 games across 15 seasons.

Price has also won the Vezina Trophy (2014-15), Hart Memorial Trophy (2014-15), Ted Lindsay Award (2014-15) and the William M. Jennings Trophy (2014-15).

Price has four years remaining on the eight-year, $84 million deal he signed with the Canadiens in July 2017. He'll be a free agent after the 2025-26 campaign. 

The Montreal Canadiens announced Wednesday they've promoted Martin St. Louis to full-time head coach and signed him to a three-year contract extension.

St. Louis, a Hall of Fame player who retired in 2015, compiled a 14-19-4 record to finish the 2021-22 season after taking over the staff on an interim basis in February.

"We are happy to officially appoint Martin as head coach of the Montreal Canadiens," general manager Kent Hughes said. "Martin is a proven leader, a great communicator with a deep understanding of and passion for the game of hockey. His arrival brought a renewed energy to our group, and we look forward to him returning behind the bench to continue guiding our team for the foreseeable future."

The Habs entered the campaign with high expectations after reaching the 2021 Stanley Cup Final, where they lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

A combination of key absences, including just five appearances from goalie Carey Price and none from defenseman Shea Weber, who's expected to retire because of injuries, and general underperformance caused a major drop off for the Canadiens.

Montreal finished with the NHL's worst record at 22-49-11, though the silver lining was winning the draft lottery to obtain the No. 1 overall pick. It'll get to decide between center Shane Wright or winger Juraj Slafkovsky with the top choice.

While it was a mostly forgettable season for the Canadiens, the most promising sign from St. Louis' tenure was the emergence of Cole Caufield.

The 2021 Hobey Baker Award winner as college hockey's top player struggled mightily throughout the season's first half, scoring just one goal in 30 games. After St. Louis took over, the 21-year-old winger tallied 35 points (22 goals and 13 assists) in 37 contests.

Like St. Louis (5'8"), the biggest questions about Caufield (5'7") aren't related to skill or compete level but rather size.

In March, the Habs' new coach explained he encouraged players to enjoy more free-flowing hockey with less emphasis on a system, which tends to benefit talented scorers like Caufield.

"In systems I feel like you box players in to be in a certain spot, and sometimes you don't allow them to make reads because of it," St. Louis said. "A concept is more playing with a little more instinct with ideas of how we want to be as a team. Now, there is structure inside concepts."

Montreal has a chance to bounce back next season if they deal with less season-altering injuries, and there was enough progress under 46-year-old Quebec native to believe he can lead the turnaround as the full-time coach.

The Montreal Canadiens went from a Stanley Cup Final in 2021 to picking No. 1 overall in the 2022 NHL draft during a year in which the Habs are hosting the event at Bell Centre.

What a wild year it's been for one of the NHL's most historic franchises. Montreal is going to party like it's 1993. 

Shane Wright is the projected first overall pick. There has been some debate as to whether or not the OHL center is worthy of the honor after a slow start to the season, but 94 points in 63 games with the Kingston Frontenacs was good enough to land him on top of the NHL's Central Scouting bureau's latest prospect rankings. 

The New Jersey Devils are picking second, marking the fourth time in six years the club has selected in the top five. The Arizona Coyotes, who had the second-best odds to land the first pick, will select third, the Seattle Kraken fourth and the Philadelphia Flyers will go fifth. 

The Ottawa Senators and Detroit Red Wings won a few too many games and they'll go seventh and eighth, respectively. The Columbus Blue Jackets got the Chicago Blackhawks' sixth pick as part of the terms of the Seth Jones trade and they'll make two selections in the first round. 

Let's take a look at some of the highs and lows from the night with draft lottery winners and losers. 

Winner: Montreal Canadiens

Wright should start brushing up on his French. 

The OHL forward is one of eight players in CHL history to be granted exceptional status and he was clearly worthy, scoring 39 goals in 58 games as a 15-year-old. A speedy, skilled center like Wright is the perfect building block piece for a team like the Habs. Putting Wright behind Nick Suzuki will give them a 1-2 punch up the middle that can grow together as new general manager Kent Hughes and president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton build around those two and winger Cole Caufield. 

Last year, the Canadiens were the talk of the draft for the wrong reason. Former general manager Marc Bergevin stood at the podium at Bell Centre and defiantly chose Logan Mailloux, a prospect who had asked teams not to choose him after he was convicted of a crime of sexual nature in Sweden. There was some concern that it would damage the brand and isolate women who support the team. 

But Bergevin was fired less than two months into the 2021-22 season and he's now working under Rob Blake in Los Angeles. It's a new era in Montreal, and though it likely won't be a successful one right away, the team has turned the page and the excitement is rapidly building. 

Loser: Philadelphia Flyers

This is a big offseason for general manager Chuck Fletcher. The Flyers don't have a coach, a clear team identity or a clear direction in which the team is headed. The club has decided to stick with the GM it hired in the fall of 2018 as they attempt an "aggressive retool" after a season Fletcher described as "beyond unacceptable." 

It's not that the fifth pick is bad. The general consensus is that this is a very good draft class, but one that still has some question marks after Wright.

Maybe they end up with another center like Matthew Savoie, a very skilled and disciplined playmaker. Maybe it's a big defenseman like David Jiricek they can pair with Ivan Provorov in the future (should they keep Provorov).

The 2023 class is absolutely loaded, but this one has a lot of high-end talent, so the Flyers are going to get a quality player and a possible franchise cornerstone. It just might not be one that makes an impact right away. Fletcher said he's not asking fans to wait 5-7 years for a winning product and a player like Wright, who could step into a lineup next season, would have helped expedite that retool. 

Winner: New Jersey Devils

The Devils have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to prospects these days, which is a change from some lottery seasons a few years ago. The cupboards were pretty bare when they took Swiss center Nico Hischier at No. 1 overall in 2017. They can add another talented young player to that stockpile with the second overall pick.

Things were looking up three years ago when they chose Jack Hughes with the first overall pick, but things quickly fell apart. And now the club is at a crossroads: This rebuild cannot last forever. 

The fans have been angry for years since this was not a club that really underwent any significant rebuilds when longtime former general manager and president Lou Lamoriello was running the show. But they've made the playoffs just once since 2012 and this last season was marred by injuries to top players like Hughes and Dougie Hamilton and bad goaltending. 

They won't find that goaltender with the No. 2 pick, but it could help them obtain one.

Could general manager Tom Fitzgerald be swayed to give it up for a true No. 1 goalie? He seemed to be open to the possibility last week when he addressed the media in his end-of-season press conference, saying if he see a trade that would upgrade the NHL roster he would not hesitate to make it.

The Anaheim Ducks are rebuilding, and John Gibson is rumored to be on the market. Or maybe it's an impact defenseman to play with Hamilton or a high-end winger for Hughes. 

There are tons of possibilities and the Devils are in a good spot with that second pick. 

Loser: Arizona Coyotes

All that tanking and the desert dogs only got the third pick. 

Look, it's not that the No. 3 overall pick is a bad thing, but a player like Wright would bring some much-needed excitement and talent to a team in desperate need of both. 

The Coyotes will play next season and possibly beyond at Arizona State's new rink. No offense to the Sun Devils because that program is a great success story of the growth of hockey in an untraditional market, but an NHL team shouldn't be playing in a 5000-seat college rink intended for intramural sports. The morale is low in the desert right now and for good reason.

Arizona can continue tanking next season to get Connor Bedard or Matvei Michkov. Maybe by the time Michkov, a KHL player who is under contract with SKA St. Petersburg through 2025, is able to play in North America the new arena in Tempe that has long been promised will finally be completed. 

Winner: Columbus Blue Jackets, Buffalo Sabres

The Sabres have a whopping three first-round picks, while the Blue Jackets have two lottery picks. Both teams have options when it comes to using those selections. 

Columbus didn't move up or down, but it did get the Blackhawks first-round pick. Had Chicago won either of the top two picks, the Blue Jackets would have received the first-round pick next year. Chicago did Columbus a solid with such a dismal season but not too dismal, and as a result the team received the sixth pick and the Jones trade was finally completed.

Last season, the Blue Jackets used two of their 2021 draftees, Kent Johnson and Cole Sillinger, and saw good production and development from both. They're hoping to replicate that success as they build toward becoming a playoff team in the near future.

This is a chance for the Sabres to grab a few more prospects and show that they have improved their player development program. So far, it appears as though strides have been made in this area, as is evidenced by center Tage Thompson and his breakout season, but these next few years be crucial for a franchise that tries to shed its losing reputation and prove that it can develop talent and build a winning team. 

Loser: Chicago Blackhawks

This was the result of bad management. The 'Hawks went all in last summer and as a result, they gave up that pick in the Jones trade. Former general manager Stan Bowman made a short-sighted decision to try and load up in an attempt to give Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews one more chance at a Stanley Cup. But Bowman resigned amid following the investigation of the sexual assault allegations against Brad Aldrich and the team was bad right from the start. They fired coach Jeremy Colliton and Derek King still has the interim tag. 

The Blackhawks took the interim tag off of general manager Kyle Davidson, and it sure sounds like he's going to start rebuilding. A first-round pick sure would help jump-start a rebuild, but the 'Hawks will have to wait until next year to select one.

The Montreal Canadiens will have the opportunity to select this year's most prized NHL prospect first overall after winning the 2022 draft lottery on Tuesday. It marks the first time since 1980 the franchise will pick first overall.

!!!!!1!!!!!!!!1!!!!!!!!1!!1!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/YIXOtObR8D

— x - Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) May 10, 2022

The Canadiens entered the draft lottery with the best odds to win the No. 1 overall pick at 18.5 percent. Montreal has been clamoring for the top pick in the draft for years, and now they'll finally get the opportunity to select a franchise-altering player.

Montreal had an incredibly disappointing 2021-22 season, finishing with the worst record in the NHL at 22-49-11. It marked the fourth time in the last seven seasons that the Canadiens missed the playoffs. 

That said, the Habs were just one season removed from reaching the Stanley Cup Finals, where they lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games. 

The draft lottery determined the selection order for the 16 teams that did not qualify for the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs or teams that acquired a first-round selection via trade. However, this year's lottery featured some changes.

Teams were allowed to move up a maximum of 10 spots, meaning only the top 11 teams had the opportunity to land the first overall pick. There were also two draws, with the first determining which team got the No. 1 pick and the second determining which team got the No. 2 pick. Once the first two picks were revealed, the remainder of the teams were assigned a pick in inverse order of regular-season points.

Lowering the number of lottery draws to two ensured the team with the worst record, in this case the Montreal Canadiens, wouldn't draft lower than third overall.

The process was changed after the Detroit Red Wings, who finished with the worst record in the NHL during the 2019-20 season, ended up selecting fourth overall in the 2020 draft, losing out on the opportunity to select the best player available.

That said, let's take a look at the order for this year's draft and some of the top prospects available.

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NHL Draft Selection Order

1. Montreal Canadiens
2. New Jersey Devils
3. Arizona Coyotes
4. Seattle Kraken
5. Philadelphia Flyers
6. Columbus Blue Jackets (via Chicago Blackhawks)
7. Ottawa Senators
8. Detroit Red Wings
9. Buffalo Sabres
10. Anaheim Ducks
11. San Jose Sharks
12. Columbus Blue Jackets
13. New York Islanders
14. Winnipeg Jets
15. Vancouver Canucks
16. Buffalo Sabres (via Vegas Golden Knights)

---

Shane Wright, Center: Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)

Height/Weight: 6'1", 187 pounds

Shane Wright, who has been considered the valedictorian of the 2022 draft class by NHL draft analysts for years, is expected to be the first overall pick in this year's draft after a standout three-year career with the Ontario Hockey League's Kingston Frontenacs. 

The 18-year-old's draft stock took a dip early during the 2021-22 season after he posted 16 goals and 29 assists in 33 games for 1.36 points per game, which was just slightly better than his performance when he was 15 years old.

However, Wright, who served as the captain of the Frontenacs this past season, had a solid second half, rebounding to finish with 32 goals and 62 assists for 94 points in 63 regular-season games. He also added two goals and eight assists for 10 points in eight postseason games.

Wright has been highly sought after because of his impressive 200-foot game. He's one of the best skaters in junior hockey, often compared to Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, and his vision, passing and playmaking skills make him a dangerous dual threat.

Perhaps the best indicator of his two-way prowess came from TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button, who compared Wright to Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron.

"I continuously come back to Shane Wright as the clear-cut guy because I just see such a thoroughness in his play," Button said. "There's not a situation in the game that I wouldn't throw Shane Wright into and not feel confident that he can excel. And that's Bergeron."

If Wright turns out to be anything like Bergeron, he'll be a high-scoring, two-way center who can make plays on both ends of the ice. He would be a perfect fit for the Canadiens, and he is exactly the player they need to turn things around.

---

Logan Cooley, Center: United States National Team Development Program

Height/Weight: 5'11", 174 pounds

Like Wright, Logan Cooley is one of the top centers in the 2022 draft class, and he could be selected as high as second overall.

The 18-year-old from Pittsburgh has spent the last few seasons with the USNTDP. During the 2021-22 season, he tallied 27 goals and 48 assists for 75 points in 51 games for the U.S. National U18 Team.

While Cooley is also projected to be a high-scoring, two-way center at the NHL level, he plays a different game than Wright. His high-end speed, skill and offensive IQ separate him from the Frontenacs center. That said, he lacks size but isn't afraid to drive to the net for scoring opportunities.

And while Button views Wright as more of a Bergeron, he compared Cooley to Carolina Hurricanes star Sebastian Aho, who is one of the best all-around players in the NHL.

"They're really good centremen but very different," Button said. "And when I do the comparables, Bergeron and Sebastian Aho, I think that's how Logan plays the game, more like Sebastian Aho. Shane Wright plays it like Bergeron."

Aho is a tremendous skater, playmaker and also defends well. That said, his only detriment is his lack of size at 6'0", 176 pounds, but that hasn't necessarily limited him at the NHL level. He's a solid comparison to Cooley.

It's unclear if Cooley would make the jump straight to the NHL if given the opportunity. He is committed to play at the University of Minnesota next season.

---

Juraj Slafkovsky, Left Wing: TPS (Finland)

Height/Weight: 6'4", 218 pounds

Like Cooley, Juraj Slafkovsky has the potential to be selected as high as second overall after an impressive career with TPS in Finland.

During the 2021-22 season, Slafkovsky tallied five goals and five assists for 10 points in 31 regular-season games. He added two goals and five assists for seven points in 18 playoff games.

The 18-year-old also starred for Slovakia at the 2022 Winter Olympics, where he was named MVP of the men's ice hockey tournament after helping lead the country to a bronze medal with seven goals in seven games.

Slafkovsky is a solid skater who has a powerful stride and great leg strength. He sets up and finishes plays well and will use his body any way he can. That said, he's a multi-tool threat with the capability to pass, shoot and score with precision, which would be an asset to any NHL team.

Button compared Slafkovsky to Winnipeg Jets forward Pierre-Luc Dubois, who is big, strong and highly talented.

"Big, weighty, hard players to play against, but not elite offensive players. That's the separator for me with [Joakim] Kemell and Slafkovsky,” Button said.

We've made it to the final week of the 2021-22 NHL regular season. The playoff picture is starting to become clear, and on the other end of the spectrum, the draft lottery odds are starting to come into focus as well. 

But some things are still undecided. The awards race is heating up, and the Colorado Avalanche and Florida Panthers are in a battle for the President's Trophy. Plus, there is still time for teams to battle for playoff positioning.

With that in mind, let's get into some of the questions that still need to be answered over this final week of play. 

Which team has the best odds for the No. 1 overall draft pick?

The rights to draft Shane Wright are on the line. 

The NHL will hold the draft lottery remotely on May 10. The odds were adjusted this season to allow for the addition of a 32nd team, the Seattle Kraken. 

The 16 teams that did not make the Stanley Cup playoffs will be entered into the lottery. The team with the fewest points will have an 18.5 percent chance of winning the top pick, while the second-worst squad will have a 13.5 percent chance.

Currently, the Arizona Coyotes and Montreal Canadiens have the fewest amount of points with 51. The Coyotes kinda sorta openly tanked this season, and the franchise is in a strange state, with the team temporarily relocating to a college arena next season while it attempts to work out a deal for a new arena in Tempe. Winning the lottery and drafting Wright, who is projected to go No. 1 overall, would be a boon to an organization struggling to attract fans. 

However, the Habs are hosting the draft in July, and that city could see a celebration even rowdier than the one we saw when the team advanced to the Stanley Cup Final last year.

The Philadelphia Flyers and Seattle Kraken will likely be the next-worst teams.

The Chicago Blackhawks and New Jersey Devils have point totals in the low 60s. 

There are two new rules this year: A team will be restricted from moving up more than 10 spots if it wins one of the lottery draws, and it cannot win the lottery more than two times in a five-year period. However, wins in lotteries prior to 2022 will not be counted, which is good for the Devils, who won the lottery in 2017 and 2019.

Will Igor Shesterkin win the Hart Trophy?

Full disclosure: I'm an awards voter as a member of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. It's a privilege that I take seriously, and I do a lot of research when it comes to my ballot each season. I'm not going to disclose my ballot, especially since I have yet to finish my deep dive on the candidates, but Igor Shesterkin is making my job and the job of other voters interesting. 

It's not often that a goalie makes a case for hockey's version of the MVP award, but the New York Rangers goalie will certainly be a finalist. He would be the eighth goalie to win the award. It would be the ninth time it was given to a goalie (Dominik Hasek won it twice) and the first since Carey Price won it in 2014-15. 

Shesterkin leads the league in save percentage (.936) and goals-against average (2.03). His 36 wins are tied for fifth. But the traditional analytics don't illustrate his full value, in part because sometimes it is difficult to quantify a goalie's full value.

But if fancy stats are more your thing, then consider his 24.46 goals saved above average at five-on-five, which is second behind New York Islanders netminder Ilya Sorokin and his 0.887 high-danger save percentage (also at five-on-five). 

It's tough to compare a goalie to skaters, which is why they're often overlooked in the Hart Trophy race. And there is also the age-old question of what constitutes the most valuable player: Is it the player who make the biggest contribution or the one who does the most for the team without ending up on the scoresheet? 

Shesterkin is also a strong candidate for the Vezina Trophy, the award given to goalies and voted on by NHL general managers. 

Other top candidates for the Hart right now are Jonathan Huberdeau, Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid. If it was up to Huberdeau, who has a career-high 114 points, he would give it to Matthews. 

And speaking of Matthews…

Will he score 60 goals?

Matthews is sitting at 58 with two games left to play against the Detroit Red Wings and the Boston Bruins. The Toronto Maple Leafs have already grabbed a playoff spot, but they cannot win the Atlantic Division. They enter the week five points ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning, so there isn't much left to play for in these last two games and this is typically where we see some veterans and some top players resting in anticipation of the playoffs. 

But no one has netted 60 goals in a season since Steven Stamkos did a decade ago. The only other active player to have scored 60 or more is Alexander Ovechkin, who really hasn't slowed down much considering he scored 50 this season, marking his ninth season with at least 50. It's a remarkable feat that has only occurred 39 other times and has been done by only 20 players. 

Matthews might have already reached the milestone had he not missed eight games this season, especially three he sat out last week with an injury. But he returned to the lineup Saturday and tallied two assists on Sunday in a win over the Washington Capitals. 

Is the injury nagging him enough that he should sit out and get ready for the postseason? Or should he go for 60? It's a tough call, but he appears to be well enough to play for now. 

Will the Golden Knights make the playoffs?

Things sure have changed in Las Vegas since the club began its inaugural season in 2017-18. The expectation has been to win a Stanley Cup, and they went all-in this season by acquiring star center Jack Eichel, but injuries derailed the 2021-22 season. 

The Golden Knights are currently sitting on the outside looking in, six points behind the Los Angeles Kings in the Pacific Division and three points behind the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference wild-card standings.

Their playoff prospects are nearly dead after a disaster of a game on Sunday night against the San Jose Sharks. San Jose was down by two with two minutes left but came back to tie it with 0.9 seconds left. The Sharks killed off a penalty in overtime and won in a shootout.

They do have a game in hand on the Stars, and they will play in Dallas on Tuesday. However, goalie Robin Lehner has been battling a knee injury since early March, and there seems to be a disconnect between him and the club as to whether he will undergo surgery. He did back up Logan Thompson on Sunday night against the Sharks, but it's been a little bit of a soap opera of late. 

A few weeks ago, I wrote that the Eichel trade needs to be judged for the long-term benefits and that the season shouldn't be considered a disaster if the team fails to make the playoffs. However, it's tough to know what management and ownership make of the situation. 

This team has been known to turn on a dime when it comes to decision-making. They jettisoned former coach Gerard Gallant in January 2018 with the team sitting in fifth place in the Pacific Division and traded goalie Marc-Andre Fleury in a salary-cap maneuver last summer. Both moves were quite unpopular. How will the management and ownership groups view the situation with current coach Peter DeBoer? DeBoer is widely regarded as one of the top coaches in the league, but there could be some heat on his seat as the season winds down. 

Can anyone beat the Panthers?

The Panthers saw their franchise-best 13-game winning streak come to an end on Sunday night in a loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Avs have been stuck at 116 points for a week. They've lost their last four games, and backup goalie Pavel Francouz has been injured after an errant puck struck him on the bench. 

The schedule for Colorado isn't light this week with games against the St. Louis Blues, Predators and Minnesota Wild. So the attention turns to the Panthers to see whether they can stay hot in the postseason against either the Capitals or the Boston Bruins. 

The good news for Florida is that star defenseman Aaron Ekblad appears to be on the mend. He skated with the team on Long Island last week, so there is hope he can return for the postseason. He's been out since March 18 when he was injured in a game against the Anaheim Ducks. Without him, the Panthers have gone 15-1-0. If that's how they play without one of the best blueliners in the league, imagine what they might look like in the playoffs with him. 

How will the brackets shake out?

We have one postseason matchup set: The St. Louis Blues and the Minnesota Wild will square off in the first round. The rest of the matchups are still up in the air, but you can probably pencil in the Edmonton Oilers and the Los Angeles Kings. 

The two series I would most like to see in the first round are Rangers-Bruins and Toronto-Tampa Bay. The second one is still in play.

The first round continues to vex a Toronto squad laden with talent and questionable goaltending. However, if the Leafs can get past the two-time defending champs in the first round, then it would make a huge statement that this team is ready to move on from its recent history and finally contend for a Cup once again.

As for the Rangers and Bruins facing one another, it's not quite Yankees-Red Sox, but it could be close. The intensity seems to ratchet up a few notches when Boston and New York teams play one another. Boston vs. New York might be the greatest rivalry in sports, and this is coming from a born-and-raised Californian. 

This scenario would mean the Rangers leapfrog the Carolina Hurricanes in the standings.  The two will play each other on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden, but the Rangers are four points behind the Canes. 

It's a race to the finish for some and a race to the bottom for others. This next week should be high on drama and build up some excitement for the upcoming playoffs. 

Montreal Canadiens legend Guy Lafleur has died at the age of 70.

His family confirmed the news to Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette on Friday. He was diagnosed with lung cancer for the second time in 2020.

The Canadiens posted condolences on Twitter:

The entire Montreal Canadiens organization is mourning the loss of legendary Hall-of-Famer and Canadiens Ambassador Guy Lafleur, who passed away at the age of 70.

Rest in peace, Guy. 🕊️❤️https://t.co/vEqp39p0KL

— x - Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) April 22, 2022

Lafleur was inducted in the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988 after a career that included five Stanley Cup titles and winning the Hart Trophy twice as the NHL MVP.

The Hockey Hall of Fame is saddened to learn of the passing of Honoured Member Guy Lafleur.

We offer our condolences to his family and friends. pic.twitter.com/7jksIrfAWY

— Hockey Hall of Fame (@HockeyHallFame) April 22, 2022

NHL Network mourns the passing of 5x Stanley Cup Champion and Hockey Hall of Famer Guy Lafleur.@CanadiensMTL pic.twitter.com/Mr1cZJvblg

— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) April 22, 2022

The Quebec native was selected by the Habs with the first overall pick in the 1971 NHL draft. He'd dominated the QMJHL with the Quebec Remparts, scoring 130 goals in 1970-71 to set a record that would stand until Mario Lemieux tallied 133 in 1983-84.

Lafleur emerged as one of hockey's most dynamic offensive talents and recorded over 100 points in six straight seasons beginning in 1974-75. He captured the Art Ross Trophy as the league's leader in points three consecutive years from 1975-76 through 1977-78.

Guy Lafleur..A skating Louis Vuitton commercial who stylishly flew on the ice and murdered pucks. Ferrari winger that attracted all eyes during his shifts..Was 1970’s Habs rocket fuel (5 Cups). In ‘78-‘79 he led team in scoring by 52 points. #1 NHL player in 2nd half of 1970’s. pic.twitter.com/RMQ5mz2Hlf

— BucciOT.Com (@Buccigross) April 22, 2022

The winger retired from the NHL in 1985 amid a contentious relationship with Canadiens management, but he returned in 1988. He played one season with the New York Rangers and two with the Quebec Nordiques to finish his career.

I wish I got to see Guy Lafleur play hockey. The videos of him going end to end with his hair flowing, skating faster and shooting harder than anyone else are amazing to watch. A true game breaker and a winner. Rest In Peace

— Ryan Whitney (@ryanwhitney6) April 22, 2022

In 2019, Lafleur was undergoing heart surgery when doctors discovered a cancerous spot on his lung. He had another surgery two months later to remove a portion of his lung and his lymph nodes, but the cancer returned in October 2020.

He discussed the treatment with Joshua Clipperton of the Canadian Press in November.

"It's the chemotherapy that really hurts you badly," Lafleur said. "There's not a week that's the same. The last two weeks, I was feeling very, very bad and sleeping a lot. But the last three days I feel a lot better—a lot of ups and downs."

While going through treatment, he worked with Merck Canada to launch the "Be The MVP" campaign aimed at raising awareness for early detection of lung cancer.

"The Flower," who helped the Habs win Stanley Cup championships in 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979, was named one of the 100 greatest players in NHL history as part of the league's centennial celebration in 2017.

Hockey culture is at odds with itself right now.

From the Blackhawks to Evander Kane, the NHL has been marred by multiple controversies in recent months. It's also one of the most expensive youth sports to play, which limits participation and limits growth.

Yet never before have so many people involved in hockey worked to move the game forward. There are learn-to-play programs, scholarships to expand access for youth of all genders and backgrounds, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and even climate change initiatives. 

The game is more dynamic than ever on the ice, but there are old players and coaches who think high-flying skill is nothing but "showboating." Tyson Nash and John Tortorella have both admonished the lacrosse-style goals that are quickly become a signature move of sorts for Anaheim Ducks rookie Trevor Zegras. 

Our own @CraigSMorgan talked to @ArizonaCoyotes TV color analyst Tyson Nash to clarify his comments from Friday’s game during the incident with Jay Beagle, Troy Terry and Trevor Zegras.

Hear the full interview.

🎧 https://t.co/HNpvqPpLCk pic.twitter.com/RIsacZumue

— PHNX Sports (@PHNX_Sports) April 3, 2022

Whether hockey is ready or not, the game is changing, and its players like Zegras, Toronto Maple Leafs style icon Auston Matthews and other skilled young players changing it by being themselves. The future faces of the game are encouraged with the direction of the game and its culture, but know more can be done to bring awareness to important issues and to help fuel the game's growth. 

"I think the league has been doing an exceptional job with the 'Hockey is for Everyone' message," Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy said. "But it's continuing to find ways to grow the game. I'm not saying that there is complacency among organizations, but I think that each team should take on the responsibility of growing the game." 

Here's a glimpse into their world and how they view the game they play. 

How they're Using Social Media 

Talking to veteran players, they view social media as an afterthought. They might be required to put up a sponsored post or use it to promote their charities. But it's different for the new generation of athletes. Social media is how they stay in touch with their former teammates and families abroad, get information and express themselves. 

"I always posted on Instagram, it's just something we all did," Zegras said. "And it's one of those things like, you just end up playing in the NHL and you have a different type of audience. I feel like I've posted the same stuff since I was 15 years old, but I guess there's more attention on it now. I think it's great though. I think it's great for hockey and great for fans. I have a lot of fun with it and I know other guys do too."

Taking notes from 15 and a few legends 🕺

Drop your breakaway ideas ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/8kOvz5bFOx

— Trevor Zegras (@tzegras11) January 23, 2022

"I like it," said Devils rookie Dawson Mercer. "But I use it too much. The last few years with COVID has been weird and we haven't been able to connect with (fans) in person, so I think social media has definitely helped that and brought in a nice way for that aspect for the game." 

How they View Mental Health

Robin Lehner won a Masterton Award in 2019 and delivered a powerful line that has resonated with many in the game: "I'm not ashamed to say I'm mentally ill, but that doesn't mean mentally weak."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRET_ZXj1QI?start=3s

Other players such as Tyler Motte, Stephen Johns and Connor Carrick have openly discussed their own struggles. It has laid the framework for a younger generation that feels more comfortable discussing the subject and even using mental health as a tool to improve on the ice. 

"It's been a topic that has been brought up a lot, and it's something where we always need to be doing more," said Devils forward Jesper Bratt. "I think it's an extremely important thing. The league has talked about it more and people have opened up more so I hope we can continue with that."

Beyond the performance aspect, several players have said they are more at ease discussing the subject and would feel comfortable asking for help, depending on the team.

"I think everybody deals with it in different ways and certainly I have my own process with that, as I'm sure everyone does," McAvoy said. "It's great to see that when it comes to that playing field, people are much more open to conversations, to acceptance, to understand just how people are feeling.

"I think it's a lot of pressure playing a professional sport, but at the same time, it should be equally as fun. Having people there on your team to help encourage that balance is important for everyone's well-being."

Being open about mental health is just one way players are sharpening their minds. Mental skills coaching has long been a part of baseball, but it's relatively new to hockey. That could be changing. New Jersey previously worked with renowned sports psychologist Dr. Aimee Kimball, a mental training and player development specialist. The Washington Capitals now employ Kimball and she works with the U.S. women's national hockey team as well.

Bratt is currently amid a breakout 25-goal campaign. Now 23, Bratt credits much of his success to working with a mental skills coach in his native Sweden, Andy Sward. 

"It's maybe a sensitive thing to talk about, but I think it's super important," he said. "It's one of the things that has helped me the most to stay at the level I have and to improve every single year. It's extremely important. There are a couple of guys using coaches like that and I hope we see a lot more."

How they would Change the Game

The most talented young players are already changing the game just by their play. Zegras' "Michigan" plays probably won't be controversial a decade from now when others are trying them too. 

"I don’t think these kids are showboating. I think that’s what they’ve grown up doing and it’s the norm," Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper recently said when asked about the Anaheim Ducks forward. 

It's entertaining. The highlight-reel goals will be all over social media for younger generations, and if it encourages a kid to pick up a stick or one family to purchase tickets to a game, then it has served a purpose. 

So, I asked players what they would change off the ice. Unsurprisingly, Zegras had an idea.

"I would love—just absolutely love—to be able to wear whatever you want to the games. I think that would be so much fun," Zegras said. "A lot of us young guys, and maybe some of the older guys would get into it too, but I just don't love wearing the same suit every day. I love watching all of the basketball guys walking into games. I love LaMelo Ball, I love Tyler Herro, I think those guys are so cool and they can kind of express themselves any way they want coming into games."

Bratt took it a step further: Why not have TV cameras roll on the players when they drive up to the rink? Why not give fans an idea of your off-ice interests during your off-ice time or offseason?

"It's cool to see the fashion part of it and the expression of what people do in the summer, and the cars they drive and all of that stuff," Bratt said. "Especially with NBA players. I think it brings a cool look and some excitement for the fans too. I think that would be something that hockey could evolve a little bit in and be better at." 

This generation of players was heavily influenced by P.K. Subban and his outsized personality. They saw how his popularity grew on social media, how he interacted with fans, and his willingness to push the envelope with the dress code. Now, they look to Auston Matthews, a GQ cover model, for fashion inspiration. 

A hockey game seems to break out at every fashion show @AM34 attends.

From GQ shoots to his gameday attire, the @MapleLeafs alternate captain is turning heads with his style. #NHLPAPlayerPoll pic.twitter.com/3ZATNjJsMt

— NHLPA (@NHLPA) June 17, 2021

"I'm big into clothes and maybe not being crazy with what I'm wearing, but I like being a little different and be able to showcase who you are as a person and where you came from with what you're wearing," Zegras said. 

How they're Adapting their Personalities to the NHL

Before most players understand what it is to be a true professional and the platform that comes with being one, they make their debut and realize a dream come true.

Welcome to the show, kid. 

"Every Christmas I would ask for a new jersey and getting that was always so special. I would wear them around the house, wear them to games, I would see the teams when they came to the (Nassau) Coliseum to play the Islanders," McAvoy, a Long Island native, said. "I think for me when I showed up on my first day and I looked in my locker and I saw my jersey, that was a moment I had to kind of wrap my head around." 

Then the reality of the situation sets in: They're expected to conduct themselves like adults when they're often still only teenagers. They have to learn to get themselves to the practice rink, to games, events, and team meetings on their own. Teams will offer help to get them adjusted and veterans often step in to offer support, help, and even housing as well. 

But this is where it can be tough to show who you really are underneath the gear. Hockey players have long had a reputation for being nice guys, but somewhat devoid of personality. Saying, "We just need to get pucks in deep," or "We need to play a 60-minute game," doesn't offer much to fans.

Rookies often feel pressure to fall in line and the media training provided enforces that. In an anecdote that has made its way around NHL circles this season, Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield was told by the team's new vice president of communications, Chantal Machabee, to show more of his personality. Caufield responded by saying, "You know that it has not always been like that here!"

Slowly, this is changing. 

"I've always been comfortable doing my own thing," Zegras said. "I don't want to say I'm different, but it's one of those things where you're on the bus with everyone, post a funny photo, maybe come up with a funny caption. I'm not doing it to brand myself or anything like that."

He's just doing it to be himself.

"I think we'll get there one day, but it's one of those things I think will take some time," Zegras said. "I think the more guys that come in and aren't afraid to be themselves, then that's the direction that we're headed in." 

The Montreal Canadiens traded defenseman Ben Chiarot to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Tyler Smilanic, a 2023 first-round and a 2022 fourth-round pick.

The Canadiens will retain 50 percent of Chiarot's remaining salary as part of the deal. 

Chiarot, 30, is in the final season of his contract after signing a three-year deal with the Canadiens in 2019.

The Canadiens are in the midst of a miserable 2021-22 campaign, sitting at 16-36-8 heading into Wednesday night. Chiarot had long been rumored to be available for a draft pick as Montreal looks to quickly reload its roster around young talent.

Smilanic is a promising 20-year-old prospect who was taken in the third round of the 2020 NHL draft by Florida.

The Panthers have emerged as a Stanley Cup favorite and currently have an Eastern Conference-high 88 points.

Adding Chiarot to their defensive rotation will significantly improve their championship odds, given it was one of the largest holes on their roster.

The Montreal Canadiens announced Wednesday they have fired head coach Dominique Ducharme, with Martin St.Louis—Tampa Bay Lightning legend and Hockey Hall of Famer—taking over as interim coach.

"We would like to sincerely thank Dominique for his work and contributions to the Montreal Canadiens organization. At this point in the season, we felt it was in the best interest of the club to make a change," general manager Kent Hughes said in a statement.

The Canadiens made a surprising run to the Stanley Cup Final last season before losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games. The squad hasn't been able to replicate its success in 2021-22, however, producing an 8-30-7 record through 45 games.

The squad's 23 points are the fewest in the NHL entering Wednesday.

With a league-worst minus-79 goal differential and seven straight losses, there was seemingly little hope of a turnaround. Montreal has just one win since the start of January.

Ducharme took over as an interim coach in Feb. 2021 after replacing Claude Julien. The squad did enough to earn a playoff spot in the North division—comprised exclusively of Canadian teams because of COVID-19 restrictions—before a dramatic run in the postseason with series wins over the Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets and Vegas Golden Knights.

It was enough for Ducharme to earn a three-year deal as the team's permanent coach, although there was some criticism about the move:

Hard to argue with this. Montreal started the season with a 9-9 record, 57% xG Share and a +11 goal difference. Once Ducharme took over, he turned them around and led them to a 28-32 record, 50% xG Share and a -21 goal difference. Worthy of a long-term commitment. https://t.co/NfrrYAs1gA

— Jeff Veillette (@JeffVeillette) July 13, 2021

Ducharme now finishes his tenure with just a .361 points percentage in 83 regular-season games.

The 48-year-old still has loads of professional hockey experience, including more than two years as an assistant on the Canadiens staff before becoming the interim coach. He also spent 10 years coaching in the QMJHL.