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Habs Weekly Wrap: Notable Performances and Upcoming Challenges
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- Habs Weekly Wrap: Notable Performances and Upcoming Challenges
Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
MONTREAL — Every day brings more Montreal Canadiens news to be absorbed, and you're bound to miss a story here and there. On Sundays, we recap the relevant NHL news stories you may have missed, to help you stay up to date with all things Habs.
Given the Habs played on Sunday, this edition of the weekly wrap was pushed to Monday.
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Montreal Canadiens News
There was an interesting sight at practice, as Florian and Arber Xhekaj took some time to practice the best approach to starting a fight, including how to initially grab their opponent before throwing punches.
It's no secret that defenceman Alexandre Carrier is having a hard time this season. His timing, defensive positioning, and decision-making has left a lot to be desired. Head coach Martin St-Louis was asked about the blueliners issues, and responded some sound advice.
According to Mike Matheson , Ivan Demidov decided to show up with less-than-ideal clothing when asked to "look professional" before boarding a flight. The way I look at it, comfort should always take precedence over style, but once in a while you have to suit up.
Habs prospect L.J. Mooney was added to Team USA's preliminary roster for the upcoming 2026 World Junior Championship, set to take place in Minneapolis-Saint Paul, during the holidays.
Rookie Ivan Demidov continues to produce at an impressive rate, with 19 points in 25 games, and yet, he's among the least used forwards in the lineup. Why is the youngest player in the lineup being used sparingly by head coach Martin St-Louis? It's a combination of factors, including his current centre, Oliver Kapanen . [ Evaluating Why Rookie Demidov Isn't Getting A Lot Of Ice Time ]
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Tuesday's match-up versus the Ottawa Senators featured two recurring themes: poor defending, and questionable goaltending. The Senators held a huge edge in scoring chances at 5v5, while Samuel Montembeault had yet another difficult outing. [ Canadiens Highlights: Terrible Defending And Poor Goaltending ]
Prospect Alexandre Zharovsky was once again named the Rookie Of The Month in the KHL! The 18-year-old winger is up to eight goals and 12 assists in 23 games, and continues to lead Salavat in scoring.
The Habs will honour Russian defender Andrei Markov on Wednesday night, prior to facing the Winnipeg Jets . Markov spent his entire NHL career with the Canadiens, and is tied for second all-time in defenceman scoring, with 572 points.
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Markov met fellow countryman and budding star Ivan Demidov on Tuesday.
Former Hab Jarred Tinordi is attempting a comeback. He last played in 2024-25, taking part in 30 games with the Calgary Wranglers (AHL).
Before taking to the ice versus the Winnipeg Jets, the Habs honoured longtime defenceman Andrei Markov. It was a long-overdue ceremony for a player who was constantly underrated during his long tenure in Montreal.
Markov was named "The General" for a very good reason. He drove the charge for years, and showed fantastic dedication to the sport while facing a seemingly endless stream of injuries. [ Honouring The General, Markov Makes Final Salute ]
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The Jets established a 2-0 lead on Wednesday night, but goals via Juraj Slafkovsky and Ivan Demidov turned the tide, pushing the game to the shootout. Cole Caufield was the lone goalscorer, while rookie netminder Jakub Dobes prevented all three Jets shooters from finding the back of the net. [ Canadiens Highlights: A Hard-Fought Win Versus Winnipeg ]
Dobes, in particular, was quite hyped after the shootout win. Given the tumultuous season for both Canadiens goaltenders, it was a very encouraging sight.
Following the win, the Habs re-assigned Florian Xhekaj and Adam Engstrom to the Laval Rocket. This means the Habs only have 18 healthy skaters at the moment, with their next game scheduled for Saturday versus the Toronto Maple Leafs .
P.K. Subban is among the many defencemen who had the pleasure of playing alongside Markov, and there's no doubt he appreciated Markov's impact on a nightly basis.
According to a recent poll via ESPN, captain Nick Suzuki is currently the front-runner for the Selke Trophy, awarded annually to the forward who excels the most in the defensive aspect of the game. There's still a lot of hockey left to play, but it would be a well-deserved accolade for a player who has shown impressive growth every season. [ Canadiens Captain Suzuki Front-Runner For Selke ]
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The Habs continue to search for forwards on the NHL's Trade Market. The latest rumours, as vague as they are, suggest they there's some interest in Vancouver Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood , while two particular trade targets in St. Louis would be closer to the type of player the Habs usually acquire via trades. [ Canadiens Rumour Roundup ]
There's a chance the Canadiens will participate in an outdoor game next season. The Winnipeg Jets originally published an article describing the event, which was reportedly set to take place At Princess Auto Stadium, but the page was deleted shortly afterward. Odds are, there are still a few details to iron out before the NHL wants to the next Heritage Classic official.
Andrei Markov was surrounded by several of his former teammates, as well as a few other alumni, on Thursday night, following the ceremony to honour his time with the Canadiens. Also, GSP was there, and while he never played for the Habs, he definitely has his place among Montreal (St-Isidore) sports legends.
It took a few games for him to find his footing, but newcomer Alexander Texier is starting to find his rhythm with the Canadiens. One of the most important factors we tend to ignore is that certain situations are not conducive to enjoying hockey, like playing for a bottom-feeder team. And when a player no longer enjoys playing hockey, results suffer.
Prospect Alexander Zharovsky is enjoying a fantastic season in the KHL. Not only was he given back-to-back Rookie Of The Month honours, he will also represent Salavat at the All-Star Game. He's getting roughly the same amount of overall ice time as Ivan Demidov did during his rookie campaign in the KHL, and he's actually on pace to produce more than countryman, but it must be noted that most of his points have come via the powerplay. Of course, any semblance of production as an 18-year-old in a professional league is encouraging. [ Canadiens Prospect Zharovsky Enjoys All-Star Rookie Season ]
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Lane Hutson is already inspiring the next generation of hockey players, which is somewhat odd, because he has just one full NHL season under his belt. To be more accurate, it's odd to me because I'm used to younger players emulating Hall of Famers, but there's obviously value in learning from Hutson's early-career excellence. [ NHL ]
Prospect Quentin Miller is definitely taking a unique path through Junior hockey. He spent two years in the QMJHL, before heading to the BCHL for a season. He's now playing for the University of Denver in the NCAA, and he's doing a great job guarding the net for the 2024 National Champions.
The Laval Rocket love playing the Belleville Senators. Adam Engstrom, in particular, always seems to put up a heavy dose of offence whenever Montreal's AHL affiliate faces their North Division rivals. Engstrom's point shot was deflected by Florian Xhekaj to open the scoring on Friday night.
Top prospect Michael Hage is easily one of the most dynamic players in the NCAA. Michigan lost to State, 3-1, but not before Hage set up a great goal for linemate Will Horcoff. Hage is now up to 10 goals and 18 assists in 20 games. As per tradition, it was a highlight-reel play from Hage.
The worst-kept secret in hockey is now official. The Canadiens and Winnipeg Jets will face each other at the Heritage Classic next season, which is set to take place at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg. [ Canadiens ]
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The Habs enjoyed a very solid outing versus the Toronto Maple Leafs. The game necessitated a shootout to decide the winner, and that's where newcomer Alexander Texier made his mark, scoring one of the nicest shootout goals you'll see this year. [ Canadiens Highlights: Texier Wins It With Great Shootout Goal ]
The Laval Rocket's six game winning streak came to an end on Saturday night, with a 4-3 loss versus the Belleville Senators. On the bright side, prospect Joshua Roy scored his sixth goal of the year, while Samuel Blais continued to rack-up the points in the AHL.
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