Maybe Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes knew something his critics didn’t … or at least something they didn’t properly factor in at the trade deadline.
The Canadiens of Montreal will be back in action tonight, as the Philadelphia Flyers will be visiting the Bell Centre. In preparation for this matchup, the Habs practiced this morning before addressing the media.
Throughout the season, Martin St-Louis has done everything to leave Michael Pezzetta on the sidelines. The majority of his 19 games have been played because the Habs didn’t have much of a choice.
How many of the yearly leaders in NHL goals since the 1990-91 season can you name in five minutes?
Yesterday, Joshua Roy did not play. Michael Pezzetta took the place of Arber Xhekaj. This has been talked about a lot because Roy had already skipped his turn during Friday night’s game and because the fact of taking out Xhekaj and rolling with six defensemen was a more notable change.
Things are going extremely well for the Montreal Canadiens right now, and before we know it, Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton will have to start thinking about a potential playoff lineup.
Tensions flared at Montreal Canadiens practice on Monday as Arber Xhekaj and Michael Pezzetta got into a scuffle. The exchange included stick slashes and shoulder checks but was short-lived, with both players making amends later in practice.
This morning, during training, it got heated between Arber Xhekaj and Michael Pezzetta. The two guys had a bit of a scrap… and it ended up getting quite physical.
I'll repeat myself, but I absolutely don't think it's a bad thing to see players ramp up the intensity and show their character during practice.. Especially since we can easily imagine that there's nothing personal between Arber Xhekaj and Michael Pezzetta.
The Canadian went west with only one extra player: Michael Pezzetta. Leaving with six defensemen is a risk. Even if Owen Beck was replaced by Joshua Roy, it didn’t change the fact that there was only one extra player.
The Canadian will play their next game on Saturday. They will be visiting Ottawa to face the Senators. That being said, with only a few days left before the game, the Canadian is in a somewhat precarious situation right now with the guys who are injured.
Clearly, Martin St-Louis wants to send messages tonight. A few minutes before the game in San Jose, Patrik Laine saw his coach confirm that he would not play in the top-6.
A few days ago, the Canadiens made the decision to recall Rafaël Harvey-Pinard. But since then, he had not yet had the chance to play a game at the top level.
Against all odds, the Canadiens are currently fighting for a playoff spot. And in the context where the CH needs to win games to solidify their position in the Eastern standings, there is a question that needs to be asked right now.
The Quebec native has officially been called up from the Laval Rocket! What wonderful and happy news for such an incredible person and teammate. This is exactly the type of reinforcement that benefits a locker room and team culture.
The big news of the day for the Montreal Canadiens is the last-minute call-up of Owen Beck. Since Michael Pezzetta has returned to the lineup, his playing time has been very limited and he was the one who gave up his spot for the young right-shot center.
The good old Pezz has barely played in January.
The excellent Bob Hartley has indeed made a statement that says a lot about one of the Montreal Canadiens' fan favorites. Michael Pezzetta, who became a real fan favorite during the Canadiens' 2021 training camp, particularly due to his energy, is said to be on the verge of leaving the team.
Once again last night, the Montreal Canadiens gave us a great hockey game against one of, if not the best team in the entire National Hockey League. Indeed, the Habs played a very solid game, being very engaged and determined throughout, which allowed them to secure two big points with a 3-2 overtime victory against the Washington Capitals.
A few minutes before the game, it was announced that David Savard and Patrik Laine would have to withdraw from the match against the Chicago Blackhawks.
Michael Pezzetta is in a strange situation in Montreal. As we approach January and the Canadiens have played 37 games, the good Pezz has only played three… and everything indicates that this is not about to change.
There was a time, not long ago, when Montreal Canadiens forward Michael Pezzetta’s efforts on the ice earned him the respect and admiration of the Bell Centre patrons.
In the NHL, success often hinges on a delicate balance of skill, grit, and adaptability. Players like Michael Pezzetta, who embody the latter two qualities, serve as vital pieces to the larger puzzle.
Before I forget, I should mention right away that I got the idea for this article from Charles-Alexis Brisebois of DansLesCoulisses. His article can be found here: He's absolutely right, but unfortunately, I believe it will be the same story all season for Pezzetta.
Welcome to my annual player review series, where I dive into the Edmonton Oilers season player-by-player. We’ll look back at the season that was, what kind of impact each player had, and what we could see from them next season.
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