Hello Hockey Fans, Episode 194 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast has arrived. The topics include-

#1. When the unexpected happens, it’s why you don’t trade prospects and it happens a lot more often than people think.

#2. Examples of the unexpected are Kaiden Guhle and David Reinbacher.

#3. The most games that Kaiden Guhle has played in any season to date is 70 games. Every other season he’s played in has been 40 some games, that’s a major problem.

#4. David Reinbacher was not my choice to select at the number 5 selection/position overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. His injuries concerned me then.

#5. Matvie Mitchkov was not my choice to select at the number 5 selection/position overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. Matvie Mitchkov has been little more than a headcase to this point.

#6. My choice would have been and remains today, the selection of Ryan Leonard RW out of Boston College with the number 5 selection in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.

#7. At this point, it’s a struggle to see Kaiden Guhle or David Reinbacher in the long-term starting 6, on Montreal’s defense. Even though when healthy, Kaiden Guhle is solid and even though David Reinbacher looked really good in that first training camp with Lane Hutson, their injuries are far bigger concerns.

#8. The reality of the eventual long-term top 6 defensemen for the Montreal Canadiens really looks like Lane Hutson paired with Bryce Pickford. Noah Dobson paired with Adam Engstrom and if anything was to happen to or with Noah Dobson, Mike Mathenson would be the logical choice in this pairing and Arber Xhekaj paired with Owen Protz

#9. It remains to be seen or determined if Bogdan Konyushkov comes over from Russia, he may want to stay, TBD.

#10. With all the defensive talent that the Montreal Canadiens have in their organization, Kaiden Guhle, David Reinbacher, Alexander Carrier and Jayden Struble could easily be the odd men out and the ones that get traded.

#11. The desire to acquire every possible player has to stop. There are only 20 spots on an NHL roster. 2 Goaltenders, 6 defensemen and 12 forwards or 2 Goaltenders, 7 defensemen and 11forwards. You can have 3 in the stands in reserve, but they cannot dress or play in addition to the starting 20.

#12. The young players and all of the organizational prospects that the Montreal Canadiens have within their organization are better than any player they could acquire within any trade.

#13. Thankfully, Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes oversee the Montreal Canadiens. It’s their skills, experience, knowledge and drafting that has built the Montreal Canadiens into a very enviable NHL Club.

Hello hockey fans, Episode 193 of the hockey free for all podcast has arrived and this week and there is no shortage of topics to discuss, they include-

#1. The Montreal Canadiens do even remotely need to acquire Alexis Lafrenière, his substandard work ethic, his bloated contract or his lack of production.

#2. Alexis Lafrenière is not even worth trading Joshua Roy straight up one for one.

#3. Thankfully, the Montreal Canadiens have returned goalie Jacob Fowler to the Laval Rockets.

#4. Montreal has also returned Owen Beck to the Laval Rockets.

#5. There is absolutely nothing wrong with or missing from Juraj Slafkovsky’s game!

#6. Not only should the Montreal Canadiens not trade Juraj Slafkovsky, but I also wouldn’t trade him straight up for Connor McDavid. Hear why!

#7. The prejudgment and poor judgement of Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Lane Hutson, Oliver Kapanen, Aber Xhekaj and many others clearly shows extremely poor insight.

#8. Oliver Kapanen has done an exceptional job!

#9. Adam Engstrom, Michael Hage, Owen Protz, Alexander Zharanovski, Bryce Pickford, Jacob Fowler, L.J. Mooney, David Reinbacher and Bogdan Konyushkov have not arrived full time or at all yet?

#10. Dach is back. Let’s see how long he can stay healthy!

#11. Alexander Texiers has been the best acquisition by far!

#12. Other than a hot start, Zack Bolduc has and continues to contribute nothing!

#13. The Zack Bolduc for Logan Mailloux trade has been a wash to this point.

#14. If Logan Mailloux’s skill set and game comes together. The St. Louis Blues win this trade hands down, no question asked.

#15. If the Montreal Canadiens are active at the trade deadline, the focus is on unloading, Patrik Laine, Josh Anderson, Jake Evans, Brenden Gallagher, Samuel Blais, Zack Bolduc, Kirby Dach, the recently acquired Phillip Danault “who has yet to make any significant contributions”, Joe Veleno, Jayden Struble and Samuel Montembeau.

#16. The only prospects that should be moved are Fillip Mesar, Riley Kidney, Joshua, Ty Smilanic and perhaps Owen Beck.

#17. Explain this one, there is now a rumor that the Montreal Canadiens should acquire 6’ 06 center Michael McCarron. Someone give me the 6-year old answer here, so I can somehow understand this one.

#18. What would Michael McCarron bring to the Montreal Canadiens? Would it be (A) some type of amazing talent and abilities within his career that’s been somehow missed or not seen by anyone and everyone to this moment? Would it be (B) Some amazing talent or skill that Michael McCarron possess that the Montreal Canadiens must have, and can’t continue to exist without? Or would it be (C) and the very likely reason of the amazing amount, that clearly don’t realize that there are only 20 available spots on every hockey roster to occupy? Which is it?

Hello hockey fans, Episode 192 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast has arrived. This week’s topics include.

#1. Gerard Gallant has stepped away from coaching in the KHL after consulting with doctors regarding as illness he has been dealing with.

#2. The Columbus Blue Jackets have parted ways with head coach Dean Evanson and have replaced him with Rick Bowness.

#3. The kid line really? Ivan Demidov, Oliver Kapanen and Juraj Slafkovsky are not a kid line. Stop insulting players. They are a young thriving and gelling line, that has chemistry and are professional hockey players whose games are evolving together on a line.

#4. Am I seriously seeing people start to predict that Oliver Kapanen should be or will be a 5-to-7-million-dollar player on his next contract? How ignorant are people? 3 to 3.5 million maybe. 27 points in 46 games does not even remotely equate to Oliver Kapanen making 5 to 7 million dollars in his next contract. Not even close. What rock do these people hide or live under.

#5. The bottom 6 forwards of Montreal’s Roster is really nothing to write home about or to be excited about and is the area of focus. Not more veteran presence or the ignorant relentless screaming for a second line center that the team clearly does not need and currently has a very capable player in Oliver Kapanen who is more than adequately filling that role and position for the team.

#6. Now that Kaiden Guhle has returned, let’s see how long Kaiden Guhle can stay healthy?

#7. With Kaiden Guhle’s never ending injuries, where do the Montreal Canadien’s go from here with Kaiden Guhle?

#8. Can Kaiden Guhle still be relied on with his injury history?

#9. Can Kaiden Guhle still be considered a cornerstone player and rebuild piece of the franchise with his injury history?

#10. Kirby Dach has returned to active status, what is his role and future with the team?

#11. Had Kirby Dach not suffered relentless and repeated serious injuries, he could have easily been the team second line center as he is extremely talented when healthy!

#12. At this point, Kirby Dach can only be considered a roster depth player at best.

#13. It’s highly unlikely that Kirby Dach continuous to be part of the Montreal Canadiens after his current contract expires, it’s far too risky and unreliable of a situation for the organization.