The “code” doesn’t exist according to Philippe Boucher and Jean-Charles Lajoie

The code. The famous code. The precious code.
I knew there was a code in the NHL, but working alongside Georges Laraque for a year helped me understand all the little details of that code.
The idea behind the code is simple: if you injure an opposing player by hitting him in an unclean manner, you’re going to have to throw away the gloves on the spot or at the next game between the two teams. It goes like this. You have to answer for your actions when you play professional North American

A year ago, Matvei Michkov was the talk of the town. The young Russian, on the verge of being drafted, was seen as a talented prospect whose situation in Russia meant he came with red flags.
Of course, with the Habs having the fifth pick in the draft, there was much debate in town… and in the end, Kent Hughes opted for David Reinbacher.
In the end, Michkov was selected seventh overall by the Flyers.
The Flyers are clearly excited to have a prospect of Michkov’s calibre in their org

Once again this year, the Edmonton Oilers are a powerhouse on the ice. Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard, you name it, there’s talent in Alberta.
In terms of sheer talent, few teams can match Edmonton’s group.
That said, as is the case every year, there’s still one problem with the Oilers: the club’s starting goalie, Stuart Skinner, isn’t living up to expectations. Calvin Pickard replaced him for game #4, and he’ll be in net for game #5 tonight.
P

In recent days, Maxim Tsyplakov’s name has been the talk of Montreal. The Russian forward, coming off a big season in the KHL, wanted to make the jump to North America for 2024-25.
And with Elliotte Friedman AND echoes in Russia linking him to the Habs, the whole thing was being watched in Quebec.
As it turned out, he’ll be playing under Patrick Roy next year, ashe reached an agreement with the Islanders. So the Canadiens missed out.
And obviously, he may not have been in the pictur

The position of general manager in Columbus will be a highly coveted one. After all, the team has good young players, will have another high pick in the next draft, and still has good veterans to surround these youngsters.
Not only will the position be coveted, but it will be one to watch, as we know that Marc Bergevin is a candidate.
But the Quebecer could be robbed of the job by another man with a wealth of experience in the field. That man is Ken Holland, current GM of the Edmonton Oilers.
A

The more the days go by, the more uncertain Nikolaj Ehlers’ future in Winnipeg becomes.
A few days ago, a journalist from The Athletic wrote in a piece that he could see the forward being traded. My colleague Marc-Olivier Cook summed it up.
But earlier today, Neil Smith, a former general manager, added more. He says the forward is on the trade market and Winnipeg even offered Ehlers to the Hurricanes.Sounds like #GoJetsGo Nikolai Ehlers is available in the trade market. It was reported a

There’s a major difference between guys like Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Alex Newhook and guys like Kirby Dach, Juraj Slafkovsky and Joshua Roy, for example.
Which is it? The first three have played in the Stanley Cup Final, while the others have little or no NHL playoff experience.
As a result, the first three can’t wait to taste it again, but the others (I could have added the names of many of the youngsters) also want the chance to go there.
Of the lot, Slaf is particularly ea

This week, we were watching to see if Maxim Tsyplakov would sign with the Canadiens.
Obviously, the chances of him landing in town had been there since tipster Elliotte Friedman revealed that the club was in the running, but nothing was official.
And now it’s done: he’s off to New York, under Patrick Roy.
#Isles News: The New York Islanders announced today that they have signed Maxim Tsyplakov to a one-year, entry-level contract.
– New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) May 16, 202

This week, we were watching to see if Maxim Tsyplakov would sign with the Canadiens.
Obviously, the chances of him landing in town had been there since tipster Elliotte Friedman revealed that the club was in the running, but nothing was official.
And now it’s done: he’s off to New York, under Patrick Roy.
#Isles News: The New York Islanders announced today that they have signed Maxim Tsyplakov to a one-year, entry-level contract.
– New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) May 16, 202

Oliver Kapanen has been on fire for several weeks now.
After a superb series in Finland (seven goals and seven assists in 13 games), he’s now having a great time at the World Championship. His six goals place him among the elite.
So he’s been on fire for a while. Patrik Bexell, who religiously covers the Flannel’s hopes in Europe, says he’s simply moved on to another level in 2024.
Oliver Kapanen’s six goals in the tournament so far is good, however I still rate hi

With the Canadiens having played their last game several weeks ago and the draft lottery now a thing of the past, what’s next for Montreal? We’re playingmock drafts and putting together the team’s various trios for the first game of the 2024-25 season.
Many fans are putting the player the Habs draft in the first round next month directly into their line-up for 2024-25, but if the past is any guide to the future, the team’s first-round pick next June will NOT be playing i

The World Championship is currently in full swing.
Slaf is doing well with Slovakia… Guhle is playing his part to perfection with Canada…
And then there’s Cole Caufield, who’s been virtually invisible since the start of the competition.
The American has picked up two assists in three games so far, even though the U.S. hasn’t faced any big countries.
The States lost their first game to Sweden… But then they played Germany and Slovakia, and the Canadian hasn

We know that the Canadiens are interested in Maxim Tsyplakov.
That said, the idea of seeing him end up in Montreal is starting to circulate quite a bit… And it’s starting to make a lot of noise.
I say that, because the very reliable Hockey News Hub account (X / Twitter) published a tweet in the last hour, in which we read that Tsyplakov “may be headed” to the Habs:Hearing #KHL Maxim Tsyplakov may be heading to #NHL #GoHabsGoNothing official yet.
– Hockey News Hub

Two weeks ago, David Perron was interviewed by Mario Langlois on 98.5 FM.
The Quebecer made some Canadiens fans salivate by openly saying that he has “always dreamed of playing in Montreal”…
Especially since he’ll be out of contract this summer.
But at 35 (almost 36), Perron is looking for stability, and that’s why he told Mario Langlois last night(again on 98.5 FM) that he wants to stay in Detroit.
He wants to be a leader there, and he’s happy in Michigan b

There was only one game last night in the NHL.
The Stars and Avalanche were playing Game 5 of their series…
And the Colorado team was facing elimination:
The @Avalanche defeated the Stars to stave off elimination, marking just the sixth postseason in NHL history in which all four second round series required at least six games (also 2017 R2, 2014 R2, 2009 CSF, 1999 CSF & 1986 DF). #StanleyCup#NHLStats: https://t.co/4LxI4QhScz pic.twitter.com/rf9ICx6zef
– NHL Public Relations (@

A few years ago, the NBA introduced a play-in tournament to its playoffs.
An extremely fascinating concept, it revolutionized the NBA. I’m not the biggest basketball fan, but let’s just say “this play-in” caught my attention.
For those of you unfamiliar with the play-in, let me explain.
Before this concept was introduced, like the NHL, eight teams per association participated in the playoffs. Now, six teams (per association) qualify for the spring tournament after the re

Carey Price’s eight-year, $10.5 million annual contract is well-deserved. Amply, in fact.
But now that he’s retired (unofficially), let’s just say it’s not looking good for the Habs. At least Kent Hughes is in a position to bury this amount on the LTIR for the entire season. Still, it’s a hefty contract, and I’m sure he’ll be counting the days until it expires.
Today, TVA Sports raised the idea that this contract could be wiped off the books sooner than

When it was announced that the Coyotes were moving to Salt Lake City, it took some time before André Tourigny’s return to the helm was confirmed.
In the end, it was done, but his future was/is not certain. Yes, the Quebecer had just signed a three-year extension, but that doesn’t mean anything. After all, Sheldon Keefe has just lost his job and his two-year contract extension still hasn’t taken effect…
Plus, there’s a new owner, who might have wanted to bri

The Canucks aren’t lucky.
Thatcher Demko was injured in Game 1 of the series against the Predators… so much so that Casey DeSmith had to replace him.
But in Game 3 of the series against the Preds, it was DeSmith who was injured. The result? Arturs Silovs has been keeping goal for Vancouver ever since.
DeSmith, in the end, only had to miss Game #4 of the series against the Preds… But Silovs was so good in Game #4 that Rick Tocchet doesn’t hesitate to trust him.
That sai

In the second half of the habs season, Juraj Slafkovsky was excellent.
He collected points on a regular basis and played as a 1st overall pick.
That said, the young forward continues to stand out as he enjoys a good tournament with Slovakia at the World Championship.
His country faced Poland today, and while the Poles may not be formidable on paper, Slaf was (again) a guest at the party.
He picked up an assist on his team’s third goal… because he fought his way up the ramp to retri

Toronto’s summer is likely to be a busy one.
Firstly, Brad Treliving will have to find a new coach…
And secondly, one of the players in the famous Core 4 could be traded elsewhere.
We’ve been talking about this possibility lately, and it’s logical to believe that Matthews and Nylander won’t be traded because they signed long-term contracts with the Leafs last year.
Jeff Marek recently described #88 and #34 as untouchables in the Queen City.That said, Mitch Marner

The news involving Valeri Nichushkin has been the talk of the town in recent days.
His team-mates publicly slammed him for his bad decisions…And ultimately, it’s safe to say that all this had an impact on the Avalanche’s crushing 5-1 loss to the Dallas Stars on Monday night.After all, it must have been difficult for the players to focus on the ultimate goal, because it was a major distraction.
Antoine Roussel spoke about the subject last night on 98.5 FM, and he’s in a

Yesterday, we learned that Marc Bergevin was a candidate for the position of GM of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
It may not be the sexiest job in the NHL, both because of the organization and the fact that Columbus doesn’t have a big club, but it’s still a GM job in the NHL.
If Bergevin were to inherit the job, he’d potentially enjoy rebuilding the club in his own way.
Free Puck | Will Marc Bergevin inherit the job in Columbus? https://t.co/imTt1yX7YI
– La Presse Sports (@L

Beckett Sennecke is clearly a name to keep an eye on for the Habs. After all, while he may not be that high on the Habs’ roster, he’s still a target.
More and more, people see him in the top-10 of the next draft. And if a club other than the Habs wants a forward instead of a defenseman, he could become a pretty interesting target based on the fact that he’s a riser – a guy who moves up the rankings quickly.
I see him going out around 10th, but I don’t work for an N

Parity is an ultra-important concept in sport. Knowing that anyone can beat anyone on any given night is a key concept in making a sports competition relevant and interesting.
The NHL has gone to great lengths over the years to ensure that all its teams have a chance. Even its expansion drafts, amateur draft and lottery are designed to meet this concept of parity.
NFL football, NBA basketball, CFL women’s hockey, MLS soccer… these are all leagues where there is some parity between

Carey Price has some good news.
The former Canadiens goalie will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Northern British Columbia. The ceremony will take place on May 31 in Prince George.
That’s what the Canadiens have just announced.Congratulations to Carey Price, who will receive an honorary degree from @UNBC this monthPress release ↓ #GoHabsGohttps://t.co/eA5NX9vXUX
– Montreal Canadiens (@CanadiensMTL) May 15, 2024Details to come…
The post Ca

For better or worse, Evander Kane has always been the talk of the town. The player is no stranger to controversy, let’s put it that way.
This isn’t the first time I’ve started something like this in the last few days, because it’s always true in his case. It was true when we talked about his departure from golf… and it’s true again this morning.
After all, yesterday, his hit on Tyler Myers attracted as much attention as his ability to change a hockey game wi

As you may know, Leon Draisaitl is an excellent hockey player. Or so the rumor goes.
All joking aside, it’s clear from the start of the playoffs just how dominant he is. He’s arguably the best player in the series, even though he’s been playing through injury for the past few games.
Yesterday, he collected two points, bringing his total to 20 in nine games. He’s leading the NHL right now.
Draisaitl tonight:
– 1 goal
– 2 points
– 1 penalty drawn (that le

The series brings out the best in some players and the worst in others.
In the category of those who don’t deliver the goods, we can name several Vancouver Canucks players, who lost last night’s game against the Oilers.
The series is tied 2-2.
(Credit: NHL.com)
And when I say that several Canucks players (including Elias Pettersson) didn’t show up, it’s not just a personal opinion: it’s what Canucks coach Rick Tocchet said.
And it could hardly be clearer.We need fi