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Canadiens News & Rumours: Tatar, Julien, Laval & More – The Hockey Writers

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The Montreal Canadiens ended the week on a positive note with a comeback victory over the first-place Toronto Maple Leafs. The Habs have struggled recently, losing three of their last four games, and needed a win to keep pace with their North Division rivals. In this week’s news and rumours, we take a look at the fallout of a hard couple of weeks for the Canadiens.

Tatar Healthy Scratch Against the Leafs

Before the last game against the Leafs, it was announced that Tomas Tatar would be a healthy scratch for the Canadiens. Tatar led the team in scoring last season with 22 goals and 61 points; however, he is off to a mediocre start to this season, scoring only four goals and eight points in 14 games. On top of that, Tatar had six points in his first six games but only two in the last nine. This slump led Canadiens head coach Claude Julien to decide and sit the veteran winger in an all-important game against the Leafs.

Montreal Canadiens left wing Tomas Tatar celebrates a goal (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz)

Tatar isn’t the only Canadien player slumping right now, but Julien had to send a message to his players, which was the easiest choice. Phil Danault is another Habs player struggling, having failed to score a goal in his last 37 games and only gathering six points so far this season. Julien could’ve sat him, but that would leave a major hole for the team at the center position, forcing him to play a winger like Paul Byron at the center on the fourth line. The lack of center depth is what made the choice to sit Tatar easy. The fact that the Canadiens won the game is a good sign the message was received.

Julien Could be on a Short leash

With the Canadiens playing very poorly in their last four games, the “Fire Julien” chants – or tweets in this case – have been going full swing. The Canadiens had lost three of their last four, with the only victory coming against the Ottawa Senators, where the Habs were lucky to get the win. The team went from being the best scoring team in the NHL to only scoring six goals over that four-game span and looking lost while doing so. It seems that their opponents adjusted to the Canadiens style of play and clogged up the neutral zone to slow the team down. The Habs didn’t change their game plan and continued using the same technique to negative results.

Related: Canadiens Need to Retool Their Breakout

This failure to answer back by the Canadiens has fans and media questioning whether Julien should stay at the helm. (from ‘What the Puck: Short leash in short season for Canadiens coach Julien?,’ Montreal Gazette, 02/12/2021) As most Canadiens fans know, Julien plays a system and likes to stick to it and have the players commit to it even it isn’t working; with this shortened season, a losing streak could be very detrimental to the team if it continues. In retrospect, the Habs only lost two games in a row, but they haven’t looked good in the past four; this has led some to believe that Julien should be very closely watched and, if things start sliding down, he should be removed. Fans have long memories, and the stain of two eight-game losing streaks last season is still relatively fresh in their minds; there is no room in this shortened season for long losing streaks, and everyone knows it.

The Laval Rocket Off to a Hot Start

The Rocket is off to a hot start to their delayed AHL season with two convincing victories over the Belleville Senators this past weekend. After almost a full year without playing, the Rocket started the weekend with a 5-1 win and followed that up the next night with another 5-1 victory. Head coach Joel Bouchard had his team ready to go on all cylinders playing a strong two-way game and using all his lines to his advantage.

There were a few milestones on the weekend, with Canadiens prospect Joel Teasdale scoring his first pro goal and adding an assist in the first game, while in the second game, Raphael Harvey-Pinard would net his first goal. Habs’ top goalie Prospect Cayden Primeau stopped 22 of 23 shots for the win in game one, and Micheal McNiven was just as solid in game two, stopping 25 of 26 shots. Former Canadiens regular Jordan Weal and prospect Lukas Vejdemo had three points each over the two games. The Rocket next play Bellville again on Feb. 16 in hopes of continuing their hot streak.

Habs Star Ralph Backstrom Dies

With heavy hearts, the Canadiens announced the passing of former Montreal forward Ralph Backstrom on Feb. 7. Backstrom was a member of the Canadiens from 1956 until 1971, winning the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in 1958-59. He was mainly used as a depth forward and had his best season in 1961-62 when he scored 27 goals and 65 points in 66 games.

Related: Ralph Backstrom Dies; Was 6-Time Cup Winner with Canadiens

Backstrom would help the Canadiens win six Stanley cups and played over 1,000 games for his career, including stops in Los Angeles and Chicago. He would go on to score 639 points in 1,032 games. He would also help the Canadiens as a member of the Los Angeles Kings, and he helps the Kings finish higher in the standings than the California Golden Seals. The Habs had the Seals’ first-round pick, and this ensured the Canadiens would pick Guy Lafleur in the 1971 draft.

Byron Placed on Waivers

Canadiens’ forward Paul Byron was placed on waivers this weekend. Byron wasn’t having the greatest start, scoring only 3 assists in 13 games. This seems more like a paper move, but the Habs still could lose him on waivers. Byron’s contract should allow him to pass through waivers and allow the Canadiens to save $1.075 million on the cap while Byron is on the taxi squad.

Paul Byron, Montreal Canadiens (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

This is a good indication that Habs GM Marc Bergevin is serious about this team and the young players going forward. Although Byron is well-liked, Bergevin is still willing to put him on waivers to clear cap space and replace him in the lineup. With Tatar’s recent healthy scratch and Byron going on waivers, it sends a clear message that no one is considered untouchable in the veteran group.

Well that’s this weeks news and rumours – the Canadiens have the next week off and play the Leafs again on Saturday, starting a five games in seven nights run. Thanks for reading.



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New York Rangers lean on depth for decisive 7-2 win over Montreal Canadiens

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MONTREAL – On a night when New York’s top line was missing in action, the bit players grabbed the spotlight and led the Rangers to a commanding 7-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens.

“That’s the kind of team we have,” said Filip Chytil, who led the Rangers with a pair of power-play goals Tuesday. “The guys on the top line had chances but when they don’t score we have three other lines to pick up the slack.”

The Rangers’ dominance was reflected in the amount of time they spent in the Canadiens zone and their 45-23 edge in shots.

“If you’ve watched us practice, you know that’s something we work on all the time,” said Chytil. “When we get the puck, we want to hold on to it.”

The Rangers grabbed a 2-0 lead on goals by Mika Zibanejad at the 56-second mark and Jonny Brodzinski at 2:05, but it was Montreal which pressed the play in the first minute.

“I thought we had a good start but they turned it around on us,” said Montreal coach Martin St. Louis.

Lane Hutson controlled the puck off the opening faceoff and had two early shots, both of which were blocked by New York’s Jacob Trouba.

“That was huge for us,” said Rangers coach Peter Laviolette. “We know (Trouba) can generate offence but he can come up with those big defensive plays.”

Montreal goalie Sam Montembeault exited at 11:05 of the first period after giving up four goals on 10 shots. Zibanejad, Brodzinski, Chytil and Reilly Smith all scored on the Habs’ starter.

His replacement, Cayden Primeau, stopped 33 of 35 shots, giving up goals to Braden Schneider, Kaapo Kakko and Chytil.

Nick Suzuki scored both of the Montreal goals, his first strikes of the season

“It didn’t really feel like a 7-2 game until the end there when you look up at the scoreboard,” Suzuki said. “But we obviously keep digging ourselves these holes, and against a good team like that, our details early on have to be really sharp. And we were definitely a little sleepy coming out and they jumped on us.”

Hutson led the Canadiens in ice time with 24:10 but this wasn’t one of his better games. Smith scored on a breakaway after taking the puck off Hutson’s stick and the rookie was minus-4 for the night.

After Tuesday’s morning practice, the Canadiens announced forward Juraj Slafkovsky will miss at least a week with an upper-body injury. Defenceman Kaiden Guhle missed a second consecutive game with an upper-body injury but the team said it isn’t a long-term ailment.

The injury situation didn’t get any better after Trouba flattened Justin Barron at 7:11 of the third period. Barron didn’t return to the ice but there was no immediate word on his condition.

The Rangers welcomed back defenceman Ryan Lindgren, who made his season debut after missing five games with a jaw injury.

Before the game, 14 players from the Canadiens’ team that won four consecutive Stanley Cups between 1976 and 1979 were introduced at the Bell Centre. Among them were Hockey Hall of Fame members Yvan Cournoyer, Serge Savard, Guy Lapointe, Bob Gainey and Ken Dryden.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2024.

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Ohtani’s historic 50-50 ball sells at auction for nearly $4.4M amid ongoing dispute over ownership

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Shohei Ohtani’s 50th home run ball has sold at auction for nearly $4.4 million, a record high price not just for a baseball, but for any ball in any sport, the auctioneer said Wednesday.

Ohtani became the first player in baseball history to hit 50 homers and steal 50 bases in a season, reaching the milestone on Sept. 19 when the Los Angeles Dodgers star hit his second of three homers against the Marlins.

“We received bids from around the world, a testament to the significance of this iconic collectible and Ohtani’s impact on sports, and I’m thrilled for the winning bidder,” Ken Goldin, the founder and CEO of auctioneer Goldin Auctions said in a statement.

The auction opened on Sept. 27 with a starting bid of $500,000 and closed just after midnight on Wednesday. The auctioneer said it could not disclose any information about the winning bidder.

The auction has been overshadowed by the litigation over ownership of the ball. Christian Zacek walked out of Miami’s LoanDepot Park with the ball after gaining possession in the left-field stands. Max Matus and Joseph Davidov each claim in separate lawsuits that they grabbed the ball first.

All the parties involved in the litigation agreed that the auction should continue.

Matus’ lawsuit claims that the Florida resident — who was celebrating his 18th birthday — gained possession of the Ohtani ball before Zacek took it away. Davidov claims in his suit that he was able to “firmly and completely grab the ball in his left hand while it was on the ground, successfully obtaining possession of the 50/50 ball.”

Ohtani and the Dodgers are preparing for Game 1 of the World Series scheduled for Friday night.

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LeBron and Bronny James make history as the NBA’s first father-son duo to play together

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James gave his 20-year-old son a pep talk before they rose from the Lakers bench. Amid rising cheers, they walked together to the scorer’s table — and then they stepped straight into basketball history.

LeBron and Bronny became the first father and son to play in the NBA together Tuesday night during the Los Angeles Lakers ‘ season opener, fulfilling a dream set out a few years ago by LeBron, the top scorer in league history.

“That moment, us being at the scorer’s table together and checking in together, it’s a moment I’m never going to forget,” LeBron said. “No matter how old I get, no matter how my memory may fade as I get older or whatever, I will never forget that moment.”

Father and son checked into the game against Minnesota simultaneously with four minutes left in the second quarter, prompting a big ovation from a home crowd aware of the enormity of the milestone. The 39-year-old LeBron had already started the game and played 13 minutes before he teamed up with his 20-year-old son for about 2 1/2 minutes of action.

LeBron James is one of the greatest players in NBA history, a four-time champion and 20-time All-Star, while LeBron James Jr. was a second-round pick by the Lakers last summer. They are the first father and son to play in the world’s top basketball league at the same time, let alone on the same team.

“Y’all ready? You see the intensity, right? Just play carefree, though,” father told son on the bench before they checked in, an exchange captured by the TNT cameras and microphones. “Don’t worry about mistakes. Just go out and play hard.”

Their time on court together was fast and furious, just as LeBron promised.

LeBron, who finished the night with 16 points, missed two perimeter shots before making a dunk. Bronny had an early offensive rebound and missed a tip-in, and his first NBA jump shot moments later was a 3-pointer that came up just short. He checked out one possession later with 1:19 left in the second quarter, getting another ovation.

Bronny didn’t play again in the Lakers’ 110-103 victory over the Timberwolves.

“(I) tried not to focus on everything that’s going on around me, and tried to focus on going in as a rookie and not trying to mess up,” Bronny said. “But yeah, I totally did feel the energy, and I appreciate Laker Nation for showing the support for me and my dad.”

After the final whistle on the Lakers’ first opening-night victory in LeBron’s seven seasons with the team, father and son also headed to the locker room together — but not before stopping in the tunnel to hug Savannah James, LeBron’s wife and Bronny’s mother. The entire family was in attendance to watch history — on little sister Zhuri’s 10th birthday, no less.

Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. also were courtside at the Lakers’ downtown arena to witness the same history they made in Major League Baseball. The two sluggers played 51 games together for the Seattle Mariners in 1990 and 1991 as baseball’s first father-son duo.

The Jameses and the Griffeys met during pregame warmups for some photos and a warm chat between two remarkable family lines.

LeBron first spoke about his dream to play alongside Bronny a few years ago, while his oldest son was still in high school. The dream became real after Bronny entered the draft as a teenager following one collegiate season, and the Lakers grabbed him with the 55th overall pick.

“I talked about it years and years ago, and for this moment to come, it’s pretty cool,” LeBron said. “I don’t know if it’s going to actually hit the both of us for a little minute, but when we really get to sit back and take it in, it’s pretty crazy. … But in the moment, we still had a job to do when we checked in. We wasn’t trying to make it a circus. We wasn’t trying to make it about us. We wanted to make it about the team.”

LeBron and Bronny joined a small club of father-son professional athletes who played together. The Griffeys made history 34 years ago, and they even homered in the same game on Sept. 14, 1990.

Baseball Hall of Famer Tim Raines and his namesake son also accomplished the feat with the Baltimore Orioles in 2001.

In hockey, Gordie Howe played alongside his two sons, Mark and Marty, with the WHA’s Houston Aeros and Team Canada before one NHL season together on the Hartford Whalers in 1979-80, when Gordie was 51.

While the other family pairings on this list happened late in the fathers’ careers, LeBron shows no signs of slowing down or regressing as he begins his NBA record-tying 22nd season.

LeBron averaged more than 25 points per game last year for his 20th consecutive season, and he remains the most important player on the Lakers alongside Anthony Davis as they attempt to recapture the form that won a championship in 2020 and got them to the Western Conference finals in 2023.

Bronny survived cardiac arrest and open heart surgery in the summer of 2023, and he went on to play a truncated freshman season at the University of Southern California. He declared for the draft anyway, and the Lakers eagerly used the fourth-to-last pick in the draft on the 6-foot-2 guard.

LeBron spent the summer in Europe with the gold medal-winning U.S. team at the Paris Olympics, while Bronny played for the Lakers in summer league. They started practicing together with the Lakers before training camp.

The duo first played together in the preseason, logging four minutes during a game against Phoenix just outside Palm Springs earlier this month.

“It’s been a treat,” LeBron said at Tuesday’s morning shootaround. “In preseason, the practices, just every day … bringing him up to speed of what this professional life is all about, and how to prepare every day as a professional.”

The Lakers were fully aware of the history they would make with this pairing, and coach JJ Redick spoke with the Jameses recently about a plan to make it happen early in the regular season.

The presence of the Griffeys likely made it an inevitability for opening night, even though Redick said the Lakers still wanted it “to happen naturally, in the flow of the game.”

The Lakers have declined to speculate on how long Bronny will stay on their NBA roster. Los Angeles already has three other small guards on its roster, and Bronny likely needs regular playing time to raise his game to a consistent NBA standard.

Those factors add up to indicate Bronny is likely to join the affiliate South Bay Lakers of the G League at some point soon. LeBron and Redick have both spoken positively about the South Bay team, saying that player development is a key part of the Lakers organization.

Miami forward Kevin Love, who knew all the James children — Bronny, Bryce and Zhuri — from his time as LeBron’s teammate in Cleveland, said it was “an unbelievable moment” to see father and son playing together.

“I grew up a Mariners fan, so I got to see Griffey and then Griffey Sr. But this is different, because LeBron is still a top-five player in the league,” Love said. “This game, man. It’s why we have that ($76 billion) TV deal. The storylines and the things that happen like this, it’s an unbelievable story. This is really cool to see.”

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AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds in Miami contributed.

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