MONTREAL — There it is, shining in all of its glory on the Montreal Canadiens’ balance sheet: a big fat zero.
Zero, as in zero cap space. Not a number closer to 10, which is the amount the Canadiens carried into three consecutive failed seasons, but zero.
That would be a problem for most other teams—especially now, with the global pandemic snuffing out NHL revenues for the foreseeable future—but not for this one. For this one, it’s the result of a monumental transformation since the middle of March.
It’s also a sign that Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin is betting on this group with everything he’s got.
With backup Jake Allen and his $4.35-million salary on the books, the Canadiens’ have secured the most expensive goaltending tandem in the league. Damned if it isn’t the best one.
Here’s the kicker: there isn’t much maneuvering for Bergevin to do from here to the start of next season, whenever that will be. He’s got a full NHL roster signed, a full AHL roster signed, and both groups are much-improved on paper. And he can make some minor tweaks to free up the $1.5-$2 million he said he’d like to have as a cushion for trade deadline additions, which should be easier to make with 14 total in the next draft—six in the first three rounds—and with one of the deepest prospect pools in the league to dish from.
So you could say the Canadiens are about as well-positioned today as they had a chance of being before this off-season got underway.
Zero has never looked better in this context.
“They look like a legitimate playoff team to me,” texted one Western Conference executive just moments after the Canadiens announced Toffoli’s four-year, $17-million contract on Monday.
He liked the deal, and we think it has promise too. Especially at $4.25 million per season.
We’re talking about a 28-year-old pure shooter. A reliable right-hander who can help the five-on-five numbers as much as he can the power play.
Tyler Toffoli (4×4.25m with Montreal) is an extremely strong all-around forward. Good defensively, tremendous driving offence at 5v5 and 5v4, good shooting efficiency. pic.twitter.com/PyjAItZ6Yi
Toffoli’s a four-time 20 goal-scorer who topped out at 31 in 2016. He’s scored 145 goals at this level, with just over 22 per cent of them coming on the power play. And with a 155 assists, it’s fair to say he’s an underrated playmaker.
“He’s very, very good at finding open space,” texted former Canadien Nate Thompson, who played with Toffoli with the Los Angeles Kings from 2017-19.
“He’s also a lot more gritty than people think,” Thompson added.
We got a glimpse of Toffoli’s edge with the Vancouver Canucks this past summer, when he played a hand in their impressive run to within one win of the Western Conference final. He was a threat nearly every time he hit the ice.
And if you’re wondering what Toffoli brings off of it, Thompson saying, “He’s a great teammate and the guys will love him,” seems reassuring.
Max Domi, who was traded from the Canadiens to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Anderson last week, said something similar about his former teammate with the OHL’s London Knights.
“I’m so excited for Montreal to have a guy like him,” Domi said about the six-foot-three, 222-pound Anderson. “It’s definitely something that they haven’t had for a long time, and Josh is a guy that there’s very few guys that can do what he does. He can go out and be a force in all aspects of the game. He’s obviously a power forward on the wing. He can skate very well for his size, a big body. He’s the kind of player that will come up big for you in games where you need some physical presence, and also a guy that can put the puck in the back of the net.”
Anderson had an injury-plagued 2019-20 season and scored just one goal and four points in 26 games. But one he’s only one year removed from scoring 27 goals, and he says he feels healthy and primed to deliver.
At 26, Anderson still has the upside to score 30, and the Canadiens hope he’s able to at least be close to the number on multiple occasions over the duration of his new seven-year contract with the team.
When you look at what he and Toffoli could bring, it’s easy to recognize how the dynamic up front changes. It’s fair to say neither of them are bona fide top-liners, but their additions help give the Canadiens three second lines and push some players from what was a decent third down to the fourth.
Edmundson and Romanov joining the defence core will have a similar effect.
Edmundson is a no. 5 defenceman who’s capable of playing up the lineup, and Romanov’s a future no. 2 who’s being afforded time to develop on the third pair thanks to the depth the Canadiens now have at the position. The former is a six-foot-four veteran with 337 games of NHL experience under his belt, and the latter is five-foot-11 rookie who plays big.
They round out a group that has Shea Weber, Jeff Petry and Ben Chiarot at the top end—three oversized players who play with bite.
“That whole defensive group is not going to be fun to play against,” texted the Western Conference executive.
And then you’ve got Carey Price and Allen behind them.
It’s a full squad. A deeper, stronger and better squad, with every penny invested. Bergevin should have zero regrets about that.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
