Episode Details

Hello Hockey Fans. Episode 195 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast has arrived, this week’s topics include

#1. How does a trade for Jesper Wallstedt of the Minnesota Wild even make remote sense for the Montreal Canadiens, when they already have Jacob Fowler who other than playing in a few more NHL games are nearly identical.

#2. Trading for something you already have makes no since in any way one looks at it.

#3. For the first time since the Sam Pollock administration the Montreal Canadiens have reestablished and understand the importance of and implementation of prospect/player development and scouting accuracy.

#4. Jakub Dobes has clearly established himself as the number one goaltender in Montreal.

#5. It’s not surprising at all that Kaapo Kahkonen is looking at international opportunities past the 2025/2026 as the Montreal Canadiens have a plethora of goaltending prospects beyond Jacob Fowler and Jakub Dobes.

#6. Montreal Canadiens do need to acquire St. Louis Blues Forwards Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou. It’s highly unlikely the St. Louis Blues will want Patrik Laine, Bredan Gallagher or Josh Anderson.

#9. The Montreal Canadiens have the least amount of cap space in the entire NHL.

#10. The Montreal Canadiens have run out of roster spots.

#11. The Montreal Canadiens already have to many players for the number of roster spots that are available on an NHL roster.

#12. So, to all of those that seem to want to acquire every player possible, where do  Michael Hage, Alexander Zharanovsky, Adam Engstrom or Jacob Fowler, just to name a few, fit in?

#13. There is no player in the entire NHL that Montreal Acquire that would be more valuable to Montreal Canadiens than their own prospects that they are draft and developing will be.

#14. Of course, everyone wants to make trades with or are calling the Montreal Canadiens, because they know how good Montreal’s prospects are and they want them.

#15. Whose development are you going to sacrifice and destroy? Michael Hage, Alexander Zharanovsky, Adam Engstrom, Bryce Pickford, L.J. Mooney, Owen Protz, David Reinbacher or one of the many others, that are ready to slot in?

#16. The top 3 centers for the Montreal Canadiens are set number one, Nick Suzuki, Number 2 Micheal Hage/Oliver Kapanen and number 3 Oliver Kapanen/Michael Hage. Those are in place and decided.

#17. Oliver Kapanen is leading all rookies in goals scored.

#18. Ivan Demidov is leading all rookies in assists and total points

#19. It’s time to trade Patrik Laine, no more chances.

#20. Josh Anderson, Brendan Gallagher, Jake Evans, Alexander Carrier, Jayden Struble, Samual Montembeau, Kirby Dach, Joe Veleno and Patrik Laine all need to be moved before or at the trade deadline. It won’t happen, one can only hope that any many that can will be.