The Canadiens hope that Jake Evans can develop into a bargain player by the end of his three-year contract. [The Athletic]
Stephane Waite agrees with Marc Bergevin concerning the goaltending coach’s dismissal last season. [RDS]
From Costco to the Canadiens. It’s been quite a year for Arber Xhekaj. [The Record]/
Around the league and elsewhere
Two Victoriaville Tigres players have been formally charged with sexual assault stemming from an alleged incident that occurred after the team won the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League title. [TSN]
Masks, proof-of-vaccination, negative tests—how NHL teams are planning to welcome fans back. [ESPN]
An investigation of San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane over allegations he violated the NHL’s COVID-19 protocols centres around usage of a fake vaccination card. [Front Office Sports]
Mika Zibanejad, Victor Hedman, and Gabriel Landeskog are the first three names submitted by the Swedish Ice Hockey Federation for their Olympic squad. [NHL.com]
Scott Wheeler makes his predictions for the WHL, OHL, and QMJHL. [The Athletic]
How far apart are the Ottawa Senators and Brady Tkachuk? [TSN (Video)]
Hendrix Lapierre has been a surprise, possibly seizing an opportunity opened by Nicklas Backstrom’s absence. [The Hockey News]
Tyler Amburgey’s anger was “like a light switch,” says his widow, attributing it to posthumously diagnosed CTE. [TSN]
Robin Lehner was “encouraged” after meeting with the NHL and NHLPA, a day after voicing concerns about teams promoting prescription drug usage among players. [Sportsnet]
Bottom-feeders to true contenders: a label for every team. [Down Goes Brown]
On January 7, 2022, the Kalamazoo Wings will become the first professional hockey team to host a game on rainbow-colored ice. [ECHL]/
