Habs Headlines: What “in the mix” means from a points perspective

Montreal Canadiens news and notes

Quantifying what “in the mix” actually means. [La Presse]
Michael Hage is working to be the next Jack Eichel. [RG.org]
Montreal’s defensive play is beginning to come around, and the work from Jayden Struble and Arber Xhekaj on the third pairing has been a key part of it. [La Presse]
Lane Hutson’s comfort with the NHL game has been greater than anyone could have predicted. [TVA Sports]
Cole Caufield is unhappy with his low shot total. [Journal de Montreal]
Rafaël Harvey-Pinard was able to participate in all drills at practice on Wednesday as he nears a return. [Journal de Montreal]
Michael Pezzetta is making sure to be a positive teammate knowing he’s most likely to be a spectator each game. [Journal de Montreal]
Samuel Montembeault won’t be facing Marc-Andre Fleury in Minnesota tonight, but he is nevertheless thankful to Fleury and the Quebec-born superstar goalies who inspired him. [Journal de Montreal]
Connor McDavid is helping to grow interest in the game of hockey the way Howie Morenz did 100 years ago. [NHL.com]
“We want to play in blocks of five. We protect, support, and encourage each other,” Pascal Vincent explains about the number-one tactic of the Laval Rocket. [AHL.com]
Vincent says Owen Beck is “on a mission” to grow his game. [RDS]
University of Minnesota head coach Bob Motzko predicts Luke Mittelstadt’s complete game will give the defenceman an NHL future. [Journal de Montreal]

The free agent frenzy might be slower this season because the league warned general managers about tampering rules this week; that they’re not allowed to speak with players of other teams before their contracts expire. [The Athletic]
The CHL/NCAA agreement was the hottest topic of discussion as everyone tries to envision what it’s going to look like. [Sportsnet]
Connor Hellebuyck and strong team chemistry have allowed the Winnipeg Jets to get off to the best start in NHL history. [NHL.com]
Despite an off-season of change, the Carolina Hurricane are just as strong as they’ve been in recent years. [NHL.com]
Mattias Samuelsson will miss weeks with the injury sustained versus Montreal, while Tage Thompson and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen are day-to-day. [NHL.com]
The Sabres claimed James Reimer off waivers. [TSN]
Hampus Lindholm will also be out multiple weeks for the Boston Bruins. [Sportsnet]
Cam Fowler and Robby Fabbri were placed on Injured Reserve by the Anaheim Ducks. [Sportsnet]
The players who could be targeted via offer sheet in the summer. [The Athletic]
The trial for the five players from Canada’s 2018 World Juniors team will begin on April 22, 2025. [TSN]
Porter Martone jumps to the top of Corey Pronman’s 2025 draft rankings. [The Athletic]