Carey Price’s name still carries real weight in Montreal, and the people who played around him made that clear in a fresh round of reflection. Phillip Danault, Kaiden Guhle and Martin St.
Louis all spoke about what Price meant to the Canadiens, and the conversation went well beyond the saves he made. Danault called it a privilege to play for Montreal and said he’ll never be Price, but wants to leave his own mark.
St. Louis described Price as a quiet, confident presence who gave the players in front of him confidence.
That kind of impact is a big reason the case for Price’s Hall of Fame place feels so strong. He won the Hart, Vezina, Ted Lindsay and Jennings in 2015, and added Olympic gold in 2014. Injuries shortened his career, but in Montreal, the way people still talk about him says plenty about where he stands in Canadiens history.
Out in Edmonton, a Jordan Binnington idea got some attention, but Elliotte Friedman pumped the brakes. Erik Johnson had floated the Oilers as a possible destination, yet Friedman said Edmonton is not chasing him right now. Binnington’s big-game résumé is part of what makes him interesting, with strong showings in events like the 4 Nations and the Olympics, and Friedman said a good team would trust him in a major spot.
Still, the fit isn’t there at the moment. Binnington is due a new contract, Hofer has basically taken over the St.
Louis job, and the price tag matters too, since he costs more than $5 million and has a rough regular-season record. Friedman’s point was simple: if goaltending becomes an issue later, that could change, but for now the Oilers aren’t looking his way.
Then there’s Winnipeg, where the Devils have created an awkward situation by deciding not to start Connor Hellebuyck in his return. The team says the move gives them a better chance to win, but Hellebuyck wanted to play and is disappointed by the decision, even if he understands it.
He said he loves Winnipeg and wanted to face whatever reaction came from the fans. He’ll still speak with the media, but he won’t get the chance to take the ice. What should have been a meaningful night has instead turned into an uncomfortable one for everyone involved.
In Other News...
Oilers Win Came With A Bench Blunder Fans Will Debate
A win is a win, but Edmonton left the kind of side note that tends to linger with a fan base. The Oilers controlled enough of the night to bank two points, yet a blown power play sequence turned a comfortable edge into a little more stress than it needed to be, and it was the sort of bench detail that can get replayed long after the final horn.
Head coach Mike Babcock said the issue came down to a miscommunication behind the bench, which delayed the timeout call at a moment when Edmonton could have steadied things. He also pointed to the teams lighthearted rule for coach mistakes, with a donation going to the Childrens Cancer Society when the bench gets it wrong, a reminder that even in a victory, there was still a small penalty attached to the mess. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers May Have A Jake Walman Problem They Didn't Expect
Jake Walmans first stretch with the Oilers has not gone the way either side likely imagined. He has been a healthy scratch five times in the last seven games, and when he has dressed, his ice time has been limited enough to suggest the coaching staff is still searching for a fit. For a player brought in to help stabilize the blue line, that is not the kind of early-season usage anyone wants to see.
Mike Babcock has made it clear the issue goes beyond just missed chances or uneven puck movement. The concern is Walmans play away from the puck, where the staff believes he is not meeting the standard the team needs. If that does not change, Edmonton may eventually have to weigh a difficult decision on a player with trade protection and a long-term contract, which makes the next few weeks worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Need To Fix A Frustrating Home Problem Fast
The early returns at Rogers Place have been a little too familiar for the Oilers, who have been far more comfortable away from home than in front of their own crowd. Edmonton has still built a strong 12-3-3 record despite a long injury list that has already cost the club more than 100 man-games, but the contrast between its road success and home inconsistency has stood out. Even Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have produced slightly better on the road, a sign the team is finding ways to generate offense and protect itself more cleanly when it leaves Alberta.
At home, the concern has been less about talent and more about execution, with coach Mike Babcock and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins both stressing the need for steadier defensive play over the full game. The Oilers have not hidden from the issue, and they know the margin for error shrinks quickly when the puck starts ending up in their net too often. For a team with playoff expectations, solving that problem in its own building is becoming less of a talking point and more of a requirement. [Read more 🡒]