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...
Devils Let A Winnable Game Slip Away In Frustrating Loss
Dawson Mercer gave the Devils a lift with two goals, including what looked like the decisive one, but New Jersey still walked away with a 4-2 loss to Winnipeg in a game that felt there for the taking. Kyle Connor answered with a pair of goals for the Jets, while Jesper Bratt and Cody Glass also found the net for New Jersey in a matchup that had enough offense to keep the building engaged right up until the finish.
For a Devils team that had been rolling at 13-6-0, this was the kind of night that stings because it offered chances to control the outcome and never quite did. Winnipegs win pushed it to 8-8-3, and New Jersey is left sorting through a frustrating result after getting production from Mercer and Bratt but not enough to close the door. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Made One Connor Hellebuyck Decision Everyone In Winnipeg Noticed
Connor Hellebuycks return to Winnipeg came and went without him ever getting into the game, a choice that New Jersey Devils general manager Sunny Mehta framed as a matter of win probability rather than sentiment. It was the kind of decision that carried extra weight in a building where Hellebuycks name still means plenty, and Jets fans made sure their reaction was heard throughout the night.
The Devils still had enough to make things interesting, with Scott Arniel pointing to Dawson Mercer and Nico Daws as key contributors in a game that showcased both effort and frustration. Winnipeg ultimately won 4-2, but the conversation afterward was less about the final score than the choice New Jersey made with Hellebuyck and the noise it stirred back in the building where his return was supposed to be a major storyline. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Get A Goaltending Boost At A Crucial Time
The injury ripple effect around the Eastern Conference kept widening after Ottawa forward Nick Cousins was hurt on a legal shoulder-on-chest hit from Washington defenseman Jakob Chychrun and needed help getting off the ice. Senators coach Travis Green said Cousins was not doing well, though more evaluation was still to come, and the situation served as another reminder of how quickly roster depth can get tested this time of year.
For the Devils, the latest concern came when defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic left a game with an injury and is set for further imaging, adding another layer of uncertainty on the blue line. Across the division, Buffalo is getting a timely lift as goaltender Alex Lyon returns from an upper-body injury for an upcoming road trip, a welcome development for a team trying to steady itself while the standings tighten. [Read more 🡒]