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...
Flames Blue Line Loss Leaves Craig Conroy Facing A Tough Choice
Kevin Bahls season-ending injury has left the Flames staring at a thin blue line and a difficult roster decision, with Calgary now weighing whether to lean on youth or look for a short-term defensive fix. Losing a regular defender this deep into the season changes the math quickly, and it puts general manager Craig Conroy in the familiar spot of having to balance immediate stability against longer-term caution.
For a Jets team that knows how quickly a lineup hole can ripple through a season, the situation is a reminder that one injury can force an organization to rethink everything around it. Calgary has options to consider, but none of them come with much comfort, and the next move could say plenty about how aggressively the Flames plan to chase the rest of the year. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Rookies Just Changed The Feel Of This Winning Streak
The Jets have spent the past few games getting an added lift from their rookies, and it has changed the tone around a team that badly needed a reset. Tyrel Bauer, Viggo Bjorck and Brayden Yager all hit NHL milestones in quick succession, with Bauer and Bjorck each making their first real mark on the scoresheet and Yager following with his own breakthrough moment. For a club that was trying to shake off a rough stretch, those developments mattered beyond the individual celebrations.
Bjorcks first NHL points came in a multi-point game, while Bauers first goal and assist arrived during a comeback that gave Winnipeg a jolt of energy when it needed it most. Yager then added another rookie highlight by scoring his first NHL goal, giving the streak a different feel than a typical run of wins. The larger question now is whether these young players can keep nudging the Jets forward as the games get bigger and the margin for error gets smaller. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Suddenly Have Real Momentum As Hellebuyck Drama Builds
A late power-play chance was enough to keep Winnipegs sudden turnaround rolling, as the Jets edged Tampa Bay 4-3 and stretched their winning streak to three after that ugly nine-game slide. Mark Scheifele was in the middle of it again, and the result gave the Jets a little more breathing room as they try to turn a rough stretch into something more stable.
The other wrinkle hanging over the week is the return of Connor Hellebuyck to Winnipeg, though the latest update from New Jersey took some of the heat out of that storyline. The Devils said their goaltender will not be in the lineup for Tuesdays game against the Jets, with general manager Sunny Mehta offering an explanation, while the Manitoba Moose head into a road trip still sorting through health and availability questions of their own. [Read more 🡒]