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Montreal Canadiens Sign Oliver Kapanen To ELC

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The Montreal Canadiens have signed forward Oliver Kapanen to a three-year, entry-level contract that will run through the 2026-27 season. Kapanen was the Canadiens’ second-round selection in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft (64th overall) and is the cousin of current NHLer Kasperi Kapanen, and the nephew of former NHLer Sami Kapanen.

Kapanen spent last season with KalPa Kuopio in the Liiga where he registered 14 goals and 20 assists in 51 games. The 20-year-old had a very successful playoff run to finish off his season, tying for the points lead with seven goals and seven assists in 13 games. The Timrå, Sweden native was also a member of Finland’s 2024 IIHF World Championship team, leading the team with six goals in eight games.

Kapanen could be given a look at Canadiens training camp this fall and might even be good enough for a role in the team’s bottom six, most likely on the fourth line. However, given how little Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis has played his fourth line, it might not be best for Kapanen’s development.

He is signed with Timrå of the SHL for the 2024-25 season and with the team’s lack of forward depth, it might be the best option for Kapanen going forward as he will get consistent ice time to fuel his development. Kapanen projects to be a top-9 center for the Canadiens in the future, but likely won’t develop into the top-line center that the team has coveted for years.

Canadiens Expected To Hire Albie O'Connell

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  • Arizona State University associate coach Albie O’Connell is expected to leave the program to pursue an NHL opportunity, relays PHNX Sports’ Craig Morgan (Twitter link). College Hockey News’ Mike McMahon adds (Twitter link) that O’Connell is expected to be hired by the Canadiens.  If that holds true, it will be his second stint with the organization after serving as a college scout for Montreal back in 2022-23 before returning behind an NCAA bench this past season.

Alexander Gordin Traded In KHL

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  • Canadiens prospect Alexander Gordin has been traded in Russia. Avtomobilist of the KHL announced that they acquired the winger as part of a three-way trade and signed him to a one-year deal.  Montreal drafted the 22-year-old back in the sixth round in 2020 but Gordin has spent limited time in the KHL since then.  This year, he played for Ryazan-VDV in the second-tier VHL, tallying 18 goals and 22 assists in 53 games.  The Canadiens hold Gordin’s rights indefinitely since no transfer agreement is in place with Russia.

Laval Signs Israel Mianscum To Two-Year Deal

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  • The Canadiens’ AHL affiliate in Laval announced they’ve signed forward Israel Mianscum to a two-year contract. The 21-year-old spent his five-year junior career with QMJHL Sherbrooke and was quite productive in his overage year, tallying 35 goals and 52 assists in 61 games, both career bests.  Overall, he had 215 points in 264 major junior contests.

Canadiens Sign Connor Hughes To One-Year Deal

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Carving an unexpected path to the National Hockey League, goaltender Connor Hughes has signed a one-year deal with the Montreal Canadiens according to a team announcement. Already carrying sufficient depth for next season at the NHL level, Hughes should start next season with Montreal’s AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket.

Failing to make it out of the Junior A level in Canada by the team he became 18 years old, Hughes continued his professional career in the National League over in Switzerland. In his initial three years, Hughes did not play any games in the NL, as he primarily played in the relegated Swiss League for HCB Ticino Rockets. Eventually, Hughes would make his NL debut during the 2020-21 season, suiting up in seven games for HC Fribourg-Gottéron.

Bouncing around different organizations throughout his tenure, Hughes finally landed with Lausanne HC for the 2023-24 season. In his best professional season, Hughes produced a 10-6-1 record in 19 games while also carrying a .940 save percentage and 1.73 goals against average. Hughes kept that momentum for the 2024 National League playoffs, leading his team to Game 7 of the Championship series on the backs of a .933 SV% and 1.91 GAA in 18 postseason contests.

Due to his superb season overseas, the Canadiens were more than willing to take a flyer on the now 27-year-old undrafted free agent. Hughes should enter as the backup to goaltender Jakub Dobes next season, and could even take a share of the starts if the quality of his play continues to improve.

Canadiens May Shop 26th Overall Pick

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On his 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman confirmed earlier reports about the Ottawa Senators coaching staff. Friedman said that former Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson is expected to remain as an assistant coach behind Ottawa’s bench, as will Ben Sexton. Friedman also went on to say that former head coach Mike Yeo and former NHLer Nolan Baumgartner are also expected to join the Senators staff.

Friedman’s confirmation follows several previous reports about the Senators and likely signals that Ottawa is close to finalizing new head coach Travis Green’s coaching staff. The group will have their work cut out for them as the Senators have struggled to play with much structure in recent seasons despite boasting some very talented young players. Ottawa hasn’t made the playoffs since 2017 and has been mired in a rebuild for the better part of the past decade.

In other Atlantic Division notes:

  • David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period is reporting that the Montreal Canadiens could be buyers once again at this year’s NHL entry draft. Montreal has been a buyer at the two previous drafts and has reportedly made the draft a priority over making trades. Montreal is currently holding the fifth-overall pick as well as the 26th overall pick and Pagnotta wonders if the Canadiens may look to move the later pick as part of a package to acquire a young proven scorer. The Canadiens have several good young scorers in their lineup but would do well to add another scoring forward to their ranks to better balance their offensive attack.
  • Boston Bruins defenseman Derek Forbort is reportedly headed to the free agent market on July 1st (as per David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period). The former 15th overall pick spent a great deal of the season on long-term injured reserve and was limited to just 35 games. The 32-year-old has never offered much offense from the backend, topping out at 18 points with the Los Angeles Kings in 2017 and 2018, but he is a big body and can still skate. Forbort will have suitors in free agency, particularly from teams that are looking for a depth defenseman who isn’t afraid to engage the opponent physically.

Latest On Martin Necas’ Trade Market

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Martin Nečas’ availability in a potential trade has been one of the dominant early storylines of the 2024 offseason. The Hurricanes have been considering moving his signing rights as contract negotiations with the pending restricted free agent remain in a stalemate, and while there was a sense they may make one last pass at re-signing him with interim GM Eric Tulsky now at the helm temporarily, that seems unlikelier with each passing day.

To that end, Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli said on the site’s podcast today that a Nečas trade may come over the wire as soon as this week. Previously, we’ve covered reports that the Canucks, Flames and Canadiens have displayed some level of interest in his services. Recently, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period confirmed that at least 12 teams have Nečas “on their radar” and added the Flyers, Kraken and Predators to the existing list of teams that have dictated their interest to Carolina.

Notably, no single team has been named a frontrunner throughout the reporting process over the last few weeks. It’s also been quiet about what the Hurricanes might be able to get in return for their 2017 12th-overall pick, who has 52 goals and 124 points in 159 games since the 2022-23 season.

Nečas, 25, still has another offseason of RFA status ahead of him, but it’s clear he wants to ink a long-term deal this summer. Contract projection models indicate his value is likely in the $7.5MM area on a max-term deal, a figure the Hurricanes don’t seem willing to oblige with the younger Seth Jarvis surpassing him on the depth chart and also needing a new deal this summer. They have a multitude of UFAs to try to retain this summer as well, including one of the best forwards available in Jake Guentzel, who Pagnotta also reported Monday will likely test the market next month before deciding whether to return to Carolina.

Canadiens Sign Jared Davidson To Entry-Level Deal

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The Canadiens have signed center Jared Davidson to a two-year, entry-level deal, per a team release. The Canadian pivot was set to become an unrestricted free agent tomorrow at 4 p.m. CT if not signed to his ELC.

Davidson, 22 in July, is coming off his first professional season for the AHL’s Laval Rocket. He made 38 appearances for the Habs’ top minor-league affiliate, scoring 11 goals and five assists for 16 points with 31 PIMs and a +1 rating.

Initially eligible for selection in the 2020 draft, he was passed over twice before landing with Montreal via the 130th overall pick in 2022. The Edmonton native spent his amateur career with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League. He was a non-factor offensively in his draft year, limited to 16 points in 59 games, but had a strong run during the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season (19 points in 23 games). That prefaced a major breakout in 2021-22, learning All-Star nods after leading the T-birds in scoring with 89 points (42 goals, 47 assists) in 64 games, thus earning him draft consideration.

Financial terms of his entry-level pact weren’t initially disclosed. The two-year term carries him through the 2025-26 season, and he’ll be a restricted free agent upon expiry if tendered a qualifying offer.

Canadiens Won’t Re-Sign Tanner Pearson

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Add Tanner Pearson’s name to those all but confirmed to be heading to market in July. The Canadiens have opted not to re-sign the 2014 Stanley Cup champion, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports.

The 31-year-old will reach unrestricted free agency for the first time in his career. While he’s switched teams three times in his 11-year career, all have been via trade.

Pearson’s had a rough go of the past two seasons, missing significant time due to injuries. With the Canucks in 2022-23, Pearson needed multiple hand surgeries and was limited to one goal in 14 games. His extended stay on long-term injured reserve spurred comments from then-teammate Quinn Hughes that his injury wasn’t being addressed properly by the team’s medical staff, prompting brief NHLPA scrutiny.

He was cleared to play entering training camp last September, but a cap crunch in Vancouver prompted the Canucks to trade him to the Canadiens along with a 2025 third-round pick for backup goaltender Casey DeSmith. Pearson, who cost $3.25MM against the cap this season, was limited to five goals, eight assists, 13 points and a -12 rating in 54 appearances with the Habs.

There was some interest in his services nearing the trade deadline, but reports at the time indicated none of the offers were strong enough to convince general manager Kent Hughes to execute a move. Now, Pearson walks for nothing after averaging 12:56 per game for Montreal, his lowest usage since his Cup-winning rookie season with the Kings.

A Los Angeles first-round pick in 2012, Pearson has 138 goals and 285 points in 644 career games for the Canadiens, Canucks, Kings and Penguins. Pagnotta dubbed him “a quality mid-six add for a contender” in his report, but he likely slots in as a fourth-line or extra forward to begin the season after struggling to produce on a rebuilding club. His 0.24 points per game this season ranked 316th among 368 forwards with more than 50 games played.

He won’t cost very much on his next deal after his rough recent showing, and he did have 14 goals and 34 points in 68 games for the Canucks two years ago before his hand injuries arose. Evolving Hockey projects him to land a one-year, $1MM deal.

Canadiens Have Inquired About Martin Necas

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  • The Canadiens are among the teams to have inquired about Hurricanes forward Martin Necas, Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic recently reported in an appearance on RDS (video link). The pending restricted free agent has been frequently mentioned in trade speculation in recent weeks with Carolina having a lot of players to re-sign and not enough cap space to bring everyone back.  Necas had 24 goals and 29 assists in 77 games during the regular season and added nine points in 11 postseason contests.  He’s owed a $3.5MM qualifying offer but stands to earn much more than that this summer while also carrying salary arbitration rights.

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