On September 10th, 2004, Shea Weber put pen to paper on an entry-level contract with the Nashville Predators. After signing, the 35-year-old featured in 11 consecutive seasons for the Preds, before being traded to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for P.K. Subban in June 2016. Since the move, he’s been a leading player in the Habs’ team, bringing experience to a side who are seeking to reclaim their grasp on the NHL.

Despite being the most dominant outfit in the division’s history, they’re currently enduring a 27-year drought regarding winning the Stanley Cup. As such, there’s something of a fairytale feeling that, in the season where Weber plays his 1,000th game, the Canadiens could win their 25th Stanley Cup. While that would be a dream come true, failure to reach the pinnacle won’t define the 35-year-old’s career. So, let’s look back at his contributions and see what the future holds.

Reaching 1,000 Career Matches

At the time of writing, Weber has officially played 1,000 games. In doing so, he becomes the first player from the 2020-21 NHL season to achieve such a feat. Not only that, but he’s also in an elite group of competitors to have reached the mark. To date, only 348 other players have played 1,000 NHL matches. Despite being hampered by injuries at times throughout his career, it’s a testament to the defenceman’s application and desire to succeed that he continually overcame adversity.

Currently, Weber shows no signs of slowing down, particularly with the Habs heading in the right direction as a team. After ten games in the 2020-21 season, the Montreal Canadiens had won seven matches and held a one-point lead over the Maple Leafs. Although there have been structural changes to the NHL’s divisions, after their opening ten fixtures in 2019-20, the Habs had won just four games. Moreover, last season, they conceded 34 goals at the ten-match mark. Compared to this year, that figure dropped to 27. As a defenceman, this speaks volumes of Weber’s contributions.

After making his 1,000th appearance in a 5-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks, Weber became just the fifth player from the 2003 Draft to reach the four-figure mark. Behind only Ryan Suter, Brent Burns, Brent Seabrook, and Dion Phaneuf, respectively, the 35-year-old’s achievements showcase his longevity.

Leaving Behind a Lasting Legacy

Among his peers, Weber is regarded as one of the most respected players to compete in the NHL. Rather insightfully, Suter, a fellow 1,000-match achiever, described the 35year-old as a “grizzly bear” on the ice, as per Sportsnet. As a captain, few can argue that the defenceman doesn’t bring much-needed leadership to the Habs. Despite his age, his fitness has held up, as he played 65 games in 2019-20. Importantly, this ensures that the Habs can rely on his experience during crucial stages of must-win matches.

Following his appointment in October 2018, the Montreal Canadiens have shown continual signs of progression. Although they missed out on the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2018-19, a fifth-place finish in the Atlantic Division during the following campaign saw them qualify for the first time since 2016-17. Of course, this isn’t solely down to Weber being appointed captain, but there’s undoubtedly a correlation between his increased leadership responsibilities and the Habs’ upturn in form.

Although the oldest defenceman on the Canadiens’ roster, the 35-year-old still has plenty left to offer. Weber himself admitted in a post-match interview that playing 1,000 matches was unimaginable. In many ways, his arrival in 2016 came at the perfect time, with the 24-time Stanley Cup Winners requiring leadership in a transitional phase. Now, with an action-packed schedule ahead of them, Weber and his teammates will be dreaming of winning the Stanley Cup after their impressive start. Should they turn that into a reality, it will be the first of the 35-year-old’s career. Although they aren’t the favourites to go all the way in if they can qualify, the Habs are currently priced at 12/1 to win the Stanley Cup in 2020-21, as of February 4th.

The Leader That the Montreal Canadiens Needed

When Weber decides to walk away from professional hockey and the Habs, he’ll leave behind a more competitive team than the one he joined in 2016. Although he doesn’t have any collective silverware to show for his commitment to the sport, his 2016 Mark Messier Leadership Award speaks volumes about his attitude, character, and legacy. While he’s still competing, he should be appreciated, as his career-long achievements don’t occur frequently.

Today (Jan 10), as the Canadiens get ready for their final intra-squad game, the Canadiens announced that 9 players were placed on waivers.

Les Canadiens ont soumis aujourd'hui les neuf joueurs suivants au ballottage de la LNH:

The Canadiens placed nine players on NHL waivers today:

B. Baddock
A. Belzile
J. Blandisi
L. Dauphin
J. Weal

N. Juulsen
G. Olofsson
X. Ouellet

C. Lindgren

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) January 10, 2021

We will know by noon January 11 who gets claimed or not.

Surprisingly for some, the Canadiens 2015 1st Round Draft Pick Noah Juulsen is on the list.  He’s been besieged with head injuries these last two seasons.

Goalie Charlie Lindgren, and American, is another player who might be on the move.  With the New Jersey Devils announcing that Corey Crawford retired, expect him to be claimed by the Devils or the Capitals, who also lost their backup with Henrik Lundqvist announced season-ending heart surgery.

The Canadiens are now $1,116,309 over the Salary Cap.  If Jordan Weal clears waivers and gets sent down to AHL or loaned to the taxi squad, Canadiens are still $41,309 over the cap.

Deadline to be cap compliant in Jan 12, 5PM ET

With the NHL and NHLPA reaching a tentative agreement on the return to play for the 2020-21 season, we turn our attention to the Montreal Canadiens and preview the next steps.

For starters, due to the pandemic and a closed border between Canada and the USA, the Canadiens will play in an all-Canadian division.  Rest assured Sports Betting Canada will have the latest forecast, and you can take advantage of the sports Interaction referral code.

2020-21 Realignment

With the Canadiens in the North division, each team will play each other 9 or 10 times.  the season will consist of 56 games.  With the top 4 teams advancing in each division to the playoffs.  The first two rounds of the playoffs are within division.  That means a Canadian team will be guaranteed making it to the Final 4.  Just think, a Montreal vs Boston Stanley Cup Final is possible.

Key Dates

Training camp is set to begin January 3rd, 2021.  There won’t be any pre-season games,  The first regular-season game will take place January 13, 2021.  Regular season will end May 8.  And last playoffs date is scheduled for no later than July 15.

Shown is a calendar of critical dates for the upcoming NHL 2020-21 seasonhttps://t.co/3B8UOBLIyt pic.twitter.com/fwGWRboLge

— CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) December 20, 2020

Training camps, roster sizes

Each team will be allowed to invite 36 players to camp.  Rosters need to be trimmed to 23 players by January 13.  But teams will be able to carry a taxi squad from their AHL affiliate of 4-6 players.  Taxi squad players will still be waiver eligible.  In other words, they need to clear waivers to get called up, from the taxi squad.   Taxi squad players can practice with the NHL club, as well as travel with the club.  But they will be earning their AHL salary when not officially on the NHL roster.  As such, the players will not count against the salary Cap. The Canadiens will carry an extra goalie on their taxi squad.  Assuring Charlie Lindgren to fill that role provided he’s not claimed off waivers.  As the intent is to have Cayden Primeau get as many starts as possible with the Laval Rocket, as the AHL too is set t return in January.

With training camp set for 10 days duration, Head Coach Claude Julien will not have enough time to evaluate how all the off-season acquisitions will fit in with the team.  In total there will be five new faces on the club; Jake Allen (G), Joel Edmundson (D), Tyler Toffoli (F), Josh Anderson (F), and rookie defenceman Alexander Romanov.  And only one notable exit in Max Domi.

And all of this under the presumption that there will not be any Covid-19 positive tests, and that safety standards will be adhered to, and most of all, the provincial health authorities allows for camp, and the games to take place.

Otherwise, the NHL might need to move the Canadian division into a bubble.  Or last option, have the Canadian teams play in the US instead.

During tournaments and competitions, athletes put their bodies under a lot of stress. They want to achieve peak performance, and that can take a toll on the muscles. That’s why a sports physical is essential before participating in a sport. 

The same thing is true about people who want to switch from one discipline to another, as well as someone who’s trying to start a new physical activity from months of being sedentary. Healthcare professionals aren’t the same as annual checkups because this takes into consideration the history of an athlete. Click here to read more. 

What happens during a sports physical?

Universally, sports physicals have four parts. At the start, a nurse will check your blood pressure as well as your pulse. They will also measure your height and weight, especially if you’re younger. Kids and teens experience growth spurts, and this can put a lot of stress on the bones, muscles, and joints. 

At any time, the body can experience a hormonal change, and that can be a huge factor when it comes to weight gain and weight loss. After this is all taken care of, you will go through an eye examination. Most of us spend a lot of time in front of screens, and this is responsible for vision deterioration. 

Depending on how good your eyesight is, the doctor will choose whether you will need lenses or a change to your current ones. The third part of the exams includes a checkup of your history. If this is your first time, it’s best to come with a list of any underlying conditions, painful spots, surgeries, or illnesses that you’ve experienced. 

This is quite important because it helps the medical staff know whether to give you more tests or to tell you some exercise to strengthen weak muscle groups. Finally comes the fitness check. They will put sensors on your chest and abdomen, which will measure your heart rate and variability, as well as your stomach, to see whether you might have an underlying limitation. 

The sensors will provide the doctor with data that shows whether you have a hernia, asthma, or muscle inflammation that will limit your ability to perform. Follow this link for more info https://www.theupcoming.co.uk/2020/12/17/top-six-benefits-of-sports-and-physical-activity-on-mental-health/.

Where can you get one?

All sports physicals must be done by certified staff. Most often, they’re performed by urgent care centers but shouldn’t scare you. It’s always a healthcare provider, and they work at times that accommodate everyone. 

Because there’s still the danger from the pandemic, it’s best to call and schedule an appointment since that’s how you’ll be at the least risk. When you arrive, make sure to have a filled form, as well as an identification document. The papers are online, and you can find them based on your state. If the athlete is under any medications, it’s best to make a list that will help the doctors understand all of the risks. 

How long are they valid?

Most of the time, a sports physical is valid for an entire year. You can search for sports physicals near me to find the closest place to you. However, this is subject to change because many schools require a new one before the start of each season. Please consult with the trainer because sometimes they won’t accept a physical from last season.

It’s also possible that a child won’t pass the exam. That can happen if they have asthma, heart problems, a hernia, or even a concussion. The main thing you should pay attention to is the safety of the athlete. If they don’t, it’s not the end of the world. You might have to work with a coach to get proper care and develop the muscles to get back in the game. 

Why do you need a checkup?

Most injuries happen during training. In fact, more than 60 percent of all injuries occur during practice instead of tournaments and games. The top three sports for injuries are the most played ones, and those include soccer, basketball, and football. 

Since there are more than 50 million kids that are active athletes, it’s important to check how their body holds up before the start of the season. There’s a good reason why exams are mandatory in many leagues and schools. The exams are also a great source of information to avoid future problems and live a long and happy life. 

With the NHL 2020-21 season looking to puck-drop in mid-January 2021, all eyes will be on the Tampa Bay Lightning, who many predict stand a good chance of repeating in 2021.  You can try sports Interaction referral code to take a look.

The Montreal Canadiens concluded the 2019-20 better than expected, mainly due to the fact they technically made the playoffs for the first time in three seasons.  That was due to an added “play-in” round the NHL established following a four month shut-down due to the pandemic ravaging the planet.

Nonetheless, although the Canadiens upset the Pittsburgh Penguins in that round, they lost to the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round of the playoffs.  A loss attributed mostly due to shortcomings on their roster.

That’s when Canadiens General Manager Marc Bergevin went to work.  He used the off-season to address every organizational need; backup goalie.  Depth on defence.  Size up front.  More scoring.  And even managed to extend a couple of expiring contracts.

Off-season tracker:

One thing that was obvious when play resumed in August, was how a rested Carey Price played for the Canadiens. He was his old self. Showing everyone why he is a an elite goalie in this league. And why Bergevin made it a priority to find Price a suitable backup, especially seeing that during the 2019-20 season, the Canadiens backups won a combined 4 games.

On defence, Brett Kulak turned a few heads where it became apparent that maybe he can be a depth defenceman on this team. With the acquisition of Joel Edmundson, and the arrival of Russian rookie Alexander Romanov, Habs add depth, and puck moving defenceman.

Up front, Max Domi was playing 4th line minutes during the playoffs. And the centre position was getting crowded with the emergence of both Nick Suzuki and Jesperi Kotkamiemi. So Bergevin added some grit and scoring in acquiring Josh Anderson and signing UFA Tyler Toffoli.

the 2020-21 version of the Canadiens will see at least 5 new faces. And all expectations are that this will be a playoffs team. Let’s hope a safe one too!

As the oldest contiguous hockey club still on the ice, the Canadiens aren’t going anywhere. That being said, any fan of the Habs knows that, despite their legacy, there’s been a bit of a drought in terms of championship titles.

The last time the Canadiens brought the Stanley Cup to Montreal was in 1993. Still, given their legacy as the oldest authority on hockey in the world, the Habs have taken home the most Stanley Cups since the first NHL-wide competition took place in 1927.

In fact, only the New York Yankees baseball franchise has taken more championship titles (World Series) than the Canadiens across all major sports leagues in North America. Not to mention, they’ve got a solid roster. So, what’s happened to the Habs since they moved to the Bell Centre?

While the 2019-20 season can’t be judged with the usual set of criteria, it did end in a Stanley Cup Playoff appearance for the Habs. After eliminating the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Philadelphia Flyers sent the Canadiens home after winning 4-2 in the six-game series.

Now that the Habs are looking toward the coming season, it’s time to start speculating about the NHL Draft. Given that the Draft is coming to the Bell Centre in early October, there’s plenty of time and reason for fans to speculate (and dream) about the possibilities.

Perreault’s Move to the NHL 

One player that’s caught the interest of Habs fans is local Jacob Perreault. As a striking forward who’s eligible for the 2020 NHL Draft, many are waiting to see where the young player will end up.

At the moment, the Canadiens could benefit greatly by developing a player with as strong of a vision as Perreault’s. He’s got speed, unpredictability, and he draws defenders toward him, which would open up possibilities for other forwards like Tomas Tatar or Brendan Gallagher.

Despite the fact that NHL Central Scouting hasn’t listed Perreault in their top ten North American skaters, he’s likely to be a top prospect. And while the Habs would make a great fit for the local player, they aren’t the only franchise interested in picking up the quick forward.

The Nashville Predators may be looking at the promising player to replace beloved star Paul Kariya. Sports enthusiasts who follow and bet on North American sports may not be too impressed by an offer from the Predators considering the franchise has yet to prove itself. Nashville itself is new to the major leagues. 

However, budding stars like Perreault may choose a new team like the Predators over a dynasty like the Habs for the fact that he can make a name for himself and launch a franchise into success. Still, that’s a big if.

Unfortunately for Habs fans who’d love to see Perreault in a Canadiens jersey, the team is five franchises behind the Predators in the upcoming Draft.

Possibilities With The Habs

While NHL Central Scouting didn’t list Perreault as a Top Ten choice, Bob McKenzie, Canadian hockey commentator, lists the draftee in 21st place on his final draft board. In another nod to the young player’s potential, Byron Bader, a top hockey prospector, gave Perreault sixth place in terms of his ability to become hockey’s next big star.

However, it’s important to mention that a player like Perreault will need ample guidance before becoming that next big star. In fact, one key factor in the upcoming Draft will likely be his ability to communicate well and display a degree of ‘coachability’.

At the moment, Perreault has all the raw talent needed: speed, agility, tenacity, and a killer shot that he’s not afraid to rip. Other pluses include his creativity and his ability to move in tight spaces.

Still, he’s untested in the NHL and lacks experience. Whatever team signs on to a player like Perreault must be willing to put in the time to foster greatness.

If the Habs want to undertake this journey, they’ll be relying heavily on Claude Julien to take a hands-on approach with the player during practice and, most likely, after hours. Shea Weber would be another invaluable resource in sculpting the young player’s potential.

Ever since the Montreal Canadiens traded Jaroslav Halak after the 2010 season, the Montreal Canadiens have not been able to find a backup goalie that could pick up the load from Carey Price.

As recent seasons have shown, playing 60+ games a season for a goalie is taxing, and with the recent NHL’s Return to play, at 33 years-old and after 4 months between games, Carey Price can certainly live up to his dominant form when he gets some rest.

This past season Carey Price played in 58 of the 71 regular season games.  And in the first big move of this off-season, Habs GM Marc Bergevin traded for a back-up goalie.  Acquiring Jake Allen from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for the 2020 3rd Round pick, and a swap of 7h Round picks.

But Jake Allen doesn’t come cheap as his Cap-hit sits at $4,350,000 for 2020-21.  He’s a UFA after this upcoming season.  The Canadiens will most likely have the most expensive goalie tandem for the upcoming season:

After acquiring Jake Allen, we now show the #Habs with $14M in projected cap space for 2020-21 with a roster of 17 (9F – 5D – 3G)https://t.co/lffSdAZeWP

— CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) September 2, 2020

But what choice did the Canadiens really have?  In the past 10 seasons since Halak, the Canadiens have used 9 different goalies.  With very limited success.

Of the 9 goalies used, Peter Bujaj had the best stats.  Last season the Canadiens signed Keith Kinkaid as a UFA.  Kinkaid went from the NHL to the AHL, and ended the season somehere in the ECHL.  That’s how bad he was.

The Canadiens are grooming Cayden Primeau, but he’s still young and needs to develop at least one more season in the AHL.

Which leaves Charlie Lindgren on the AHL-NHL bubble.  Lindgren has regressed the past two seasons, nevertheless, when the Canadiens resumed their Play in Round this passed summer, Lindgren served as Carey Price’s backup.  But saw no action.

This will mark a return of sorts for Jake Allen who played for the Montreal Juniors QMJHL for two seasons back in 2008-2010.

With the Covid-19 pandemic throwing a wrench into the NHL 2019-20 season, the Montreal Canadiens  were granted a lifeline by the NHL.  The Canadiens are eligible to play in a post-season “Qualifying Round” to determine the 16 teams that make the playoffs.  As the 12th seed in the Eastern Conference, the Canadiens will play a best of 3-out-5 series verses the 5th seed Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Qualifying Round and Round-Robin to determine the seeding begins Saturday August 1st.  Check here to see the sports results, and the latest scores.  

Return to practice

Canadiens practice sessions resumed this week.  Carey Price looks sharp.  Shea Weber is well rested.  Jesperi Kotkaniemi is fully healthy and appears to be stronger and faster at practice this week.  Max Domi is missing from practice and was given an additional 7-10 days to determine if he will partake in the Return to Play process.  Domi is diabetic and is in a higher risk category.  Karl Alzner is the only one Habs player who opted not to take part in the NHL’s Return to play, citing personal reasons.

Carey Price leading the stretching during one of the practices

Line combos

FORWARDS

Tatar – Danault – Gallagher 
Drouin – Suzuki – Armia 
Byron – Kotkaniemi – Lehkonen 
Weise – Weal – Evans 
Hudon – Poehling – Dauphin/Belzile

DEFENSEMEN

Chiarot – Weber
Mete – Petry
Olofsson/Brook/Juulsen – Folin/Fleury

GOALIES

Carey Price, Michael McNiven, Charlie Lindren, and Cayden Primeau.

The plan is for training camp to run through July 26.  At which time the Canadiens will reduce their roster to 29-31 players.  Most likely the Canadiens will carry 3 or 4 goalies.  They will travel to the eastern Conference Hub city in Toronto.  On July 28, Montreal will play Toronto Maple Leafs in an exhibition game.  And on August 1st, the Canadiens will begin their best of 5 series vs the Penguins.

https://twitter.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/1281728526006333441

Montreal Canadiens (12) vs Pittsburgh Penguins (5)

Game 1: Sat Aug 1 @ 8 ET

Game 2: Mon Aug 3 @ 8 ET

Game 3: Wed Aug 5 @ 8 ET

*Game 4: Fri Aug 7 @ TBD

*Game 5: Sat Aug 8 @ TBD

*=If necessary

Hockey injuries are certainly nothing new to the Montreal Canadiens. From minor cuts and bruises to concussions and situations which could cause a player to miss an entire season, hockey is indeed a rough sport. In the past, injury reports would often determine the outcome of a specific game and in some circumstances, the performance of an entire team. This is why some fans might find it a bit odd to learn that the Habs have elected not to report any post-season injuries.  Why is this the case and what effects might such a move have upon their overall outlook?

All About a Greater Sense of Confidentiality

Oddly enough, this move seems due in part to the recent global pandemic. It appears as if management sought to keep the identities of those who tested positive for the virus entirely private. This actually made a great deal of sense, as such players might have otherwise been placed under a significant amount of stress due to rumours and similarly public issues which have reared their heads in the past.

So, it is logical that the Habs wished to extend this sense of privacy to cover all injuries that could occur during the postseason. However, it should be noted that any positive COVID-19 tests will still be announced to the public without the names of the players in question being used.

What About Transparency?

Things are certainly picking up throughout the hockey community.  Players are returning to the ice while the NHL is said to be deciding upon a hub city to ensure that all health concerns are addressed during matches. This brings up an important question. How might the decision to withhold injury-related information impact the sport from a long-term point of view? In other words, will hockey become less transparent as a result of these actions?

The answer to this question is difficult to determine at the moment. The chances are high that teams will adopt a more liberal policy towards injuries as current restrictions ease in the not-so-distant future. Still, fans are likely to have a more difficult time ascertaining the status of their favourite teams if injuries are no longer factored into the larger equation.

Fans who are keen on following the Habs in detail might be slightly disappointed in these regards. If these reports are not made available, we also have to wonder how aficionados will react. Might they adopt a watch-and-wait approach before drawing any realistic conclusions? Only time will tell.

Either way, the good news is that the Habs (and Canadian hockey as a whole) seems to be getting back on track after a lengthy hiatus. There is no doubt that fans and players alike will be quite eager to pick up where they left off. Whether the rules regarding injury disclosures will be modified in the future yet to be seen. Regardless of this situation, the fact of the matter is that hockey will once again entertain us for hours at a time.

The NHL season should continue pretty soon. The executives and the club owners are in talks on how to provide the highest safety standards and implement health care measures which will guarantee protect the players and all the involved in the organization of the games.

We’ve seen the format of the restart, and it would include 24 teams in the playoffs, and some round-robin tournaments which are going to decide about the final seedings before the start of the playoffs. That is only for the top four teams in each conference.

Other ones, between the fifth and the twelfth position, are about to enter a best-of-five matchup and determine the rivals for the top four teams. This means that the Canadiens are to participate in this expanded playoff battle

Now when talking about the Canadian teams, there aren’t many of them who are able to attack the Stanley Cup trophy.

Oilers are the best-placed team from Canada, with odds of 20/1 to win the trophy. They are 10th on the list of favorites. The Bruins are sharing the top spot with Tampa Bay Lightning at 13/2, Colorado Avalanche is at 10/1, same as the Vegas Golden Knights. The reigning champions St Louis Blues ae 11/1, Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers 13/1, etc. For more odds visit the best legal sports betting sites.

However, do know that these unusual circumstances and the new format could provide some surprises. The pause, the pressure, the different mindset following COVID-19 pandemic, all this might produce some miracle.

Everything is different now, and the most important fact is that the team targeted their form in accordance with a different schedule. Now, all that is interrupted, and they have to adjust themselves to the new conditions. In situations like these, quality doesn’t play a vital role, but the ability to adapt. Therefore, this playoff could be even more interesting than the last one.

When talking about some individual awards, it seems that teams from Canada could have more success, as their players are among the best in the league.

A few days ago, the NHL handed the regular season awards, after deciding to jump straight to the playoffs and end the league part of the campaign. The Art Ross Trophy was awarded to Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl, who is the No.1 favorite for winning the MVP honors.

The bookies set his odds at 19/5, and it seems that the 24-year old is about to become the first German who won this award. Draisaitl’s teammate from Edmonton Connor McDavid is second with 11/5, and it appears that if something radical doesn’t happen during the postseason, the Hart Memorial Trophy should end up in Canada. Bruins, David Pastrnak follows the Oilers’ duo, at 4/1, Rangers’ Artemi Panarin is at 7/1, Boston’s Brad Marchand is 10/1 and Lightning Nikita Kucherov at 25/1 is concluding the list.

Before the start of the season, Maple Leafs’ Frederik Andersen was the main candidate for the Vezina Trophy along with the reigning winner Andrei Vasilevskiy from Tampa Bay.

The situation changed a lot since then, and right now, the William M. Jennings’ Trophy winner, Tuukka Rask is the top favorite to take this award home too.

Bruins’ goalie is at 17/10, and Winnipeg Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck comes after him at 5/2. St. Louis Blues Jordan Binnington is at 6/1, and Ben Bishop from the Dallas Stars is 7/1. Two guys mentioned above, who were the favorites before the season, Vasilevskiy and Andersen, are at 8/1, and 9/1 respectively.

Even though the bookies don’t believe in Canadian teams in terms of winning the Stanley Cup, their players are in the combination of taking the two most prominent awards.

Remember what we said, about the specific situation in which all the teams find themselves now. Individuals like these might have an essential influence on the ice, and as we see, the Canadian teams have plenty of such individuals. Don’t be surprised to see them making a huge noise in the playoffs.