As the Montreal Canadiens take the next step in their rebuild, you can expect to see a change in attitude from coach Martin St-Louis towards specific players. Last season, many fans complained that the bench boss was too harsh on Arber Xhekaj, making him pay dearly for mistakes, but that’s what happens when a team is not just looking for development but also for results.

We saw St-Louis have a similar attitude toward Patrik Laine at the tail end of the season. The big Finn wasn’t buying what the coach was selling, so he paid in ice time and opportunities—finding himself skating on the fourth line and off the first power play. Laine had had enough time to adapt, and eventually, the coach turned up the accountability setting on his account, which makes sense.

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This upcoming season, there are a couple of players who will be candidates for increased accountability. First and foremost, Juraj Slafkovsky. Why? Simply because while he is still only 21 years old, the power forward now has 200 NHL games under his belt, and it’s time to take the next step. Plus, St-Louis now has something he must have been craving for ages: options.

The arrival of Ivan Demidov means that if the big Slovak doesn’t deliver, the coach has a ready-made option to replace him on the top line. In previous years, the Canadiens didn’t have a player who could have ridden shotgun with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, but now they do.

Should Slafkovsky struggle out of the gates as he has done in the past, he will be met with a very different reaction. St-Louis will be less patient with him, and that’s perfectly fine. There comes a time when a coach needs to stop shielding a player.

The Canadiens have been patient with Slafkovsky so far and have helped him develop the parts of his game they believe will be the key to his success in the NHL. He wasn’t drafted to be a points-producing machine, but to play the role of a bona fide power forward. The left winger now knows and understands this, as evidenced by his comments to the media last season about having to play more like Brady Tkachuk to be successful in the NHL.

Slafkovsky demonstrated last season that he can adapt to the team's expectations and play the way the team needs him to, but he needs to dig deep and find a way to do it consistently. If he doesn’t, Demidov will be waiting in the wings to get a chance to skate alongside Suzuki and Caufield.

Furthermore, the fans will likely start grumbling now that he will be entering the first year of his eight-year, big-money contract. We’ve seen some complain about what they considered to be an unsatisfactory points output, but the big contract will mean more intense scrutiny on what he does on the ice daily.

Kirby Dach will be another candidate for increased accountability. As the big center enters his contract year, St-Louis will be a lot less tolerant. He was last season and shielded the player by pleading with the media that patience was needed, given the fact that the pivot was coming back from a serious injury.

However, at the end of the season, when Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes spoke to the media, it became evident that the team was not impressed with the shape he was in when he reported for camp.

Dach is now 24 and will be entering his fourth season with the Canadiens. Injuries or not, it’s time for him to deliver. While he will more than likely be given another chance at centering the second line, which he likely wouldn’t have had if the Habs had been able to find another option on the trade market, he can’t expect St-Louis to be as patient as he was in the past.

The Canadiens took a step forward last season by making the playoffs, and they’ll want to build on that. Furthermore, he will likely skate alongside Demidov on the second line, and there’s absolutely no doubt that St-Louis and company will want the rookie to be put in winning condition. Having an underperforming center is not what the Russian phenom needs.

While there wouldn’t be an option as obvious to replace Dach as there is to replace Slafkovsky, the coach would still have to make a move, be it giving Zachary Bolduc a shot at center or Oliver Kapanen a shot on the second line.

The Canadiens are improving, and with that come higher expectations. It’s perfectly normal and something players cannot be shielded from indefinitely.

Photo credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

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Welcome back to another Vancouver Canucks 2024–25 report card. In this series, The Hockey News - Canucks site discusses the 2024–25 seasons of active Canucks who played at least 10 games with Vancouver. Today, we’ll be taking a look at how Elias Pettersson (D) performed in the 2024–25 season. 

Pettersson was one of the biggest surprises of the 2024–25 season for the Canucks. This season was his first with the Abbotsford Canucks, where he was expected to stay for at least the year to hone his game. The 2022 third-round pick started the season in Abbotsford, racking up two assists in his first five games with the team. 

While he did spend the first half of the season in the AHL, clearly, his NHL debut was imminent. His performance during the first few months of his career in Abbotsford earned him a spot at the 2025 AHL All-Star Challenge, though Ty Mueller skated in his place as Pettersson was busy playing with the Canucks at the time. February 15, 2025, marked his final AHL game of the season. He finished his AHL season with a goal and 12 assists in 38 games. 

Pettersson made his NHL debut on January 25, 2025, in a 2–1 home victory for Vancouver against the Washington Capitals. He recorded his first NHL point two games later against the Detroit Red Wings and scored his first NHL goal on April 5 against the Anaheim Ducks. However, what impressed people the most about Pettersson was his calm but confident demeanour on the ice — something that isn’t very common for a 21-year-old prospect who has less than 40 games worth of AHL experience. 

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Another aspect of Pettersson’s game that helped him stick in the lineup was his willingness to throw his body around and stand up for his team. Again, as a young rookie, it’s not often that players would get into skirmmishes within the first few games of their NHL career. With that being said, Pettersson stepped up to the plate even during his first couple of NHL games, making solid hits and even defending his own teammates. He even got into his first NHL fight on April 10, taking on Colorado Avalanche forward Logan O’Connor in a 4–1 win. 

By the end of the 2024–25 season, Pettersson carved himself out a full-time position within the Canucks’ D-core. His success in the NHL made Carson Soucy expendable, leading to the veteran defenceman’s trade only a day before the NHL Trade Deadline. His demeanour, style of play, and positive impression on the team have earned him an A for the 2024–25 season. 

As it stands, it looks as though Vancouver will be bringing back the same blueline that they iced in 2024–25, as Quinn Hughes, Filip Hronek, Tyler Myers, Marcus Pettersson, and Derek Forbort are all under contract with the team next year. Pettersson is an early favourite to start in the sixth and final spot on Vancouver’s blueline; however, that doesn’t mean he is without competition. Victor Mancini (right-shot) and free agent-signing Pierre-Olivier Joseph (left-shot) could also push for a spot during training camp in the fall. 

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On July 17, 2025, Columbus Blue Jackets forward Yegor Chinakhov requested a trade, according to a statement published by his agent, Shumi Babaev. 

Babaev posted a statement from Chinakhov on X, which read:

“I had some misunderstandings with the coach during the season. Now I would be glad to have a trade. I would like to move to a different location. Will I return to Russia? As long as I can play in the NHL, I will keep developing here.”

Yegor Chinakhov:
I had some misunderstandings with the coach during the season. Now I would be glad to have a trade. I would like to move to a different location.
Will I return to Russia? As long as I can play in the NHL, I will keep developing here @BlueJacketsNHLpic.twitter.com/DQ1qU2oHFb

— Shumi Babaev Agency (@BabayevShumi) July 17, 2025

The announcement sparked immediate speculation about where Chinakhov might land. Among the potential rumored suitors? The New Jersey Devils.

At 24 years old, Chinakhov brings size [6'1"], speed, and a high hockey IQ. His shot placement and skating ability make him an intriguing addition for any team looking to boost offensive depth, particularly on the right wing.

Of course, New Jersey isn’t the only team being floated. Chinakhov has also been linked to the Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens, and Toronto Maple Leafs as possible destinations.

Babaev stated that he is in active communication with Blue Jackets management and emphasized that Chinakhov’s desire to move is mutual and understood:

“I always stand by the player, especially in this case, and I understand that Yegor’s desire to be traded did not come out of nowhere.”

I always stand by the player—especially in this case—and I understand that Yegor’s desire to be traded did not come out of nowhere.

— Shumi Babaev Agency (@BabayevShumi) July 17, 2025

He followed up in a separate post:

“However, we are fully aware that there is an active contract in place, and if Yegor’s request for a trade does not materialize, he will continue to give 120 percent in fulfilling his responsibilities.”

Babaev’s player-first approach has earned him trust amongst players. He currently represents six NHL players, including two on the Colorado Avalanche, one on the Philadelphia Flyers, one on the Pittsburgh Penguins, and notably, Arseni Gritsyuk of the New Jersey Devils.

While the connection doesn’t guarantee anything, it certainly helps to have a familiar relationship between the agent and the front office when a player is exploring trade options.

Chinakhov is entering the second year of a two-year, $4.2 million contract ($2.1 million AAV). That’s a manageable number for a team like the Devils, if they can make the cap work. New Jersey is nearing the salary cap ceiling, with less than $7 million in space remaining, and they still need to sign Luke Hughes.

In the end, Chinakhov to the Devils isn’t out of the realm of possibility, but it’s also far from certain. Cap constraints and other roster needs may push the Devils to look elsewhere. Still, imagining Chinakhov in red and black raises an interesting question: how would he fit in, and could he thrive in New Jersey’s system?

Photo Credit: © Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images