Blackhawks Forward Named Potential Target For Canadiens

  © Talia Sprague-Imagn Images  

It is not exactly a secret that the Montreal Canadiens want to improve at the center position. Due to this, during a recent episode of The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro, TSN's Travis Yost discussed a few potential center targets for the Canadiens. One name brought up by Yost was Chicago Blackhawks center Jason Dickinson.

"This group has real juice in the top six," Yost said about the Blackhawks' center group. "This is not going to be a playoff team. Does Jason Dickinson make a ton of sense for the Blackhawks long-term? I think that's an interesting question. He's definitely a capable third-line center. He immediately improves Montreal if he comes into Montreal."

Dickinson is entering the final season of his deal in 2025-26 and is a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA), so it is understandable that Yost is questioning the Blackhawks center's future in Chicago. He certainly could be a rental target for playoff teams once we get closer to the 2026 NHL trade deadline, assuming that the Blackhawks do not hold a playoff spot and he is not signed to a contract extension by then.

Dickinson's solid defensive play could make him a nice addition to the Canadiens' bottom six and penalty kill if acquired. However, given his importance to the Blackhawks' lineup and as a veteran in the room, Chicago would likely expect a decent return for him in a potential move.

In 59 games this past season, Dickinson recorded seven goals, 16 points, and 102 hits. This was after he set career highs with 22 goals, 35 points, and 143 hits in 82 games during the 2023-24 season.

Blackhawks Ranked in Bottom Half of Every Position for 2025-26Blackhawks Ranked in Bottom Half of Every Position for 2025-26The Chicago Blackhawks are not going to be very good this season and that's no surprise to anyone, but there are certain areas of their game and players to be excited about. TSN tiered every team's centers, winger, defensemen, and goaltending, and the Blackhawks found themselves in the bottom half of every position, whether you agree with that or not.

Flyers Goalie Battle: Way-Too-Early Winner Prediction, Outlook

(Photo: Sam Navarro, Imagn Images)

Whether led by Sam Ersson or newcomer Dan Vladar, the fate of the Philadelphia Flyers will be decided by their goaltending in the 2025-26 season.

As a team, the Flyers, spearheaded by Ersson and a combo of Ivan Fedotov and Aleksei Kolosov, had the worst save percentage in the NHL last season at a paltry .872.

Their cumulative 3.40 GAA ranked fifth-worst in the NHL, and overall, the Flyers' struggles in goal doomed them to placing as the fourth-worst team in the league.

That worked out in their favor, though, as it helped them land star winger prospect Porter Martone with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

But, eventually, the Flyers are going to have to start winning games and not drafts. That's why Rick Tocchet, Trevor Zegras, and Vladar were brought in.

Is Vladar really an upgrade, though, or are we in for an even split from Kim Dillabaugh's crew this season?

Flyers Goalie Sam Ersson Positioned for Success in 2025-26Flyers Goalie Sam Ersson Positioned for Success in 2025-26Despite the prolonged dissatisfaction with the state of the goaltending, the Philadelphia Flyers have positioned incumbent starter Sam Ersson for success in the 2025-26 season.

Since Feb. 1, 2024, which is shortly after Carter Hart took an indefinite leave of absence from the Flyers, Ersson is 33-27-9 with a 3.10 GAA, a .883 save percentage, and one shutout.

Across that same span, even though it's not relevant to Vladar individually, the former Calgary Flames goalie was 13-13-6 with a 3.04 GAA, a .892 save percentage, and two shutouts.

Effectively, there wasn't much of a difference separating the two goalies over the last year and a half.

Now, from Oct. 1, 2023, to Feb. 1, 2024, Ersson was 12-9-3 with a 2.60 GAA and a .898 save percentage with three shutouts. It should be noted that, in the three games that immediately followed Hart's departure in that span, Ersson surrendered 11 goals on 60 shots.

Take away those three games, and Ersson is 12-6-3 with a 2.36 GAA, a .909 save percentage, and three shutouts from Oct. 1, 2023 to Jan. 22, 2024.

So, I threw a lot of numbers out there, and the conclusion is effectively that the Swedish incumbent performed significantly better when he wasn't shouldering the load alone.

Flames Sniper Backs 'Excellent' Aleksei Kolosov to Stay with Flyers, Continue NHL CareerFlames Sniper Backs 'Excellent' Aleksei Kolosov to Stay with Flyers, Continue NHL CareerGoalie prospect Aleksei Kolosov has all the talent and experience to stay with the Philadelphia Flyers and forge a successful NHL career for himself, but will he?

Once nerves set in and the lackluster support behind him faltered, so did Ersson and the Flyers as a whole.

I also think Vladar is a better goalie than his stats indicate, but you have to wonder why he's never started more than 29 games in any of the last four seasons for the Flames.

Sure, Jacob Markstrom and Dustin Wolf earned their playing time, but Vladar isn't going to be allowed to give those guys many nights off with seasonal save percentages below .900 across 20-30 total games played.

Based on that, I'm expecting Sam Ersson to lead the Flyers onto the ice for opening night at Xfinity Mobile Arena on opening night.

He's the Flyers' homegrown goalie prospect-turned-regular, and we've already seen his upside in this environment. The key, however, is now figuring out if that was his ceiling.

If so, it means more opportunity for Vladar.

Canadiens Should Be Paying Attention To This Contract Negotiation

As the 2025-26 season is still a month away, the days are trickling down for teams to reach an agreement with their RFAs that aren’t signed yet. Most of the Montreal Canadiens’ fanbase is keeping an eye on the Anaheim Ducks and Mason McTavish, but the Habs’ brass should be keeping a close watch on the Luke Hughes negotiations with the New Jersey Devils.

Not that the Canadiens would be interested in acquiring Jack Hughes’ brother, but rather because, like Lane Hutson, he’s a young offensive defenseman, and his deal could be a good indicator of where the market is heading with the new CBA soon coming into force and the salary cap steadily increasing.

Canadiens’ Center Depth Is A Big Problem
Canadiens: Suzuki’s 4 Nations Face Off Snub Wasn’t A Message
Former Canadiens Player Gets Front Office Job


According to Sportsnet, the sticking point in the Hughes negotiations would be the term. The team wants the 21-year-old to either sign a three-year bridge deal or a full eight-year extension, but the player would rather sign a five-year deal, which would end when his brother’s contract with the Devils also expires. It would make both Hughes brothers unrestricted free agents before the start of the 2030-31 campaign.

Speaking to RG.org, the Devils’ GM Tom Fitzgerald is confident that the younger Hughes’ contractual issue will be settled before the start of the season, as the Devils have no interest in finding themselves in another Dawson Mercer kind of standout, and the GM adds that the player and his agent are also hoping to avoid that.

In 155 NHL games, Hughes has picked up 93 points and 44 penalty minutes. That’s a 0.6 point-per-game average, which is a pretty good number for a defenseman. In comparison, Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber has 76 points in 162 games, for a 0.47 PPG, and was signed to an eight-year, $8.5 million AAV deal.

The Devils' GM also mentions that what fans don’t necessarily realize is that not all teams can spend right up to the cap, and that they may have an internal cap in place, which prevents them from giving too onerous a contract.

Whatever term and number the Devils and Hughes settle on, it’s sure to interest Hutson and his agent. Interestingly, Noah Dobson, who has a 0.59 PPG, was signed to an eight-year deal with a $9.5 million AAV by the New York Islanders, but with the Canadiens’ agreement. Will Hughes managed to secure a similar contract coming out of his entry-level deal, despite not having a large sample size. There lies the question.

As for Hutson, by recording 66 points in 82 games in his rookie season, he has given himself a 0.80 PPG. Does that put him in a position to break the bank right away, considering the cap increase and everything else? Hard to say. However, Canadiens GM Kent Hughes made a point of differentiating Dobson’s deal and those of Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky because the defenseman had more experience and wasn’t just signing his first standard contract. One could argue that his situation is different from Hutson’s, and that’s clearly what Hughes will try to do, especially if New Jersey manages to ink its defenseman to a reasonable contract.  

With Carey Price’s bonus being paid on Monday, things could start to fall into place in Montreal sooner rather than later…


 

Canadiens stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, never to miss a story.  

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.

Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.

Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.

Buildup to Liverpool v Arsenal and Celtic v Rangers – matchday live as it happened

Updates and latest transfer news ahead of Sunday’s Premier League games and Old Firm derby

Ewan Murray, who will be joining us later, has previewed the Old Firm.

It was also a day of uncertainty for West Ham. There were a lot of reports around about Aston Villa agreeing a deal to sign Lucas Paqueta but those were premature. Villa were looking at a loan with an obligation to buy. West Ham have no intention of selling the Brazilian. The latest from the club and Paqueta’s camp is that he will not leave during this window. West Ham are at Nottingham Forest later. Paqueta trained on Saturday and travelled with the squad. There’s some doubt over his involvement because of the speculation over his future but sources at West Ham remain confident he’ll play. Nayef Aguerd, though, is not expected to be involved. He wants out.

Continue reading...

Why top Giants prospect Bryce Eldridge draws inspiration from Max Scherzer

Why top Giants prospect Bryce Eldridge draws inspiration from Max Scherzer originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Bryce Eldridge draws his baseball inspiration from an unlikely source.

The Giants’ top prospect revealed in an exclusive interview with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Alex Pavlovic on the latest “Giants Talk” podcast the one star who made a big impact on him as a young player dreaming of making the big leagues.

“This sounds kind of crazy because it was a pitcher, but Max Scherzer was one of my favorite players growing up,” Eldridge told Pavlovic. “Obviously, I’m a hitter now. I pitched growing up, and just the attitude he has towards the game and the craziness he has, that’s what makes him who he is, and that’s what makes him good. He’s crazy enough to not let himself fail.

“I think that’s something everyone needs, that want to be the best you can be and the want to be better every day. I think he refuses to lose, he refuses to let himself fail, and that’s something I learned from him. And I’m not necessarily yelling on the field or any of that crazy stuff, but he has that fire for the game that I look up to.”

The 20-year-old is one of the most electrifying prospects in the minor leagues right now, and the expectation is that he could get called up to San Francisco’s roster in the coming weeks. Ranked as MLB’s No. 13 overall prospect, Eldridge has that unique combination of size and athleticism that baseball teams covet.

While Eldridge has the potential to become a stellar power hitter at the major-league level, Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey isn’t rushing his development. The power-hitting potential is there, for sure, but the 20-year-old still has a way to go when it comes to adjusting to the speed of major-league pitching.

With the Giants’ playoff hopes sinking by the day, it could be time for a late-season call-up for Eldridge. Still, given that the 20-year-old plays first base and San Francisco has loads of depth at that position already, it’s uncertain that the prospect will get moved up to the roster this season.

When he finally does get the call to the big leagues, expect plenty of intensity and passion from Eldridge as he attempts to channel the best parts of his idol, Scherzer.

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

Snooker’s answer to Luke Littler? Meet teenage sensation Stan Moody

Halifax youngster has entered world’s top 64 and is spark the sport needs to find mainstream attention in the UK

It is commonly known these days as the Luke Littler effect. A teenage phenomenon bursting on to the scene and almost becoming a bigger force of nature than the sport he or she was born to succeed in. But while darts is only experiencing that boom now, snooker has tasted this sensation before.

In the 1990s, it was Ronnie O’Sullivan’s arrival on the baize as a teenager that revitalised snooker’s fortunes in the UK. In the mid-2000s, Ding Junhui’s emergence led to the explosion of the game in China – which has just produced its first world champion in the shape of Zhao Xintong, one of millions who was inspired to pick up a cue by Ding.

Continue reading...

Felix Auger-Aliassime stuns No 3 Zverev to return to US Open second week

  • Auger-Aliassime beats Zverev in four-set thriller

  • Zverev suffers earliest New York exit since 2018

Felix Auger-Aliassime stormed into the last 16 of the US Open on Saturday night with a rousing comeback win over world No 3 Alexander Zverev, knocking out one of the title favorites 4-6, 7-6 (7), 6-4, 6-4 on Louis Armstrong Stadium.

The Canadian 25th seed had not reached the second week in New York since his semi-final run in 2021 but summoned some of the best tennis of his career to secure a first grand slam victory over a top-five opponent. The match stretched to three hours and 48 minutes and finished shortly before midnight, delaying the night session that followed.

Continue reading...