There is no doubt in my mind that Patrick Roy is enjoying his final moments in the QMJHL before making the leap to the National League.
And in my opinion, he won’t be returning to the NHL with just any team, but with Rangers.
For now, the former goalie is focused on his remparts facing the Mooseheads in the QMJHL Finals. Without wanting to take anything away from Halifax, Roy’s squad should win and compete in the Memorial Cup.
If the stars match, there could be a confrontation between Roy and London Knights manager Dale Hunter at the national tournament. These are from the Ontario finals.
Imagine a Memorial Cup with Roy and Hunter… Two former NHL opponents, but also two former Avalanche teammates. It would be very interesting to follow.
THE fit Perfect
I am convinced that Patrick will have another chance in the NHL after his coaching in Colorado. What makes me say this is that Patrick doesn’t talk about it – but he doesn’t say he’s not interested either – and the teams that are looking for an instructor don’t say anything either. I’m sure we’ll contact him after the Remparts season if we haven’t already.
New York is a perfect match for Roy. It’s larger than life, glamorous and full of excitement. Every gamer dreams of playing in Manhattan. They’re treated like royalty, but there’s not that much pressure. They’re at peace, they can walk down Broadway and they’ll be recognized by maybe two people out of a million!
Patrick Roy is a star and the stars are in New York! He’ll be in the headlines everywhere, his picture is likely to be seen in Times Square. What more do you want?
In addition, Rangers general manager Chris Drury is also a former teammate of Roy’s with the Avalanche. And the big boss, James L. Dolan, loves stars.
A regret from Guy Lafleur
Guy Lafleur had already told me that he regretted retiring for the first time. He would have liked to play for Rangers for a long time, he felt so comfortable there.
In short: It cannot be that the position of head coach in New York becomes vacant and Patrick Roy is not considered. There is no one more popular and good than him. Rangers cannot hire a freshman.
What a difficult decision for the CH
I don’t want to be in the shoes of Kent Hughes and co. They have to decide whether to take the risk of signing fifth-placed Russia striker Matvei Michkov. Connor Bedard, Adam Fantilli, Leo Carlsson and Will Smith are expected to be gone by the time the Canadiens have the floor.
At 17 and 18, Michkov excelled at the men’s in the KHL. Normally nobody would ask questions and we would choose them. But then there’s the war and the mysterious death of his father. In addition, he has a contract in his hand that does not allow him to come to America for three years.
But does the Canadian need him next season? Can the CH afford to let it go so that it comes back and haunts it? Russians like Artemi Panarin and Kirill Kaprizov later came to the NHL and quickly made names for themselves.
Montreal can’t be wrong. I haven’t seen Michkov play but if he’s the best player available then Hughes has to pick him. We don’t want to relive Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Brady Tkachuk comparisons.
– Interview by Mylene Richard
Echoes of Bergie
A game suspension? It’s a joke!
There’s certainly a burgeoning rivalry between the Oilers and the Golden Knights, but there are gestures that cross the line. Vegas star defender Alex Pietrangelo gave Leon Draisaitl a powerful punch. He was only given a one-game ban. It’s horrible. He has to thank heaven he didn’t break the arm of the playoff’s leading scorer. As for Darnell Nurse, the Edmonton guard was also given a one-game penalty for starting a brawl in the last five minutes of a game. This isn’t about judgment, it’s about applying the rules.
Underestimated hurricanes
Carolina managed to knock out the young New Jersey Devils in five games. It looks like the fans don’t want to see her in the Eastern finals. They are often underestimated. Still, the Canes are led by a great coach in Rob Brind’Amour, they have a nice mix of youth and experience, they’re quick and they score goals and they win without a key player. The Hurricanes are now waiting to find out who their next opponents will be between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Panthers. If Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander show their pride, this streak could be extended (Florida led 3-1 before Friday night’s game). Out of all of them, only Nylander looks good.
The end of the fairy tale for the octopus?
The stars seemed unfazed by the Kraken’s amazing story, which is causing surprises in just his second season in the NHL. Dallas took a 3-2 lead and they shouldn’t look back. The stars are like the Hurricanes: Despite their talent, they are underestimated. Goalkeeper Jake Oettinger is solid, consistent and stable. Coach Peter DeBoer has already led two of his clubs to the Stanley Cup finals. Veterans Joe Pavelski, Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin are admirably assisted by Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz. And what about Max Domi, who lives in series again!
