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The biggest question mark for Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes entering the offseason, and really since being eliminated from the playoffs, is who will be their second line center entering the 2025-2026 season?
Ivan Demidov and Patrik Laine need an option to center them with more offensive upside than Jake Evans and Alex Newhook, and a little more grit wouldn't hurt either. The current chatter has been impossible to ignore, and with the NHL draft on Friday, the chatter is sure to get louder before it quiets down.
But could the Canadiens already have an in-house option, one that Hughes spent a significant trade package to acquire, who would be practical to consider?
Kirby Dach is the perfect feel-good story in the making, and after another frustrating injury setback cost him some essential development time, he could be a nice dark-horse option.
A motivated Dach, realizing his potential and developing into what the Chicago Blackhawks envisioned when they drafted him third overall in 2019, and the same thing that Hughes felt he was getting when he traded for Dach three years ago on Saturday.
Dach is big and physical, and he plays with an edge, a few of the elements that Hughes would be looking for in a prospective second-line center acquisition. 2025-2026 also happens to be the final year of his current deal, so he has all the motivation in the world to perform.
It's a big undertaking to ask Dach to do that, but he does have the distinction of being a former third overall selection, which comes with its expectations and pressure.
There are obvious areas in need of improvement for Dach, but it's his natural gifts that make him a great option to consider as a center for Laine and Demidov, and when Michael Hage arrives, he can move down to the third line, giving the Canadiens tremendous depth down the middle.
It wasn't that long ago that Dach scored 38 points in 58 games, and so long as he is healthy and ready for training camp, the 6-foot-4, 216-pound centre from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. His game is all about skating, and he carves up defenses who underestimate him with fantastic puck skills and great vision that he uses to execute acrobatic passes.
Even if he doesn't end up being the Canadiens center for game one of the 2025-26 season, he still has a pretty good case for a shot at the vacant post.
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'In what world does this make sense?’: Oilers and $63M forward
According to some, throw out the idea that the Edmonton Oilers should pursue Max Pacioretty. A veteran forward who has earned over $63 million over the course of his NHL career has yet to sign an NHL contract and was recently mentioned in a post by David Staples as a possible fit. In a recent post, the Journal noted, “All of the top NHL unrestricted free agents have already signed contracts, but there’s one big name player still available that makes good sense for the Edmonton Oilers to pursue.” Responses have been varied, with a few quite vocal about the Oilers not following Staples’ advice. “In what world does this make sense?????” writes a commenter on a recent post for The Hockey Writers. Another commenter wrote, “Pacioretty is a good journeyman player but he is injury prone now, late in his career. Oilers might be lucky to get 40 games out of him. They should look elsewhere instead of taking a chance on Patches.” Tyler Yaremchuk of Oilers Nation chimed in and said, “He scored five goals in 37 games last year with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Can’t stay healthy, very old, very slow.” Yaremchuk then went on a rant, listing several Oilers forwards who would be better than Pacioretty. What About Pacioretty on a PTO? Is there any reason that a team that is looking to get younger and faster, and move out depth pieces that were older and less productive than expected, would revert back to last summer’s strategy? It seems like an odd choice on the surface. Something would have to happen that would make giving Pacioretty a look risk-free. That means only a PTO. Even at that point, should he agree, it would require him to be willing to sign a two-way contract for the league minimum.
Browns make curious decision with rookie QB Shedeur Sanders
The Cleveland Browns are giving Shedeur Sanders special treatment in training camp, but it's not the type of favoritism the fifth-round pick would necessarily want. Per Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN, Sanders is the only Browns quarterback who has not been taking reps with the first-team offense during OTAs or the first two practices of training camp. Former Pittsburgh Steelers first-round pick Kenny Pickett, veteran Joe Flacco and rookie Dillon Gabriel have all split reps with the first team. Despite being asked to throw passes to members of the equipment staff amid a shortage of professional pass-catchers for a four-quarterback roster, Sanders said he's thankful for the opportunity to show the Browns coaching staff his talents. "I feel like that it's not in my control, so I'm not going to think about that or even have that in my thought process of why it is," Sanders said to a question as to why he's not getting first-team reps. "There's a lot of people who want to have the opportunity to be at this level, and I'm here and I'm thankful to have the opportunity. So, whenever that is, that is." Sanders, 23, believes that he can contribute more to the Browns than what the coaching staff is asking of him. "It doesn't make me feel down or left out because I know who I am as a person," Sanders said. "I know who I am as an individual and I know what I could bring to this team. So, I can never feel less than any circumstance." The Browns selected Sanders with the No. 144 pick in April's draft. As a player whom many draft analysts thought was a first-round talent, Cleveland took what could be the steal of the draft in the fifth round. It's curious why the Browns aren't giving Sanders a shot with the first team early in training camp before the quarterback race becomes more serious. Cleveland should absolutely see what Sanders has to offer this summer. Flacco, 40, isn't a long-term solution at the position. Pickett failed in Pittsburgh. The Browns need to gauge what rookies Gabriel and Sanders can do with the first team. Having Sanders throw balls to the equipment staff is a waste of everyone's time. But then again, Cleveland has wasted plenty of quarterbacks.
All signs point to Yankees moving on from Anthony Volpe
With the trade for Ryan McMahon now complete, it would seem New York Yankees’ general manager Brian Cashman has fulfilled one of his three priorities. He can now cross third base off the list, which leaves the rotation and bullpen as his remaining priorities. However, according to one Yankees writer, Cashman might not be done with the infield. Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reported this after the McMahon trade: “The Yankees may not be done adding to their infield. A team source said the Yankees are interested in adding a right-handed hitter who could play the infield.” Kirschner adds that the Yankees have had interest in Willi Castro and Amed Rosario. But the question now is, how would another player fit in the Yankees’ infield? Needless to say, Paul Goldschmidt and Jazz Chisholm Jr. aren’t going anywhere, and McMahon is just getting there. That leaves the low-hanging fruit. Anthony Volpe has been at the center of controversy all this season. His 13 errors, many of which had come at make-or-break moments, amount to the second-highest total in the game. In addition, his bat has not been able to compensate, hitting .214/.286/.407 with 14 home runs. There was always a lot to like about Volpe. He won a Gold Glove in his rookie year, his power has always been promising and his speed is nothing to scoff at. Unfortunately, his glove has become a liability and his speed has also produced very few results. Volpe has swiped just 10 bags in 17 attempts. His power is the one thing that still has some upside, but it hasn’t been enough to justify a spot in the lineup. Both Castro and Rosario have been far more productive at the plate this season than Volpe. Kirschner doesn’t clarify how serious the Yankees are in their pursuit of another infielder, but that most likely isn’t available information. Having just turned 24, Volpe could still become the type of player that was expected from him as a top prospect. However, his recent performance has weighed heavily on his team’s efforts and it may be buying him a ticket out of the Bronx — or at least a spot on the bench.
Austin Hill penalized, tells NASCAR to ‘go f**k themselves’ at Indianapolis
For his actions on the track, Austin Hill has been held for five laps late in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Indianapolis. Hill appeared to right rear hook Aric Almirola in retaliation for some rubbing and racing. There will likely be a further penalty after today. Austin Hill followed up his five-lap penalty with a few expletives on the radio. Probably not going to help him when NASCAR decides what fine and points penalties to hand out later next week. “Oh they can go f**k themselves. F**k NASCAR,” Hill said on his radio after being penalized. “That is f***ing bulls**t. I’m f***ing sideways, I go to correct it back to the left, it gets locked to the left, I f***ing run into the 19 [Almirola].” Hill is the first driver to be held for five laps since 2021. A big penalty for the RCR driver. If Austin Hill faces further punishment, it could mean a suspension. Missing a race for a suspension would mean Hill and the 21 team vacate all of their playoff points for the season. As in, he gives up what he’s earned, 21 points, and cannot accumulate or earn more for the rest of 2025. During the season, Austin Hill has spoken up about wanting to be a leader. However, his actions today contradict those previous statements. Richard Childress defends Austin Hill What isn’t going to help Austin Hill is how he reacted on his radio after being held for five laps by NASCAR. Hill went on to finish P34 by the time the race finished, one spot above Almirola. Richard Childress was asked about the situation. He came off as defensive and stood up for his driver. “I’ll be in bigger trouble than I already am with NASCAR, period,” Richard Childress said when initially asked about the incident. He then weighed in after being asked if Austin Hill should be suspended. “Hell no. They didn’t do a damn thing to the 2 car [of Austin Cindric] when they, he wrecked Ty [Dillon] and admitted to it,” Childress said, via Dustin Long of NBC Sports. “Drove him in the right rear and wrecked him at COTA. It’s who you are. We’re a blue-collar team, they give us trouble all the time.” Richard Childress is always going to stand up for his drivers. That’s just how it is. But Austin Cindric was penalized for his right rear hook on Ty Dillon at COTA. Some felt it wasn’t enough, but he was penalized 50 points and received a fine.
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