The Laval Rocket were the American Hockey League’s top dog all year, and hadn’t been tested until they reached the Calder Cup final, when the Charlotte Checkers stopped them dead in their tracks.
For many reasons, however, the Rocket kept their heads held high in the moment of defeat, and knew that the ultimate goal had been set — get back to the finals and win.
Laval’s roster will look different when the start of the 2025-2026 season rolls around, with veterans departing for pay raises, and prospects ready to try and make the jump from the Rocket to the Canadiens roster.
The Canadiens saw Emil Heineman graduate to a full-time NHL player this year, while Rafael Harvey-Pinard took a step back. But there is a crop of fantastic under-25 forward talent in Laval, and they should be expected to make some noise in late-September into early-October at Canadiens training camp, and especially during preseason matchups.
Hungry players will emerge at camp, but the ones who hate to lose and are starved to win will stick out. Thankfully, Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton have hand-picked many of their prospects, so the character in the group is off the charts.
Montreal needs to get younger, but at the same time, they must maintain a fine balance between veterans and youth in the lineup. So, bringing in three or four of Laval’s young forwards isn’t likely. But there is a group of five or six forwards with the Rocket that should have the Bell Centre shaking before the regular season starts.
That group includes:
Florian Xhekaj: In his debut professional season, No. 63 for the Rocket was a physical specimen, and much like his brother Arber, Florian appeared to have a bit of untapped potential. He showed that potential, and a fantastic work ethic pushed him to a 24-goal rookie season. Entering the season at six-foot-four and 205 pounds, Xhekaj could show up at Habs camp as one of the biggest forwards after hitting the weights all summer.
Owen Beck: Beck, just like Xhekaj, played his debut professional season, and the rookie resembles a veteran center, rather than a 20-year-old (now 21) playing his first season in the AHL. The Peterborough, Ontario native flexed his face-off prowess, and his 15 goals and 44 assists are pretty impressive for a guy not labelled as much of a point producer. Beck is six-foot-one and a smidge under 200 pounds, perfect for an NHL top-nine center group.
Owen Beck's hit on Steeves. #LavalRocket pic.twitter.com/RKjapUang7
— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) May 30, 2025
Oliver Kapanen: Though Kapanen played the majority of his 2024-25 season away from Laval, splitting time between Montreal, where he played 18 games, and Timrå IK, where he played 36 games, and showed great offensive potential (15 goals, and 20 assists), he was a big part of their late season push to the playoffs, and once there his steady two-way game was an asset to the Laval lineup.
Jared Davidson: Davidson is the biggest dark horse of the four forwards being discussed, but he is a pure sniper who leans on his shots, stunning goalies. He is also physical, and like Heineman, has the versatility to play in an NHL middle-six. Though his skating could use a bit of work, he plays a heavy game, translatable to the NHL level.
#HFtop50 • by user vote NUMBER 5️⃣0️⃣ • #AHL202425
— HockeyFights.com (@hockeyfights) April 22, 2025
Laval Rocket -
Jared Davidson Cade Webber
- Toronto Marlies
2025 FEB 07 • 2nd Period - 10:26https://t.co/tXM23VENd4 pic.twitter.com/iDMRGCRr19
The Canadiens need to get bigger and play more physically. This has become the recipe to winning Stanley Cups, and adding any of the four players above will make the team a little more difficult to play against. Xhekaj and Davidson will drop the gloves, where Beck and Kapanen are more likely to force a turnover or throw an unexpected slobber knocker body check.
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The Boston Bruins are gauging trade interest in forward Pavel Zacha, according to The Fourth Period. Following a down season and a trade deadline where Zacha’s name was thrown around but was ultimately not moved, Bruins GM Don Sweeney is trying to move the 27-year-old Czech center. Zacha is playing in the final season of a contract that has a $4.75 million cap hit. Zacha, acquired from the New Jersey Devils in 2022 for Erik Haula, has been a solid pickup for Boston. He posted 21 goals and 57 points in 78 games in 2023-24, though his production dipped slightly to 47 points over a full 82-game slate last season. He can play up and down the lineup and has a strong two-way game. Who Has Shown Interest in a Zacha Trade? Two teams reportedly monitoring Zacha are the Vancouver Canucks and the Utah Hockey Club. Both teams are seeking top-six forward depth and would value Zacha’s steady offensive contributions. The Canucks have been busy all summer, signing and trading players. They have also been linked to Jack Roslovic talks in free agency, meaning they wouldn’t be adding both. Utah has been looking to make a splash this season and work their way up the standings in an attempt to compete for the playoffs. The Bruins would likely demand a notable return, but neither team is looking to send players back. The trade would likely involve a high pick or a mid-tier prospect. Zacha controls part of the process with an eight-team no-trade list. He’s owed just $3.75 million in actual salary each of the next two seasons, further boosting his trade appeal.
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.
The Phillies have had some talks with the Diamondbacks about third baseman Eugenio Suarez, according to Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer. It isn’t clear whether or not the discussions are anything more than due diligence on the Phillies’ part, but Philadelphia can now be added to a lengthy list of teams with some degree of interest in the slugger. The New York Post’s Jon Heyman raised Suarez as a “potential fit” for the Phils Friday, since the club is in need of third base help with Alec Bohm on the 10-day injured list. Putting Suarez in between the powerful left-handed hitting duo of Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber would only add more balance and pop to the lineup, and make it even harder for opposing pitchers and managers to navigate through what is already a dangerous Philadelphia lineup. Since Bohm is expected back from his fractured rib roughly halfway through August, however, Lauber notes that added Suarez would creates a bit of a positional logjam. Harper and Schwarber have the first base and DH spots locked down, so there would be nowhere for Bohm and Suarez to both play unless Schwarber was moved into left field. Harper doesn’t appear to be a candidate for a return to outfield work, as Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski stated last month. Speculatively, the Phillies could clear space by trading Bohm himself, though such a deal would naturally be trickier since Bohm is on the IL. It is possible Bohm could head to Arizona as part of a Suarez trade package, as adding Bohm would help the D-backs fill some at-bats at first base since Josh Naylor has been traded, and Bohm could provide cover at third base if Jordan Lawlar runs into more struggles at the MLB level. Bohm is arbitration-eligible for the final time this winter, so this extra year of team control might appeal to the Diamondbacks or other teams looking for corner infield help. Since the Diamondbacks are also shopping several of their outfielders, it is possible the two sides could work out a multi-player deal that would see the Phillies add both Suarez and some outfield help in one fell swoop. Lauber writes that Arizona was scouting Mick Abel’s most recent Triple-A start, which again could be due diligence or a signal that the D-backs (known to be pursuing pitching) have a particular interest in Abel as a trade chip. Dombrowski is no stranger to bold trades, so the Phillies can’t be entirely ruled out for Suarez until the dust settles. Money won’t be a factor, as the Phils have already shown they’re more than willing to break the bank in pursuit of a championship. Suarez is still owed roughly $5.2M of his $15M salary for the 2025 season before he heads into free agency. Since the Phillies are already over the highest level ($301M) of luxury-tax penalization, they’ll pay a 110% tax on every dollar spent beyond the $301M threshold, so Suarez’s real price tag for the Phillies will be more than $10.5M.
Shortly after former Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback and current college football analyst Greg McElroy shared that someone "in the know" believes there's a possibility Nick Saban — who retired in January 2024 — might return to coaching, NFL insider Albert Breer suggested that the Dallas Cowboys could be a potential destination for the seven-time national champion. According to Mike Rodak of 247Sports, Saban was asked during a Friday appearance on Fox News if he intends to come out of retirement. "No, I'm really happy with what I'm doing right now," Saban responded. "It's exciting to still be involved in the game. It's exciting for me to work with athletic directors, conference commissioners, people in Congress to preserve the integrity of our game and continue to be able to create opportunities to help young people create value for their future that will help them be successful in their life, which is what we always try to do as a coach." Saban, now working as an ESPN analyst, will be 74 in October. Per Christian Datoc of the Washington Examiner, President Donald Trump could consider having Saban "lead a new commission examining problems arising with the growth of name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights and coinciding changes to the NCAA transfer process." Meanwhile, it's thought that Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones could look to hire a big-name candidate if first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer fails to impress during the 2025 campaign. Additionally, Fox Sports personality Colin Cowherd recently hinted that Saban could be interested in becoming the head coach of the Cleveland Browns if the team selects Texas quarterback Arch Manning as the first pick in the 2026 draft. "There is no opportunity that I know of right now that would enhance me to go back to coaching," Saban added during Friday's segment. "I enjoy what I'm doing. I did it for 50 years. I loved it. I loved the relationships with the players. I loved the competition. But it's another station of life now. I enjoy what I'm doing right now and want to continue to do it — spend more time with my family, my grandchildren, my children. It's been really, really good." The "right now" portion of Saban's comments attracted the attention of Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, who was quick to point out he did not say "no for good" regarding a return to coaching. In short, it seems that rumors about Saban's future could hover over the college and pro football communities through at least the rest of the year.