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“If the Habs choose Michkov, Quebec won’t mourn Patrik Laine’s injury”

 Emily Smith
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“If the Habs choose Michkov, Quebec won’t mourn Patrik Laine’s injury”
Credit: Capture d'écran / Screenshot

The start of the season also means the return of Jean-Charles Lajoie to the TVA Sports show. Today, in his editorial, he revisited the Habs’ first-round pick last year and the indirect consequences it had on the Patrik Laine incident.

In his opinion, the fact that Matvei Michkov wasn’t selected by the Habs meant that Kent Hughes had to turn to a player like Patrik Laine, to push the rebuild forward.

“If, at the 2023 draft, the Habs do what everyone expected them to do, claim Matvei Michkov, Quebec doesn’t mourn the loss of Patrik Laine to injury today.” – JiC

He added that the Habs would be admiring a second line of Dach and Michkov while waiting for Demidov next year.

I really don’t agree with his comments for several reasons.

First, it’s simplistic to link David Reinbacher’s fifth-round pick to the Patrik Laine situation.

The Blue Jackets wanted to get rid of the Finnish player, while the Habs had the payroll to take him on. Laine isn’t even in his thirties and could be part of the rebuild if he performs up to his talent.

So, even if the Habs had chosen Michkov, Laine could very well have been another weapon in Kent Hughes’ forward line.

Speaking of the Russian forward, who’s to guarantee he’d already be in Montreal? The situation was made easier with Philadelphia, and his relationship with Daniel Brière and upper management helped in his choice to come and play in North America so quickly. There’s no guarantee it would have been the same with the Habs.

Finally, in the event that Michkov was drafted by the Habs and is currently playing his first minutes with the team, it could very well have been him who suffered Cedric Paré’s blow the other day. He was targeted in Philadelphia, but did well.

Not JiC’s favourite

By the way, instead of following the trend and talking about the huge loss of Laine for quite some time, Lajoie went in another direction, mentioning that he never understood the acquisition of a player he doesn’t particularly like.

“He always gave me the impression of taking on his talent, of practicing a paying profession rather than playing hockey.” -JiC

Those are pretty harsh words for a player who had been through a lot and had rediscovered a taste for playing hockey.


Overtime

– Bad news for the 49ers.

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