Episode 168 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast 08-01-2025

Hello hockey fans out there, episode 168 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast has arrived to address your hockey fix during the summer. This episodes topics include- #1. David Reinbacher better be amazing soon. #2. Tristan Jarry is not the solution or answer or solution to the Edmonton Oilers goaltending issues. #3. What qualifications does David Pastrnak have to call out Juraj Slafkovsky regarding he lacks humility. #4. David Pastrnak should focus on himself, his own game and most importantly come down from the mountain top he apparently thinks he’s on top of. #5. The Montreal Canadiens need to trade Patrik Laine first and foremost. #6. The Montreal Canadiens do not need to acquire Nick and Jason Robertson as depth or defensive players to replace Christian Dvorak and Joel Armia. The Montreal Canadiens have plenty of internal organizational depth. #7. Why can’t a line of Brendan Gallagher, Jake Evans and Josh Anderson replace Christian Dvorak and Joel Armia? #8. The Montreal Canadiens have 10 NHL ready defensemen, what is with the senseless panic over David Savard? #8. Of course, Michael Hage has been very impressive at the Canada Cup this summer, how can anyone actually be surprised is my question? #9. The Montreal Canadiens knew Michael Hage was the steel of the 2024 NHL entry, does anyone actually wonder why the Montreal Canadiens moved up from 24th to 21st to draft him. #10. Michael Hage should not even be traded or included as part of a trade package for Connor McDavid, Sidny Crosby or Cal Makar. #11.  Ivan Demidov should hands down win it in 2025/2026, unless he gets injured, providing the Montreal Canadiens with back-to-back rookie of the year players. #12. Ok, Nathan Beaulieu retired, players retire all the time. Why is this viewed as anything outside the norm?  He has decided to move on, that’s it. #13. It will indeed be a critical coming year for Kirby Dach, Alex Newhook, Patrik Laine and Joe Veleno. #14. The Montreal Canadiens need to let Arber Xhekaj play to his strengths, style and game, rather than trying to change him. The Montreal Canadiens have not had a player like Arber Xhekaj since Chris Nilan. Arber Xhekaj is an extremely rare combination of size physicality with a blend of skating and offensive skills that’s more unusual that the generational talents are.