Episode 176 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast 09-26-2025

Hello Hockey fans out there. Episode 176 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast has arrived for your hockey fix. Take a listen, this episode’s topics include- #1. What is with the continued insanity about acquiring Sidney Crosby?  #2. Why would anyone strip a club of its roster talent, organizational prospects and future draft picks to acquire a 38-year-old that won’t even be there that long? #3. The same insanity also exists regarding Mason McTavish? #4. Mason McTavish has proven absolutely nothing to date at the NHL level. Someone please explain how this even makes sense! #5. Montreal has 10 organizational centers beyond Nike Suzuki, who is without question the club’s number #1 center and captain. 5 of them are #2 center quality and that doesn’t even include Michael Hage. #6. The injuries to Noah Dobson, Kaiden Guhle and now David Reinbacher are the quint essential proof as to why an organization does trade their talent and depth away. #7. Fortunately, the Montreal Canadiens can still Mike Mathenson, Arber Xhekaj, Lane Hutson, Jayden Struble, Alexander Carrier and Adam Engstrom, which is a better top 6 defensive group than most other clubs have. #8. Florian Xhekaj is having an outstanding training camp and is proving his worth and there for him to be on the opening day NHL roster. #9. Owen Beck is having an outstanding training camp, showing his value in all area’s of the ice and game. #10. Oliver Kapanen has had a solid training camp and shown immediate chemistry with Ivan Demidov and Patrik Laine #11. Joshua Roy’s star is dimming very quickly. #12. Everyone should be extremely excited about a future line of Florian Xhekaj, Tyler Thorpe and Luke Tuch. That line will add an element a value to Montreal’s roster that they have not had in decades. #13. Montreal’s organizational goaltending depth looks outstanding.