​There’s a fresh face in Montreal, and it’s a familiar name with a new twist. Former Detroit Red Wings coach Derek “Newsy” Lalonde has been hired by the Montreal Canadiens as an assistant coach on Martin St. Louis’s staff, a move announced on Wednesday. This marks a notable connection to the Canadiens’ past, as the original Newsy Lalonde in hockey was Edward Lalonde, a standout figure who helped propel Montreal to prominence in the early 1900s. In his day as player-coach, Edward Lalonde guided Montreal to their first Stanley Cup in 1916. His legacy extended beyond the ice as he was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1950 and remains notable for recording one of the game’s highest career points-per-game averages, at 1.667, trailing only Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky.
On the coaching front, Derek Lalonde’s résumé includes winning two Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning, followed by a stint behind the Detroit bench for two and a half seasons, where his teams posted an 89-86-23 record. He then spent the previous season working alongside Craig Berube with the Toronto Maple Leafs. After parting ways with Toronto this past Tuesday, he has now moved to Montreal to fill the role Trevor Letowski had occupied since 2021, bringing his experience to the Canadiens’ coaching staff.
In other NHL news, the Anaheim Ducks pulled off a bold move involving Leo Carlsson. The Ducks matched the Philadelphia Flyers’ offer sheet for Carlsson on Thursday, agreeing to a five-year contract worth $90 million. This arrangement makes Carlsson’s average annual value $18 million, the highest in NHL history. At 21 years old, Carlsson will officially become the league’s highest-paid player on a per-season basis, narrowly surpassing Kirill Kaprizov of the Minnesota Wild by $1 million. Carlsson’s new deal follows his entry-level contract, which paid $950,000 per year. “It was an offer that 99% of people would sign, too. It’s a pretty simple answer,” Carlsson said. “I really wanted to be here though. I really wanted them to match. I want to be an Anaheim Duck.”
The Ducks’ decision to match means Carlsson cannot be traded for at least a year. He will remain under contract with Anaheim until 2031, when he becomes an unrestricted free agent. Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek expressed enthusiasm about retaining Carlsson, stating, “We are very happy to have Leo under contract for five years. We have viewed Leo as a franchise player since the moment we met him prior to the 2023 draft. He’s a character person on and off the ice. Leo is viewed as a top player in this league, and it was always our intention to match any offer sheet.” Ducks owners Henry and Susan Samueli echoed that sentiment, noting the organization’s high expectations for Carlsson and their belief that he will continue to grow into one of the league’s elite centers while also making a meaningful impact in the community.
Carlsson enjoyed a standout season last year, posting career highs with 29 goals, 38 assists, and 67 points in 70 games. Across 203 career NHL games, he has accumulated 141 points on 61 goals and 80 assists. His youth, playmaking ability, and two-way presence have made him a cornerstone piece for Anaheim’s plans moving forward. As Carlsson embarks on his five-year journey with the Ducks, fans and analysts will be watching closely to see how his game translates to sustained excellence at the NHL level and how his presence shapes Anaheim’s competitive trajectory in the coming seasons.