CHRISTMAS 2027 | The Journal of Montreal

Undeniably, to have a winning team, strategically well built and fascinating to watch, you first need two great allies: the leaders of the club and the supporters behind these leaders united in what we should call a plan. Say, a minimum five-year plan.

In my lifetime, and it’s been quite a long time, it’s the first time that I’ve seen the Canadians leave from such a distance, from such a hollow on the way to a clearly avowed reconstruction and, it’s a first, indeed well accepted by his followers, his disciples. It now remains to add a crucial ingredient to the recipe, which is called “patience”.

A five-year period means that this high-level team should appear in 2027 at the earliest. Until then, it will be necessary above all to avoid the trap into which Montreal has so often fallen, which is to become the cemetery of players who come to finish their career in blue. -White Red. The Linden, Gilmour, Brière, Bonk, Samsonov, Gomez, Smolinski, Lang and even Gionta or Audette were illusions. They had given their best elsewhere. Not to be done once more.

REJOICE ANYWAY

Before signing a contract with a player who has a big name, you must first determine how old he will be in 2027 and where his career will be. If this athlete then reaches his decline, he will only have to serve as bait in order to obtain an attractive draft pick in a possible trade. Otherwise, it’s not worth it. We build with new wood.

Develop and, above all, be far-sighted, adapt quickly and anticipate what hockey will be like in the next few years of the NHL. Rejoice when they win, but, for the next two or three seasons, rejoice even more when they finish last and draft first. The young people who are already with the team are in school and they are learning to stick together, to never give up, to be respected and ultimately to win. Those who will join the team, this new culture, will have to let themselves be carried away by this current, which you see in Colorado, in Tampa, in Boston.

It will be necessary, in a clever and tactical way, to get rid of overpaid passengers and replace them with soldiers, real warriors with fresh flesh. We should be happy that those who buy tickets or who pay for sponsorships accept with indulgence the time of construction, the development of kids. After only 6 months, the Canadians have gone further than I thought. The will is installed, it shows both on the ice and on the upper floors. Now, you have to play the right cards and if, among those, there were some who are from here, that would be wonderful.

Are you looking forward to 2027?

From the enclave

• The Mayor of Saint-Michel-des-Saints, Rejean Gouin, is proud of its by-law adopted in 2018. Did you know that ATV and snowmobile traffic is authorized on the streets of its very touristy municipality?
• The treatment reserved for Mario Cecchini by the owners of the Alouettes is unacceptable. The title that Marc deFoy used yesterday in this file summarizes everything in two words: “What a mess! »
• The defender Matthias Samuelsson of the Sabers is the son of Kjell who played fifteen years in the NHL. Dad was 6′ and 6 while son is 6′ and 3.
• To the fishermen on the ice. Know that you must have your license and also a photo card proving the veracity of your identity. And caution, caution, caution… He is still very early and very thin in the season.
• Dany Dubé (98.5) was once the instructor of the MP for Marquette, Henry Ciccone, in 1990 with the Draveurs de Trois-Rivières.
• I haven’t checked, but the Canadian would have won the Stanley Cup on Boston Bruins ice more often than the Bruins themselves.
• Congratulation to Patrice Forcier who becomes the new general manager of the magnificent Pinegrove Golf Club in Saint-Luc. Brilliant acquisition.
• Kaiden Guhle has one brother, Brendan. He was drafted by Buffalo in the second round in 2015. He played only three games with the Sabers and has just announced his retirement at just 25 years old.

Photo d’archives, Martin Chevalier

Kaiden Guhle

• Brody Sutter is the son of Duane and nephew of the other five Sutters. He wanted to be a referee in the NHL, but it didn’t work out. He was drafted by Carolina in 2011.
• The cities of Anaheim, Seattle, Winnipeg and, of course, Phoenix have never before hosted the NHL All-Star Game. Next February, it will be with the Panthers.
• It was funny to hear the voice of Michael Lacroix at the TD Garden in Boston last Saturday. Recorded in Montreal, Michel Lacroix presented Patrice Bergeron in French then celebrated for its 1000 points. The Governor of Massachusetts, Charlie Baker, moreover proclaimed on December 17 The Patrice Bergeron Day in his state.
• When Gary Bettman became commissioner of the NHL? The same year the Canadiens won their last Stanley Cup… 1993.
• On January 14 at the Center Francine Gadbois (Boucherville) is held the VIP evening of the Hunting-Peach Film Tour. Over $8,000 in prize money at this 2023 season launch.
• Valleyfield mourns the passing of Michel Choinière (Canadian Tire), such a wonderful and generous philanthropist who has helped and supported the sports world in his region. Cursed Cancer!
• It is still Wayne Gretzky who dominates for the number of goals scored in a career empty net with 85. Follow Crosby (68), Blake Wheeler (67), Ovechkin (66) and Hossa (60).
• The highest paid coach in the NHL would be Todd McLellan (Los Angeles) at 5 million per year. Martin St-Louis would be at 3 million.
• Pascal Dupuis is not only assistant coach of the Shawinigan Cataractes, but he is also one of the shareholders of the team, where he himself played.