Because the Montreal Canadiens are trying to build a club that will win (on a regular basis) in a few years, the wins in 2023 aren’t the most important.
What I just said is true for the fans or the club management, but not in the dressing room.
After all, we say it often, but we know that no player deliberately tries to lose. No player has an advantage to lose because from a very individual point of view, nobody wants to have the reputation of a guy who does not try to win.
The youngsters want to make their mark, the veterans want to eye better teams and the core wants to help Martin St-Louis create a culture where losing is not encouraged.
Brief. All that to say that the guys will work hard on the ice to try to get away from Connor Bedard. It started on Saturday and Sunday, back from a break that obviously did the guys some good.
The good news of the weekend is that even though the Flannelette collected four points out of a possible four, the club still closed in on the prospect of the Regina Pats.
In fact, last Friday, the club had a 7.5% chance of drafting Bedard, but the Panthers were excluded from the lottery. This time, the CH may have a 6.5% chance, but the Panthers have three chances out of 100.
Concretely, the Habs are at 9.5%, tied with Arizona. I don’t think it will last since the Panthers will go up a bit by April, but hey.
The two most recent wins should not lose hope of drafting Bedard since the club will not have a 25.5% chance of winning the lottery: clubs like the Blue Jackets and the Blackhawks are too low.
We can therefore take the victories of the weekend for what they were: good news.
The Canadian won’t start to climb up the rankings until he leaves the Bedard lottery and that’s why once in a while, you have to be happy to see the Flanelle win games and master Connor McDavid.
And doing it in front of a young crowd on Saturday and Sunday followingnoon at the Bell Center is good for everyone.
There was atmosphere at the Bell Center!
????⚪️????
Amazing atmosphere at the Bell Centre this followingnoon!#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/vdHp6sXLVp— Montreal Canadiens (@CanadiensMTL) February 12, 2023
Of course, it’s interesting to note that the CH players were able to put on a good show for the young fans who can rarely make it to the Bell Center for the 7 p.m. games, but the impact on the guys is significant.
For what? Because it allows them to remember the feeling to play in front of the Montreal crowd.
It allowed Alex Belzile to live out a dream, to score a goal not only in the NHL, but in front of an interesting crowd at the Bell Center of his childhood.
In the locker room, everyone was talking regarding Belzile. It allows the club to calibrate itself on important moments.
Balayage you weekend ????
Weekend sweep#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/kxlgCEEfDh
— Montreal Canadiens (@CanadiensMTL) February 12, 2023
And beautiful moments of this kind, there will not necessarily be often by the end of the season. After all, the schedule for the next few weeks will be tough and the defeats will pile up, which will put the club back on Connor Bedard’s path.
Might as well enjoy the memorable moments as they pass, right?
The Canadian gave a good show, the club is in a good position in the lottery, the Super Bowl gave a great show last night between the Chiefs and the Eagles… and it was not -30 outside.
What might be better?
A lot of
– An upcoming Hamburglar 2.0?
It’s the middle of February.
Both Ottawa goalies are injured.
And the team is well out of the playoff race.
Andrew Hammond has seen this script before and he seized the moment.
So naturally, he has some useful advice for Mads Sogaard & Kevin Mandolese. https://t.co/mwdNM7FGwX
— Ian Mendes (@ian_mendes) February 13, 2023
– To have.
PK Subban and Joe Thornton in an Apple ad https://t.co/sdpUxUJgPO pic.twitter.com/HfbFeKC57M
— SwissHabs (@SwissHabs) February 13, 2023
– Wow.
When Travis Kelce was suspended at Cincinnati, his big brother Jason convinced the coach not to kick him off the team.
Jason made Travis move in with him to keep en eye on him.
He knew Travis was destined for the NFL.
Now, Travis is a two-time Super Bowl Champion. pic.twitter.com/QSameuNwW3
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) February 13, 2023
– Anthony Auclair is thinking regarding his future. [BPM Sports]
– What should the Maple Leafs do?
In my latest for @TheAthleticreached out to rival front office people around the NHL and asked them: what move(s) would they make ahead of the trade deadline if they were the Maple Leafs? ⤵️⤵️https://t.co/IpKcXr7Gnq
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) February 13, 2023
