Patience has its limits

DAY

The Canadiens still have one home game to play. Thursday, the Boston Bruins will be in town. It won't be easy against the best team in the league, but this game must be, for the players, synonymous with thanks.  

Thank you to Martin St-Louis, who faced the music throughout the season by continually defending his troops, while showing restraint, for he did not certainly not always speak out in public. 

Thank you also to the supporters, who were patient and even made waves despite the defeats.

However, patience has its limits. After two miserable campaigns, languishing in the shallows, I don't think amateurs are ready to repeat the experience for another two or three years. And then, we have to stop remembering that the CH sneaked into the Stanley Cup final in 2021. It was an illusion due in particular to the regulations specific to the pandemic.

The CH may have the best supporters in the world, but it has to stop. 

Far from the Glorious

We are talking here about the Montreal Canadiens. The biggest franchise in professional hockey. I expect Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton to improve the team this summer. We need home runs in order to arrive at training camp with confidence. 

You have to move forward and surround the young people well. There is a good base with the Samuel Montembeault, Mike Matheson, David Savard, Nick Suzuki – a good captain –, Cole Caufield, Kirby Dach and the less experienced defenders in Kaiden Guhle, Justin Barron, Jordan Harris and Arber Xhekaj.

And St-Louis is a winner. He won't accept defeat for much longer. When he looks up at the Bell Center, he sees the banners, those of the retired numbers and those of the Stanley Cups. So we can't settle for mediocrity. 

And when St-Louis says that players must bring “their game in our game /em>”, it throws a message. Some have not understood this or simply cannot.

The coach sent other messages on Thursday. By having Joel Edmundson and Chris Wideman play together, I understand that he no longer wants to pair these veterans with young people. When we place Jonathan Drouin and Brendan Gallagher in the same trio, it's the same thing. 

Not the same with Sam and Rafaël

The win over the Washington Capitals was far more heartening than the losses to the Carolina Hurricanes and Detroit Red Wings. Scoring six goals feels good compared to conceding two shutouts.

The CH finally looked like a team that wanted to compete. 

As if by chance, it was the return of Montembeault in front of the net and that of Rafaël Harvey-Pinard alongside Nick Suzuki. The latter had a goal and provided an assist in what turned out to be his best performance of the past two weeks.

I can't wait to hear that Harvey-Pinard has signed a contract extension. I hope his file is on top of Hughes' desk. The little Quebecer brings the energy that any team needs. He helped Suzuki out of his lethargy, with the two players complementing each other wonderfully.

The real number 1

As for Montembeault , he is the real number 1 guardian of this organization. Many still have doubts, but he proves that he is the best at the moment. Full stop. 

Cayden Primeau has been given chances, but he is not yet in the NHL.

As for Jake Allen, he is having more and more difficulty. 

Everything therefore rests on the shoulders of Montembeault and he takes up the challenge. Even at the start of the season, when Allen had the number 1 tag, the Quebecer said nothing and concentrated on his work. Throughout the campaign, he improved his stats. His efficiency rate of .906 is also the best of his career. 

–  Interview by Mylène Richard

Echoes of Bergie

A PERIOD BYgone

The days of the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins dominating are over. We could even have series without Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby. The Capitals of “Ovi” are already eliminated from the race for the playoffs and we had the proof of it on Thursday. They did not appear against the Canadian. Nicklas Backstrom, Evgeny Kuznetsov and John Carlson are no longer a shadow of themselves. In future seasons, the “ Caps ” will play to help
Ovechkin break records. As for the Crosbys, Evgeni Malkin, Kristopher Letang and company, they still have slim chances of extending their campaign. The three friends can't do everything on their own. But where is the next generation?

A BATTLE TO FINISH IN THE WEST

Who of the Flames or the Jets will participate in the spring dance? Both clubs have 89 points in the bank, but Team Manitoba has a game in hand. And we must not forget the Predators, who do not let go despite the departure of several players. Moreover, Nashville will face Calgary and Winnipeg by the end of the regular schedule. There is no need to recall the importance of these matches. One thing is certain: heads will roll in Western Canada. If the Flames fail, coach Darryl Sutter will jump. In Winnipeg, general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff could lift the markers.

HAPPY RETIREMENT TO MARC JOANNETTE

What a great career Marc Joannette has had. The 54-year-old Quebecer has been an NHL referee for 25 years. Thursday, at the Bell Center, he officiated his 1520th and last duel in the regular season. He retired after working in 172 playoff games, working in three Stanley Cup Finals. You cannot know such longevity if you are not good. Players and coaches can boast of having played in the NHL, sometimes just a few games or a season. But what Marc has accomplished is exceptional. In addition, the referees are never at home during the season. They are always on the road. Me, I confess, I could never have done that.