11-16-3. 25 tiny ranking points out of a possible 60. That’s what the Canadian’s record was after 30 games. 11-2-1. 23 ranking points out of a possible 28. This is what the Canadian’s record is in his last 14 matches.
It’s a 180 degree turn, a total metamorphosis. And above all, with 11 victories in their last 14 matches, we cannot say that it is a happy coincidence, an accident.
No, this is the new face of the Canadian. That of a united and resilient group, but above all confident. A united contingent who believe in their means and who no longer have any complexes, who are no longer afraid of anyone.
There is no longer a match day that passes where we know that in the evening the CH will be crashed. On the contrary, the days of meetings do not pass quickly enough because we can’t wait for night to fall so as not to miss anything of the next victory of Sainte-Flanelle.
“La Sainte-Flanelle”, “Les Glorieux”, two legendary nicknames to describe the Canadian. The laudatory terms that I no longer allowed myself to use because this team made me ashamed, because I found that this group of spoiled babies was sullying the rich tradition of this organization.
It is with pleasure that I reinstate these nicknames which call for sunny days, happy days. Victory is a fabulous elixir. When a team as important as the Montreal Canadiens wins, the entire Quebec people are better off.
With all the geopolitical grayness, all the existential battles hanging over us, the Habs have a job to do in order to stabilize people’s moods.
Let’s say that, from now on, it’s working quite well. I’m not fooled, I know that the CH will experience some failures between now and the end of the season. But, regular slips? I would be surprised. Concede volleys again from 7 to 2 or 8 to 2? I would be knocked down.
The arrival of Patrik Laine and the contagious energy he exudes was an extraordinary trigger. The acquisition of Alexandre Carrier represents a key addition. And the great departure of Jakub Dobes is providential.
There is still work to be done by the Gorton-Hughes tandem, but, overall, what they have patiently and sparingly put together is paying very exciting dividends.
-In the equation, it would be malicious to ignore Martin St-Louis.
We all rightly agreed that Spencer Carbery of the Washington Capitals was going to deserve the Jack Adams Trophy awarded to the coach of the year in the National Hockey League (NHL).
How can we ignore St-Louis among the finalists if he places his club in the end-of-season playoffs?
St-Louis has several things in common with his immediate boss and friend Kent Hughes. First of all, they are two rare stubborn people, which is a quality for doing their job.
But, they are also both blessed with extraordinary patience.
However, I must admit that this patience remarkably served the plan, the Canadian’s project, particularly in the case of St-Louis which maintained its guideline by remaining deaf to external noise. He knowingly executed his plan by following his instincts and his agenda with surgical precision.
He began by deploying a sustained effort to the cause of individual development of each of his players. Then, during the fall, he integrated the notion of collective behavior from his troop. Against all the laughable comments that abounded everywhere, including in this post.
St. Louis deserves a ton of credit for their team’s current success. Obviously, not everything is perfect. He gradually becomes again the character avoiding the media that he was as a player.
If he asked me for advice, I would tell him to remain humble, accessible, philosophical and jovial, to once again become the St. Louis that we immediately adopted when he arrived in office.
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