The performance of the Canadian against the Carolina Hurricanes, Saturday night, was not pretty, we will admit.
The most captivating moment came before the start of the game when Rafaël Harvey-Pinard received the Molson Cup as the Canadiens’ MVP in March.
Then, as the match unfolded, it was Samuel Montembeault bombarded from all angles who avoided humiliation for his group.
Are the little guys at their wit’s end?
Surely fatigue changes everything. Surely the very long list of wounded has a major impact on events. Surely the motivational element still has its place in the locker room, but the resources diminished by staff in bad shape mean that they no longer manage to create a good impression.
We will never criticize the courage and determination of this group. Surely not after having gone through a season marked by adversity, marked by unheard of despite very limited means. He served the fans well under the circumstances. Surprisingly even.
But there comes a time when the resources have been exhausted.
The Hurricanes are one of the strengths of the NHL. They are fast, they are talented, they have big ambitions as the tournament approaches in mid-April.
The Canadian knew what awaited him and he knew above all that he lacked too many tools in the trunk to compete at the same level as such a formidable opponent.
A few weeks ago, maybe the Canadiens would have offered better resistance… but, right now, that’s too much to ask.
The words of Martin St-Louis, when he speaks to the players, capture the attention… but how to apply the instructions when you no longer have the means to at least serve a solid resistance in front of a better off rival, more experienced, and led by a trainer who was quick to make his mark in Rod Brind’Amour?
Only two weeks left in the season… two long weeks.
The unlikely case of Letang
Kristopher Letang played yesterday against the Philadelphia Flyers, his 1000th career game.
In reality, he defied the improbable.
On the one hand, we never thought that the former QMJHL defenseman would be so successful. However, despite the injuries, despite the illness, despite the difficult times he experienced with the members of his family when his father died, he always knew how to pull the chestnuts out of the fire.
Also, we never thought he could play an average of 25 minutes per game. We never thought he would have such an impact on his teammates. We never believed that, in the history of the Pittsburgh Penguins, he would hold such a strategic role.
In adversity, he always showed great courage. On the ice, he has largely contributed to the success of his training. He quickly became the most skilful and effective defender to be in any fight and especially to be complicit in the actions of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.
Quite a feat…
Hurricanes to watch
Agreed, the Hurricanes have all the resources to move up the ladder at the spring tournament. But how much will they miss the services of Andrei Svechnikov, a power forward, one of the few skaters whose style of play differs from the other skaters in the squad?
Svechnikov has always been able to make an impact in the playoffs because of his physical involvement, because of his speed, because of his fast shooting. The Hurricanes are betting big on him. As they bet on Max Pacioretty, precisely because, it was said, we had solved an important problem, that of having two players capable of creating concern among opposing defenders, capable of hindering the work of the goalkeepers.
By the way: Frederik Andersen should be the starting goalkeeper, but can he make the difference? Has he succeeded in this role in the past in Toronto?
Guerin’s audacity serves him well
The simple fact that the Minnesota Wild finished among the top three teams in the Central Division is a nice surprise this season. This team never ceases to amaze.
Bill Guerin and Dean Evason, a coach who doesn’t get all the credit he deserves, are the big architects of the Wild’s transformation.
Two years ago, Guerin entered his boss’s office to tell him that he was going to make a decision forcing the team’s main investor to pay several million dollars.
Guerin managed to convince Wild shareholders that the organization could not progress with Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. It was therefore necessary to buy out their contract.
The Wild currently pays between $12 and $14 million per season to respect the pact concluded with the two players.
Guerin then turned to the young players of the organization, like Matthew Boldy, drafted three ranks earlier than Cole Caufield. The general manager has awarded the striker a seven-year contract. Guerin is now considered one of the best general managers in the league and with good reason.
Nice initiative
The Boston Bruins have deployed a great initiative by giving Quebecer Patrice Bergeron a day off. They told their captain to stay home and rest well while the team plays two games in Pittsburgh (that was Saturday) and St. Louis (that was yesterday).
Intriguing trainer
Well. Matt McIlvane is a coach leading a team in Austria. According to the latest rumors, he could be offered the position of head coach of the formation of San Diego, the subsidiary of the Anaheim Ducks in the American League, the team that Joël Bouchard led 18 months ago.