I’ve already lived through 2024, here’s what’s happening in sports

I was lent the DeLorean, Back to the futureto travel until January 2025. I was able to find out everything that is happening in the world of sport for the year 2024. More seriously, let’s have fun: here is a review of the year 2024 which constitutes in made some rather optimistic predictions for the next 12 months of sport.

The cheering crowd at the Bell Center

The Bell Center has finally started to vibrate again this year. The team’s poor performance, after Christmas 2023, threw a cold shower on fans who were less patient with the reconstruction.

Aside from the prowess of Samuel Montembeault, who has established himself as a true number one in the NHL, only Kaiden Guhle and Juraj Slafkovsky have earned stars in their notebooks for their astonishing progress.

The lack of talent and depth in attack was sorely missed by the Canadian, who was no longer really in the game in January.

But finally, management has decided to weigh on the mushroom for 2024-2025. The signing of winger Sam Reinhart energizes the top 6.

After a 25-goal season, Cole Caufield has bounced back. He already has 15 and is lined up for a year of over 40 goals.

Young people still get a lot of attention because of their impact. Slafkovsky has become a completely different player compared to last year at the same date. And what about Lane Hutson! The skeptics were confounded. It’s rare to have a player who gets us out of our seats so much in Montreal.

It’s forgiving for his few gaffes, but he’s already transformed the team’s power play.

The Canadian is right in the heart of the playoff race and it’s good to see more concretely the effectiveness of Kent Hughes’ plan.

The Devils win

We wonder who will stop the Hurricanes this year, when the team has only four losses in regulation time. But the Stanley Cup is unfortunately not won in December. Last year, at the same date, the Kings, the Golden Knights and the Rangers were eating everyone.

And the Devils had as many points as the Canadiens in December, while the Oilers were among the worst teams in the NHL in November. Despite everything, it was these two clubs that reached the final.

The race for top scorer could be interesting between now and the end of the year between Connor McDavid and Jack Hughes. Remember, last year, McDavid was 12 points behind the leader in December, when he was the scoring champion by, precisely, 12 points.

After a first season of 50 points, everything suggests that Connor Bedard will quickly enter this race next year, while he is on track to amass more than 80 in his second year.

Gold medal record for Canada

Eight gold medals in Paris: Canada has never obtained so many for a Summer Games. Except obviously in Los Angeles, the year of the boycott during the Cold War. After seven gold medals in Tokyo, the Canadian delegation has confirmed that our country is becoming one of the best in the world at the Summer Games as well. In the top 10, in fact, for the medal haul.

Thanks to our swimmers who stole the show in Paris, with Maggie Mac Neil, Kylie Masse, Penny Oleksiak and young Summer MacInstosh.

In doubles, tennis, Gabriela Dabrowski and Leylah Fernandez struggled, but they deserved their gold medal.

Damian Warner in decathlon, Pamela Ware in diving, Maude Charron in weightlifting, Catherine Beauchemin Pinard in judo and Tamara Thibeault in boxing also offered memorable performances.

So close, but so far

The Blue Jays have been so dominant this season. Few would have thought they would still have failed in the playoffs. The 55 circuits of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will nevertheless remain among the finest exploits in the history of the concession.

Imagine how far the team would have come with Shohei Ohtani… Probably in the same place as the Dodgers: in the World Series (against the Yankees, who won it).

The Jays unfortunately lacked good pitchers to compete with the best clubs. In fact, the deep throwers were no match for the explosive offense.

The film repeats itself with the Alouettes

The more the season progressed, the more we felt that the Alouettes were going to repeat the same thing as in 2023. The start of the season was ordinary, as if the team was uncomfortable at no longer being one of the underdogs.

And the team began to string together victories, until the last one. Cody Fajardo was once again the offensive leader of the Montreal squad. For a guy known for not having a very powerful arm, the 32-year-old quarterback continued to silence everyone who never believed in him.

It’s only a postponement for Félix

Poor Félix, we all believed it: a Quebecer who wins a Grand Slam tournament. After his incredible victory against Novak Djokovic in the semi-final of the US Open, we thought he would succeed in beating Carlos Alcaraz in the final. Especially after winning the first round.

But in short, Félix managed to return to the best in the world in 2024 and everything indicates that it will be his turn to win a major tournament in 2025. Honorable mention to Leylah Fernandez and Bianca Andreescu for their semi-final at Wimbledon.