2023-05-17 04:00:00
The die is cast. It is not this year that the Stanley Cup will return to Canada. The long crossing of the desert is therefore entering a fourth decade. Which for some leaves room for the worst-case scenario.
Geoff Molson knows about it.
“I read in the newspapers that it has become impossible for Canadian teams to win the Stanley Cup. But I do not believe in this theory, ”objects the owner and CEO of the Canadian.
Geoff Molson recalls that the NHL has undergone profound transformations over time. Among these changes, he cites in the first place the numerous expansions which increased the number of teams from six to 32, between 1967 and 2021.
Then the advent of the salary cap, in 2005.
“For a team that can’t win, managing the salary cap leads to rebuilding the workforce,” continues Geoff Molson.
“We have it with Edmonton and Toronto. They are performing well, but something has happened that they haven’t managed to win the cup yet. »
But he insists on one point.
“It has nothing to do with the fact that these are Canadian teams,” he asserts in a convinced tone.
A first for CH
Geoff Molson continues his monologue.
“As for the Canadiens specifically, this is the first time in our history that we are going through a period of reconstruction,” underlines Mr. Molson.
” In the 1970s [premières années du repêchage universel]It was not necessary.
“In the 1980s, we won the cup [1986]. We also did it in the 1990s [1993].
“In my early years with the organization, we had a young Carey Price, a young Max Pacioretty, a young PK, a young Galchenyuk, a young Gallagher. Andrei Markov was 28 years old [31 en fait].
“We had a good team, there was hope. We didn’t win, but we performed well.
“When we started to decline, we traded Pacioretty and Subban. We did a mini reconstruction. We got Nick Suzuki [dans la transaction Pacioretty]. We traded Galchenyuk to eventually acquire Josh Anderson.
“We made it to the final in 2021, then we fell. »
The taboo word
It’s funny to hear the first leader of the Habs talk about reconstruction. For there was a time when it got sore just hearing the word.
“I wasn’t afraid, he defends himself, but it’s a word we don’t want to hear.
“It is not pleasant to say that we are starting over. It takes courage and a change of leadership to accomplish what you want. »
Its main architects, Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes, do not have a precise timetable to give to the big boss for the moment.
“We talk more about the big chunks we need to improve than about the time frame in which we would like to achieve our goals,” says Geoff Molson.
Good start
And what are those big chunks?
Geoff Molson s’esclaffe.
“You will see it! he replies with a broad smile.
“Our team already has good young players and others will be added. »
Gorton and Hughes took the team’s needs to their president when they landed in Montreal.
« We need to be bigger [plus gros], faster [plus rapides] and more talented [plus talentueux] “, they said to me, debits Geoff Molson in English.
In the lottery
While Mr. Molson acknowledges that the acquisition of a Connor Bedard would have given the organization a good boost, he takes issue with those who believe that the lottery for the first choice should be redesigned.
“It has happened that teams that finished in last place did not have the first choice, recalls Geoff Molson.
“We have seen it in recent years with Buffalo [Connor McDavid à Edmonton en 2015] and Colorado [Nico Hischier au New Jersey en 2017]. »
This year, many say the Blackhawks have gutted their roster to improve their lottery standing. But they were not the first nor the last.
The Canadian also cut its ranks last year, except that there was no Connor Bedard at stake. But it is not said that Juraj Slafkovsky will not become indispensable one day.
Nearly $943,000 for young people
Photo d’archives, Pierre-Paul Poulin
Pierre Boivin and Geneviève Paquet
The Montreal Canadiens Children’s Foundation continues to make people happy. Its chairman of the board of directors, Pierre Boivin, announced yesterday that financial support totaling $942,983 will be distributed to 65 organizations working for the well-being of children across Quebec.
These donations bring to 20.6 million the sums paid by the foundation to more than 900 non-profit organizations since its creation in 2000.
Develop physical activity
The people present at the check presentation yesterday at noon at the 9-4-10 restaurant at the Bell Center were all smiles and grateful to the foundation.
These people work tirelessly to enable underprivileged young people to participate in physical activity and thrive in the community.
The grants awarded to the organizations they represent will also allow young handicapped people and others in need of special care to have free access to summer camps or to register for day camps.
Two other Bleu-Blanc-Rouge skating rinks, one in Saint-Jérôme and the other in Québec, will also be built.
These additions will bring to 15 the number of refrigerated rinks offered by the Canadian Foundation across the province.
We don’t say it enough. This foundation is truly a flagship of our community.
Geneviève Paquet and her team are doing a colossal job.
We say congratulations to them!
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