Are you disappointed with the Canadians’ two wins over the Super Bowl weekend? Do you want him to lose to the Chicago Blackhawks tonight? Do you want the Habs to have the best possible chance of winning the Connor Bedard lottery? You had better mourn.
Surely we all would like to see the young phenomenon in the blue, white and red uniform. At the end of last season I wrote that under draft rules there is an advantage to finishing last overall.
Like many others, I was thinking mainly of Bedard at the time.
But first it was necessary to go through the consolations of the moment. After solidifying their first lottery pick, the Canadiens drafted Juraj Slafkovsky.
Nothing is lost for the youth
The first season of the colossus attacking the Slovaks will have whetted our appetite. An injury ended it early, but it’s safe to say he wasn’t ready for the National League.
In his case, however, nothing is lost. The future gives hope for a first election, which will be 19 at the end of March.
Bedard is a generational player. The center player from Vancouver is on fire in the Western League. With 96 points in just 39 games, Bedard is just four points off his total from last season in 62 games.
All 32 NHL teams would love to get their hands on it. He’s a player like every 10 or 15 years.
In his case, an eight-year gap separates him from Connor McDavid. So the successor of Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin is secured for a good time.
Pray hard!
However, only one team will get Bedard.
The Canadian’s odds of winning the lottery with his first pick are around 6.5%, and he currently holds the seventh pick in the draft (26th overall).
We can always say it’s better than nothing, but it’s a far cry from the 25.5% attributed to the team finishing in 32nd and last place.
The 31st place gives its holders 13.5% chances.
So expect a frantic battle between the Columbus Blue Jackets, Blackhawks and maybe the Anaheim Ducks and Arizona Coyotes for last place.
The Panthers’ first pick still belongs to the Canadians, but the Florida team could soon be out of the first pick lottery.
So for those who want to see the ping-pong ball adorned with the CH coming out of the abacus first, make novenas!
Talented young people
At this rate, the Habs are heading for a 74-point season, which would be a 19-point improvement over their production last year.
Is it a surprise?
Apparently !
But we should be satisfied, the team is on the rise.
At the start of the season, we wondered how the team would deal with three rookies on defense.
However, Kaiden Guhle has shown that he could be the cornerstone of this brigade for several years to come. Arber Xhekaj is a good replacement for Alexander Romanov. You can imagine if the Canadian would have both.
Jordan Harris is improving game by game. Not for nothing has the management already offered him a contract extension. With an annual salary of $1.4 million, he could already be a steal when his new contract starts next season.
Justin Barron has played 16 games out of a possible 19 since his recall from Laval. Like the other young people in the club, he learns.
Three good guys from home
For their part, three players from our region represent pleasant discoveries, starting with Samuel Montembeault, who has improved significantly compared to last year.
At 26, he seems to be on the path of other goalkeepers of his age who blossomed late.
Rafaël Harvey-Pinard is a revelation. His six goals in nine games are no coincidence.
Born in Jonquière, the striker is not afraid to dive into the hot zones. He goes all the way through with every game with the pedal.
He makes himself useful in a thousand and one ways. When not scoring, he blocks pucks and cuts passes while outnumbered. It has become indispensable.
Alex Belzile never cheats either and he doesn’t cost too much.
All while the names of six players remain on the injured list, including those of Cole Caufield and Guhle.
Not that bad !
