Try explaining to a smart kid around you that it’s normal and perfectly legal to lose on purpose to increase your chances of winning the Connor Bedard lottery. You know the principle. New Jersey applied it to draft Jack Hughes in 2019. Last year, Buffalo dropped out in the election of Rasmus Dahlin. The Devils had done the same thing a year earlier to get their hands on Nico Hischier.
The strategy has been around for a long time, even the Nordiques will tell you about the days when they were preparing the team for the Cup in Colorado. It’s become the big competition for the sleight of hand and teams like Chicago, Anaheim and Columbus are having a blast with sluggish attacks, holey defenses and very dubious interest.
Montreal, 27th overall, appears reluctant to win the lottery. Everyone agrees to analyze that the Canadian will not reach the playoffs. In such a context, wouldn’t it be best to work downwards? That’s what the Edmonton Oilers did subtly for Connor McDavid when they already had guys like Draisaitl, Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. They had agreed to lose in front of everyone for a few years.
AT THE TIME
There are 1000 tricks to lead a team to victory, and there are even more to subtly push them towards chess.
I thought Martin St-Louis would join the movement when he started juggling his lines over the holidays, and he broke conditions that were a little too winnable. But no. To make matters worse, the numerical advantage began.
One almost wants to say that the Canadian is no longer in the game.
From the enclave
- Let’s go ! Channel fish fishing season in Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade begins. The ice is pretty thick and the village is celebrating. For a memorable day where everything is taken care of, call 418.325-2465.
- During the major ice hockey world championships, why do the light-colored teams wear a dark helmet and a white helmet when they are dressed in dark? It’s tip-top.
- At its outfitter, Réal Massé is now ready to welcome snowmobilers Thursday through Sunday. Sleep and eat well in the beautiful forest of Saint-Zénon.
- You have until tomorrow (January 15) to try your luck in the raffle for the best sépaq areas for moose hunting and also for deer hunting on the island of Anticosti.
- Hampus Lindholm (Boston) leads the NHL at +28 to his record, level on points with Joe Pavelski (Dallas), 38. Ryan Graves (New Jersey) follows at +25 and former Canadian Tomas Tatar, now with New Jersey, is + 24
Photo archive, AFP
Hampus Lindholm
- Gilles Courteau to succeed as QMJHL leader? I would put on a little two Jocelyn Thibault.
File photo, Stevens LeBlanc
Jocelyn Thibault
- The Center Georges-Vézina in Chicoutimi is home to Quebec’s largest skating rink. The saguenéens develop on an area of Olympic dimensions. Great.
- you think so Jesse Ylonen, Canadian, is Finnish? No, he was born in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Archive photo, Martin Chevalier
Jesse Ylonen
- Matthew Barsal, of the Islanders, has been rolling at one point per game since the start of the season. Salary ? Ten million a year.
Archive photo, Martin Chevalier
Matthew Barsal
