You have to go back to the 80s, to Serge Savard and Patrick Roy, Stéphane Richer, Claude Lemieux and Petr Svoboda to find a Canadian team with such promising strengths.
And I take the word “wealth” as it is understood in business and finance. Just as your home is an asset, the little land you inherit from the Laurentians is an asset. Because your investments with the broker are part of your assets despite market turbulence.
With Canadians, the assets are the current players. Most of the time, though, they’re next-gen players, the draft picks, and the leaders of the team. Kent Hughes is just as important in the long run as a first-round pick. No more doubts. It belongs to wealth.
Like you, the supporters are part of the Glorious assets. They buy season tickets, game tickets, merchandise, watch the games on TV and enable the organization to capitalize tens of millions each year.
I’m telling you, never in the last forty years has the Canadian been this rich in assets. A word from Jamieson Boulanger, the Expos organization’s investment advisor and hard-working ice hockey expert, who originally caught my attention.
A few friendly scouts later, a few journalists, the blessing of Donato Tamarasco and final confirmation from Kent Hughes later, I can safely say that the fans are rightly confident. True Confidence.
THE OFFENSIVE POSTER 2025-26
Canada squad in 2025–26 could be that of a major power. And you don’t have to dream in color.
First, let’s take the trio: first-rounder Cole Caufield, first-rounder Nick Suzuki, and first-rounder Juraj Slafkovsky will have come of age.
Second row: Kirby Dach, first round, third overall, Pierre-Luc Dubois (speculation) or equivalent, first round, and Matvei Michkov or whoever is drafted fifth in the next draft. Whether it’s Michkov or someone else, the advantage for the Canadian remains the same. A talented player of great value.
This results in two complete rows made up of first-round picks. Six stuck together. Very rare.
And it continues for the third row: Josh Anderson, a solid veteran, Sean Farell, fourth round, 31st overall, and Brendan Gallagher, who has his place on a third row, should be an asset among all these youngsters.
The fourth line makes me happy: Rafael Harvey-Pinard, Owen Beck and Joshua Roy, who is becoming a very, very valuable asset, bring the zeal and character of a true fourth line.
AND THE DEFENSE IN THE CLUB FINALS
When offense is rich in first-round picks, defense is even more enticing. First duet consisting of Kevin Ghule, first round, and Mike Matheson, first round.
Second pair: Harris, third round, and Logan Mailloux, first round.
Third duo: Xhekaj, the toffee, and Lane Hutson, who burns college hockey at Boston University. He just broke Brian Leetch’s points record.
And your seventh defender will be Justin Barron…also in the first round.
Sam Montembeault or the young Jakub Dobes, who has just signed his contract with the Canadian after a brilliant university career, are in goal. When Adin Hill does the job with the Golden Knights in Vegas…
But since we are talking about organizational assets, it should be noted that Marc Bergevin has left the team with quality decisions for this season and the next two. Nine picks in the first five rounds on June 28, plus two first-round picks in 2025, including the Calgary Flames.
The Canadian’s liabilities are evidently the pledged contracts, namely the contracts of Carey Price and Brendan Gallagher. But CH are priced free for the 2026/27 season and have around ten million at their disposal to get the missing element to win the cup.
The unknown or unknowns are the transactions Kent Hughes can handle and the skill of Martin Lapointe and Finland’s Adam Nicholas, who are in charge of player development.
As far as trading goes, there’s not too much to worry about as Hughes only trades asset for asset unless he’s an incompetent bastard. Which obviously doesn’t seem to be the case.
As for Nicholas and Lapointe, they must belie the terrible reputation many amateurs have for those responsible for youth development in the organization. Specialists who burn beautiful talent.
Nothing is certain in sports. Even less in Montreal for thirty years. But it’s perfectly realistic to dream of four aces in the spring of 2026… and a cup in 2027.
However, I would like to end with a warning from a respected colleague. And confirmed by a senior from CH: “There are at least a dozen other teams who believe they have comparable strengths to the Canadians,” it says.
In fact, everyone in the league is well aware of the Canadian’s strengths. And, in turn, those responsible for the Canadians know exactly the merits of their competitors. It’s a huge and complex part of intelligence. Literally.
But one thing is for sure. Your CH sits on blue chips. Nobody can deny that.
LIONEL MESSI: SO BIG
Lionel Messi in Miami in MLS! It is so big that the average fan cannot grasp the full extent of this decision. You have to go back to King Pelé with the New York Cosmos to find such a cracker in the sport.
And Pelé with the cosmos was in another era. Even before the old days. When Guy Lafleur made $70,000 with the Canadiens after scoring 50 goals in one season.
In fact, some will be tempted to talk about Wayne Gretzky’s time with the Los Angeles Kings thirty years ago.
Sorry Gretzky, that was a no-brainer compared to Messi who had an offer of $1.4 billion for two years in Saudi Arabia.
It’s the entire MLS that just grew. It’s also CF Montreal and Joey Saputo. To cheer.
