The customs tariffs and the value of the Canadian dollar are currently drawing everyone’s attention.
Even in the world of sports, this is an issue. We see it when the American national anthem is booed when sung on Canadian soil… and we even see it during sports matches, through certain comments.
Jokingly saying that the Red Wings will have a 2:30 power play against the Canucks due to the 25% increase in tariffs in Canada is something to note.
Patrik Laine has not found the back of the net in his last six games.
He finished his last four games in the negatives.
After experiencing great moments at the start with the club, he hit rock bottom yesterday in Anaheim.
He only stepped onto the ice once in the third, while the Montrealers were definitely in search of a goal, finishing his work night with just over 10 minutes of ice time. This is the game where Laine was least used after the one in Columbus, where Laine had criticized his former teammates a few hours earlier.
Yesterday, the coach preferred to roll with three lines, leaving Laine, Kirby Dach, and Michael Pezzetta on the bench. Laine is still being paid $9.1 million in 2024-25… to score goals. Not to separate forwards from defenders!
If you aren’t putting Laine on the ice – not even on power play – when you need a goal, it means either you don’t trust him AT ALL, or you want to send him a BIG message.
What had to happen happened: the Canadiens were unable to get that elusive goal. After completing several spectacular comebacks in recent weeks, it was the CH that faced the remontada yesterday.
However, the question arises: did Martin St-Louis do the right thing by benching his highest-paid forward in the third? Nearly nine out of ten fans seem to think so, MSL coached well.
“In five-on-five, it’s f*ckall. It’s zero. Yesterday, it was pathetic […] There’s a sequence where he’s playing after the nails in the third.”
Anthony Desaulniers made a good point, though. I thought I was the only one thinking this last night. When you lose by one goal, just coming off four straight losses and your season is slipping away, Martin St-Louis may have had to use Laine in the third, if only on power play or as the sixth skater.
Spending 12, 13 minutes on the bench was already a strong message, right?
If the answer is no, why not recall an offensive forward and leave Laine in the stands for the next game? Or simply drop him to the third or fourth line?
Yesterday at the end of the game, I think leaving Laine (and Dach) on the bench and then giving a ton of minutes to Brendan Gallagher hurt the team. And the goal is to help the team win games…
Yes, I know, Laine was (very) soft on his coverage before the Ducks’ second goal…
Yes, I know, benching Slafkovsky helped wake him up (for a few games, at least) earlier this season…
But yesterday, the Canadiens may have lost THE game they couldn’t afford to lose. Martin St-Louis gambled, but he lost his wager. The young players on the team would certainly have liked to have Laine in the third; they all like him. I’m quite certain that Suzuki, Hutson, and Caufield would have all preferred to see Laine on the ice in important moments rather than Dvorak…
The team is gearing up to exit its playoff run. It’s important to choose the right moments and methods to hard coach. If St-Louis had won his bet yesterday, I would have had a different reaction this morning.
We’re just talking here, but I’m afraid Laine might either sulk or think that the coach doesn’t recognize his true worth. He is mentally fragile and we don’t know how his benching last night could affect him.
If I had been the coach, I would have given Laine some rope… and if he had used it to hang himself, I would have met with him today to explain exactly why – videos to back it up – I was demoting him to the third or fourth line for the game against the Sharks. Then, if that hadn’t worked, I would have done the same, considering the option of leaving him out, period.
But now, I’m not sure what the club gained by benching Laine last night.
Let’s just hope that Laine will eat the boards tomorrow night in San Jose and that the guys will remember the message sent by the coach in the coming years. #Culture #WorkEthic
To think that 48 hours ago, I was listening to the radio and they suggested putting Laine on the first line, not to bench him. Things change quickly in the hockey world.
In a nutshell
– To my knowledge, Patrik Laine is the first veteran Montrealer – along with Michael Pezzetta – to warm the bench for so long this season.
– Long flu, knee – frequently operated on in the past – possibly not 100% recovered from Cédric Paré’s hit, often harsh comments in the media, inconsistent effort. Patrik Laine is definitely a high maintenance player.
– Has benching Juraj Slafkovsky brought anything consistent in the medium/long term?
– The Canadiens will play their two games of the week at 10:30 PM Quebec Time. I hate that (and I wanted to write it).
When Kirby Dach returned to play, we thought it was important to give him some time. After all, coming back from a knee injury isn’t exactly easy in the NHL.
And clearly, his start to the season has been… difficult.
It’s not always easy for the center right now, and we can wonder, at this point, how much longer we can still attribute this to his injury, especially now in February.
The same question arises for his trio partner, Patrik Laine.
Laine was acquired from the Blue Jackets at a discount (the Canadiens only gave up Jordan Harris to receive Laine at 100% salary and a second-round pick) because he is not a perfect player.
Recently, he has shown this: it’s difficult for him.
When he isn’t scoring on the power play, it doesn’t hide his shortcomings and lack of effort. His game is really not perfect at five-on-five (Laine has acknowledged this since his first games with the Canadiens), and yesterday, Martin St-Louis had enough: he benched him.
The Canadiens wanted to end a four-game losing streak against a very beatable opponent (Ducks) this afternoon.
But after a good first period, Martin St-Louis’ team completely fell apart. Samuel Montembeault allowed three unanswered goals and Montreal lost its first game in California.
On Tuesday, Montreal will face the Sharks (another manageable opponent) and the Kings, a tougher competitor. Will the Tricolore be able to stop its descent into despair? Was the game in Anaheim a turning point for the season?
Because at this point, we should start to worry, and maybe it’s time to bring back our old friend Tankathon for the fans.
The Flanelle is five points away from the playoffs, and with four games left before the Four Nations showdown (which replaces the All-Star break) and 30 before the end of the season, the sense of urgency must be increasing. In my opinion, the loss of Kaiden Guhle hurts immensely, and his injury has extinguished the team’s last hopes of making the playoffs…
As for Tankathon and our chances of making the playoffs winning the lottery, here they are:
(Credit: Tankathon)
If the season ended today, Montreal would have a 3% chance to draft first overall, and even if things don’t go according to logic, the picks would be very interesting.
Especially if Calgary misses the playoffs or barely makes it and loses in the first two rounds. The ideal would be to see the Flames finish in 11th place, but, well. That probably won’t happen.
I wouldn’t say no to Carter Bear and Justin Carbonneau, anyway…
(Credit: Tankathon)
Snake would be happy with these selections.
As for the tough game in Anaheim, here are my takeaways:
1. Patrik Laine did not have a good game. And in the third period, Martin St-Louis didn’t play him much.
In fact, the Finn only had one shift… of 32 seconds.
Patrik Laine n’a passé que 32 petites secondes sur la patinoire en 3e période (une seule présence), alors que le CH avait pourtant besoin de marquer.
Martin St-Louis a roulé à trois trios et Laine servait à séparer les attaquants des défenseurs.
2. As I mentioned earlier, the loss of Kaiden Guhle is felt. He is the Tricolore’s best defensive player (along with Alexandre Carrier) and he is greatly missed.
In the first period, the defensive play was good. But in the following two periods, the Ducks’ forwards controlled the puck as they pleased in the offensive zone.
Look at this defensive coverage on the winning goal by Quebecer Alex Killorn.
3. I knew the Ducks’ defenseman Jackson LaCombe by name before the game, but watching the match, I really grew to appreciate him.
A native of Minnesota, LaCombe is a six-foot-two, 205-pound defenseman who is mobile, has a good shot, and plays well both in his zone and in the offensive zone.
He plays on the power play and at even strength. He spends a lot of time on the ice, and with Cam Fowler’s departure, his role has increased.
Jackson LaCombe was the lone bright spot for the Ducks in the first outside of Lukas Dostal.
The Canadiens will be back in action Tuesday (10:30 PM) against the worst team in the NHL, the San Jose Sharks.
The lottery favorites will be a very manageable opponent, and the CH must absolutely escape with a win. Otherwise, it will definitely be time to bring out Tankathon for real and stop having false hopes about the playoffs.
Bernard Arnault, the head of LVMH, which owns luxury brands including Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Sephora, Tiffany & Co., and the fifth richest person in the world, expresses that he is “worried” and “penalized” by the new tax surcharge implemented by Emmanuel Macron for one year.
Bernard Arnault dénonce la surtaxe des entreprises prévue dans le budget 2025, le gouvernement dit « comprendre sa colère » mais justifie la mesure
One of the wealthiest men in the world criticizes this temporary tax measure, stating that, in the meantime, his American counterparts continue to thrive.
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Back from the United States, Arnault emphasizes that, in his view, the enthusiasm of billionaires there is at its peak, contrasting with his situation in France.
These statements from the billionaire come as the French government has instituted a new surtax primarily targeting large companies in the luxury, defense, and construction sectors.
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Incorporated into the 2025 budget by Emmanuel Macron, this measure includes a tax increase of 15 to 18% for giant companies, including LVMH, owned by Bernard Arnault, aimed at reducing France’s growing budget deficit.
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According to Le Monde, in 2024, LVMH generated a revenue of 84.7 billion euros (over 93 billion US dollars), recording a decrease of 2% compared to the previous year, with a net profit of 12.55 billion euros (13.1 billion US dollars).
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According to Forbes, Bernard Arnault, CEO of LVMH, ranked fifth among the world’s richest individuals, with an estimated fortune of 168.8 billion dollars as of January 1, 2025.
As my colleague Félix Forget reported during the recall of Logan Mailloux and Owen Beck, the timing was rather strange.
After all, both were missing the Rocket game a few hours later and possibly the All-Star event in the AHL.
Obviously, both missed today’s skills competition, but they will participate in tomorrow’s All-Star Game at the Coachella Valley Firebirds’ home; they have just been sent to the Rocket.
The Canadiens have loaned Owen Beck and Logan Mailloux to the Laval Rocket. They will both represent the Rocket at the AHL All-Star…
In any case, they could have participated without being sent down.
François Gagnon inquired about the situation earlier in the day.
I just checked with the #CH and it is not mandatory to send them to the #Rocket for them to take part in the All-Star Game. It could, however, be done to save some $$$. It will be interesting to see if this will happen. https://t.co/yFDgMsUfR3
With the rest of the roster, the defender and the forward are currently in Anaheim, and Coachella Valley is only an hour and a half from the Honda Center, home of the Ducks.
So, Mailloux and Beck will participate in the event. Good news for them.
Even though it wasn’t mandatory, sending them to the Rocket was a good decision to save a bit of money on the Canadiens’ part.
Their stay in the NHL won’t have lasted long, then.
Overtime
With the guys who were uncertain to play (Alexandre Carrier, David Savard, and Jake Evans, all of whom had a day off yesterday), we had to recall two guys from Laval. And in hindsight, recalling the two guys who were going to California anyway was a logical choice.
It’s a shame they couldn’t play at the higher level during the recall. Beck has played two games in the Bettman circuit this season. As for Mailloux, he has participated in five games.
This is how the game ended, despite Samuel Montembeault being pulled and the presence of a sixth skater. Christian Dvorak and Joel Armia were used in this situation instead of Patrik Laine, who played only one shift in the third period, and Juraj Slafkovsky. And no, it’s not because the Finn was injured.
Final score: 3-2.
Martin St-Louis’ team will return to action on Wednesday against the Sharks in San José.
Overtime
– Just a two minute minor on the sequence.
Love how Jake Evans went right after this clown for that dangerous hit on Joel Armia. https://t.co/n3n7w8P7jP
I just checked with the #CH and it is not mandatory to send them to the #Rocket for them to participate in the All-Star Game. However, it could be done to save some $$$. It will be interesting to see if it will be done. https://t.co/yFDgMsUfR3
A man from Indiana, among the more than 1,500 people recently pardoned by Trump for their participation in the January 6, 2021, riot, was shot by police on January 26 during an incident in which he allegedly resisted arrest.
An Indiana man who was recently pardoned for his participation in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot was shot and killed during a traffic stop by a sheriff's deputy on Sunday.
A deputy from the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office reportedly intercepted Matthew Huttle’s vehicle shortly before the deadly incident on State Road 14, an east-west road running through northern Indiana, late on Sunday afternoon.
U.S. Justice Department
According to the Indiana State Police, this traffic stop led the officer to attempt to arrest Matthew Huttle, who was allegedly in possession of a firearm at the time of the interception.
Huttle was still on a 12-month supervised release after his release from prison last summer for his role in the Capitol assault.
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He allegedly resisted arrest by the sheriff’s deputy, prompting the deputy to use his firearm, resulting in Huttle’s death.
The Jasper County sheriff’s deputy was reportedly placed on administrative leave during the investigation into the events.
It is worth noting that Huttle, 42, from Indiana, was sentenced in 2023 to six months in prison for his participation in the January 6, 2021, Capitol assault after pleading guilty to unlawful entry into a secured building.
Although he had been free since July 2024, he recently received a presidential pardon from Donald Trump in January 2025, as part of a controversial pardon extended to all defendants associated with this event, which some downplay as a mere protest, despite its nature as an attempted coup orchestrated by Trump, his allies, and his supporters.
TikTok logo displayed on a phone screen and American flag displayed on a screen in the background are seen in this illustration photo taken in Krakow, Poland on January 30, 2023. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
A group of American investors, including the famous YouTuber Mr. Beast, has raised over $20 billion to purchase TikTok’s operations and assets in the United States, reports Jesse Tinley, the tech entrepreneur organizing the buyout.
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The consortium has the backing of Mr. Beast (Jimmy Donaldson), who holds the most-followed account on YouTube, Mr. Tinsley stated in an interview with Bloomberg.
“Mr. Beast and his team are definitely supporting our group, but it’s not exclusive. We hope he can work with as many groups as possible [to acquire TikTok],” he added.
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In addition to Mr. Tinley, founder of Employer.com, the consortium mainly includes CEOs of tech companies, such as David Baszucki, co-founder and CEO of Roblox Corp, as well as Nathan McCauley, co-founder and CEO of Anchorage Digital.
Mr. Tinsley stated to Bloomberg on January 29 that his group’s offer was “significantly higher” than that of a rival buyer. He may be referring to the Project Liberty offer, organized by former owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Frank McCourt, and renowned investor from Shark Tank, Kevin O’Leary.
American President Donald Trump signed an order on January 20 to suspend for 75 days the enforcement of the law banning TikTok in the United States.
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For several years, the U.S. government has viewed ByteDance as a national security threat due to its alleged sharing of American user data with the Chinese government.
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For now, Mr. Tinsley stated that he has not received a direct response from ByteDance. “It’s radio silence on their side,” he said.
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