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Canadian national anthem: boos in Boston

The Four Nations Confrontation is now in Boston. How would Team Canada be received by the Boston crowd?

What you need to know is that when the Canadian players stepped onto the ice, there were not really any boos. Brad Marchand, when he was shown on the screen, was applauded. #BostonPlayer

But we wanted to know how the Canadian national anthem would be treated. And clearly, there were some boos… but very few. It was absolutely not widespread.

The message to respect national anthems had been conveyed, and it was mostly respected by Boston fans.

Is it because Americans did not want to boo? That they don’t really know what’s going on in Canada? That there are quite a few Canadians who made the trip?

Who knows.

We don’t know if it would have been the case if the match had taken place against the Americans, but at least, the NHL must be happy to see that the Canadian national anthem was not disrespected by the crowd.

More details to come…

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NBA fans are jealous of the NHL’s “All-Star festivities” (and rightfully so)

Last night was the NBA All-Star Game. Did you know? Exactly.

And from the fans’ comments, it was terrible. It usually is, but apparently, the NBA has outdone itself this season. There really wasn’t anything interesting to note.

It’s a bit like the NFL’s Pro Bowl.

You can’t include MLB in all this because the game is representative of the regular schedule (you can’t do a half-swing) and because the home run derby is fun, but…

But nothing beats what we see in the NHL right now. Saturday’s Canada game and yesterday’s All-Star basketball game clearly demonstrate how different they are… and fans of other sports, including basketball, are jealous.

We know that the NHL has hit a home run with its event. And right now, we are making up for the lost years without any international tournaments to present to the fans.

But that’s another story.

The NHL is the only one that can generate a Canada – United States rivalry during the season (there aren’t enough top Canadians in the NBA, NFL, or MLB to make it happen) and it is taking advantage of that.

And no one is missing the All-Star Game right now.

However, it’s worth noting that Renaud Lavoie, as announced this morning on BPM Sports’ morning show, reminded that next year, the plan is still to have an All-Star Game before the Olympics.

Oh boy.

The goal is to bring in the players who will go to the Games in Italy, so that everyone can leave from New York to head to the 2026 Olympic Games.

I don’t know about you… but for me, considering extending the NHL’s break without games for an All-Star Game before the Olympics, I would have just skipped, like this year, the All-Star Game. You?

In brief

– The Swedish lines at practice.

– It must have been intense.

– To be continued…

– True.

– The Rocket will play today.

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Jordan Binnington in front of the net: it’s ridiculous

Well, let’s see.

Canada has decided not to make a change in goal. This means that Jordan Binnington will once again be in action for Canada in a game that the team must absolutely win.

This is what Jon Cooper just announced.

Binnington is not the only culprit for Saturday’s setback, but clearly, he is part of the reasons why Canada did not win its game against the Americans.

Initially, he was not my choice (Adin Hill was) for the tournament, and his save percentage of .896 is not reassuring. Bringing him back is therefore a bad decision in my eyes.

I understand that giving him confidence by entrusting him with the net could be a strategy, but in my opinion, putting the best available goalie in a “do-or-die” game would have been a better one.

Cooper is not used to this, anyway. #Lightning

Details to come…

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Joel Armia will face Canada this afternoon

Damn I can’t wait for 1:00 PM when Canada and Finland will face off in what will be a do-or-die match for one of the two teams. Maybe even both…

Basically, schools are closed and people are working from home because we have a Canada game to watch in the middle of the day, right?

Why not schedule the Americans – who are celebrating a national holiday from golf ocean to ocean – in the afternoon and then Canada in the evening? Because the NHL is an American league, sir…

Neither Finland nor Canada will practice before the match.

Jon Cooper has refused to confirm the identity of the goalie he will send into the fray; will it be Jordan Binnington, who has faced harsh criticism since Saturday night, or Samuel Montembeault Adin Hill?

Montembeault has mostly been a privileged spectator throughout the tournament, and not a real factor.
(Credit: Getty Images)

Will Cale Makar be healthy enough to play this do-or-die match?

Unfortunately, Tom Wilson, Connor Bedard, and Macklin Celebrini are not with the team in Boston, they…

Among the Finns, it’s known that Kevin Lankinen will defend the net for his team…

And we just learned that Joel Armia will return to the lineup, having been left out against Sweden on Saturday. He will replace Teuvo Teravainen. Armia and Patrik Laine, two Canadiens members, will therefore face Canada.

Will the fans at TD Garden boo the Canadian national anthem today? I’m pretty sure they will, given that we booed their national anthem and their captain last week in Montreal.

I think every self-respecting North American who loves hockey hopes to see a great final Canada vs USA Thursday night in Boston. Any other scenario would be significantly less interesting…

Overtime

– Matthew Tkachuk did not skate with the Americans this morning. He is not expected to be in uniform tonight against Sweden (in a meaningless game for them). If he had the chance, would he still drop the gloves against Canada, knowing it might have ended his tournament?

– Canadiens players not participating in the Four Nations Tournament (who managed to return to Quebec in time despite the storm) will practice tomorrow around 2:00 PM in Brossard. So we will see Christian Dvorak and Jayden Struble back in action. #ItWillBeDifferent

– Reminder: here are the scenarios that would allow Canada to qualify for the big final.

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Sidney Crosby: staying in Pittsburgh after such a tournament must not be tempting

I am the first to doubt a transaction involving Sidney Crosby.

The captain of the Penguins is one of the greatest players in the franchise’s history, and clearly, he is well aware of this. He even agreed to sign at a discount to remain in Pennsylvania.

Not everyone would have done that.

But it is easy to wonder, on the sidelines of the Four Nations Confrontation, how much Crosby has gotten back into the competitive game and high-stakes duels.

On Saturday, he participated in his biggest game in years. This afternoon, he will fight for his survival. And maybe on Thursday evening, he will play for the gold medal of the tournament.

It’s been a while since he has played such games.

So the question arises: how much will the last few days make Crosby think that yes, it could be interesting to go try to win the Stanley Cup elsewhere?

I do not believe this will happen by March 7. And as I said, if I had to bet, I would say that by the end of his next contract, #87 will remain with the Penguins.

But Kyle Dubas must be wondering if the tournament could give ideas to his captain. And if he wants to leave, he will leave.

After all, Crosby will experience a real “reality check” when he steps back into the Penguins’ locker room and is not exactly surrounded by the same guys as with Team Canada.

You might say that Samuel Montembeault will experience the same thing when he sees Christian Dvorak instead of Mitch Marner and Michael Pezzetta instead of Drew Doughty… but you understand my point.

in brief

– Already?

– Better hurry: he won’t be able to go after the first round. #Curse

– A duel not to be missed.

– He is strong, yes.

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United States: «guys owe nothing to anyone»

So, how are you feeling after the match on Saturday night?

The United States won a game that no team wanted to lose. In fact, within the first nine seconds of the match, the Americans had put the game out of reach for Canada.

And after that, good luck trying to beat the American goalie. It really took Connor McDavid at his best to fool his vigilance…

By necessity, the situation in front of the net raises questions. How much is Canada shooting itself in the foot by keeping Jordan Binnington in net?

We knew that Canada had a chance of being let down by its goalies, and on Saturday, it happened. The team lost its momentum when Binnington allowed his first goal, which was stoppable.

When it was 2-1 for the States, Connor Hellebuyck had to give up two goals… and Jordan Binnington had to be perfect. It was quite the challenge, to put it that way.

We know that Jon Cooper has already chosen his goalie for the afternoon match (against Sweden), but he hasn’t said anything publicly yet. And let’s just say many Canadians are expecting a goalie change…

How much pressure is Doug Armstrong, the hockey boss of the Blues and a member of Team Canada, putting to keep his goalie? How much is Bruce Cassidy (assistant to Jon Cooper) pushing for Adin Hill to play? I don’t know.

But I do know one thing: the Canadian country club (the one that cost Logan Thompson and Mark Scheifele their spots) isn’t exactly helping the team the way things are going.

Canada is a victim of people who have interests in the team and who must think about their return to the NHL. And for those who think that doesn’t matter, remember that Martin St-Louis left Tampa Bay because of what happened with Team Canada in 2014.

All this to say that the United States doesn’t have that problem. Renaud Lavoie (BPM Sports) Mike Sullivan isn’t coaching any of his players; the goalie coach comes from the Kings, and the team’s GM (Bill Guerin) has only one Wild player on his team: Matt Boldy.

Guys owe nothing to anyone. – Renaud Lavoie talking about the USA’s leaders

Is this an element that makes Canada need to look in the mirror and have more… independent people for the future? The question deserves to be asked.

Especially if Canada were to miss out on gold.

overtime

Today, at 1 PM, Canada and Finland will face off. And at 8 PM, Sweden and the United States will clash. These are the last matches of the preliminary four nations tournament.

The final, which will surely involve the United States, will take place on Thursday. No one else will have more than five points in the standings.

For Sweden to participate in the final, the team must win in regulation against the United States and hope that the match between Canada and Finland goes to overtime.

Sweden lost to Canada and Finland in Montreal.

Canada (ideally with Cale Makar) and Finland, by winning in regulation this afternoon, can secure their places in the final. If the match – which won’t be easy – goes to overtime, the winner of the duel must hope that Sweden does not win its match in 60 minutes later in the day.

Note that the United States will not play based on their opponents: they will play based on what’s best for them. If that means resting Matthew Tkachuk (which is currently planned) for the final… so be it.

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The NHL is considering bringing back the white jerseys for home games

We might soon see changes regarding uniforms in the National Hockey League.

According to The Hockey News editor Ryan Kennedy, the NHL is considering reverting to white jerseys at home and dark jerseys on the road.

Since the 2003-04 season, teams have worn their colored uniforms at home. This is based on the idea that a team defends not just its home ice but also its colors and emblem.

However, from 1970 to 2003, it was the opposite, as teams wore their white jerseys for home games while visitors could display their colors on their opponents’ ice.

Should the NHL go back and revert to white jerseys for the home team?

The problem is primarily a matter of taste, making it a very subjective response.

Many fans love seeing their team wear its “true” colors at home, while others prefer seeing the dark jersey in their rivals’ arenas.

Kennedy also brings up an interesting point by asking when we might see matchups between two teams wearing their dark jerseys?

Indeed, the league should consider games where teams wear their colored jerseys to face off, somewhat like the NFL’s color rush. This would also be an opportunity for different clubs to create additional variations of their uniforms.

I think a Saturday night game with the Canadiens in red against the Maple Leafs in blue would be beautiful to see with a bit of a retro feel.

However, the NHL is quite conservative and is not known for its innovations regarding jerseys (or in general), compared to other professional sports leagues.

Yet, more designs lead to more jersey sales, and selling more jerseys results in more profits for the league. In general, that is the goal of a business.

But, lacking innovation, the league is considering the option of going back and reverting to white jerseys for the home team.

And you, do you prefer the dark jersey or the white jersey at home?

In Brief

– Listen up!

– A crucial match for Canada.

– A first since 1991.

– Show canceled!

– A $100,000 shot!

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Benoît Groulx is impressed by Ivan Demidov’s talent

Ivan Demidov is causing a lot of talk. The Montreal Canadiens prospect is performing very well in the KHL, notably breaking the record for points scored by a rookie, despite limited playing time.

The young player is receiving numerous praises, particularly from coach Benoît Groulx.

The Québécois, who accepted a position last year as coach for Traktor Chelyabinsk in the KHL, is in a prime position to see Demidov evolve and develop.

Groulx had the chance to meet the young player during the recent Kontinental Hockey League All-Star Game.

In an article published on RG’s site, it is revealed that according to Groulx and several KHL coaches, Demidov is one of the most talented players they have observed in several years.

Here are the coach’s comments:

“If you talk to any coach in Russia, they will tell you he is one of the best talents who will go to the NHL. He will likely be a player with a lot of impact.”

We often repeat it, but personally, I never get tired of hearing it: Demidov is going to be a very, VERY good player.

However, Groulx is more cautious in comparison games, whether with current players or stars from the past like Sergei Fedorov and especially Guy Lafleur, as many believe that Demidov could be the best player drafted by the Canadiens since the great number 10.

“I think we cannot compare Demidov to a Hall of Famer when the young man is only 19 years old. What they should do is let him come to the NHL, give him the opportunity to succeed, put him with the right players, see how he reacts, and give him time.”

Indeed, despite all the great things we see, we should not expect to see a savior arrive next year when Demidov joins the Canadiens.

However, if the organization has shown us anything in recent years, it is that it knows how to effectively support the development of its young players, and I am not worried that the Canadiens will put in place all the necessary elements to foster the success of the Russian prospect.

And while we wait to see him in a tricolor uniform, here is a beautiful goal by Demidov:

In brief

– Reinforcements for Canada?

– The return of a rivalry!

– A success!

– The NBA All-Stars tonight at 8 PM.

– This could hurt the Yankees.

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Two quick goals from Owen Beck propel the Rocket to victory

On this Sunday afternoon, the Laval Rocket was playing its 46th game.

The game pitted Pascal Vincent’s team against the Rochester Americans, who recently surpassed the Rocket in the standings.

The match was therefore very important for Laval.

A victory would allow the Laval team to reclaim its top spot in the North Division, as well as join the Hershey Bears at the top of the overall standings.

After today’s games, Rochester and Hershey will have played two more games than Laval.

Here is the lineup that Pascal Vincent presented for the match.

Some important changes to note in the final lineup.

First, it was Connor Hughes who got the start, but it was also Logan Nijhoff’s first game with the Rocket.

The game started strong for Laval with two quick goals in the first few minutes of play.

Alex Barré-Boulet opened the scoring, on a pass from Sean Farrell.

And less than two minutes after the first goal, Florian Xhekaj doubled the lead for his team with a powerful and precise shot while shorthanded.

It was the 12th goal of the season for Arber’s little brother, which is quite impressive considering he is a rookie and has had very few chances on the power play.

It should also be noted that he has mainly played on the fourth line and already has over 100 penalty minutes.

There is definitely a nice progression curve since the Canadiens drafted him.

Unfortunately, the two-goal lead didn’t last, as the Americans closed the gap in the middle of the first period before tying the game early in the second period.

At least, the Rocket could count on a red-hot Owen Beck.

The young right winger responded with two consecutive goals in the second period to restore a two-goal lead for his team.

Beck even chased Devon Levi from the game, who had allowed four goals on 11 shots.

His two goals were not the most electrifying, but it’s the result that counts, as they say.

The Rocket picked up the third period where they left off, adding to their lead in the early minutes of the period.

The duo of Sean Farrell and Alex Barré-Boulet struck again.

The game thus ended with a score of 5-2 in favor of the Laval Rocket, who reclaimed first place in the North Division and also joined the Hershey Bears at the top of the overall standings.

In the victory, Connor Hughes was solid, making 34 saves on 36 shots.

The next game for the Laval Rocket will be tomorrow (Monday) against the Toronto Marlies.

In Brief

– This is not the first time I say it, but you cannot win a Stanley Cup if Marner (and Matthews) are part of your core. The Leafs need to make changes at that level.

– Interesting.

– Again today, I still can’t believe that completely crazy start to the game.

– A good pick-up for the Blue Jays.

– The Kansas City Chiefs are putting pressure on Travis Kelce to decide if he wants to continue his career in the NFL or not.

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Barry Trotz reveals (himself) the price to pay for Ryan O’Reilly

With the NHL trade deadline approaching rapidly (March 7), trade rumors are intensifying.

For the Montreal Canadiens, a few possibilities have been mentioned, but nothing is concrete and we can only speculate on potential returns.

However, on rare occasions, general managers open up publicly about the expected return for one of their players on the market.

This is what Barry Trotz recently did during his appearance on the podcast 100% Hockey, hosted by John Shannon and Daren Millard.

The Nashville Predators are not necessarily looking to trade Ryan O’Reilly, but the price has nonetheless been set.

According to what Barry Trotz said on the podcast 100% Hockey, Nashville would like to receive a young player who would have a significant impact with the team for O’Reilly.

“I’m getting a lot of calls about Ryan. We have a young group. I would need to be offered a young player who would have a significant impact for me to agree to let him go” – Barry Trotz

Once again, it’s very rare to see a GM reveal the expected return for one of their players, especially when that player is not necessarily on the trade market.

At first glance, the return requested by Trotz seems high for a 34-year-old center.

However, O’Reilly has not slowed down much this season, having amassed 34 points in 51 games.

Additionally, it should be noted that the veteran not only brings experience to a contending team but also provides great defensive stability.

He has always been one of the best defensive centers in the NHL.

He even won the Frank J. Selke Trophy (best defensive forward) in 2019. O’Reilly also won the Conn Smythe Trophy (MVP of the playoffs) that year when he won the Stanley Cup with the St. Louis Blues.

Definitely, if a team aspiring for great honors seeks to improve its middle-6, O’Reilly could be a very good option.

He does not have a very large impact on the salary cap ($4.5 million per season), but he is signed for two more years after the current season, which could cause a slight issue.

Giving up a young player who would have a significant impact for the Predators isn’t that complicated since the team is currently ranked 30th in the NHL.

This situation will be closely monitored.

In Brief

– Matthew Tkachuk will miss his turn against Sweden, while Canada hopes to see Cale Makar play against Finland, as he was on the ice today.

– Florian Xhekaj certainly has a very nice progression curve.

– Keith Tkachuk said that Brady and Matthew are “moody,” but it was actually a compliment.

– Worth reading.

– The bet was honored.