Jean-Charles Lajoie to host his own daily sports podcast from January 13

1995 brought us Il pleut des roses sur Manhattan…

Now, if the same gang wants to make a new feature film for 2025, I could suggest the following title: Il pleut des podcasts sur Montréal (It’s raining podcasts on Montreal).

Because there are dozens and dozens of French-language hockey podcasts in Quebec: Processus, Stanley25, Radar, Sortie de zone, La Poche bleue, Bon match, TLSH hockey, The Sick Podcast(s), Tellement hockey, On jase, Drette su’l tape, Femme d’hockey, La relève, La puck, Les glorieux…

And the list goes on!

So when it comes to podcasts in general that aren’t about hockey, you can imagine how many there are!

The latest to be launched is hosted by my former boss at BPM Sports, Yves Bombardier, and it’s all about real estate. It’s called Dans ma cabane.

Yves and his son Pierre-Alexis will host one Québécois public figure per week to talk real estate with him/her.

The guest on the first episode (released just a few hours ago) is Jean-Charles Lajoie, former employee – but above all long-time friend – of Yves Bombardier.

Jean-Charles talks about his past as a tenant, but also about his current life as an owner and investor.

But at the very end of the podcast, Jean-Charles confided a little scoop: on January 13, he will be launching an online platform on which he will host a daily podcast. It’s a project he’s been nurturing since 2010, and he’ll be launching it with the aim of bringing together a community that shares his interests.

“I really want to create a community. You don’t take the guy out of the guy. Become part of the community of chums […] The insiders, the regulars, who still talk to me about how the Earth stopped spinning at 3:00. The antenna was placed at 91.9 […] People tell me “at 3:00, we’d turn the sound up, then listen to your editorial.” That’s exactly what we’re going to do again. – Jean-Charles Lajoie

He says he’s aware that if he ever loses his TV mic – he lost his radio mic a little over a year ago – then digital may well be his last line of defence. The fate of traditional Québécois TV is far from assured in the medium/long term, and Jean-Charles knows it.

According to Jean-Charles, the commercial partners for the project he’ll be bringing into the world are numerous and solid, but…

Will nostalgic fans be satisfied with the first episodes of Jean-Charles’ new project? Only time will tell.

Prolongation

The Canadiens suffered two more defeats this weekend , making it 16 in 24 games so far this season. No other team has lost more than the Habs in 2024-25…

I could talk about Caufield’s brilliance, Primeau’s setbacks or the difficulties of Dach, Matheson and Newhook…

But I’d rather use these few lines as a reminder that a man-to-man system in your zone doesn’t work against the best players in the world.

A man-to-man system in the defensive zone is like playing police and robber, 1 v. 1, against one of the best robbers in the world.

When you win, you’ve avoided the worst, and when you lose, you put your team in the sh*t.

The guy you’re up against is almost always fast, agile, creative… he’s got good hands… and an incredible ability to change direction. He knows how to mask his intentions.

If you lose him, it doesn’t matter whether or not he’s carrying the puck at the time, it gives the other team an advantage. 3 v. 2… 2 v. 1… 1 v. 0…

And if you keep awarding overnumbers-because sooner or later, you won’t be able to win 100% of your 1 v. 1 duels-you end up awarding goals. Especially when your goalie’s name is Cayden Primeau…

You’ve got no cover… no buffer… no margin for error…

It’s no coincidence that almost no one in the Bettman circuit uses a man-to-man system in defensive territory. It’s unforgiving!

When will we see a defensive system better adapted to the league in which you play? It may work in peewee, man-to-man, but it obviously doesn’t work in the NHL.

What’s next?
The Habs will play their next five games at the Bell Centre.

Either they get back on track in front of their fans and their energy, or they’re in deep trouble.

After that, the Canadiens will play eight of their next 10 games on the road, where they won just three of their 12 games in 2024-25. Ouch!

It’s not just Kirby Dach who needs some love right now…