Did you enjoy your repechage? You will have understood that I am referring to the Canadian. One thing is certain, the Gorton-Hughes duo did not sit idly by in the first round.

Why talk about Gorton? you will say.

Because we forget that he is the big boss of hockey operations and that he has decision-making power.

The Boston American has the best managerial job in town. He doesn't have to talk to the media.

Michael Rousseau must envy him.

Let's talk about the draft now.

Despite a cuvée labeled ordinary, this year's auction is no different from those of the past. It is in four or five years that we will be able to pass judgment.

And the same goes for Juraj Slafkovsky.

Generational players are the only ones to walk through the gate without being scrutinized.

A nana for the little people

And now, am I talking about it or not?

It has become such a ritual that colleagues have come to pass the towel and do not care anymore. As for the whistleblowers, they are assisted or are fired from the rocks.

You see me coming.

Well yes, I am referring to the total lack of respect the Canadian has for Quebec players and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in general.

Only one Quebec player from the QMJHL was selected by the Canadian, who took the insult to the point of drafting him in 216th place as if to say to the good people: “Here, here is your nana. »

Miguel Tourigny and his family were overjoyed and with good reason. But fans will identify him as the only Quebecer in the 2022 Canadian vintage. The young defender of the Acadie-Bathurst Titan does not deserve this.

We wish him a good career.

Whether it's with the Canadiens... or with another NHL team.

I was about to forget.

The Habs gave us a bonus Franco-Ontarian named Cédrick Guindon, who speaks French and a Frenglish goalkeeper from Alberta called Emmett Croteau.

Quebec Ducks

A competitive journalist, whom I consider to be a friend first of all, used the language of the company – I specify that of the Canadian – to explain to me that the Quebec players who could interest the Montreal organization were perhaps not more available when it was his turn to speak.

I'm saying the Habs had enough picks in the bank to get ahead of their draft orders. He might have been able to compromise with the Anaheim Ducks, who held the 22nd pick in the first round.

The Ducks drafted big center Nathan Gaucher from the Quebec Remparts, the same one who said this week about Montreal: “I think I can handle this pressure and I would jump into this challenge with my eyes closed. »

Two other Quebecers, large format right-handed defenders Noah Warren and Tristan Luneau, both from the Gatineau Olympiques, were retained by the Ducks.

Ducks recruiting guru Martin Madden Jr. and his Quebec recruiter Stéphane Pilote obviously had something to do with it.

Nevertheless.

Another thing: Can't blame Trevor Timmins this time. Martin Lapointe, who shares the title of recruiting director with Nick Bobrov, is from Quebec. However, he lives in Chicago.

Does he attend QMJHL games?

For his part, Bobrov had already worked for Gorton at Rangers.

Is Gorton listening to him more attentively?

Stop laughing at us!

So let the Canadian tell us the truth once and for all instead of trying to make us believe that he obviously has a great interest in the QMJHL.

The worst thing is that there are amateurs who say that it does not matter and that winning is all that matters.

To those, I point out, once again, that it will be 30 years next year since the Stanley Cup has been paraded in the streets of Montreal and the next parade is not visible on the horizon. .

I hear conscientious objectors telling me that I am rambling. But I persist and sign.

The selection of Juraj-Slafkovsky delighted fans who wanted the Canadian to add weight to his attacking staff. Standing six-foot-four and weighing 218 pounds, the Slovak left-winger could weigh 230 pounds when fully grown.

The acquisition of Kirby Dach should pay dividends as well, although it doesn't seem like a big point producer.

But have you seen the sizes of the other attackers drafted by the Canadian in the last two days?

Here is the list :

Filip Mesar: 5-foot-10, 174 pounds

Owen Back: 5-foot-11, 187 pounds

Lane Hutson: 5-foot-8, 158 pounds

Cedrick Guindon: 5-foot-11, 170 pounds

Jared Davidson: 5-foot-11, 179 pounds.

Obviously, these youngsters will add weight to their frames over the next few years, but they won't become steamrollers either.

It's going to take more muscle to win the Stanley Cup.

 Regard assassin ?

Everything is analyzed these days, even trivial things.

Thus, we could see yesterday morning on social networks photos of Shane Wright as he climbed the railing on Thursday evening.

Internet users said they saw a murderous look on his face in the direction of the Canadian table.

Maybe it was.

What is certain is that the Kingston Frontenacs center player should be fired up when he faces the Habs, Devils and Coyotes in the next few years, the three teams that ignored him in the first round. Friday night.

The youngster took quite a slap in the face. It doesn't often happen that a player ranked first in the draft drops a few ranks. If Wright didn't see it coming, he should approach it as a good wake up call.

In the meantime, circle December 6 and January 9 on your calendar. These are the dates of two matches between the Canadian and the Kraken.