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No, it’s not as if Switzerland was in Nazi Germany during World War II.

 Maxime Truman
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No, it’s not as if Switzerland was in Nazi Germany during World War II.
Credit: How’s it going, world? Need a vacation, world? When the visit of the Canadiens’ executives to Russian soil bothers so many people in the population, it’s a sign that something is wrong, isn’t it… Pretty much everyone who doesn’t follow the Canadiens’ activities and has a microphone in a Quebec media outlet has sh*t on […]

How’s it going, world?

Need a vacation, world?

When the visit of the Canadiens’ executives to Russian soil bothers so many people in the population, it’s a sign that something is wrong, isn’t it…

Pretty much everyone who doesn’t follow the Canadiens’ activities and has a microphone in a Quebec media outlet has sh*t on the organization because it “dared” to send Kent Hughes, Vincent Lecavalier, and Nick Bobrov to see Ivan Demidov play in Russia.

Eh…

Where were those people when Bob Hartley, Benoit Groulx, Guy Boucher, Zachary Fucale, Jordan Weal, J-S Dea, Xavier Ouellet, Mark Barberio, Josh Brook, and others were active in Russia?

In fact, did they even know that there were hockey people making a living in Russia? Do they recognize those names, by the way?

Were they busy applauding Andrei Markov at the Bell Centre? Markov had taken a flight from Russia before landing in Montreal, you know.

Quebec media – especially traditional ones – have variable indignation. Honoring a Russian citizen at the Bell Centre didn’t offend them?

Moreover, why should we excommunicate anyone who goes to Russia for business? Many (known) people do far worse to earn a living, and it’s hardly ever discussed…

Let’s ask the following question: how come we’re more outraged by Kent Hughes’s trip to Russia than by the Canadian deficit, political shenanigans, corruption, a struggling education system, or a crumbling healthcare system?

There are things happening in our schools, youth centers, and hospitals that should 1,000 times more disturb us.

Why do we constantly feel the need to judge others, to claim we are better than others, or to simply publicly judge others in Quebec media?

I wrote it at the beginning of my text: No, things are not well in Quebec.

I even saw TVA Nouvelles compare the Canadiens’ trip to Russia… to a trip to Nazi Germany during World War II. How’s that, Elsie?

TVA Nouvelles should have ensured to include the right clip, but anyway, that’s another issue.

First, we reached the Godwin point way too quickly in this (fake) debate.

Second, Canada is not at war with Russia. Going to Russia right now is a bit like going to Germany before the Second World War, when the Nazis were in power… which we did in 1936 during the Berlin Olympics. We sent a lot of athletes and a lot of diplomats!

I’ll go a bit further…

I ask you this question: is it worse to claim that Kent Hughes is a stupid man without judgment – let’s agree that a Canadian executive who would have been in Nazi Germany during the war to observe a professional athlete would have been foolish – or to publicly say that you no longer believe that Humans ever set foot on the moon?

Did Jeremy Filosa really do WORSE than those panelists from TVA/LCN?

Filo is still searching at 98.5 FM and we don’t know if he completed his journalism upgrade course…

But no one on the TVA Nouvelles panel will lose their mic and return to the classroom…

The SKA is too strong
Seeing the Canadiens send representatives to create ties with Demidov – and ensure the good development of their best hockey asset – does not bother me at all.

The problem is that the CH management didn’t anticipate that the SKA would have cameras and would be filming sequences showing the Montreal executives being impressed by the SKA’s facilities… and ultra-friendly with every Russian they encounter. It’s all about the image, and the Canadiens should have known that…

The SKA took advantage of the Canadiens’ visit to paint itself as a nice organization… thus proving to the entire world that Russians are not mean. That they have recognized and reputable Canadian friends…

And the SKA – very close to Russian power – even allowed itself to publish an official message stating that the Canadiens believe that Russia should regain its place on the international stage, starting with sports competitions. The SKA communications team deserves an A+ for all this (and the Canadiens representatives, an F). The club should have known…

France Margaret Bélanger, Geoff Molson, Chantal Machabée… they are all aware today of the impact these images and words have in Quebec. Even though Jeff Gorton backs the visit of his staff over there.

Of course he’s going to back them, it’s his initiative.

Kent Hughes canceled an interview at the last minute yesterday and I’m pretty sure we won’t see a single image of the Canadiens in Russia again. Moreover, all the images from that trip come from the SKA, not the Canadiens.

The documentary series Reconstruction will probably not mention this trip at all in its second season. The Tricolore knew it shouldn’t promote its trip… but they got caught by the SKA’s promotion team. That’s it.

The Canadiens got played, and the commentators who don’t follow hockey got pretty worked up. But in the sports world, that trip isn’t generating much buzz.

Ultimately, it’s a bit like the selection of Logan Mailloux…

But anyway, I’m digressing a bit here.

I will conclude by saying that I hope Quebec media will treat Ivan Demidov the same way they treated Andrei Markov ten days ago. Or Alex Ovechkin. Demidov has nothing to do with the war in Ukraine. Nothing!


In short

– I wonder if the transaction of Alexandre Carrier for Justin Barron has a – even a small – connection to the controversy surrounding the team’s management visit to Russia? #Diversion #ABrilliantFrenchCanadian

– Montreal, the city of all sins according to Jean Perron.

– Stanley25: I dropped several surprising stats on the Canadiens… including one that is REALLY surprising. The excerpt is placed.

– Wilfried Nancy will not go to St-Étienne.

– Key dates to remember in CF Montreal’s 2025 calendar.

– A podcast to watch/listen to if you are a fan of CF Montreal.

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