Tag: NHL

Categories
Sports

The use of instant replay in sports

Are video reviews and instant replays good for sports?

The implementation of instant replays in sports has been a subject of debate for fans and leagues since the technology was first industrialized for sports in the 1960s. Today, every major league uses video reviews to varying degrees, along with coaches’ challenges, to aid officials in making the right calls.

As technology continues to evolve, video replays will only get better at deducing what the human eye cannot, and reduce the number of controversial outcomes in games. Supporters of instant replay will justify the need for review by pointing to key moments in sports where the wrong call stood, and a winner was mistakenly crowned.

The most notable recent example came in the 2018 NFC Championship game in the National Football League (NFL), when the Los Angeles Rams defeated the New Orleans Saints 26-23 in overtime.

While post-game banter should have been focused on the Rams’ achievement in reaching their first Super Bowl final since 2001, the outcome of the match was mired in controversy following an unpenalized pass interference committed by Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman on Saints wide receiver Tommylee Lewis.

The dramatic play would later be notoriously dubbed the “NOLA No-call,” and the NFL would respond by making pass interference reviewable in its future seasons.

Nowadays, all games are officiated with the extensive use of instant replay reviews, whether it’s the deciding minutes of a championship game or an unassuming regular season matchup.

In theory, minimizing the number of referee-related mistakes is a notion worth supporting, but not all sports fans and athletes are in favour of the current replay system. Gabriel Guindi, who co-hosts CJLO’s sports talk show the Starting Rotation, is one such enthusiast who cannot get behind the excessive use of video reviews in the National Hockey League (NHL).

“Hockey probably does it the best compared to the other major sports leagues,” Guindi said. “But most of the time it does more damage than good. They might review a play for a few minutes and, if anything, I’m left more confused than when I saw it live.”

Louis-Vincent Gauvin, a second-year guard for the Concordia Stingers men’s basketball team, is an avid fan of the National Basketball Association (NBA). When the league made the transition towards more reviews by adding coach’s challenges in 2019, Gauvin worried it would have an undesirable effect on the quality of games.

“Basketball is at its best when the play doesn’t stop and there is a constant flow,” Gauvin said. “Stoppages for replay reviews and coaches’ challenges can ruin the natural rhythm of the game.”

Gauvin believes that the intention to review close calls makes sense, so long as they can be accomplished in a timely manner.

“The referees’ mistakes are part of the sport, so I can accept incorrect calls here and there if it means preserving the natural momentum and pace of the game,” Gauvin said.

While instant review can prolong games and make them tough to digest for some spectators, it doesn’t stop the NBA from achieving peak entertainment value, Gauvin believes, thanks in large part to the sheer amount of talent in the league today.

Categories
Sports

Marc Bergevin: early General Manager of the Year candidate

Bergevin’s offseason moves translate to results on the ice

Somewhere in Montreal right now, Montreal Canadiens’ General Manager Marc Bergevin is smiling. After years of craftsmanship and engineering of the draft, free agency, and the trade market, Bergevin has finally sculpted the Canadiens into the team that he envisioned when he arrived in 2012.

Despite recent struggles, the Canadiens remain amongst the top teams in their division with a 9-5-3 record. When you consider the assets that Bergevin has brought in, and the rate at which they have been producing, you can’t help but think he is amongst the leading candidates for the NHL General Manager of the Year Award.

A mix of veterans and budding youngsters has shaped what is arguably one of the deepest Habs rosters in recent memory. Offensively, the Canadiens are scoring at an impressive rate, averaging 3.35 goals per game on 33.9 shots per night — good for top 10 in the league. On the blueline and between the pipes, they are allowing a respectable 2.71 goals per game, which ranks them just outside the top 10 in the NHL.

This year’s version of the Canadiens has been in the making for years. In his nine seasons at the helm of team management, Bergevin has been under fire seemingly every year. Despite the backlash, however, he’s stayed true to himself, and trusted the process that helped him land the team we’re seeing today.

Some will say they’ve only played 17 games so far, which is a fair point. It was only five years ago that we saw the Habs establish a franchise record 9-0-1 season start, but lose in the first round of the playoffs to the New York Rangers.

But there’s something about this team that just feels different. They have a balanced four-line offence, a shutdown defensive group capable of producing goals, and one of the best goaltending duos in Carey Price and Jake Allen.

TAKE YOUR PICK

In recent history, Stanley Cup champions have proven that the NHL Entry Draft is a launching point for the construction of any championship-calibre team. Building within your organization first, then complementing the foundation with outside pieces is the strategy of most general managers, which has repeatedly proven successful.

The Chicago Blackhawks’ dynasty was built off the likes of Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. The Pittsburgh Penguins dominated for years down the middle with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. The Washington Capitals and Tampa Bay Lightning, the winners of two of the past three Stanley Cups, have also benefited from the common denominator in that equation: homegrown superstars.

The Canadiens variant stems from a pair of players out of British Columbia: Price and Brendan Gallagher. Of course, there haven’t been any Stanley Cups to show for it, but still, the cornerstones of this roster were established via the draft.

Aside from Price, Jesperi Kotkaniemi is the only other first-round pick on the roster that was selected by the organization themselves. In fact, no first-round pick between 2006 and 2016 even remains in the system. Whether they simply didn’t develop as expected, or were used as key pieces in trades, first rounders have not fared well for the club in past years.

Instead, the Habs have found value in the rounds subsequent for their supporting cast: Alexander Romanov, a second-round pick; Artturi Lehkonen, also a second rounder; Victor Mete, a fourth round-pick; and Jake Evans, a seventh-round selection.

SIGNED, SEALED AND DELIVERED

July 1 — typically the day in which the free agency opens in the NHL — is always an exciting day for hockey fans. The rumours that float around in the days and weeks prior are finally made official as general managers jump into the free agent market. This past year, it was Bergevin making the biggest splash.

Entering the offseason, the Canadiens’ needs were clear: a quality backup goaltender, a top-four defenceman and a scoring winger. Bergevin got them all and more. Allen (acquired in a trade and signed), Joel Edmundson and Tyler Toffoli joined the team as immediate impact players, while veterans Corey Perry and Michael Frolik were added as depth moves. Bergevin and the Habs were also able to re-sign Jeff Petry and Gallagher to long-term deals, as they were set to become free agents at the end of the season.

Bergevin has remained quieter on the free agent front in previous years, but has steadily brought in profitable pieces in players like Paul Byron (claimed off waivers and then re-signed), Ben Chiarot, and Joel Armia who have quietly proved their worth in the Canadiens lineup.

A THIEF IN THE NIGHT

One area where Bergevin has excelled is on the trade market. Whether with a minor deal like Brett Kulak, or a blockbuster trade like P.K. Subban for Shea Weber, Bergevin has never shied away from making a move. You look back at some of the deals Bergevin has made during his tenure as general manager with the Canadiens and can’t help but laugh. In hindsight, some of these trades have been straight highway robberies.

Phillip Danault’s acquisition is probably Bergevin’s best via the trade market. The former first-round pick was acquired when the Habs sent Dale Weise and Tomas Fleischmann  to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for the Quebec-native and a second-round pick. That second round pick was then used to select Romanov.

A few months after acquiring Danault, the Canadiens made one of the most monumental trades in franchise history by landing Weber. Weber was born to play in a market like Montreal, and the captain letter on his jersey shows it. His leadership, poise and veteran demeanor is second to none, and is noticed by every player that walks in and out of that locker room.

When Nick Suzuki landed in Montreal in the Max Pacioretty deal, it was known to fans that the Canadiens were getting a highly-skilled forward — but to what extent? In only his second season in the NHL, Suzuki is turning into the Habs’ number one centre, if he hasn’t already. This is the player that the Habs wanted; the player that they needed. The London, Ont., native is wise beyond his years and has fans raving about his ceiling. Throw Tomas Tatar and a second-round pick into the mix and this emerges as another win for Bergevin .

On Oct. 6, Bergevin acquired Josh Anderson in exchange for Max Domi and a third-round pick. Anderson’s size, speed and scoring ability is what the Canadiens were hoping for, and with nine goals in 17 games, that’s exactly what they are getting.

ONLY TIME WILL TELL

Because of this modified season bothered by COVID-19, we won’t truly know just how good this Canadiens team is until the Conference Finals at the very least, where they would see the league’s top teams from the United States. What we do know, however, is that they have 20 players that are willing to buy into Claude Julien’s system on a daily basis, and that is a recipe for sweet success, no matter the opponent.

 

 

Graphic @the_beta_lab

Categories
Sports

NHL season: vicious hits coming with a rise in intensity

Could a condensed hockey season and a smaller number of opponents mean more questionable hits?

This 2020–21 NHL season is different than any season we have ever seen before. That includes modified divisions, including the all-Canadian North Division, in order to abide by travel restrictions between the Canada–United States border due to COVID-19.

Each team is expected to play 56 games exclusively against their respective division teams. This means that all American teams will be facing each team eight times, while Canadian teams will face their opponents nine or 10 times. This should be done in a period of five months, but could take longer because of postponed games due to COVID-19 protocols.

While this format should allow the regular season to be over by May 10, many questions have been raised about the short rest time for players, and the risk of injury.

This shorter season also means a lot of consecutive games between the same teams, which can create more tension between teams, compared to a regular 82-game season. This is looking a lot more like the playoffs; the rivalry, the hits, and the fights are all there.

There have been multiple cases of dangerous hits this season, leading to injuries and sometimes suspensions for the offending player.

The Montreal Canadiens and Vancouver Canucks faced each other for three consecutive games in Vancouver earlier this season. During the second game, when the Canadiens were up 6-3 with less than three minutes left in the game, Canucks’s defenceman Tyler Myers made a huge hit on Montreal forward Joel Armia and received a 5-minute major penalty and a game misconduct.

Armia was diagnosed with a concussion after the game, which raised many questions as to what kind of additional discipline Myers could get. The next day, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced that he would get none, as it was a “bodycheck.” This eventually led to Canadiens defenceman Joel Edmundson and Myers dropping the gloves in the first few minutes of the third game, adding even more violence to the situation.

St. Louis Blues forward Sammy Blais also made a dangerous hit on Colorado Avalanche defenceman Devon Toews. On the ice, the call made was a minor elbowing penalty. Toews left the ice after the hit, but later returned to the game.

However, the Department of Player Safety later made the decision to give Blais a two-game suspension for an illegal check to the head. The calls given to Myers and Blais — on the ice and from the Department of Player Safety — were both different, which shows how hard it is to understand punishments of vicious hits.

Another big hit this season was Washington Capitals forward T.J. Oshie on Pittsburgh Penguins defenceman Marcus Pettersson, a few seconds after Oshie was tripped by Pettersson. The referees made the call on the ice for a major penalty, but then changed it to a minor interference after review. Oshie received no additional discipline.

Some might say that these consequences make sense, and some might argue they don’t.

While hits are an essential part of hockey, I think consequences regarding players’ safety should be more consistent, especially with such a condensed season where teams get even more competitive as they face the same six or seven teams for five months.

 

Graphic by Lily Cowper

Categories
Sports

Hockey’s back, baby!

The return of an NHL regular season, and of Canadian normalcy

Today marks the start of the 2021 NHL season, which, for many of us, also marks the beginning of a return to normalcy. Like so many other Canadians, my life has always included a whole lot of hockey-watching, so when COVID hit nearly a year ago now (what the hell, right?) amongst all the crazy life changes that it brought, the weirdest by far was to be cooped up during the playoff season, with no playoff hockey to be seen.

This return of a “regular season” feels like a breath of fresh air to me. Although it’s not what I once knew it as, and I won’t be able to go home to Ottawa and sit in my family’s seats to enjoy a game in person (or not enjoy — I’m an Ottawa Senators fan so it’s touch and go), being able to watch hockey again is about as normal as anything has felt in the last 10 months.

Before COVID forced businesses to close down in March, I worked as a hostess at a busy restaurant near the Bell Centre. Our success was and is largely dependent on Habs games and big crowds flocking to the arena. Although I actively dislike the Habs, being in a busy, hockey-centric atmosphere is always fun. When the NHL stopped play in March, it didn’t just mean no more hockey, it meant no more work. It meant a massive loss in revenue to my workplace, and it meant myself and my coworkers losing our income and struggling to get government support. I’ll take this opportunity to thank Trudaddy for that CERB cash, despite the hours upon hours I spent on the phone with Service Canada in order to get it.

My restaurant finally opened their doors on Sept. 1, just for the news to come out on Sept. 28 that we would need to close again — the day of both my birthday and the Stanley Cup Final, what fun!

All of this to say, there have been highs and lows this past year. There has been time to reflect, rejuvenate and relax, and plenty of time to go a little stir crazy. So, now that we’re in the thick of it once again — government-imposed curfew and all — let’s take a moment to be grateful for being given back one piece of normalcy that we so craved. Stock the fridge with beer, put on your jersey, and celly from the comfort of your living room; hockey is back.

Categories
Sports

A look back at the world of sports in 2020

Recapping this year’s great sports events — despite the pandemic

The year is coming to an end, and it’s time to recap what happened in sports in 2020. This year has been filled with unforeseen situations, but luckily for sports fans, leagues around the world have begun to see a bit of a return to normal these past few months.

Here’s a look back at important moments that happened in sports this past year:

National Hockey League (NHL)

It’s been a unique year for the league, as the 2019–20 regular season had to be abruptly postponed, and then cancelled the remaining games in order to resume right away with a special playoff format.

We saw the Montreal Canadiens take advantage of the new format, qualifying for the 24th and last spot available for what was first a qualifying round to the playoffs. It was the first time since 2016–17 that the Habs qualified for the postseason.

The Stanley Cup was finally won on Sept. 28, 2020, with the Tampa Bay Lightning defeating the Dallas Stars in six games. It was the Lightning’s second Stanley Cup after also lifting the trophy in 2004. For the Stars, it was an impressive playoff run, surprising many fans and analysts. The team didn’t start the regular season on the right track, but turned things around in time and came close.

Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and Women’s Tennis Association (WTA)

It’s been a busy season for tennis organizers. Most ATP and WTA tournaments have been cancelled this season because of COVID-19, while others, except for tournaments in January and February, were postponed.

Despite that, we’ve still seen important achievements in 2020. In the ATP, third racket in the world Dominic Thiem won his first Grand Slam title last September when he won the US Open. On his way, he defeated Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev, both members of the top 10.

Later in September, we saw the Grand Slam tournament of Roland-Garros exceptionally being played in fall. Normally, Roland-Garros is competed from late May to early June, which made a huge difference for players since the tournament is played on clay, and the colder weather impacted the ball’s speed and rebounds on the surface. Of course, many players were not used to playing in such cold weather, meaning we saw some wearing jackets during their matches.

Tournament favorite Rafael Nadal won his 13th Roland-Garros this year, a record in professional tennis. He has joined Federer at the top of the list, tied with 20 Grand Slam titles each.

In the WTA, young sensation Iga Świątek surprised the tennis world by winning Roland-Garros, her first ever singles title. At just 19 years-old, she defeated Markéta Vondroušová (21st), Canadian Eugenie Bouchard, two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep (2nd), and 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin (4th).

Major Baseball League (MLB)

The MLB season was shortened to 60 games, which forced the league to modify its postseason format. This year’s postseason allowed 16 teams to compete for the title. With a 32-28 record, the Toronto Blue Jays took the last spot in the American League and qualified for the wild-card series round. Despite their early elimination, it’s been great to see the Blue Jays qualify for the postseason.

It’s been hard for the MLB to organize its season with all the cities involved, but it ended pretty well. The Los Angeles Dodgers won their first championship since 1988, after coming really close in the past few years. They defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in six games.

What was interesting about this series was the difference between the two teams’ payroll. While the Dodgers had the second highest payroll in the MLB with $107.9 million, the Rays competed with the third lowest of all, a mere $28.3 million. It raised a lot of questions on parity in baseball, since we’re normally used to having high-payroll teams playing the World Series.

National Football League (NFL)

The NFL always seemed clear that they would maintain their season, and despite some COVID-19 cases in the league and postponed games, things have been going fairly well for the league, considering the circumstances.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have won their first 11 games of the season, the best season start in franchise history. After finishing 8-8 in 2019–20, the Steelers seem to be a totally different team so far this year.

Another team to watch are the defending Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs. The team is currently 11-1 after 12 games, and easily leads the AFC West division.

Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA)

All eyes were on defending champion Tiger Woods at the 84th edition of the Masters. The event, normally held in April, was rescheduled for Nov. 12 to 15.

It was finally the best golfer in the world, Dustin Johnson, who put on the green jacket as winner of the tournament.

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)

We saw many great Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fights in the UFC this year, but one thing that  stood out is surely Khabib Nurmagomedov’s last fight. The superstar remained perfect with a 29-0 record, defeating Justin Gaethje in his only fight of 2020.

After the fight, Nurmagomedov announced his retirement from the UFC, following his father’s death. Nurmagomedov is considered as one of, if not the best MMA fighters of all time.

 

Graphic by Rose-Marie Dion

Categories
Sports

Could the NHL follow the AHL and start their season in February?

Recent AHL news could indicate when the next NHL season will start

As we’re still waiting to know when the next National Hockey League (NHL) season will start, news from the American Hockey League (AHL), the NHL’s minors, may have given us a hint.

The AHL announced on Oct. 28 that it was pushing back its anticipated 2020–21 starting date to Feb. 5, 2021. With the AHL and NHL normally starting and finishing their seasons around the same dates, this may be indicative of when the next NHL season will start.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has repeated constantly since the end of the 2019–20 playoffs that the goal would be to play a full 82-game season, with playoffs following as usual. However, there hasn’t been any clear details so far about when or how this would happen, or even why the league has been insisting so much on playing a full season.

Considering that without COVID-19,, the NHL’s 2020–21 calendar would have started in early October, it’s hard to see the same number of games being played in four fewer months. Of course, that’s if the league doesn’t plan to declare its Stanley Cup champions in the fall once again, in hopes of finally returning to their regularly scheduled seasons.

Especially if played without fans, a shortened season might be considered by the league in order to not lose too much income, which is in part used to pay the players. As the NHL isn’t in danger of bankruptcy, the best thing would surely be to focus on the most reasonable and safest hockey calendar for all, in a way that doesn’t bring us to the same dilemma next fall, which is: are we going to play a full season in 2021–22?

 

Graphic by Rose-Marie Dion

Categories
Sports

An offseason to remember for the Montreal Canadiens

A commendable offseason for the Montreal Canadiens and general manager Marc Bergevin

Montreal Canadiens General Manager (GM) Marc Bergevin has perhaps the toughest task of all in terms of satisfying Habs fans, who are still looking for future playoff success despite a Stanley Cup drought of over 25 years.

But Bergevin is probably having his most productive offseason with the Habs, starting things off by trading Max Domi to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Josh Anderson on the National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft day. The terms of the deal were settled shortly after reports started to surface early in the day; the Canadiens sent Domi and a third-round pick in exchange for power forward Anderson.

Statistics from Anderson’s 2019–20 season could stir some doubt among fans, considering he finished with a meager one goal and three assists in his 26 games played. In comparison, Domi totalled 44 points in 71 games. However, the former Blue Jacket suffered a shoulder injury in December, eventually undergoing surgery in early March, which suggests he probably played through the injury throughout the regular season.

Apart from Anderson’s unfortunately derailed 2019–20 season, he has been a force to be reckoned with. Over a three-year span from 2016 to 2019, Anderson was ranked 22nd in the NHL for 5-on-5 goals per 60 minutes of ice time, ahead of marquee names such as Sidney Crosby (34th) and Nathan MacKinnon (35th).

Shortly after the trade, Bergevin wasted no time in signing the 26-year-old to a seven-year contract worth a total of $38.5 million. Anderson’s new deal will count as $5.5 million per year to the team’s cap hit.

Barring injuries, Anderson is an imposing figure that will provide some needed physicality to a team that is otherwise lacking. The Burlington native provides great protection for the young core, and a nice scoring touch at his size.

The Canadiens also used their first-round pick in the draft to select Kaiden Guhle, a defenseman coming off a rousing success of a season with the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Prince Albert Raiders.

Fans were largely critical of the decision, imploring the Habs management to draft a higher risk player at that stage in the draft. With the NHL’s recent explosion of young, exciting defensive talent, such as Colorado Avalanche’s Cale Makar, Vancouver Canucks’ Quinn Hughes and Buffalo Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin, many fans are looking for flashy, offensive-minded defense over solid fundamentals and consistency.

Fans are willingly obstinate when they are being spoiled with extravagant plays like this league-wide on a nightly basis. Regardless, it would be overly skeptical to fault the Habs management in the draft choice. A reliable and sizable (six-foot-two, 190 pounds) defenceman who likes to play physical, Guhle should have no problems adjusting to NHL level.

The Habs made their first major free agency acquisition on Oct. 12, announcing the signing of Tyler Toffoli to a four-year contract with an average annual value of $4.25 million. The 28-year-old winger split playing time between the Los Angeles Kings and the Canucks in 2019–20, tallying 44 points in 68 games.

Toffoli will bring offence to the Canadiens without sacrificing defensive awareness and positioning. He has a knack for finding the back of the net, and will add another scoring option from the wing no matter which forward line he ends up on.

The Canadiens’ offseason objectives were clear from the onset, and by mid-October, Bergevin accomplished everything he sought to do.

Bergevin acquired and signed backup goaltender Jake Allen to alleviate pressure from Carey Price. He also acquired and signed defenceman Joel Edmundson to a four-year deal. He addressed the need for a power forward and a scoring winger with the acquisitions of Anderson and Toffoli, respectively. Bergevin added further stability to the blue line in re-signing Habs defenceman Jeff Petry for four more years.

For many Habs fans, the GM had one more task to complete. Long-time Canadien and current alternate captain, Brendan Gallagher, was set to be an unrestricted free agent in 2020–21. The entire Habs offseason would be for naught if the Canadiens management couldn’t lock in the right-winger for the future.

Undoubtedly, he is the most prominent gear in the Canadiens complex system, a sentiment no rational Habs fan could dispute. Contract negotiations briefly reached an impasse that sparked drama for Habs fans, but later reports affirmed the delays resulted from a simple misunderstanding between Bergevin and Gallagher’s agent Gerry Johannson. Canadiens fans collectively breathed a sigh of relief as Gallagher’s contract was eventually extended by six years, totalling $39 million over the span.

The only thing left to do is wait hopefully and see if the seedlings that Bergevin has planted in 2020 will bear fruit.

 

Graphic by Taylor Reddam

Categories
Sports

An interesting draft for the Montreal Canadiens

The Habs have the sixteenth overall selection in this year’s NHL Draft

As COVID-19 delayed the National Hockey League (NHL) 2019–20 playoffs, this year’s NHL Entry Draft will be presented on Oct. 6 and 7. It will be conducted online, while players and fans alike will watch from home.

The Montreal Canadiens have 13 draft picks this year, including the sixteenth overall selection. The team’s last two first-round picks were Cole Caufield and Jesperi Kotkaniemi, fifteenth overall pick in 2019 and third overall pick in 2018, respectively. As the team begins to see the impact of its young talented players, this year’s draft should only add to what the Canadiens are heading towards: youth.

The question is, who should the Montreal Canadiens select? Here are some players who might interest the Habs.

Hendrix Lapierre: 

Besides Alexis Lafrenière, projected first overall selection in the draft, Lapierre is the next best French-Canadian player the Canadiens could select.

Unfortunately, Lapierre has suffered multiple concussions, which led him to miss over half of the 2019–20 season in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). During his short season, Lapierre produced two goals and 15 assists for 17 points in 19 games with the Chicoutimi Sagueneens.

His playmaking and ability to control the puck is something that could definitely help the Canadiens at the centre position. He isn’t the best offensive player in the draft, but he is definitely one of the best defensive centremen available. His hockey sense is impressive and he can easily find players on the ice. Lapierre could be the first French-Canadian drafted by the Habs in the first round since Louis Leblanc in 2009.

Dylan Holloway:

Ranked at number 16 on Bob McKenzie’s list on TSN, Holloway is another player that could interest the Habs. Although Holloway had an average season with the University of Wisconsin, scoring eight goals and nine assists in 35 games, the forward who can play centre and left-wing has a great potential.

His speed and physicality could help a team like the Habs, which mainly consists of small players. Finding players with the speed and size of Holloway is rare. He would help his teammates to free up space on the ice. The fact he played with Caufield in Wisconsin could also convince the Canadiens to draft him.

Dawson Mercer: 

The Habs desperately need offensive power and if their General Manager Marc Bergevin does not trade for a goal scorer, Mercer could at least be a solution for the future. Last year, Mercer registered 24 goals and 36 assists for 60 points in 42 games, playing for the Chicoutimi Sagueneens and the Drummondville Voltigeurs.

His stickhandling skills help him get great opportunities for his powerful shot. While not the fastest, he is capable of outskating players and taking the puck from his opponents. He has a great mentality and works really hard on both sides of the ice, which is important for the Habs organization.

Noel Gunler:

This Swedish offensive player could add offensive power to the Canadiens. Playing in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) and the J20 SuperElit League, Gunler got 29 goals and 22 assists for 51 points in 46 games during the 2018–19 season. Gunler has an ease in finding the space and time to shoot the puck.

Being very tall, he doesn’t have any difficulty driving the net and blocking the goalie’s view, which could be a great addition to the Habs’ power play. Although he might need another year to be ready for the NHL, Gunler could potentially be a top-two player playing alongside the team’s great centres like Kotkaniemi.

Rodion Amirov:

Ranked as one of the best prospects for the Canadiens by RDS journalist Stéphane Leroux, Amirov is a tall, Russian left-winger. He has played in Russia in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), the Molodiojnaïa Hokkeïnaïa Liga (MHL) and the Vyschaïa Hokkeïnaïa Liga (VHL).

In 2019–20, Amirov counted 11 goals and 16 assists for 27 points in 43 games. Amirov has amazing skills, and can easily score goals on a penalty shot or a breakaway. His shot is also extremely good, as he has a powerful release. However, he might not be the heaviest player, which may deter the Habs.

He definitely has the potential to become a great goal scorer in the NHL, and he, just like Gunler, could help the Canadiens on the power play. He still has amazing potential and he is very entertaining to watch.

With all the great players available in this year’s draft, it will be interesting to see which one the Canadiens will pick. No matter who it is, it’s almost guaranteed they’ll have something to solve the team’s needs. However, after recently signing defencemen Alexander Romanov and Joel Edmundson, the Habs might look into drafting a forward for the fourth straight year.

 

Graphic by Rose-Marie Dion

Categories
Sports

The good and bad of the Jake Allen trade

Having two good goalies is a key to any NHL team’s success

Excluding Carey Price, nine goalies have started at least one game for the Montreal Canadiens since the start of the 2013-14 National Hockey League (NHL) season.

Finding a reliable second goalie at a reasonable price has been a problem for the Habs since Peter Budaj was Price’s substitute from 2011 to 2014. The team’s general manager (GM) Marc Bergevin made a significant move on Sept. 2, 2020 in order to solve that problem. The GM acquired veteran Jake Allen from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for a third-round and a seventh-round draft pick. Allen will play the last of a four-year contract next season with the Habs, and will have a $4.35 million cap hit.

The good:

Allen lost his starting position during the 2018-19 season when young goaltender Jordan Binnington made a solid impression on the Blues during the Stanley Cup playoffs, helping the team win its first championship in franchise history.

Allen probably lost value because of Binnington’s dominance in goal, which can explain how the Habs managed to get him for two draft picks. However, it doesn’t mean he lost talent. In fact, Allen finished this season second in the NHL for goals against average (GAA) with 2.15, and fourth for save percentage with .927, both career bests in the league.

A problem these past few seasons was that Price was over-used by playing too many games, including back-to-back games in 48-hour spans. With Allen, not only will the Canadiens have two trusted goalies they can send against any team, but Price will be able to rest more. It’s easy to imagine that Price will also feel a weight off his shoulders now that he’s not the team’s only hope between the pipes.

The bad:

With that salary, Allen will need to perform, especially since he’ll not play as much as he could elsewhere in a bigger role. Not every team has the chance to have two goaltenders who can act as starters. Teams who do, however, usually don’t have a superstar like Price.

Many backup goaltenders can win from 10 to 20 games per season and start from 15 to 30 games. Allen could easily exceed these numbers, but likely won’t get that chance in the 2020-21 season with Price in the starting role.

It’ll be interesting to see if the Canadiens will re-sign him, considering that both Allen and Price are aging veterans looking for ice-time. If not, it’ll be interesting to see why the team traded for a single season of Allen, and didn’t try a similar trade in the past two or three years instead.

It’s yet to be seen whether or not Allen will solve the Habs goalie problems.

 

Graphic by Rose-Marie Dion

Categories
Sports

Justice and Equality, Now

Some things are bigger than sports

On Aug. 23, a Black man named Jacob Blake was shot by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Blake was shot seven times, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down.

After this event, much of the sports world and its high-profile athletes used their platforms to speak out against systemic racism.

On Aug. 26, in the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Milwaukee Bucks were scheduled to play Game 5 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals against the Orlando Magic at 4 p.m. In response to Blake being shot several times, the Bucks didn’t emerge from their locker room, calling for justice for Blake. It was announced by 5 p.m. that all NBA playoff games were postponed indefinitely.

The Bucks then released an official statement explaining their decision not to play, outlining their inability to focus on basketball when change is needed. The strike sparked a chain reaction in sports, as people from all disciplines showed their support. Kenny Smith, former NBA player and co-host of Inside the NBA on TNT walked off the set of the show on-air, in solidarity with player protests.

In keeping with this idea, on Aug. 26, three Major League Baseball (MLB) games were cancelled in order to draw attention to systemic racism, while seven more were cancelled the following day. In the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), fourth-seeded Naomi Osaka won her quarterfinal matchup at the Western and Southern Open, but withdrew shortly after to fight for racial justice. The tournament responded to her courageous act by postponing all of Thursday’s scheduled matches. On Aug. 27 and 28, all NHL games were also postponed, and multiple football teams cancelled their practices as well.

We all can do our part to help make this world a better place, especially in 2020, where we have the tools and the technology to share our message and learn from each other. For example, a group of former and current NHL players started the Hockey Diversity Alliance in order to inspire the new generation of players and fans. By providing resources to the young generation, the Hockey Diversity Alliance is showing it wants to do more than just support a cause. Their ultimate goal is to eliminate racism and intolerance in the game.

The Concordian wants to support and follow the movement taken in the sports world. That’s why this article is the only one that will be published in the sports section for our first issue of the semester. Some things are bigger than sports, and we should never ignore them.

We stand for racial justice and equality. Black Lives Matter.

 

Graphic by Chloë Lalonde

Categories
Sports

Amidst COVID-19, a look back at some great sports moments

Have you ever heard the saying “You don’t know what you have until it’s gone?”

Many sports fans around the world had this realization this past week, as they saw, one after another, their favourite sports teams and leagues suspended their activities due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

At this point, the vast majority of sports events have been cancelled. The Indian Wells Masters 1000 tennis tournament of the BNP Paribas Open was one of the first sports competitions to be officially cancelled. It was first announced that it would be played behind closed doors, but a confirmed case of the COVID-19 at the Indian Wells venue forced the organizers to cancel the event a few hours before its start.

As a tennis fan, it was a shock to see one of the biggest competitions of the season outright cancelled. At first, I thought it was a drastic decision, but then came to understand that the tournament wasn’t worth the risk, considering the severity of the virus.

I thought there would still be other sports to watch, like hockey, soccer, and even other tennis tournaments that wouldn’t be cancelled. Yet, in a matter of days, almost all were postponed or cancelled.

This is a unique situation we’re going through, and hopefully we won’t have to deal with this ever again. These moments make us realize how important our passions are to us, and help us gather together and cherish what we love.

I’m used to waking up in the morning and watching sports recaps and talk shows. I would normally talk about what happened in sports the previous day with my friends before going to class, and then prepare to watch a game in the evening.

It’s obviously impossible to bring fresh sports news to the public right now. However, as we’re looking for things to talk about other than COVID-19, here are some recent sports moments that should bring some happiness in your day.

 

First up is Sidney Crosby’s historic “Golden Goal” at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. Team Canada faced Team USA for gold in men’s hockey. Tied 2-2, Crosby scored the game-winning goal with 12:20 left in overtime, lifting an entire nation into a celebration, with a goal that changed the history of hockey and the Olympic Games forever. Even 20 years later, people talk about that goal when celebrating the 2010 Olympic Games of Vancouver. The rivalry between Team Canada and Team USA continued to grow since then.

In women’s hockey, the Canadian national team won the Olympic gold at Sochi 2014, in what has become an iconic game against their American rivals. Trailing by one with less than a minute to play, Team USA hit the post when trying to secure what would have been a 3-1 score with an empty-net goal. Team Canada took advantage of it, as Marie-Philip Poulin tied the game seconds later to force overtime. Poulin then scored her second of the game in overtime, securing gold for Canada.

Canadian tennis star Bianca Andreescu made history last September when she won her first ever Grand Slam title at the 2019 US Open versus Serena Williams. She became the first ever Canadian Grand Slam title winner.

Next is this legendary bat flip from Jose Bautista in 2015, in Game 5 of the American League Division Series against the Texas Rangers. Bautista’s three-run homer gave the Toronto Blue Jays a 6-3 lead late in the game.

The NFL sees its fair share of spectacular catches. One of the best (if not the best) was this one by Odell Beckham Jr. in 2015. Despite being held to one-hand while being interfered with, Beckham Jr. managed to catch the ball and get a touchdown.

One of the most discussed plays of recent years in football came when the Seattle Seahawks faced the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl XLIX. With a second down and goal, the Seahawks opted for a passing play despite the fact they would lose the game if it were to be intercepted. They also had the always-entertaining Marshawn Lynch at running back, which only made many fans more upset. Surely, they thought, Lynch would have made it to the end zone safely.

Unfortunately for the Seahawks and their fans, Russell Wilson’s pass was intercepted by the Patriots’ Malcolm Butler, ensuring his team’s Super Bowl victory.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a real football list without this play between quarterback Case Keenum and wide receiver Stefon Diggs. In the last seconds of overtime in a game between the Minnesota Vikings and the New Orleans Saints during a National Football Conference divisional playoff game in 2018, Diggs caught Keenum’s pass while his defender missed their tackle, and ran down the field unopposed for a 61-yard game-winning touchdown.

In golf, Tiger Woods made history once again last year when he won the 2019 Masters Tournament. This was a historic moment, not only for golf, but for sports in general. His triumph was celebrated by many fans around the world, especially considering the tough years he went through preceding this victory.

This picture also went viral on social media. The first image shows Woods hugging his father after winning the Master Tournament in 1997, while the second shows him and his son, shortly after his 2019 victory.

What about the two-point buzzer-beater shot from Kawhi Leonard. As the Toronto Raptors and Philadelphia 76ers were heading to overtime in game seven of the NBA’s Eastern Conference semifinals, Leonard gave the Raptors the win, shooting the ball in the basket with less than a second left in the game. That put the score at 92-90 and pushed the Raptors to the next round. The team would go on to win their next series and the league’s championship.

Finally, at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games of Rio, Canadian Penny Oleksiak lived what us common folk would call “a fairytale” born of hard work and talent. Only 16 at that time, Oleksiak won four medals, including the gold medal in the women’s 100m freestyle event.

 

Graphic by @sundaeghost

Categories
Sports

Colour Commentary: Big four North American sports league suspend play due to COVID-19

Last Wednesday night, Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19.

What ensued next was absolute chaos. The NBA swiftly announced that it would be suspending play after that night’s games were finished.

Around 1 p.m. on March 12, after a meeting among team owners and commissioner Gary Bettman, the NHL also suspended play until further notice. Bettman has teased a summer restart, but nothing is confirmed as of publication.

Then the news of leagues and competitions really started to pour in. Here is a summary of what happened next:

  • NCAA’s March Madness, the single biggest sports gambling event in the United States announced the cancellation of the tournament.
  • Major League Soccer suspended its season for 30 days.
  • The Association of Tennis Professionals suspended play for six weeks.
  • The Canadian Football League combine was cancelled.
  • The International Ice Hockey Federation’s under-18 world championships got cancelled.
  • Women’s World Curling Championships got cancelled.
  • Hockey Canada suspended all activities including all Canadian Hockey League games, the U-Sports National Championships and all unsanctioned minor hockey leagues.
  • The American Hockey League suspended play until further notice.

This was all on Thursday.

Since then, many major competitions would follow suit, including the English Premier League. The EPL was one of few competitions that were supposed to continue until Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta tested positive for COVID-19.

With sports being suspended/cancelled, many 24-hour sports radio and TV stations are scrambling. However, one channel that has to be given credit is TSN.

Their coverage of all things sports that day was incredible—they ran commercial-free from the time the NHL made it’s announcement around 1 p.m. until their flagship show, SportsCentre was scheduled at 6 p.m.

Thursday was a grim day, but some positive news came out of it. A team of three Canadian doctors had managed to isolate the COVID-19 virus to further research towards a vaccine.

Rick Westhead of TSN was the first reporter to interview one of the doctors on SportsCentre about the impact of what the team’s findings mean for research.

I tip my hat to TSN for continuing live coverage and reporting during a time where the world probably needs sports the most to distract them from what is going on.

At The Concordian, we are committed to you and will still be bringing you sports pieces every week.

Stay safe, stay calm, and stay clean. And for Pete’s sake, wash your hands.

Exit mobile version