On July 7, 2021, the Canadian was eliminated after Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Grand Final. A predictable setback, but nevertheless short. 1-0 Tampa Bay. Cup winning goal for Ross Colton. White game of 22 saves for the monster Vasilevskiy who, with very dry hair, celebrated a second conquest in a row.

Carey Price led CH in the big 2021 tournament. On July 7, he blocked 29 of the 30 pucks on target by Tampa. Carey wanted this win. For him, but especially for his friend Weber, the one around whom the vanquished gathered to the sound of the siren.

They knew Captain Shea had just played the last game of his career. Weber would arrive two and a half hours before a morning skating session in order to undergo the preparatory treatments necessary for him to put on his uniform and jump on the ice. Any sense.

Downtime?

It was July 7, 2021. Exactly one year later, on July 7, 2022, the Canadian will win. After collapsing, chaining defeats, Montreal knows the scenario for its next July 7th. He won the draft lottery.

Do not doubt it, Kent Hughes, Jeff Gorton and Martin St-Louis will go up on the stage to announce the choice of the organization.

Try to imagine the CH asking for a time out and Gary Bettman saying he has a trade to announce. Nightmare. Hockey is increasingly joining the spectrum of spectator sports. This phenomenon that propels the NBA to heights of popularity in the United States.

And since there is no certainty as to the real potential of the best prospects of the upcoming auction, no general manager of the league will offload a testicle to get their hands on the very first selection.

No room for error

Which brings us back to CH. Gorton

They did not replace Trevor Timmins, ensuring themselves to lead the troops of recruiters for the auction. What's more, it will be their first selection to lead the Canadiens. Hughes' very first as GM.

They are very likely to play buttocks. To claim Shane Wright above who has begun to hover a host of suspicions in the last month. At least until the lottery on Tuesday. Once the first selection of the CH was confirmed, the wave in good standing was set in motion on social media.

The supporters got carried away and want to be there on July 7 for the announcement of the arrival of Shane Wright, nothing less than canonized on the social forecourt for a few days...

From defeat to victory

From one July 7 to another, the decline of the CH remains maddening. The climax of the unexpected summit, a Stanley Cup final, a symbol of victory in 2021. Then the abyss to the depths of pain in the defeats accumulated on the path to mercy.

Paradoxically, July 7, 2021 is under the seal of defeat while July 7, 2022 will be under the seal of victory...

At the Rimouski Oceanic. According to the latest news, there are still quite a few players who are coughing as a result of an ongoing influenza epidemic. Considering the ages, they were the equal of a midget AAA club against Saint-John, an American league club. And yet they beat the Memorial Cup hosts in overtime of the ultimate game. Congratulations to the kids but also to Serge Beausoleil and Alexandre Tanguay.

In the NHL. This is what happens when your rules are written in gray on a gray page. No one ever understands it. And it allows Jacob Trouba to head two Penguins stars on the same night, knocking Sidney Crosby out of the game unpunished. The NFL and the NBA have understood that the money will multiply if they protect their best players. The NHL likes this type of "playoff" hockey...

Another victory for the intriguing CF Montreal. How could guru Wilfried Nancy's 11 go stumble in Charlotte tonight against an expansion club? I know, in many ways. But I like to believe that it won't be that this time. That the Blue White Black will know how to manage. Smell the smell of blood. Will it last until November? Not sure. But in the meantime, it's beautiful.