If Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes were in charge of the Yes campaign, I think Quebec would become a country.

I have rarely seen such solid sellers. I have rarely seen people we wanted to follow so much.

You are too strong.

The photo of the duo was published on the front pages of Sports Quebec Journal And Montreal Journal Thursday morning is fascinating.

If you were in a coma for three years and we told you this was a photo taken during the Canadiens' retrospective after another season in which the team ended up in the basement, you wouldn't believe it.

We see Gorton and Hughes with smiles on their faces as they answer questions from journalists.

teenagers

I don't know anyone who follows the Canadian closely and is disappointed with the work of two of the team's leaders.

The vast majority of their decisions were excellent. And for those who weren't, the explanations they gave afterward convinced many fans that they were, in fact, perfect after all.

They are doing what so many Canadian leaders before them should have done: taking a step back to create incredibly good momentum that can keep the club at the top for several years.

Most people who complain either don't follow it or are older and start their sentence with “in my time” meaning Larry Robinson.

They are not wrong to be embarrassed that the Glorious are far from it. But to get the team to the top, Hughes and Gorton have no choice but to do what they do and rebuild.

Meager. We drink the duo's lyrics. We are spellbound. And Martin St-Louis is equally remarkable for sharing the message of hope.

Lane Hutson's two games were also the icing on the cake, helping the majority of fans end the season in good spirits. How can you not be charmed by this guy? He dances with the puck on the ice. In his first NHL game, he seemed as nervous as he was brushing his teeth.

Slafkovsky's rise, Caufield's productive end to the season, Suzuki's wonderful year, Newhook's improvement, Guhle's ease… That's encouraging for next year.

It makes us forget that the team only scored five more goals compared to last year. That it was still one of the worst in terms of pros and cons. This CH was the third club that averaged the most shots in the league. Or that most of the teams in his division will be better next year too.

Certainly the last month was much better than the last month of the previous season. Kent Hughes claims the team has made better progress than the numbers show. We have no reason to doubt it.

And many fans don't want journalists or columnists to dare to doubt it.

The Canadian is making progress and will become a Stanley Cup contender in a few years. That's what the fans want to hear.

Any resistance to this dogma is rejected by lovers of the glorious.

The Prophecy

The truth is that no recovery plan is guaranteed. CH can win the Cup in three seasons. But the team can also miss the playoffs for another three years.

And that's despite Kent Hughes being a genius at all of these decisions. Even if Martin St-Louis is this good, he can turn water into Molson Export.

That's what fascinates me. It's all hope, not prophecy. You are not a prophet, but simply a team leader like 31 others who want to win the trophy just as much.

And that scares me for next year. Because there is a beginning of expectation, namely “to be in the mix of series”. I fear that this will be the breaking point for many previously very loyal fans if the Canadian is not really there, in “the mix”.

A country

Management was extremely adept at navigating three difficult years of rebuilding with the “P” word, the “S” word, progress, major games, chairs, rising ticket prices, etc.

And all of this while the Bell Center was full and the team was once again the one that attracted the most spectators in the league.

This is a genius of the Canadian. It's amazing to see so many people happy for such a sensitive cause. This makes me think that CH could make Quebec a country.