It was Canadians’ season in agony. Dominique Ducharme is fighting like hell in the holy waters to try to keep up the track despite the numbers he has.

In the morning and evening, he faces the media and fans by climbing onto a podium that after a long time can transform into a secluded podium. Meanwhile, on the seventh floor of the Bell Center, Jeff Molson looks at the situation without giving any sign of life.

The owner, president and CEO of the company did a fine job at Val-d’Or earlier this week opening the 12th rink for the Bleu, Blanc and Bouge programme. However, in the invitation, the organization took great care to silence its attendance.

Away from the microphones

So much so that only local media was present. And when you live a 5:30 a.m. drive from rue des Canadiens-de-Montréal, you don’t care what’s going on inside the team. This is understandable.

So the risk of Mr. Molson being the target of tough questions about his team’s status was small.

Image credit: file image

The danger was clearly much greater during the unveiling of the large fresco that now adorns the wall of the Bell Center adjacent to the Rio Tinto court. The event was held on Friday. Perhaps this is not unrelated to the fact that Mr. Molson was conspicuous by his absence.

Instead, it was Frans-Marguerite Bellanger, Head of Sports and Entertainment for CH Group, who was commissioned at the site. Of course, Ms. Bellanger isn’t necessarily the right person to discuss decisions that could arise in the hockey organizational chart, but since the big boss has been playing dead since the start of the season, the question had to be asked about someone’s future. Mark Bergevin.

“I mainly take care of the business side,” she remembers first. But, at the moment, there is nothing to announce. When this is the case, you will be the first to know.”

“If you don’t see it [M. Molson]He has nothing more to say than I tell you. This means that this is the status quo until further notice,” she added during a polite interview with a representative Montreal Magazine.

no pressure

But, during this time, the boos became more and more constant at the Bell Center, and not just at the heights of the runway. Moreover, we see more and more empty seats in red.

Ms Bellanger might say this is partly explained by remote work – people from the South Shore and North Shore will find it hard to venture into Montreal for games at 7pm – but that doesn’t prevent the product on offer is not much. attractive.

“We are not going to hide the fact that if the team has a series of victories in a row, the ticket frenzy will be even greater. The fact remains that we have exceptional supporters who are there as often when things are going as when things are not going well,” said the person who worked Inside the company since 2013.

“Of course, we would like to be able to publish a different start to the season. But we keep hope,” she continued.

When you come out of a pandemic in which the team played an entire season in front of empty stands before opening the doors to a few thousand fans during the playoffs (plus all shows and festivals canceled), let’s say it should. Does not help reduce the financial impact.

“Corporate partners, sponsors are there. Things are going really well at the hostel level. People were ready to start following the team again.

In short, money is starting to enter the vaults again. So, no pressure.

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