The Vegas Golden Knights have more Quebec-born players than the Montreal Canadiens
An against-the-odds comeback against and old rival, a sweeping victory in round two: the Montreal Canadiens have brought hope and excitement to a province in great need of a pick-me-up.
In some ways, the team’s victories have come to represent a newfound gusto in Quebec as it slowly re-emerges, hopefully for the last time, from pandemic-era restrictions.
In recent weeks, anti-Toronto chants have filled the air, brooms were brought to sweep the stadium-streets after Game 4 against the Jets, and Habs fans rejoined loved ones on terrasses to root for their beloved bleu-blanc-rouge.
What could be more Quebecois?
How about the roster?
On Monday, at 9 p.m. the Montreal Canadiens will start the semifinals against the Las Vegas Golden Knights: a desert-state team with more Quebec-born players that the province’s own roster.
The Habs are running three Quebecers this season, all in centre position: Alex Belzile (Riviere-du-loup), Phillip Danault (Victoriaville), and Laurent Dauphin (Repentigny).
On the Knights side: Centres Jonathan Marchessault (Cap-Rouge) and Nicolas Roy (Amos), Left-Winger William Carrier (LaSalle), and Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury (Sorel).
“I sincerely hope for a loss for the Canadiens,” wrote Luc Ferrandez, former Plateau-Mont-Royal borough mayor, on social media Friday.
“I hope it hurts and that we tell ourselves forever that we could have won with more Quebec players.”
SUPPORT ACROSS CANADA
As the only Canadian team remaining in the playoffs, other major cities have put aside (some) of their differences to rally around the Canadiens.
On Thursday, the Habs flag was hoisted above Toronto city hall, as Mayor John Tory made good on a bet to Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante.
At the provincial level, Premier Doug Ford wore a Canadiens jersey on the short end of a bet to Premier Francois Legault to give a word of support to the rival team:
“Bring the Stanley Cup home to Canada!”
Even with a minority of Quebec-born players, the Habs have a lead on running Canadians -- but it's a small one. On the Habs side, 19 players were born north of the border, while Vegas has only 17.
But who’s counting?
NHL playoff semifinals begin Monday, June 14, at 9 p.m. at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas
Follow along with CTV’s liveblog for real-time updates through the game.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
"It's a bit of a complicated pattern; we've got a lot going on," said Jennifer Smith of the Meteorological Service of Canada in an interview with CTVNews.ca on Wednesday. "[As is] typical with weather, all of these things are related."
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Police tangle with students in Texas and California as wave of campus protest against Gaza war grows
Police tangled with student demonstrators in Texas and California while new encampments sprouted Wednesday at Harvard and other colleges as school leaders sought ways to defuse a growing wave of pro-Palestinian protests.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.