Victor Hedman reveals that he has suffered from performance anxiety

We knew Victor Hedman wasn’t doing well.
Now we have a much better idea of just how bad it was.
The Lightning captain revealed this past spring that he had taken a step back from the team to focus on his mental health. My colleague actually covered the topic back in May on DLC.
But Hedman has just added an important layer to his story.
In an interview with Dan Rosen, a reporter for NHL.com, the defenseman revealed that he was struggling with performance anxiety.Victor Hedman is ready to ge

Montreal is a hockey mecca, and the Bell Centre is considered one of the best arenas to play in.
It's also one of the most intimidating places in the NHL for opposing players.
Yet the Canadiens performed worse at home than on the road last year, and one might wonder why the team plays worse at home.
Shayne Gaumond and Stu Cowan discussed the Canadiens' struggles at the Bell Centre on The Sick Podcast and the reasons why the team plays worse at home.Last year, the Habs (24-9-8, 56 points) tied fo

Has William Contreras been traded?
It's possible.
William Contreras is a name to “definitely keep an eye on” as a potential trade candidate this offseason, according to @ByRobertMurray(Via @JustBB_Media) pic.twitter.com/wwdJ3iVPjC
— Punchoutpitch (@Punchoutpitch) August 28, 2026
Will Byron Buxton undergo surgery?
That could happen in the coming months. The hip is the issue.
Byron Buxton Could Undergo Offseason Hip Surgery https://t.co/xBdlfgJXki pic.twitter.com/4JxA0GZRYo
&mdas

Brendan Gallagher's departure for Vancouver leaves an assistant captain position open in Montreal.
Two candidates are being considered to wear an “A” on their jerseys and support Nick Suzuki and Mike Matheson next season.
They are Josh Anderson, a respected veteran who has already filled this role in Gallagher's absence, and Lane Hutson, one of the team's rising stars who is increasingly establishing himself as a leader among the Habs' young core.
Personally, I'd go with Hutson, part

You may have noticed over the past few days that TJ Friedl and Eugenio Suarez have been placed on waivers by the Reds.
Basically, this is a tactic used by teams at the bottom of the standings when they want to save some salary.
Players who won't be returning in 2027 are placed on waivers in the hope of saving on payroll if another team claims them.
Obviously, it's a blow to the guys' pride. Especially when they aren't claimed…
This inevitably happens more often than people realize in Augu

Lane Hutson is such a weirdo.
He's always on the ice as soon as he gets the chance.
Sometimes, even on December 25, he goes out to skate with fans.
We know he loves Montreal and its fans, but he also makes time for his community.
On this Saturday morning in late August, the young defenseman was spotted at the “Stick to Us” fundraiser, as reported by Tony Marinaro.Lane Hutson is on the ice at 8 a.m. on Saturday morning for a charity hockey game. pic.twitter.com/s0r4NA5Ofs
— /r/H

Former Montreal Alouettes player Étienne Boulay hopes to contribute to research on the effects of concussions, even after his death.
During his appearance on the LCN show Dans le blanc des yeux, Boulay revealed that he intends to donate his body to science so that his brain, among other things, can be studied by researchers.
This decision comes as concerns about the long-term effects of concussions on football players continue to grow. The former linebacker was responding in particular to

A new challenge begins for Samuel Adjin. After leaving Quebec to continue his development in the United States, the offensive lineman from La Pocatière is about to experience a major milestone in his young career.
On Saturday, Adjin will play his first NCAA game with the Eastern Michigan Eagles, who will host the Sacramento State Hornets. After several weeks spent training and adjusting to his new environment, the Quebec native says he's ready to make the most of every opportunity.
Even t

Following last week's rankings from 6 to 4, today marks the conclusion of our annual list of the CH's 15 top prospects.
You'll find a summary of our analysis series at the end of this article.
But for now, let's dive into the final top 3!
3. Jacob Fowler, GPotential: 35.5/40
Confidence: 16/20
Usage Value: 16/20
Trade Value: 15.5/20
Total: 83/100
I won't be very original here, and like many talent evaluators—even though I've been analyzing hockey seriously for over 25 years—I'll admit

The Blue Jays are trying to make the playoffs in 2026. It won’t be easy, since the players have been on a roller-coaster ride.
In any case, it's getting harder and harder to believe they can do it.
Could the team get some help from players returning from injury? It's a question worth asking.
We'll take a look at the injured players and see who might be able to step in and help.
Before we begin, it's worth noting that Bowden Francis, Jose Berrios, Cody Ponce, Yimi Garcia, and Addison Barger

Tua Tagovailoa had a night in Miami that was unusual, to say the least. Five months after being released by the Dolphins, the quarterback returned to Hard Rock Stadium—but this time in an Atlanta Falcons uniform.
Despite a hostile reception from some of the fans, Tagovailoa tried to put his emotions aside. His main goal was to use this game to prove that he can become the Falcons' starting quarterback.
Atlanta ultimately won the preseason game 17–12 against Miami. Tagovailoa particip

Everyone remembers the three-goalie rotation we saw a few seasons ago with the Montreal Canadiens, featuring Samuel Montembeault, Jake Allen, and Cayden Primeau.
It was a truly uncomfortable situation for the three players, management, and the fans—and let's just say we really don't want to go through that again.
The Habs ultimately chose to keep Samuel Montembeault and Cayden Primeau at the expense of Jake Allen, which turned out to be a bit of a mistake in the end.
Well, now, as the 2026

Noah Kahan made me cry.OK, he didn’t. But the slogan printed on the back of one of his tour Tees certainly rang true with many in the crowd at B.C. Place. I Sang Along to Every Song at Noah Kahan should definitely be a future merch slogan.Not even Taylor Swift has fans belting out every lyric to every single song all night long quite like Kahan fans. Not only do they know all the words, they harmonized in key as well. It made the whole vibe of The Great Divide Tour date in Vancouver as mu

There hasn’t been much good news in Queens this season, but hearing Bo Bichette talk about his vision for the future with the Mets is enough to reassure many fans of the New York team.
Yesterday, Andy Green's team once again fell 3-1 to the Astros, suffering their 75th loss of the season in the process. The silver lining to this season—which has been difficult, to say the least, in the team's locker room—is that a new generation of players seems to be emerging among the group t

Some of you may have jumped to a conclusion upon reading the headline, realizing that it has indeed been two years since the horrific tragedy that claimed the lives of the Gaudreau brothers.
On August 29, 2024, the two brothers, Matthew and Johnny, were struck by a car driven by an intoxicated driver while they were riding their bikes on a country road.
The incident shocked and brought the entire hockey world to a standstill, plunging everyone into the darkness of this terrible grief.
Well, here

The NFL will continue its social awareness campaign during the 2026 season. As in recent years, teams will be able to display various messages in their end zones, and players will be able to wear stickers on their helmets to promote values such as equality and respect.
According to reports from Front Office Sports, teams will once again have a choice of four slogans for their end zones: “Choose Love,” “Inspire Change,” “End Racism,” and “Stop Hate.&rdquo

The return of National Hockey League action is fast approaching, and we got a great preview this week, with some real action—something we haven't seen in a very long time.
In addition to Cale Makar's massive signing yesterday, another major story has gained momentum, as Winnipeg Jets star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck has officially requested a trade.
Hellebuyck is one of the best goalies in the league, so seeing him request a trade is clearly going to shake things up throughout the NHL.
Se

Since the announcement of Jacques Doucet's passing, messages of condolence from prominent figures in baseball and the world of sports in general have continued to pour in.
This man has left an indelible mark on sports in Quebec in many ways. A passionate fan of baseball and the French language, we owe him several terms and expressions still used today when describing baseball games in French.
Jacques Doucet made baseball a delight to the ears of fans across the province and far beyond. Thanks to

Cale Makar broke the bank yesterday with his new eight-year contract, which will begin next season and is worth $20.4 million annually—the highest amount in National Hockey League history.
This record-breaking contract was awarded by the Colorado Avalanche.
This demonstrates just how much the rise in the salary cap has clearly increased the value of players—and thus the value of contracts—as we've seen this summer.
Obviously, with this signing—even though Makar is conside

Now that Cale Makar has signed his contract extension, another top defenseman is waiting to sign his deal.
Quinn Hughes Arber Xhekaj still doesn't have a contract lined up for next season, and time is running out before the season starts. September 15 is fast approaching, and after that, he won't have the chance to sign an eight-year deal.
This is important because, even if Xhekaj and Bolduc aren't likely to sign an eight-year deal, they could be part of a trade that brings in a player who would

Cale Makar signed a massive contract a few hours ago.
$20.4 million… per year… for eight years.
It's the most lucrative contract in history.Cale Makar is breaking the bank in Denver!!!This is, by far, the biggest contract ever signed in the league's history! pic.twitter.com/KlOBpImGB2
— RDS (@RDSca) August 28, 2026Ever since the signing, people haven't stopped praising Kent Hughes for the deal he offered Lane Hutson.
It's true that it's a job well done, but…Cale Makar:

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. isn’t having a great season. That said, his team is still there to publicly defend him.
An example? When John Schneider said he didn't want to move him lower in the batting order because the offense needs to continue revolving around him.
But now Myles Straw has just provided another example.
Basically, he told Sid Seixeiro—who had criticized Vladdy—on Twitter that he was an idiot. And his tweet has been causing quite a stir ever since.
You're an idiot&hel

Cale Makar has just signed a massive contract worth $20.4 million annually.
Will he be the highest-paid player on an annual basis for a long time to come? After all, Quinn Hughes is an unrestricted free agent next year and will command a hefty salary as well.
But right now, the difference between the highest-paid defenseman by annual salary (Makar) and the second-highest (Bowen Byram) is staggering.
Makar earns $20.4 million and Byram $12.5 million. That's a difference of $7.9 million.
As Guilla

Breaking news.
Cale Makar has just signed a massive contract.
It's an eight-year deal that will pay him $20.4 million annually, for a total of $163.2 million. He'll be with the Avalanche for the next nine seasons—he already had a contract through the 2026–2027 season.A historic daypic.twitter.com/trOBwCd8EH
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) August 28, 2026The Avalanche defenseman has thus become the player with the largest contract in NHL history, both in terms of annual pay an

The next NHL season is coming up.
Last week, I posted an article in which I shared five hot takes ahead of the Canadiens' season.
Today, I'm going in a similar direction: I'm sharing my five bold NHL predictions for the upcoming season!
1: Connor McDavid will change his mind… and ask to be traded
Connor McDavid signed a two-year contract extension with the Oilers last season.
But you know what?
Things are going to go SO badly in Edmonton that by the trade deadline, #97 will ask his team t

“An honor that Jacques Doucet wanted to receive”
He wanted to be inducted into Cooperstown. He won't be able to do so in his lifetime.
“He would have wanted it so badly. He took it to heart. It's an honor he truly wanted to receive”Jacques Doucet leaves us with a dream that Major League Baseball will never be able to fulfill during his lifetimehttps://t.co/6iItv0wcG7
— TVA Sports (@TVASports) August 28, 2026
Family First
That explains why Andy Green is refusing to a

It’s Friday afternoon, so let’s soar into the weekend on the wings of a dove, and that dove is Celine Dion in Paris. Celine is in Paris preparing for a concert run from September 12 to October 17, and she touched down in France and immediately began sharing the love with her fans. Which IS wonderful because Celine has shared her journey back to performing with us, and even as a casual Celine fan, I recognize the effort, passion, and commitment it’s taken her to get here, and en

Quinn Hughes hasn’t forgotten what the Wild did to bring him to Minnesota.
And in a way, that could carry a lot of weight in the negotiations currently underway.
Because yes, Hughes has immense value on the market: he could certainly land a massive contract if he decided to maximize every dollar of his next deal. But…
But there's one small detail that completely changes the game: the Wild paid dearly to acquire the defenseman… and Hughes knows this all too well. He knows the

The backlash to the children’s program Barney & Friends is so historically severe it has its own Wikipedia entry. It’s mostly humorous, though rooted in real irritation at Barney’s annoying voice, the show’s saccharine, corny tone, and the horror older kids feel for anything meant for babies. Casper Kelly’s Buddy, featuring a bright orange unicorn that hosts a children’s show, stems from Barney’s well of discontent, though Kelly is also the writer/di

A few years ago, the name Otto Lopez wasn't well known throughout the baseball world. Since then, however, the Quebec native has found his niche with the Miami Marlins, to the point where he is currently one of the best hitters in all of Major League Baseball.
Yet he doesn't get enough recognition, despite the fact that there's not much Lopez can't do on the baseball field.
In fact, the Dominican Republic native—who grew up in Quebec—is batting .308 with nine home runs, 59 RBIs, and