(Detroit) Ben Chiarot is now a member of the Detroit Red Wings, but that doesn’t stop him from watching the results of his former club from afar.
Posted at 3:06 p.m.
The veteran defenseman is now a member of the Wings, having agreed to a four-year contract in July, averaging $4.75 million per season. Previously, he had made a detour of two and a half years by Montreal, where he was able to play 164 games with the Canadian.
It was brief, all the same, but it was intense enough for Chiarot, who wished he could have continued with the group of the magic spring of 2021, the one who had reached the Stanley Cup final.
“We hoped to be able to keep this club, intact, for several seasons, he explained Tuesday in the Red Wings locker room. But there were, I believe, 37 days between the last game of the final and the start of training camp. So when we all met again at camp, there were a lot of guys who weren’t ready to take the collar back. »
Chiarot says it himself: with hindsight, it’s very easy to be able to draw conclusions, but he believes that the spring club of 2021 could have accomplished great things afterwards.
PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, PRESS ARCHIVES
Jeff Petry, Ben Chiarot and Alexander Romanov
“Coming to camp the following season, there were guys who were still injured. Price was gone. So there were holes in the formation. We had a bad start to the season, and everyone started saying that the club should be defeated to start afresh. It was a difficult start to the season.
“But I thought we were going to be able to go a long way with this team. Especially if you remember a bit of all the players who were there, particularly in defense: Weber, Petry, Edmundson, myself, Romanov… We thought we had the right elements to be good for a while, but this that’s not how it worked. It’s the reality of the market, sometimes. »
The 31-year-old defenseman says he didn’t know anything about Carey Price’s problems, both in terms of his drinking and his injuries. “I knew it was the end for Shea (Weber), but not for Carey… when you go through streaks like these, it exhausts you, mentally and physically. Losing these two guys, two future Hall of Famers probably, let’s just say it leaves a big hole in your roster. »
Even if he continues to follow the results of his former club, Ben Chiarot today wears a new jersey which gives him wings. He is also now part of the first defensive duo of the Wings, along with Moritz Seider.
“I always thought that for a defender, the attacking side of the game was a bit secondary,” he added. I’ve been a physical defenseman and defensive first ever, and if there are more points coming in, great…so I don’t worry too much about offensive production. I’m just trying to do my job. »