Cole Caufied came to Laval with a positive attitude.
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This is what his trainer, Jean-François Houle, said in an interview on TVA Sports on Thursday.
“It’s not easy, everything happens so quickly, but during the last two days he was very positive. Today, we saw that he had a small check mark above some players. He’s an elite player. Playing in the American League might not be something he wanted, but it’s done everywhere. Josh Anderson has played 100 games in the American League, Phillip Danault has played 150 and Martin St-Louis, who has had an incredible career, has played 100 too. So that’s not something that surprises me. ”
The former Armada pilot has no doubts that Caufield will find a way back to Montreal sooner or later.
“Cole’s goal is to hit the puck a little more and gain confidence. He can be here for a long time, just as he can be here two games. In the American League you never know and it depends on what the team wants at the top. If Cole plays on the weekend, he’s going to play with Poehling and Harvey-Pinard. He’s going to play on the power play and he’ll have a lot of ice time. He will find his bearings. He’s a good player and players like that always find a way to get to the top. “
The coach also commented on the comments of goalkeeper Michael McNiven, who recently criticized the organization for pushing him to play when he was injured.
“We had good discussions with me and Michael. He is a player who wants to have the net and who wants to participate in the success of the team. I understand, it’s not always easy mentally. He said things he might regret a little. An instructor has to deal with the players and the mental aspect. So far with Michael, everything is fine. ”
Houle also admits that he was ready for the challenge of leading the Rocket and he believes his vast experience will be of great help in his new tenure.
“It’s certain that it had been six or seven years since I left to go to California. People forget a bit, but I had coached in the QMJHL for several years. I had been an assistant coach for eight years, but I always wanted to be a head coach. So the next challenge for me was to move up the ranks. Having coached for 18 years at different levels, I believe I am well positioned to understand the players who go through certain things in the AHL. It’s the same with ECHL where I led for a year and where I played for several seasons. For me, it’s baggage. It allows me to have experience with different leagues. ”