(Buffalo) The size of the rink, the language, it’s all very beautiful. But David Reinbacher has several other new things to assimilate from his first camp in North America.
Among other things, participating in hockey matches during which players sometimes stop playing to hit each other directly on the head with their knuckles, as hard as possible. The poor Europeans are obviously not accustomed to this ritual.
In 2018, Jesperi Kotkaniemi admitted after his first preparatory match that it was the first time he played a match in which there was a fight. On Monday, at the conclusion of the rookie tournament in Buffalo, Reinbacher made the same discovery, when his teammate Riley McKay came to blows with Senators defenseman Djibril Touré.
“Robustness is different at home, no doubt,” Reinbacher conceded. It’s funny, I told McKay that was the first fight I saw in a match. Well done to him for standing up for the team. »
You’ve never seen this in person? “No, in Europe, it’s not fights, but more shoving,” described the man who played for the senior team of EHC Klöten, in Switzerland, during the last two seasons.
“I guess it’s not my job to fight, I’m here to play.” Stronger guys can handle it. »
Jean-François Houle was amused when informed of Reinbacher’s comments on the fights. ” Oh yes ? He’s going to see quite a few, I think! “, exclaimed the Rocket head coach.
Houle doesn’t believe Reinbacher, at 6’3″ and 209 lbs, will have any trouble adapting to the more rugged game. “He is physically bigger than others. He is capable of taking a “hit” and giving one,” judged the coach.
Logan Mailloux is one of the lucky few who played in all three CH matches this weekend. His performance improved from match to match, but the quality of the opposition followed the opposite trend.
The Senators, opponents of the Canadian on Monday, arrived in Buffalo with two choices of 1er round and three choices of 2e round. However, these five players watched the match from the stands of the LECOM Harborcenter. Obviously a Ridly Greig, who split his time between the NHL and the American League last season, would have changed the situation…
Regardless, Houle praised Mailloux’s play, saying he played “a strong match” on Monday.
“In the first match, I didn’t have my legs,” admitted the great defender. I wasn’t moving well, I wasn’t carrying the puck and I was making bad reads. I found my synchronism again today.
“I haven’t played since [quatre mois] and I had to chase away the nervousness, he added. I wore the Canadian uniform for the first time. I was nervous, but I found my rhythm. »
Mailloux almost ended this tournament with a goal, but his three best chances ended respectively on a post, in the goalkeeper’s mitt and just off target.
For those who are skeptical about a birth certificate, Florian Xhekaj has dispelled all doubts: he is indeed Arber Xhekaj’s brother.
PHOTO FRANÇOIS ROY, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Florian Xhekaj
The forward, whom the Canadian drafted at 101e rank in June, seemed in his element during this match where the animosity was very real. He came to blows with Connor Clattenburg, and served a headlock on another rival later in the second period.
Arber Xhekaj also made enemies in the Senators camp during the 2021 and 2022 editions of the rookie tournament.
“A few guys on our staff asked me if I remembered what happened last season,” Florian Xhekaj laughed. Obviously, I hadn’t forgotten, but what he did was more solid. »
Despite the imbalance of forces, CH scored a narrow 2-1 victory, dominating 35-17 on penalties.
Jan Spunar, a goalkeeper present by invitation, signed the victory. Riley Kidney and Jan Mysak scored in the victory.
Mailloux, Kidney, Mysak, Joshua Roy, Filip Mesar and Miguël Tourigny all had the chance to play in three CH matches this weekend.
For Monday’s meeting, note that Emil Heineman was left out. After being abnormally discreet in the first two matches, he did not have the chance to redeem himself.
The three games were played in front of virtually the entire Canadian hockey administration. Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes were there, as were Martin St-Louis and his assistants. The leaders of the recruiting team, Nick Bobrov and Martin Lapointe, also made the trip to Buffalo, as did Billy Ryan, discreetly named director of player evaluation during the summer. The director of the advanced statistics department, Christopher Boucher, also attended the meetings.
Sean Farrell was slightly more visible Monday, but overall had a disappointing weekend for a player who has wreaked havoc in the NCAA.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Sean Farrell
Farrell arrived at camp at 181 lbs, 6 lbs more than his posted weight at Harvard last season. But his weight gain did not seem to move Houle. “Farrell, Mesar, these are young people who need to get bigger, stronger. It’s a man’s league. You can’t think you’re going to come in and dominate like in junior. It doesn’t happen like that. »
Later, Houle added more about the man who played six games with the Canadian at the end of last season. “He’s going to have to take a step and I think he knows it. He played a few games in the NHL last year. We’ll see what happens at camp. He must be stronger. When you’re little, you have to be dynamic. Take the example of [Xavier] Simoneau. He is small, but very physical and dynamic. »
The Canadiens’ main camp will begin Wednesday with medical and physical exams. The first on-ice sessions will take place on Thursday morning.