After a rocky season with his club in Sweden, Emil Heineman did not arrive with the Laval Rocket as if he were the prodigal son. Yet he immediately filled the unexpected hero role.
Everything comes at the right time to those who know how to wait, goes the old adage.
And even if he would have preferred not to wait, Laval Rocket head coach Jean-François Houle knew what awaited him when the Swede joined his team.
“From the start of the Canadiens’ rookie camp, I felt that he was one of our best players. […] We would have taken it all year. He would have played all year in the top 6, but it was already decided that we would send him back to Europe. At rookie camp, we saw great things from him and we knew we were going to receive great things if he came back,” said Houle.
And his judgment did not lie to him. Since his arrival in Laval, everything Heineman touches turns into a goal. In fact, in his first six games, he flashed the red light six times and added one assist.
The Laval club driver did not lack praise for the 21-year-old winger.
He needed no transition period. His game is made for North American rinks. It’s hard to understand why he didn’t get more points in Europe, but here, with his skating and the way he reads the game, he can get to the net faster. He throws closer to the net. His game is more North American.
Jean-François Houle, head coach of the Laval Rocket
And this is what may surprise many. In 35 SHL games with Leksands IF, he was limited to 15 points. Hardly anyone had an offensive outburst for Heineman on their bingo card. The main interested party was also surprised.
” I did not expect that. It’s hard to explain why. I’ve been shooting a lot more since I’ve been here and I’m playing on the power play. I like the smaller rink and I’ve had a lot of confidence since I got here. It’s really fun,” analyzed Heineman.
Houle gave some answers to explain the prowess of his new colt: “He has a good size, he throws the puck well and protects it well. He is smart on the ice, he always places himself in the right place. »
If Houle is full of praise for Heineman, it’s because he “could be a serious hope for the Canadian. […] His turn with the CH will come.
In the meantime, the coach is more than happy to be able to count on him.
PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, THE PRESS
“He has a good size, he throws the puck well and protects it well. He is smart on the ice, he always places himself in the right place, ”says Jean-François Houle, head coach of the Laval Rocket.
The Catalyst
Heineman’s arrival with the Rocket coincided with a winning streak for the club. The Laval residents have won their last four duels – all on the road – and the trio formed by Heineman, Pierrick Dubé and Mitchell Stephens is at the heart of the successes.
“He brings a lot offensively,” noted Dubé of his linemate. He has a flair for goals, which we’ve been missing for a while. He’s a very smart guy with the puck. »
Houle also made the same speech: “His arrival was timely. There were several injuries to the Canadian, so we lacked offensive punch. »
With five games left on the Rocket’s schedule, the trio will need to keep their momentum going if they want to help the club make the playoffs. The troupiers of Jean-François Houle occupy the fifth and last rank giving access to the playoffs in the North section. It is with their destiny in their hands that on Friday evening, they will try to defeat one of the formations that are chasing them, the Cleveland Monsters.
Already traded twice
Heineman was acquired by the Canadiens last spring when the Habs sent Tyler Toffoli to the Calgary Flames in return for the Swede, a 2022 first-round pick (Filip Mesar) and a 2023 fifth-round pick. For the second time before reaching the North American professional level, Heineman was traded. First drafted in the second round by the Florida Panthers in 2020, the Flames got their hands on Heineman when they sent Sam Bennett south of the border. If he assured not to worry too much, there was still a moment of doubt in him. “Since I had been traded twice, I asked my agent if I should worry. What does it mean ? I believe that the teams believe in my value if they are going to get me. And it didn’t really bother me since I was still in Europe,” he admitted.