The famous character. It’s been the buzzword for a few weeks now. Clearly, we are lacking in the Canadian and the reason is very simple: the repechage has been lacking for 10 years and we are paying the price today.
We hear every day since the arrival of Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes that the Habs are looking for players with character. The opposite would be surprising, wouldn’t it? In fact, there are 32 teams in the National Hockey League and they’re all looking for character.
The problem is that these players who, in addition to having an impact on the score sheet, are leaders and have character are not acquired by trade or on the free agent market. Unless, of course, they are problem players.
The others have to be fished out.
BUILDING IN-HOUSE
There has been much criticism of the recruiting work of the Canadiens and Trevor Timmins in recent years and we are starting to see the results. To build a strong team culture, you need to draft players and grow them in your organization. Beyond the talent, you must also make sure that they will be leaders and that they will preach by example.
Alas, the Habs’ recruiting failures forced the old guard to build through trades. More and more, we realize that this culture and this pride do not exist in the locker room.
The Samuel Montembeault incident was the perfect example of this last week. I know Jeff Petry was the most criticized player, but we shouldn’t forget the four other players who were on the ice when Zack Kassian collided with the Canadiens goaltender. Not one of them even came close to saying his thoughts to the Edmonton Oilers winger.
PETRY MUST GO
To come back to Petry, I think the situation cannot last. He and his wife seemed very cheerful when the Canadiens defender signed a four-year extension last year. A few months later, Petry does everything to leave.
This is, in my view, a lack of respect towards the organization that has agreed to offer you this lucrative contract.
Now, Kent Hughes absolutely must make sure to trade number 26 before fans return to the stands at the Bell Centre. Already, Petry is the scapegoat for Montreal hockey fans and I’m afraid of what could happen when we can once again welcome a full house.
Many players can attest to what it’s like to be booed by more than 21,000 spectators at the Bell Centre. Neither Petry nor the organization of the Canadiens want to come to that.
CONGRATULATIONS TO BURROWS
Moreover, the assistant coach of the Canadian Alex Burrows spoke with some media during the last days and I was very impressed by the solidity of the man. He did not hesitate to defend the coaching staff led by Dominique Ducharme and, above all, to show his disappointment with the response of the players during the Kassian-Montembeault incident.
It shows a lot of leadership on his part. I don’t know much about Alex, but I know he was a player for whom there were never half measures.
He was not afraid to come to the defense of his teammates. That’s due
character.
Maybe some players should take notes.
— Interview by Kevin Dubé
Echoes of Bergie
Suzuki must take advantage
Let’s be honest: Nick Suzuki is at the All-Star Game because the NHL wants one player from each team to be there. Now he must not have the feeling of the impostor. This is an extraordinary experience for him and he must make sure to take advantage of it to gather as much information as possible from veterans. I still think he will be the next captain of the organization, and now he has a golden chance to see how some of the biggest leaders on the circuit perform. This is one more step in its development which is still far from complete. By continuing on this momentum, he will have the opportunity to often return to the star game through the front door.
Bad draft?
We hear all kinds of things about the next NHL Draft. Recruiters have recently indicated that they consider this to be a weak year. On the one hand, it’s a shame for the Canadian, who will probably have a very high first-round pick, but on the other, it may mean that the teams will be more inclined to trade their picks. It’s no secret the Habs need to find a way to trade some of their long-term contracts. The names of Brendan Gallagher, Josh Anderson or Carey Price often come up in discussions. We may have to forget the choices of 2023, on the other hand, since we are already talking about it as a great vintage.
Caufield and Primeau
We will have to watch what the Canadian will decide in the case of Cole Caufield and Cayden Primeau. I often hear people wondering if it would harm their development to return to the American Hockey League. I have one thing to say about this: the real ones always get through. Those for whom it does not work, it is not because they went to the minors. Most of the time it’s because they’ve maxed out. It happens to see young people arrive at 19 and that, four years later, they have not progressed. If Caufield or Primeau have to know a good career in the NHL, it is not a reference to Laval which will deprive them of it.