Twelve games. Of the Canadiens’ first 13 games this season, Michael Pezzetta watched 12 from the top of the catwalk. And when he was playing, his usage time hovered around eight minutes per game.
But as with his linemates Alex Belzile and Rafaël Harvey-Pinard, the many injuries changed the situation for him too.
“It’s been ups and downs this season and it can be mentally hard to come in and out of training, it makes you lose your momentum, recalled the hairy attacker, after Monday’s training. I had to stay mentally strong. Right now, I have the chance to play more often, more minutes. »
I don’t remember having played as much in the NHL as in the last three games!
Michael Pezzetta
Last Tuesday, against the Winnipeg Jets, he indeed reached a personal best in the NHL by playing 13 minutes. Only 10 times in his career has he exceeded 11 minutes in a game; he has reached that figure in the last three duels.
Pezzetta skips his turn less often – he’s been cut from the lineup six times since mid-November. Nevertheless, the use made of it by Martin St-Louis does not tally with the laudatory words he sometimes has for it. Whenever he’s asked about him, St-Louis reminds how valuable Pezzetta is. “An important player for team culture,” the head coach even said in November.
But these compliments rarely turned into minutes of play. “They kept the communication open, specifies the player. It’s not like they didn’t tell me anything. But I came to work every day, I tried to fit in. It didn’t give me anything to show up frustrated or sulky. So I wanted to arrive with a smile, bring energy and prove that I have my place when I have my chance. »
In 28 games this season, the winger drafted 6the tour in 2016 has four points (two goals, two assists). The Canadian has scored 6 goals and allowed 12 when Pezzetta is on the ice at 5 against 5, according to Natural Stat Trick. Only Jonathan Drouin (31.8%) has a worse ratio among the team’s forwards.
That said, St. Louis is hopeful that by playing with two energetic players, Pezzetta will be able to showcase his qualities more.
“He still has energy. When you make him play with guys who have more his style, it’s easier to play his game. Often this year he played with more attacking guys, not north-south like him, who don’t have his strengths,” observed the head coach.
In short
Looking for the first goal…
PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, PRESS ARCHIVES
Alex Belzile
Saturday’s game was Alex Belzile’s first with the Canadiens this season, but his 14e in the NHL. And after 14 games, he’s still looking for his first NHL goal. The veteran, however, does not seem to be the type to make insomnia. “Goals come with good deeds. The sample is still small. In the Canadiens at the moment, I don’t want to throw arrows, but there are only…” The number 60 did not complete his sentence, perhaps realizing that he was venturing into slippery ground. Still, he’s not wrong; if the goals scored were the only means of evaluation, several attackers would have tasted it this season! Recall that Jonathan Drouin did not score in 28 games, that Jake Evans only scored 2 in 43 games and that Joel Armia netted his first goal at his 27e game of the season, to name a few.
Dach absent
Kirby Dach missed Monday’s practice because he was entitled to a “day of treatment”. The big number 77 had missed Friday’s exercise for the same reason, but he was at his post on Saturday. This will obviously be a situation to follow, when the management of the injured by the Habs is talking. Recall that Thursday, Dach was hit in the leg by a puck fired by Radko Gudas, of the Florida Panthers.
From the 1976 Canadiens to the 2023 Bruins
A 37-5-4 record, you sometimes see that in the midget AAA. Not in the NHL. Yet that’s the Boston Bruins’ record after 46 games. This means that they are in the process of experiencing a season comparable to that of the Canadiens of 1976-1977, which had suffered only eight defeats in 80 games. They’ve already suffered nine losses, but if we look at those in 60 minutes, they’re on track to end the season with just nine of those losses. “It’s even harder in modern hockey,” said St-Louis. It’s great, what they are doing, and we are trying to put a spoke in their wheels. »
“A good gentleman”
Finally, St-Louis came to the defense of Darryl Sutter, head coach of the Calgary Flames, criticized from all sides for a response deemed disrespectful about his forward Jakob Pelletier, who had just played his first game on Saturday in the NHL. “This isn’t the first time Darryl has made comments like this,” warned St-Louis. I’m not surprised. I don’t think there was any malice. You must know him, he is a good gentleman. »