Towards the repechage | Where the Canadian finished 1st

(Buffalo) Somewhere this week, Tristan Luneau walked into the Colorado Avalanche interview room. The first “question”?

Guillaume Lefrancois
The Press

“I had to throw candy in a trash can, I was playing against a member of their group. It was a shootout for 10 rounds, it took almost the entire interview, but I didn’t want it to end evenly! “, related the defender of the Olympiques, Thursday.

The San Jose Sharks asked Joakim Kemell about his mustache. “They asked me how long I let it grow,” said the Finnish striker on Saturday.

The NHL evaluation camp concluded on Saturday. During the week, the hopefuls met between ten and thirty teams there. However, after a more or less scientific survey, it seems that the Canadian was the toughest team. No mustache or candy basketball story here. That no !

“Probably my toughest interview,” said Marek Hejduk, son of former Avalanche Milan Hejduk.

Maveric Lamoureux, another of the 78 young people met by the CH: “Perhaps the team that gave me the most trouble. »

The famous question

The Canadian changed administration last winter, which has repercussions on recruitment. Trevor Timmins, who was in charge of the draft, is no longer there. Marc Bergevin either, of course.

There were at least three new faces: Jeff Gorton, Kent Hughes and Nick Bobrov, co-director of amateur recruiting. The other co-director, Martin Lapointe, is a survivor of the old guard. Sports psychology consultant David Scott is also still there. Some traditions have therefore been maintained. For example, asking players what animal they are.

“I answered a leopard,” Hejduk said.

“They also told me about our defeat in the final at the Under-18 World Cup,” continued the young man, United States color bearer. “They asked me who was the worst skater on the team, the most overrated…”

In short, the Habs wanted to see if Hejduk was going to throw his brothers in arms overboard. “I didn’t let them! I love my teammates, I will never criticize them,” he protested.

Lamoureux perhaps detailed best how difficult the interview was. We met him on Thursday, 24 hours after the events.

He nevertheless left the room with a doubt and told his agent, Dominic De Blois. “In the evening, Dom called me back, he had spoken to a guy from the Canadiens who told him that I had done that well. It took a little weight off me! »

The Habs aren’t the only team to pose a challenge. Luneau’s interview with the Maple Leafs began with a video session, 5-10 second clips of NHL games.

“You analyze the footage, the screen goes black, and you have to say what’s going to happen, and why. If it’s on offense, what are the options? If it’s in defence, why didn’t it work, why was there a three against two? It’s to see if the player knows his hockey or if he’s a skill guy reacting on the rink. »

So, did Luneau guess correctly? “I don’t know, they didn’t show the rest of the game! Judging by the nods, I think I was no worse. »

Hughes confirms

Jack Hughes also had his difficult time. As expected, the son of Kent Hughes met the Canadian, except that in the end, dad stayed in the room… despite himself.

“I was waiting outside, they had just finished an interview,” said Jack Hughes. My dad wanted to go out, and Martin said, “No, you’re staying.” They asked my opinion. I would have preferred him to come out. And they told me that it was not for me to decide! »

Hughes does not seem to have been traumatized so far. Every answer that touched on family always led to a joke.

So, was this his toughest interview? ” I do not think so. They had to be tougher with other guys. They didn’t really need to know me as a person. But I heard that some found it hard. »