While captain Nick Suzuki and his partner Cole Caufield have already proven themselves, others like Kirby Dach, Alex Newhook, Juraj Slafkovsky and the many young defenders cannot easily repeat what they achieved last season.
Head coach Martin St-Louis had said earlier during the camp that his group was no longer made up of babies, but of children aged 7 or 8. The players will have to prove it, but there are already signs of it among some young people.
Dach played with confidence during the camp, even if the cohesion between Slafkovsky and Rafaël Harvey-Pinard didn’t always seem to be there. And in defense, Kaiden Guhle continues to impress with his calmness and good playing habits after a more difficult first preparatory game.
“I think the players are excited. They like each other and they like the way we do things,” St-Louis said Friday, on the eve of the Habs’ final preseason game.
“I think they’re seeing progress since last year,” he added. You can see that we have added some important players. I feel their excitement.”
St-Louis noted that he hopes players like Suzuki and Dach become more complete this season.
“Everyone sees how good they are offensively, and I agree with that, but I think they can still refine their defensive game,” St-Louis explained. They often face the best opposing elements. When I played, I loved playing against the best players on the opposing team because I knew there was a certain level of risk in their game and that meant I would get opportunities to attack. .
“You have to find a balance between pressure and patience. Young players learn this over time.
St-Louis said it expects its first two centers to take those learnings and take the lead for the Habs.
“He has confidence in the puck and his ability to skate both ways up the ice,” Suzuki said of Dach. He has all the tools to become an excellent player. He begins to understand how he can control the game. I can’t wait to see what he can achieve over the course of the season.”
In defense, the Canadian can count on two reliable veterans in Mike Matheson and David Savard. But for the second year in a row, the rest of the brigade will be made up of young people, albeit with a year more experience than last winter.
Guhle, the Canadiens’ first-round pick in 2020, 16th overall, averaged 20:31 in 44 games during his rookie season.
Without wanting to isolate him from the rest of the young defenders, St-Louis recognized that Guhle will be an important factor in the team’s success.
“The important thing is consistency,” said St-Louis. When you play in the top four, play a lot and have important responsibilities, consistency is required. And when we talk about Guhle, that’s what impresses me: his consistency.”
These factors help justify the optimism of the team’s management, which hopes that its plan will bring the Canadian back to the good teams of the NHL.
“If the group stays healthy, I think we can compete with any team on the track and beat any team,” Suzuki said. We have a confident group that believes in what they are taught, in the way they play. We can’t wait for the season to start.”
The Canadian is full of promises, we will soon see if he can fulfill them.
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