There are training camps without stories, and then there’s the current Canadiens camp. The return of Kirby Dach is possibly the most anticipated since the Resurrection. Every move Patrik Laine makes is noted as if he were a laboratory mouse.
The young defensemen, Lane Hutson at the forefront, are meticulously followed. Juraj Slafkovsky is pumped up. Josh Anderson too, apparently. The excitement is palpable.
In the shadow of this excitement, a beautiful battle is taking place. The one, less sexy, for the 13th forward position. Perhaps also for the 14th, if the coaching staff decides to keep seven defensemen at the end of camp.
By chance, or not at all, Emil Heineman, Alex Barré-Boulet and Oliver Kapanen, three of the main contenders in this fight, were reunited within the same unit on Monday night.
Of the three, it was Kapanen who had the most spectacular outing. Last week, he arrived in the city quietly, after skipping rookie camp. The Finn is telling anyone who will listen that he wants to establish himself in the NHL this season. Following his performance against the Flyers, one wonders if he will play in Sweden again, where a SHL contract awaits him, the country’s main league.
His ability to skate in space with possession of the puck is impressive, which may seem counterintuitive for a player accustomed to a larger rink. "It’s a bit different," he admitted at the end of the evening. "But I have confidence in myself. I want to carry the puck to the right place, without giving it up and without putting the team in an uncomfortable position."
His wishes were not just pious, as he was probably the Canadiens’ best forward. In the offensive zone, the puck seemed to stick to his stick, and his defensive backchecks were conscientious. He also won the majority of his face-offs (8/14).
At his side, Barré-Boulet and Heineman were not outdone, each getting a goal and an assist. The combative Quebecer also drew two penalties from the opponent, while the Swede stood out for his physical presence (four hits) and his accurate shot.
This combination of three players in direct competition is nothing strange, assured Barré-Boulet. "It’s going to be the guy who plays the best, who deserves it the most, who’s going to stay," he stressed. "We have good competition between us, but it’s very healthy and very positive. If I play well, it helps the others, and if they play well, it helps me."
Head coach Martin St-Louis didn’t analyze in detail the work of his three forwards. He simply "took [his] hat off" to the scouts who found the young players present at camp, starting with Kapanen, whom he "didn’t know" until recently.
Can he seriously aspire to a position in Montreal? a reporter asked him. "We evaluate all the players," the coach succinctly replied.
One element that might make the difference in his decision could be the ability of the lucky one to play on the penalty kill. In the absence of the injured Rafaël Harvey-Pinard, a position needs to be filled in short-handed situations. The options, internally, are not endless. Josh Anderson spent a little over two minutes on this phase of the game on Monday, as did Kapanen and Heineman.
There again, the Finn seemed quite comfortable, he who is used to playing four-on-five in his native country. "The ice is smaller [than in Europe], so you have to be faster and more aware of what’s happening," he admitted. "But by playing intelligently with his stick and positioning himself well, it should be fine."
You never stop repeating that it was just a first preseason game. The players, however, are "always on audition," Martin St-Louis reminded. Including those fighting to become the extra forward. Recent club history has taught us, after all, that an injury can happen so quickly. So can a promotion.
Exhibition games, "it’s opportunities to see what players are able to absorb," the coach continued. "They receive a lot of information in a short time, and their evaluation is ongoing."
Speaking of evaluation, Patrik Laine’s took a more serious phase with this first game. For the occasion, the big forward looked rather good, especially for a player who hadn’t played in a game for nine months and whose summer training started late.
With Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook at five-on-five, and also on the power play, Laine got a few scoring chances. His timing, however, seemed rusty.
"I think it went well, except I was unable to get off a decent shot!" he exclaimed. "But I’m not too worried. I’ll adjust."
The fans’ reception towards him was nonetheless warm. In the first period, when he grabbed the puck for the first time in his zone, a standing ovation took shape as he advanced into the offensive zone.
The main party involved heard it all. "But next time, I’d like to do something good with the puck," he joked, referring to the play that died at the other end of the ice.
Martin St-Louis felt that his new protégé had played a "good game," but that he preferred to "spend more time with him" before making a decision about his integration going forward.
A little earlier, he had stressed that he wanted Laine to be at the top of his game for the official start of the season on October 9, without making that date an absolute target. He still has over two weeks to get a feel for it.
The newcomer did, however, make a good first impression. That’s already quite a lot.
The game allowed several new faces to stand out, especially the trio composed of Alex Barré-Boulet, Oliver Kapanen and Emil Heineman, who took advantage of this opportunity.
While Patrik Laine and Kirby Dach didn’t get any points, they showed encouraging signs of adaptation within the team. Let’s remember that these two haven’t played for a long time.
Laine’s performance particularly drew attention, notably with a spectacular rush that created a scoring chance, triggering a standing ovation at the Bell Centre.
Asked about this sequence, coach Martin St-Louis didn’t hide his enthusiasm. He even compared this scene to his childhood memories, when he saw Guy Lafleur amaze the crowds with the Canadiens.
However, this rush shows all the explosive potential that Laine could bring to the team.
But if you saw the game like I did, you will have noticed that his technique is impressive, but he will need to chain together performances like that to truly make history with the Canadiens.
The Montreal crowd is demanding, and a single rush won’t be enough to make him a legend, we understand.
However, if Laine continues on this path, he could become a major asset for this young rebuilding team. But, it was the first preseason game. Let’s calm down.
At the press conference, Martin St-Louis tried to temper fans’ expectations regarding Patrik Laine.
Injured since December and back in competition after a long absence, the head coach of the Montreal Canadiens admitted that it wouldn’t be surprising if Laine wasn’t ready for the opening game on October 9.
"We shouldn’t rush things. We want to bring him to his full potential, but we have to manage his pace," explained St-Louis, suggesting that the priority wasn’t to force him onto the ice too quickly.
However, Patrik Laine didn’t take long to react. When a journalist asked him about his coach’s statements, the Finn replied without hesitation:
"I’ll be ready. There’s no doubt."
This clear and concise message showed that Laine, while he respects his team’s precautions, refuses for St-Louis to become his "nanny."
Since the arrival of Jeff Gorton, Kent Hughes and Martin St-Louis, the Montreal Canadiens’ management has made a point of calming down the public’s expectations.
The word "playoffs" is carefully avoided, and speeches about the team’s progress remain measured. However, with a player like Laine, who is already attracting a lot of attention, the coach clearly wanted to avoid raising hopes too quickly, especially after Laine benefited from a therapeutic leave of absence over the weekend.
St-Louis insisted that his team was closely monitoring Laine’s performance, both on the ice and in the gym, so as not to rush things.
"We know what he’s capable of, but we have to take it at his pace. We want to bring him there. But not at any speed. Sometimes, if you go too fast, you won’t get there. You have to be careful with the pace," he said.
The Finn, for his part, seems ready to prove that he can return to the highest level without being overprotected.
In this first preseason game against the Flyers, Laine showed promising signs, finding a certain chemistry with his teammates Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook.
Despite some rustiness, notably during a rush where he was caught by Ryan Poehling, number 92 still managed to create several opportunities.
In the second period, he nearly scored with his famous one-time shot, a move that had the fans at the Bell Centre on their feet.
Despite his eagerness to return to the top, Laine knows that he must respect the stages of his rehabilitation.
"I understand the team’s plan. It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to train like the others. These breaks are necessary, but I also have to make sure I skate enough to get back in shape," he confided after the game.
With five shots on goal, a high for this game, Laine showed that he was determined to get back on track quickly.
But as he said himself, patience will be the key.
"I was a little frustrated today, but it will come. I just need to breathe and take it one step at a time. The Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy isn’t won in September."
"It was good at the point. I wouldn’t say I was expecting it, but I was hoping for it. It was a bit hard with the timing, but it was getting better as the game went on."
In any case, one thing is for sure: Patrik Laine is ready to take on the challenge. Whether Martin St-Louis wants to calm down the fervor or not, the Finn has only one goal in mind: be ready for October 9.
And without a nanny, please.
