With all these players who were seriously injured last season, one of the challenges of this training camp is undoubtedly the return to work after long, sometimes very long absences.
Out of action since January, February and March, respectively, Juraj Slafkovsky, Arber Xhekaj and Kaiden Guhle played their first match in ages on Monday. Without falling into relentlessness, let’s politely say that their absences of eight, seven and six months appeared in this 4-2 defeat against the New Jersey Devils, at the opening of the Habs’ preseason schedule.
Without criticizing his players in general, much less these in particular, head coach Martin St-Louis agreed that yes, rust was visible in those coming out of long convalescences. “They have to have their rehearsals, they have to find their timing,” he said after the meeting. It’s normal. This is why there is a training camp. »
“Timing,” or synchronism, is the hardest element to get right, he agreed. We will have guessed it by watching Kaiden Guhle go.
If number 21 was in his first camp, there would probably be concerns expressed about him. He possibly offered one of his worst, or even his worst, performances since he wore the blue-white-red uniform. Known for his calm and diligence with and without the puck, the defenseman seemed to struggle in almost every shift during the first two periods. However, having seen what he is capable of last season, no one will panic.
In his defense, he played with David Reinbacher, who was experiencing his NHL baptism. We will therefore understand that cohesion was not there between the two. But Guhle’s execution was simply not on point. Two completely missed back passes during a rare power play presence at the start of the game. Lost pucks. Often erratic positioning. Nothing that resembles the signature of the defender renowned for his reliability.
Arber Xhekaj seemed less disoriented than his teammate, but he found his nasty habit often displayed last year: that of wanting to do too much. It is sometimes difficult to understand why he leaves the game to attempt, without always succeeding, a check without impacting the course of the game.
As for the defenders, Justin Barron, partner of Xhekaj, had a very honest match, showing the same flair as at the end of last season in his support for the attack.
Logan Mailloux, for his part, showed offensive flashes that will please many fans. His defensive deficiencies seemed to excite his coach less, however.
“They did well,” St-Louis said of the members of its defensive squad, of which Jordan Harris, at 23 years old and 75 games in the NHL, was the most experienced representative.
“Getting by” was arguably the key theme here. Because when the puck ended up on the stick of Jack Hughes, one of the most dynamic young centers in the NHL, that was about all they could do.
Of all the cripples last year, Slafkovsky was the one who was inactive the longest.
However, it remains difficult to assess his game, as his development was so little advanced before he injured his knee last winter.
To the left of Alex Newhook and Josh Anderson, he often looked confused, ineffective in possession. Few of his choices of games have real potential for success. Simplicity remains his best friend: he proved it, at the very end of the second period, when he took advantage of his physical advantage to come out of the corner with the puck and give it to Josh Anderson, who took a one-timer.
After more than eight months of absence, he suspected that the first minutes would be difficult. “But that’s no excuse,” he insisted.
Re-learning the game system also required “a few attendances”, he also admitted. “The next games will be better. »
“I think he played well,” qualified Martin St-Louis, who also spoke of improvement along the way.
“He had touches [of the puck], he used his speed and his size well. He hadn’t played in a long time. I’m happy with him. »
St. Louis often talks about the importance of “reps” for its players. Guhle, Slafkovsky and the others, whose rustiness is the most obvious, are still missing quite a few, before they are ready to face increased competition. But there is still time. It’s up to them to use it wisely.
David Reinbacher, the Canadian’s first choice in the last draft, was in his first game with the club, this Monday evening at the Bell Centre. History will remember that the young defender finished this evening against the New Jersey Devils with an assist and a playing time of 15:26. He seemed to enjoy his experience overall. “It was exciting to hear the crowd cheering us on like that,” he explained at the end of the evening. It gives you energy, a crowd like that, a crowd that is behind you. We feel better with such support. I think I played well overall; when everyone knows what they have to do on the ice, it’s easier. »
Just like Reinbacher, Logan Mailloux was also in his first match in the Canadian jersey during this first meeting of the preparatory calendar. “I found the game to be very fast,” noted the young defender. But it was very pleasant. I found myself getting more and more comfortable as the match progressed. » In the end, Mailloux didn’t get a point after 21 minutes of play, but he still stood out. “He showed his qualities,” explained head coach Martin St-Louis. We can see that from an offensive point of view, he is very comfortable and he has a good shot. But I would also like him to take fewer risks in a numerical disadvantage situation, four against five. But he is a young player. »
It doesn’t count and it doesn’t mean anything in the grand scheme of things, obviously, but Samuel Montembeault left the match in the second period (that was expected) after allowing the kind of goal that we don’t see if often: a puck thrown deep in the territory, which jumped in a strange way to end up behind him and, by force of circumstances, in the back of the net. “That’s the kind of goal I’m going to put behind me,” explained the goalkeeper, still laughing a little. But otherwise, I think things have been going well for me since the start of the camp. With Jake [Allen], I would say there is a healthy competition between us. We are here to encourage each other… We saw [Monday evening] a young defense. The guys seemed nervous when they left, but then they got more and more comfortable. »
His quiet play and success in the faceoff circle made his line with Joshua Roy and Jesse Ylönen one of the most consistent on the team.
His line with Lucas Condotta and Nathan Légaré looked like what it is: an American League unit. Simoneau made numerous blunders, which he worked hard to correct, it is true. He had had an excellent training camp so far.