CHICAGO | When a team rebuilds, it usually brings in several newcomers. The Blackhawks are no stranger to this reality: seven players are taking their first steps in the NHL.
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Curiously, we see both extremes in the dressing room of Patrick Kane's former team. On the one hand, Connor Bedard, the very first pick of the 2023 draft. On the other hand, Louis Crevier, 188th pick (7th round) of the 2020 auction.
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Due to numerous injuries on the Hawks' blue line, the 22-year-old defender was invited to the big club at the beginning of December. Since then, he has played in nine of the team's last ten games, including the one against the Canadian.
“The last two weeks have passed so quickly. I'm having a lot of fun right now, it's fun. I don't know what will happen, we have a lot of injuries so I can play against good players. When you play against [Connor] McDavid, [Nathan] MacKinnon and [Alex] Ovechkin is special.”
Opposite McDavid
And he seems to be doing well. It must be said that a height of 6 feet 8 inches, to which we add the length of a stick of at least 6 feet, forces the opponent to take a long detour before reaching the net.
“Louis uses his reach to his advantage. “McDavid may be fast, but I don't know if he can handle a 6-foot-2 player playing with such a big stick,” Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson said.
The 22-year-old skater, originally from Quebec, wasn't taking any chances.
“It was something against McDavid. He made a loop in second and then accelerated again. I moved back a little further to adjust my distance. These are really great experiences,” explained Crevier, visibly still amazed by this encounter.
It must be said that the former Saguenéens and Remparts player has not yet had time to come down from his cloud. As he himself recalled, the team plays on both evenings.
“I'll take advantage of the break for a few days [pour réaliser ce qui lui arrive].”
Fast progress
We can understand that the Quebec athlete pinches himself every morning that the good Lord brings. If you're selected in the seventh round, you don't necessarily expect to make the jump to the NHL after a year and a half in the pro ranks.
According to many hockey players, this is the slowest position to develop, especially for a defenseman.
“He played another year at the junior level. Sometimes it helps to be dominant at a lower level. Furthermore, he recognizes his qualities and what makes him effective. “That’s what young defenders often find difficult to understand,” emphasized Richardson.
The work done to quickly adapt to the reality of “playing against men” is not unrelated to this brief recollection. That's thanks to him.