Like many observers and supporters, I didn’t expect the Canadians to get off to such a good start. Let’s hope for their sake that they continue on the same path and continue to believe in it.
It’s always better to have a strong start to the season than to constantly find yourself on your heels. It sets the tone for the future. It creates a pleasant atmosphere within the group and increases the interest of the fans. In short: everyone wins.
The team’s excellent performance so far can be explained by the good preparation of Martin St-Louis and his assistants, but above all by the performance of the goalkeepers. Jake Allen and Samuel Montembeault greatly helped their teammates’ cause by stringing together quality performances.
I’m impressed with the way they behave. If your goalkeepers are at the right level, you have a great chance of winning. It also allows you to hide certain defects. We see this particularly with penguins. Tristan Jarry is struggling in front of the net and that is reflected in the results.
Apart from the goalkeepers, what I particularly like is the attitude and fighting spirit of all the players. All credit goes to them. We feel like the chemistry in the team is great. Victories certainly play a big role. It’s always more pleasant to go to the arena every day when you’re successful. The winning context changes the entire situation.
Like all teams, the Canadiens will face adversity at some point. There’s nothing wrong with that, it’s normal. The important thing is to react well. And the good start to the season gives you the confidence to get through it quickly.
Exemplary veterans
St-Louis must be proud of their club, which is one of the best in the league in the five-on-five system. Strength play is also your foundation. It shows that your structure is effective both defensively and offensively. We have seen great progress on this point since last season. This is encouraging for the future.
In the ongoing rebuilding process, the team is one of the young people, but the importance of the veterans cannot be ignored. Young people need good examples from experienced players to learn how to become true professionals. This is a very important element for their development. It only takes one unfortunate veteran to cause damage to the entire party.
On offense, Sean Monahan is proving to be a key figure, be it on the power play, without a man, or in the faceoff circles, where he shines. Your contribution is therefore crucial.
Another example is Tanner Pearson. I think he did well with Monahan and Brendan Gallagher, even though we didn’t expect much from him.
Josh Anderson also shows his usefulness. He has a lot of chances to score. If you try it, it will work eventually! He is a determined player, fast, imposing and difficult to counter.
We must not forget David Savard. The Quebec defender is “the ultimate warrior” who is not afraid to sacrifice his body night after night for the good of the team.
It makes for a good mix with young guys like Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki and Kaiden Guhle. Caufield is proving he is a natural goalscorer, Suzuki is starting to gain momentum and Guhle is showing exceptional maturity for his age. It’s rare for a 21-year-old defender to play against the opposition’s best players and be able to keep up like that.
You have to come out strong
After shining against the Golden Knights on Monday, the Canadiens were able to spend plenty of time together before facing the Coyotes tonight.
They need to put together another big performance in Arizona and take advantage of the fact that the Coyotes played in Anaheim yesterday. You must start the game with the same intensity as the previous one.
Having established a standard of quality against the Stanley Cup champions, we now need to raise the bar one step higher. The Canadians proved in Las Vegas that they are capable of achieving higher goals. Believing in that is already a good start.
