No team will suddenly be expected to win all 82 games in a season due to the fact they won the first game. While it is satisfying for the fan base to enjoy the glow of a win against a Stanley Cup favorite in the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Montreal Canadiens will still lose more games than they win and miss the playoffs.
It’s only one game. The sample size is too small. They got lucky. These are all lines that can be said after the Canadiens won their season home opener in dramatic fashion, 4-3 against the rival Maple Leafs. But it is still possible to look at the results and see some of what could be for the season ahead. While the win was a nice bonus, that they won the game isn’t what gives fans hope, it is how they approached the game. It is the processes and concepts being put into place by general manager (GM) Kent Hughes and head coach Martin St. Louis that matter more.
Canadiens Focus on Concepts, Not Systems
With St. Louis, the Canadiens have a coach with a new approach. Despite his lack of coaching experience, he brings credibility as a man who won individual awards, scoring titles, a Cup and is in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Upon his arrival, he chose a different approach, wanting to work on systems. Systems rely on repetitive, robotic play, allowing players to play with a high pace, but only within a certain area. A concept is more playing with instinct, allowing players to read and react, essentially relying on their hockey IQ and skills as opposed to “thinking inside the box.”
What was seen in practices and preseason games in training camp was a focus on small area play. This approach has provided a path to building the player’s hockey IQ, meaning that they focus on making choices and executing them quickly — in the heat of the moment and under pressure, improving the ability for physical play, and all play away from the puck as in finishing checks, closing defensive gaps, the forecheck, and transitional play.
A good example is the play of Kaiden Guhle, who was playing with a calm approach, eating big minutes and making the right decisions under pressure. What makes that more impressive is that he did so while playing against the Maple Leafs’ top line. By the end of the night, he had played the most, 22:34 minutes, and never looked out of place. He even led in transitional play, helping the Canadiens counter attack. While that is the style he plays, it was evident that he was playing at a high pace and that could be attributed to the coaching.
Another aspect St. Louis brings is as a person who can inspire the players. His approach as a leader — giving each player individual attention, identifying with them, and providing a positive atmosphere — inspires those in the room to play with an “us versus them” attitude, and endears a willingness to sacrifice and support their teammates. Case in point: David Savard.
With Mike Matheson and Joel Edmundson out injured to start the season, Savard is the elder statesman on the blue line. His sacrifice is to play far more than he normally would, against better opposition. While he lacks the foot speed to keep up with speedy Toronto forwards, he made sure he was in position as best he could, even going as far as blocking nine shots.
Canadiens’ Special Teams
While the Canadiens aren’t expected to win a lot of games this season, they are expected to be competitive within games, keeping scores close. A key part of that approach is their special teams. The power play this season will be essential in that plan as the Habs will be outshot most nights, as they were against Toronto, being outshot 32 to 23.
The Canadien’ power play ended the night going 0-4, but it showed signs of improvement as the game wore on. Their first power-play attempt was atrocious, losing possession immediately, not being able to gain the zone or create any real pressure. But each subsequent power play showed the ability of the top skill players to generate offensive opportunities, eventually getting five shots on net, two of which were high-danger chances. That trend will need to continue and will need some veterans such as Jonathan Drouin to step up and produce once he enters the lineup.
Related: 2022-23 Is Last Chance for Canadiens and Drouin to Make it Work
On the penalty kill, the Canadiens showed the most progress over last season. They ended the night going a perfect 4-0 in killing penalties. Despite giving up seven shots on the kill, the team played an aggressive style, blocking cross-ice passes deep in the zone as well as clogging the slot, taking away the desired shooting lanes for the Rocket Richard Trophy winner, Auston Matthews. Without special teams performing at a respectable pace, closer to the middle of the NHLs statistical performances, the Canadiens will be unable to be as competitive in games or as entertaining as fans would like.
Canadiens’ Developmental Approach
Individual improvements for their youth will be the focus of the organization. This is also where the real victories will be found this season: the development of Juraj Slafkovsky, Nick Suzuki’s growth as a leader and as a top-line center, Cole Caufield’s high-performance level, and the growth of the two-way games of the rookies on the blue line. All of these storylines, and more, will give management and fans a better understanding of the future of the franchise.
This focus on development began in the opener and will continue all season, especially for its young prospects just breaking into the league. The opening night lineup dressed five rookies! Three of them, Guhle, Slafkovsky and Arber Xhekaj, were playing in their first-ever NHL game.
Part of a player’s development is also mental. Players who are made to feel welcomed and included are more comfortable in their environment and will have a better chance to focus on their game instead of outside distractions. That sense of belonging doesn’t always have to come from teammates or coaching staff, sometimes, it’s as simple as inviting in team alumni to share their knowledge and experiences. With the Habs embracing their alumni again it allowed for an opportunity to get former Canadiens forward, Richard Zednik, who played five seasons in Montreal from 2001-06, to meet with Slafkovsky.
Both are from Slovakia; both wore number 20 for the Canadiens. Having Zednik meet with the 18-year-old winger gives him a taste of home, and a sense of connection to a childhood hero. While Slafkovsky took time to settle into the game, eventually generating a power play off a strong transitional rush, he did show all the typical signs of a rookie being bombarded by new experiences. A short meeting and some words of encouragement could make a big difference in the 2022 first-overall pick settling in and just focusing on playing his game.
Over the course of a full season, that inspirational and individualized approach will go a long way in building the foundation to a winning atmosphere. In his post-game interview, St. Louis summed up the Canadiens’ approach to the season in one line, “There’s no perfect game in this League. It’s all about just finding a way.”
