Montreal Canadiens: Nicolas Deslauriers is sticking to his word
By Omar L
Nicolas Deslauriers has come a long way since being called up from the Laval Rocket and may have earned himself another contract with the Montreal Canadiens
Sending Zach Redmond to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Nicolas Deslauriers has proved to have been a pretty good deal for the Montreal Canadiens. Granted it looked like a patented Marc Bergevin trade in acquiring a player who couldn’t lineup anywhere higher than the bottom nine.
Deslauriers’ first game with the Habs didn’t go as well as he wanted. A lot of people held his fight with Zac Rinaldo as the trigger for Arizona’s comeback, but besides that, he went unnoticed. However, his game has improved so much to the point that his line along with Byron Froese and Daniel Carr has been the most effective overall.
The 26-year-old told reporters before making his Montreal Canadiens debut that his goal was to crack the lineup and stay there saying:
"It’s a dream, for sure. Not just for me, but for my family and all my friends who aren’t playing professional hockey anymore. If I get my shot with the Canadiens, it’s going to be hard to take that jersey off. I’m going to do everything I can to keep it on."
Fast forward 19 games later, and Deslauriers has four goals and three assists. Not bad of a contribution from a player who is mainly meant to generate energy for the rest of the team. Although it’s frustrating at times to see him play more than say Alex Galchenyuk when the team desperately needs a goal, Deslauriers has earned his spot on the team and plays every game like it’s a tryout.
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There hasn’t been a night in the longest time where the Quebec native hasn’t looked dialed in. His hits push opponents off the puck, and his strength allows him to drive to the net without being held back. He also has more offensive instincts than your everyday fourth-liner which has allowed him to play so well with Carr.
Similarly to other players in the Habs organization, Deslauriers is on the final year of his deal that has him making $775,000. Given his age, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him resigned for another two or three years. Even if Montreal commits to some sort of retooling phase, having Deslauriers on the team as a staple on the fourth line could still be beneficial.
What have you liked about Deslauriers this season? Do you think the Habs resign him over the summer? Let us know down below.