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Montreal Canadiens: Tomas Plekanec training with the next wave of talent

By Omar L

MONTREAL, QC - FEBRUARY 4: Artturi Lehkonen #62 and Tomas Plekanec #14 of the Montreal Canadiens celebrate after defeating the Ottawa Senators in the NHL game at the Bell Centre on February 4, 2018 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Francois Lacasse/NHLI via Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - FEBRUARY 4: Artturi Lehkonen #62 and Tomas Plekanec #14 of the Montreal Canadiens celebrate after defeating the Ottawa Senators in the NHL game at the Bell Centre on February 4, 2018 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Francois Lacasse/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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Members of the Montreal Canadiens are knee-deep in their summer routines, and Tomas Plekanec is spending time training with some of the team’s younger names.

The Montreal Canadiens NHL site has done a good job in keeping the fans informed of the player’s off-season training regiments. Artturi Lehkonen was the latest feature, while Nicolas Deslauriers and newly signed PTO Simon Despres have had their work in the gym shown online. Several players have an important year ahead of them, both old and new.

Tomas Plekanec obviously fits into the former category. The 35-year-old is gearing up for his 14th full-length season as a member of the Montreal Canadiens. Plekanec had a short stint with the Leafs after the Trade Deadline but will have another year left with the team that’s been his home since 2001.

Besides the fact that the Czech native is most likely going to be relied upon defensively as much as he was the year before, there’s also more incentive to make sure he’s at his best health-wise. Plekanec will be receiving bonuses on his contract based on the number of games he plays next season. He’s usually a lock to play at least 85% of a regular season so that shouldn’t be a problem.

Point totals are another way for Plekanec to get more money from management by putting up 10 goals or 25 points.

Thanks to Instagram, we’ve got a quick glimpse of the veteran indulging in his summer routine in the gym.

https://twitter.com/CanadiensMTL/status/1020059791379529728

What makes it better was that he was working with prospects Hayden Verbeek, Adam Plant, Michael Pezzetta, Josh Brook, Cale Fleury, and Jarret Tyszka.

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Verbeek – who is coming off a wrist injury – and Pezzetta are looking to make their professional debut with the Laval Rocket in October while Plant already has a contract. However, he didn’t perform as well as he’d like at times in his 7 games with the team, but it’ll be a new year to make a new impression on a new coaching staff.

Brook and Tyszka will most likely return to their junior teams whereas Fleury is at a crossroads where either the WHL or AHL are possibilities (though he’ll need a contract for the latter option).

Plekanec working with the young players re-establishes the mentor role he’s set for himself. Guidance is never a bad thing in the early stages of one’s career and it’s reassuring that one of the organization’s longest-served members is doing his part.

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