Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin knows there is no underestimating the value of a strong veteran presence on any team.
Last year Bergevin loaded up on players with experience (and Stanley Cup rings) and it paid dividends. Jake Allen, Joel Edmundson, Josh Anderson, Erik Gustafsson, Jon Merrill, Corey Perry and Eric Staal all played pivotal roles on the team as they chased the Cup all the way to the final.
Veterans know what it takes to win, and what to take away from a loss. They know how to prepare the mind and body to endure the grind of an NHL season, and how to balance the highs and lows of momentum flows within a game. They’re an integral part of the leadership group in the locker room and on the ice, and help shield and nurture the youngest players on the team.
This year Marc Bergevin was faced with the loss of a number of key players in the off season, and added David Savard, Cedric Paquette, Mathieu Perreault, Mike Hoffman, Christian Dvorak and Chris Wideman in hopes of stabilizing a young core of emerging talent in Montreal.
After an 0-5 start to the season, last Saturday night in Montreal the veterans on the team got the Habs moving in the right direction and the Bell Center rocking. Goals by Ben Charot, Mike Hoffman and Mathieu Perreault got Montreal a lead they didn’t surrender, with Perreault eventually scoring a hat trick. The new line combinations gave a cohesion throughout the lineup not previously seen in the young season.
22 year old Nick Suzuki centred two veterans in Brendan Gallagher and Mike Hoffman and rookie Cole Caufield skated alongside Mathieu Perreault and Tyler Toffoli. Jake Evans was with Artturi Lehkonen and Joel Armia, and the line of Christian Dvorak, Josh Anderson and Jonathan Drouin remained intact. Coach Dominique Ducharme utilized a savvy veteran presence to stabilize the youthful element.
The same formula worked on defence. Brett Kulak and Sami Niku looked confident and capable at both ends of the ice and the same with the young Alex Romanov paired with the veteran David Savard. There was mobility and strength in every pairing as Jeff Petry skated with Ben Chiarot, and the vets lead the way, en route to a convincing 6-1 win – the Habs first of the season.