The Montreal Canadiens are taking a step-by-step approach to get to the promised land and finish off their rebuild.
First Adding the new head coach, general manager and vice president of hockey operations was also key. Then they needed to clear some cap space, which brought in some younger assets that fit with the core. Finally drafting Juraj Slafkovsky was a huge step and signal that the Habs wanted to get bigger up front and do so with a character player.
The two following drafts with David Reinbacher and Ivan Demidov stealing the show were also big for the Habs. Reinbacher's injuries have been a bit of a red flag, but the potential to become a pillar for the organization is very much still alive, As for Demidov, the sky appears to be the limit.
"We had a player stare us down at the draft because he wanted to be here.”
— Nicolas Cloutier (@NCloutierTVA) October 2, 2024
Jeff Gorton fait référence au regard de Shane Wright dans le docu du CH 👀
But before the Canadiens did much of their drafting, aside from Slafkovsky, Shane Wright, the projected first overall pick gave a famous staredown to the Habs draft table. Wright was disappointed after falling down the draft board, becoming the second centre to be picked. Wright fell to the Seattle Kraken at fourth overall, after Simon Nemec and Logan Cooley went second and third.
But Gorton viewed the gesture as Wright wanting to go to Montreal and be a part of what the Habs are doing going forward.
Is Montreal becoming a place where players want to be?
Each season some free agents choose to sign where the taxes are lower and the weather is hotter. But when a team treats their players with world-class care and the goal is to be the best, it's hard to ignore. Montreal is an Original Six team, but they also have one of the most cutthroat fanbases in the league, which is derived from their passion for the team.
If you want to feel the love, then playing in Montreal is where you want to be, the fans care and want the wins as bad as management does. If they aren't happy, the players know and it almost gives the team an extra boost, the boos as a kick in the pants. But the cheers are almost like an adrenaline-inducing gesture, that motivates the team to give it their all.
If a player wants to win, feel the love and play for a Hockey Hall of Famer (Martin St. Louis), then Montreal is the place to be. The players that are in Montreal love it, the ones that leave praise the city and visiting teams can't help but be in awe of the Bell Centre. It's not just Wright, Montreal is a place to be and the direction the team is headed only cements that.