JF Houle paying off on Rocket bench
Coaching from the bottom to top is equally important and that is why JF Houle's work in Laval is crucial.
Players who stuck with the Habs
Houle had two standout rookies this year, who managed to make their NHL debuts this season, which was their first full year with the Rocket. Jayden Struble played nine games last year with the Rocket, dipping his toes in the water after finishing his four-year NCAA career. Meanwhile, Joshua Roy played 41 games with the Rocket, before earning a call-up to Montreal because of his strong play and injury trouble in the NHL.
Struble was called up when Arber Xhekaj went down with an injury, and he played so well, that the Habs were able to keep Xhekaj down with the Rocket to polish some things in his game. A former teammate of Jordan Harris at Northeastern University, Struble showed that he was physically ready for the NHL game. He slowed down toward the end of his 56 games, but he had some flashes of brilliance pairing his mobility and vision together to create some nice end-to-end rushes.
Physically he was able to handle himself with little issue, handling opponents in the corners and around the front of the net. But his mobility and quick decisions with the puck are what kept him in the lineup. An already strong side on the Canadiens blueline (the left side) became even stronger with him in the fold.
Joshua Roy was the second rookie who stood out with the Rocket and when Martin St. Louis called upon him for the Canadiens, he was ready. There was a bit of a transition period, which is expected with any player jumping up through two leagues in the same season. But when he found his footing, he proved to be a menace in the neutral zone; using his ability to create turnovers to aid the Habs' offensive attack.
Roy was well on his way to establishing himself as a bona fide second-line winger, but he emphatically proved that he was an everyday NHL player before suffering an injury. The vision and poise that he has with the puck on his stick is veteran-level good. In the offensive zone, he is a dual threat; both a deceptive playmaker and a devastating shooter, Roy has a big opportunity ahead of him for the 2024-25 season.
A duo who needed some AHL conditioning
Houle was great with the rookies, both integrating them into the Rocket lineup and preparing a couple for their eventual NHL debuts. Those debuts, of course, lasted longer than just a game or two, which added a few feathers to Houle's hat, proving his importance. But he also helped a couple of Habs who were sent down to work on a couple of things.
Joel Armia is the first of the two; he had a slow start to the season and given what he has shown capable of in the past, his play wasn't cutting it. When he reached Laval, it seemed to light a fire under the Finnish winger, who took the demotion on the chin and emerged as one the top forwards on the Rocket. Armia played eight games with the Rocket and the Canadiens saw enough; his nine points in that time and rejuvenated game earned him a promotion.
Armia rejoined the Canadiens and never looked back, playing some of his best hockey since starting his career in Montreal. The 30-year-old posted the third-best offensive output of his career, with 25 points in 66 games. His 17 goals were also a new career-high.
Arber Xhekaj had an impressive rookie season with the Canadiens; as perhaps the best story of the 2022-23 Habs season. From undrafted free agent to making the team out of camp, then establishing himself as a tough, no-nonsense young defender, who had something more to his game. The 23-year-old scored 5-8-13 through 44 games before his season was cut short by a shoulder injury.
Year two showed a less risky version of The Sheriff, who chose to pick his battles a little better. But when after he suffered returned from a minor injury, the Habs decided to send him to Laval for some conditioning. Xhekaj played 17 games under Houle scoring 3-8-11; he looked comfortable offensively and his play away from the puck showed much improvement, which gained the ire of the Habs, who called him back up.
Xhekaj ended up with another shoulder injury, and that shortened his sophomore season. But there was a dramatic difference in his play after playing with the Rocket. The same can be said about Armia, who had an incredible season with the Habs, upon returning to the lineup. Both players put in the work, but Houle was a culprit for their success.
Final thoughts
Next year will be more of the same, with new faces ready to prove themselves in Laval. Whether it be players previously drafted or new ones who might be looking to make their mark in professional hockey. Because of the new additions each season, the head coach in Laval is one of the most important figures in the Habs organization.
Without Houle and the coaching staff in Laval working well together, the Canadiens pipeline would stall. Certainly, there will be new players next year and beyond that will be integrated into the Habs lineup. Take, for example, Luke Tuch and Florian Xhekaj, both players were dominant in their respective leagues during their final season and they will be looking to have that translate to the AHL.
It's far from the easiest job and at times it may be frustrating, but Houle deserves a lot of credit for the work he has done in his first three seasons behind the Rocket bench.
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