The Montreal Canadiens are a brotherhood

When Montreal Canadiens 2022 first-round selection Juraj Slafkovsky was glued to the bench during some regular shifts, he was certainly frustrated.

For any player to get benched it isn't something that is easy to take on the chin, but Slafkovsky is the type of player who wears his heart on his sleeve. When he is on the ice, you can expect him to be involved on the forecheck, either in a supporting role as a pass option, or transporting the puck with his head up scanning. On the backcheck, he has an active stick and closes quickly on opponent's and smothers them with either a hit or a stick-check.

Because of all that he does, and the way he is with his teammates; it's unsurpising that he had a pep talk from one of the young guys. Now I say young because he is only 23 years old, but he came up big talking Slafkovsky through a tough stretch of the game. Nobody wants to see a guy struggling or being held accountable for struggles, when they know what that player can do, but Caufield knew that a quick talk would be just what Slafkovsly needed.

The Habs are a brotherhood and they ensure that no player feels left behind, Slafkovsky described him as a great guy. And as former linemates, and likely-to-be future linemates, the pair are familiar with one another and have grown together in the league. Slafkovsky, 20, is still one of the youngest players on the team, so mistakes are bound to happen, but St. Louis demanding the best out of him is exactly what Slafkovsky needs.

He wants to be relied on for goals and strong play throughout the game, so if he doesn't deliver, receiving a message to make a change is exactly what will keep him on his toes.

Tough approach, will breed a tough team

Many have felt that St. Louis is too soft on some players and too tough on others; whether that is true or not is not the point, though. The point is that each player needs to be approached and handled differently. This doesn't mean that anybody is immune to criticism, but that some players need to be challenged publicly, because their pride allows them to pull out their best.

St. Louis needs to be a little harder on the team, and if they expect to get better and become more competitive, that has to become the norm. I think that there are a few guys who should be benched ahead of Slafkovsky because of poor play, but that isn't my decision. I do expect that going forward, St. Louis will be holding many other players accountable, and while it's not fun to see, it is almost always necessary for growth.

The job of a coach can demand many different hats, but the guy who communicates and treats the team like his kids will be most needed going forward.