Fan Post | Montreal Canadiens, Habs, Carey Price, Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Christian Dvorak, Jonathan Drouin, Brendan Gallagher, Josh Anderson, Bell Centre
All Habs Hockey Magazine is proud to provide a platform for guest writers to express their views on current issues. Today, we present a fan piece by Elizabeth Breckenridge on the return of the Canadiens and reasons for supporters to be excited about the upcoming season.
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ROCKET SPORTS MEDIA — After Monday night’s pre-season battle against the Leafs, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about Habs hockey. It may feel like only a moment ago; Habs fans were on a roller coaster ride. It is tempting to choose a cautious approach with an epic run to the Stanley Cup Finals during a global pandemic, followed by an eventful and sometimes bumpy off-season.
Habs fans should buckle up. There are many reasons to embrace the new season full steam ahead.
Goodbye to familiar faces, hello to new ones
The off-season saw the departure of several players. With Phillip Danault, Corey Perry, and Jesperi Kotkaniemi all off to new teams, many Habs fans were worried that the Canadiens wouldn’t have the depth to compete. Shea Weber was placed on long-term injury reserve after receiving devastating news about multiple injuries. His return is doubtful.
Yet new faces that have arrived, such as David Savard, Christian Dvorak, and Mike Hoffman can add some much-needed depth as the season gets underway. The Habs roster has changed, but the potential to be a team with a more effective offence is there.
Hungry to be back in the Finals
One of the highlights of the Habs’ crazy ride last year is the young players getting started. Nick Suzuki, Alexander Romanov, and Cole Caufield all got a small taste of success early. While Habs fans may feel the pressure for a hasty return to the Cup, especially knowing that Carey Price’s playing years are limited, the future is bright with young leaders like Suzuki.
The 22-year-old has shown maturity beyond his years and exceptional skill. Suzuki and Caufield prove that Habs fans have something to look forward to and that Montreal has potential.
A good mix of veterans and kids
The kids show incredible promise, and the Habs still have veteran players who are in good form. There’s excitement about the numbers that Suzuki and Caufield will produce and how many hits Romanov will dish out.
Carey Price is recovering from knee surgery and should be ready to start the season per Coach Dominique Ducharme. Jake Allen has proven to be an excellent backup goalie and looks like he will be able to step in if needed. Ben Chiarot and Jeff Petry bring a stable presence to the defensive core.
When Paul Byron and Mike Hoffman are healthy, they will likely jump right in and make valuable contributions. The heart and soul of the team, Brendan Gallagher, will undoubtedly bring his warrior spirit to keep the others motivated and focused.
Everyone wants to contribute
The theme from player interviews is that everyone is eager to contribute. Veterans, rookies, and new arrivals have expressed their enthusiasm for getting the season underway and giving it their all. There’s that pit-in-the-stomach sense of doubt as a Habs fan, especially after earlier disappointing seasons and the unbelievable ride last year. The attitude in the locker room seems to be a good reason to cast that hesitation aside.
The return of Jonathan Drouin
Last April, while struggling to score goals, Jonathan Drouin left the team to attend to personal matters. He didn’t owe the fans or the media anything. Drouin chose to share during a couple of interviews about his struggles with anxiety and insomnia.
Recent photos and videos show a smiling Drouin who looks fit, healthy, and ready to rejoin the team. His teammate Josh Anderson has voiced support for Jo, as well as head coach Ducharme.
Drouin’s contribution could be a difference-maker this year. He has helped to shed light on the discussion of mental health in professional sports. It’s good to see him smiling and ready to get back out on the ice and to have fun. That enthusiasm is contagious.
Drouin is already making contributions in the pre-season with some amazing passes. He’s shown amazing chemistry with Anderson and Dvorak, and he looks like he is relaxed and focused on being a good teammate.
Fans back at the Bell Centre
Last year, watching games in empty arenas was a mixed bag. Having hockey to watch was a blessing. The Bell Centre, with no fans present, served as a reminder that we were still battling an invisible foe.
This season, the Quebec government is only allowing 7,500 fans inside the Bell Centre to start the season, but it’s better than none. Habs fans are notoriously loud and know how to make the Bell Centre come alive. Hopefully, as the season goes on, the Bell Centre will allow returning to total capacity, and the magic of live hockey will feel like it has resumed in Montreal.
Habs are battle tested
Last season was a wild ride. The Habs brotherhood was strong, and they defeated several teams who were said to be stronger, faster, or better than them. Time and time again, the Habs rose to the challenge and made it to the final dance.
Price became almost super-human, making stop after stop; Gallagher showed the true grit of a hockey warrior – braving a gruesome injury after losing his helmet on the ice and giving a press conference moments after losing in the Stanley Cup Finals. Fighting back some tears, he expressed that the team might have had to know what it was like to lose, so they would be that much more driven to win.
Teammates embraced Shea Weber during elimination from the Finals, and as fans, the true significance of that moment would be made clear as the updates came out about Shea’s health. The Habs’ controversial draft pick caused an uproar, and several beloved players headed off to other teams. The team almost lost Carey Price to the expansion draft, and several players left seeking greener pastures (monetary and otherwise).
Looking ahead with excitement
New faces have arrived and some of them, like Dvorak are already making an impact. The team will again have to solve some of the remaining problems, including puck possession and zone entry challenges.
There are weaknesses in the Habs’ playing style, but the team has proven that they want to be competitive and believe in each other, even when no one else does. As the fans rally behind them, the team is sure to feel the support and have that extra wind in their sails as they set their sights on the quest to battle for the Cup again. Habs fans have every reason to be excited about the new season with a strong brotherhood, seasoned veterans, and some exciting younger players to watch. Go Habs, Go!
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Elizabeth Breckenridge is a freelance writer who resides in the Pacific Northwest. She is a long-time hockey fan and especially loves the Habs. When she’s not watching hockey, she loves to write mystery novels.
By Elizabeth Breckenridge, Guest Writer
All Habs Hockey Magazine
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