Premonition, instinct, pure coincidence? The Canadian’s young players gathered Wednesday evening for a small dinner with friends, to enjoy life as young twenty-somethings know how to do. One meal, one last, reminiscent of The Last Supper for Justin Barron.
Coming out of this three o’clock supper
says Jayden Struble, the five accomplices got into a car, then Barron received a call. Traded to Nashville. The shock.
I’m sure he was taken by surprise. Nobody really expects that. Especially if you’re not a veteran to whom sometimes organizations feel they owe a warning or an explanation. It just reminds us that we never know how much time we have
launched Struble, philosophically, after CH training on Thursday noon.
This exchange marks a breaking point in the management of the affairs of Messrs. Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes. For the first time since their arrival at the head of this once prestigious team three years ago, they sacrificed a little of the future to focus on the present. Barron was one of their projects. Hughes acquired it in the trade involving Artturi Lehkonen in 2022.
Barron saw his ice time decrease by four minutes this season compared to last year, when Martin St-Louis began to assert that the priority was now to learn to win and no longer just to develop its players. The Nova Scotia defender’s confidence fell flat due to being removed from the lineup and the coach’s confidence in him melted at the same rate. A first admission of failure, therefore.
On a rebuilding team, young players can sometimes feel sheltered from the otherwise normal tribulations of the NHL. The future, theoretically, is them, so why worry? Veterans must fear their general manager’s strategy more: a move happened so quickly.
The opposite happened on Wednesday.
It seems a little childish, even cutesy, but it’s as if some young people, at least those we met on Thursday, have lost their innocence. As if Hughes had just signaled the end of recess.
I’ve known him for a few years now. He’s such a good, down-to-earth guy, it’s really sad to lose him. It was a shock. It’s hard to lose a good friend even if it’s part of the business
let down Kaiden Guhle, also present at the involuntary farewell dinner.
It’s difficult
added Struble, with a low expression.
In addition to his friend’s departure, perhaps he was thinking about his own situation. With the arrival of Alexandre Carrier, Struble officially becomes the Canadian’s seventh defenseman. The team wanted to add experience to their group which was sorely lacking and, in doing so, they managed to slightly rebalance the imbalance between left-handed and right-handed defenders. The latter are rare and Carrier is one of them.
Struble, left-handed, is a bit stuck in a vice and must now aim for the position of Arber Xhekaj who, on the contrary, is gaining ground from week to week.
It’s not ideal for me, but there are worse things in life than that. It’s the best league in the world, I know I can play here. It’s just a matter of timing. I know I can be reliable
assured Struble.
Generation gap
David Savard (34 years old) and Mike Matheson (30 years old) are now in their thirties. Sounded good even in the case of the first. Except for the newcomer, the team’s other four defensemen are 23 years old or younger.
On Thursday, this gap appeared.
Neither Savard nor Matheson was happy to see Barron leave, obviously. Now, while their green colleagues were feeling a little sorry for the vagaries of life, they seemed very happy to welcome Carrier for a very simple reason.
This will help us now
launched Savard.
We had a lot of young people in defense. It’s good to bring in a guy with a little more experience and consistency. He’s been playing professionally for several years. He can play shorthanded, against the best lines at five-on-five. He will find his place in our brigade
added the Quebecer.
He’s been in the league for years, it’ll help us, he’s very consistent in his defensive play. It will give us a lot of stability.
Short-term help, stability, consistency: all difficult criteria to meet for a 23-year-old fullback with low morale.
Carrier will simplify Martin St-Louis’ work too.
It gives us more depth […] This will help my bench management. I won’t have to worry as much about matchups anymore, because I know he can play against the best lines
indicated the coach.
Carrier joined his teammates in Detroit on Thursday and will be in uniform the next day to face the Red Wings. St-Louis did not want to reveal his defensive combinations, but it is a safe bet that he will line up to the right of Guhle in what will immediately become the specialist duo for defensive missions.
Ultimately, this is a medium-sized exchange with, however, a very real impact. As much in terms of training as in mentalities. As if the reconstruction had just taken another turn.
We have a lot of young players. Sometimes, you are able to let one go to get a veteran because we have a lot of young people. The further we go, the more likely things like this will happen.
argued St-Louis.
Like a warning.
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