Laval – Laval Rocket training camp is open, and clearly, there is not a minute to lose for new head coach Pascal Vincent and his support staff.
Tuesday, while the referees were waiting for the start of the first of two intra-squad games in as many days on the community ice adjacent to Place Bell, Paul Byron, player development consultant, and Daniel Jacob, assistant coach, temporarily replaced the two latecomers.
It rolls. It takes what it takes.
Pascal Vincent, for his part, observed his flock from the top of the stands, accompanied by a few members of his close guard, notably Francis Bouillon, during the two periods of 25 minutes in continuous time in which 29 players participated.
“We had several options to know what we were going to do, but we want to evaluate [les joueurs] as quickly as possible. It’s going to be the same schedule tomorrow, and we play two matches [préparatoires] in Belleville (Friday and Saturday, Editor’s note), so that gives us [quatre] matches to evaluate our players,” explained the pilot.
“What we want to evaluate is how they understand what we teach on video before the matches. What I was looking at today was of course individual skills, yes, but above all I wanted to see who is able to quickly assimilate what we are teaching and who is able to execute it so that we have a pulse of the team. »
The recalls of Lucas Condotta and Luke Tuch by the Montreal Canadiens in the morning forced the two teams to play with eight attackers each, while the two defensive brigades were also deprived of a back.
On the one hand, for the Reds, Owen Beck started the day at the center of a trio completed by Laurent Dauphin and Jared Davidson. The other offensive unit of this group was made up of Florian Xhekaj in the center of Vincent Arseneau and Alex Beaucage.
The first White trio went as follows: Brandon Gignac, flanked by Sean Farrell and Xavier Simoneau. Riley Kidney was at the helm of the other complete trio, with Charles Savoie and Filip Mesar at his side.
“We made two teams,” Vincent put things into perspective. We tried to balance the two teams so that it made a little sense, but I wouldn’t read too much into what you saw. »
« You’re out! »
The upcoming returns of Condotta and Tuch, combined with the Canadian’s next wave of cuts, will significantly change the portrait of the team in the coming days and week. Forwards Alex Barré-Boulet and Emil Heineman, who are extending their stay at the Bell Center, could soon arrive as reinforcements. The same goes for defenders Logan Mailloux, Jayden Struble and Adam Engström.
Until then, the players present have little time and room to maneuver to impress the new boss. If Vincent doesn’t set a clear timetable for his first cuts, a few unsatisfactory performances could force him to react quickly.
“There are players today who have a hook [à côté de leur nom] and players who have “X’s” after the match. After two “Xs”, you’re in trouble, worse at the third, you’re out », announced the coach.
All these beautiful people will be on the ice again on Wednesday for another intra-squad game, after which the team will board a bus on Thursday to go to Belleville to play two preparatory games against the Senators and the Toronto Marlies Friday and Saturday.
Reinbacher’s development delayed, but not threatened
During these duels, Vincent and his group of coaches will have to work to find a replacement for David Reinbacher, who was promised to be given every chance to develop on the right flank in his first professional campaign in South America. North.
While the future teammates of CH’s first-round pick in 2023 were already on the ice, the Habs confirmed that their prospect will miss the next five to six months of activities in order to recover from left knee surgery.
” It is tough pour Kingdom and it is tough for the rest of us. It was a big year for him, but that’s part of the game. We will try to support him as best as possible in this situation to keep his mind sharp and continue to teach him. […] Now, as to who will replace him in our training, I don’t know. “, lamented Vincent, who does not expect the long-term development of the recruit to be threatened.
“It’s sure it’s going to delay him, but is it going to have an impact on the player he’s supposed to become in three, four or five years, I think we’re capable of achieving that when even. »
Having been there himself, veteran Brandon Gignac can only sympathize with his teammate.
“I’m definitely going to write to him. I had the same injury in my first professional year too,” reacted the 26-year-old striker upon learning from the mouth of his colleague The Press Guillaume Lefrançois that Reinbacher had been operated on.
“It’s hard for morale because you tell yourself that while everyone else is training and improving, you’re at a standstill. That’s a big six months at that age. Between 18 and 23 years old, it is prime to develop and you have to miss six to eight months. It’s difficult. He must stay positive and take the opportunity to work hard in the gym. »
