Even if life with the Canadian is not as rosy as the tuque he wore in front of journalists Saturday morning, forward Patrik Laine likes it in Montreal.
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Before the evening’s matchup against the Winnipeg Jets, the 26-year-old veteran spoke a little about his progression following a long absence from the National League’s ice rinks. The one who scored three goals in five games this season admits that improvements still need to be made. However, it has nothing to do with the supporters or the relationships with the other CH color bearers.
“It’s really good to be able to play again and I’m relishing it after some tough times. It’s nice to put on the jersey night after night, play matches with the guys and fight for points in the standings. My game may not be up to par yet, but after almost a year off, I’m heading in the right direction, he said. I have fun playing and it’s great.”
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“Looking back, you say to yourself that this recent past has not been very good hockey-wise. However, you always learn lessons and I think things happen for a reason. In this case, I don’t know why, but we’ll find out eventually. These difficulties challenge you and you must overcome them in order to come back strong,” he continued.
An asset
If it can reassure the main person concerned, he enjoys a high popularity rating with the Habs and seems respected by others.
“He’s actually great to watch and it’s good to have him in the team, on the bench and inside the dressing room. He has such a good shot and a great hockey head. He is a very good teammate,” assessed Jake Evans.
“You have to bounce back” – Jake Evans –
The story is similar from head instructor Martin St-Louis.
“We all get to know him and seeing him with our group every day, it’s nice to be around him. He draws quickly and is a rare talent, he said. Personally, I know him better now. Before, I knew a little bit about what he was, but when you don’t see him as much with your club, you don’t get the real version of the player. You can’t see him focusing on the details of the game, managing the time spent in a zone and setting goals.
It was a very difficult period emotionally, admits St-Louis –
“He’s not a guy who will speak during meetings, but in individual meetings, it’s a dialogue, not a monologue. So, we share [les états d’âme]“, he also indicated.
