Kent Hughes did not turn into Donald Trump for his record of the first half of the Canadian’s season. He did not stand on the platform looking triumphant and with his fist in the air. No danger of that happening either if he fulfills his mandate to make the Habs a top team. It’s not his type.
The general manager of the Canadiens was faithful to the sporting mentality that one should not get too carried away in good times and that one should not give in to discouragement in bad times.
But while remembering that this team is rebuilding, can we at least think that the worst is behind it?
Again, Hughes showed wisdom in his response.
“I hope so, but it’s hard to say when your team is having a good streak,” he said when I asked him the question.
“I don’t think you can predict that we’re going to win eight of our next 10 games.”
This is the performance that the Canadian maintained during his streak from games 31 to 40.
While everyone had buried them when they left Montreal, Martin St-Louis’ men went for victories in Sunrise (Florida Panthers), Tampa Bay, Las Vegas and Denver.
The victory against the Golden Knights marked a turning point in Hughes’ mind. It was the first time this season that the Golden Knights blew a lead after one period and only the second time they suffered defeat while leading after 40 minutes of play.
It will have to last
No one saw this rise coming, not even the die-hard fans who see life in blue, white, red.
“We are on the right path with the players we have on hand and those who are coming. But I don’t want to be super confident. We saw what happened with other teams, Hughes continued.
“The Buffalo Sabers came close to making the playoffs two years ago [ils avaient terminé à un point du huitième rang et des Panthers de la Floride] and they have since gone backwards.
“The Detroit Red Wings are another example, although they are doing better these days. We don’t want to be too confident. We want to learn from other teams to see if we can do things differently.”
Finally, a real team
Hughes has mentioned it often since his arrival with the Canadiens and he repeated it yesterday. His goal is to assemble a team that will be good for a long time.
Nevertheless, several positive points emerge from his good performance in recent weeks. For the first time in ages, we have a real hockey team in front of us.
The arrival of Patrik Laine in December created a climate of confidence in the ranks. This belief has not been affected by the absence of the great Finn in the last three matches.
The trios and duos of defenders are well balanced, which takes pressure off Samuel Montembeault, on whom the chances of victory rested.
Jakub Dobes may have only played two games, but he is imposing in front of the net at his height of six feet four inches. The young person is calm and confident in his abilities.
The impact of St. Louis
We cannot continue without talking about Martin St-Louis, in whom Hughes reiterated his confidence and respect in his report.
“Martin is a smart guy with a high intelligence quotient for hockey,” Hughes praised.
“That’s why he was our first choice when we hired him. It’s flexible and shiny.”
When he was challenged in November, the coach wondered aloud in front of journalists why he would listen to criticism from people from whom he would not seek advice.
That day, I saw the player that St-Louis was again.
Confident and slobbery around the edges.
Another big sequence to come
The team has made great strides since the beginning of December, and has finally seen progress that has been a long time coming. But Hughes is right to appeal for caution.
The next 10-game segment promises to be tough with matches against Washington, Dallas, Toronto, Tampa Bay, New Jersey and Winnipeg. Next will be a game against Minnesota.
It won’t be any easier against Utah, the Rangers and Detroit, who remain hopeful of getting a playoff bye.
Let’s see how the Canadiens fare before thinking about the trade deadline.
Related News :