
MONTREAL - The Canadiens skated at the Bell Sports Complex on Tuesday.
Following the on-ice session, defensemen Victor Mete and Ben Chiarot met the media along with forward Artturi Lehkonen.
They were followed at the podium by head coach Claude Julien.
Here are a few highlights from their Zoom-based Q&A with reporters:
Admittedly, Mete didn't have any expectations about his spot in the lineup coming into training camp, so he just went with the flow on the fourth defensive pairing:
I really wasn't sure what to expect. I kind of just came into camp, just working my hardest and trying to be the best I can be on the ice. I'm happy with my camp. I thought it was really good, so we'll see.
On a different note, the 22-year-old Woodbridge, ON native is a fan of the taxi squad concept that is being employed this season:
I think it's pretty good actually. You have a lot of guys that you're allowed to carry now, and you have everybody working hard. You have the taxi squad guys trying to get into the squad, so they're also working as hard as they can, too. The practices have been really high intensity, so with the taxi squad and guys trying to be the best they can be, everyone's kind of pushing each other. It's been really good.
For his part, Chiarot emphasized the importance of starting strong come the season-opener on Wednesday night against the Maple Leafs, especially with a condensed schedule ahead:
I think in any year it's important to have a good start, especially this year being 56 games. It's going to be even more important, more of a sprint than a regular year. Starting on the road is good for us. We've got a handful of new guys, so getting everyone together and having some time together on the road will be important and get our game together as we go here at the beginning.
The seven-year NHL veteran believes it will be a seamless transition for the newcomers to the roster for a number of reasons:
It was the same for me when I got here, I found that everyone gets along really well. There's nobody that kind of doesn't mix with the group. Everyone enjoys being around each other, and it makes it easy for new guys to come in and just be part of the group, be one of the guys, and that's a big, big reason why I felt like things went well for me. I was able to come in and feel comfortable right away, and I think it'll be the same for all the new guys this year.
During his media opp, Lehkonen revealed that he took shots on Carey Price as per usual during Tuesday's practice even though the Canadiens' starter was sporting a brand new mask:
I wasn't really worried about that. I'll try not to shoot him in the head anyways. It looks good. I was trying to take a look at it, but I didn't really get that good of a look from that far away. It looks pretty good.
The 25-year-old Finnish winger confirmed that he doesn't necessarily set numerical objectives every season, focusing his energy instead on playing smart to help the Canadiens earn a postseason berth:
I don't really have that, like specific, personal goals. I just want to make the playoffs with the team. That's the most important part. I don't really care about my personal goals. It's just about the team making the playoffs and trying to go as long as we can.
As for his line with Paul Byron and Jake Evans, Lehkonen insists the trio will be effective:
It's going to be fine. We know that we're a fast line. We're just trying to play with our strengths and forecheck the other teams, try to spend some time in the offensive zone and just play our own game. We can't be too worried about what the other teams are going to do. If we do our jobs well, we're going to be just fine.
Given the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Julien hopes the return of the NHL will be something people everywhere will enjoy:
With hockey coming back, I think it'll help the population from a mental health standpoint. It's very important. I know the fans have been waiting for this moment for a while. We hope that it'll give people a boost and put smiles on their faces. I know the fans are excited.
The veteran bench boss also commented on Corey Perry and Michael Frolik clearing waivers and being assigned to the team's taxi squad to start the year:
We brought those guys on board to add depth to our group. They're good players who can help us. It's a big positive to have them with our group.
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