WINNIPEG - The Canadiens skated at Bell MTS Place on Wednesday morning ahead of their matchup with the Jets.
Following the on-ice session, defensemen Shea Weber and Xavier Ouellet, and interim head coach Dominique Ducharme spoke with reporters via Zoom.
Here are a few highlights from their respective chats:
With Ben Chiarot on the sidelines for an extended period of time, Weber talked about playing alongside Joel Edmundson:
He's a very similar guy to Ben in the fact that he's really solid, physical, and moves the puck well. Obviously, Ben is going to be missed. He's a big part of our back end, but it also gives a chance for more guys to step up, play bigger minutes and produce a little bit more for us.
Video: Weber on playing with Edmundson
Weber also talked about the steady development of 20-year-old Jesperi Kotkaniemi:
He's definitely grown a lot. People forget that he's still really young and still young in this league. Young guys come in and play a lot and play well, but he just keeps developing. Especially in our zone, I find that he's grown a lot and he's starting to find his way a little bit more. He's learning, he's willing to learn, and we're going to need him to be that guy going forward.
For his part, Ouellet evaluated his first appearance of the season with the Canadiens earlier in the week:
I think I did well in my first game. I felt good on the ice. I felt better and better as the game went on. That's a good sign. I was ready. I'm not discouraged. I have to prove myself every year. I waited for my opportunity to show what I could do. I'm where I want to be right now.
Video: Ouellet on the experience he's gained over the years
The 27-year-old blueliner discussed playing alongside rookie Alexander Romanov as well:
Romanov is very competitive and he works extremely hard. I think we complement each other well in that regard. When you play with younger players, it's important to communicate well. We have to talk on the ice and on the bench to help each other out. That's what I try to do during games and that's what I'll continue to do. We're trying to get the best out of each other.
Ducharme, meanwhile, stressed the importance of finishing the road trip on a positive note:
We liked our two games in Vancouver, but we didn't like our two games in Calgary. We had a good performance here in Winnipeg last game. We're focusing on playing our game and we want to make sure that we deliver another good performance before we come home.
Video: Ducharme on his long-time relationship with Ouellet
The Canadiens' bench boss also commented on Ouellet:
He's with us because he deserves it. He works hard and he's a proud competitor. You have to earn your spot every night in the NHL. His competitive side makes him an important asset for our team right now.
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