The Montreal Canadiens opened their season with their annual golf tournament and it was a calmer start to the season than a year ago. Last year, the tournament was held hours after the team traded their captain Max Pacioretty. This year, there isn’t much more to discuss until the team takes to the ice later this week.
Geoff Molson and Marc Bergevin were the first people to speak to the media on Monday and Bergevin’s job security was a hot topic, as was the contract of Max Domi.
Geoff Molson, when asked about Marc Bergevin’s job security (in French): “I’m not thinking about the end of the season yet, but I have confidence in Marc and I have confidence that we’ll play well this season.”
— Jared Book (@jaredbook) September 9, 2019
Marc Bergevin confirms they were interested in Jake Gardiner and made him an offer, but he went to the Carolina Hurricanes.
#Habs: Marc Bergevin confirme qu’il avait fait une offre à Jake Gardiner. Mais il a préféré les Hurricanes.
— J-F Chaumont (@JFChaumontJDM) September 9, 2019
Geoff Molson was just asked about the team’s interest in Jake Gardiner. Basically said it’s a “two-way street”. The player has to want to come here, too. So….
— Joey Alfieri (@joeyalfieri) September 9, 2019
The Canadiens will not give any professional tryouts to veterans for training camp.
Marc Bergevin indique que le Canadien n ‘offrira pas de PTO à des vétérans.
— Marc Antoine Godin (@MAGodin) September 9, 2019
Sounds like Marc Bergevin is prepared to go through camp without making any changes to the Canadiens. Said there won’t be a PTO given to anyone, that he won’t sign Andrei Markov, and that he wants to see the kids fight for jobs with the team.
— Eric Engels (@EricEngels) September 9, 2019
Molson: When I first came on board, we had some success but a couple of years ago we had a disappointing season and we realized we needed to make some changes.
— Jared Book (@jaredbook) September 9, 2019
Molson also didn’t commit to keeping anybody around if the #Habs miss the playoffs this year
— Joey Alfieri (@joeyalfieri) September 9, 2019
Max Domi’s contract status is already becoming a talking point early in the season.
Marc Bergevin is not worried about Max Domi’s RFA status given what is happening this year because he has arbitration rights which forces a resolution
— Jared Book (@jaredbook) September 9, 2019
Marc Bergevin says in French that he’s not making a trade to improve his job security if it means hurting the future.
— Jared Book (@jaredbook) September 9, 2019
Bergevin: The goal is to make the playoffs but like every year there are 12 teams with a chance to make the playoffs. Given our exit meetings, I feel good about the future of this team.
— Jared Book (@jaredbook) September 9, 2019
Talks for a contract extension to Max Domi are on but Marc Bergevin doesn’t want to say more. @CanadiensMTL
— Renaud Lavoie (@renlavoietva) September 9, 2019
Bergevin asked about Carey Price’s comments last . year re: his window to win: “I think he has more good years left than he realizes”
— Joey Alfieri (@joeyalfieri) September 9, 2019
The team’s head coach, Claude Julien, was the next person to speak and he was asked about the young prospects fighting for a spot.
Claude Julien: I’ve never seen a player regress in the American Hockey League, but if a player is ready for the NHL, they will be in the NHL.
— Jared Book (@jaredbook) September 9, 2019
Julien says that the youngsters need to force the Canadiens had like Jesperi Kotkaniemi did a year ago.
Claude Julien sur ce que Poehling et Suzuki doivent faire pour se tailler un poste avec l’équipe :
« Ils devront faire comme Kotkaniemi a fait l’année passée et nous forcer la main » #CH
— Patrick Friolet (@PFrioletRDS) September 9, 2019
Charles Hudon is coming off of a tough season, and says he has lost 17 pounds this summer and that he’s in his best shape.
Charles Hudon a perdu 17 livres et se dit dans sa meilleure forme! #CH
— Chantal Machabee (@ChantalMachabee) September 9, 2019
Brendan Gallagher on the Sebastian Aho offer sheet: I loved it. It was a chance to get a really good player and it didn’t work out.
— Jared Book (@jaredbook) September 9, 2019
Jason Pominville will not be a member of the Montreal Canadiens on a tryout or with a contract.
Jason Pominville ne sera pas au camp des @CanadiensMTL comme invité (ni sous contrat) alors que la direction de l’équipe veut voir comment les jeunes vont se comporter. @TVASports
— Renaud Lavoie (@renlavoietva) September 9, 2019
Carey Price: A lot of guys play a lot of years and don’t get a chance to win. I don’t want to be one of those guys.
— Jared Book (@jaredbook) September 9, 2019
Cole Caufield is not at Canadiens training camp, but Marc Bergevin says it shouldn’t be long before he is saying that he won’t play all four years in the NCAA.
«Une chose que je peux dire, c’est que Cole Caufield ne jouera pas 4 ans au niveau collégial» – Marc Bergevin
— TVA Sports (@TVASports) September 9, 2019
Claude Julien tells me his plan for the power play this year is to have 4 forwards & 1 defenceman for both power play units. Says Unit 1 will have Weber around left faceoff circle with Drouin at point on right feeding the puck. #HABS #TSN690
— Tony Marinaro (@TonyMarinaro) September 9, 2019
