Montreal Canadiens’ West Coast Journey
On their recent west coast journey, the Montreal Canadiens’ coach, Martin St. Louis, made some notable changes to his player combinations, which seemed to pay off for several athletes. Rookie Juraj Slafkovsky seamlessly adapted to his return on the first line, exhibiting a natural chemistry. Meanwhile, Kirby Dach has thrived in his new role on the third line, benefitting from playing alongside Jake Evans and Zach Bolduc, a player hailing from Trois-Rivières who has stepped up his game after being a healthy scratch during Alex Newhook‘s return to the squad.
Performance Highlights
In their match against the Anaheim Ducks on Friday, Bolduc put in a strong performance, logging almost 16 minutes on the ice, contributing an assist on Alex Carrier’s goal, and recording two shots, one block, and delivering five hits. His aggressive style substantially complements Dach’s quieter approach to the physical element of the game, which is not what Dach typically excels at.
The following night against the Los Angeles Kings, Bolduc’s speed became evident as he maneuvered into the offensive zone alongside Lane Hutson, facilitating a play that culminated in a goal for Evans, where he assisted by passing the puck to him at the blue line. This success marked the second straight game that the third line scored, showcasing Bolduc’s impact, who also added to his season’s hit tally, now standing at 129—just 15 hits behind team leader Arber Xhekaj.
Coaching Philosophy and Player Development
Bolduc’s style aligns with St. Louis’s vision for his players, advocating for dedication to forechecking and gritty play as it lays the groundwork for offensive chances. Although there’s an expectation for him to provide more than just toughness—Bolduc is only 23 and still learning how to embody the brand of hockey St. Louis promotes. Currently, he has accumulated 26 points in 62 games this season, on course to achieve a total of 35 points. Comparatively, he notched 36 points with the St. Louis Blues last year in a longer timeframe of 72 matches.
The reduction in his power-play points has been noticeable, dropping from 12 with the Blues to just six with the Canadiens so far, as he adjusts to a different role on the second power-play unit. However, if Bolduc maintains this level of performance, he is unlikely to find himself as a healthy scratch again soon. On the other hand, veteran Brendan Gallagher’s recent form may make him a more probable candidate for such a decision moving forward, despite his valuable leadership and the milestone of nearing 1,000 games with the Canadiens.
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