2023-09-18 03:34:34
Dominant at the Montreal Canadiens’ development camp this summer, Adam Engstrom is conspicuous by his absence at the team’s rookie tournament; nor will you see him at the great camp which will soon take flight. However, it would be a big mistake to think that he is taking it easy, in the comfort of his native Sweden.
He has even changed, they say. It is said that he now blocks shots, which surprises his teammates and attracts slight mockery.
Engstrom has been sweating in recent weeks. With Rögle’s team, he took part in a very demanding two-month training camp, including a full day of military exercises in the forest.
Thomas Grégoire is not regarding to forget this hellish 24 hours. The 25-year-old Quebec defenseman, who is starting his first season in the SHL with Rögle, is able to laugh regarding it today. But he was afraid.
“During one of the stages, we were in a swimming pool for two hours. I thought regarding drowning, I kid you not. Guys, we were freaking out,” he says on the phone. He later admitted that he was exaggerating a bit, but it was still “scary”.
Grégoire has time to kill. It takes several hours on the bus. Following a 3-2 victory over Malmö in the opening match, Rögle’s team headed to Örebro.
Obviously, in two months, he had time to get to know Engstrom, his promising teammate who will play a very important role with Rögle this season.
“He’s lying next to me, if you want to talk to him!” says Grégoire simply.
The latter tries to pass the phone to his neighbor on the bus. In vain. Engstrom is busy, apparently. You’ll have to wait a bit.
“He’s a good guy honestly,” confides Grégoire regarding the Habs’ hope. He’s still young, so he arrives at the arena with great energy. He has ben fun. He works hard. He’s really on the ice all the time.”
Sometimes even… a little too much!
“During training camp, before games, he would jump on the ice and he would be the last one off. He was practically doing a workout all by himself. I told him: “You’re going to be completely down for the game!”»
The skills are undeniable in his case. European teams are renowned for sparingly giving playing time to their young players. But Rögle almost gives the keys to the blue line to Engstrom this season. With 21 minutes of play once morest Malmö, he was the most used player on the team, in addition to being deployed on the first wave of the numerical advantage.
“He has a lot of talent,” notes Grégoire. He’s very confident with the puck, that’s what impresses me the most regarding him. He has good patience. He’ll keep the disc a second longer than you would have thought to keep it, but it’s because he has the talent to get out of these situations and create plays for himself. He comes from the blue line and beats his coverr to take a shot. He’s really quick and smart with the puck.”
Credit photo: Peter Ekholm, Rögle
The new Engstrom
Engstrom is entrusted with too important responsibilities this season to simply shine on the offensive level.
Also used shorthanded, the 6-foot defender with a slender silhouette would have enjoyed blocking shots.
His teammates certainly noticed.
“He’s starting to do it,” notes Grégoire. The guys laughed at first because before, maybe that wasn’t his role. There, he gives a little more. He blocks shots and I think he likes it being two-way.
“When you’re young and inclined to attack… you block a shot and your teammates have fun at your expense: ‘Okay, finally!’ It’s fair game. There, he blocks one every match, so I think he gets less upset.”
After the bus stopped at a rest stop, Engstrom answered his phone an hour later. The main person concerned laughs heartily when the blocked shots are mentioned to him.
“Yes, I’m going in front of the shots now,” he confirms, “a good player. I am doing my best. I must take my responsibilities seriously.”
We feel that Engstrom is increasingly realizing the importance of refining all aspects of his game before making the jump to North America.
“My goal this summer was to become a little heavier,” he explains. I gained a few pounds. I feel a little stronger.”
At the end of the development camp, the Canadiens insisted with him on the importance of playing a more physical game in his territory to maintain a constant level during a match.
This season will be decisive for Engstrom. If all goes well, the Canadiens might give him a three-year entry-level contract at the end of the year and bring him into their fold in 2024-25.
Engstrom is not aiming for a point total or a specific goal at Rögle other than to continue to develop.
“I don’t think regarding it too much,” he said. I try to be myself on the ice, to play my game. I want to create things offensively, but above all, to be proud of my work in my territory.
And this famous military camp… what did he think of it?
“It was a hard day (laughs). But it allows us to build bonds between teammates.
Teammates who, we guess, respect him even more now that he throws himself in front of the pucks.
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