2023-09-26 11:05:00
MONTREAL – Playing checkers is simple and enjoyable. We rush in a straight line to do as much damage as possible to the opposing camp.
Playing chess is also very enjoyable. But it is much more difficult. It can even quickly become difficult and give headaches when you try to anticipate your opponent’s strategy while planning two or three moves in advance, the way you hope to checkmate him!
Why compare checkers and chess?
Because Logan Mailloux, Monday evening, at the Bell Centre, as part of his first preparatory match played in the Canadian uniform, was “content” to play checkers once morest the New Jersey Devils.
He drove in a straight line. He took chances. Sometimes too much. Over the course of his 19 appearances totaling 21 minutes of usage time, he was visible in several phases of the game, but not always for the right reasons.
No question of throwing rocks at him. Even less to call into question his chances of not only finding, one day, a place within the Habs’ defensive brigade and of having a beautiful and perhaps even a brilliant career.
Because Mailloux has undeniable talent. He demonstrated this by controlling the puck at the enemy blue line and firing six shots towards the Devils cage, two of which were blocked by goaltender Akira Schmid.
Mailloux also has the physique for the job. A physicality which he used to deliver three hits including a solid one at the expense of Tyler Toffoli who found himself on his back in the Canadian’s territory.
Not to mention he’s only 20 years old and has yet to play a real game in the National League.
Mailloux will, however, have to learn to better anticipate the opponent’s moves. Like in chess. And it’s not me who says it, but head coach Martin St-Louis.
“In the junior ranks, guys play checkers. In the National League, they must learn to play chess. They must learn to read the game. To analyze what is happening in front of them. It’s harder. But in the National League, the game of failure is more important than the game of checkers”, which St-Louis explained when talking regarding Mailloux’s game.
Examples :
In the second period, during a massive Devils attack, Mailloux had the nasty idea of trying to chase Jack Hughes who had the puck. Excellent round handler, Hughes lost Mailloux in time to say it and Josh Anderson, placed in an unfortunate position by the carelessness of his young teammate, was bypassed like a cone allowing Hughes to offer a goal to the excellent young Dawson Mercer.
Mailloux was still on the ice for the Devils’ 4th goal. Another goal scored on the power play.
Mailloux also allowed himself a bit of a daring and a couple of risky outings in front of the cage defended by Samuel Montembeault. He sought to complete long passes out of the zone. Bombs that remained wet firecrackers.
And if he solidly reached Tyler Toffoli with the shoulder, we saw him very often looking for checks that did not present themselves.
“My goal remains to carve out a place for myself in the defensive squad and I will achieve this by relying on the way of playing that has allowed me to have success so far. I have to be offensive. I also have to be physical. It’s clear that I will also have to better manage the opportunities that arise during the match. Learn to simply contain opponents. Because a guy like Jack Hughes can easily make you look bad on the ice. I will have to manage risks better in order to come out a winner. This is even more true at this caliber when everything goes very quickly and the players make much fewer mistakes,” analyzed Mailloux, whose comments were tinged with a mixture of repentance and obvious confidence in self.
Better placed than anyone to analyze the work of Logan Mailloux and the other members of the very young defense sent onto the ice by the staff – Jordan Harris was the oldest at 23 and the most experienced with his 65 games played in the NHL – Samuel Montembeault had only good words for his young guards: Kaiden Guhle, David Reinbacher, Arber Xhekaj, Justin Barron, Jordan Harris and Logan Mailloux.
“We see that the talent is there,” underlined the Quebec goalkeeper who is not the type to apostrophize a teammate defender to make him realize the dangerous nature of the plays made around his goal.
“If the guys make mistakes, the coaches will be in a much better position than me to show them using video and make the necessary corrections,” Montembeault added.
Synchronism to be developed or regained
“That’s why we play preparatory matches,” Martin St-Louis mused following his team’s 4-2 loss.
And this truth stuck just as well to Logan Mailloux as to Juraj Slafkovsky, to Kaiden Guhle, to Arber Xhekaj. Three players whose first season with the Canadian last year was undermined by injuries. Three players who had not played for (too) a long time and who will need time before regaining all the synchronism required to play at the level they showed last year.
“I had big difficulties in the first half, but I recovered during the match. I need to regain confidence on the ice,” Juraj Slafkovsky admitted.
Roy: one goal; Reinbacher: lots of positives
In a match far from perfect once morest the Devils who will once once more be one of the forces in the metropolitan division this year, two young people impressed me:
Joshua Roy once once more demonstrated the quality of his scoring touch. From the enclave, during a massive attack which had not yielded anything good until then, he thwarted the tall, fat and very good young goalkeeper Akira Schmid with a precise shot.
The little guy has a compass in his eye. Really! And he doesn’t just wait for the fruits of his playing partners’ work. He gets involved too.
As for David Reinbacher, he played a match that lived up to his reputation. He made good decisions with the puck. He orchestrated effective raises. He was more in control in his way of playing than Logan Mailloux was for example.
Xhekaj hit several opponents along the boards, much to the delight of the fans. He was the victim of three turnovers – as judged by minor officials – but I noticed more good plays with the puck than bad ones.
Jordan Harris skated a lot to the left of Mailloux. Sometimes too much.
Justin Barron? I find that he multiplies the presences without offering conviction in his game. Am I being too harsh?
I don’t think I’m being too harsh in saying that as of Monday evening, Sean Farrell is far from having offered a start to quality hockey. It’s regarding time. Because since the start of the camp, he has been far behind the others.
Positive to finish:
Far from believing in his chances of one day becoming a regular player with the Canadian, Jesse Ylonen was involved in Monday’s match. We’ve seen it a lot and most of the time for the right reasons.
This must be emphasized.
Owen Beck knows how to play hockey and displays a great understanding of the game on the ice. In addition, he won 10 of the 17 faceoffs he played on Monday. Necessary qualities for this center who might one day be responsible for a more defensive trio.
In front of the net, Jakub Dobes offered a solid performance in the second half of the match. He was pushed too far out of his net a few times and allowed himself to go very far to challenge shots, which might play tricks on him at some point, but he made some very good saves.
Just like Montembeault who, apart from an ugly goal awarded following a capricious rebound of a puck cleared by Simon Nemec along the boards, stood in front of the net like a goalie who is keen to obtain the number position A.
Speaking of Nemec, he will quickly become a pillar on the Devils blue line. It is obvious!
It’s Tuesday off for all Canadiens players.
Back on Wednesday evening at the Bell Centre, when the Senators will make a stop there. Hoping that the “Sens” will have a club capable of providing the level of opposition necessary to carry out meaningful analyzes of the work of the Habs players.
It’s even!
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#Chronicle #François #Gagnon #Logan #Mailloux #checkers #chess #Canadians
