The Canadiens will be using science to help them navigate a gruelling schedule that will see them play 41 games over the next 78 days.
Pierre Allard carries the lofty title of sports science and performance director, but he and colleague Patrick Delisle-Houde are more commonly referred to as the team’s strength coaches and they play an important role in making sure the players are physically prepared for the impending grind.
“They monitor our practices, how much energy we’re expending, how much we have left in the tank,” said winger Brendan Gallagher. “They have a pretty good baseline. They’ve been tracking us for a while. They understand how fresh we are and there’s pretty good communication between our strength coaches and our coaching staff to make sure our workload and recovery is weighted properly. It’s going to play an important role going down the stretch.”
Gallagher said he leaves the science to Allard and Delisle-Houde.
“There are a lot of numbers that are hard for us to understand,” said Gallagher. “They had to learn the system, but they’re able to put it in terms that make sense to us. If they see areas of concern where there needs to be more work or maybe take a little time off, maybe not stay on the ice so long after practice to conserve a little energy, they communicate that to us.”
Claude Julien, who has been involved as a player and coach for more than five decades, said the science is one more item in his tool box.
“If we don’t evolve with the game as coaches, we end up getting pushed out,” said Julien. “The schedule, especially this year, is a lot tougher and the game is even more demanding for players. As the game evolves, it becomes quicker. The conditioning for the guys today, compared to what (shape) we had to be in when we started, is different.”
Old friend and rivals: Gallagher and Tyler Toffoli have been linemates for a few games, but they have an on-ice relationship that goes back to their preteen years.
Gallagher grew up in British Columbia and Toffoli is from Toronto, but they often played with, and against, each other during the summer.
“Starting when I was 10, I’d come east and play in summer tournaments in Toronto and Montreal, and a couple of times in Boston,” recalled Gallagher, who was recruited to play for a team called the Montreal Ice Storm. “Toff and I played together sometimes, but mostly I played against him.”
Gallagher said Toffoli’s style hasn’t changed.
“Playing against him, he was the exact same way,” said Gallagher. “He didn’t really seem to be noticeable. He kind of just found the soft spot and, when he got the puck, it didn’t take long for it to end up in the back of the net. He’s always been a smart player who saw the game well. He was never the fastest guy, but he was probably the smartest guy on the ice. He just kind of understood the areas and where you needed to go to score goals, and he carried that forward.
“I remember watching him and hearing about him in the OHL. He did the exactly same thing, and then in the National Hockey League, he’s just always kind of been the same player he was, very dangerous with the puck and it doesn’t take him long to strike.”
The Kid reaches a milestone: It’s time to find Sid (Kid) Crosby a new nickname because he’s 33 years old and he will be playing in his 1,000th game Saturday. Crosby is 37th on the all-time NHL scoring list, with 1,276 points, and the only active players ahead of him are Joe Thornton, who is 14th with 1,517 points, and Alex Ovechkin, who is 35th with 1,292. Crosby is No. 2 among players who have played 1,000 games or less. Tops in that category is Crosby’s employer and one-time landlord, Mario Lemieux, who collected 1,723 points in only 915 games. Lemieux is eighth on the all-time list.
Money isn’t everything: Just ask Jack Eichel, who is earning US$10 million a year with the Buffalo Sabres. Last year, Eichel expressed his frustration over playing with a losing team and things haven’t changed in Buffalo, which hasn’t made a playoff appearance since 2011. The trade rumours are heating up.
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