Simon Gagné speaks out on the quality of the Canadiens' players and the team
Do you know what, we have to look back at the Habs' performance last summer to be fair with the analysis of the current roster.
First of all, we must not neglect the mental aspect of the human being behind the hockey player. In the case of the Montreal Canadiens, the fact that they lost the Stanley Cup final late in the summer due to the pandemic is causing serious damage.
The players had little time off to rest, both physically and mentally. The mourning was not concluded when training camp opened, a facet that Marc Bergevin explained during his media tour last week. The guys weren't sharp from the start and Dominique Ducharme wasn't able to bring them back.
Ducharme is a bit of a shrink, but it's not his full-time job, so he can't totally handle that side of things, the mental side. The players have a duty to find a way to correct the situation, but as I mentioned at the beginning of the game, it's human nature to have that mental shock after such a tough loss.
Simon Gagné knows exactly what he's talking about as he went through this same journey in the past and reported on it on 91.9 Sports.
"After losing the Cup final in 2010, it took me 20 games to perform well the following season!" - Gagné
So, starting tonight, the Habs should regain their mental toughness to turn the tide, right? Could we see more substance, confidence, concentration and bite?
To be continued, as the other guy would say!
