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His father is a household physician who wasn’t actually into hockey, however advised him to work arduous, be a very good teammate, be a very good particular person and have enjoyable.
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Sportsnet’s Mark Spector wrote a extremely good column this week on former Canadiens defenceman Brett Kulak, who’s having a powerful season with the Edmonton Oilers.
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Below the headline “How Brett Kulak’s upbringing turned him into an sincere defenceman” Spector wrote about how Kulak grew up on a farm in Stony Plain, Alta., and would flip a tractor tire throughout the yard as a younger boy to assist construct power.
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Kulak by no means had the posh of a private coach, a expertise coach or a dietician as a child and he didn’t go to any hockey faculties. As an alternative, he would tie a rope round his waist with a truck tire on the opposite finish and run the size of the farm’s driveway.
Spector wrote Kulak’s father, Gil, labored for 17 years as a mechanic at Spruce Grove Pontiac and likewise took care of the household’s 1,400-acre farm. Spector famous Kulak discovered about work ethic from his father and the best way to be comfortable daily from his mom, Laura.
Kulak has 5-4-9 totals in 26 video games this season with the Oilers and a plus-2 differential whereas averaging 19:13 of ice time per recreation.
Canadiens GM Kent Hughes traded Kulak to the Oilers on the NHL commerce deadline in 2022 in trade for defenceman William Lagesson, a second-round choose on the 2022 NHL Draft and a seventh-round choose in 2024. The Canadiens used the second-round choose to pick defenceman Lane Hutson, who has 17 assists in 26 video games this season as a rookie.
Spector began his column on Kulak by telling the story about his sports activities writing mentor, Ray Turchansky, who taught him amongst many issues the best way to personalize an interview infrequently by asking a participant what his mother or dad did for a residing. By taking that recommendation, Spector discovered how Bobby Dollas’s dad was a Montreal furrier, Wayne Gretzky’s father labored for Bell Canada as an installer and repairman, Kevin Lowe’s father labored on the family-owned dairy in Lachute and Paul Coffey’s father delivered bread for Christie’s in Toronto.
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After studying Spector’s column on Kulak, I made a decision to borrow the recommendation he obtained from the mentor he referred to as “Turk.”
After the Canadiens practised on the CN Sports activities Complicated in Brossard on Wednesday, Kaiden Guhle was sitting by himself within the locker room taking off his skates. Appeared like the right alternative to ask about his father.
“My dad (Mark) was by no means a extremely huge hockey man,” Guhle stated. “He all the time favored sports activities. He favored basketball and he performed high-school basketball rising up, however he was by no means actually a giant hockey man. He didn’t actually know an entire lot about hockey, which I feel type of helped me in a manner. He was by no means a type of dads that was tremendous concerned within the recreation. It was all the time simply work arduous and have enjoyable.
“My mother (Carrianne), too, didn’t actually know a lot about hockey,” Guhle added. “Watching me and my brother (Brendan) taking part in rising up they know extra now, however they might by no means get mad if I didn’t rating or put up factors or something like that. They only wished me to work arduous, be a very good teammate, be a very good particular person and have enjoyable. Sort of the motto I’ve passed by and the recommendation I’ve passed by my entire life and in my profession. Work arduous and have enjoyable.”
The apple hasn’t fallen removed from the tree with Guhle.
Guhle’s father is a household physician.
“He loves his job,” Guhle stated. “Clearly, it’s a variety of work and a variety of hours on the workplace. He used to work in a hospital, too, once I was youthful. He was on the hospital doing emergency rather a lot, so there have been a variety of instances once I didn’t actually get to see him a lot. It was powerful, clearly, for me and my brother, however he was doing his job, working arduous and doing one thing he loves.
“I feel the largest factor that I discovered from him is do one thing you’re keen on, discover one thing you’re keen on,” Guhle added. “He all the time says it to me. You ask him how he does it with time away from his household and time away from us, and he says he simply loves it. It’s not even work for him. It’s simply one thing that he likes to do. He loves studying issues in regards to the physique and doing analysis. It’s one thing I’m not likely into, nevertheless it’s one thing that I discovered from him. He’s all the time had one thing that he likes to do and he works arduous at it.”
What’s Guhle’s favorite hockey reminiscence along with his dad?
“Let me suppose …,” he stated. “There’s a variety of them. He was all the time the man driving us to the rink early within the morning. My mother did, too. However he was all the time up early for work anyhow. I bear in mind him waking me up when it’s minus-40 outdoors at 6 a.m. and driving me.”
Shifting ahead, I’ll attempt to share extra tales in regards to the mother and father of Canadiens gamers in Stu’s Slapshots.
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Highway to the Cup
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Matheson his personal greatest critic
Canadiens defenceman Mike Matheson was minus-4 in final Sunday’s 6-3 loss to the Boston Bruins.
After the sport, Matheson advised the media in Boston it was “undoubtedly one of many worst video games I’ve performed.”
The 30-year-old with 10 years of NHL expertise added: “It’s not (an issue) with focus. It’s actually irritating proper now, however I do know that’s not the actual me. All I can management is being prepared for Tuesday.”
Matheson bounced again in Tuesday’s 2-1 win over the New York Islanders on the Bell Centre, choosing up an help and posting a plus-1 whereas logging 25:19 of ice time. He was even higher in Thursday’s 3-0 win over the Nashville Predators on the Bell Centre, logging 28:17 of ice time — together with 8:52 short-handed — together with one other plus-1.
In 24 video games this season, Matheson has 2-13-15 totals and is minus-8 whereas averaging a team-high 24:14 of ice time.
One of many issues head coach Martin St. Louis likes most about Matheson is his honesty in relation to evaluating his personal play, including it’s one thing youthful gamers can be taught from the veteran.
“It’s essential and it’s harder while you’re younger as a result of they don’t have the angle,” St. Louis stated. “I feel the older you get the much less it’s about you. I feel you perceive that the older you get.”
St. Louis stated having youngsters helped him notice that in his personal taking part in profession. St. Louis had youngsters fairly early in his Corridor of Fame profession and his three boys have been 12, 10 and seven when he hung up his skates
“For me, having children makes you consider life a bit of completely different,” St. Louis stated. “Every time I’d undergo a troublesome time I’d all the time ask myself: How would I need my children to deal with that? And often it steered me in a course. I wasn’t the identical human at 28, 30 that I used to be at 20, 21. It comes with maturation, for certain. Some individuals get there earlier and generally you’re influenced by the surroundings that you just’re in as properly and I feel we’re making an attempt to do this.”
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Father determine
Matheson’s spouse, Emily, gave delivery to their second little one in Might — a woman named Mila Rose. Their son, Hudson, is 3.
Matheson agrees with St. Louis changing into a father helped him deal higher with the ups and downs of being an NHL participant via the lengthy 82-game season.
“Undoubtedly,” Matheson stated. “It simply forces you to reset and concentrate on one thing else for some time. On the finish of the day, if I performed horribly or performed the very best recreation of my life, my children don’t care. They only want me to be the very best dad I may be once I get house. I feel that helps rather a lot.
“To not say that I had children to assist my hockey profession,” Matheson added with a chuckle. “However it’s undoubtedly particular no matter what occurred at work to have the ability to come house and be with my household.”
Matheson, who grew up on Montreal’s West Island and performed midget Triple-A hockey for the Lac St. Louis Lions, stated he has by no means had an issue admitting when he had a foul recreation.
“I feel it’s extra simply with the ability to admit that and never have it type of damage your confidence and type of snowball,” he stated. “I feel that’s a really tough factor to do this I’m nonetheless making an attempt to get higher at. However I really feel like simply being round for a bit of longer and extra mature perhaps has allowed me to accomplish it a bit of sooner.”
It’s a lesson Matheson is now making an attempt to cross on to the Canadiens’ youthful defencemen, together with the 20-year-old Hutson.
“I feel while you’re in the midst of the season there’s so many highs and lows,” Matheson stated. “I feel for him it’s rather a lot about reinforcing simply the issues that he may suppose are unimportant or go unnoticed. For me, I’ve simply been making an attempt to actually reinforce these. That these are the issues that may make you progress into a extremely, actually good defenceman for a very long time.”
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Hutson promoted to No. 1 PP unit
Matheson has now misplaced his spot on the Canadiens’ No. 1 power-play unit to Hutson, however the veteran isn’t complaining.
“For me, I’m right here to do the very best I can in no matter function I’m doing,” Matheson stated. “That’s what I’ll proceed to do.
“It’s the success of the staff that’s an important factor,” he added.
St. Louis stated he wasn’t penalizing Matheson by taking him off the primary power-play unit, including as a coach “you’re taking selections generally that assist the group.”
“For certain Matty is a competitior,” St. Louis added. “He’ll proceed to play the sport he’s able to taking part in.”
The Canadiens’ power-play and penalty-killing models are each doing properly this season.
By limiting Matheson’s time on the PP, St. Louis has been ready to make use of him extra on the PK, as was the case within the win over Nashville. The Canadiens went 1-for-3 on the facility play towards the Predators with Hutson choosing up an help on Patrik Laine’s second objective in two video games since coming back from a knee damage, whereas the penalty-killers have been an ideal 5-for-5 with Matheson logging large minutes.
After the sport, the Canadiens ranked 14th within the NHL on the facility play with a 22-per-cent success fee and ranked third in penalty-killing at 83.5 per cent.
The Canadiens No. 1 power-play unit now has Laine, Hutson, Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky and Cole Caufield. I requested St. Louis after Thursday’s win over the Predators if that’s the No. 1 unit he anticipated to have at first of the season if Laine hadn’t injured his knee throughout a pre-season recreation.
“No,” St. Louis stated. “I didn’t have my thoughts arrange earlier than the season. I wished to see. I didn’t know if Lane was able to play within the NHL. You simply don’t need a power-play specialist. He confirmed us that he can play on five-on-five and might defend and may also help the staff. You get steered in a course and I feel it helps while you handle different stuff.”
Whereas Hutson remains to be searching for his first NHL objective after 28 video games — together with two on the finish of final season — his 19 assists give him essentially the most factors in Canadiens historical past for a defenceman in his first 28 video games. Hutson is one forward of Tom Kurvers and three forward of Chris Chelios, in keeping with TSN’s StatsCentre.
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Laine and Lane
Laine has solely performed two video games with the Canadiens since recovering from his knee damage, however he has scored two objectives — each on the facility play. Hutson assisted on each objectives.
After I requested Laine after Thursday’s recreation what he likes most about Hutson on the facility play, he stated: “Every part.”
Laine added: “Simply the shiftiest man I feel I’ve seen. He jogs my memory of a smaller (Cale) Makar (of the Colorado Avalanche) type of what he does. It’s simply so arduous to learn what he’s going to do. I’ve no clue half the time what he’s going to do, so no probability the PK’s going to know. General, he’s such a very good participant. It’s a pleasure to look at him and being on the ice with him on the identical time. Simply an unbelievable participant.”
Laine has an unbelievable shot — and he confirmed it with each power-play objectives he scored. Laine stated he grew up watching the Washington Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin shoot the pucks and labored on his personal shot on a regular basis again house in Finland.
“Summer time, winter, doesn’t matter, I used to be consistently taking pictures pucks over there,” Laine stated. “Nothing else to do. I didn’t actually do anything apart from shoot pucks. Now it’s enjoyable because you’re type of amassing from again within the days, so it’s been paying off.
“I’ve all the time been watching Ovi rising up and simply engaged on it,” Laine added. “By no means had a taking pictures coach or something. Simply watching YouTube and firing tens of millions of photographs again within the day. Even after a protracted break (not taking part in a recreation in nearly a full 12 months) it looks as if it appears to search out the again of the web, in order that’s a very good signal.”
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Residence, candy house
Saturday’s recreation towards the Washington Capitals (7 p.m., CITY, SNE, TVA Sports activities) would be the third of 5 straight on the Bell Centre for the Canadiens, who’ve received the primary two.
Towards the Capitals, the Canadiens can be trying to win three straight video games for the primary time this season. They solely completed that when final season, successful three straight in late March.
As traditional, the Canadiens will play six straight street video games over the vacation interval because the Cirque du Soleil’s OVO present takes over the Bell Centre from Dec. 27-Jan. 5.
“I feel the extra you learn into that stuff … I imply it’s out of your management,” Matheson stated in regards to the annual vacation street journey that may embrace a three-day Christmas break at house from Dec. 24-26 after taking part in in Columbus on Dec. 23. “When you let it hassle you, it’s going to hassle you. You may undoubtedly consider the truth that you’d fairly be nearer to household and youngsters via the vacations, or you’ll be able to simply reap the benefits of the three days that we get off and get again to work.”
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No 4 Nations Face-Off for Suzuki, Caufield
The very fact Suzuki and Caufield weren’t picked to play for Workforce Canada and Workforce USA, respectively, on the 4 Nations Face-Off event — slated for Feb. 12-20 in Montreal and Boston — may find yourself being a very good factor for the Canadiens.
Suzuki has by no means missed a recreation throughout his six seasons within the NHL. With 399 video games, he ranks third amongst lively NHL gamers in consecutive video games performed behind Carolina Hurricanes defenceman Brent Burns (869) and St. Louis Blues defenceman Ryan Suter (480).
The Canadiens could have performed 56 video games earlier than the NHL season takes a pause for the 4 Nations Face-Off and the 13 days off between video games can be a pleasant break for Suzuki, regardless that he’s disillusioned to not be on Workforce Canada. The identical factor applies for Caufield.
TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger believes Suzuki’s choice to show down a proposal to play for Workforce Canada at this 12 months’s IIHF World Championship may need factored into him not being named to the 4 Nations Face-Off staff. As an alternative of taking part in on the world championship Suzuki went to a resort within the Dominican Republic, the place he acquired engaged to longtime girlfriend Caitlin Fitzgerald.
Dreger advised Montreal’s TSN 690 Radio that Hockey Canada made a couple of dozen calls to gamers who weren’t named to the 4 Nations Face-Off staff to elucidate why they didn’t make it.
“I don’t know that Suzuki acquired that decision,” Dreger stated. “I feel that if Nick Suzuki had performed perhaps the primary 15 video games of the common season the way in which he’s performed the final 8-10, perhaps we’re not having this dialog.
“I’ll say this,” Dreger added. “I don’t suppose it will have been an enormous, large issue. I feel Hockey Canada has been disillusioned prior to now as a result of Nick, sadly, has had life issues which have impacted his choice to say no the invite by Hockey Canada and Workforce Canada to take part within the males’s worlds. So, did that consider a staff like this?”
Canadiens goalie Sam Montembeault additionally turned down a proposal to play for Workforce Canada at this 12 months’s world championship. Nonetheless, he did go the 12 months earlier than and helped Canada win a gold medal by posting a 1.42 goals-against and a .939 save share for the event. Montembeault was named to Workforce Canada for the 4 Nations Face-Off.
“I can inform you that the historical past of Hockey Canada was on the listing of standards,” Dreger advised TSN 690. “It wouldn’t have been anyplace close to the highest. Play your manner onto the roster … you’ll be able to play your manner out of the dialog as properly. However historical past with Hockey Canada issues and I feel Sam Montembeault is Exhibit A in that regard. They’ve acquired two Stanley Cup champions in (Adin) Hill and in Jordan Binnington representing the goaltending core and Sam Montembeault is added to the combination and I feel it was due to the work that he did in serving to Canada win on the males’s worlds. I feel that’s a little bit of a reward and a message to all those who when Canada calls you higher have an actual good cause to say no.”
Craig Button, TSN’s Director of Scouting, is upset Suzuki didn’t make Workforce Canada.
“Actually? You’re choosing Seth Jarvis over Nick Suzuki,” Button stated on The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro. “There’s not an individual on this planet that’s going to persuade me that that could be a selection that ought to have been made. There’s no manner in my world view and if I view each these gamers — and Seth is an effective participant. He’s not a greater participant than Nick Suzuki.”
Jarvis, who has 8-9-17 totals in 19 video games with the Carolina Hurricanes this season, was named to Workforce Canada.
Suzuki leads the Canadiens in scoring with 10-17-27 totals in 26 video games.
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Good necklace
Canadiens defenceman Arber Xhekaj is carrying a brand new gold chain round his neck with a double-headed eagle medallion. It’s symbolic of the flag of Kosovo, the place his father, Jack, is from. The household title is engraved on the again of the medallion.
“I had a jeweller make it for me,” Xhekaj stated. “It’s fairly cool.”
Xhekaj scored a objective in a 4-3 loss to the Washington Capitals final season on Feb. 17 on the Bell Centre, which was additionally Kosovo Independence Day.
“My dad often by no means calls me earlier than the video games. He’s all the time at work,” Xhekaj stated after that recreation about his father, who’s a welder for Nationwide Metal Automobile in Hamilton, constructing trains. “However on the weekend (it was a Saturday night time recreation), that is the primary time he referred to as me. He stated: ‘Get one for me and get one for the Kosovo Independence Day.’
“He wished me to place up the (Kosovo) eagle (signal) for the followers, however I couldn’t with the glove on,” Xhekaj added about his dialog along with his father earlier than the sport on what he ought to do if he scored.
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