“Just be more confident than I was and just trust yourself,” is Juraj Slafkovsky’s best advice to defenceman David Reinbacher.
During this Canadiens rebuilding process, it can be easy for fans to sometimes forget just how young some of the team’s top prospects are.
It can also be hard to understand the pressure young players are under in the bright Montreal hockey spotlight.
One Canadiens fan, Patricia Néron, was so upset at the vitriol directed at Reinbacher that she took to Twitter (now X) asking fans to share some positive messages for the defenceman. Néron received more than 200 comments within 24 hours, put those messages in a scrapbook and presented it to Reinbacher at last year’s development camp.
After Tuesday’s morning skate in Brossard, I asked Slafkovsky what’s the best advice he could give Reinbacher.
“I would say be confident because I don’t think I was confident enough when I came here,” the 20-year-old Slafkovsky said. “It wasn’t good. Just be more confident than I was and just trust yourself. Make those plays you did on the European ice even though it’s smaller here.
“He’s a good player already,” Slafkovsky added, “Just be confident and play your game.”
What’s his best advice for Reinbacher?
“I would tell him to focus on himself and not compare himself to anybody,” St. Louis said after Tuesday’s game. “Comparison is a thief of joy.”
“For me, it’s just to keep working on himself,” St. Louis added about Reinbacher. “I’m sure he probably wants to play in the NHL as fast as he can, but there’s a process to get there and everybody gets there at their own pace and I think we’ve done a pretty good job with some of these young guys and I’m confident that we’re going to execute the same thing with him.”
While Reinbacher had a rude welcome into Montreal’s hockey spotlight last year, he has learned how to handle the outside noise.
“Easy,” he said about tuning out social media. “Not looking into it. Just delete all those apps. … Just try to focus on my day, what I can influence.”
Smart move.
“I went there and I had a slow start,” said Mailloux, who ended up with 14-33-47 totals in 72 games with the Rocket. “But I was being put in all situations, playing a ton of minutes and playing some tough hockey down there. We had ups and downs as a team and me, personally. I think it kind of helped me learn to go through a whole pro season, day in, day out.”
Mailloux made his NHL debut in the Canadiens’ final game last season and has a very good chance of making the team this year. Reinbacher is probably headed to Laval.
That’s the smart move.
“It’s a process,” Reinbacher said. “I’m still 19. I’m turning 20 in October. So there’s still a lot of time. It’s just go in every day and get better and if it’s Laval, it’s Laval. (Canadiens management) have a plan and just try to focus on myself each and every day and not focusing on what’s tomorrow or if I make the team.”