Pacioretty Has the Right Idea
Yesterday, Max Pacioretty raised some eyebrows by stating he would like to spend the entire season with the Hamilton Bulldogs rather than get another crack at the Montreal Canadiens. Pacioretty told RDS' Renaud Lavoie the following:
"Je veux jouer toute la saison à Hamilton. L’an dernier, ce fut ma pire saison. Rien ne fonctionnait. Cette année, l’entraîneur fait tout pour m’aider"
Translated, this is what Pacioretty had to say:
"I want to play the entire season in Hamilton. Last year was my worst season. Nothing was working. This year, the coach (Randy Cunneyworth) is doing everything he can to help me."
The reason a lot of people took particular notice of these comments is because traditionally, prospects are supposed to have the attitude of they want a shot with the big club, to prove they belong, that they're ready as soon as they put their team's jersey on at the NHL Draft. It isn't realistic but it's the attitude fans like to see, full of confidence and bravado. It's rare for a player to realistically and honestly assess where they are in their development, or at least admit it publicly.
Pacioretty has the right idea. During his first stint with the Habs, it was abundantly clear he was unprepared for the speed and intensity of the pro game. His ineffectiveness relegated him to limited minutes on the fourth line and sometimes spending games in the press box. Two things that do nothing but slowed the development of the former first round pick and left his confidence in shambles.
I don't necessarily blame the coaching staff for not allowing Pacioretty to work through his mistakes. In a town like Montreal, there's a constant pressure to compete for a championship and win every year. A re-building process is a blasphemous idea. Coaches aren't afforded a long enough leash to see a re-building process through, as evidenced by the revolving door of coaches over the last several years.
By being a key component of the Bulldogs, Pacioretty gets to play big minutes and not worry about mistakes affecting his ice time. The Bulldogs coaching staff understands the importance of developing players rather than winning at all costs. If Pacioretty feels like a full season in the minors will be best for his development and confidence, who are we to argue? For that matter, who is the organization to argue? Their track record of developing prospects isn't sparkling with success. Guillaume Latendresse completely bypassed Hamilton, and the results spoke for themselves. Carey Price would have been well-served by spending more time in Hamilton, as should have Ryan O'Byrne. Thankfully, Price seems to be weathering the storm of his up-and-down development but hope appears to be lost for O'Byrne.
The organization finally got it right last season by allowing P.K. Subban to spend an entire season under the tutelage of Guy Boucher and the decision paid dividends in the playoffs and so far this season.
I find it refreshing to see a prospect with the perspective Max Pacioretty has. A lot of players are ruined by their egos and Pacioretty has shown a humility and self-awareness that will in the end, make him a better player and the impact power forward the Canadiens envision him to be.
"Je veux jouer toute la saison à Hamilton. L’an dernier, ce fut ma pire saison. Rien ne fonctionnait. Cette année, l’entraîneur fait tout pour m’aider"
Translated, this is what Pacioretty had to say:
"I want to play the entire season in Hamilton. Last year was my worst season. Nothing was working. This year, the coach (Randy Cunneyworth) is doing everything he can to help me."
The reason a lot of people took particular notice of these comments is because traditionally, prospects are supposed to have the attitude of they want a shot with the big club, to prove they belong, that they're ready as soon as they put their team's jersey on at the NHL Draft. It isn't realistic but it's the attitude fans like to see, full of confidence and bravado. It's rare for a player to realistically and honestly assess where they are in their development, or at least admit it publicly.
Pacioretty has the right idea. During his first stint with the Habs, it was abundantly clear he was unprepared for the speed and intensity of the pro game. His ineffectiveness relegated him to limited minutes on the fourth line and sometimes spending games in the press box. Two things that do nothing but slowed the development of the former first round pick and left his confidence in shambles.
I don't necessarily blame the coaching staff for not allowing Pacioretty to work through his mistakes. In a town like Montreal, there's a constant pressure to compete for a championship and win every year. A re-building process is a blasphemous idea. Coaches aren't afforded a long enough leash to see a re-building process through, as evidenced by the revolving door of coaches over the last several years.
By being a key component of the Bulldogs, Pacioretty gets to play big minutes and not worry about mistakes affecting his ice time. The Bulldogs coaching staff understands the importance of developing players rather than winning at all costs. If Pacioretty feels like a full season in the minors will be best for his development and confidence, who are we to argue? For that matter, who is the organization to argue? Their track record of developing prospects isn't sparkling with success. Guillaume Latendresse completely bypassed Hamilton, and the results spoke for themselves. Carey Price would have been well-served by spending more time in Hamilton, as should have Ryan O'Byrne. Thankfully, Price seems to be weathering the storm of his up-and-down development but hope appears to be lost for O'Byrne.
The organization finally got it right last season by allowing P.K. Subban to spend an entire season under the tutelage of Guy Boucher and the decision paid dividends in the playoffs and so far this season.
I find it refreshing to see a prospect with the perspective Max Pacioretty has. A lot of players are ruined by their egos and Pacioretty has shown a humility and self-awareness that will in the end, make him a better player and the impact power forward the Canadiens envision him to be.
Will Martinez runs the 'Hey, My Name is Will' blog and is a contributor for TheFranchise.ca. You can follow Will on Twitter @heymynameiswill
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