Looking back on it

LONDON, ON – The 2016 Rookie Tournament wrapped up for the Canadiens’ young guns on Sunday afternoon, which meant that it was time for coaches to evaluate the players and players to evaluate themselves.

PRIDE AND PRAISE: Following Sunday afternoon’s contest, the Canadiens’ director of player development, Martin Lapointe, reflected on the performance of several of the team’s up-and-coming prospects over the last three days of competition.

Several players, in particular, caught the eye of the two-time Stanley Cup champion, who served as the squad’s head coach in London, ON against the best and brightest youngsters the Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators had to offer.

With respect to Artturi Lehkonen, Lapointe appreciated his contributions on the ice and his overall attitude as well.

“He played well. He’s a guy who loves playing hockey. Every time we told him he’d be playing a game, he was very happy,” praised Lapointe, who featured the Finnish forward in all three games and watched him chip in with one goal and three points during that span. “He’s always on the puck. He has a good sense of the play, too. He’s a good passer, a good skater. He showed us that during all of the games.”

Mikhail Sergachev, meanwhile, certainly solidified his place in Lapointe’s memory with a remarkable effort on Sunday afternoon. In addition to throwing his weight around against the Senators and dishing out a monster highlight-reel hit, the Russian defenseman also was a catalyst on offense, serving up a pair of perfect feeds to Daniel Audette that both resulted in goals.

“He showed that he’s a strong skater and that he has excellent vision,” mentioned Lapointe, clearly impressed by what the 18-year-old rearguard brings to the table. “He made some really nice passes to Audette on those goals.”

A SATISFIED …

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