In it to win it

MONTREAL - Despite the talk, Alex Galchenyuk knew all along that he'd end up agreeing on a new contract with the Canadiens.

"It went pretty smooth," the 23-year-old told reporters via conference call from Miami on Thursday after signing a three-year contract a day prior. "There was no doubt in my mind, and I had total confidence that we'd agree on a new deal. I'm really happy about it."
By now a seasoned veteran, Galchenyuk - who became an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent on July 1 - was well aware of the importance of tuning out the chatter and concentrating on getting ready for the fall.
"Rumors are always going to be rumors. It's pretty hard to avoid them, with social media being so big at this time," continued the Habs' No. 27 regarding trade rumors that had been circulating online prior to his signing on the dotted line. "I tried to stay focused on training and just worry about the things I can control. I'm really happy we got the deal done right now."
It certainly didn't hurt that Galchenyuk would get to skate alongside the newly acquired Jonathan Drouin. He said he congratulated his new teammate as soon as he found out Drouin would be making the move back home to Montreal.
"To add a player with his skill set to the team, for me, as a player, you get excited," glowed Galchenyuk, who potted 17 goals and added 27 helpers last season before adding three assists in six playoff games against the Rangers. "Having the chance to play with a skilled forward like that is always a plus."

Although he already boasts 336 games of NHL experience himself, Galchenyuk is also looking forward to learning a few new tricks of the trade from another of his new teammates in Ales Hemsky.
"Hemsky has been in the League for a while now, and the skill set he brings… I've definitely watched some of his highlights throughout the years, and the set of hands he has, maybe I can learn something and bring it to my game," praised the Milwaukee, WI native, who also has 28 postseason games under his belt. "It's going to be great."
It also wouldn't be an Alex Galchenyuk media opportunity if the question of which position he would be playing - center or wing - didn't come up. The 6-foot-1, 210-pounder joked that he made it a sticking point in his negotiations.
"Actually, I put a clause in my contract that says that whenever I get asked this question, I can walk away from the scrum," cracked Galchenyuk with a laugh, adding that he was happy to avoid going to arbitration. "I don't mind playing center or wing. We have a great coach who will decide where to put me. I know what my skill set is and what I can bring to the table, but it won't be a big issue where I play.
"My main thing was to re-sign in Montreal as soon as possible," added Galchenyuk. "I love the team, I love the fans, I love the city. Playing in the Bell Centre in front of the fans in Montreal, that's what brings out my passion."
The Canadiens' first-round draft pick (3rd overall) from 2012 said that signing a three-year deal was the "right thing to do" for him. And with the ink now dry and the uncertainty behind him, Galchenyuk only has one thing left to focus on.
"I expect to win. I know I can bring a lot to the team. Everyone is putting a lot of pressure on ourselves after our disappointing first-round exit last season. We're all hungry and want to get to the top. I think everybody is working hard, and we want to prove a lot of people wrong," he concluded. "We have to find a way to win. There's no doubt we're going to bounce back stronger next year."