End-of-season media availability: The players

BROSSARD - The Canadiens held their end-of-season media availability via Zoom at the Bell Sports Complex.

Sixteen players reflected on a special year that culminated in the club's first appearance in the Stanley Cup Final since 1993.
Here are a few highlights from their respective chats:
Eric Staal on his immediate future and his experience in Montreal:
The future right now is to get home, be a dad and a husband. It's been a half a year, a little over half a year of being away from them. I've never done that ever. It's exciting to be able to be home with them and decompress a little. There are some decisions that we'll have to make as a family moving forward. It's not just about what I want, it's about what makes sense for us as a family with my wife and boys. We'll see. But, my overall experience, this run, this playoffs was special. It meant a lot to me. It was a treat to be able to come to the arena every day and don the Habs colors and play with these guys. It was very, very special to me. These memories I'll hold forever, and my family will as well. We'll see what lies ahead, but definitely a time that I'll cherish in my career. No question.

Staal on his impressions of Nick Suzuki:
Nick's a tremendous player. He grew a ton over the end of the year, and especially in this playoff run. The biggest thing for me was watching how he's prepared, how he shows up, and his day-to-day habits. That's huge. In order to be successful and have a long career, you need to put in the work to make sure that you're prepared every single day, and he does that. Obviously, it showed with his play throughout the playoff run and the season. There are bright days ahead for Nick. It was a treat to get to know him. He's a good kid. He's got a good head on his shoulders. I'm excited to watch him continue to develop and grow as he moves on in his career.
Cayden Primeau on being prepared to play in the NHL on a full-time basis:
I've felt ready for a while. This year, especially, I had a great start, a great year, and then when I got called up, I didn't play right away. That kind of got to me mentally. Just being able to learn from this year, I'm in such a better place, I'm such a better goalie, such a better hockey player from this year than I was when I started this year. Everything that happened this year was great and I'm happy that it happened, to be honest, so I was able to gain that experience.

Primeau on lessons learned from goaltender Carey Price during the 2020-21 campaign:
Carey, during the year, not many people get to see it, but behind the scenes he's such a hard worker. He's the first one at the rink, last one to leave. He's always putting in time to perfect and improve his craft. When we got to the playoffs, he went beast mode and it was something else. He was super dialed in, even more so than in the regular season. I didn't think that was possible. Just being around Carey and Jake during this time was huge as well. The experience is definitely super helpful.
Corey Perry on his time in Montreal:
I really enjoyed my time here. This was a really close group and you saw that coming in, day one into camp, how close the guys are on the team, the culture around here, with the leadership group and the young kids coming up. There's definitely a bright future here in Montreal, and hopefully I'm part of that.

Perry on Cole Caufield's ability to handle the NHL after coming on board late in the year:
He's going to be a tremendous player in this League for a long time. He's going to score a lot of goals. You can just see the way he carries himself. For being 20 years old, to come in, step right in and take on a roll right away, it's not easy to do in this League. He came in, and you know what to expect getting thrown into a situation like that, but he took off. He's going to have a bright future ahead of him.
Jake Allen on his Canadiens experience, both on and off the ice:
It was a different year, it wasn't a normal NHL season, but that's just the way it is. You can just feel the passion in the city. Obviously, it helps when you go on a Stanley Cup run like we did, but just in general, being around the buzz, I know what it's like. I played here a lot, I played Junior here, I was here watching games and the Canadiens up in the nosebleeds watching Carey. Just the passion that the city has for the game, win, lose or draw, it's just unbeatable. We felt that from afar this year and we're really hoping to have it up close and personal next year. It was great this year, but to be able to have a full building at the Bell Centre on a Saturday night, you really can't beat it. That's what I'm looking forward to.

Allen on the upcoming Expansion Draft involving the Seattle Kraken:
We haven't dived into any of that yet. This is very fresh. But, I'm also a realist in every situation of life and I understand what's at stake. I signed here to play with the Montreal Canadiens, and that's where I am right now. Unless something changes, that's my number one objective. We'll cross that bridge when it comes, but I understand that this is not a normal year. Decisions have to be made and we'll see what happens. I expect to play for the Montreal Canadiens and that's why I signed my two-year extension. I also understand there's a business side to it. Things happen in this business that are out of your control and we'll see where it goes.
Jeff Petry on the incredible sacrifice of captain Shea Weber in the postseason:
He's a great leader. He's a huge part of our team. We see every day what he does. At the end of the season, he got hurt, and it was killing him not to be able to practice with us, be out there with us. Then for him to come back and start the playoffs, and knowing that he was playing hurt, he literally every day lays it on the line. Being so close, I think you look at the reactions after the game, everybody going up to him, it would have meant a lot, not only for everyone to win for the guy next to him, but I think for him, it would have been even more special because you see what he does every day. Words can't describe that.

Petry on his injury in the playoffs:
I had to tape my fingers together, so it was harder to grip the stick. Especially when I first came back in Vegas, I guess it was kind of an adjustment just trying to figure out what worked, what didn't work. I couldn't really use my free hand to push off much. I'm hoping that we avoided surgery, but we'll have a follow-up appointment and just make sure everything is healing properly.
Phillip Danault on being a Quebec-born player representing the Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Final:
It was a very special year. Being from here and representing the team in the Final was the cherry on top. Beating Vegas on Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day was exceptional. It was memorable. Obviously, we would've liked to bring the Cup home. I'm really proud of all the guys and the roles that everyone played. As a Quebecer, I was extremely honored to have played in the Final.

Danault on sporting Canadiens colors and his future:
I love Montreal. I'll always have the CH on my heart. We're very open right now. I haven't had the time to really disconnect from the Stanley Cup Final after the loss. I'm living in the moment. I'm not really thinking about the future. I think the way I played in the playoffs will help me with my contract negotiations. I confirmed the kind of player I am. I showcased my mental strength. Those are things I can add to my resume. I'm very proud of what we accomplished, even though we didn't win the Cup.
Tyler Toffoli on Danault's value to the group:
Phil's great. You see what he brings on the ice. He competes, he works every single night, he brings the same game every single night. But, the things you guys don't see is that he's a great teammate, just a really good guy, funny, and he's always in a good mood. Honestly, just kind of like the whole group we have, everybody fits in well.

Toffoli on the immediate future for the Habs:
We have a really good group. We got the taste and the hunger to come back and do better. That's going to be in the back of our minds going into the short summer. We've got to start working right away and start getting prepared.
Josh Anderson on the development of Suzuki and Jesperi Kotkaniemi:
They're still pretty young players and they've got a lot of learning to do, but they're both taking steps in the right direction. You see the hockey sense on Suzy, the progress he's made all season long and how dominant he can be in the playoffs, he's a very smart player. Along with KK, too, you don't realize how young of a guy he is, but he's pretty mature for his age. He's still got some growing to do, but once he gets stronger, he's going to be a stud in this League for a long time.

Anderson on building chemistry with his teammates during a difficult season:
It was a challenging year with all the COVID protocols. Usually, you get to do some team bonding before the year starts, especially when new guys come in, but you couldn't get that opportunity this year, so you would only see each other at the rink. Outside the rink you would be locked down pretty much. I think that was pretty challenging all year long. Most of us are looking forward to everything getting back to normal.
Paul Byron on the Canadiens earning the respect of other clubs because of their playoff run:
I think we did. I don't know how other teams see us. You know you're facing Carey in goal and it'll be tough to play against our defensemen. We're a team that gives everything we have. That's what we did in the bubble last year in the playoffs. The Penguins were scared to play against us. We had a very good team that could play against anyone. We've definitely earned even more respect because of our showing in the postseason. It also gives our group a lot of confidence. It will take a lot of work, but I'm confident we can repeat it.

Byron on earning his spot in the Habs' lineup:
When I'm on the ice and playing my style of game, I know I'm helping the team win. It's not always about goals and points. My playing style helps the team. That's my specialty. My pride and my speed are elements that help. That influences other guys. I know I can raise my game at key times. I have a lot of confidence in my game.
Joel Edmundson on general manager Marc Bergevin's passion for the group:
He's a guy that wears his heart on his sleeve. You've seen all those videos of his reactions after big overtime wins. As players, that kind of fuels us. It gets us excited. When you see your manager happy and excited for the team, good energy goes through the whole system. It was a great season, and honestly just to see his passion was awesome.

Edmundson on the future of fellow defenseman Alexander Romanov:
He's 20 years old. He has so much potential. He's an awesome kid. He loves hockey, loves coming to the rink every day. The sky's the limit for him. He's going to be a good player in this League for a long time. Young guys, they go in and out of the lineup here and there, especially with coming to an older team, but he had a great season, especially for his first time overseas. I'm looking forward to working with him over the next few years.
Jake Evans on the impact of former Laval Rocket head coach Joël Bouchard on his career:
He was so big for my development. He'll definitely be missed. He's one of those guys that sees things in his players and he pushes them to get to those spots in their career. I can't say enough about how much he helped me and I just wish him the best of luck. I wouldn't be where I am today without him.

Evans on growing with fellow youngsters in Montreal:
We've definitely got a close relationship. All of us, we push each other the right way and we have fun together. We know that we can be a special group and keep growing together. That's what we're planning to do, grow together, get better together and keep striving to take that next step and eventually win a Cup.
Caufield on being embraced by fans in his new hockey home:
The city has been nothing but unbelievable. This is only just the start. The fans, they deserve a winning team. We gave them a little taste of it this year. Our expectation is to be a winning team. To have the fans support us like they did this year, and giving them something to root for during this long pandemic, has been good for them and hopefully we can keep that going moving forward.

Caufield on his offseason training plan:
I think a little time off is going to be good and needed for me, but I kind of want to get back after it as soon as I can because the season is going to come around quick. It's a big year. There are a lot of things that I want to improve on and just try to improve myself every day. I don't want to take too much time off. It's been a crazy long year, but I'm hungry to get back to work.
Ben Chiarot on Bergevin constructing a close-knit squad:
He built this team. It's his team. He gets all the credit for bringing this group together in terms of seeing not only how important good players are, but how important having the right people in the room is. He brought in winners, guys who've won Stanley Cups, guys who have that experience. He brought in character. That's what pushed us through the playoffs, the character in the room and just how we gelled together. He was up for GM of the Year for a reason. He did an unbelievable job, and all the credit goes to him.

Chiarot on what impresses him most about Weber:
He's the leader of the team. He leads a group of men, and you don't find those kinds of individuals everywhere. It comes so naturally to him. That's why he's talked about as one of the best leaders in the League. It's well-deserved. He's a special guy.
Suzuki on his first encounter with Weber and the effect of the veteran blueliner's guidance on him:
The first day I got to the building, I met him in the dressing room. It was a pleasure to get to be on the same team as him. Playing with him has been amazing. I've learned a ton from him. He's a great captain and we're lucky to have him. Everyone learns from him every day.

Suzuki on finding chemistry with Caufield:
It's been a ton of fun getting to know him and getting to play with him. We have a lot of fun together outside of the rink, and even on the ice. It's been amazing to play with him. He's an unbelievable player. He makes every play in the book. He just got better as the games went on. I know next season he'll come in with a lot of confidence. If we're lined up together, it'll be a good season.
Joel Armia on showcasing his talent in the playoffs:
From a consistency standpoint, I feel like I'm pretty consistent on the penalty-kill and defensively, too. I feel like my role this year was more on the penalty-kill and playing more defensively. I feel like I'm pretty consistent there. The playoffs were fun. I love to play with Perry and Staal. It was awesome. I loved it.

Armia on the impact of Dominique Ducharme on his game:
Every year he's been here, he's done a great job coaching. I really like the style of play we created during the season. I feel like it really clicked in the playoffs. We were ready with all of our systems. All the guys really bought into the system and played for the team. That was great.
Kotkaniemi on his priorities to improve during the offseason:
A little bit of everything. I'm still a young guy. Especially for me, it's probably skating. Last summer, I took a big step forward, but there's still a lot of room to improve in that area. I think that's the biggest thing I'm going to focus on during the summer.

Kotkaniemi on his development over the last three years:
I think I'm a very different player than I used to be. I was maybe hoping to get back to being the player when I got drafted here, just finding the confidence and being solid out there every night. I'd like to find the recipe for that. If I work hard this summer, I'll be even stronger next year.