Deslauriers: Pride personified

BROSSARD - Claude Julien couldn't be happier with the way Nicolas Deslauriers has gone about his business since joining the Canadiens on a full-time basis back in mid-November.

The 26-year-old LaSalle native has impressed the veteran bench boss time and time again, doing solid work at both ends of the ice.
In Tuesday night's win over the Colorado Avalanche, Deslauriers made every ounce of his 13:18 of ice time count, registering his seventh goal of the season and dishing out seven hits, too.
Needless to say, Julien is a big fan of what December's Molson Cup winner brings to the table.
"He's playing with a lot of energy. He finishes his hits. I think he has good hands. He's solid with the puck on his stick. His confidence is probably at its highest right now. Wherever we put him, he meets expectations," praised Julien, following Wednesday's practice session at the Bell Sports Complex. "We're really happy with what he's bringing since he got here. He's giving us what we need."

At the heart of Deslauriers' success, according to Julien, is his relentlessness. Simply put, the five-year NHL veteran doesn't take one shift off.
"The most important thing about him is his work ethic. He forechecks and backchecks. He blocks shots. He goes to the net. He shoots when it's time to shoot. It's the fact that he competes that has made him the player he is now," explained Julien, on the former third-round selection of the Los Angeles Kings - 84th overall - in 2009. "He's feeling good and we're starting to see the real Nicolas Deslauriers."
Deslauriers credits his blue-collar style of play to some very important people in his life.
"It's a family thing. We always worked hard to have what we have. All of the credit goes to my parents. It's really about how I was raised," said Deslauriers. "Nothing is easy in life. You have to work hard for what you want."

Deslauriers has certainly done that over the course of his career, and it's paying off right now.
"I'm playing better and better each game. I'm trying not to change my style too much. I need to keep doing what I'm doing, going to the net and finishing my hits," mentioned Deslauriers, who has three goals in his last six games and currently leads the Canadiens with 120 hits in just 28 outings on the year. "Everything that's happening is just a bonus, but I know I need to keep it up."
Being given the chance to play on a line with Jonathan Drouin and Alex Galchenyuk has been a big help.
"I'm getting the puck a bit more often. Drouin talks to me a lot on the ice. He tells me when I have time with the puck. That's huge. I think he knows I'm not really a playmaker, but I have more confidence with the puck," said Deslauriers. "I feel like I'm a better player with those guys."

Returning to his roots has also been key to his success. Sporting the colors of his hometown team is a source of tremendous pride for him.
"I'm not just wearing this jersey for me. It's for my whole family. They've always supported me. It's for my former coaches and the guys I've played with in the past. It's always special to play at home," explained Deslauriers. "It's easy to be energized here, especially when you're playing at the Bell Centre."