Deslauriers: Dreams fulfilled, dreams still to be realized

MONTREAL - Nicolas Deslauriers dreamed of playing for the Canadiens as a kid, and it finally happened this season. Nevertheless, the 2017-18 campaign still left something to be desired for the LaSalle native.

Having started the year on the fringes of the Buffalo Sabres organization, Deslauriers inched closer to living out any Quebec-born player's fantasy of donning a Canadiens sweater when he was acquired by his hometown team in early October.
Closer, but not quite there, because Deslauriers was immediately assigned to the Laval Rocket. He would play 14 games with the Habs' AHL affiliate, collecting three goals and five points in the early goings of the season.
But Deslauriers didn't have to wait long before he was summoned by the big club, and ended up throwing on the fabled bleu-blanc-rouge for 58 games before the season was done.

The five-year NHL veteran believes that his sticking around with the Canadiens happened partly because of how smooth the transition was made for him throughout the organization.
"It wasn't hard, not at all. I knew what kind of game I needed to bring, and I think they also knew. There were for sure some mistakes in terms of positioning and in the system, but I think my style of play can help no matter the system," posited Deslauriers, whose plus-minus differential finished on the plus side of things (plus-7) for the first time in his career. "I don't bring a lot of skill or things like that, but I'm able to adapt to any kind of system.
"It's a good group of guys, a good group of leaders. They helped me a lot when I arrived. In Laval, too, it was easy for me to join the organization," added Deslauriers, who earned Molson Cup honors for the month of December after setting personal highs in goals (4), assists (3), points (7) and differential (plus-10). "The leaders made me feel comfortable the second I walked in the room."

Leading all Canadiens players with 238 hits on his resume, Deslauriers provided a much-needed energy boost, using his size and physical play to inspire his teammates. He found ways to rile himself and the fans up, too, whenever he'd score a goal, a feat often followed by one of his signature, spur-of-the-moment celebrations.
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"It's home, it's fun, they're the best fans," said Deslauriers - who scored a career-high 10 goals this season - of plying his trade in Montreal. "When you play at the Bell Centre, it's so easy for me to get my energy. I love being here."

Still, everything Deslauriers experienced over the last six-plus months only helped him live out one of his two childhood dreams. The other one was the chance to compete for a Stanley Cup, but the 6-foot-1, 215-pounder will have to wait another season before he can hope to check an appearance in the NHL playoffs off his bucket list.
"I think it was a disappointment for me, too, to have the opportunity to come into the organization and try to play my first playoff game, and it didn't happen," lamented the 27-year-old forward. "I still have a lot of work to do this summer so that I can have a better season next year."
Armed with a two-year, one-way contract extension which will take him through the 2019-20 season, Deslauriers only has one thing on his radar this offseason.
"I had one goal in mind, and that was to come here, come up and get my chance. I'm happy with my season in general, but at the same time, we didn't make the playoffs," concluded Deslauriers. "That's what's frustrating."