Acquired in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres on October 4, Deslauriers quickly impressed the Canadiens' brass during his time with Sylvain Lefebvre's squad.
"I saw him play in Laval and I've received good feedback on him. We also saw him play with Buffalo. He's big and he skates well. He plays smart hockey and makes good decisions. He did a lot of good things in Laval and he brings a lot of energy. We can definitely benefit from that," said Julien, on his new charge. "This is a good opportunity for him to put his talent on display… He hit everything that moved on the ice in Buffalo, but he can bring more than that."
It goes without saying that Deslauriers is eager to capitalize on his chance to suit up for the big club right from the start.
"I was a professional in Laval and I wanted to win with the Rocket. Now, I want to win with the Canadiens," said Deslauriers, who boasts 12 goals, 30 points and 186 penalty minutes in 211 career NHL games - all with Buffalo. "I talked to Claude a bit after the game in Laval yesterday. He doesn't have to say much to me, though. I know what to bring."
And, Julien believes that Deslauriers is most definitely up the challenge in front of him.
"We're extremely satisfied with his attitude," praised Julien. "He had the right idea from his very first day in Laval. He took on a leadership role immediately."