Quotes of the day: Weber, Price & Julien

MONTREAL - The Canadiens held their first on-ice sessions at the Bell Sports Complex on Monday.

After wrapping up a 45-minute workout, captain Shea Weber and goaltender Carey Price fielded questions from reporters.
They were followed at the podium by head coach Claude Julien.
Here are a few highlights from the Zoom-based media availability:
Weber was elated with the addition of several veterans during the offseason:
It's huge. Everyone talks about how young we are and the inexperience we have, and to bring in guys like that who can draw from their previous experiences - whether it's in the playoffs or just being in the League for a long time - it's invaluable. You have to go through something like that. The bubble was unique, and it was playoff hockey, which was good for a lot of our young guys to see. But there were guys that we've added that have won, and that says a lot. Those guys have been there and won championships, know what it takes, and they can bleed that information down to our youth and a lot of guys.

He believes the uptick in size on defense will be a huge plus:
That's obviously a point that Marc wanted to address, getting a little bit of size, especially for those grinding games. With Edmundson on the back end, and a guy in Romanov who likes to play physical as well, we definitely got a little bigger but I don't think we gave up mobility. I think those guys can still move well and they're going to help us compete in some of those grittier games, and then hopefully get into the postseason where you really need those kind of guys.
The veteran blueliner is also adamant that the group will come together quickly during a short training camp:
You've got to gel fast. We have the expectation that everyone put in the work this offseason wherever they were staying, wherever they were skating and training as much as they could. As far as that goes, everyone looked pretty good today. We'll see as camp goes on, but it's a quick turnaround. One of the good things about having some older guys come in is they've kind of been through it and they know what to expect. A few of these guys have played on multiple teams, too, which helps ease the adjustment. They're used to trying to gel with new guys and they can make that adjustment quicker than it would be in a full season or even a normal training camp.
For his part, Price believes the competition in the North Division will be fierce:
It's going to be fun. It's going to be interesting for everybody. Playing the same teams over and over, it's going to get heated at some point. Without a doubt, everybody's looking forward to starting.

Asked why he thinks this team can do some serious damage in the weeks and months ahead, Price responded:
We have more experience. We had young guys that learned what it's like to play in the playoffs last season, and you can't buy experience. We made some great additions in the offseason, which is going to help us move forward.
The seven-time All-Star was also thrilled to see Julien back on the ice following health issues in the Toronto bubble:
It's good to see him back out here. It was definitely a scare for him and for everybody. We had concerns, but he seems to be in great spirits and great health. His message was very positive. He was straight to the point, all business, and it was basically saying: "We've got a quick turnaround here, so let's get to work."

Julien, meanwhile, insists his leadership group will play an integral part in making the club's newcomers feel right at home:
We added players with a lot of experience. A guy like Toffoli has been playing in the League for a long time. Edmundson won the Stanley Cup in St. Louis. We acquired some good veterans who will become part of that leadership group as well. Anderson is another guy with a lot of years in the League. Then, there's Perry and Frolik. I think our leaders will definitely help them all get used to their new surroundings.

The veteran bench boss believes goods things are in store for his hockey club:

My expectations are the same as Marc's. We're really happy with the players we've added. We like the way we played in the playoffs and we like the direction we're headed. We believe we have an improved team with the players that Marc brought on board. The expectations are high and with good reason.

But Julien isn't about to let the weight of those expectations get the best of his players:

Instead of feeling pressure, we're excited about the opportunity in front of us. Marc did good work during the offseason by getting players that will make us even more competitive. We have to seize the opportunity. We're excited and we aren't feeling any pressure.