The Rocket bench boss noted that Brook didn't rest on his laurels following a strong campaign in the WHL, rather, taking it upon himself to spend his summer getting even better and showing up to camp in top form.
"In the summer, what I did is I give homework sheets to everybody at the end of the year. I say, 'This is your homework. This is what you need to do.' I expect nothing less out of this: on the ice, off the ice, body fat... those are your targets," explained Bouchard. "Josh spent most of the summer [in Brossard] and he's been like a lot of the guys that spend time here. They've done their homework, they've checked their boxes. I'm demanding; I'm hard, I know. But in the end, I told them this morning, 'Great job guys.' They came, they pushed, they got better. Are they perfect yet? No. But there's been growth on everything that we asked."
For Bouchard, the work Brook put in shows how serious he is about plying his trade at the highest level.
"He's a professional, he cares. He wants to be a hockey player and that I always knew. He's willing to understand and accept teaching and direction. It's fun as a coach to have a guy who is taking direction," added Bouchard, who's entering his second season as Rocket skip. "There are things that need to be better in his game, like everybody else. He's knows that's no different than any other guy. He's a young defenseman and it's a tough position. He's showing really good growth as a person and as a hockey player. He's putting in the work. He came in great shape. He's wants to be better. He's passionate. He has a goal to be an NHL player."
With the Habs' rookies headed to Belleville, ON to take on their counterparts in the Ottawa Senators' and Winnipeg Jets' systems, the buses will be chock full of players with that very same goal.
For players like Cale Fleury, the upcoming Rookie Tournament games provide the perfect opportunity to demonstrate their progress.
"I just want to show that I'm ready to make the next step. I'm trying to make the Montreal Canadiens this year," described Fleury, who played 60 games for the Rocket in his first campaign as a pro last season. "I think that's everybody's goal here but especially for myself, I want to prove that I'm ready to at least get a couple games in and try to prove myself in the NHL."
