"We see a different player this year, so I don't think [last season] affected his confidence because he wasn't in a position to get called up due to tons of injuries. He's gotten a lot stronger. He had a really good summer. He learned a lot of things about being an athlete," praised Therrien, referencing Scherbak's decision to remain in Montreal following development camp to hone his game on the South Shore alongside a slew of Canadiens veterans. "If you're not an athlete, you're going to have a tough time playing in the NHL. We see a young man getting stronger and stronger."
The question now is whether or not the former WHL standout will be deemed NHL ready when the Canadiens open the regular season in just over two weeks' time - and, if he is, will a roster spot be available up front from the start?
Having seen many of his IceCaps teammates get their respective shots with the CH throughout the 2015-16 season, there's nothing Scherbak would relish more than being given a shot of his own beginning in mid-October - even though he took those call-ups in stride, of course.
"I was happy for the guys. We are one team. We are one family. Some of my friends like Michael McCarron, I was watching the games at home and obviously you want to get called up, but they deserved to be there," concluded Scherbak, before going on to stress his preparedness for the challenge ahead. "After the scrimmages and hard practices, I feel more comfortable and more confident for the upcoming games."