Rocket Report: A hot start for Laval

LAVAL -- Momentum is a funny thing.
Sometimes, it appears out of nowhere in dire situations to propel a team to victory. Other times, it vanishes in thin air as a lead slowly, yet surely evaporates.

And in some rare instances, it's carried through the most unusual summer in sports history, which is the case for the Laval Rocket.
Building off their dominant performances to close out the 2019-20 season, the Rocket have picked up exactly where they left off, earning wins in 11 of their 16 games this season.
Truth be told, given there was such a significant gap in gameplay, perhaps giving credit to an intangible such as momentum is unfair.
There's a lot more to the Rocket than just an ability to catch lightning in a bottle.
And yes, much of the credit for their early season success goes to the coaching staff, who have done an impeccable job of establishing a strong work ethic in practice, which then translates to intense gameplay, but as Joel Bouchard likes to say, in the long run, the coaches aren't the ones who will make the most significant impact. It's up to the players to open up their minds to instructions and a new strategy, and more importantly, maintain focus when the intensity ramps up, so the players can use the help they received from the coaching staff and rise to the challenge regardless of the situation they happen to find themselves in.
It's an ideology that's clearly worked out well for the Rocket this season. Despite being one of the best teams in the AHL, they don't have one particular standout on the team, owing to a full-team effort rather than pure talent from any individual.
That's not to say certain players haven't established an encouraging development path this season.
Take Josh Brook, for example.
It's not necessarily that he's producing a lot more offense from the backend, though that's certainly a significant part of his resurgence this year.
It's also a matter of finding confidence and rhythm, two things that are crucial to prospect development, though, neither come with a set date.
Simply put, it takes time to reach a level of comfort as a professional hockey player that will allow you to focus on the task at hand rather than all the uncertainties that come along with starting your professional hockey career.

The same can be said in regards to Ryan Poehling, who currently trails Joseph Blandisi for the Rocket scoring lead with five goals and six assists in 11 games.
To put his AHL tenure into perspective, when Poehling set-up two goals and scored the game winner against the Stockton Heat last week, he was participating in just his 49th AHL game.

Poehling's renewed effort this season has also led to praise from his coach when it comes to the center's overall play, including his defensive prowess, which is just as important as production when it comes to NHL aspirations.
"I love his effort level," said Bouchard. "It's a process when it comes to Ryan, but he's clearly going in the right direction, and we're using him in every situation."
Poehling and Brook aren't the only prospects finding their rhythm in the AHL this season. Lukas Vejdemo, an incredibly reliable, versatile forward with a penchant for bringing speed on the penalty kill, has found another gear in the offensive zone, scoring at a 0.6 point-per-game pace this season, a significant improvement on his 0.4 PPG pace last year.
He's one of those players that coaches immediately trust, due to his high hockey IQ and relentless work ethic, which bodes for Vejdemo when it comes to eventually battling for a full-time NHL spot.
Speaking of full-time spots, it's much too early to discuss where Jesse Ylönen will play in the NHL, but given his incredibly encouraging start in the AHL, it's a discussion that can't be ignored for long.
We all knew what he'd bring to the table: elite skating and a phenomenal shot.

But there has to be a certain grace period given to European prospects making their North American debut. Beyond the new teammates, new coach, new rink dimensions, and a slew of new information, they also have to deal with a bevy of cultural changes and a lack of familiarity that can lead to off-ice anxiety and a lack of on-ice production.
The Rocket are well aware of this phenomenon, which is why they go out of their way to ensure new arrivals feel comfortable in every aspect of their lives, not just on the ice.
But again, despite the advantages given by the team, full credit goes to the players. Ylönen hasn't just acclimatized quickly to his surroundings, he's established himself as one of the most exciting forward prospects in the entire organization.
And he's just getting started.