Solid role models benefit Guhle, Harvey-Pinard

BROSSARD - There was another Rookie Camp skate at the Bell Sports Complex on Friday.

Here are a few storylines from the post-practice press conferences:
People to lean on: A three-game stint with the AHL's Laval Rocket last season did Kaiden Guhle a world of good.
The 19-year-old defenseman, who was selected 16th overall in 2020, says it opened his eyes to the sheer speed and intensity of the pro game and the physical and mental strength required to succeed at the next level.
"Pace of play was high when I was with the Rocket. Those players are big and strong, and you've got to limit your mistakes or the puck is probably going to end up in the back of your net," shared Guhle, when asked about his brief tenure with the Canadiens' affiliate. "That's the biggest thing I was trying to bring to this camp. Moving forward, it's just trying to limit those little mistakes as much as possible."

Fortunately, the Sherwood Park, AB native has development resources aplenty at his disposal to help him make adjustments like that, including his older brother, Brendan, a blueliner in the Anaheim Ducks' organization with AHL and NHL experience under his belt.
The elder Guhle is 24 and was a second-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres (51st overall) in 2015, and he's just a quick phone call, text message or FaceTime session away.
"I was very fortunate. He's obviously a big part of my hockey career and my life. I'm very lucky to have him. Going to these camps, he gives me advice that probably some people don't get. I'm lucky to have that," mentioned Guhle. "To see how hard he works and kind of hear stories of what the NHL is like and what pro hockey is like, he's been huge for me, both in life and in my hockey career, so I'm very fortunate to have him."

The Canadiens' hopeful says Brendan has already played an integral part in shaping his quiet off-ice demeanor as well, along with a few NHL role models and his parents, Carrianne and Mark, as well.
"You see a lot of players nowadays that are more like that. You've got Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Shea Weber. They're all very grounded, humble guys and don't talk about themselves a lot. They do a lot for the team. I think a lot of it stems from how I was brought up. I was told to always stay humble, have a good attitude about everything," explained Guhle. "My brother's a big part of that. My mom and my dad, they're very, very strict on us being humble. That's just how we were both brought up in that way, and then you see those high-end players like that in the media like that, so you want to be like them. It was just how I was brought up and you see those great players doing that."
All heart, all the time:Why has winger Rafaël Harvey-Pinard managed to make a name for himself and earn the respect of his peers? Just ask Rocket head coach Jean-François Houle.
"It's his work ethic. It's tough not to love a player that really gives everything he has on every drill," praised Houle. "I don't have to tell him anything. He's always the first guy in line. He wants to be the first guy to do it. He listens to what the coaches say. It's very easy to love a guy like that."

As far as who inspired the way Harvey-Pinard goes about his business, a beloved Canadiens alum and grinder extraordinaire can take credit for that.
"My first year in the QMJHL, I remember Gilles Bouchard talking to me about Steve Bégin and the way he was skilled, but also working very hard. I was just looking at him. I watched some clips of him, too," revealed the 22-year-old Rocket standout. "I wanted to work as hard as him, and that's what I'm doing. That's what I did in the QMJHL, and that's what I want to do as a professional."
Nowadays, the former Rouyn-Noranda Huskies captain and Memorial Cup champion is paying close attention to fellow seventh-round selection Jake Evans' progress with the big club.
Evans, of course, steadily climbed the organization's depth chart to become a full-timer with the Habs last season.
"He's a good example for me. I remember him during my first camp in Montreal, I was in the same room as him. Since then, I've always watched him on TV. He plays very well," said Harvey-Pinard. "He has a good work ethic, too, so I want to play the same style of game as him and follow his path."

Drop the puck: No doubt youngsters like Guhle and Harvey-Pinard are eager for their first taste of game action on Saturday afternoon against the Senators' rookies at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa.
It's the first of three games on tap during Rookie Camp this time around.

Houle discussed his expectations for the contest, which is scheduled to get underway at 4:00 p.m. ET.
"We had a little video session about the style of play that we want with the Montreal Canadiens. Those are the things that we're going to focus on. We don't want to cram their brains with too many system things. We just want them to be themselves," insisted Houle. "But, the work ethic needs to be there, the intensity, the execution. We want to try to see some consistency in their game, so shift by shift, being consistent, taking short shifts, but we don't want to give them too much. We just want them to go out there and play and be free-minded."

Houle's troops return to the Bell Sports Complex to play the Senators' hopefuls on Monday (4:00 p.m. ET) and battle the U Sports (CIS) All-Stars on Tuesday (4:00 p.m. ET).
Monday's game will be streamed on Twitch, while Tuesday's will not.
REMINDER:The stands won't be open to the public for both games in Brossard.