Martin St. Louis had admonished his players to exhibit greater urgency throughout training camp, singling out Juraj Slafkovsky in particular.
Yet the message clearly failed to resonate. On Thursday, the Montreal Canadiens endured a 7–2 defeat at the hands of the Toronto Maple Leafs—a game that still featured roughly eight of Montreal’s regular starters.
Not a good look
Among fans, the prevailing sentiment may well be, “It’s preseason—no harm done.” That assessment is only partially accurate. While these games do not impact official standings, they provide an essential opportunity for players to demonstrate commitment and leadership.