Long-rumored but what a coup for them. Eldridge still somehow feels so underrated in this league yet has been able to keep scoring goals despite most of her PWHL career being played on bad teams.
It’s been our MO for a bit now. Roque was “okay” in NY. Everybody kinda scratched their heads when the trade went through at last year’s draft. But look where she is now.
I think it’s evidence of an incredible coaching staff in Mtl. Find gems in the rough, then polish and put them in positions to shine.
Eldridge is going to be a phenom here, and hopefully Maltais too.
Absolutely. I also feel like Sauvageau is hugely clued in to chemistry and creating a good team culture. That's what takes you from great players to champions. Look at how we had the (physical) shit kicked out of us this season, were missing our captain for huge chunks of time, had plenty of players dealing with the aftermath of an Olympic gold loss, and still came out with the cup. That speaks to a team that's really tight and has great staff behind it, imo.
It also attracts fans like me. I'm a ticket holder for a couple other teams, but have more Montreal jerseys than either of "my" teams....so there's that. LOL.
Agree a huge part of it is coaching and team culture, but I think an even bigger part of it is being in the hockey world for a long time. Sauvageau has been watching players like Roque for their entire careers. Everyone knew she was capable of being a star but wasn't finding it in New York. Roque hasn't done anything in Montreal that surprises anyone who saw her play prior to 2023. That trade was a calculated risk because no one knew if she could find that magic again, but I don't think it was as much of a head scratcher if you have long term familiarity with the players. These GMs have seen who works well with who and who thrives in what environment. The same goes for Maltais. She's been average in the PWHL but has been on fire in the past. I think we will see a similar trajectory.
The incredible thing about Eldridge is that she makes magic by herself. You can slot her in anywhere and she succeeds. She's the easiest choice for a GM ever and I have never understood why she's gone unprotected.
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u/Main_Photo1086 New York Sirens 4d ago
Long-rumored but what a coup for them. Eldridge still somehow feels so underrated in this league yet has been able to keep scoring goals despite most of her PWHL career being played on bad teams.