These days, Shane Wright’s name is on everyone’s lips. He has long been seen as the undisputed first choice of the next draft of the National Hockey League (NHL), belonging to the Montreal Canadiens. But who is Shane Wright? Is he a good teammate? Is he enthusiastically making his defensive withdrawals?
Alec Bélanger is well positioned to answer all of these questions. He knew him as an opponent for a season and a half in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). They then became teammates in January when the Kingston Frontenacs acquired Alec Bélanger from Ottawa.
In Kingston, the Franco-Ontarian quickly made friends with talented forwards from Burlington.
I am two years older than him, but I feel like he is two years older than me. He is a super mature manhe said at the beginning.
In Kingston, we named Shane Wright captain even though he was only 17 at the start of the season. Despite everything, the leader never swelled his head. Quite the opposite.
He always goes to the older men to ask our opinion. As captain, he was the voice of the group, but he was interested in the voices of all his colleaguessays the one who just celebrated his 20the birthday.
Before knowing Shane Wright, Alec Bélanger wondered what the young prodigy’s behavior was away from the spotlight, for example on the bus or in the team’s locker room. Quickly, he was reassured.
He has a reserved side, but to his teammates he is very funny. He laughs, he dances. He was not isolated from the group. He is a really good mansmiling he said, talking about what he considered a good boyfriend although their friendship has only been a few months.
” He was a really strong man physically. He already has a male body. He was lacking a bit of muscle, but he still had time to add some. He was only 18 years old. “
After the road game, the Frontenacs captain takes advantage of the moment with his brothers on the ice to relax in a good old game of cards.
He asked the men to tell stories. He wanted to laugh. He did not touch his phone. Often, when he comes home, he watches our game and thinks about him game.
And his defensive game?
In recent weeks, many hockey fans, journalists, analysts and recruiters, novice or professional, have dissected the game of Shane Wright. By being objectivity or bad faith, they point out its characteristics and its faults.
Recently, some have pointed to the center player’s lack of participation in his defensive zone. A former Montreal Canadiens scout even compiled it into a 36-minute video.
Alec Bélanger is not very active on social networks. So he didn’t see this video, but when you told him about his existence, he couldn’t hide his shock. Nakakatawa talaga. Me, I always saw Shane as being a responsible guy defensivelyresponds to one used as an attacker and a defender.
He still gave me a lot of advice on my outings. Once, I replied to him: ”Men, I’m not as smart as you at the ice rink! Give me one break”he said laughing.
More seriously, the former Ottawa 67 also has a hypothesis that could explain what can be seen as a lack of defensive involvement from Shane Wright.
In Kingston, we always keep our attackers high. if [l’autre équipe] will enter our territory 2 against 2, the coach We wanted to create a turnover and high our three going forward [afin de créer un surnombre en territoire adverse].
To the team fans who will focus on scored 160 points in 121 games on TOHAlec Bélanger wants to reassure them: their new star cares about the defensive aspect of hockey.
So what does he have to strive for to be great in the best league in the world? His faceoffs, he responded about his teammate who recorded a performance slightly less than 50% last season (676 in 1355).
But Shane knew he needed to improve on that. When he had a bad game [au cercle des mises au jeu], he was angry. The next morning, in practice, he made them work non -stop.
Wright or Slafkovsky?
In a few weeks, even a few months, Shane Wright no longer the undisputed one that should be top of the class in this 2022 vintage. Quietly, a Slovak named Juraj Slafkovsky intervened in the discussion.
Alec Bélanger admitted this without any embarrassment: he did not know this European of all the most discovered at the Olympics. As well as other candidates. On the other hand, he knew very well Shane Wright.
I would be surprised if a man is more complete than him. If Montreal drafts him, the Canadiens will have a man who will do everything well on the ice, in addition to being super mature and positive.
” On the bus, he told me he wanted to study French in case the Canadiens drafted him. He just wanted to say: ” thank you so much to the supporters ” [le soir même]. “
What will the Canadian do? The answer: July 7.
Source: Radio-Canada
