History in the Making | Director of hockey development Adam Nicholas

In this episode of History in the Making, Adam Nicholas’ passion for hockey and the Canadiens is on full display. A fascinating Q&A from start to finish, the team’s director of hockey development spoke about his approach to development, shared his insights on some current Habs and prospects in the organization like Juraj Slafkovsky, Rafaël Harvey-Pinard and Lane Hutson, and more.

Note: This episode was recorded on Twitch on May 9 as part of an interactive Q&A. Join the Canadiens community on Twitch to be part of the fun year-round: https://www.twitch.tv/canadiensmtl

0:00 On Nicholas’ offseason
0:47 On the Habs picking 5th overall at the 2023 NHL Draft
1:48 On his role with the Canadiens
3:34 On the chance of working with a top-5 pick
4:47 On how the development staff helps prospects improve on specific skills
6:00 On the opportunity to work with young players
7:44 On the importance of instilling consistency in young players
9:17 On Rafaël Harvey-Pinard and Justin Barron
11:10 On Lane Hutson
13:30 On Juraj Slafkovsky
16:36 On confidence being a key factor in helping a player reach his full potential
17:58 On his approach to working with defensemen
21:09 On the challenges of developing young goalies
23:01 On working for the Montreal Canadiens
24:37 On Adam Engstrom
25:58 Conclusion