At times, I find it necessary to critique certain decisions and behaviors within the Montreal Canadiens organization, even though it’s not my favorite aspect of the job. However, it’s essential to maintain professionalism in such instances.
Conversely, I also make an effort to highlight positive actions when they arise. Recently, there was a noteworthy decision made by Kent Hughes and, presumably, Geoff Molson that went largely unrecognized.
The recent call-up of young veteran Lucas Condotta exemplifies the character of the Montreal Canadiens organization. It fills me with pride to see actions like this from our team.
Lucas Condotta has earned recognition as a valued young veteran within the organization. He was appointed as the new captain of the Laval Rocket, and while his statistics may not stand out, he is often the first player summoned from the farm team.
This was brought to my attention by a post from Maxime Truman, indicating that Josh Anderson’s availability for the game against the Philadelphia Flyers was uncertain. Although Anderson did play, the Canadiens needed to have a player ready to travel to Philadelphia in case a forward was unable to participate.
Instead of recalling Alex Barre-Boulet, who would have been the logical choice for most teams, Kent Hughes opted for Lucas Condotta.
Why is this such a commendable move? Bringing Barre-Boulet up to simply sit in the stands wouldn’t have benefited him at all, as he’s on a one-way contract and wouldn’t gain any extra compensation. In contrast, this call-up allowed Condotta to earn ten times his regular salary during his short time in Montreal.
This gesture from Hughes and Molson is a thoughtful reward for Condotta. Most teams would have chosen the cost-neutral option in Barre-Boulet, but they decided to bestow this small but meaningful gift upon Condotta instead.
Kudos to them for such a classy move towards this 26-year-old veteran of the Canadiens organization.
