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 Introduction 

0:52 On Nicholas’ offseason 

1:37 On the Habs picking 5th overall at the 2023 NHL Draft 

2:42 On his role with the Canadiens  

4:27 On the chance of working with a top-5 pick 

5:39 On how the development staff helps prospects improve on specific skills 

6:53 On the opportunity to work with young players  

8:34 On learning when to (and when not to) make certain plays on the ice

10:02 On Rafaël Harvey-Pinard and Justin Barron 

12:04 On Lane Hutson 

14:13 On Juraj Slafkovsky 

17:15 On confidence being a key factor in helping a player reach his full potential 

18:37 On his approach to working with defensemen 

21:47 On the challenges of developing young goalies 

23:39 On working for the Montreal Canadiens 

25:12 On Adam Engstrom 

26:37 Conclusion