Filip Mesar’s new European coach: one of the reasons for his success? – Canada Boosts

Everyone knows that Filip Mesar’s performances final yr fell wanting expectations. He didn’t have a disastrous season, with 51 factors in 52 video games, however for a first-round decide who performed in junior, that’s fairly disappointing.

The present season, nevertheless, presents a completely totally different story for the younger participant. In simply 11 video games, he has already scored 22 factors, together with eight targets, silencing his critics. His latest seven-point week even earned him second place on the Habs’ weekly prospect listing.

This sudden domination raises questions concerning the causes behind this turnaround. One believable rationalization might be the arrival of Jussi Ahokas, a 43-year-old Finnish head coach, in command of the staff.

In line with Anthony Martineau in an article published on TVA Sports, this new dynamic has contributed considerably to Filip Mesar’s latest success.

Ahokas, in his nineteenth season as coach in Finland, attracted the eye of the Kitchener Rangers in the course of the low season. Regardless of the challenges related to the choice to maneuver from Europe to Canada, in a small Ontario city, he accepted the problem.
And the choice paid off, as his staff now ranks first within the OHL and third in the whole CHL.
He additionally revived Montreal venture Filip Mesar. The Canadiens prospect leads his league in factors per recreation (2.00), tied with Carson Rehkopf, who has performed 11 extra video games, that mentioned.

Whereas it’s exhausting to attribute all of Mesar’s latest success to Ahokas, the European connection between the 2 might play a vital position. In that case, Kent Hughes must hearth Martin St-Louis and rent a European pilot when Mesar is able to make the leap to the NHL. Word my sarcasm right here…

Nonetheless, it’s exhausting to not make connections between the teaching change and Mesar’s success when he struggled beneath the outdated regime. Chris Dennis, a Torontonian, was the previous coach.

Dennis was fired by Kitchener earlier than becoming a member of the Belleville Senators within the AHL.

However for Ahokas, he received all of it in Finland and, trying again, it’s clear what an excellent rent he was. As a head coach, he received a silver medal within the now-defunct SM-liiga (U20) in 2013, one other silver medal on the World U18 Championship in 2015 and a gold medal on the identical World U18 Championship in 2016.

He even received gold on the 2019 World Junior Championship and was named “Coach of the Year” the next season within the Liiga. And presumably, it’s not simply constructive for Mesar…

Gossip

– Good learn.

– Too exhausting.

– He’s received alternatives.

– Good prize for him.

Jonathan Sénécal wins the Hec Crighton award, given to the participant of the yr within the Canadian college community!https://t.co/Hxh9HvNyAF pic.twitter.com/2KPfXjZ0oV

– RDS (@RDSca) November 24, 2023

– Your questions answered here.