by Ryan Skilton, Staff Writer, All Habs Hockey Magazine

CHICAGO, IL. – As with any new beginning, the start of a new hockey season embodies a sense of hope, optimism and pride – a time that reminds us why we all love and cherish this game so much. However, in a hockey-crazed city like Montreal, it’s much more than that. Come October, expectations are high, tolerance for mistakes low and the searing media microscope zeroes in on the team’s every move – reminding players which team they play for.

Yes, being a member of the Montreal Canadiens is not always easy – and sometimes can be downright depressing – but the team plays in a city that expects a lot, and with expectation comes pressure. There are a lot of Habs feeling the heat coming into the season. Lars Eller, P.K. Subban and Andrei Markov just inked multi-year deals, Alex Galchenyuk and Brendan Gallagher are approaching the end of their rookie contracts and P.A. Parenteau finally has the chance to play in front of his hometown on the first line. Needless to say, there are many players that will be scrutinized for every play they make; every blunder they commit.

Perhaps one player that has slipped under the radar, however, is 28-year-old Alexei Emelin.

When Emelin first came overseas at the ripe age of 25, it seemed as though he fit right in to North American-style hockey. The young Russian defenseman played a strong physical game, was not afraid to grind and scrap in the corners and – simply put – was not intimidated by anybody. He truly was the reliable stay-at-home defenseman the Habs had been searching for.

Then, this happened.

Emelin was sidelined for the remainder of the year with a torn ligament in his left knee and when he returned, something was off.

Although Emelin’s physicality was still there, his confidence was not. After his recovery, Emelin struggled mightily with zone exits. The simplified game he used to play became complicated — he was often hesitant in the defensive zone and lacked the speed to keep up with the fast-paced NHL game. His indecision and tentativeness led to careless giveaways and left opponents licking their chops every time No. 74 stepped onto the ice.

Some fans blame Emelin’s dip in form on the injury he sustained against Boston Bruins’ Milan Lucic. Others say his lack of consistency stems from him playing on his unnatural right side with defensive-pairing partner Andrei Markov.

Emelin’s inability to remain healthy – and his unpredictable performances – even sparked trade rumors over the offseason; with many predicting either Josh Gorges or Emelin would be wearing a different uniform this upcoming season. We all know how that panned out – Gorges is the one wearing a Buffalo Sabres jersey, while Emelin remains with the “Bleu-Blanc-Rouge.”

Emelin was lucky he was not traded in the 2014 offseason, but he may not be so lucky next time around; especially with young talent like Nathan Beaulieu, Jarred Tinordi, Magnus Nygren, Greg Pateryn, Darren Dietz and Dalton Thrower waiting in the wings, itching for NHL experience. The slew of prospect talent on this team is remarkable, and something the Habs continue to emphasize during Marc Bergevin’s tenure.

To go along with the youth theme, the Canadiens underwent a lot of interesting changes during the summer, including a shift in leadership. In a way, this upcoming season symbolizes new beginnings for this club — highlighting younger talent — but it also represents fresh starts for some veterans, as well; Alexei Emelin being one of them.

With the acquisition of Tom Gilbert – a right-handed defenseman – Emelin is finally able to return to his natural left side this season, which should help his game and build his confidence.

But in case returning to his natural side wasn’t enough — Michel Therrien has Emelin projected to be on Montreal’s top defensive pairing with none other than P.K. Subban to start the season.

On paper, this pairing has the makings of an extremely dangerous 1-2 punch on the back end. With Subban’s offensive prowess and Emelin’s reliable defense-first mindset, the two defensemen complement each other very well. Now, looking good on paper does not automatically translate to immediate on-ice success. Chemistry plays a big part in that, which is why it will be crucial for both Emelin and Subban to communicate and make sure they’re on the same page. If they can do that, sky’s the limit.

Top defensive-pairing duty usually comes with an increase in ice time, but even-strength play will not be the only situation Emelin is likely to see more minutes.

The penalty kill lost an important contributor this past offseason. Douglas Murray had the advanced hockey statistics community just shaking their heads in 2013-14, but if there’s one thing he was good for, it was the penalty kill.

With his departure, Emelin, Markov, Mike Weaver and (possibly) Tinordi will be expected to pick up the slack shorthanded. Emelin’s bread-and-butter has always been his positionally sound game. When he uses that to his advantage, he can stop a speedy attacking forward dead in his tracks. If Emelin can maintain a similar mindset killing penalties — while using his big body to battle in the corners and block shots — he can definitely be effective when Montreal finds itself down a man.

Emelin’s role on the Habs will be all the more magnified this season. He will be returning to his natural side, he will be playing with one of the most gifted defensemen in the league and he will be placed in situations that only accentuate his strengths — as the famous motto goes: “no excuses.” With all the young talent in the Canadiens’ deep prospect pool, Montreal can ill-afford to keep a defenseman they’re “on the fence” with.

For Emelin – the opportunities will be there for the taking this season. Not only could he potentially make a huge impact on the back end – be it positive or negative – but may ultimately be Montreal’s “X-Factor” in the 2014-15 season.

The Canadiens put their balls in Emelin’s basket. They chose to have faith in their young Russian defenseman when most teams would have already lost it. It’s time for Emelin to show the hockey world why Bergevin and company trusted in him. It’s time to unleash Alexei “Boom” Emelin.