As seen on Marqueur.com, the number 13 almost always smiles wide when he steps onto the ice at the Bell Centre.
His teammates confirm that he's often the first to crack jokes and this is helping maintain a positive atmosphere in the locker room.
However, Cole Caufield was noticeably more reserved during his early days in Montreal since he was accustomed to smaller media markets, he seemed hesitant when facing the large scrums of reporters in the Montreal spotlight.
He initially hid his true personality and preferred to project a serious and professional image.
That changed thanks to an intervention from Chantal Machabée, the Canadiens' Director of Communications.
On the podcast «Dans l'oeil du chat», Cole Caufield explained that Chantal encouraged him to be himself with the media.
This simple piece of advice had a significant impact on his relation with the media:
This encouragement has allowed Caufield to bring a refreshing energy to his media interactions and when players like Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky show their real personalities and joke with reporters, it helps create a stronger bond with the fans.
Thanks to Chantal Machabée's approach, Canadiens players can balance professionalism with spontaneity which is making their interactions more relatable and enjoyable.
This change allows fans to connect with the players more personally which is helping their experience of following the team.
POLL | ||
Do you think Chantal Machabée did the right thing to help Cole Caufield have a better relationship with the media? | ||
Yes | 68 | 94.4 % |
No | 4 | 5.6 % |
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