Jack Todd: Canadiens, Alouettes unlock success using mind over matter
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Closer to home, there is no clearer example than the Canadiens and the shift from the emphasis on physical talent to character and intelligence. If Trevor Timmins had a weakness, it was his tendency to overlook those two factors entirely. From the Kostitsyn brothers to Alex Galchenyuk to Jesperi Kotkaniemi, there were clear issues that should have been flagged.
Mercifully, the decision to swap Max Pacioretty for Nick Suzuki, Tomas Tatar and a second-rounder was not up to Timmins. In Suzuki, the Canadiens got the player who has set the tone for the entire organization, both in the way he thinks the game and in the way he behaves away from the rink.
All this was on my mind Friday evening, when I watched Alouettes quarterback Davis Alexander excel as the Alouettes drubbed the visiting Toronto Argonauts. I had my doubts about the decision to let Grey Cup champ Cody Fajardo get away and replace him with Alexander, mostly because the new QB has a meagre sample size in terms of CFL starts.
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