“I don’t like the word failure,” Gorton said. “We all want the playoffs, we all want to keep moving forward. We’re trying to build something for a long period of time. I like our group; let’s see where it takes us. We’d be disappointed (to not make the playoffs). We want it, the players have been outspoken about that, I wouldn’t expect anything else.
“The players don’t want to hear ‘rebuild’ or anything like that, I understand that. The players are focused, they like their team, they like their group. You can see how tight-knit they are, they’re ready to go. I think 750 players in the League all think they’re making the playoffs, and our players are no different.”
The lofty expectations beyond the organization, coach St. Louis said, are pretty much white noise to those who run the team and play the games.
“The expectations are probably more from you guys,” he said of the media. “We’re just moving along. We want to keep progressing. We’re not too worried about the noise outside. We’re just getting after it internally.”
Suzuki paused on the clubhouse steps to mingle with Canadiens legend Yvan Cournoyer, who 50 years ago on this Sept. 15 in 1975 was named captain.
“The Roadrunner” — No. 12 voted the team’s 12th captain in his 12th season — would win the Stanley Cup four consecutive seasons wearing the “C,” the seventh through 10th of his career, then retire.
“I think I’m a little behind,” Suzuki joked to Cournoyer.