Jake Evans and Brendan Gallagher send a clear message to their teammates after tough losses

After two bad games and the major injury to Alex Newhook, we saw an important scene this morning.

Jake Evans and Brendan Gallagher were the first to jump on the ice.

They were there as early as 10 a.m., with Adam Nicholas watching them, in an atmosphere very different from a simple normal practice. I'll remind you that the practice was at 11:30! That's still an hour and a half early and on the morning after a game.

And honestly, seeing two players like Evans and Gallagher come back on the ice so early says something.

It's not just a routine. I think it's a clear sign of leadership.

These two guys have never been the loudest, but they lead in other ways.

They work, they push, they never quit.

And this morning, that's exactly what they did.

They could have stayed off, waited for the official session, taken it a bit more slowly after two tough losses.

But no.

They decided to step up and show that the group isn't giving up.

In a team still looking for its identity for the past few weeks, this kind of gesture means more than we think.

I really believe these small things can spark something in a locker room.

And even if nothing is solved and the long-term absences of Alex Newhook and Kaiden Guhle remain a problem, seeing two veterans strap on their gloves before everyone else brings a bit of life back into the group.

It sends a message.

And the rest of the team surely noticed it too.