The Canadiens continue to get reinforcements as Josh Anderson should be the next player to return to the roster when the Montreal team visits the Arizona Coyotes on Monday.
Posted at 12:16 p.m.
Updated at 1:57 p.m.
Anderson practiced on the right of Mike Hoffman and Nick Suzuki with a regular jersey Saturday in Chicago, before the Habs left for Arizona. The 27-year-old Ontarian hasn’t played since Dec. 2 with an upper-body injury.
“Any time you miss a long stretch, it’s hard not to be with the team,” Anderson said. You want to help, but you can’t do anything when you’re in the stands. »
Head coach Dominique Ducharme played it safe on Saturday, not wanting to confirm prematurely that Anderson will be in the squad on Monday. However, he said he was confident he could count on the fiery striker.
He brings an energy to our team that is hard to replicate. The way he skates, his physical game, his offense, he can do a little bit of everything and he can change the rhythm of a game in a presence.
Dominique Ducharme, about Josh Anderson
In 25 games this season, Anderson has seven goals and six assists. Even though he missed the Habs’ last 11 games, he is still the team’s leading scorer, tied with Nick Suzuki.
Anderson fell in action Dec. 2 against the Colorado Avalanche. He was the victim of a heavy contact with the ramp as he lost his balance at the same time as he was pushed by defenseman Kurtis MacDermid.
“It’s a tough game because hockey is made so fast,” Anderson said, not resentfully. We were both chasing the puck. His staff was in my legs and I lost my balance. These are things that happen. »
Anderson was originally expected to miss two to four weeks of activity, but the team later announced that he would need a bit more time to heal from his injury. Anderson noted that the Habs’ COVID-19 outbreak and hiatus from activities haven’t helped his rehabilitation. However, he said he is now 100% recovered from his injury.
I’m going to play my game with my energy, being physical, quick to the puck, and I want to inspire my teammates to do the same. I’m glad to be back.
Josh Anderson
With Anderson back in the lineup, Laurent Dauphin will likely be left out.
Defensively, Chris Wideman is expected to return to the Coyotes after serving a one-game suspension for a header on Boston Bruins forward Erik Haula on Wednesday. Corey Schueneman is expected to be the cut player if Wideman returns.
The Canadian (7-24-5) will play four road games in six days next week, with stops in Arizona on Monday, Dallas on Tuesday, Las Vegas on Thursday and Colorado on Saturday.
Ducharme pointed out that Samuel Montembeault and Cayden Primeau should share the task for the games against the Coyotes and the Stars, without however specifying who will face whom.
The Canadian coach also indicated that Tyler Toffoli could return to play during the second half of the week. Toffoli has missed the Canadiens’ last 10 games with a hand injury.
Ducharme also clarified that there was no news regarding goaltender Carey Price. The latter would therefore still wait to be able to meet the New York doctor who operated on his knee this summer in order to determine the next steps in his rehabilitation.
Ducharme added that forwards Paul Byron, Alex Belzile, Rafaël Harvey-Pinard and Jesse Ylönen have resumed training in the Montreal area after completing the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol. He said it was possible that some of them would join the team by the end of his trip.