(Montreal) The Canadiens’ players were to take over on Friday in Brossard, but that will not be the case.
The management of the Canadian confirmed Thursday afternoon that the forced rest of the Montreal team will have to continue until January 8 inclusively. In the American League, the Laval Rocket games, which were scheduled for January 7 and 8 at Place Bell, are also postponed to a later date.
The new announcement comes as 22 Canadiens players have had to go through COVID-19 protocol in recent weeks, in addition to two coaches. The club’s last game, played on 1er January in Florida against the Panthers, had been started with a reduced formation of two players less.
Already, it had been announced that all of the Canadiens’ matches which were to be presented this week at the Bell Center were postponed to another date. A fifth game, Jan. 12 against the Bruins, has been moved to Boston, and a sixth, Jan. 15 against the New Jersey Devils, has also been postponed to a later date.
Faced with this situation, it therefore means that the Canadian’s next game at the Bell Center would be that of January 27, against the Anaheim Ducks.
In a press release released Thursday afternoon, the Canadian specifies that “the organization has followed and will continue to follow all the recommendations regarding the health and safety of its players, staff and the community, as implemented by the NHL as well as local authorities. ”
If there are no other unpleasant surprises, the Montreal club could therefore resume training at the Brossard center on January 9. At the Laval Rocket, the return to training is also scheduled on this date, at Place Bell.