Canadian — Lightning | The CH with five recruits in defense

(Tampa) The Canadian will do Wednesday night in Tampa what it has never done in its entire history: start a game with five rookies in defense.

This is what Martin St-Louis decided, without much surprise however. At the start of training, the Canadian coach did a few laps of the rink with defender Chris Wideman, no doubt to explain to him that he was going to have to watch this game in his shirt.

Justin Barron, freshly recalled from Laval, will play his first game of the season with the Canadiens. He took part in five meetings with the club last season.

“Playing with five rookies will be a first for me, that’s for sure,” said defenseman Joel Edmundson, who will be the lone veteran in the squad against the Lightning. “I think it’s going to be fun. These guys are rookies, but they don’t play like rookies. They look good on the ice. »

The last time such a rookie landing happened at a blue line in the NHL was in 2007, when the Philadelphia Flyers sent a five-rookie squad, including Quebec defender Alexandre Picard, onto the ice. . In the Canadian’s locker room on Wednesday, the five recruits in question had difficulty believing that this was going to be a first in the history of the club.

Martin St-Louis didn’t seem to mind too much.

“We were already playing with four, so there’s one more, he simply replied. They will play according to what is happening in front of them, and they will make corrections themselves. You have to trust them. »

The Canadiens also let it be known that Brendan Gallagher, who skated with a regular jersey on Wednesday morning, is getting closer to a return to play.

As for Mike Matheson, David Savard and Sean Monahan, the date of their return remains unknown, but at least the last two have been back on their skates lately in Brossard. The Canadian has also hinted that Paul Byron, injured in the hip, is getting better, but no return date is planned.

It’s Jake Allen who will be in net for the Canadiens on Wednesday night.