Capitals-Canadian | “We have to do something against the Suzuki trio”

The trio of Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky have been doing well for the Canadian since the three were reunited. The visitors to the Bell Center on Saturday, the Washington Capitals, know something about that.

It was in fact in the American capital, on February 6, that the three reconnected, and began to cause damage again. In this 5-2 victory for CH, Suzuki and Slafkovsky each scored two goals.

Since the All-Star break, Suzuki is 2^e in the NHL with 10 points, and Slafkovsky is tied for 3^e rank with 9 points.

There is no precise measure to determine what a true first line is. But we can see clues left and right. When the opposing team’s head coach refers to a line, without it even being suggested in the question, that’s a clue.

Spencer Carbery, head coach of the Capitals, was asked after Saturday’s optional practice to talk about the sacrosanct importance of a good start to a game.

“We have to be ready. We play on the road, in a hostile environment. Look at their team, how they roll. We have to do something against the Suzuki trio, insisted Carbery.

“This trio is one of the best in the NHL right now. We will not control this duel, so those who face them will have to be alert. In the last game, we managed the puck poorly against them, it ended in our goal. Faceoff in our zone, we make a coverage error, it ends in our goal. Those who are against them will have to understand their responsibilities. Yes, we would like to play in the offensive zone and score goals, but the priority against this trio will be to be well positioned defensively. »

Edmundson’s Return

Max Pacioretty’s return to Montreal will obviously attract attention. This will not be his first visit since his departure in 2018, but he has not set foot at the Bell Center since the Golden Knights-Canadian series in 2021. The former captain is still, more than five years after his departure, the top scorer of the last 15 years for the Habs.

More discreetly, Joel Edmundson will also be back at the Bell Center, for the first time in his case, since he was injured when the Capitals landed in the town of Aldo Nova in October.

Edmundson was not one of the dozen players who participated in the optional exercise. For this reason, it was impossible for the media to speak to him.

His absence from training was clearly not a coincidence. Carbery confirmed that the team was “closely” managing his workload “due to his injury history.”

Injuries, particularly to the back, marked the stay in Montreal of the man his teammates nicknamed “Steady Eddy”, which the most ardent Francophiles will have translated as “Édouard le Stable”. In fact, he was healthy in his first season, which ended in the Stanley Cup Final. But he only played 24 games in 2021-2022, and 61 last season. His name was circulating extensively in rumors around the 2023 trade deadline, but it was finally once the summer came that Kent Hughes was able to trade him to the Capitals, for picks of 3^e and 7^e turns.

With a playing time of around 20 minutes in Montreal, he now plays around 16 minutes per game, within the third duo. “He’s been good so far. He’s a presence on the blue line. He has that nasty side that every team needs. We needed it,” boasted forward TJ Oshie.

Advanced statistics, never an ally of this defender with a sober style, give him a good leg this year. When he’s on the ice at 5-on-5, the Capitals control 52% of the scoring chances, according to Natural Stat Trick; it’s good for 3^e rank in the team. Except that his coaches avoid tough confrontations for him. During CH’s visit to Washington last week, he hardly faced the Suzuki trio.

Off the ice, Edmundson clearly hasn’t changed. In Montreal, he had built a reputation as the unifying guy who organized team outings and was in charge of the music in the locker room.

“He’s the guy who brings everyone together, who organizes events,” noted fellow defender Trevor van Riemsdyk. There’s a reason he’s been a part of successful teams. He’s the type of guy who makes it even more pleasant to come to the arena. »

“We have several married guys who have children, so the young people hang on to him a lot to go to dinner, to hang out when we are at home,” adds Oshie. He’s a good addition and it’s never fun to face him in training. »

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