The chorus is starting to be infamous: Two more players from the Canadiens have been added to the NHL’s COVID-19 surveillance protocol, bringing the club’s total to 13.
They are defenders Louie Belpedio and Gianni Fairbrother. The former was part of the main club, while the latter was a member of the reserve squad. Neither had yet played for the Habs this season.
The Canadian therefore finds himself with six defenders struggling with COVID-19. The six who can still play are the last available in the entourage of the team on the road,
PHOTO DAVID BOILY, PRESS ARCHIVES
Gianni Fairbrother
Since they were reservists, Ducharme said the squad that will face the Hurricanes Thursday night in Raleigh will be “quite similar” to the one that played last Tuesday in Tampa. The CH pilot also said he had not received any indication of a potential postponement of the duel scheduled for the evening. His team have gone through their “usual routine” and are getting ready to play.
By subtracting these two new cases of COVID-19, and including the reserve squad, the Canadian has only 22 players available to compose a roster of 20 athletes for the match. “It’s starting to get thin,” Ducharme agreed. According to him, a recall would be “necessary” in order to “protect” from bad luck between now and Saturday’s game in Florida.
However, forward Jean-Sébastien Dea, who played with the Laval Rocket this season, is the only veteran under contract with the team who is currently in good health. All defenders and goalkeepers are either with the club, or injured or sick. To repatriate new ones, it would be necessary to proceed with a transaction or the hiring of a free agent, otherwise to call upon a skater from the junior ranks. Defenders Kaiden Guhle and Arber Xjekaj as well as striker Jan Mysak would then be the only candidates available.
“We are doing everything in our power to protect our players and staff” from the spread of the virus, Ducharme insisted. Even before the COVID cases, it seems that, since the first day of training camp, we have been receiving bad news and that we have to review the plans, adjust… ”
Among the few “certain” elements (the quotes are ours) on the roster that will face the Hurricanes, let us mention that goaltender Samuel Montembeault will be in goal. Antti Raanta should be his counterpart.
Unless otherwise specified, the game will start at 7 p.m.
The second camp of the Hurricanes
In the local camp, we are really looking forward to this meeting. And that is understandable.
With their last three games canceled, the Reds and Whites haven’t played since December 18. The 12-day break allowed their many players with COVID-19 to conclude their isolation.
With recent changes in NHL protocol, Jesper Fast has been able to join his teammates. Quarantine was cut in half (10 to 5 days) for asymptomatic players, and Fast was signed into protocol on December 23. However, it is not certain that he will face the Canadian in the evening or if he will instead undergo a period of fitness.
For a rare time since the start of the season, the Hurricanes will have an almost complete roster, with the exception of goaltender Frederik Anderson and defenseman Brendan Smith, the club’s last players on the COVID-19 protocol.
Back on the ice since December 26, the Canes have literally just undergone a mini-training camp. And like in October, they just want to play.
“We’re ready, the guys are excited,” confirmed Jordan Staal.
“Every time we come back after a long break, we always wonder how our first presence will be,” said Jaccob Slavin. But it’s great to see everyone on the ice and in the locker room again. We want to pick up where we left off. ”
The defender was referring here to his team’s six wins in their last seven games before Christmas.