Dominique Ducharme has capitalized on his past experiences in the junior ranks in the hope of creating the little spark that will perhaps revive the Montreal Canadiens this season. The CH head coach has decided to bring Jonathan Drouin back to the center of a trio completed by Josh Anderson and Mike Hoffman, Monday morning, during a training session held at the Bell Sports Complex in Brossard.
Ducharme had already tried it when he was leading Drouin in the junior ranks with the Halifax Mooseheads. It will also be a second stay for the Quebecer at the center since joining the Canadiens on June 15, 2017.
“We had spoken even before the start of the camp of the possibility of Jonathan being transferred to the center. Lately, with Anderson and Hoffman, the three have been playing good hockey, so we bring them together. Jonathan has a good sense of the game, his understanding of the game is excellent, and he’s good when he’s on the move too, ”Ducharme said first.
Drouin, the Canadiens’ leading scorer with a two-goal performance and five assists in ten games so far this season, has said he is ready for the challenge offered by Ducharme – although nothing is confirmed for the ‘moment in anticipation of Tuesday night’s game against the Detroit Red Wings at the Bell Center. “We discussed this possibility during the summer. I played center in the junior ranks and a bit here in Montreal. At the moment, it is at “coach“To make the lines and for me to play, no matter where I am,” said Drouin.
” It’s sure that [jouer au centre] will give me more speed, I will be a little more free on the exits of the zone, rather than being stuck on the ramp waiting for a pass, he added. In my good years in the junior, that’s what I did well. I have the speed to facilitate an exit from the zone, and I will also have to make sure not to cheat in defensive withdrawal, to help my defenders in our territory. It’s an adaptation, but I think it will be similar to my first year at the center here. “
This was not the only change made by Ducharme. He also reshuffled his defense, in the absence of Jeff Petry. Alexander Romanov ended up with Ben Chiarot, while returning Mattias Norlinder performed rotating rehearsals with Sami Niku and Chris Wideman.
Caufield in Laval
Earlier in the morning, the Canadian announced that he had ceded striker Cole Caufield to the Laval Rocket, and recalled Michael Pezzetta from the school club. “I got the call last night from [l’entraîneur-chef du Rocket] Jean-François Houle to tell me that I had been called back. I was super excited. It was quite unbelievable, ”said Pezzetta.
Pezzetta performed rehearsals in the fourth unit in training on Monday along with Adam Brooks and Cédric Paquette – who was suspended two games by the league for his checking from behind at the expense of the forward Anaheim Ducks Trevor Zegras in Sunday night’s 4-2 loss.
For his part, Caufield, who is 20 years old, is only a shadow of himself after having obtained only one assist in ten meetings with the Habs this season.
According to Ducharme, the Habs’ long playoff run last summer, coupled with the pressure he himself put on his shoulders for this season, contributed to Caufield’s recent woes. Still, he believes that the Hobey-Baker Trophy winner awarded to the MVP of the American college circuit last year will bounce back quickly.
“The fact that he didn’t score at the start, it played in his head. It’s all little things like that that make taking a step backwards, to regain his confidence, to play, to have time with the puck, to make plays, that will do him good. […] Players like [Brad] Merchant and [David] Pastrnak had to go through the same thing and became excellent players. And that’s what we think of Cole too. It’s part of the process, ”said the Habs driver.