Unless Kent Hughes pulls a rabbit out of his hat, the Montreal Canadiens are about to start the next campaign with three or four rookies in their defensive squad.
But that’s not what worries the one who will have to repair their broken pots.
“I have no worries about that,” said goaltender Jake Allen, after going perfect against 18 shots in 29:17 of play in his first preseason outing Monday night at the Bell Centre.
“They need experience to progress and if that’s what it takes for these guys to become better players and better people, so be it,” he added.
Kaiden Guhle and Jordan Harris did well in the Canadiens’ 2-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils. Justin Barron had a few misfires to the right of Mike Matheson, but also had some good plays. The evening was more difficult for the pair made up of Gianni Fairbrother and Mattias Norlinder.
“You have to be careful and not form an opinion too quickly,” said head coach Martin St-Louis. The sample is still very small. One day, one player is better than the other and the next day, it can be the opposite.
“We will collect the information and make the best decision for the team and for the player. »
Allen, 32 and about to play his 10th season in the NHL, said he was impressed with the progress of some young defensemen.
He noted the maturity in their game, despite their young age.
“You can see they don’t panic when they have the puck. They’re not forcing the game. They’re confident with the puck and holding their heads up high, he said. They act like they belong here. »
Allen also noted that the Habs’ young defensemen might try to do too much during camp in order to impress management. However, that is not what he sees so far.
“I think the guys understand that the organization isn’t going to put them at a disadvantage if they’re not ready,” Allen said. It is a long term project.
“However, they also understand that it’s an opportunity for them and they want to take advantage of it. »
St-Louis was clear after the game, saying that Allen obviously has a place with the Canadiens. He then admitted that a fight was possible for the second goalkeeper position between Cayden Primeau and Samuel Montembeault.
Even though Allen hasn’t played more than 50 games in a season since the 2017-18 campaign, he should be called upon to carry the burden this season. He is aware of this and he is ready to take up the challenge night after night.
“My job will be to stabilize the situation, to be a leader and to help my teammates on the ice and off the ice,” he recalled.
The few veterans will wear the same hat.
Matheson was employed for almost 26 minutes of play against the Devils on Monday. He and David Savard will probably have to get used to such a workload.
“Honestly, I feel better than I hoped, said the one who was acquired from the Penguins in return for Jeff Petry. I worked hard in the off season to be ready for this. »
St-Louis was happy with the performance of the 28-year-old Montrealer.
“He has an elite skate. He was very engaged and directing traffic. He was a leader on the ice,” he said.
The Canadiens enjoyed a day off on Tuesday. The players will be back at work on Wednesday, with the presentation of a preseason game against the Maple Leafs in Toronto. The Winnipeg Jets will then be at the Bell Center on Thursday.