Looking for a spark, Montreal Canadiens head coach Dominique Ducharme reshuffled his lines in training on Wednesday as the team went through a four-game losing streak to start the campaign.
Only the trio of Christian Dvorak, Jonathan Drouin and Josh Anderson survived the changes, as even the three pairs of defenders were different than at the start of Tuesday’s game, when the team lost 5-0 to the San Sharks. Jose.
“The ideal situation for me would be to arrive every day with the same four lines and the same three pairs of defenders,” admitted Ducharme. At the moment, the only trio that looks like a trio is Dvorak’s. We don’t want to touch it and it’s up to others to find solutions through what they can do with new teammates. “
Nick Suzuki was now surrounded by Mike Hoffman and Brendan Gallagher, while Mathieu Perreault found himself in the middle of Tyler Toffoli and Cole Caufield.
Artturi Lehkonen, Jake Evans, Cédric Paquette, Adam Brooks and Joel Armia performed rehearsals for the fourth line.
“No matter who you play with, you have to execute the plan and deliver the goods,” Toffoli said.
The Canadian has scored just three goals in his first four games. He had his worst start to the campaign since 1995-1996, when he suffered loss in his first five outings.
Players attributed the failures to the fact that they may not all be on the same page.
“It’s like we want to do too much, create too much speed, and that’s what slows us down,” said Toffoli. If we can regain our timing, our rhythm and use our four lines, that’s what will bring us success. “
“A player will push too hard and get out of his position to try to do a little more for maybe … there is too much hope in our game. If we do if, or if we do that, we have added Ducharme. We want to eliminate the “maybe” and control what we control. The offensive will come. We have enough talent to get things done, but working the right way. “
On defense, Alexander Romanov found himself to the left of David Savard, while Ben Chiarot and Chris Wideman were also a pair. Jeff Petry, Brett Kulak and Sami Niku rotated within the other pair.
Ducharme noted, however, that it was not impossible to see Chiarot and Savard again form a duet on Thursday, when the Canadian will host Jesperi Kotkaniemi and the Carolina Hurricanes.
“It’s up to each individual to put in a better effort,” said Chiarot. The group of leaders has to make sure of that. When you have a 0-4 record, you must first look at yourself in the mirror before pointing fingers at others. “
Edmundson at home
The Canadiens’ general manager, Marc Bergevin, told a press conference that defenseman Joel Edmundson had returned home to be at his father’s bedside, struggling with cancer.
Bergevin said he doesn’t have a date in mind for the 28-year-old Manitoba defenseman to return to Montreal.
Edmundson was already on the sidelines since the start of the camp due to an injury, the nature of which has not been disclosed.
In 55 games last season, his first for the Canadiens, Edmundson registered three goals and 10 assists in addition to posting a plus-28 rating. He added six assists in 22 games in the playoffs.