The infirmary is overflowing with the Canadiens and a 27th skater will play a first game with the Montreal squad this season, when the Habs host the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday.
Head coach Dominique Ducharme has confirmed that Christian Dvorak will miss this meeting due to a lower body injury.
Dvorak was unable to complete the game on Tuesday when the Canadiens lost 3-2 to the Tampa Bay Lightning. He was seen early in the second period doing a little spin on the ice during a stoppage of play, then retired to the locker room in the following moments.
The 25-year-old American was due for magnetic resonance imaging later Wednesday. For now, his state of health will be reassessed on a daily basis.
Jesse Ylönen has been recalled from the Laval Rocket and will be in uniform against the Blackhawks. The 22-year-old Finn will play a second career NHL game.
The Canadian now finds himself with 11 players on the sidelines, if you include defenseman Shea Weber whose career is probably over.
“We definitely had the shortest offseason in NHL history,” said Ducharme, as the Canadiens’ season ended on July 7. It affects your physical preparation when you only have 20 or 22 days in the gym to prepare for an 82-game season.
“There is a part of bad luck, for sure, but there is a part related to the preparation this summer. “
Ryan Poehling was promoted to the center of the second line, surrounded by Artturi Lehkonen and Jake Evans. Laurent Dauphin, who played his first NHL game in nearly three years on Tuesday, was at the center of the third line, along with Mathieu Perreault and Cole Caufield.
Ylönen was inserted on the fourth unit, to the right of Michael Pezzetta and Cédric Paquette.
The trio of Nick Suzuki, Mike Hoffman and Jonathan Drouin were the only ones to remain intact.
“These guys have nothing to lose,” said goaltender Jake Allen of players recalled in recent weeks. They come here and can play with confidence, play their style of hockey.
“Sometimes the hardest thing to get is that first chance. And when it comes to you, you have to take advantage of it. You have to stand out. Look at “Pezz”. Everyone noticed him at camp and he’s here now. “
Ducharme, however, remained cautious when asked about the idea of having the youngsters play for the rest of the season since it is obvious at this point that the Habs will not be in the race for the playoffs.
“You have to follow a progression curve and you must not skip stages,” he insisted. If the youngster is trying to survive in the NHL, that’s not ideal.
“Poehling is a good example right now. It took him a while at Laval, but now we see that he is able to play with confidence and make an impact on the game.
“Each case is different, but young people should not be skipped. Dominating at a lower level is good for a youngster. It increases his confidence. It allows him to play in different situations, including critical situations in a match. “
For his part, Poehling stressed the synergy in what is taught at the Rocket and requested by Ducharme with the big club.
“You want to do the same thing: finish the job in goal and defend well with your stick. Both groups of coaches are quick to remind players of this, Poehling said. The game system is also pretty much the same. It makes life easy for players when they are recalled. You can continue to play as you did. “
The Canadian (6-18-3) has lost his last four games (0-3-1). For their part, the Blackhawks (9-14-2) have alternated between winning and losing for about three weeks.
Price goes to step two
Goalkeeper Carey Price walked the ice at the Bell Sports Complex with his full goalie gear for a second time this week on Wednesday. He had been training without his gear for about two weeks.
Price is recovering from knee surgery he suffered on July 23. His fitness was derailed early in October, when Price went through a 30-day program to combat a substance abuse problem and rebuild his mental health.
“It was the next step,” Ducharme said of Price’s progress. He skated without equipment, now he does it with his equipment. In the next step, he will be more active in his semi-circle, then he will receive shots. “
Ducharme, however, reiterated that Price will not play a game until the Christmas recess.
“When will we see him? I don’t know, ”he added.
Ducharme was more optimistic about Joel Armia, who missed Tuesday’s meeting with an upper body injury. Although he is out against the Blackhawks on Thursday, he could return to play on Saturday, when the Habs visit the St. Louis Blues.
Defenseman Jeff Petry (upper body) is expected to be on the trip and could return to play next Tuesday against the Penguins in Pittsburgh.