The visit of the Canadiens to Ottawa on Saturday evening will mark, in a way, the return to the game of Jonathan Drouin. We say “in a way” because it’s a preseason game – the Habs’ fourth.
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Nonetheless, the 27-year-old striker will don his uniform for the first time since March 21.
Initially, he was to face the Maple Leafs on Wednesday. Sick, he had to give up his place to Juraj Slafkovsky.
One goal
It was a very funny coincidence for a player who keeps hammering his wish to stay healthy in the hope of finally playing a full season.
“Playing 82 games is my only goal for the season,” he said once again at noon on Friday at the end of team training. Last year, I had no problem with the way I played. Another injury ended my season. »
“In fact, in each of the last three, it’s been my health that has sidelined me with injuries to both of my wrists,” he continued.
Affinities with Monahan
In training, Drouin occupied the left wing of a unit supplemented by Sean Monahan and Joel Armia.
Still recovering from left hip surgery, Monahan, whom the Canadiens acquired (along with a conditional 1st-round pick in 2025) from the Flames for nothing, will not face the Senators.
However, Drouin would see with a good eye the possibility of evolving, in the coming weeks, in the company of the one the Flames drafted in the first round (6th overall) at the 2013 auction.
According to him, their style would complement each other perfectly.
“Sean is great at finding free space near the net and my number one quality is passing the puck. In the last few years, when he was not injured, he scored a lot of goals from this place, recalled Drouin, referring to the Ontarian’s three seasons of more than 30 goals. He has experience and he too has things to prove with his injuries. »
And both are ending the last year of their contract.