More than ever, the Canadian is sailing by sight

Teams in difficulty are followers of the short-term vision. We’re thinking about the next game, period. One day at a time.

Simon-Olivier Lorange
Press

Even if the Canadian wanted to act otherwise, he could not. Because, as head coach Dominique Ducharme has pointed out for some time now, the situation is changing, literally, from hour to hour. We sail by sight, in the absence of other options.

On Wednesday, on the eve of a clash in Raleigh against the Carolina Hurricanes, it was learned that the names of forward Paul Byron and goaltender Cayden Primeau had been added to the NHL’s COVID-19 surveillance protocol. . These are the squad’s number 6 and 7 contenders in just three days, bringing the number of players isolated from the rest of the club to 11.

In terms of hockey, the impact is more unfortunate for Byron and Primeau than for their team. The first had not played the season and was finally approaching a return to the game, he who is completing his rehabilitation after a hip operation undergone last summer. The runner-up would probably have gotten a start on the CH’s current trip to the southeastern US, but there’s still Michael McNiven to take over.

It is rather on the plan of the general management of the club that the fog thickens. How many players will be available to play the game against the Hurricanes? Then the one against the Panthers, two days later?

Will we try to find in disaster a guard for the reserve squad? In the short term, the answer is no. We keep our fingers crossed that McNiven and Samuel Montembeault stay healthy.

The first four home games of 2022 have already been postponed, and season ticket holders have been advised that the next five could suffer the same fate. Will we take advantage of these recovered days to train, or will we resume games canceled before Christmas? Would it be just one, maybe against the New Jersey Devils?

Planning practices is not even a simple thing anymore, at a time when we cannot guarantee that we will have “enough players to practice”. Indeed, if the American League keeps its schedule at the beginning of January intact and the Laval Rocket is in action, the Habs could cede the players who are eligible to play there. Including the reserve squad, this represents, at present, the majority of its formation.

“We will assess the situation as much [à Montréal] than in Laval and see how we can manage that as best as possible, ”said Ducharme.

Blur everywhere

Like the virus, the blur is everywhere.

Even in the application of the new isolation protocol for players with COVID-19 unveiled by the NHL and the Players’ Association. This provides, in particular, that an asymptomatic player with a negative test could end his quarantine after five days instead of ten … if the local health authorities allow it. Unlike the United States, Quebec has not yet given the green light to this relaxation.

Ducharme thus confirmed that, until further notice, members of the organization of the Canadian remained subject to the 10-day quarantine. Primeau will therefore not be able to return to Montreal before having observed it, but he will be able to cut it in two; after isolating himself for five days in Florida, where he stayed at the hotel on Tuesday after the CH game in Tampa, he will be able to travel to New Jersey, where his main residence is located, for the other five days. As for Byron, who himself has not tested positive but has been in contact with someone with COVID-19, he was able to return to Canada.

However, the situation is no less frustrating for him. “It’s so unfortunate, he was really close” to a comeback, said Ducharme.

Any player who is kept out of the game for several months is bound to find the time long. It might be even worse for “a guy with energy, character, and challenges” like Byron. “He was excited and knew it was coming,” added the coach. This is another obstacle. But it is a matter of time. Eventually, he will be back with us. We can’t wait to see him on the ice. ”

Moreover, neither against the Hurricanes nor against the Panthers, the Canadian will not be able to count on the return of one of the players whose period of isolation is drawing to a close. Artturi Lehkonen, for example, was signed into NHL protocol on December 18; as he hasn’t trained since, he wouldn’t be ready to play by Saturday.

After the Finn, the next players who can be “reactivated” will be Mike Hoffman, Laurent Dauphin and Tyler Toffoli – he is however injured. Joined the protocol on December 28, Joel Edmundson, also injured, as well as Ben Chiarot, Jeff Petry, Chris Wideman and Jake Allen will have to wait a little longer.

Know how

Under the circumstances, the opportunity is good for the substitute players to show their know-how. Last Tuesday, in a great collective effort despite the defeat, Rafaël Harvey-Pinard and Kale Clague each scored their first goal in the NHL, while Corey Schueneman obtained his first point. Lukas Vejdemo, meanwhile, scored his first goal in nearly two years.

“Everyone wants to do their best and show that they have talent,” recalled Ryan Poehling, who himself had a good outing in the center of Harvey-Pinard and Cole Caufield.

Alex Belzile did not hesitate to mention the good old “110%” provided by his teammates and him, a non-negotiable condition when dealing with a “decimated” formation.

“All the lines contributed, we played the right way,” he said. We made a few turnovers, but it happens in any game. And our goalie kept us in the game. It’s encouraging. ”

It is, indeed, because the next game will not be easier, against another power in the league.

But there are still several hours before this meeting. Might as well say an eternity.