Sidney Crosby may be in his mid-thirties, but his production may have slipped somewhat compared to the best in the NHL, he still commands respect and admiration throughout the circuit.
“It’s a benchmark,” Dominique Ducharme said Thursday morning, during the Canadiens’ optional training for the evening’s game against the Penguins. What, 16 years, he’s been in the league? He’s a guy who is always looking to improve despite his age. Spending five years in Halifax, I got to see how he prepared himself, how he took care of every detail in his game to make himself even better. All young players in the NHL can follow this example. ”
Crosby has no goals and only one assist in three games, and is posting a -6 rating. No need to look far to find explanations: he underwent surgery on his left wrist in September, and upon his return to play, he found himself within the COVID-19 protocol. The number 87 returned to the game on Sunday.
In terms of pure offensive production, Crosby is quietly moving away from the elite of the circuit. Since the start of the 2019-2020 season, his average of 1.11 points per game remains excellent, but it has earned him the 13e rank in the NHL. Except that it could very well be a time bomb.
“You have to expect him to play well. He always played well at the Bell Center, recalled Nick Suzuki. Their team has some good songs, not just him. After his operation and the history of COVID-19, I think he is finding his bearings. ”
For Suzuki – and for the CH – it will be a first duel against the Penguins since the 2020 summer playoffs, in the bubble in Toronto. Montreal had won this series 3-1, and Crosby had amassed three points in four games. At 5 against 5, the Nova Scotian had mostly faced Phillip Danault (25 minutes), whose presence in the blue-white-red uniform Thursday night seems highly unlikely, now that he belongs to the Los Angeles Kings.
Suzuki had faced a bit more Evgeni Malkin (23 minutes), but still faced Crosby for 19 minutes, according to Natural Stat Trick.
” It’s a challenge. He’s a different player from other superstars, Suzuki noted. He controls the puck so well, he’s smart, he uses his line mates and he goes to the net. You have to make sure he doesn’t settle in the enclave and you still have to know where he is. ”
Ducharme has hinted, however, that Jake Evans is the center that will face Crosby most often. “We could see Nick, Jake or even Devo [Christian Dvorak]. Maybe a little more Jake “, he dropped, while stressing that he will not seek precise confrontations at any cost” because it is the opposing coach who dictates the use of your players “.
Suzuki will try to find the back of the net after a difficult trip in terms of offensive production. In his last three games, he hasn’t scored a point and has shown a -5 rating. It was a stark contrast to the five-game home stint leading up to the trip, where he had amassed nine points.
“Every game, we created something, whether it was 5 against 5 or on the power play, Suzuki defended. It just didn’t fit. I wasn’t disappointed with our game as a trio or on the power play, even though we didn’t have the same production. It doesn’t worry me. The chances were there and it will come back. ”
Another chance for Primeau
With his performance on Tuesday in New York, Cayden Primeau will have a second chance to show off. Ducharme has confirmed he will be the starting goalie against Pittsburgh.
Ducharme added that he saw a healthy competition emerging between Primeau and Samuel Montembeault, pending the return to the game of Jake Allen and Carey Price.
“The response we got from Cayden in New York was excellent. He’s the one who returns and we’ll see on Saturday. The day Sam re-embarks, it will be up to him to keep his net. It creates healthy competition. ”
Finally, Ducharme said he was hopeful that Dvorak would be at his post, he who missed Wednesday’s training to receive treatment.