After having suffered four losses in as many preseason games so far, the Canadian will not have a gift this Monday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Visitors to the Bell Center will indeed deploy heavy artillery, while the majority of their 2022-2023 formation, starting with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, will be in uniform.
Posted at 1:00 p.m.
To counter them, the Habs can count on the entry on the scene of two veterans called to play a major role this season. Fully recovered from a hand injury, possibly caused by a spider bite, Josh Anderson will play his first game of training camp. Sean Monahan, for his part, will put on the Canadiens jersey for the first time.
It is Jonathan Drouin who will patrol the left wing of this trio. Last Friday, after training with Monahan, the Quebecer said he was looking forward to playing alongside him. His qualities as a passer could be highlighted given Monahan’s ability to stand out near the net, he analyzed.
Good news for both: the new number 91 of the CH gave the same speech, Monday morning, after the morning training session.
“He’s a great player, very intelligent, has a lot of skills and likes to handle the puck well,” said Monahan of Drouin.
Of his trio of veterans, head coach Martin St-Louis said they “all bring different little things,” but he didn’t seem particularly keen to talk about it as a combination that will last. “We’ll see what it’s going to look like,” he breathed.
The three attackers will also be together on the power play. In training, they were added Juraj Slafkovsky, while defenders Otto Leskinen and Justin Barron completed the unit, on rotation.
For Monahan, this match is above all an opportunity to show his value, and to “prove” that he can become the player he once was. Having had surgery on both hips in recent years, he still feels healthy for the first time in ages. Constantly playing with injuries is tough on confidence, he admitted. Finally in great shape, he feels he can turn the page on a difficult chapter in his career.
“It feels good to feel like that, launched the former Calgary Flames. To feel that I can carry the puck and skate the way I love to…I want to put the last two years behind me and have fun again. »
St-Louis explained how much Monahan “loves the game “. “And I love having those guys there,” he added. He was very involved in training and team meetings. I can’t wait to see him play. »
The coach also confirmed that Jake Allen would play the whole match in front of the CH net. Bored since the start of camp by a “lower body” injury, Nick Suzuki will return to action on Tuesday against the Ottawa Senators.
“Trials”
Each preseason game being the pretext to “try out”, Martin St-Louis indicated that the evaluation continued for several of his men.
When we take a look at the first three lines of the formation that will face the Leafs, we mainly see names that will still be there in mid-October. But a few additional skaters are continuing to audition.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Corey Schueneman
Corey Schueneman, for example, will play a second game. While his younger colleagues Justin Barron, Kaiden Guhle and Jordan Harris are getting a lot of attention from fans and the media, the 27-year-old is flying a bit under the radar. Which “doesn’t bother him at all,” by the way.
Nevertheless, despite his meager NHL experience, his age could work in his favor, even more on the left flank of the defense, weakened by the absence of Joel Edmundson.
He already feels more comfortable than at this time last year, especially because of the games he played with the Canadian in the meantime. Playing Monday night against one of the best attacks in the circuit will nevertheless be an opportunity for him to show his ability to “defend well in the NHL”.
Juraj Slafkovsky will also be under observation. Completing a line with Kirby Dach and Mike Hoffman, he will play a third match.
St-Louis believes it will be another “good test” for one who has had “a lot of exposure” so far.
“As the camp progresses, we face more and more teams from the NHL. I know he will take every opportunity to be at his best. »
The meeting will begin at 7 p.m.