The Canadian | Waiting for the big comeback

(Toronto) There are those returns that take time… and then there are those returns that take a really long time.

Richard Labbe
The Press

Take Elvis, for example. In 1968, King Presley showed up in front of the cameras for the first time in eight years, in front of a delirious crowd, and above all, in front of himself, in order to remind him and the rest of the world that he was still the king, the real king.

Basically, that’s kind of what Carey Price is looking to do these days.

The season is lost, there is no longer any real stake, but like Elvis before him, Carey Price wants to try the return of returns. We will have understood that the parameters are slightly different – ​​we assume that the guitar and the leather suit will not be used this time – but there is in this return the quest of a man, who seeks to find his place in the zenith.

Elvis, and it was well known, imposed a certain respect by his mere presence. In the case that concerns us, it is somewhat the same thing.

“Since he resumed training, what I find most impressive is that guys are intimidated when they come in front of him to shoot,” added the Quebec goaltender. He’s big in front of the net, he’s an excellent goalkeeper, and the players are almost scared when they get in front of him! So I would say he is ready…”

Ready when, exactly? That’s the complicated end. Since his last game, which dates back to the Grand Finals, on July 7, Carey Price has been “closer” to a comeback with the same speed that Axl Rose was “closer” to the release of Chinese Democracy. There are some returns that are longer than others, obviously.

For the time being, the exact date of Price’s big comeback remains unknown, and all that is known is that the long-awaited moment will not take place on Saturday evening in Toronto, when the Canadiens will visit the Maples. Leafs. “Day to day,” was content to respond – to repeat, in fact – Martin St-Louis, this time Friday, after an optional training in the suburbs of the city.

We don’t really know if the CH coach saw the famous Comeback Special of 1968, but we feel he is feverish at the idea of ​​​​attending the return of the goalkeeper at number 31. The two men had a frank discussion by jumping on the ice on Friday.

“I played with Carey on Team Canada, so I’m familiar with him, with his personality,” added St-Louis. It’s good to see him again with us at this moment, and you have to understand that it’s not easy, all that. Attempting a comeback is not just the physical side that is difficult, it is also the psychological side; there are days when things don’t go so well, when you feel like you’re taking a step forward, then another step back. It’s a challenge to maintain a good state of mind, and it’s sometimes difficult to see clearly. But Carey is a professional, and he tries to give it his all every day. »

The most discerning observers have already pointed this out: the Carey Price of April 2022 looks great, and for a few, one would be tempted to indulge in the most immense of dithyrambs, and to claim that it is already displaying its trophy form. Vézina, even without having taken part in a single game in nine months.

This is undoubtedly the greatest challenge that awaits anyone who wants to dare to make a comeback: go back in time and rediscover the ardor of yesteryear.

That’s what Elvis did in 1968. That’s what Carey Price wants to do now.

“Carey is a hockey player and he loves competition,” concluded Martin St-Louis. He does it for himself. To prove to himself that he is capable of feeling good in front of the net. »

Petry Saturday night?

Jeff Petry’s return is (probably) less expected than Carey Price’s, but the veteran defender’s supporters can begin to rejoice little by little, because it’s coming. In fact, Martin St-Louis has even hinted that Petry “is close” and could play in Saturday night’s game in Toronto against the Maple Leafs. Recall that the 34-year-old player has not played since the March 24 game at the Bell Center, when he suffered an injury during the visit of the Florida Panthers.

Beware of a certain Auston Matthews…

Auston Matthews is probably not the favorite of the Canadiens supporters, but even the fiercest fans of the CH will have to admit that he is having a no worse season. In 66 games, the star forward of the Leafs has already scored 56 goals, a record in the National Hockey League. Plus, he’s on a roll, having scored 11 goals in his last 10 games. “When you play against this kind of player, you always have to know where he is on the ice, explained Martin St-Louis. Scoring 56 goals is quite an accomplishment. I think that every generation has had its challenges in order to be able to score goals, but it is certain that in today’s hockey, there is not much space on the ice anymore, and the goalkeepers are very good. »