The Canadiens returned to practice in Brossard on Tuesday afternoon after an eight-day break due to the 4 Nations Face-Off. However, there were only 14 skaters on the ice for the 2 p.m. session at the CN Sports Complex. Key players missing included goaltender Sam Montembeault, who is in Boston with Team Canada, and forwards Patrik Laine and Joel Armia, who were eliminated with Team Finland after a 5-3 loss to Canada. Head coach Martin St. Louis confirmed that Laine and Armia will rejoin the team on Friday.
Also absent were forwards Josh Anderson, who was taking a therapy day, and Michael Pezzetta, who is recovering from a lower-body injury sustained before the break. Forward Emil Heineman, who has been sidelined since January 13 due to an upper-body injury from being hit by a car in Utah, was also missing. The Canadiens had initially expected Heineman to be out for three to four weeks, but it’s now been five weeks, and while he skated before practice, he’ll be re-evaluated this week. Additionally, defenseman Kaiden Guhle remains out indefinitely after undergoing surgery for a lacerated quadricep muscle.
The Canadiens are gearing up for their next game on Saturday in Ottawa against the Senators. With 26 games remaining and six before the March 7 trade deadline, they are currently six points behind a wild-card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Captain Nick Suzuki acknowledged that the team has been feeling the strain, but he remains optimistic. “We know we can get on a run like we had earlier,” Suzuki said, referencing a strong 13-3-1 stretch earlier in the season. “It’s going to take that to get back into the race.”
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Offensive production has been a significant challenge for the Canadiens, as they’ve been outscored 37-18 in their last nine games and were shut out twice. Forward Patrik Laine, who scored eight goals in his first nine games with the team, has gone 10 games without a goal. Meanwhile, the top line, consisting of Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky, has struggled to find the net, with each of them scoring only one goal in their last several games. St. Louis suggested that he’s considering mixing things up to spark the offense, including the possibility of pairing Laine with Suzuki and Caufield.
Despite the struggles, St. Louis emphasized the importance of a collective effort. “When we’re on top of our game, we’re playing with a pack of five on both sides of the puck and we’re hard to play against defensively,” he said. “I think that’s going to be a big key for us down the stretch.” Caufield, who was asked about playing with Laine, praised the forward’s talent. “He’s a special talent, a special player,” Caufield said. “He can play with pretty much anybody.” The Canadiens will practice again on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. in Brossard as they prepare for their upcoming games.
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