Match against the Detroit Red Wings: an intense first trip for the CH

The Montreal Canadiens will spend the next two nights in hostile territory and it will start Friday with a visit to the Detroit Red Wings, who are betting this season on defender Ben Chiarot.

Having upset the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 at the start of the campaign on Wednesday, head coach Martin St-Louis’ squad will try the same shot against a team that made some personnel changes over the summer. In addition to Chiarot, the Wings have notably got their hands on Quebecer David Perron and goalkeeper Ville Husso, who will also be in action in the evening.

St-Louis will count on the same group of players as at the Bell Centre. Thus, Juraj Slafkovsky will find Christian Dvorak and Brendan Gallagher in the third line. Jake Allen will defend the cage for his team, who will visit the Washington Capitals on Saturday.

big loss

The regular calendar has barely started when the Habs already have to face major challenges. Of course, the condition of Carey Price and Paul Byron continues to fuel discussion, but now fullback Mike Matheson has joined the group of long-term cripples. He will miss eight weeks of activities due to a muscle injury in his abdomen, which will complicate the test for the team’s rookies at the blue line. But the defenders in place say they are ready for an imposing challenge.

“It’s a big loss for us. He is an excellent player and it would be nice to have him in our squad every night. But you have to live with that. It’s part of the reality of the National League. Injuries happen often and there are two big pieces we miss. Hope Eddy [Joel Edmundson] will be back soon. For the moment, we are concentrating on our matches, said David Savard in a scrum after the morning session. As we have said from the start, young people gain experience and have the chance to play a lot of minutes.

Moreover, the veteran experienced somewhat the same scenario a few years ago with the Columbus Blue Jackets, who had to use several recruits simultaneously. He intends to use his experience to fulfill his role as a mentor to the youngest.

“It’s hard to be consistent. Our job is a bit to enlighten them and help them prepare. It’s a team issue. Then, Martin is very good at monitoring their energy level. The season may be a bit tougher for them than what they’ve been through, so it’s all about managing it well. And it’s up to us [les plus vieux] to allow them to be comfortable and confident on the ice, underlined Savard. Everyone will make mistakes and that’s part of the game. You have to get over that and keep working hard.”