Lhe last game for the Canucks dates back to March 24 and according to Antoine Roussel, he and his teammates can’t wait to put this episode behind them and get back to thinking about the first mission, making the playoffs.
“We can’t wait to start over. After three weeks off, it’s like starting over again. We have the impression that for two years, we have done five training camps, ”said Antoine Roussel in a telephone interview with Le Quotidien.
Long leaders in games played in the NHL, the Canucks are now dead last with 37 games on the clock. At 42 games, the Montreal Canadiens are the team closest to Vancouver. The end of the calendar therefore promises to be very difficult for Vancouverites.
“For the next two weeks, we’re going to play every two days. It won’t be easy, but it’s not the end of the world. As for the end of the season, that remains to be seen. Will the calendar be extended and we will play at the same time as the playoffs if we are excluded? It is possible, but we will wait until we see it and until then, we will give everything we have to try to move up the rankings. “
Two beneficial days
Initially, the Canucks were scheduled to start over against the Edmonton Oilers on Friday and continue with a second game the next day against the Leafs. Finally after pressure from the team, including forward JT Miller, the NHL decided to cancel Friday’s meeting and postpone Saturday’s one to Sunday.
For Antoine Roussel, these two players were of great benefit to Travis Green’s troop. “We feel a lot better. These two days make a big difference. We were able to find the rhythm a little more while practicing. It gives us a better chance of success, but also a lot less risk of injury. With the rhythm of the National League, if you are not ready, you can easily injure yourself, ”said Roussel, who himself was affected by COVID-19.
This extension of the break also allowed the team to count on more regular players, while on Friday at least five regular players could not yet make the roster. On Sunday, half of those absent will be in uniform.
“We will definitely have a more competitive team. We have some who still have symptoms or who are not yet ready, but the longer we wait, the more we have of these guys who are ready, ”said the sympathetic attacker.
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