We still have to discuss the situation
, illustrated Brendan Gallagher on Sunday after the team’s morning practice. The player, who has spent the last ten days in the NHL’s COVID protocol, is now well, after testing positive for COVID-19 and experiencing severe symptoms during the first two days of his administrative segregation.
comme ce fut le cas jeudi face aux Flyers de Philadelphie]. If we can postpone games to play when the arena is full, and the solution is to take a break for a few weeks, let’s do that, but nobody wants the season to be put on hiatus. We are like everyone else, we want to find solutions and continue to practice our profession “,” text “:” We knew that it would be a different season and that we would have to negotiate with COVID. We don’t want to have to play in empty amphitheatres [NDLR:comme ce fut le cas jeudi face aux Flyers de Philadelphie]. If we can postpone games to play when the arena is full, and the solution is to take a break for a few weeks, let’s do that, but nobody wants the season to be put on hiatus. We are like everyone else, we want to find solutions and continue to practice our profession “}}”>We knew it would be a different season and that we would have to negotiate with COVID. We don’t want to have to play in empty amphitheatres [Comme ce fut le cas jeudi face aux Flyers de Philadelphie, NDLR]. If we can postpone games to play when the arena is full, and the solution is to take a break for a few weeks, let’s do that, but nobody wants the season to be put on hiatus. We are like everyone else, we want to find solutions and continue to practice our profession
, added Gallagher.
Later Sunday, the team is scheduled to hold an appeal with the Players’ Association to discuss decisions about CH’s three-game trip to the United States. The fear of seeing Christmas away from home weighs heavily in the balance, admits Gallagher.
« If we were declared positive now, we would be placed in the protocol and we would miss Christmas as a family. It is difficult to accept. We all want to spend that time with our loved ones, so that worries us, especially since we have already had a few cases of COVID-19 in the team. »
For his part, head coach Dominique Ducharme ensures that the team is ready
for her trip, and remains focused only on what we can control
.
We’ll see what will happen. We are preparing to leave normally and we will finish our preparation today. There are so many things that are out of our control, we want to make sure we stay ready and we will adapt
, explains Ducharme.
Speaking of adaptation, earlier today, the Montreal Canadiens recalled forwards Alex Belzile, Lukas Vejdemo and Rafaël Harvey-Pinard from the Laval Rocket on Sunday morning ahead of Monday’s game against the New York Islanders.
For some players it will be a good opportunity to show what they can do, and a way for us to see where they are in their development.
, reveals Ducharme. Of the lot, one player holds his attention: Rafaël Harvey-Pinard, author of a good start to the season with Laval.
Rafaël is in a good streak after starting the season more calmly. He stayed with us long enough in training camp, and he continues to mature. He’s a very competitive guy with good work habits, and he is able to bring offense and have a good presence around the net.
The main interested party says to himself excited
through the big opportunity
who comes to him. At 22, he could play his first NHL games. A 7th-round pick in the 2019 draft, he has 34 points in 60 career games with the Rocket.
« Training camp is a first impression, but now I have the chance to give a first impression in a real game. It’s up to me to show what I can do. »
My playing style adapts to any line
, estimated Harvey-Pinard. I will arrive in the line-up and give my 100%. For a 4th row, it’s important to be very good in your area, and that’s something I love. I’m just going to continue to keep my identity as a player and give my all to every presence on the ice.
Harvey-Pinard will find several Rocket teammates with the Canadian, a situation which, in his opinion, helps in terms of adaptation
and of the integration
to the team. Of the lot, there are Laurent Dauphin, Cayden Primeau or Jesse Ylonen, in addition to the two other players recalled Sunday at the same time as him.
Belzile has played 8 games with the Habs this season, collecting 2 penalty minutes. With the Rocket, he amassed 11 points in 16 games.
Lukas Vejdemo, for his part, collected 13 points, including 6 goals, in 22 games with Laval. If he were to integrate the team of the Canadiens, it would be his first games in the NHL since the 2019-2020 season, when he had played 7 games with the Habs.
These reminders come the day after a first game moved due to COVID-19 for the Canadiens this season. The Habs were scheduled to face the Boston Bruins on Saturday, but the game has been postponed due to an outbreak of an opponent’s case.
The Laval Rocket’s game in Syracuse against Crunch, the Tampa Bay Lightning school club, has also been postponed due to COVID-19.
There are currently five National Hockey League (NHL) teams shut down due to coronavirus outbreaks, and more than 100 players are currently in circuit protocol against COVID-19.
Among his players is the Montreal Canadiens’ Artturi Lehkonen, who was added to the protocol in the early evening on Saturday.
In addition, Joel Armia and Mathieu Perreault have both been placed on the injured list and will be absent until the return of the holiday break.
The Canadian will travel to New York on Monday morning rather than Sunday afternoon, as initially planned, as a precautionary measure. The team held training on Sunday morning in Brossard, after canceling their Saturday training, also as a preventive measure.
