In this week’s edition of Montreal Canadiens news and rumors, Carey Price receives a thunderous ovation during the home opener on Wednesday, Mike Matheson becomes the latest Habs’ defenceman to go down with an injury, and William Trudeau has signed his entry-level contract.
Plus, both Logan Mailloux and Filip Mesar have been sent to the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and general manager Kent Hughes addresses Jonathan Drouin’s status with the team.
Price’s Presence at the Home Opener
The Habs couldn’t have scripted their home opener on Wednesday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs much better.
Not only did they defeat their archrivals thanks to a pair of goals from Cole Caufield as well as netting the game-winner with less than 30 seconds to go courtesy of Josh Anderson, but fans at the Bell Centre were also able to salute Carey Price, perhaps for the final time, during the player introductions. It should come as no surprise that the welcome for Montreal’s franchise goaltender of the past 15 years was loud and boisterous. The emotion in Price’s eyes as he received the ovation spoke volumes about the meaningful moment and his attachment to the city.
Earlier in the week, the 35-year-old spoke to Arpon Basu of The Athletic about his desire to return to the NHL, the possible knee surgery he is facing that comes with no guarantees, and the pain he continues to deal with daily. He is expected to meet the media this week.
Defensive Injuries Mounting
With Joel Edmundson already on the sidelines since the start of training, the Habs lost another of their veteran top-four defencemen in Mike Matheson who was also one of their best players during the preseason. Following an MRI, it was determined that he suffered an abdominal muscle strain that will keep him out of action for eight weeks. On Friday night against the Detroit Red Wings, Kaiden Guhle left the game for some time, but eventually returned and luckily avoided a serious injury.
Meanwhile, in Laval, the Rocket will be without defenceman Gianni Fairbrother, who has struggled to stay healthy over the last few years, for the entire 2022-23 campaign after he went down with a knee injury.
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It’s a decent possibility that Hughes will seek to bring in more reinforcements on the blue line to help support his young defenders as they continue to adapt to the NHL game.
Trudeau Signs His Entry-Level Contract
Speaking of defencemen, William Trudeau has signed his entry-level deal with the Canadiens. The 20-year-old, who spent the past three seasons with the Charlottetown Islanders in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), had a strong training camp and was rewarded with his first pro contract. He was selected in the fourth round of the 2021 NHL Draft by the Habs.
Related: Canadiens Season Opener Gives Glimpse of Future
Miguel Tourigny, Montreal’s seventh-round pick in this summer’s draft, will continue his career professionally in Slovakia with HK Dukla Trencin after spending parts of the last four years in the QMJHL.
Two Prospects Return to the OHL
Filip Mesar and Logan Mailloux were both sent to their junior teams in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) this week.
Mesar, who turned heads during Montreal’s camp, had the choice to play with the Laval Rocket in the American Hockey League (AHL) or go the junior route with the Kitchener Rangers and while he wanted to stay in the AHL, management went with option two with the hope that he will further develop his offensive skills and produce at a higher rate. He played in Laval’s home opener on Friday night before being reassigned.
As for Mailloux, he is headed back to the London Knights with the green light to play after completing his rehab from shoulder surgery. Before departing, the 19-year-old signed his entry-level contract and will be anxious to return to game action after missing so much time over the last two years. In 2021-22, he appeared in just 12 contests with London before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury. He put up three goals and nine points in those 12 games.
Hughes Addresses Drouin Situation
In addition to explaining his decision to sign Mailloux, Hughes also addressed the coaching staff’s decision to make Jonathan Drouin a healthy scratch for the first two games of the calendar. He mentioned that the forward was behind the rest of his teammates in his preparation for the season and needed more time to get up to speed given that he was still trying to get fully healthy after undergoing wrist surgery for a second time last spring.
Head coach Martin St. Louis also assured that Drouin is still very much part of his plans. He made his season debut on Saturday night against the Washington Capitals and played a decent game. The 27-year-old is a pending unrestricted free agent and there is no doubt that trade rumors will follow him until the trade deadline, especially after this latest chapter of his tumultuous tenure with the Habs.
What’s Next for the Canadiens?
Following a winless two-game road trip, the Canadiens return home for three games at the Bell Centre this week beginning Monday against the Pittsburgh Penguins, a matchup that will feature the return of Jeff Petry to Montreal for the first time since being traded in the offseason.
It will also be interesting to follow the rehab progression of Edmundson and Joel Armia. Both players are back on the ice skating and inching closer to a return.