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Canadian Training Camp Preview: Key Storylines to Follow as Season Approaches

by time news

2024-07-05 12:55:28

In a few weeks, the Canadian training camp will begin. September seems a long way away at the moment, but it will still come quickly.

And from there, there will be questions to look at Martin St-Louis… and I want to talk about them. And since we’re talking from the coach’s point of view, we’re not doing a transaction: we’re dealing with the elements that are in place today.

Here are about ten elements to watch out for in camp other than Canada’s current lineup.

How long until we see the “real” Kirby Dach?

As you know, many people in Montreal are of the opinion, along with Kirby Dach, that the Canadiens would win more games in 2023-2024. And then, clearly, the center will be hungry in 2024-2025.

However, he will need a few weeks, or even months, to regain confidence in his knees. I wonder then, without being able to begin to answer, when he will trust himself.

Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky: which winger has the centre?

We agree that the two men, with their eight-year contract signed in 2023 and 2024, will be Martin St-Louis’ two reliable wings for the next season.

Slaf must feel the trust of the organization in him, clearly.

But the question is if the two guys will still play with Nick Suzuki this season (which is possible on the table) or if one of them will join Dach on the other three top-6, ask him the ammunition to succeed .

It would make sense for Slaf to stay with Suzuki (the two had good chemistry) and send Caufield with Dach. Each duo would have a big man… and Dach’s death talent, as it happened in 2022-2023, could add a flash to Caufield.

But at the same time, Caufield and Suzuki have great chemistry… and the Slaf/Dach duo was in his last camp. Two guys drafted in the top-3, who are big and protect the puck well… phew.

It wouldn’t surprise me to see Slaf start next camp with Dach. And one day, it wouldn’t surprise me if Ivan Demidov ends up in the first line with these two guys.

In theory, there are two places to be taken in the top-6. Do Joshua Roy and Alex Newhook have to eat up minutes on the big line? Yes.

Here are my current favorites.

But you know as I do that injuries and bad performances happen in a season. And no doubt, Joel Armia, Brendan Gallagher, Josh Anderson, Rafaël Harvey-Pinard, Emil Heineman and Alex Barré-Boulet, to name but a few, will be aiming for big playing time.

But for that, the numbers have to be on the board.

Which “veterans” will stand up?

Next year, Joel Aremia will be in the showpiece after having a good end to the 2023-2024 season and due to the fact that he will be at the end of his contract. What kind of season will it bring for Martin St-Louis – and Kent Hughes?

Jake Evans, Christian Dvorak and Michael Pezzetta will be unrestricted free agents in a year – if nothing changes – and Rafael Harvey-Pinard will be a restricted free agent. On offense, that’s a lot of guys that are going to fight for the next contract, that’s it.

For Brendan Gallagher and Josh Anderson, who will fight to play higher than the bottom 6 of the club, they still have three years of contract at $6.5 million and $5.5 million on the pool. They will want to prove that they are nothing more than dead wood.

Ultimately, if Gallagher, Anderson and Dvorak lined up on a hypothetical third line, it would help CH win games.

If we assume that, if it goes well, Suzuki, Caufield, Dach, Slafkovsky, Newhook, Roy (no disaster), Anderson, Gallagher, Armia, Dvorak and Armia will have their place, there is one active place left. alignment.

There are up to three places left on the roster of 23 men… if the club goes there with seven defenders and two goalkeepers, it’s obvious.

My colleague Maxime Truman recently analyzed that the Quebecers Harvey-Pinard and Barré-Boulet were going to fight for the same place. They will not be the only ones fighting, however.

I expect to see Michael Pezzetta make the club as the 13th or 14th striker, but there will be more guys fighting for a place in the sun. Let’s look at, in my opinion, Oliver Kapanen, Owen Beck, Sean Farrell and Luke Tuch, to name a few… but don’t hold your breath.

Which side will Kaiden Guhle play for?

We know that Canadians have an excess of left-handed defenders. The club has the consolation of Kaiden Guhle, who can play on both sides.

I feel that Martin St-Louis will often put him on the right to see him switch with Mike Matheson in the Canadian first duo and make room for others on the left. But we will see in due course depending on what the coach wants.

Mike Matheson, David Savard and Kaiden Guhle will play all of the club’s games if healthy. This was great defensive consistency over two seasons with Canada.

But after?

Jordan Harris and Justin Barron, two guys who played some games in Montreal in 2023-2024, have to go through waivers to go to Laval. And Kent Hughes should not take such a risk.

Arber Xhekaj and Jayden Struble can go to Laval more easily.

Even despite the departure of Johnathan Kovacevic, it would be a surprise if these seven players made the club. Young people are pushing back and the internal struggle will be strong.

I have a feeling that Jayden Struble needs to have a camp to stay and that the “regular” from last year is the most to prove to start the next season in the NHL. His place is not certain.

Which young people will fight where?

Lane Hutson, Logan Mailloux, David Reinbacher and Adam Engstrom are the main candidates knocking on the door. William Trudeau starts behind the others in the race and seems destined for Laval.

If the fans were in charge, it’s easy to see who the popular choice would be starting at the top: Hutson. And really, he and Mailloux are undoubtedly among those who will have the best chance of taking the place(s) available.

Engstrom, if he doesn’t break through the club, will he stay in Laval or will he go to Europe? We can think he will go to Laval, but nothing is certain.

As for David Reinbacher, if you don’t see him command at camp, I think Laval expects it at the beginning of the season. However, Reinbacher, Mailloux and Hutson should expect to play in the NHL in 2024-25 at some point.

It’s fair to say that Hutson and/or Mailloux and/or Reinbacher will make the club at some point, but how many minutes per game will they play? How much time will they get on special teams?

This one is especially a question for Hutson, knowing that Matheson drives the first power play unit.

I expect Guhle, Matheson and Savard to eat up the big minutes and save the other defensemen. But you know as well as I do that these three won’t play 82 games each.

I think their performance will dictate their playing time…barring any rash of injuries. And from the draw, Hutson (along with Savard?) could quickly eat up a minute.

How many games for Samuel Montembeault?

This year, there is no controversy: there should only be two goalkeepers in camp who have a real chance of making the club.

Samuel Montembeault and Cayden Primeau finished well last season after the departure of Jake Allen. And of course, both will want a lot of playing time.

Monty, who refused to represent his country at the World Championships in May, will be looking to prove he can be the CH #1 and will be looking to prove he can play in the four nations tournament for Canada.

The three-year contract extension has now been added and I expect him to get the starting job in camp. If it goes well, a load between 45 and 50 would make sense to start.

Cayden Primeau will be in the final year of his contract. He will be entitled to limited autonomy (and salary arbitration) and will want to argue for himself to earn a salary increase.

Between 32 and 37 starts for the American, is that reasonable? Heaven?

A lot

– To watch at 11 am

– I think his future is still elsewhere.

– Big decisions are coming to Edmonton.

– To read.

– A name to watch.


#Ten #questions #Canadas #roster

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