Canadiens: Update From Practice

After having a day off yesterday, which mercifully helped the organization digest Saturday night's events, the Montreal Canadiens were back on the ice practicing in Brossard this morning.

Of course, it wasn't a full house of players. Josh Anderson, David Reinbacher, and Patrik Laine weren't on the ice. Laine was, however, on the bench, watching his teammates. He was wearing his knee brace, leaning on his crutches, and with a bare left foot (leg too swollen, perhaps?). There was no official update on his injury, and we were told there might be one later today, but I'm not holding my breath, to be honest. 

Martin St-Louis ran multiple drills but held his hand close to his chest, not revealing his lines. The only set combinations were the Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovski trio and the Brendan Gallagher, Jake Evans, and Joel Armia unit. Josh Anderson's being out for a therapy day further complicated matters, making it quite a challenge to see who made up the other two units. 

In his post practice availability, St-Louis kept all doors open, he didn't dismiss any possibility, we could see a youngster fill in Laine's spot, but it could also be a veteran. Oliver Kapanen is a center, but he could play on the wing, Anderson is having a great camp according to the coach, he knows the kind of season he had and what he needs to do. Joshua Roy could also be an option, and so could Alex Barre-Boulet, who does better in an offensive role than in a supporting one. 

The pilot is even willing to consider splitting up his first line if he rationally concludes it will help the team more than hinder it. He's got two pre-season games left and a handful of practices left, and it sure sounds like he will take his time to evaluate the best way forward. That could also mean keeping Kapanen on this side of the pond but to do that, he also needs to evaluate how he will cope with the grind of an NHL season.

Asked how he felt about what it meant for the team to see an injured Laine be on the bench for practice this morning, the bench boss explained:

I think it's great, what makes it a little bit harder I think we what happened during the game, Is we felt like we were doing the number one job we were doing with Patty, making him excited to come to the rink and he was. That's not just my job, it's the group's. What I'm really proud about the group we're rebuilding, obviously, there's a show called the rebuild, but when you're building a house, the house can look very nice but is it a home? It takes more to make it a home. I feel like, seeing Patty coming in like that makes me feel that we're building a home, not just a house. So it hurts a little bit more because I feel he was excited to come to the rink. 

Reading between the lines, the coach was happy and proud to bring Laine into the fold. For him, building a house and having a structure is one thing, but you need to add furnishing to give it a personality, to make it a home, a place where players want to come, live, and play. 

Saturday's injuries were unfortunate, to say the least, but the show must go on for St-Louis, and he's already in solution mode, looking at his complicated Rubik's cube from all angles and ready to solve it by trial and error. What already seemed like it was going to be a challenging season just got even more challenging before it even started, but if someone can solve the puzzle, it's St-Louis. 

Related

Canadiens vs. Maple Leafs: Let's Get Ready To Rumble
Déjà Vu: Canadiens Lose Patrik Laine Four Minutes Into Saturday Night Game
Canadiens: About the Harris-Laine Trade 

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