On Thursday morning, when Montreal Canadiens’ [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens] coach Martin St-Louis told reporters that Jayden Struble would be suiting up for the game against the Nashville Predators, he added that he was looking forward to giving Joe Veleno a game. In the midst of a four-game winning streak, it’s not easy to change your lineup, and you’ve got to be careful about who you pull out. On Thursday morning, Oliver Kapanen seemed to be the likeliest candidate. But against the Nashville Predators [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators], not only did he score a goal, but he was much more involved and visible. Early in the first frame, his timely stick lift prevented Steven Stamkos from taking a shot from in close. Canadiens: Caufield And Hutson's Heroics Net Two Points [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/latest-news/canadiens-caufield-and-hutson-s-heroics-net-two-points] Canadiens' Hutson Added To U.S. Preliminary Roster [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/latest-news/canadiens-hutson-added-to-u-s-preliminary-roster] Canadiens: Big Weekend For Fans At The Habs Summit [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/latest-news/canadiens-big-weekend-for-fans-at-the-habs-summit] He might have only played 11:59, but those were quality minutes, and he’s also part of the penalty kill, which is an important role. He won his role on the team out of training camp before St-Louis thought he had an NHL-level computer. He plays a sound game, and he’s also predictable for his linemates on the ice. The way he performed on Thursday night, it’s almost as if he was telling the coach that while he was looking forward to playing Veleno, it shouldn’t be at his expense. Meanwhile, Patrik Laine is trying his best on the fourth line, but playing a two-way game does not necessarily come naturally to him. It’s a work in process, and last night, he was on the ice when Nick Perbix scored the Predators’ second goal. He did backcheck, but he let his man go too early, when Noah Dobson wasn’t close enough to cover him adequately, as Laine skated towards the other side to cover Ozzy Wiesblatt. Yes, he’s part of the power play, but things haven’t yet clicked for him on the man-advantage, and his presence on the fourth line is posing a challenge for Jake Evans and Josh Anderson. They are used to playing with Brendan Gallagher, who plays a simple, efficient, and predictable game, and Laine doesn’t do that, even though he’s working on it. When the Canadiens needed an equalizer against Nashville and they deployed six skaters, Laine wasn’t on the ice; he was on the bench. I liked what I’ve seen from Laine since the start of the season. The effort is there, but right now, for me, he’s the one who should come out if St-Louis wants to give Veleno a game. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Follow Karine on X @KarineHains [https://x.com/KarineHains] Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/karinehains.bsky.social] and Threads @karinehains [https://www.threads.net/@karinehains]. Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/] for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens. Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens] on The Hockey News.
