The recent hockey games for Canadiens fans were like a roller coaster. Spectacular games and interesting roster decisions alternated with tough losses. First of all, it concerns the loss during the game against the Detroit Red Wings. This game will definitely affect the future of the team.
Reassignment of Four Laval Players
Joshua Roy, Jayden Struble, Justin Barron, and Logan Maillot are headed to the Habs’ AHL affiliate in Laval. The team’s fans first learned about this news on Wednesday from the official representatives.
Struble, Barron and Maillot played for the Canadiens on Tuesday. At the same time, Barron was called literally in an emergency on April 6. Strubl has been working at a big club for a long time, starting in November. Maillot played most of the time for Laval Rockets before reassignment. After that, he made a successful debut in the NHL on Tuesday night.
As you may know, Roy suffered an upper-body injury during one of the fiercest games, which caused additional problems for one of the team’s top players. Nevertheless, he recovered quickly.
At the moment, “Rocket” is in the field of vision for both fans of hockey betting in Canada and simple connoisseurs of this sport. It is clearly seen from the odds for recent games on top betting platforms, such as GGBet.
In general, these are positive changes for the Canadiens because of the roster flexibility test. Based on the results of these changes, team managers can gauge how best to call up other players or make additional changes as needed.
Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkowski Will Join World Cup
The top players of the Canadiens will represent their countries at the 2024 World Cup of Hockey. Cofield will play for the USA, and Slafkovsky will go to Prague to win the title for his team from Slovakia. Canadiens players announced these ideas on Wednesday.
The World Championship will be held in Prague from May 10 to 26. The participation of 23-year-old Cofield became one of the most interesting parts of the upcoming event. For the young hockey player, this will be the first international tournament in his career. His future professional life will largely depend on the event’s result and how he performs.
As for Slafkovsky, this will not be his first experience. At the same time, he is three years younger than Caulfield! The 20-year-old Slafkovskiy played for Slovakia one and two years ago, respectively, in 2022 and 2023.
If you haven’t checked the event’s calendar yet, the game between Slovakia and the USA is scheduled for 10:20 a.m. on May 13. A significant event will take place at the Ostrava Arena in the Czech Republic. During this period, the Canadiens invited Nick Suzuki to join the team. However, he has not yet given his answer.
Moving abroad at once is the main restraining factor for the player. The journalists also learned that Samuel Montembo and Mike Matheson were invited. However, they decided not to participate in this year’s Championship.
Of course, it will be a great way for players to show their skills and gain a reputation. As for the Canadiens, such changes will not have a significant effect. The team has no significant games planned at this time. Plus, the Canadiens has reserve players who are ready to go out on the ice anytime.
An Unfortunate Defeat of the Canadiens Against the Detroit Red Wings
Tuesday night seemed to be quite a busy one for Canadiens fans. Their favorite team, unfortunately, lost to the Detroit Red Wings with a score of 5:4 in a shootout. The game, which took place at the Bell Center, was full of highlights. It all started with a quick goal by Alex Newhook midway through the first period.
In addition to the first goal, this event brought the player his 100th career point. It was a new record in his career based on the number of goals during the season. This game was also Logan Mile’s debut in the NHL. The defender got the first point in his career.
However, the Wings counterattacked and tied the game. A little later in the period, Brendan Gallagher and Cole Cofield sent the puck into the opponent’s goal. Gallagher, who assisted on Newhook’s goal, played his seventh multipoint game. Detroit also excelled throughout Lane Hutson’s powerful attack.
This defenseman scored from the blue line, demonstrating the grip and patience of such a promising player. Later, Slafkowski took advantage and gave the Habs the lead with 7:14 left. Thus, it became Slafkovsky’s 20th goal of the season. Hutson, in turn, earned his second NHL point. In the Bell Center, it was his first point, which he received for a top pass.
However, the Red Wings decided not to stop. Kaiden Primo had a stellar game as he stopped 36 of 40 power shots. The tie narrowed the gap between the teams and gave Detroit the ability to win in a shootout. Despite the unfortunate loss, it obviously won’t stop Montreal and won’t have a significant long-term impact.