Montreal Canadiens: Updates From Training Camp

Practices at Montreal Canadiens training camp began Friday, and there were a lot of changes and experiments that could find their way to the regular season.

We’re making our way to the peak of training camp for the Montreal Canadiens. There were some interesting things going on in Brossard as practices began on Friday. Yes, we’re talking about practice (shoutout to Allen Iverson).

Marc Bergevin wasn’t kidding when he said Claude Julien was a structured man. There was a high level of seriousness. The players expected to be on the team know that this year will come with expectations that they hope to match. The newcomers want to make an impression for whatever new role Julien chooses for them. Additionally, there are those who have a chance of making them team who want to show that they have what it takes.

So what happened at practice besides practice? Here are some of the main things that took place Friday that will be worth thinking about in the future.

Addison is Out, Rèway is In

Despite being initially listed as injured on the roster list for training camp, Martin Rèway was present and accounted for. And rightly so. Yes he needs to work on his conditioning to keep up and there’s better time to get training in.

Unfortunately, Jeremiah Addison is and will be injured. The Habs announced Friday morning that the 20-year-old will be out indefinitely with a shoulder injury. He’ll be receiving surgery for it next week.

It’s too bad. This was going to be a big training camp for Addison. A spot on the Montreal Canadiens would be out of reach, but playing for the Laval Rocket was a definite possibility. We don’t know what the timeline for recovery will be, but hopefully its sooner rather than later.

Drouin’s Line

Seeing Jonathan Drouin at center was not a surprise. Having Max Pacioretty as his left-winger was so no surprise either. They’re two of the most skilled on the team, and considering how well they’ve bonded off the ice, it would make sense to pair those two together. What was surprising was who was on Drouin’s right side.

Free agent signing Ales Hemsky joined Pacioretty and Drouin on the first line. Even though it’s only training camp, it’s safe to say that no one had this as even a possibility. It does make sense if you think about it.

Related Story: Hemsky's Role on the Team

This will be Drouin’s first NHL stint at center. We all know that defence is a big thing with Julien, and having two defensively responsible wingers will make it easier for him. One of Hemsky’s strengths is his ability to drive possession. Having a player like that with Drouin and Pacioretty could be an experiment that works out in the long run. The only question is whether Hemsky can handle top line minutes.

Giving the Kid a Chance

An understandable critique of former head coach Michel Therrien was his reluctance to give the prospects a chance. Save for Artturi Lehkonen last season, Therrien didn’t use young players as well as he should. Sure some of them would be called up once or twice a season, but it was usually in a limited role.

Charles Hudon has been a prospect that many, including myself, have been raving about. He’s proven that he’s too good for the NHL and has faired well in the times he was up with the Habs. Hudon was playing on a line with Tomas Plekanec and Lehkonen. That would be a pretty intriguing line.

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Plekanec had a down year points-wise, and although his defensive game was still there, he has more to give offensively. Lehkonen showed us that he can be gritty and score those garbage goals, but still riffle shots. Add Hudon’s speed and skill and that’s a recipe for success.

Weber’s Partner

Another fun guessing game this off-season for Habs fans was, “Who plays with Shea Weber“. There were a lot of candidates, and we saw some of them at practice.

Surprisingly it wasn’t Karl Alzner. The latest Canadiens signing played top pairing minutes for Washington, so it would make sense to pencil him there. Alzner actually played with Jeff Petry Friday. That could be another great match by Julien if it pans out. Playing with Alzner would free up Petry to play more of his style which is catered to offence.

There were two players who saw time with Weber. First was Jordie Benn. Again this was something that Habs fans already thought could be a possibility. That didn’t last long as Been was eventually paired up with Mark Streit.  Who no one even considered playing with Weber was Victor Mete, 19-year-old Victor Mete.

Mete is the only junior eligible player at camp right now. The fact that Julien has seen something in him worth looking into speaks to how well he’s grown over the year. Julien mentioned that Mete playing with Weber allows the team to take a long look at him. Makes you think that he may have a chance to make the team doesn’t it? Mete may be closer to the NHL than we initially thought.

Keep in mind again that this is all from practice. Hopefully some of these line-up decisions come into play on Sunday when the scrimmage games start. If any number of them continue further into training camp, then the Montreal Canadiens will indeed be one of the fascinating teams in the league.

Next: Another Use For the Cap Space

Which line-up decision surprised you the most? Will any of them stick for the regular season? Let us know your thoughts in the comment.