Montreal Canadiens: A potential Rasmus Dahlin deciding game

The Montreal Canadiens and Detroit Red Wings are coming together for a match that could directly impact the final odds of the lottery for Rasmus Dahlin.

The Montreal Canadiens haven’t had too many teams’ number this season. The only two they always beat are the Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings which may not be saying much considering the years they’ve had. However, you can’t lose every game, and it’s nice to add a drop of positivity and confidence to the locker room. That sentiment may change seeing how this match between the Habs and Red Wings could affect the draft lottery standings.

Montreal is still 29th in the league with 69 points and an 11.5% chance at a Rasmus Dahlin victory. A win this game, which they are the clear favourite in winning the previous three outscoring them 20-3, will propel them to 27th and a single point behind Detroit. The Buffalo Sabres clinched 31st in the league and 18.5% on lottery night, so the lowest the Habs can finish is 30th and 29th. Many have made a slight joke of it, but the draft lottery race is getting pretty intense.

This doesn’t matter in the slightest to the players though. They’ll be fighting to the very end of the season if Claude Julien has anything to say about it.

With Nikita Scherbak out with a concussion, the lines were tweaked at practice. There’s been no news of Paul Byron‘s therapy day being anything more than that so expect the top line along with Jonathan Drouin and Brendan Gallagher to remain the same. Charles Hudon was taking reps with Logan Shaw and Kerby Rychel which could hint at his return to the lineup after missing the last two with an unspecified injury.

If Hudon is ready to go, then Byron Froese will most likely be the one to sit out. Based on the way the pairings were going, it looks like Jordie Benn is back in the lineup for tonight’s game.

Additionally, with David Schlemko and Mike Reilly taking turns beside Jeff Petry, one of them may sit. Schlemko has played two games since returning from his upper-body injury. Julien mentioned that the team has yet to see his best and has yet to stand out positively despite tallying a primary assist on Alex Galchenyuk‘s power-play goal.

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Between the two, Schlemko is the more likely to sit and Benn has to make sure that he plays well after being so vocal over his healthy scratch.

Speaking of Galchenyuk, he has the milestone spotlight shined on him after scoring his 19th against the Winnipeg Jets. His growth this season has been a slow climb, and it’s really looking like the frustrating times are behind him.

Rychel is another player to keep an eye on after scoring his first as part of the Montreal Canadiens. The 23-year-old displayed the type of style and drive that will keep him in the NHL. He has this game and next to continue to prove himself, and then it’s back to the Laval Rocket.

Detroit has strung together some points since losing to the Habs at the end of March. The Red Wings are coming off a 5-4 overtime loss at the hands of the Columbus Blue Jackets but won their previous three games.

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Dylan Larkin has been as hot as ever with six points across those four games. However, rookie Tyler Bertuzzi is starting to come into his own as well as he scored twice in Columbus. The Red Wings are playing like they have something to prove which could be signs of a good matchup between two bottom ten teams.