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Montreal Canadiens: Players gearing for the World Hockey Championships

By Omar L

TORONTO, ON - JANUARY 4: Jacob de la Rose #9 of Team Sweden skates against Team Russia during a semi-final game in the 2015 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship at the Air Canada Centre on January 4, 2015 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Team Russia defeated Team Sweden 4-2 to advance to the gold medal game against Canada. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - JANUARY 4: Jacob de la Rose #9 of Team Sweden skates against Team Russia during a semi-final game in the 2015 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship at the Air Canada Centre on January 4, 2015 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Team Russia defeated Team Sweden 4-2 to advance to the gold medal game against Canada. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /
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It’s the first day of the 2018 World Hockey Championships, and the Montreal Canadiens have three players at the tournament.

The rosters are complete, the exhibition is over, and it’s time for the 2018 World Hockey Championships to begin. The Montreal Canadiens will have three players suiting up for their respective countries in Jacob de La Rose, Charlie Lindgren, and Markus Eisenschmid for Sweden, USA, and Germany.

The Habs may have had more players there if the circumstances were different, but for now, fans will be putting their positive energy in those three. Based on the lines in practice for Sweden, de La Rose looks to be on the third line with Magnus Paajarvi and Johan Larsson.

There isn’t much offence coming from that group and it may very well be the defensive line for Sweden. That works in de La Rose’s favour as his shutdown ability were one of the things that he improved on this season.

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Lindgren looks to be the third goalie on Team USA behind Keith Kinkaid and Scott Darling. Considering the amount of NHL experience there, it’s unlikely he defends the net for his team. Head coach Jeff Blashill could choose to rotate his goaltenders throughout the tournament. But right now, it seems like the tie-breaker, if there is one, is going to the veterans.

The 24-year-old wouldn’t be a liability if given the chance as he’s displayed an ability to compete against NHL players.

Eisenschmid was recently named to Germany’s roster and will be looking to make an impact in his first adult international tournament. It was a rough year for the Laval Rocket, but he set new point totals with 6 goals and 10 assists in 57 games. As a workhouse and effective penalty killer, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Eisenschmid slot in the team’s bottom nine.

It’s a mystery of how the Montreal Canadiens feel about him as a player moving forward, but he is a pending restricted free agent and could use these games to show others what he can do.

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There are always a special storyline or two to track at the Worlds, and there is plenty of room for one of the Habs players to be part of them. Lindgren will be up first in a rivalry game against Canada followed by de La Rose and Eisenschmid against Belarus and Denmark respectively. Let’s see who among the participating Montreal Canadiens shines.

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