Four questions for the Montreal Canadiens to think about over the break
By Omar L
1. What happens when Andrew Shaw returns?
The Habs have been without Andrew Shaw for 11 games due to a neck injury. It was a tough loss for the team as Shaw was playing really well establishing some strong chemistry with Max Domi and Jonathan Drouin.
Montreal needed to find another way to rekindle some magic within the line combinations, and the latest set-up has worked. However, that will need to be disrupted once Shaw returns. This is not to say he’ll come back as soon as the break is over. Renaud Lavoie did tweet that the 27-year-old was skating this week, but who knows how long it will take before he’s ready for contact and game-ready condition.
That time will come, and Bergevin needs to plan ahead. Perhaps that is the end of the favourited fourth line with Kenny Agostino, Michael Chaput, and Nicolas Deslauriers. They may not generate much offensively, but they are effective in playing heavy in the other team’s end to put pressure on the defence and the opposing netminder.
Shaw excels in that area as well and wouldn’t disrupt much in terms of execution. Odds are Deslauriers gets pulled in favour of Shaw with the former most likely finding himself on waivers. There could be an avenue for Deslauriers staying up with the Montreal Canadiens and kept as a 13th or 14th forward.
Julien would then be free to cycle forwards and see what the best fit is. Deslauriers may be the first to come out one game, and the next could have Agostino sit out or even Chaput leaving Shaw to slide in as the fourth-line centre. Then again, having all four of Agostino, Chaput, Deslauriers, and Shaw would require certain things to play out. For example…