Which 31 players should the Montreal Canadiens bring to Phase 4?
By Omar L
Goaltenders:
Price is the starter and will be a big part of the Montreal Canadiens’ chances to make it past Pittsburgh. Lindgren and Primeau are backup options and should get the call over Keith Kinkaid.
It’s more to do with their stock in the organization than their individual performances. Granted, both Primeau and Lindgren posted better numbers in the NHL than Kinkaid. The free-agent signing from last July had a .875 Sv% with a 1-1-3 record. Lindgren went 2-4 with a .888 Sv% while Primeau was 1-1 with a .931 Sv%.
The sample size and context is key here, but the numbers are very telling.
Another thing to keep in mind is that Primeau and Kinkaid are a part of the future, while Kinkaid was likely going to walk unsigned as a UFA. Therefore, it makes more sense to bring those two along as the organization sees them as options to don a Habs sweater as close as next season when the opening for Price’s backup is virtually open. It’s possible we see Kinkaid with the team for training camp, but once Phase 4 kicks off, he’ll likely be on the outs.
Anything can happen in the playoffs, and the Montreal Canadiens know first-hand what can happen when goaltenders get injured. They’ll need players behind Price that they can trust to at least keep the team in the fight.
Adjustments are going to be made depending on the statuses of those asterisk players. Assuming those players are ineligible, these are the 31 I feel the Montreal Canadiens will bring with them to Toronto for the Stanley Cup Qualifier.
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