A Winning Habit
Fansided

What do the positive cases mean for the Montreal Canadiens?

By Omar L

MONTREAL, QC - OCTOBER 13: Max Domi #13 of the Montreal Canadiens skates against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the NHL game at the Bell Centre on October 13, 2018 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 in a shootout. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - OCTOBER 13: Max Domi #13 of the Montreal Canadiens skates against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the NHL game at the Bell Centre on October 13, 2018 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 in a shootout. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 3
Next
Montreal Canadiens, Max Domi
MONTREAL, QC – FEBRUARY 25TH: Max Domi Montreal Canadiens (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /

Training camp was meant to start today. These next three weeks of Phase 3 will determine how things can properly proceed into the eventual resumption of the NHL season.

The NHL has detailed their closed bubble plan for Phase 4, but Phase 3 is relatively open. Players are encouraged to stay home as much as possible in their respective cities, but it isn’t going to be enforced as it will be in August. If every player who heads to Toronto and Edmonton are negative for COVID-19 and all participants adhere to the rules, the league can contain things.

But now we have a situation where players are positive right as Phase 3 was about to begin. This isn’t the first time it’s come out that a player has tested positive as the Tampa Bay Lightning and St. Louis Blues were forced to close their practice facilities due to cases appearing.

So what does this mean for the Montreal Canadiens?

The first question this points to is Max Domi. Even though we heard of the news today via Basu, the Habs have definitely been acting accordingly to it already. We could assume that the 7-10 wait period was made with the positive cases in mind.

Perhaps the Canadiens feel those players can return home, quarantine, and join the team later, baring negative tests while having a safe environment for Domi to join the roster. It’s easy to think along these lines as #13 is on the team’s training camp roster.

The Habs clearly want Domi to play, and I feel they’ll do whatever they can to ensure it happens. Personally, I feel like the risk is far too great to allow the 25-year-old to participate even if he makes the team better. The fact that players are still testing positive this late in the game is concerning, and who knows what else arises as training camp continues.

Home/Editorials