The Montreal Canadiens are getting set to face the Edmonton Oilers tonight but they will be without another veteran.
David Savard is out with a lower body injury and will not play tonight’s game. The team announced this lineup change just as the team headed onto the ice for the pregame warmup.
The Canadiens are facing the Oilers at the Bell Centre in Montreal with no fans in attendance.
The Habs need all the help they can find as they sit last in the NHL standings with an 8-27-7 record. They haven’t been great in front of fans this season at home, as their 5-11-1 record at the Bell Centre means they have the least amount of wins on home ice of the 32 teams in the league.
The Habs are facing a tough test tonight as the Edmonton Oilers have added Evander Kane to the lineup for the first time. He plays on the top line with Connor McDavid, allowing Leon Draisaitl to play with Jesse Puljujarvi on the second line and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman to get third line minutes.
The Canadiens defence has been horrible this season, so a deep and talented Oilers team was not going to be an easy night. Savard has been one of the team’s most reliable defensive players all season, so this just makes the Canadiens more prone to a long night in their own end.
Savard was just one of two players to suit up for all 42 games for the Canadiens so far this season. This injury will leave Nick Suzuki as the team’s ironman and only player to play in all 43 games once the puck drops this evening.
The Oilers are 21-16-2, and have won three straight after a lengthy stretch of losing. They have a chance to jump back into a playoff spot with two points tonight.
Not having to face Savard makes that a little more likely.