Canadiens return crucial rookie to lineup in first game after break

The Montreal Canadiens return from the Four Nations Faceoff break with a Hockey Night in Canada matchup against the Ottawa Senators. The Senators are in a playoff spot as the defacto second half begins, but the Canadiens struggled into the break with a 2-7-1 record. They are six points ahead of the Buffalo Sabres to stay out of last place in the Atlantic Division, but they have two games in hand. Many issues led to the Habs' struggles before the break, but one was the absence of Emil Heineman.

Heineman and Oliver Kapanen made the Canadiens out of training camp. However, Heineman outlasted the Finnish forward thanks partly to some roster and contract rules that fell in his favor. Kapanen returned to the Swedish Hockey League, excelling, while Heineman stuck with the Canadiens and became a crucial part of the fourth line with Joel Armia and Jake Evans.

Let's be honest: the trio comprised the fourth line mainly so that Josh Anderson and Brendan Gallagher weren't given that designation. Armia, Evans, and Heineman were the third line most nights, and there's an argument to be made that in terms of production and value, they were one of the top two more often than not. As some lines in the top six took nights off, it seemed like the trio was always there to pick up the slack.

Heineman was having a nice season before the freak accident in Utah sent him out of the lineup. It's unfortunate to have a good rookie season cut short as you're walking down the street in a new city, but sometimes things just don't break your way. Heineman had 17 points in 41 games when he left the lineup, which puts him on pace for 27 in 67 games if he can stay healthy for the rest of the year.

Heineman figures to be an integral piece of the bottom six going forward as the Canadiens transition from a rebuilder to a contender. With Evans and Armia possibly leaving at the trade deadline, the keys will be put in Heineman's hand to be an integral cog in the team's depth and the penalty kill. Not bad for a rookie "fourth-liner."