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Rebuilding without any rookies in the lineup: a possibility for the Canadiens

 Manuel Sperandio-Lemay
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Rebuilding without any rookies in the lineup: a possibility for the Canadiens
The Canadiens will have a young team this year. We all know that. The Habs have a bank of young players that is clearly above the league average. We know that too.

But is it possible to believe that the CH could have no actual rookies in its line-up on the first day of the regular season in 2023-2024? It’s possible.

This observation comes from Mathias Brunet, in La Presse this morning. As he points out, the CH is at the heart of a major paradox for a club trying to rebuild its roster by looking to the future.

And it’s hitting home.

It seems that so much emphasis was placed on youth (which will be the case again this year) that the rookies themselves were swallowed up in the youth pool.

But the journalist from La Presse is right: it’s possible that no player will get his first taste of the NHL next October.

Last year, in the first game of the season, Juraj Slafkovsky, Kaiden Guhle and Arber Xhekaj played their first game. Johnathan Kovacevic and Jordan Harris were also rookies, even if they had a few games of experience.

But what about this year?

Among goaltenders, we know that no goaltender will be a rookie. Cayden Primeau is the youngest of the lot, but he won’t make the club anyway – barring a surprise.

Defensemen? I talked about that this morning: there won’t be anyone new. The blue line will be young, but no rookie on the horizon for Stéphane Robidas at curtain-raiser.

Things may change along the way, but among the forwards, we can expect to see Suzuki, Caufield, Anderson, Gallagher, Dvorak, Armia, Dach, Newhook, Monahan, Evans, Harvey-Pinard, Slafkovsky, Pezzetta and Ylönen make the club.

Of course, Dvorak’s injury (or any other injury) may change things, but even so, it’s possible to believe that only 13 forwards will start the season in town.

It all depends on the goalkeepers.

Along the way, guys like Farrell Heineman, Kidney or Roy are at risk of being recalled (to name but a few), but they should start the season in Laval. To be continued.


Breaking news

– Sad moment for the family.

– Notice to interested parties.

– 44 days only.

– He’ll have to win.

– Ouch.

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