The Canadiens may be inching toward a healthier lineup, and Saturday morning offered a few encouraging signs in Brossard.
Ivan Demidov, Samuel Montembeault and Mike Matheson all got on the ice while Montreal was in Toronto getting ready to face the Maple Leafs. There was no formal team practice, but the three injured players used the session to keep working through their recoveries away from the main group.
Demidov was the first to skate, marking his second time on the ice this week. Patrick Friolet had recently reported that the young forward was wearing a therapeutic boot, and while he still doesn’t look fully comfortable, the fact that he’s back skating is a positive step.
Montembeault followed soon after. The Quebec-born goaltender looked more at ease getting back to his feet during drills, which is another encouraging sign as he continues to recover.
Matheson was the final player to hit the ice. The defenseman is still expected to miss another week after putting up four points in eight games before getting hurt.
Demidov remains the biggest question mark. Eric Engels had previously reported that November 3 was the original target date for his return, but that has already come and gone. He is still on injured reserve, and November 14 is now viewed as his earliest possible return.
Through 86 career NHL games, Demidov has 66 points. This season, he has one goal and one assist.
If all three players keep trending the right way, Martin St. Louis could soon have more flexibility across the roster, from the forward group to the blue line and in goal. Montreal could have reinforcements back before the end of November.
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Canadiens Took Control Of Toronto Then Had To Survive A Scare
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Torontos rally trimmed the margin and turned the finish into a test of nerve, but Montreal found the response it needed on the power play and then had to withstand a double-minor penalty to close it out. The 4-2 win was the kind of result the Canadiens can point to as a sign of growth, even if the final minutes made them work harder than they should have after such a strong start. [Read more 🡒]