(Tampa) Kaiden Guhle won’t play Saturday night in Tampa, and Jonathan Drouin will play, maybe a bit because Martin St-Louis doesn’t really have a choice.
Drouin, suspended from practice the night before after missing a team game, took part in Saturday’s practice in Tampa, and did extra time at the end with goaltender Jake Allen.
Martin St-Louis confirmed his presence, but with lip service, and not with great enthusiasm either. Guhle’s injury may have played a part in that decision. “That’s a good question…probably,” the coach replied to that.
Earlier, St-Louis had simply said that Drouin was going to be in uniform against the Lightning. “He’s going to be dressed…we’ll talk about the game now,” the coach replied, which probably isn’t a big mark of confidence. We can assume that the Quebec player’s playing time will not be huge on Saturday night.
Drouin did not speak to the media on Saturday morning, but the Canadiens said he would do so after the game at the end of the evening.
Guhle’s case is also complex. The Canadian has announced that the young defender will not play in Tampa against the Lightning, who injured his left knee in a collision Thursday night at Sunrise. He had suffered an injury to the same knee (and also to Sunrise) on December 29, a bad twist of fate that had forced him out of action until his return on February 28.
After Thursday night’s collision, Guhle still returned to the ice for four more appearances, in a 9-5 game in favor of the Panthers, and in a game without real stakes for the Canadian.
“I don’t know if it was his decision (to come back to the game on Thursday night), I don’t know what’s going on back,” replied Martin St-Louis. Me, I’m in the process of directing a match, I don’t have time to know who makes the decision. »
It is Samuel Montembeault who will be in front of the Montreal net in Tampa.
