Speaking with media on Tuesday morning, Montreal Canadiens head coach Dominique Ducharme confirmed that
Cole Caufield and
Jesperi Kotkaniemi, as well as
Alexander Romanov, will sit for Game 1 of their series versus the Toronto Maple Leafs.
When asked about the decision, Ducharme gave his reasoning while also making it clear he may very well make adjustments for Game 2 depending on how things go.
«Cole got to practice with us a bit – even if it was just some morning skates – and he got to see the games to see how it goes,» Ducharme said. «He's attentive and intelligent. He'll do the same thing this week, and I think it's good for him. He's going to grow as a player as we start this series. And you shouldn't be surprised to see him get into our lineup eventually, and when he does it I think he'll be that much more prepared than if he arrived and was surprised by it.
«Regarding Kotkaniemi, who had a tough end of season, I see him a bit like hammering a nail. At a certain point the nail starts to get crooked, and if you keep smacking on it, it only becomes more crooked. What we went through towards the end of the season didn't allow us to straighten out the nail. With our schedule and all our injuries and everything else, we had to just keep smacking away at it. And what we're doing right now, with this week of preparation and everything else, is straightening out KK.»
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Regardless of who is in the lineup for the Habs, they will have their hands full with the Maple Leafs, who come into this series as heavy favorites. The good news for Montreal is that
Carey Price is healthy and ready to go, as they will need a huge series from him if they have any chance at advancing.
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