Martin St-Louis hits Canadiens with two major changes

Oliver Kapanen is back in the mix, and Martin St-Louis now faces two major lineup decisions before Montreal's next game.

Kapanen returned to practice in a regular jersey after missing the opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs with a lower-body injury.

That development immediately changes the picture up front. If Kapanen receives medical clearance, one forward already in the Canadiens' lineup will have to come out.

Florian Xhekaj is directly affected. He entered the season as Montreal's 13th forward, putting his spot under pressure as soon as another regular became available.

But the bigger surprise involves Alexandre Texier. During Thursday's practice, Kapanen and Texier alternated beside Phillip Danault and Kirby Dach, an unmistakable sign that the coaching staff is weighing its options.

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That creates the first major change: Kapanen could move straight back into the lineup after sitting out the opener, potentially pushing Texier aside.

Two Canadiens forwards suddenly feel the pressure

The second change hits Xhekaj. With Kapanen moving closer to a return, Montreal's extra forward has even less room to force his way into the group.

St-Louis now has a real numbers problem. Montreal can dress only so many forwards, and Kapanen's return would force the head coach to make an immediate choice rather than simply keeping the same combinations.

"The Habs lines at practice today in Pittsburgh:

Caufield - Suzuki - Kreider
Slafkovsky - Newhook - Demidov
Texier/Kapanen - Danault - Dach
Bolduc - Evans - Anderson/F. Xhekaj

Matheson - Dobson
Hutson - Carrier
Struble - A. Xhekaj
Guhle (non-contact) - Engstrom

Dobes
Montembeault

Texier's situation carries extra intrigue because he wasn't merely skating on an isolated extra line. Sharing repetitions with Danault and Dach put his role directly against Kapanen's during practice.

That's the kind of deployment change that can tell a bigger story before puck drop. One player is pushing back into the lineup while another suddenly has to defend his spot.

Kapanen's regular practice jersey also matters. It doesn't guarantee he'll play against the Pittsburgh Penguins, but it moves him much closer to becoming a legitimate lineup option.

For St-Louis, whose role as Montreal's head coach is unchanged, the decision now comes down to which combination gives the Canadiens the group they want against Pittsburgh.

And for Texier and Xhekaj, the message is sharp: Montreal's depth is creating competition immediately, and two roster spots are suddenly under serious pressure.

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