Demidov therapy day, Guhle and Carrier back on ice: Canadiens evening report

The headline item for the Montreal Canadiens on Monday was Ivan Demidov’s absence from practice. The star winger did not take part in the Brossard session, with the team indicating it was a therapy day. For now, it remains to be seen how, or if, this will affect his usage when the Carolina Hurricanes visit the Bell Centre on Tuesday night.

Demidov sits out, but key bodies back on the ice

While Demidov’s status naturally draws attention, there were encouraging signs elsewhere in the lineup. Alexandre Carrier, Oliver Kapanen and Kaiden Guhle all took to the ice in Brossard on Monday, an important note for a Canadiens team that is banking on mobility on the back end and depth up front.

Their progress comes in the wake of a wild 6-5 loss in Pittsburgh, a game that has rekindled concern about the Habs’ defensive play. In the latest episode of “Sortie de zone,” panellists dissected the breakdowns in coverage, issues protecting leads and some of Martin St-Louis’ recent lineup decisions. In that context, any defenceman inching closer to full availability looms large for a blue line still trying to settle in.

Canadiens brace for Hurricanes test at Bell Centre

Montreal heads into its third game of the season sitting third in the Atlantic Division with a 1-0-1 record, good for three points in two outings. The Hurricanes’ visit on Tuesday, October 6 at 7:00 p.m. in Montreal, shapes up as an early-season measuring stick for a Canadiens team still searching for defensive structure.

Demidov’s status and how the coaching staff arranges its pairings if Carrier or Guhle move closer to game action will be key storylines heading into puck drop. Further down the ladder, organizational depth was on display over the weekend in Laval, where the Rocket bounced back with a 6-1 win over the Crunch powered by goals from Reilly Walsh, Sasha Pastujov and Brett Berard. As the big club looks to shore up its own game and keep banking points, the pipeline continues to remind everyone that help is waiting in the wings.