Canadiens really feel for what Canucks are going by now with COVID-19

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The Canadiens appear to be they may have dodged a bullet when solely two gamers have been positioned on the NHL’s COVID-related absences checklist final month.

Joel Armia and Jesperi Kotkaniemi have been positioned on the checklist on March 22 and the Canadiens had 4 video games postponed by the NHL. Armia examined constructive for a variant of the coronavirus and stays on the NHL’s COVID checklist, whereas Kotkaniemi had shut contact however was taken off the checklist in time to play within the Canadiens’ first sport again.

The Vancouver Canucks haven’t been so fortunate.

As of Friday, the Canucks had seven gamers and one coach confirmed as constructive COVID-19 circumstances and have had 4 video games postponed. The Vancouver Province reported that a participant on the Canucks’ taxi squad has additionally been recognized as a high-risk shut contact.

Postmedia has confirmed, as first reported by TSN’s Farhan Lalji, that a number of COVID-19 circumstances affecting the Canucks have been recognized because the P.1 variant first present in Brazil.

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Patrick Johnston of the Province reported that the variant has been rising in quantity in B.C. over the previous month and was just lately recognized as a serious driver of an outbreak that originated in Whistler, B.C. Analysis has proven the P.1 variant is as a lot as 2.5 instances extra transmissable than earlier strains of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 and a few proof from Brazil suggests it might be extra deadly for younger folks than different strains of the virus.

“It’s not nice to see,” the Canadiens’ Nick Suzuki stated Saturday morning in regards to the Canucks scenario. “I hope all these guys get higher.

“Hopefully they will come again wholesome and it doesn’t unfold any extra,” Suzuki added.

When requested Saturday morning if there was any replace on Armia’s situation, Canadiens coach Dominique Ducharme stated: “He’s doing higher … he’s doing good. He’s going to come back again on the rink after getting examined and so forth. We’ll see … I imply there’s a approach then from there to come back again (taking part in). It received’t occur inside a few days. We’ll see within the subsequent few days.”

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As for just one Canadiens participant testing constructive for COVID-19, Ducharme stated: “It exhibits our medical employees and the way in which they dealt with issues when it occurred so no person else was contaminated.”

After being sidelined for every week due to the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol, the Canadiens received their first two video games again, beating the Edmonton Oilers 4-0 final Tuesday on the Bell Centre and beating the Senators 4-1 in Ottawa Thursday evening. The Canadiens and Senators play once more Saturday evening on the Bell Centre.

Whereas Suzuki stated it wasn’t enjoyable sitting at dwelling for every week and never skating, he added the break additionally did some good.

“I feel the break for me was good mentally,” Suzuki stated. “I didn’t actually have too many odd bumps and bruises, however simply mentally getting away. I attempted to not watch that a lot hockey for the primary 5 days. Simply attempting to take my thoughts off the sport a bit. I feel it was good for everyone. However for me, personally, simply chill out, get well and I feel I’ve had good bounce the final couple of video games.

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“Normally I watch a variety of hockey,” Suzuki added. “I simply form of made it some extent to try to get away from it. We’ve acquired a variety of hockey, a variety of video games arising. So I simply needed to take that break and attempt to get away from the sport a bit. Normally I’m a man that watches rather a lot (of hockey). I’ve acquired a variety of buddies across the league that I prefer to verify in on and different gamers that I like to observe. I’m normally watching all of the video games.”

The Canadiens’ sport Saturday evening was their second of 17 in 30 days in April.

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Habs honour front-line staff

The Canadiens introduced Saturday morning that they are going to be honouring front-line COVID-19 staff for his or her remaining dwelling video games by inviting them to attend a sport within the Hero Suite on the Bell Centre.

“We may have friends within the constructing tonight for the primary time since March 10 of final 12 months,” stated Paul Wilson, the Canadiens’ vice-president (public affairs and communications). “As a strategy to honour the tireless work of our front-line staff by the pandemic we’re proud to welcome the primary visitor to our Hero Suite in partnership with IGA this night. Starting tonight every sport we’ll invite one front-line employee and his or her instant household to benefit from the sport from a collection, the place she or he will probably be honoured within the sport and on-line.”

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Gabrielle Prud’homme and her husband will attend Saturday’s sport within the Hero Suite and will probably be topic to the identical COVID-19 protocols as employees and media on the Bell Centre, together with filling out a well being questionnaire, having their temperature checked, respecting social distancing and carrying a masks always. Every front-line employee who’s honoured will obtain a Canadiens sweater and $1,000 in groceries from IGA.

Wilson added that Prud’homme and her husband will go away the sport early to respect Montreal’s 9:30 p.m. COVID-19 curfew.

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Staal will skate Sunday

Eric Staal, who the Canadiens acquired from the Buffalo Sabres on March 26, will skate by himself Sunday morning on the Bell Sports activities Complicated in Brossard following seven days of quarantine after arriving in Montreal. The remainder of the Canadiens may have the time without work.

Suzuki stated he’s enthusiastic about taking part in with the 36-year-old veteran who received the Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006 and in addition has gold medals from the world championship and the Olympics with Crew Canada.

“I’m wanting actually ahead to assembly him,” Suzuki stated. “I acquired to observe him play rather a lot by his profession. He’s bringing a variety of expertise, he’s received a Stanley Cup, performed within the Olympics. All these nice experiences that hopefully I can get to. He’s going to be an excellent veteran presence. One other one we’re including to our management group. So I’m simply studying something I can off of them. I attempt to take bits and items from each man that I get to play with so it will likely be cool to be taught from him.”

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Staal turns into the sixth participant on the Canadiens with a Stanley Cup ring, becoming a member of Jake Allen, Joel Edmundson, Corey Perry, Tyler Toffoli and Michael Frolik.

Staal might make his Canadiens debut Monday evening in opposition to the Edmonton Oilers on the Bell Centre.

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Caufield will put on No. 44 with Rocket

The Laval Rocket introduced Saturday that Cole Caufield will put on No. 44 when he joins the AHL membership.

Caufield, who was chosen by the Canadiens within the first spherical (fifteenth general) of the 2019 NHL Draft, signed a three-year, NHL entry-level contract with the membership on March 27 after finishing his NCAA season on the College of Wisconsin. The 5-foot-7, 170-pound right-winger posted 30-22-52 totals in 31 video games with Wisconsin and is a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award as the highest participant in U.S. school hockey.

After finishing seven days of COVID-19 quarantine, Caufield will probably be eligible to hitch the Rocket for his or her sport subsequent Tuesday evening when the Stockton Warmth go to the Bell Centre.

Caufield wore No. 8 at Wisconsin, however that quantity is already taken by defenceman Josh Brook with the Rocket.

scowan@postmedia.com

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