In this week’s edition of Montreal Canadiens news and rumors, Rem Pitlick has been placed on waivers, Josh Anderson has been suspended for two games, Lane Hutson has been recognized for his strong start to the 2022-23 season, and Emil Heineman is close to a return.
Pitlick Hits Waiver Wire
On Monday, the Habs solved their roster crunch, at least temporarily, by placing Pitlick on waivers. It’s assumed that if he clears, the 25-year-old will be assigned to the Laval Rocket in the American Hockey League (AHL).
The move was necessary to respect the 23-man roster limit because Evgenii Dadonov is set to come off injured reserve ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings. Pitlick had 26 points in 46 games with the Canadiens last season after being claimed off waivers from the Minnesota Wild but was held pointless in seven games this year. His struggles often made him a healthy scratch despite a strong preseason. It’s unlikely he gets claimed since he has two years remaining on his contract and other teams probably won’t want to commit to that length even if they need help up front.
Last week, Pierre LeBrun reported that general manager Kent Hughes is active on the trade market trying to move one of his surplus forwards to create more long-term flexibility. Dadonov, Jonathan Drouin, and Mike Hoffman are three names he mentioned being on the block. It’s no secret that something had to give with Montreal’s crowded forward group and Pitlick is the one who fell victim to the numbers game.
The Canadiens could face another tough roster decision soon with Mike Matheson getting closer to a return. The defenceman has been back on the ice for several days and is skating with lots of intensity.
Anderson Suspended Two Games
The NHL Department of Player Safety announced on Sunday that Anderson has been suspended two games for boarding Alex Pietrangelo during Saturday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights.
He received a five-minute major and a game misconduct following the play which Player Safety determined to be dangerous and reckless. This is the first suspension or fine of his career. He’s eligible to return to the lineup on Saturday against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Anderson’s absence will give players like Dadonov and Juraj Slafkovsky more ice time and opportunities. Dadonov was skating on a line with Sean Monahan and Drouin during Monday’s practice.
An Award for Hutson
Many of the Canadiens’ prospects are off to a great start this season and are being rewarded for their standout play.
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Hutson, a second-round pick by Montreal in this past summer’s draft, has been named the Hockey East Defender of the Month following an impressive output of eight points in the first seven games of his rookie NCAA campaign with Boston University.
Meanwhile, Riley Kidney and Joshua Roy were named to the Team of the Week in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Kidney posted seven points in 2 games with Acadie-Bathurst and Roy put up six points in two games with Sherbrooke. Both players currently find themselves in the Top 10 in league scoring.
Heineman Preparing for SHL Return
Since suffering a wrist injury during Montreal’s training camp, Heineman is already back in Sweden to continue his rehab and get ready for his return to the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) with his hometown team, Leksands IF.
According to Patrik Bexell of Habs Eyes on the Prize, the forward is progressing on schedule, and he’s being monitored by the Habs from afar. He’s expected to make his season debut after the international break in Europe next week. Heineman left a good impression during his preseason appearances with the Habs.
What’s Next for the Canadiens?
The Canadiens will play a trio of games this week and head coach Martin St. Louis will continue looking for the right combinations to get more production from his forwards not named Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Kirby Dach. If Matheson does return sooner than expected, he’ll be counted on to not only stabilize the defense, but also provide a much-needed offensive boost, especially on the power play.
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