First-round draft choose can be in lineup Monday evening at Bell Centre, together with fellow newcomers Logan Mailloux and Alex Newhook.
Canadiens followers on the Bell Centre Monday evening will get their first take a look at three gamers who might play key roles within the crew’s future.
Ahead Alex Newhook and defencemen David Reinbacher and Logan Mailloux can be within the lineup when the Canadiens play their first preseason recreation towards the New Jersey Devils (7 p.m., RDS, TSN 690 Radio, 98.5 FM).
Newhook was acquired from the Colorado Avalanche the day earlier than the June NHL Draft in Nashville in alternate for a first-round choose (thirty first total) and a second-round choose (thirty seventh total). The Canadiens chosen Reinbacher within the first spherical of this yr’s draft (fifth total) and took Mailloux within the first spherical (thirty first total) of the 2021 draft.
Newhook can be at centre on the No. 1 line Monday evening between Juraj Slafkovsky and Josh Anderson — as he has been because the begin of coaching camp — whereas Reinbacher can be with Kaiden Guhle on the primary defence pairing and Mailloux can be with Jordan Harris on the third pairing.
“They’ve been glorious,” head coach Martin St. Louis mentioned after Monday’s morning skate on the CN Sports activities Complicated in Brossard when requested about Reinbacher and Mailloux. “You’ll be able to see the potential and now they get to expertise their first recreation. It’s thrilling. They need to be (excited). They’re two huge guys, related attributes, however totally different gamers. Trying ahead to watching them.”
Samuel Montembeault will begin in aim for the Canadiens, splitting the duties with Jakub Dobes, who was chosen within the fifth spherical (136th total) of the 2020 NHL Draft.
“I’m excited,” Reinbacher mentioned after Monday’s morning skate about taking part in his first recreation on the Bell Centre. “It’s going to be particular. I’m actually honoured to play tonight. I hope some good gamers are on the opposite aspect — I hope some Swiss gamers. Let’s see.”
Reinbacher performed within the Swiss-A League final season, posting 3-19-22 totals in 46 video games with Kloten HC. The 18-year-old will most likely return to Kloten HC this season.
Reinbacher mentioned he had a pleasant dinner together with his father Sunday evening in Montreal and that he wasn’t nervous about taking part in his first recreation in a Canadiens sweater.
Newhook, who performed the final three seasons with the Avalanche, can be enthusiastic about making his Canadiens debut on the Bell Centre.
“I’ve been wanting ahead to this evening for some time,” Newhook mentioned. “It’s solely preseason, however to placed on that sweater it means quite a bit with the historical past of this program. All of the buildup after getting traded, it’s going to be nice to lastly put it on.”
As for his linemates, Newhook mentioned: “I believe it’s a terrific line. I’ve had a little bit of enjoyable taking part in with them to date within the scrimmages right here. I believe each guys convey quite a bit to the desk. Each guys which can be huge and might skate, play arduous, and I believe that enhances my recreation as properly.
“I believe we could be a actually fast-paced line, a line that may create offence and likewise shut different groups down,” Newhook added. “It’s thrilling and looking out ahead to stepping into some recreation motion with them.”
The Canadiens will play their second of six preseason video games Wednesday when the Ottawa Senators can be on the Bell Centre (7 p.m., TSN5, RDS, TSN 690 Radio, 98.5 FM).