When the Montreal Canadiens welcomed back Mike Cammaleri and Scott Gomez to their lineup prior to their 2-1 win over the Nashville Predators, it may have served as a sign of things to come for a club that is slowly beginning to piece things together after a slow start. The Canadiens have won six of their past eight games on the heels of a six-game slide, and have climbed back into the Eastern conference playoff picture after being buried early on. The key to Montreal’s success could be the return of several notable NHL players, as the team looks to finally play at full strength.
The biggest addition will be the return of Andrei Markov, who continues to make progress in the rehab of a knee injury that has kept him out for most of the past two seasons. Unlike last time when Montreal welcomed him back too soon, the team is now confident that he can make a long term return now that the knee is back to full strength. It could take a couple of games for the former All Star to get back to a high level after missing so much time, but when he gets there he will give the Canadiens that top defenseman they have been lacking. Markov will undoubtedly skate in the top-four at even strength, while also getting top powerplay minutes and time shorthanded as well. A strong point producer, Markov is the type of defenseman that can accelerate the team’s play at both ends of the ice, and his return will be vital for a team that will have to continue to battle to make up for a slow sports betting start.
While Andrei Kostitsyn should also make his return soon after missing a couple of games, the Canadiens will get another big boost on defense, where Chris Campoli will draw back into the lineup soon. Signed to round out the top-six, Campoli is another player that could see some time in special teams situations, and although he won’t have as big of an impact as Markov, the depth will surely make an intertops difference in Montreal.
As we approach the quarter mark of the season in the NHL, the Canadiens are right there in the thick of things in the East at 7-7-2. Young forwards Max Pacioretty and Lars Eller appear to finally be blossoming in to their roles, with Pacioretty surprising everyone by leading the Canadiens in scoring with seven goals. Tomas Plekanec has a team-high 14 points and continues to be one of the most underrated players in the NHL with the ability to perform in all situations, while more should be expected from the other veterans including Cammalleri, Gomez, Brian Gionta, and Eric Cole. Part of the problem has been a lack of consistency out of the gate, something that should be fixed with more urgency. There is still time for the team to turn things around in Montreal, and with the return of a couple of key pieces, they should be ready to make a pay head run in the Eastern conference standings.
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