Will Kent Hughes be able to trade Joel Edmundson? With less than a week to go before the trade deadline, the Canadiens had encouraging news to announce regarding their veteran defender.
Late Saturday night, the team announced that Edmundson will accompany his teammates to California and participate in Monday’s practice.
The defender fell in action on January 26, injured in a part of his body, and his status has been officially day-to-day since that time. With a contract of 3.5 million dollars for yet another season, Edmundson had, at the start of the season, the profile of a player likely to be traded. Doubts regarding his state of health – he also missed the first 10 games of the season – might however complicate the situation.
Another candidate for a transaction, Sean Monahan, will not jump on the plane Sunday in the direction of California. The striker should therefore not return to the game by the trade deadline, March 3.
For his part, Arber Xhekaj will no longer play this season. The colossus defender will have surgery on his right shoulder by the same doctor, Peter J. Millett, who performed the operation on Cole Caufield. Remember that Xhekaj has not played since he fought once morest Vincent Desharnais, Oilers.
The team expects Xhekaj to be ready for the upcoming training camp.
Joel Armia will not accompany the team to California, as he is suffering from a respiratory infection. His case is reassessed on a daily basis.
Finally, Kirby Dach is injured in the lower body and will miss the trip.
Note also that Brendan Gallagher will visibly miss more than the six-week minimum announced on January 11. That sixth started Wednesday, and following Saturday’s game, Gallagher was seen near the locker room still wearing a protective boot on his right leg.
Schueneman fired
After the game, the Habs also announced the dismissal of defender Corey Schueneman to Laval.
With his dismissal, the team therefore theoretically leaves with only five defenders known to be healthy. Added to them are Edmundson and Kaiden Guhle. The latter is visibly close to a comeback since he no longer wore a jersey suggesting that he might not take contact, at Friday’s training in Philadelphia.
