What will the Habs do with Alexander Romanov?
PUBLICATION
Jeff Drouin
October 8, 2021 (9:18 PM)
There is no need to say, the training camp of the Montreal Canadiens is far from being a great success. Despite the presence of some positive points, such as the performances of newcomer Christian Dvorak and young prospect Kaiden Guhle, injuries, the departure of Carey Price and a 2-3-1 record in six games have tarnished the final picture of the camp.
The absence of Carey Price and defenseman Joel Edmundson will likely hurt the Habs in the coming weeks. With the absence of the first named, at least in the short term, by the claim of Quebecer Samuel Montembeault, head coach Dominique Ducharme will now have to find a solution to replace the contribution of Edmundson, who usually plays on the left of Jeff Petry.
Alexander Romanov, who should have been seen as the perfect replacement for Edmundson, had a camp that mirrored his first season in the big leagues, as he was inconsistent in all four of his playoff games.
These inconsistent performances have led former professional goaltender Eric Fichaud, now an analyst for TVA Sports, to question Romanov's ability to put on Joel Edmundson's skates until Edmundson returns.
"This game is a bit of a career," Fichaud said about Alexander Romanov's game against the Senators on Thursday. "He plays a good first period, he has two assists. But in the second period, he's all over the place. He has some brain cramps and he gets beaten hard on a goal."
Unfortunately for Dominique Ducharme, Alexander Romanov is one of the most mobile players on his defensive squad. This aspect sets him apart from players like Edmundson, Ben Chiarot and David Savard, all of whom are considered tough defensemen for whom skating is not a great asset.
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"You're going to need him this year," Fichaud's colleague Alexandre Picard said. "If you look at the top-4 on defense, if you look at Ben Chiarot and David Savard..." [...] "It was tough for those two [Thursday]," Fichaud added.
Considering all these aspects, could Edmundson's injury and Romanov's inconsistency open the door for a youngster like Kaiden Guhle? After all, Guhle seems to be moving closer and closer to a starting position on the blue line this season, and the problems of his two teammates may force his coach to give him more responsibility than expected.
"Guhle can't do any worse," said host Jean-Charles Lajoie.
So, who do you think will fill Joel Edmunson's vacancy in the season opener on October 13 against the Maple Leafs?
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