MONTREAL – After Saturday’s training was canceled as a precaution, the Canadians trained at the Peel Sports Complex on Sunday.
Store: Red Canadians water bottle
Here are the groups of players observed in training:
| Sunday 19 December training |
||
|---|---|---|
| AG | c | ad |
| 92- Jonathan Drouin | 45- Laurent Dauphin | 56 – Jesse Yellownin |
| 68- Mike Hoffman | 14 – Nick Suzuki | 71- Jake Evans |
| 60 – Alex Belzel | 25- Ryan Bowling | 22- Cole Caufield |
| 55- Michael Pezzetta | 42 – Lucas Videmo | 49- Raphael Harvey Benard / 11- Brendan Gallagher |
| 41- Paul Byron | ||
| DJ | DD | J |
| 8 – Ben Shearoot | 58 – David Savard | 34- Jake Allen |
| 77 – Britt Colak | 43- Cali Clay | 35- Sam Montembolt |
| 27- Alexander Romanov | 26- Jeff Petri | |
| 15 – Sami Nico | 20- Chris Weidman | |
Sunday’s training saw the return of three players, Brendan Gallagher, Sami Nico and Paul Byron. Gallagher and Nico were both undergoing a COVID protocol, while Byron — who skated in a contactless jacket — is still recovering from the hip surgery he suffered over the summer.
Gallagher told reporters his options for staying busy during the COVID protocol period were limited, so it’s no surprise that the Canadian assistant captain would be happy to be back with his teammates.
“I couldn’t do anything for these 10 days. The first two days I had severe symptoms. It knocked me to the ground. So I was lying down and fighting, but after two days I was fine. Then eight days went by from my thoughts, and a bit of a boredom at home,” Gallagher shared. He has scored four goals and six assists in 23 games this season. “I did some housekeeping, played a lot of video games, watched a lot of movies, spent a lot of time on the phone, and communicated with guys a lot. It feels good to get out, it’s good to find the team.”
Video: Gallagher is back after contracting COVID
The aforementioned trio weren’t the only new faces in Sunday’s training. Prior to the exercise, the Canadians announced that forwards Alex Pelzel, Rafael Harvey Benard and Lucas Videmo had been called off from AHL’s Laval Rocket. These reminders were sent the day after the team announced on Saturday that Artturi Lehkonen has entered the COVID protocol and that Joel Jeremiah And Mathieu Perrault She was placed on the list of the wounded.
Harvey Benard learned the news of his first NHL call-up on his transfer day, which made this normally unpleasant process incredibly exciting for the 22-year-old.
“I just bought a new apartment, so I was moving when I heard the news yesterday,” said the Sagueni national, who has scored five goals and nine assists in 24 games for the Rocket this season. “I was in the clubs, I got a phone call from Jean-François Hall, and I took the time to call all my family to tell them the news. Of course, everyone was very happy. It was a lovely atmosphere to commute.”
Video: Harvey-Pinard on his first call-up with CH
With so many unknowns due to the rapidly developing COVID situation, head coach Dominique Ducharme wouldn’t confirm any decisions about the roster on Sunday, but Harvey-Pinard said he’s ready to grab a chance to prove himself at the NHL level if called up.
“It’s a mixture of a lot of emotions. A little nervous, but at the same time, I’m really excited. It’s a really big opportunity for me,” via Harvey Bennard, Canadians pick for the seventh round (201st overall) in 2019. The camp is First impression, but that would be another first impression if I played a real game. It’s up to me to show what I’m capable of and take a chance.”
Canadians fly to New York on Monday, where they face off against the islanders at UPS Arena that night.
Ryan MacDonald is a contributor at Vaughantoday.ca, covering a wide range of topics including local news, politics, business, technology, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. He focuses on clear, accurate reporting and delivering useful information that helps readers stay informed about current events and community developments. Ryan is committed to presenting stories in a balanced and accessible way, highlighting issues, trends, and updates that matter most to readers in Vaughan and across Canada.