Wanna blog? Start your own hockey blog with My HockeyBuzz. Register for free today!
 

Bergevin Treading Carefully

May 28, 2020, 4:38 PM ET [356 Comments]
Karine Hains
Montreal Canadiens Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
If this media opportunity made anything clear, it's the fact that so much is up in the air right now and that there aren't many certainties. Case in point, the GMs answer to plenty of questions included to words "if" and "when". Bergevin answered every single question in a careful manner often blaming the lack of timeline for being unable to give a definite answer to a question.

This is what I took away from the 40 minutes long call:

True to the party line, Bergevin stated that he is happy that his team still has a chance to compete for the Stanley cup. Even though he was a seller at the deadline, he couldn't really say anything else now could he? He's well aware that Price and Weber are not getting any younger and that both want to win. There's no doubt that he's heard Gallagher's conference call in which the heart and soul of this team says it's all about winning. So, really, there's no way he was ever going to say that he would have rather had better lottery odds than a chance at the cup.

On the possibility of having Romanov in the line-up should the return to play plan go ahead, he said that nothing is set in stone yet and that this could still be a possibility. Today's tweet from Darren Dreger further hints at this being in the realm of possibilities:



On whether the injured players would be available to play, the only one he gave a definite answer about was Jonathan Drouin. Bergevin said that since he was in Montreal and could be evaluated by the team's staff, it was easier to give a definite answer. As for Mete and Kotkaniemi, he said he did not know. That being said, when Kotkaniemi had the operation for his spleen, the information that was given at the time was that he may be able to start the next season. So, if the return to play plan goes ahead this summer, I wouldn't expect KK to be in.

Bergevin also talked about Max Domi and said that the team would not put him in jeopardy if it wasn't safe for him to play in the current circumstances. As most of you know Domi suffers from Diabetes and Bergevin was quite clear on this, if it is not safe for him Domi will not play in the playoffs. On the other hand, Domi himself has said in the past that his diabetes did not make him more likely to catch covid-19. Time will tell...

About the possible series with the Pens, Bergevin said that he believes that his team has a chance to beat Pittsburgh. He mentions the fact that the Habs have great goaltending and plenty of young talent which has matured this season i.e. Nick Suzuki.

As for phase 2 of the return to play plan, Bergevin stressed that it was voluntary and that he couldn't force any player to come and train in Montreal. Right now, he says that the players feel safe being at home and that he didn't know who would report and when. He also added that we may know more when Paul Byron, the players' rep, fields questions today.

In a nutshell, those were the topics covered but what really sticks with me is how tentative Bergevin was... So while we are looking forward to a possible return to play, it's important to remember that it is far from set in stone yet.
Join the Discussion: » 356 Comments » Post New Comment
More from Karine Hains
» Pregame: Canadiens vs Flyers
» In Hainsight: One for the Coach
» Pregame: Canadiens vs Avalanche
» In Hainsight: Canadiens Defeat the Cracked Kraken
» Pregame: Canadiens vs Kraken