Will Kent Hughes be able to trade Joel Edmundson? With less than a week left before the trade deadline, the Canadiens had encouraging news to announce their veteran fullback.
Late Saturday night, the team announced that Edmondson will accompany his teammates to California and participate in Monday’s practice.
The defender fell in battle on January 26th, wounded in one part of his body, and his condition became official day by day since that time. With a $3.5 million contract for another season, Edmondson had, at the start of the season, the profile of a potential player to be traded. However, doubts about his health – he also missed the first 10 games of the season – could complicate the situation.
Another candidate for the deal, Sean Monahan, won’t be hopping on board on Sunday heading into California. So the striker must not be back in the game by the March 3 trade deadline.
For his part, Arber Xhekaj will no longer play this season. The giant defender will have surgery on his right shoulder by the same doctor, Peter J. Millett, who performed the operation on Cole Cofield. Remember, Xhekaj hasn’t played since he fought against Vincent Descharnay, Oilers.
The team expects Xhekaj to be ready for the upcoming training camp.
Joel Jeremiah will not accompany the team to California because he has a respiratory infection. His case is re-evaluated on a daily basis.
Finally, Kirby Dash sustained a lower body injury and will miss the flight.
Also note that Brendan Gallagher will conspicuously miss more than the six-week minimum announced on January 11th. That sixth started on Wednesday, and after Saturday’s game, Gallagher was seen near the locker room still wearing a protective boot on his right leg.
Schoenemann fired
After the match, Habs also announced the expulsion of defender Corey Schoeneman to Laval.
With his sacking, the team is theoretically left with only five defenders who are known to be healthy. Added to them are Edmundson and Kaiden Guhle. The latter is clearly close to a comeback as he no longer wears a shirt indicating he can’t connect, in Friday’s training in Philadelphia.
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