Stu Cowan: Canadiens gamers can profit from world championship

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The hockey season isn’t over but for the Canadiens’ Samuel Montembeault and Justin Barron.

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Montembeault and Barron might be a part of Staff Canada on the IIHF World Hockey Championship, which is being held in Tampere, Finland, and Riga, Latvia. Canada will open the event Friday towards Latvia (1 p.m., TSN, RDS).

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The Canadiens’ Joel Armia, who helped Finland win the world championship final yr with 5-3-8 totals in 10 video games, may even be taking part in at this yr’s event. Sean Farrell, who made his NHL debut late this season with the Canadiens, might be a part of Staff USA, together with Canadiens prospects Lane Hutson and Luke Tuch.

Finland beat Canada 4-3 in time beyond regulation in final yr’s gold-medal sport.

Hockey Canada rewarded Montembeault and Barron for spectacular performances this season with the Canadiens and the event ought to be a terrific expertise for each of them and it is also a lift to their growth.

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Montembeault, 26, confirmed that he may very well be the Canadiens’ goalie of the longer term after posting a .901 save proportion on a crew that completed twenty eighth within the total NHL standings to associate with a 16-19-3 report and a 3.42 goals-against common whereas taking part in in 40 video games. Montembeault hasn’t performed in a sport since April 13, however he ready for the world championship by taking photographs from Canadiens teammate Paul Byron on the Bell Sports activities Complicated in Brossard with Carey Value working with him like a goalie coach.

Barron, 21, confirmed late within the season why he was the participant the Canadiens needed from the Colorado Avalanche within the Artturi Lehkonen commerce final season.

The Canadiens gave Barron each alternative to make the crew throughout coaching camp, however the defenceman wasn’t bodily sufficient, lacked confidence with the puck and easily didn’t look able to play a daily position within the NHL. The Canadiens determined to have him begin the season with the AHL’s Laval Rocket.

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The Canadiens known as Barron up in late December after he had 7-9-16 totals in 25 video games with the Rocket and he seemed rather more assured on the NHL stage. In 39 video games with the Canadiens, Barron had 4-11-15 totals and was minus-2 whereas averaging 16:18 of ice time per sport. Within the Canadiens’ last sport of the season — a 5-4 loss to the Boston Bruins — Barron logged a team-high 25:49 of ice time and scored a aim.

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The Avalanche chosen Barron within the first spherical (twenty fifth total) of the 2020 NHL Draft, so there’s little question the 6-foot-2, 201-pounder has expertise.

Mike Johnson, who performed 11 years within the NHL and was with the Canadiens for the 2006-07 season, would be the color commentator for TSN’s protection of the world championship, working with play-by-play man Gord Miller. Johnson performed for Staff Canada on the 2000 world championship, however needs he had gone to the event extra usually.

“It’s a terrific event,” Johnson stated Tuesday throughout an interview with Mitch Melnick on TSN 690 Radio whereas ready on the Toronto airport for a flight to Latvia. “I performed in it as soon as … I used to be dumb in that I used to be requested to play in it I believe 4 occasions and I solely stated sure as soon as. I used to be harm, or I used to be getting married, I discovered some cause to not go. Silly by me.

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“You already know what, you recover from there and when you’re there you’re taking part in for Canada and also you’re assembly new individuals and also you’re attending to know completely different gamers and studying concerning the sport and evolving and taking part in for one thing,” added Johnson, who has turn out to be probably the greatest color commentators in hockey. “Whenever you play for Canada you’re all the time going to be difficult to play for a gold medal. That’s price one thing. What do you are feeling like? How do you carry out? How do you put together when the video games matter rather a lot? That may translate.”

The Canadiens are hoping that would be the case for Montembeault and Barron.

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Johnson identified how a lot Dylan Cozens of the Buffalo Sabres benefited from taking part in for Staff Canada ultimately yr’s world championship. Buffalo chosen Cozens within the first spherical (seventh total) of the 2019 NHL Draft and final season with the Sabres he had 13-25-38 totals in 79 video games earlier than going to the world championship. Cozens had 7-6-13 totals in 10 video games on the world championship, serving to Staff Canada win the silver medal. This season, Cozens had 31-37-68 totals in 81 video games with the Sabres and in February the 22-year-old centre signed a seven-year, US$49.7-million contract.

“Dylan Cozens final yr got here to the world championship,” Johnson instructed Melnick. “I’m like, ‘Oh, yeah, he’s a tremendous participant. There’s some limits to what he can do offensively.’ Lit it up, performed with confidence, expanded his sport, got here again this yr as a (68)-point participant and signed a large contract. There’s rather a lot to be gained experience-wise, contractually — all of it — and also you get to play for Canada within the sport that we’re the very best on the planet at and signify that. It’s best to by no means flip that down until you could have a very good cause — higher than those I had once I turned them down.”

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