Canadiens Seek Offensive Boost from Bottom Six
Martin St-Louis aims to increase offensive output from his bottom-six forwards by switching Joe Veleno and Brendan Gallagher. The Montreal Canadiens returned to practice Monday morning in Brossard, where the coach made a notable adjustment to his lineup.
St-Louis, who maintained mostly consistent lines this season unless injuries dictated otherwise, moved Gallagher from the veteran line back to play with Kirby Dach and Zack Bolduc. Consequently, Joe Veleno joined Jake Evans and Josh Anderson.
Despite this change, St-Louis emphasizes satisfaction with both lines' effort and style of play but wants to explore if the swap can generate more offense.
Previous Line Combinations and Performance
- Gallagher started the season playing with Dach and Bolduc. Bolduc earned four points in five games, Dach had two points out of his total three in that span, and Gallagher scored four of his six points during that period.
- Evans and Anderson initially played with Patrik Laine for five games but did not record any points.
St-Louis noted that although Laine tried, his unpredictable play style made it difficult for Evans and Anderson, who prefer a more direct game.
"It's not that I’m dissatisfied with those two lines; I’m happy with their intentions, with the way they play the game, but I’d like to see if, by making that swap, the Habs could get more offensively from those two lines."
Related Notes
- Gallagher was with Dach and Bolduc for the first five games.
- Bolduc contributed four points early on, Dach had two points, and Gallagher four.
- Evans and Anderson were pointless playing alongside Laine in the same period.
The swap reflects St-Louis’s strategy to spark greater effectiveness without overhauling the team's core structure.
Author’s Summary
Martin St-Louis is experimenting with line changes to unlock more offensive potential from the Canadiens’ bottom six forwards, focusing on chemistry and player compatibility.
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