Photo: Ryan Remiorz, The canadian Press
At the end of the workout Friday in Brossard, coach Claude Julien has talked about a good time to its players.
The law of silence imposed by the NHL to the subject of injuries and diseases continues to fuel speculation within teams.
Striker Paul Byron was absent at the training of the Montreal canadiens on Friday, while the forwards Phillip Danault and Ryan Poehling, the defenders Cale Fleury and Victor Mete, as well as the goalie Cayden Primeau has skated before the regular group.
Under the rules of the NHL during phases 3 and 4 of its recovery plan, the teams can’t make announcements in respect of injuries or diseases affecting the players. Head coach Claude Julien was as evil tried to explain the situation.
I would like that you respect the fact that I can say nothing more
— Claude Julien
“[Byron] was not able to train with the team, ” said Julien about the quick attacker.
“There are circumstances that are presented to us a few days ago and we have been forced to use this format-here “, he responded when questioned about the group of five players who trained ahead of the rest of the team.
The locker room of the Canadian has been divided and the players are now preparing in small groups. The scenario of Friday suggests that Byron could have had a positive test, the COVID-19, and Danault, Poehling, Fleury, Mete, and may be also Primeau, were placed in isolation while waiting to get a number of negative outcomes.
Perhaps, too, Byron has just suffered an injury. It is Impossible to know. “I would like that you respect the fact that I can’t say anything more,” noted Julien.
Asked about the exercises performed by the group of five players under the supervision of the director of sport science and performance, Pierre Allard, and the ‘ goalie coach, Stephane Waite, the head coach of the Habs said that their workload had been similar to that of the regular group.
“There have been fights along the ramps, he said. This is something that you are in search of. All that is to stretch the game and the grouping of the players.”
“They can continue to keep the “focus” on what we look for in our team. There is also the packaging. The first group has been able to work on these two aspects. “
Kept away
Other teams have also organized trainings in small groups around the NHL since the beginning of the camps or kept players away by stating, ” unable to train “.
In Calgary, the general manager of the Flames, Brad Treliving, was brought to the defense of Johnny Gaudreau, when some believed that he was away because he was not fit enough. In Boston, the head coach of the Bruins, Bruce Cassidy, said that the absences of David Pastrnak and Ondrej Kase were not linked to sanctions in the wake of the publication of photos on the social networks that seem to be in the show on a skating rink of the region, and that they had to be in quarantine following their arrival from Europe.
Each time, the leaders were only denied without being able to offer any further explanation.
In Canada, the defenders Xavier Ouellet and Brett Kulak were also absent on Friday morning. Kulak has still not been seen on the ice since the return of the players in the Montreal area. Ouellet has resulted in three times last week, but seems to be missing since last Friday.
Uncertainty persists
During the last weekend, the media online sports The Athletic , had reported that at least three players of the Canadian had tested positive to the COVID-19. On Monday, The Athletic had adjusted the shot by saying that two of the three results were found to be false positives.
Despite the uncertainty in the entourage of the Canadian, Julien was confident of being able to achieve with a group health in the bubble of toronto’s NHL on the 26th of July.
“Our medical staff and support makes it a phenomenal work, he insisted. I do not think that it would be possible to do more. “
And this is not going to disturb the players in their preparation.
“You have to be with the players available. These are circumstances outside of our control, recalled the attacker Brendan Gallagher. As athletes, we are conditioned to focus on what we can control. The rest would just be a waste of energy.”
“These are not ideal conditions, but we want to get the maximum. We are still back on the ice and happy to be “, he concluded.
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