To the right of Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki, four different players played preseason games and ultimately it is Josh Anderson who will have the task of starting the season alongside the Montreal Canadiens’ two offensive stars.

Head coach Martin St-Louis confirmed the news after training on Monday.

“It’s deserved. “He had a lot of progress and a heck of a camp,” St-Louis said.

Sean Monahan, Alex Newhook and Rafaël Harvey-Pinard also had an audition in the Habs’ first trio during camp. They all looked good, if not better than Anderson, along with Caufield and Suzuki.

However, St-Louis is optimistic that Anderson has good transitions with both offensive players.

“I think he’s improved his game without the puck and has a better understanding of the balance we’re looking for on the ice,” St-Louis said. You shouldn’t skate just anywhere, but where the game dictates. I saw progress at that level in his game at the end of the season last spring.

“I think he finally understands how to better utilize his speed and create balance with his two linemates.”

In practice on Monday, Newhook was to the left of Kirby Dach and Juraj Slafkovsky. Monahan was at center for Tanner Pearson and Brendan Gallagher, while Harvey-Pinard was at left for Jake Evans and Jesse Ylönen. Michael Pezzetta was the additional striker.

“Monahan has more experience at center and that gives Newhook a little less responsibility initially,” St-Louis said on the matter. He will be able to play more freely and I liked his speed on “Dacher” and “Slaf”. It’s also a question of balancing things out through training.”

With every question about his trio, St-Louis also reminded everyone that everything could change quickly. He also talked throughout camp about sometimes changing his lines depending on the opponent.

“In our game plan we always value ourselves and at the same time we know where the weaknesses are in the opponent’s system,” explained St-Louis. The angle of attack is not the same in every system and we know that, but we will not change our style depending on the trios formed.

“However, we have to take into account several factors, the balance in the opponent’s trios, whether we have the last change or not, etc.”

Start of the threesome

Cayden Primeau’s name was not on waivers and the 24-year-old American will therefore start the season with the Canadian.

The Habs will therefore count on three goaltenders on their 23-man roster – Primeau, Samuel Montembeault and Jake Allen – while teams typically retain two.

St-Louis did not want to comment on the team management’s decision to keep the three goalkeepers. He simply realized that the situation might change small things in his daily life, nothing more.

Montembeault said he was happy for Primeau to stay with the big club. He noted that he had experienced the situation at the junior level with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada and said that “it was good.”

Adjustments have already been made to the goalkeeper training program. The three take turns working alone with goalkeeping coach Eric Raymond for about twenty minutes, while the other two participate in drills with the rest of the group.

As for the use of the three goalies during games, Montembeault said he still has “no idea” about the plan.

The secret is likely to become clearer in the coming days.

To watch in the video