If Tomas Fleischmann and Dale Weise, both unrestricted free agents at the end of the year, aren’t moved before Monday, they’ll play out the season here. But they likely won’t be back, a situation neither one wants.
“I’m not hiding anything, no surprises – I want to be a Montreal Canadien. It’s been a dream come true to play here, this is where I want to be,” Weise said at practice Friday.
Fleischmann said he believes the team still has a chance to make the playoffs.
“I think this team is good. We had bad injuries in the season. I'm happy to be here, I don't want to change anything,” he said.
The Habs would have gotten a return for Tom Gilbert too, but he's injured. In fact, the d corps is an infirmary with Jeff Petry and Nathan Beaulieu also out, Petry for the year and Beaulieu for up to three weeks. That gives chances for Victor Bartley and Mark Barberio to step up.
“Any time you go through being with a team, being put on waivers, being sent down, playing in the minors, being traded and called up back again. It’s been a wild road but my whole career has been that way. I’ve kind of been the underdog and it’s a role I embrace… but I’m happy to be here because I’m in the NHL,” Bartley said.
“It’s just the way it goes sometimes. You look at our team this year and we've been hit by the injury bug a bit. Saying that, that it gives opportunities to other guys to step in and show their worth,” Barberio said.
And for the first time since late November, Carey Price skated in his goalie equipment at the Bell Centre, away from the scrutiny of fans and the media.
He will not travel to California with the team, however. The Habs embark on road trip to play the Sharks, Ducks, Kings and then the Winnipeg Jets after their Saturday night home game against the Leafs.
