The Canadiens will be trying to end a four-game losing streak when they take on the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night, and they’ll have a boost on the back end while they do it.
Shea Weber is set to make his season debut for the Habs. The game will be the towering defenceman’s first as captain of the venerable franchise, having been named to the position after Max Pacioretty was traded to the Las Vegas Golden Knights during the off-season.
“We’re going to face a good team,” said Weber after Monday’s practice. “The Hurricanes are playing better than most people expected. It will be a challenge for us to find a way to win.”
Weber hasn’t played since Dec. 16, 2017, first suffering a season-ending foot injury and then undergoing surgery on his knee during the off-season.
The Habs have gone 0-2-2 over their past four games, allowing 16 goals over that span. Head coach Claude Julien said that while Weber may need some time to get his bearings, he wouldn’t be surprised if the captain becomes the most used defender against the Hurricanes.
Among the team’s defencemen, only Jeff Petry and Jordie Benn have suited up for all 24 of the Habs’ games so far this season. Petry has played major minutes during Weber’s absence, averaging 24:57 minutes per game.
“There’s no doubt that Shea’s return will help Jeff Petry,” said Julien. “We hope all these things will snowball.”
Weber's return creats a logjam at the blueline, but the Canadiens moved to alleviate that by placing Karl Alzner on waivers on Monday. No team claimed the veteran, clearing the way for Alzner to be reassigned to the Laval Rocket on Tuesday.
Alzner was General Manager Marc Bergevin's prized free agent last year, but has struggled to keep pace since signing a five-year deal worth more than $23 million. He's found himself a regular healthy scratch as young defencemen like Noah Juulsen, Victor Mete, Mikey Riley and Xavier Ouellett battle for ice time.
