Canadiens close curtains at playoff practice and fans can't believe the reason: St-Louis would risk it all
Patrik Laine stayed off the public ice Saturday, and Martin St-Louis may have tipped Montreal's hand without saying a word.
The Canadiens kept practice quiet with the curtains closed, which only turned the heat up around their lineup ahead of Game 1.
Then came the clearest clue of the morning.
Renaud Lavoie reported that Brendan Gallagher, Joe Veleno, Adam Engstrom, David Reinbacher, Jacob Fowler, and Samuel Montembeault were the extra players skating.
That list matters because it's a lot more like a scratch group than a playoff warmup group.
And once Gallagher, Veleno, Engstrom, Reinbacher, Fowler, and Montembeault were accounted for, the biggest missing name from that morning group was Laine.
That's why the curtains feel less like routine playoff secrecy and more like a shield around one player's return.
Why the silence points to Laine returning vs. Lightning
Montreal did not need to hide a normal pregame skate.
But hiding one specific look, one specific power-play setup, or one specific shooter on the half wall? That's different.
Laine has played only 5 games this season and has 1 assist.
If St-Louis is dropping him straight into Game 1 after that long absence, the Canadiens would have every reason to keep that picture away from the other bench.
This is where the roster math gets loud.
Gallagher and Veleno being out there also suggests Montreal was not using its full forward lineup in the hidden session.
Laine's value is obvious even without a big season line.
He changes the shape of a power play, forces penalty killers to lean his way, and gives Montreal a shot threat few teams can match.
That's why this feels bigger than a simple injury update.
It feels like St-Louis may be rolling the dice on pure finishing talent right as the playoffs open.
Nothing is official until the lineup card lands.
But after a closed practice and Lavoie's morning-skate list, it sure looks like Patrik Laine's night is right in front of the Canadiens.
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