So, if he hasn’t played much since the start of the playoffs, it’s simply because Alexander Romanov… he wasn’t playing well enough.
At least that’s the explanation Romanov himself relayed on Thursday, after training the Canadian at Broussard.
I know why and it has to do with the end of the season. I haven’t played well, maybe in the last seven games of the season. The coach decides and I trust him.
Alexander Romanov
So there you have it for the official explanation.
Since this difficult end to the season, Romanov had to settle for the role of spectator in all of the play-off games before he was finally able to join the team in Game 4 of the series against the Winnipeg Jets. But that decision was made possible with the loss of another defender, Jeff Petrie, who injured his right hand during the previous encounter.
As the Canadian waits to be able to continue his journey, the picture in defense becomes a bit complicated. Because Petrie and John Merrill, another injured, should be able to take over soon, plus, here’s another defensive man, Cal Florey, who will accompany the team on their next trip.
In short, Romanov’s place in the lineup does not look at all guaranteed in the third round of qualifying. “I just want to help the team win the Stanley Cup […] I have to play hard hockey and do everything I can,” the young man added.
Romanov admitted it was a confidence issue that plagued his game late in the season (and explained “I lost a lot of opponent’s pucks”), but now she’s looking behind him.
In any case, Dominique Ducharme is not too concerned about this.
“We are happy with the way he reacted in the last match,” he said. He has been active. You have to take the time and manage it well, so that she can keep getting ahead of her game.”
From afar, there is Jonathan Drouin
Photo by Bernard Brault, press archives
Jonathan Drouin
Plus, we took advantage of this quiet Thursday in the Tricolor Universe to hear from Jonathan Drouin.
So it seems that the Quebec striker, who left the team on April 28, continues to follow his teammates from afar and across the screen. In fact, according to Dominique Ducharme, he used the Canadian’s recent success to send some messages of encouragement to some club members recently.
“We have a good idea for him,” the Montreal coach replied, ‘He is one of us and we are a united group مجموعة […] We want the best for all our players and we are definitely thinking about it. ”
Let’s add that the Canadian administration has confirmed that club members have been invited to receive a second dose of the vaccine against COVID-19. Dominique Ducharme replied that “almost everyone” received this second dose from among the Montreal team and players.