Canadiens' Joel Edmundson will make season debut Saturday night

Defenseman has recovered from back injury, while there’s still no timeline for the return of goalie Carey Price.

Author of the article:

Stu Cowan • Montreal Gazette

Canadiens defenseman Joel Edmundson checks the Winnipeg Jets’ Andrew Copp while goalie Carey Price follows the puck during Game 3 of second-round NHL playoff series last season. Photo by Allen McInnis /Montreal Gazette

Defenseman Joel Edmundson, who has been sidelined with a back injury, will make his season debut Saturday when the Canadiens play the Seattle Kraken at the Bell Center (7 pm, CBC, SNE, TVA Sports, TSN 690 Radio, 98.5 FM).

“He’s a solid, tough-to-play-against defenseman,” Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis said after Saturday’s optional morning skate in Brossard. “I’m looking forward to getting him back into some action.”

When asked how much ice time Edmundson might get, St. Louis said: “I’m sure he’ll (be on the penalty-kill). I really trust (assistant coach Luke Richardson) back there in making those decisions. Luke has been here with Joel, seen Joel work in the trenches, on the bench with him. I’ve not. I’m looking forward to that, but I’m fully going to trust what Luke is going to do out there tonight with our defencemen.”

The Canadiens provided injury updates on several other players Saturday morning at the start of a busy weekend, which includes a game against the Flyers Sunday in Philadelphia (7 pm, TSN2, RDS, TSN 690 Radio, 98.5 FM).

Goalie Carey Price — who has been sidelined all season after having surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his knee last July, followed by a 30-day stay in the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program in October for substance-use issues — skated Saturday morning and continues to progress, but there’s no timeline for his return.

Goalie Jake Allen, who has been sidelined since suffering a lower-body injury on Jan. 12, continues to make progress in his rehab but won’t play this weekend.

Goalie Andrew Hammond, who suffered a lower-body injury on March 3, will be re-evaluated by doctors at a later date and there’s no timetable for his return.

Forward Jonathan Drouin, sidelined with a wrist injury suffered on Jan. 20, continues to practice with the team but no date has been set for his return to the lineup.

Forward Christian Dvorak, sidelined with an upper-body injury suffered on Jan. 24, is participating in practices with a limited no-contact jersey.

Defenseman David Savard continues his rehab from an ankle injury suffered on Jan. 27 that was expected to sideline him for eight weeks.

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