The Montreal Canadiens are fading in the Eastern Conference playoff race, and a day after acquiring an old friend in defenseman Matheiu Schneider, the Canadiens have continued to shake up their roster. On Tuesday, general manager Bob Gainey announced that Alexei Kovalev will not be joining the team on its two-game road trip to Washington and Pittsburgh, while Sergei Kostitsyn has also been sent to the minor leagues.
According to TSN, Kovalev is not being suspended and will still be paid for the two games, while Gainey thinks the All-Star (well, he was an All-Star this year) has been tired and not playing well. In other words, he's played like the rest of his teammates the past two weeks?
Gainey also added this, courtesy RDS: "The way we're playing right now, we don't need him for those two road games."
Touche, Mr. Gainey.
Since the trade deadline is two weeks away it's only natural to speculate that he could be shipped out of town at any given moment. Though, I'm not sure how much of a market there is for a 35-year-old, free agent to be, that is currently in the doghouse for not playing well. He has two goals in his past 17 games and only 13 on the season.
As for Sergei Kostitsyn's demotion, this just seems like a move that's been long overdue. The only time the 21-year-old has been mentioned this season is when he's been involved with his schoolyard fight with Toronto's Mikhail Grabovski. He has eight goals in 52 games this season, and hasn't lit the lamp since January 10. Gregory Stewart has been called up from the minors to take his place.
Montreal has lost 10 of its past 13 games, and has a difficult schedule in the coming weeks with games in Washington and Pittsburgh, as well as contests with Vancouver, Philadelphia, San Jose Buffalo and Dallas.
