News of the Montreal Canadiens 23-man roster came with optimism and angst. Many were excited about the idea of both Nick Suzuki and Cale Fleury, making the team out of camp, given how reliable in the preseason. However, seeing Ryan Poehling get sent down to the AHL wasn’t the finale most predicted after his NHL debut and progress throughout the summer.
A concussion sustained against the Florida Panthers fizzled that reality out, and the play of Nate Thompson made the difficult decision easier. Additionally, the possibility of Max Domi getting moved to the wing – which was another way the Habs could’ve made everything fit – wasn’t entertained once.