As the preseason passes its' halfway point, the evolution of the Montreal Canadiens is well underway. With 26 players shipped to the St. John's IceCaps in the past 48 hours, the Habs' preseason roster is now exclusively home to those players who can stake a legitimate claim to the regular season roster.
With opportunities to impress passing quickly, each preseason game takes on more importance. Barring extenuating circumstances, at least one of Jarred Tinordi, Greg Pateryn, and Mark Barberio won't be with Montreal to start the year, amplifying the significance of each success and failure.