Carey Price and Brendan Gallagher aim for return early playoffs

According to Dominique Ducharme, Carey Price and Brendan Gallagher could be back for the start of the playoffs given the way the two men recover from their respective injuries.

he said in a press briefing after morning practice for the game scheduled for tonight.

However, he ruled out the possibility that either player could return on Wednesday night in the closing game of the shortened 56-game campaign.

Carey Price is recovering from a concussion suffered on April 19, when Edmonton Oilers forward Alex Chiasson hit the latter's head in a routine play. On the sequence, the player had not been punished. Price has only kept the net for four periods since April 6. It remains to be seen if the cerberus will have had enough time to rest for the playoffs.

For his part, Brendan Gallagher is also approaching a return to the game. He should be ready to jump on the ice in the first game in the playoffs. His teammate Alexander Romanov broke Gallagher's thumb with a shot aimed at the Oilers' cage on April 5. The small forward had received the puck directly on the thumb. He had been forced to leave the game. Although an operation was not necessary, his recovery was planned for a period of 4 to 6 weeks of activities. It has been five weeks today.

It goes without saying that the return of the two players will be an important asset, they who should cross swords with the best team in the Canadian division, the Toronto Maple Leafs. Despite a ton of absentees earlier this week, the Habs led 2-0 before losing 3-2 to the troops of Sheldon Keefe. With a healthy team, the outcome could be quite different.