Dominique Ducharme's return is like the return of a star player according to Luke Richardson

On June 19th, after the CH returned from Vegas and played the first two games of the series, the Habs announced that head coach Dominique Ducharme had tested positive for Covid-19.

He had to serve a 14-day quarantine at home according to NHL rules. This quarantine ended Thursday night and Ducharme can rejoin his team since this morning. With the CH trailing 2-0 in their final series against the Lightning, the timing is perfect for a return of the coach. The man who filled in nicely for him during his absence, Luke Richardson, mentioned that this return could have a major impact on what happens next.

Having Dominique Ducharme behind the bench for game 3 is the equivalent of having a star player come back from the injured list. He is a smart head coach who has done very well with this team so having a fresh approach in this series will be a big plus for us.

said Luke Richardson.

Although this is not a return of a star player, the impact of having Ducharme behind the bench is not small. With his head coaching experience, he will be able to make the right decisions during the game and his dynamic behind the bench and in the room will be beneficial.

Must read on HockeyPatrol

Maple Leafs in talks to extend Max Domi and Tyler Bertuzzi

Tragic end to Stanley cup champion Corey Perry's NHL career

Let's also not forget that the CH will be playing in front of their fans, no matter how many, for the first time in this series, something that could once again motivate the club. As Eric Staal also mentioned, playing at home helps.

Coming home will be huge. We love playing in Montreal, we love playing at the Bell Centre. The strange thing is that there will be more fans outside the building than inside. We're still going to know that they're there, they're supporting us and they're as excited as we are to be in the finals

said Eric Staal.

Let's hope that these two factors, the return of Ducharme and playing at home, will help the CH get back to winning ways because a loss tonight could be catastrophic...

Previously on HockeyPatrol

Pierre Lebrun: Zach Hyman very unlikely to return to Maple Leafs

Caufield reveals what the Canadiens need to do to beat Vasilevskiy

Nick Suzuki's message to Canadiens fans on rising attendance

POLL
2 JUILLET \| 1 ANSWERS Dominique Ducharme's return is like the return of a star player according to Luke Richardson Do you believe coach Dominique Ducharme is a good NHL head coach?
Yes	0	0 %
No	0	0 %
LIST OF POLLS