By Rick Stephens, Editor-in-Chief, All Habs Hockey Magazine
BROSSARD, QC. — Sure, it’s fun for Habs fans to watch future stars of the team perform drills and it’s awesome to get autographs from their new favorite players. But, in a city that can’t wait til October arrives, it is the scrimmages at Development camp that bring all the excitement that’s available in the off-seas0n.
The outcome of the game is meaningless and goal scoring isn’t indicative of much but that doesn’t stop fans from following the action on Twitter as if the opposite was true.
Two of the players seemingly competing for a spot on the opening day roster, Sven Andrighetto and Nikita Scherbak, did not participate in the scrimmage due to injuries. Fans were also deprived from seeing recent first round pick Noah Juulsen play.
The full injury list is here: Sven Andrighetto (shoulder), Noah Juulsen (shoulder), Mark MacMillan (knee), Nikita Scherbak (knee), Dalton Thrower (knee). The Canadiens announced that the injured prospects will not participate in scrimmages throughout the week. The club does not want to risk further injury in July to young players who were coming off injuries at the end of last season.
In addition, Connor Crisp missed today’s scrimmage due to the passing of his grandmother and Jake Evans has returned to the University of Notre Dame.
With Scherbak and Andrighetto missing, the remaining players who were expected to shine — Daniel Carr, Charles Hudon, Mike McCarron — did just that. Carr and Hudon showed off the chemistry that they developed last season in Hamilton to set up the opening goal with some beautiful passing. Hudon got a goal of his own in the second period with a blast that whizzed past goalie Alex Dubeau.
McCarron scored in the game-winner in the shootout and Artturi Lehkonen scored an insurance goal to give Team Red a 5-4 win (not that it matters, right?) Lehkonen will return to the SHL to play again with Frölunda next season.
For the record, the goal scorers in regulation time for Team Red were: Jeremy Gregoire (6th round, 2013), Lukas Vejdemo (3rd round, 2015), Brandon Magee (try-out), Artturi Lehkonen (2nd round, 2013). And scoring for Team White: Charles Hudon (5th round, 2012), Dryden Hunt (try-out) and with two goals Markus Eisenschmid (try-out).
Eisenschmid was the talk of the first scrimmage scoring the opening goal for Team White on a nice play from Charles Hudon and Daniel Carr. The native of Marktoberdorf, Germany got his second goal a short time later on a penalty shot.
Eisenschmid recorded 19 goals and 25 assists for 44 points in 50 games playing for the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL in 2014-15. Despite being invited to Canadiens development camp and representing Germany at the U20 tournament, Markus is not the most accomplished sibling of his hockey-playing family. Markus’ sister Tanja played for the German women’s national team and is currently plays defense for the North Dakota Fighting Sioux women’s hockey program. Tanja participated in the 2014 Olympics. Nicola, Markus’ younger sister, was a forward for Team Germany at 2015 IIHF Women’s World Championship.
A new name for Habs fans to follow. And prospects like Carr, Hudon and McCarron meeting expectations. For not meaning anything, it sure is a lot of fun.
Markus isn't the most famous hockey player in his household. #GoHabsGo https://t.co/DJzGterJbC
— All Habs (Canadiens) (@AllHabs) July 7, 2015
Artturi Lehkonen
Development camp scrimmage – July 7, 2015
| Team A (White) | Team B (Red) |
| Forwards | |
| 48 Daniel Audette 56 Tim Bozon 68 Matthew Bradley 43 Daniel Carr 91 Tim Clifton 57 Markus Eisenschmid 72 Mario Huber 75 Charles Hudon 78 Dryden Hunt 83 Ryan Rosenthal 97 Jamal Watson |
32 Jeremiah Addison 60 Taylor Burke 86 Stefan Fournier 47 Jeremy Gregoire 52 Artturi Lehkonen 58 Brandon Magee 34 Michael McCarron 94 Tim McGauley 73 Angelo Miceli 44 Lukas Vejdemo |
| Defensemen | |
| 46 Mac Bennett 20 Simon Bourque 84 Darren Dietz 92 Christopher Joyaux 71 Michael Webster |
90 Travis Brown 89 Ryan Johnston 61 Nikolas Koberstein 36 Brett Lernout 82 Tom Parisi 55 Bailey Webster |
| Goalies | |
| 30 Zach Fucale 65 Mathew Mancina |
95 Alex Dubeau 70 Michael McNiven |
Injured
38 Nikita Scherbak
59 Dalton Thrower
54 Noah Juulsen
62 Mark MacMillan
42 Sven Andrighetto
Not present
40 Connor Crisp
63 Jake Evans