At this time of the year, the flu and flu-like illnesses can spread like wildfire, and it's for that reason that the Montreal Canadiens decided to cancel their Monday morning practice before heading to New Jersey for a game Tuesday. The Habs have been plagued by injuries all season long and simply can't afford to lose any more manpower as the team makes a last-ditch effort to make the playoffs.
"Everywhere you turn around, you're touching the same things," explained head coach Claude Julien. "It just takes one or two players, you know, door handles, anything. We do our best. We try to disinfect the rooms, we encourage the guys to use the disinfectants that are everywhere in the dressing room and do the best they can."
There was word last week that at least a couple of players were battling flu-like symptoms, although no one missed any games because of it.
Meanwhile, Julien informed the media Monday that Jonathan Drouin was still not ready to return from his wrist injury that has kept him out of the lineup since mid-November and won't be making the trip to New Jersey with his teammates. There was some talk that Drouin could possibly return to the lineup as early as last week but that obviously didn't happen. No definitive word yet on when he'll play again.
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