After struggling the last few games with their third defensive pairing, the Montreal Canadiens finally decided to recall Mark Barberio from the St. John’s IceCaps of the American Hockey League.
Going the other way is defenceman Joel Hanley who struggled during his stint with the Canadiens.
#canadiens recall Mark Barberio and Joel Hanley is sent down to IceCaps. #tvasports
— Renaud Lavoie (@renlavoietva) November 23, 2016
Mark Barberio has been one of the IceCaps best players so far this season, putting up 14 points in 18 games, remaining one of the few consistent players on the farm team while Chris Terry and Charles Hudon are recalled.
His recall triggers his waiver requirement, as he will once again he waiver eligible after playing 10 games or stays in the NHL for 30 days, whichever comes first.
Joel Hanley played five games with the Canadiens, earning no points, and saw his ice-time drop below ten minutes during his last two games.
The Canadiens defence is struggling and the recall of Barberio was necessary as neither Hanley or Greg Pateryn were able to earn Michel Therrien’s trust and rotated in and out of the lineup, while they waited for Zach Redmond to return from injury. When Redmond returns eventually, the Canadiens will have to make a roster decision of either sending Pateryn or Redmond to the AHL via waivers, or return Barberio, hopefully before the waiver eligibility is necessary again.
Update: Nathan Beaulieu will sit out the game versus the Hurricanes, whereas both Pateryn and Barberio will draw in.
#Habs Beaulieu will not play Thursday vs #NHLCanes. Barberio will draw in, as will Pateryn.
— John Lu (@JohnLuTSNMtl) November 23, 2016
Therrien doesn’t expect Beaulieu to play any games this weekend. A deflected puck hit him in the neck on Tuesday night, an incident which saw him brought to the hospital for precautionary reasons.
