Sunday Habs Headlines: Is it time to consider resting players for the playoffs?

Montreal Canadiens news and notes

• With a playoff spot secured and several veterans on the roster, will the Canadiens consider resting players over the final four games of the season? [TSN690]
• One of those veterans has been steadily producing over his entire career, and should be a top priority to get back under contract for at least next season. [FanRag Sports]
• There have been some surprising performances in the NHL this season, and Alexander Radulov’s productive return is one of them. [FanRag Sports]
• Alex Galchenyuk knows his trio with Andrew Shaw and Artturi Lehkonen needs to start producing. [La Presse | Google Translate]
• Les Canadiennes took the Clarkson Cup to Olympic Stadium for yesterday pre-season game. The trophy joined them for their rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame“:/

Les Canadiennes au baseball! Les Canadiennes at the 'ol ballgame! @TheCWHL @CanadiensMTL @BlueJays @evenko #multitalented pic.twitter.com/8WBgiPKWHr

— Les Canadiennes (@LesCanadiennes) April 1, 2017

• Days after the Habs secured their playoff spot, the ECHL affiliate in Brampton did the same:/

BREAKING: The @BramptonBeast have officially clinched their spot in the 2017 Kelly Cup Playoffs ✅ pic.twitter.com/zgURfdrg0t

— ECHL (@ECHL) April 2, 2017

Around the league and elsewhere

• After a scary on-ice collapse, it seems that Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Michal Neuvirth will be OK:/

Statement from Hextall: "Neuvirth is awake & alert. Taken to Pennsylvania Hospital for observation. Will have more info tomorrow."

— Bill Meltzer (@billmeltzer) April 2, 2017

• After sustaining what looked like a hamstring injury, John Tavares is out week-to-week, crushing the playoff aspirations of the New York Islanders. [NHL.com]
• Pulling a Daryl Katz, Calgary Flames president Ken King threatens a move his team elsewhere if the club doesn’t get a new arena. [NBC Sports]
• Patrik Elias has announced his retirement from the NHL, leaving the league as the New Jersey Devils’ all-time leading scorer. [ESPN]
• Retirement wasn’t the end of a life in hockey for Mario Lemieux and Martin St. Louis. [ESPN]
• With the Winter Olympics fast approaching, the women’s hockey team rosters are already under construction. But it seems that Team USA is forgetting about one of its more gifted candidates. [Boston Globe]
• The men’s portion of the event is facing a critical deadline in the coming days. [John Shannon]
• The NHL named its Three Stars for the month of March. [NHL.com]
• A Maritime community will host an NHL pre-season game next year, as O’Leary, Prince Edward Island has been selected as the winner of the 2017 Kraft Hockeyville competition. [Sportsnet]
• A verdict has been reached in an on-ice incident in an Ontario beer-league game last year: a goalie will serve 30 days in jail for a vicious slash to the face of an opponent. [VICE Sports]/