Montreal Canadiens call up two tough players ahead of tonight's game: they will not get pushed around

Following the gruesome injury to Patrik Laine last game, the Canadiens aren't taking any chances and have called up two very tough players for tonight's game.

In a surprise twist since recent cuts to the Montreal Canadiens' roster, the team quickly did a 180, calling up forwards Lucas Condotta and Luke Tuch. It was announced on the same day these two would face preseason action against the Ottawa Senators, leading to speculation on what the team has planned. With both players being noted as physical players, it is obvious that the Canadiens might be readjusting their game plan.

The recall of Condotta and Tuch might suggest that head coach Martin St-Louis wants more size in the lineup. The Senators come in with a reputation for hard-nosed, physical hockey, and after the Toronto Maple Leafs had their way with the Canadiens on the physical side of things just a few nights ago, this could very well be the direct response to make sure not to get bullied on the ice.

While Condotta and Tuch will more than likely take to the ice tonight, their long-term status with the club is less assured. Preseason games are one's chance to show off one's abilities, but both players will probably be returned to the AHL after the game as St-Louis and his staff head for a closed training camp retreat in Tremblant. This is not a permanent call-up but an audition to prove their worth for future opportunities with the team.

It is important to note that when young players step onto the ice, with every shift, they are auditioning for a role in the future, if not immediately, then down the line. Condotta and Tuch will have to impress not just with their physicality but with their all-around play too. Tonight is one of those key developments and identifications of where they fall within the organization.

What's more, bringing Lucas Condotta and Luke Tuch back ahead of a game against a notoriously hard-nosed Ottawa squad underlines the decision to be big and bad for a team that needs to protect itself in the physicality department. Whether it pays dividends in the immediate term remains to be seen, but clearly, the Canadiens are committed to putting together a team that can take the regular-season grind.

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