Karl Alzner has spent a majority of the last two seasons in the AHL with the Laval Rocket, but on February 22, the Montreal Canadiens recalled the stay-at-home defenseman back to the NHL after Victor Mete and Xavier Ouellet suffered injuries. “I didn’t expect it at all,” Alzner said according to the Montreal Gazette, unsure that he’d ever return to the NHL.
Fast forward two weeks later, the Habs have even more injuries so head coach Claude Julien got creative. Without enough forwards at practice, Julien put Alzner on the first line.
Pour l’échauffement, Karl Alzner est à l’aile droite à la place de Gallagher. Mais ça devrait changer pour le match.
Lehkonen-Danault-Alzner
Hudon-Suzuki-Armia
Byron-Domi-Weal
Vejdemo-Evans-WeiseChiarot-Weber
Kulak-Petry
Ouellet-FolinPrice
— J-F Chaumont (@JFChaumontJDM) March 5, 2020
Alzner skated with Phillip Danault and Artturi Lehkonen as a forward on the top line with Brendan Gallagher sick and Tomas Tatar out with a lower-body injury.
“I thought it was pretty funny, honestly,” Alzner, who has never scored more than five goals in a season, said. “I wasn’t expecting it. It’s funny, but it’s fun at the same time. I’ll be a utility player if that’s what my role is. I’d love to be a utility player.”
Alzner added, “There were some guys that played a couple games (as forward) in college or junior, I was never one of those guys,” he said. “It’s been a long time.”
Karl Alzner on filling in as a forward this morning at practice.#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/AMD7MlbA1r
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) March 5, 2020
After practice, Julien hoped that Gallagher would be able to play.
#Habs coach Claude Julien says he hopes Brendan Gallagher, who is battling flu, will be able to play tonight. If not we might see Karl Alzner as a forward #HabsIO
— Stu Cowan (@StuCowan1) March 5, 2020
However, later in the day, the Habs learned he was too sick to suit up.
Brendan Gallagher will not play tonight.#GoHabsGo
— Habs News (@InstaTricolore) March 5, 2020
So would Alzner get his chance to show off his offensive skills on the top line?
La formation projetée du match de ce soir face au Lightning. 📝
The projected lines for tonight's game against the Lightning.#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/CeG9YFDKgx
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) March 5, 2020
NOOOOOOO!!! They made him the seventh defenseman!
Karl Alzner at forward is going to make me bring back @Markzner pic.twitter.com/SztjkVAxd4
— ᴍᴀʀᴄʜ (@ffsPrice) March 5, 2020
Headline photo courtesy of Montreal Canadiens
