GALCHENYUK HAS CHANCE TO PROVE HIMSELF WITH SKILLED YOUNGSTERS

Julien tries to get struggling forward back on track with Drouin, Lehkonen

Nobody knows how or when the Alex Galchenyuk saga might end with the Canadiens.

Will Montreal eventually become frustrated enough with the 23-year-old to trade him, or will he live up to the potential GM Marc Bergevin saw in Galchenyuk when he selected him third overall at the 2012 NHL Draft, hoping he found his No. 1 centre for the future?

We will also never know how different things might have gone for Galchenyuk if he hadn’t suffered a knee injury during a game last Dec. 4 in Los Angeles. Galchenyuk, who was coming off a 30-goal season, had nine goals and 14 assists in 25 games before being injured early in the third period of the game against the Kings, his first game at centre between Max Pacioretty and Alexander Radulov on a newly formed No. 1 line.

Galchenyuk would miss 18 games with the knee injury, return to play five games where he notched two goals and two assists, before re-aggravating the knee injury and missing three more games. He has never really been the same.

Galchenyuk had only six goals and 11 assists in the final 31 games last season and started the playoffs as a fourth-line winger. Galchenyuk signed a new threeyear, US$14.7-million contract this summer, but Bergevin and coach Claude Julien both made it clear they don’t believe Galchenyuk can play centre in the NHL and he has been used mostly as a fourth-line winger again this season.

Now, more than a month into the season, Galchenyuk has been given another opportunity to show what he can do on the No. 1 line — well, sort of.

“Let me correct one thing here … I don’t know that I have labelled anybody first line, second line,” Julien said after Tuesday’s morning skate in Brossard, before the Canadiens faced the Vegas Golden Knights at the Bell Centre. “If you want to make him first line, that’s your prerogative.”

OK.

For the third straight game Tuesday night, Galchenyuk was on the No. 1 line with centre Jonathan Drouin and rightwinger Artturi Lehkonen. The No. 1B line had Phillip Danault at centre between Pacioretty and Andrew Shaw.

Galchenyuk had assists in each of his first two games with Drouin and Lehkonen and seems to have developed some chemistry with the talented centre.

“We’re both skating, both trying to find each other,” Galchenyuk said after the morning skate. “We’re two skilled guys. But at the same time, we’ve got to work hard.”

Not working hard has been one of the knocks on Galchenyuk.

“What I would say about Alex is it’s pretty obvious he’s playing much better,” Julien said Tuesday morning. “He’s competing hard in all areas and he’s just picked up his game and the confidence is coming back. And because of that he’s a better player and that’s the best I’ve seen Alex play since I got here last year.

“He came off a pretty big injury and didn’t seem to find his groove the rest of (last) season and then he had a slow start this season,” the coach added. “But I like the way he’s playing lately. His compete level makes his talent stick out. As I’ve always said for any player, it doesn’t matter how much talent you have, if you don’t work at it, it’s not being put to good use.”

It would be good for Galchenyuk and the Canadiens if he can stick with the highly skilled Drouin and Lehkonen, a solid 200-foot player with great hockey sense, skills and a solid work ethic. Galchenyuk is the oldest player on the line, a year older than both Drouin and Lehkonen. It could be a trio for the Canadiens to build on.

Drouin is a left-handed shot, which means passing the puck to his right on the forehand is his most natural play in the offensive zone. Lehkonen and Galchenyuk are also left-handed shots, but can both play on the right side, which can make their line even more dangerous.

“To be honest, I don’t think about it too much about switching to the right during games,” Galchenyuk said. “I think me and Lehky, we both go right, left. It’s not like if you’re a left-winger you’re always on the left side. You’re just trying to get open.

“Every time (Drouin) touches the puck he’s trying to make plays, whether it’s to me or Lehky. So it’s easy to play with a guy like that ... He’s shifty and he’s a great playmaker, so I try to find open (ice) and put myself in position to score.”

With all he’s been through already in his career, it’s easy to forget Galchenyuk is still only 23. It would be good for him and the Canadiens if they can figure things out together in Montreal.

When asked about the possibility of being traded, Galchenyuk said: “I can’t control that. I don’t worry about that.”

It would be a shame if it ends that way.