Breaking: Head coach puts an end to D-man's ironman streak by making him a healthy scratch for season opener!

This is a brutal decision. Cleary, Montreal Canadiens head coach Claude Julien is not messing around. When the morning skate ended this morning, most reporters present at the practice noted that some players were left aside for tonight's home opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

And clearly, Julien is sending a strong message to his dressing room on the first day of the season. The veteran head coach is not only sitting Tomas Plekanec, who is looking to play a total of a 1000 games with the Canadiens this season, he is also putting an end to one of his players' ironman streak by making him a healthy scratch tonight. 

Julien has decided to sit out defenseman Karl Alzner, who has played 622 consecutive games in the NHL. He had the fourth best streak in the league, behind Pittsburgh Penguins' Phil Kessel, veteran Patrick Marleau of the Maple Leafs and blue liner Keith Yandle of the Florida Panthers. 

This has to hurt.

Alzner is looking to bounce back after a poor season in 2017-18. He was one of the Habs worst defenseman last season, but he won't get to show he is ready for the new season tonight. 

Habs general manager Marc Bergevin has denied entering a rebuilding phase with the club, that has failed to clinch a playoff spot in the past season. However, with tonight's projected lineup against the mighty Maple Leafs, it sure looks like he and Julien are looking to trust the younger players of the team and seeing if the Habs can start anew for 2018-19. 

Here, take a look at the projected lineup for tonight, knowing that veterans Plekanec and Alzner are being left aside: 

Up front :

Drouin-Kotkaniemi-Armia

Tatar-Danault-Gallagher

Byron-Domi-Lehkonen

Hudon-Peca-Shaw

Defense :

Mete - Petry
Reilly - Juulsen
Benn - Ouellet

Now take a look at the opposition: here is what the Maple Leafs' lineup looks like for their season opener: 

Up front: 

Hyman-Tavares-Marner 

Marleau-Matthews-Ennis

Brown-Kadri-Leivo

Johnson-Lindholm-Kapanen

Defense:

Rielly-Hainsey

Gardiner-Zaitsev

Dermott-Ozhiganov

The Canadiens can't count on the return of Andrew Shaw, who appears to be stepping in line instead of Plekanec. As for Alzner, it may be coming as a surprise, despite his struggles last season. On Monday during practice, left-handed shots Xavier Ouellet, Alzner and Jordie Benn were stacked up on the third pair, trying to make their mark for the opening night. 

Seems like Benn and Ouellet were more convincing than (former) Ironman Alzner...