Claude Julien placing his stamp on younger, speedier Canadiens team

PITTSBURGH — Head coach Claude Julien raised some eyebrows Wednesday morning when he revealed that veterans Karl Alzner and Tomas Plekanec would be healthy scratches for the Canadiens’ season opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
This wasn’t an easy decision and it’s a move that many NHL coaches wouldn’t have made.
On some teams, Alzner would have enjoyed protected status because he carries a cap hit of US$4.625 million a year. And some coaches might have been rel