Thursday Habs Headlines: Canadiens will provide update on Kaiden Guhle’s injury
Montreal Canadiens news and notes
- The Canadiens will have an update on Kaiden Guhle’s injury situation later today. [TVA Sports]
- Guhle goes 12th overall in a redo of the 2020 NHL Draft. [The Athletic]
- Would Guhle’s injury open up a spot for Mattias Norlinder? [32 Thoughts]
- If Alex Newhook was hoping for a proper opportunity with the trade to Montreal, he certainly has it now. [Daily Faceoff]
- Arber Xhekaj has received his own burger, “Le Shérif,” at La Chambre. [Journal de Montreal]
- The Canadiens have one of the most storied histories in the sports world, but it’s time for the current group to write its own chapter. [NHL.com]
- There no reason to be concerned with Nick Suzuki’s performance when he possesses as many talents as he does. [TVA Sports]
- Jean-François Houle believes the AHL is the best place for Joshua Roy to get accustomed to the rigours of the professional game. [TVA Sports]
- Marc-Andre Fleury isn’t the only opposing player to be cheered by Canadiens fans. Here are some of the most notable enemies turned temporary friends. [Daily Hive]
Around the league and elsewhere
- The most telling stats from the opening week of NHL action. [Sportsnet]
- Sam Cosentino released his first 2024 draft rankings. [Sportsnet]
- The stadium design has been revealed for the Heritage Classic. [NHL.com]
- Winnipeg Jets forward Gabriel Vialrdi will miss four to six weeks with an MCL sprain. [Sportsnet]
- Leo Carlsson will be making his NHL debu tonight with the Anaheim Ducks. [NHL.com]
Canadiens Kirby Dach Injury Is An Important Reality Check
The Kirby Dach injury will have repercussions throughout the Montreal Canadiens organization.
He’s the glue that keeps the middle of the roster together. His skill in transition is unmatched on the team, which explains why he immediately improves the underlying numbers of any teammate who is lucky enough to be placed on his line.
Losing him for the entire year will clearly hurt the team’s chances.
But it’s also an opportunity for the Canadiens to take stock of their current situation.
Injury Situation
As disheartening as it is to lose an important player like Dach at such an early point in the season, it’s definitely a reality check for a team like the Montreal Canadiens that is hoping to take the next step.
And if the Canadiens cannot handle losing a player who has yet to reach 50 points in his career, there are bigger issues at play.
It goes beyond the injury woes that have followed the team like an old-world curse.
Every team has injuries, and good teams can survive after losing an important player.
The Canadiens aren’t at that point.
Losing Dach essentially destabilizes their top nine because there is not enough offensive talent to make up for the loss of a single player. And we’re not talking about a Gabriel Landeskog type of player. With all due respect to Dach, he’s a very good player but has not crossed the threshold that would lead to analysts describing him as elite, at least not yet.
Looking Forward
The one thing that Dach managed to do best was produce healthy underlying numbers.
The Canadiens struggle to control the puck in high-danger areas, and they’re almost always outshot by their opponents, except when Dach is on the ice.
Now that he’s expected to miss the remainder of the season, we’ll get a better idea of which players need to be supported by Dach to generate encouraging stats, as well as which players can stand on their own.
It will also impact the Canadiens’ odds, and I’m not talking about their playoff odds.
Realistically, the team is still far from competing for the playoffs. Rather, I’m discussing draft lottery odds.
Adding high-end offensive at the draft is in order for a team like the Canadiens.
The good news is, much like the 2023 Draft, the 2024 Draft is once again loaded with forwards who project as elite. Players such as Cole Eiserman, Macklin Celebrini, and Ivan Demidov.
