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Injuries Challenge Canadiens' Depth: A Look at Their Next Moves
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- Injuries Challenge Canadiens' Depth: A Look at Their Next Moves
Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Things have gone from bad to worse for the Montreal Canadiens , as they've announced centre Kirby Dach will miss four to six weeks with a fractured foot.
This is the latest injury in a string of unfortunate events that have also sidelined Kaiden Guhle and Alex Newhook , with the former having to miss an additional eight to 10 weeks, while the latter will be in the infirmary for an estimated period of four months.
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In other words, a lineup that already lacked depth, particularly down the middle of the ice, will not only continue to face a significant amount of adversity, it will also be tested to its limits.
Injury Frequency
There's a certain connotation any time a player gets labelled as injury-prone, and while it may not be fair in most cases—since injuries tend to be random—the Canadiens cannot ignore the heightened frequency with which some players are forced to miss important games due to yet another health issue.
It's not a matter of shaming the players, or questioning their mettle, but rather, a sober realization that the Habs have some players who miss more than their fair share of games.
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It's a factor in every sport, and one that the Habs will have to learn to overcome if they hope to qualify for the playoffs this season.
The issue is punctuated by the team's lack of centre depth, a situation that was a clear-cut problem prior to the injuries impacting both Dach and Newhook.
Simply put, the Canadiens could ill-afford to lose any centres, let alone two that had the potential to play in the top six.
The Next Step For The Montreal Canadiens
The Canadiens have recalled prospect Joshua Roy , and he will join his Laval Rocket teammate Jared Davidson prior to Monday's game versus the Columbus Blue Jackets .
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Consequently, the Habs were forced to run new forward lines at practice on Sunday.
Cole Caufield – Nick Suzuki – Juraj Slafkovksy
Joshua Roy (in absentia) – Oliver Kapanen – Ivan Demidov
Zachary Bolduc – Jake Evans – Josh Anderson
Jared Davidson – Joe Veleno – Brendan Gallagher
It remains to be seen if head coach Martin St-Louis will maintain these lines versus the Blue Jackets, but suffice it to say the lack of experience and offensive potential beyond Nick Suzuki 's line leaves a lot to be desired.
And yet, it's also important to remember that adversity leads to opportunity, and opportunity breeds evolution.
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Davidson, who played in his first career NHL game on Saturday, is the perfect example of this phenomenon.
It seemed that Davidson was destined to follow the same path as many before him, including a short stint in the AHL, before evaluating options in Europe to further his career.
However, a new head coach in Laval not only led to an opportunity for Davidson, it powered his evolution into a very interesting prospect who has an affinity for working harder than most, exactly what a team like the Montreal Canadiens needs at this present moment.
Montreal Canadiens Dealing With Adversity
Make no mistake, Davidson won't solve Montreal's currently injury situation, nor will any other player who will be called-up from the farm, with all due respect to Roy.
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And yet, the adversity will go a long way in telling us whether the youngest team in the NHL is capable of finding another gear, to help them traverse the choppy, injury-riddled waters on which they're about to set sail.
It will also be an important test of St-Louis' ability to adapt, as every single coach in the NHL has to deal with injuries.
Such is life in professional sports.
