The head coach of the Canadiens provides numerous injury updates.
After placing winger Rafaël Harvey-Pinard on injured reserve earlier in the day, the Canadiens confirmed on Sunday that he will miss four to six weeks due to a lower-body injury. The team also stated that Kaiden Guhle is being assessed for an unidentified ailment and defenseman Jordan Harris is listed as day-to-day due to an upper-body injury. Guhle and Harris sustained injuries during the Blues’ 7-2 defeat on Sunday.
For the five-foot-nine Harvey-Pinard, the campaign has been difficult. With multiple lower-body injuries, he has already missed more than half of the season (missing 27 of Montreal’s 51 games). If his rehabilitation timetable is accurate, he will miss an additional 12 to 18 games.
Additionally, he has only scored once in 24 games this season, compared to 14 in just 34 games in 2022–2023 scoring. The 25-year-old was given some All-Rookie Team consideration for his meager performance in a top-six role during the second half of the previous season while Cole Caufield was out, but he was unable to maintain that momentum into his debut NHL season.
Due to Harvey-Pinard’s prolonged absence, rookie Joshua Roy may get a lot of playing time among the team’s starting nine. Roy, who was recalled on Saturday for the second time this season, dressed in a third-line role today against the Blues. In his first six NHL games, Roy has already scored one goal and provided an assist. Less than three years ago, the 20-year-old was selected in the fifth round of the NHL draft. Since then, he has emerged as one of Montreal’s top minor league players, accumulating 32 points in 40 games with AHL Laval.
Guhle sustained injuries late in the game following a collision with Blues defenseman Marco Scandella, while Harris departed the game early today. The Canucks game on Tuesday requires both to be cleared to play, therefore Montreal will need to recall at least one player from Laval. The only additional defenseman on the Canadiens’ roster is Arber Xhekaj.
Leave a Reply