What Happened
Montreal Canadiens winger Ivan Demidov is expected to miss two to four weeks with a lower-body injury, according to Sportsnet. The injury followed a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in which Demidov recorded a goal and an assist. Sportsnet ranked the Demidov injury as the least impactful of four notable early-season injuries around the league.
Key Details
- Demidov is expected to miss two to four weeks with a lower-body injury, per Sportsnet.
- He posted a goal and an assist in his game against the Penguins before the injury.
- Montreal has one win this season and has allowed 17 goals over its past three games.
- The Canadiens added Chris Kreider before the season to bolster their forward group.
- Four of Montreal's next five games are at home, and five remaining October games are against non-playoff teams from last season.
What It Means
Demidov's absence removes a top-six forward from a Canadiens lineup that is off to a slow start. Sportsnet notes Montreal has one of the deepest rosters in the NHL and may be better equipped than most teams to absorb the loss. Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky and Lane Hutson will be counted on for more production while Demidov recovers.
What's Next
Demidov is expected to miss two to four weeks. Montreal plays four of its next five games at home, and five remaining October games come against teams that missed the playoffs last season, giving the Canadiens a chance to manage his absence.