The Montreal Canadiens could be getting some awful injury news following Sunday night’s 4-3 loss to the Anaheim Ducks.
Forward Kirby Dach left the game in the first period after a frightening collision with Ducks Jeffrey Viel. The two forwards collided, with Dach landing awkwardly on his left shoulder.
The play didn’t look overly serious, but the angle at which the Canadiens forward landed could have opened the door to a significant injury.
That’s the fear expressed in an expert medical opinion. Renowned physician, Dr. Harjas Grewal, made his concerns known about Dach’s potential injury. In Grewal’s estimation, a separated shoulder could be the worst outcome for Dach.
However, a broken collarbone could be a devastating outcome for the 25-year-old. A broken collarbone would likely mean the end of Dach’s season. A separated shoulder at least would mean that he could return at some point in the postseason, should the Canadiens play long enough.
In the meantime, there’s no official word on the extent of Dach’s injury. The Canadiens will likely provide further information on Monday once evaluations are in. The hope would be that Dach’s injury is naught more than an awful injury scare, causing him to miss limited time.
Dach has played 32 games for the Canadiens this season, scoring eight goals and 14 points.
Canadiens Dach Has Long Injury History
Unfortunately for Dach and the Canadiens, the former third-overall pick from the 2019 NHL Draft has had a long injury history. This season alone, Dach missed significant time after sustaining a broken foot while blocking a shot in a game against the Boston Bruins.
Prior to that, the former Chicago Blackhawks player missed most of the 2023-24 season with a major knee injury.
That injury history has concerned Canadiens fans. While Dach’s talent is undeniable, his inability to stay healthy has made it hard for the organization to count on him moving forward. Of course, Sunday night’s incident was not his fault necessarily. It was, nonetheless, another tough blow to the Canadiens moving forward.
Dach Joins Laine on the Shelf
Another Canadiens forward currently on the shelf is Patrik Laine. The 27-year-old has only played five games this season. Laine started the season with the club, but left to have surgery on a core muscle.
In his absence, other Canadiens players have picked up the slack. That’s the situation that will happen now with Dach potentially missing time. Everyone else in the lineup will need to pick up the slack as the season heads down the final stretch.
With about five weeks left in the season, Dach has time to recover and be ready for the postseason. Barring a major injury like a broken collarbone, the Habs’ forward could rejoin the club for their hopefully prolonged playoff run.
Canadiens fans will be expecting to get an injury update soon. The Habs will be back in action next Tuesday against the Boston Bruins. Montreal is third in the Atlantic Division, with the Bruins and Detroit Red Wings right behind them, two points back.
Canadiens Could Get Awful Injury News, Per Expert