The Montreal Canadiens can’t catch a break these days. After a promising start to the season, they’re now dealing with a string of losses and a growing list of injured players.
The team just dropped their fifth game in six tries, falling 3-2 to the Boston Bruins on Saturday. Their record now sits at 10-6-2.
And things just got worse.
The team announced Sunday that Kirby Dach will be sidelined for 4-6 weeks with a broken right foot. The 24-year-old center had been having a solid season, putting up five goals and two assists in 15 games before the injury.
Dach joins a crowded training room that already includes Alex Newhook, Kaiden Guhle, and Patrik Laine.
These injuries are forcing the Habs to completely change how they play. Without Dach and Newhook’s puck-carrying skills, they’ll likely have to rely more on a dump-and-chase style – not exactly the most exciting hockey, but sometimes you’ve got to do what works.
The power play needs a makeover too. Forget the fancy passing – it’s time for more direct shots and creating havoc in front of the net.
Coach Martin St. Louis has some tough decisions ahead. He’ll need to lean more heavily on his top line of Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, but he can’t wear them out either. It’s a delicate balance.
This might be a blessing in disguise for some of the younger players. Guys like Zack Bolduc, Ivan Demidov, and Joshua Roy could get more ice time to show what they can do.
The Canadiens could look to make a trade, particularly for a middle-six forward who can score and move the puck. But if the young players step up during this tough stretch, management might think twice about making any big moves at the trade deadline.
For now, we’ll see what this team is really made of. Sometimes it’s these challenging moments that show a team’s true character.
