Ivan Demidov out 2–4 weeks with lower-body injury
The 20-year-old Canadiens forward, fresh off an eight-year, $73.2 million extension, was hurt in a 6–5 overtime loss at Pittsburgh on 3 October.
Ivan Demidov will miss two to four weeks with a lower-body injury suffered on 3 October in the Montreal Canadiens' 6–5 overtime loss to Pittsburgh, per NHL.com. The 20-year-old had a goal and an assist in the game, per NHL.com, and Montreal's depth now faces its first real test of the season.
The game that cost him
The injury came on a night of a spirited comeback. The Canadiens trailed 5–2 after two periods at PPG Paints Arena, in front of 18,382, but scored three times in the third to force overtime. Cole Caufield scored twice for Montreal and Nick Suzuki collected three assists for a four-point night. Pittsburgh's Tommy Novak answered with two goals and three points, while Evgeni Malkin added two assists.
| Montreal | Pittsburgh | |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 5 | 6 |
| Shots | 25 | 30 |
| Power play | 0-for-2 | 2-for-4 |
| Faceoffs won | 55.9% | 44.1% |
| Hits | 28 | 9 |
Montreal won the faceoff battle and threw 28 hits to Pittsburgh's nine, but were outshot 30–25. Special teams told the story: the Penguins scored twice on four power plays, while the Canadiens came up empty on both of theirs.
A young star sidelined
Demidov is no prospect waiting for his chance. Last season, as a rookie, he played all 82 games and recorded 19 goals and 43 assists for 62 points, per TSN. That season earned him second place in Calder Trophy voting, per Pro Hockey Rumors. The Canadiens moved to secure his future, recently signing him to an eight-year extension worth $73.2 million, or $9.15 million a season, per Pro Hockey Rumors. The contract signals how central he is to Montreal's plans for its forward group, which makes even a short absence a blow.
Montreal adjusts its lines
The Canadiens placed Demidov on injured reserve on 6 October, per RotoWire, and reshaped their lineup. Kirby Dach moved to the second line alongside Juraj Slafkovsky and Alex Newhook, per TSN. Coach Martin St. Louis expressed confidence in the adjustment, per NHL.com:
I feel like we have the depth for that, the way our lines are shaped. I'm confident we can keep going.
Florian Xhekaj was set to make his season debut in Demidov's place against Carolina on 6 October, per NHL.com.
Early standings
The injury arrives as the division race is only starting to take shape. After the Pittsburgh loss, the Canadiens were 1–0–1 with three points, second in their division behind Boston at 2–1–0 and four points. Montreal had won 3–2 at Toronto on 29 September before the overtime defeat in Pittsburgh, a game that showed the team's ability to fight back from a three-goal deficit.
What the absence means
St. Louis believes his roster has the depth to cover, and the rally from 5–2 down in Pittsburgh suggests the group does not fold easily. The next two to four weeks will test whether the supporting cast can keep pace without a 62-point forward in the lineup. For a franchise that has just committed eight years to him, the priority will be getting Demidov back healthy rather than quickly, with the early weeks of the season still offering plenty of time to recover ground.