Matheson left Thursday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Kings after the first period, but he has not been ruled out for Saturday’s game against the New York Islanders.
Guhle is listed as day-to-day, as reported by Sportsnet’s Eric Engels, and will not play on Saturday due to an injury sustained from a strong hit by Adrian Kempe of the Kings early in the second period of Thursday’s game.
Slafkovsky left Friday’s practice with a potential left shoulder injury. Canadiens Head Coach Martin St. Louis mentioned that Slafkovsky’s status for Saturday’s game is uncertain. The former top draft pick will travel with the team to Long Island for the game against the Islanders, but his availability will likely be decided just before the match.
Implications
The Montreal Canadiens have been facing several injuries at the start of the season, including Patrik Laine and David Reinbacher, who were both hurt during the preseason. Laine avoided a serious injury, but Reinbacher is expected to be out long-term.
On top of this, they are also missing Rafael Harvey-Pinard due to a broken leg, placing him on long-term injured reserve.
Despite entering the season with some optimism, the injuries have created significant challenges for the team.
To address the situation on defense, the Canadiens have called up Logan Mailloux from the AHL’s Laval Rocket, but stabilizing the defensive unit will be a difficult challenge.
