On January 28, the Montreal Canadiens lost defenseman Kaiden Guhle to a freak injury. He fell on the ice and his quad muscle was sliced by his own skate. The injury threw the Habs defense in a turmoil, losing the stability that had characterized it for weeks since GM Kent Hughes acquired Alexandre Carrier from the Nashville Predators.
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Guhle then had to undergo surgery to repair his lacerated quad muscle and the team indicated the blueliner would be out for an indefinite amount of time. Since then, there was no update, but this morning, as member of the press gathered at the team's practice facility in Brossard to cover the (quiet) trade deadline and attend Kent Hughes' post deadline press conference, they were treated to the 23-year-old defenseman first skate post surgery.
It must have been a welcome sight for the Habs' brass. The Edmonton native is the only member of the defensive corps that has been identified as a part of the Canadiens' core in the long run, signing a six-year pact last summer worth $33.3 M with a $5.55 cap hit.
His health was my only concern when the deal was signed since he has had multiple issues in the past, but this latest injury was a freak accident that could have happened to anyone, it's not the result of a predisposition.
While the blueline has looked better since the return from the 4 Nations Face-Off break, there is no doubt that Guhle's return would be more than welcome as the Canadiens attempt to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since their unexpected run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021. There's no timetable for his return yet, but he did look comfortable on the ice in Brossard this morning.
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