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    Amy Johnson
    Amy Johnson
    Oct 17, 2023, 14:18

    Canadiens forward Kirby Dach and Rocket forward Emil Heineman could both potentially miss significant time due to injuries.

    Canadiens forward Kirby Dach and Rocket forward Emil Heineman could both potentially miss significant time due to injuries.

    Bad news on the injury front hit the Montreal Canadiens organization on Monday with a one-two punch, affecting both the NHL and AHL clubs. Canadiens forward Kirby Dach, and Rocket forward Emil Heineman could both be out of playing action long-term.

    22-year-old Dach left Saturday's home opener early after a hard hit sent him into the visitors' bench by Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Jarred Tinordi. No official announcement has been made by the team yet, however head coach Martin St. Louis confirmed to the media that Dach's injury is "significant" and will require further evaluation.

    While a firm diagnosis has not yet been made, Sportsnet's Eric Engels reported that his sources speculate the injury could be as serious as a torn ACL and MCL. If true, Dach would likely miss the remainder of the season.

    St. Louis also confirmed Alex Newhook will slot into the center position during Dach's absence, but didn't comment on further adjustments to line combinations other than to say that he wouldn't yet recall any players from Laval.

    Whenever a recall does happen, Heineman likely won't be first man up. The Rocket announced that the 21-year-old suffered an upper-body injury and will be out of the lineup indefinitely. The left-winger began the Laval season on the top line with Joshua Roy, after being one of the final cuts from Montreal's training camp.

    After suffering through two seasons with astronomical amounts of man-games lost, losing two promising players after just two games could be a big blow to the Canadiens' season.

    Be sure to bookmark THN.com/Montreal for year-round coverage of the Montreal Canadiens, Laval Rocket, and Habs prospects playing in leagues around the world.

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