Good bye fans, I am leaving but promise to return back : Montreal Canadiens key player announce a shocking departure to…..
Key Canadiens Defenseman Nearing Return
The Montreal Canadiens had a very active offseason. They acquired a bonafide goal scorer in Patrik Laine, giving their top forward lines a much needed boost. The organization also handed out multiple contract extensions to important young players. The goal of the moves made this summer paint a clear picture. The Canadiens are eager to take tangible steps towards playoff and eventually Stanley Cup contention.
A pivotal piece of the Canadiens’ plan is defenseman Kaiden Guhle. He was one of the players given a lengthy and expensive new deal this summer. He signed a six-year contract with the Habs that will pay him $33.3 million over the life of the deal. Armed with a huge endorsement from the franchise, Guhle was eager to take the next steps of his development concurrently with the team’s rise.
The beginning of this season was tainted when Guhle had his appendix removed. With the surgery needed, it kept him off the ice for a bit. It wasn’t the ideal start to the year the Habs or their defender were hoping for.
The team announced some positive news recently. Guhle is now back on the ice and skating again. While he hasn’t been cleared to return yet, he’s being considered day-to-day. This is a big step for the young blue liner, as it seems now that he will be ready for the team’s first regular season game. The team shared the update via their X account.
Guhle is coming off his best season in the NHL. The former first round pick of the Habs played in 70 games last year and recorded six goals and 22 points. The 22 year-old puck mover is a solid, two-way defender who the Canadiens are planning to utilize 20+ minutes per game. With this positive step in his rehab, the young defenseman should be back and impacting the Habs’ lineup very soon.
Canadiens Center Set for Return From Lengthy Injury
The Montreal Canadiens are optimistic about the 2024-2025 season. After an offseason of encouraging moves like signing forward Juraj Slafkovsky to a massive contract extension and acquiring sniper Patrik Laine from the Columbus Blue Jackets. Entering the third year of head coach Martin St. Louis behind the bench, expectations are rising in Montreal.
Expectations are sure to rise further with the boost the Canadiens are expecting in the preseason. After missing the vast majority of the 2023-2024 season, center Kirby Dach is set to make his return to game action when the Habs welcome the Philadelphia Flyers to the Bell Centre.
Dach injured his knee in the second game of the Canadiens’ 2023-2024 regular season. The ensuing surgery kept him out of the Habs’ lineup for 11 months, but he’s back and ready to show how much he can help this young Canadiens’ team. Speaking ahead of his return, he discussed what he is trying to do during his first game action in nearly a year.
“I’m definitely looking still to take steps personally and making sure that I feel good and confident in my game,” he said, “and can get it back to a place where I felt it was last year and keep taking steps from that.
Dach will have some help getting comfortable again. Playing on the Canadiens’ second line, he will be flanked by the newly-acquired Laine and Alex Newhook. The trio will look to build chemistry during their first shifts together, but each player is capable of scoring on their own. Laine is 30-goal scorer in the NHL and Newhook just had a career high offensive season with 15 goals and 34 points.
With veteran linemates, Dach will look to return to his scoring ways. Formerly a third overall pick of the Chicago Blackhawks, the Habs acquired him at the 2022 NHL Draft and immediately had the best offensive performance of his young career. In 212 NHL games, he has 33 goals and 99 points.