Montreal Canadiens forward Kirby Dach likely will miss significant time with an injury sustained during Saturday's 3-2 home win against Chicago, according to the team.
Dach, 22, was hit by Blackhawks defenseman Jarred Tinordi during the first period and sent into the Chicago bench. The Canadiens did not release details of the injury, saying there would be more to report in the coming days.
The Blackhawks selected Dach with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2019 draft. The Canadiens traded for him in July 2022.
He had 38 points (14 goals, 24 assists) in 58 games last season. He has two assists in two games this season.
Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis called Dach's absence a difficult development.
"He was off to a great start," St. Louis said Monday. "You see the potential he has and the way he has been playing. ...
"He does a lot. He competes. He brings a physical aspect to the game, not running around and hitting guys, but winning pucks back. He's a guy that wins a lot of pucks and battles and steals pucks, and obviously great in transition. ... He's got a very elite brain. You know, he can make plays. He has shown that he can do a lot on the ice."
Alex Newhook, also 22, will have more responsibility, centering the second line when the Minnesota Wild visit Montreal on Tuesday.
"It sucks losing a guy like that, no matter how long the timeline is, but I think it's just next-man-up mentality," Newhook said. "Obviously a big hole to fill, and I'm going to do my best to fill that and carry the load."
St. Louis believes in the Canadiens' deep roster.
"It's not one player that makes up our team," he said. "The depth that we have and our play as a group will help us get through times like this."
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