The Canadiens got a welcome sign on the injury front when Patrick Guillet spotted Samuel Montembeault taking shots from teammates for the first time since starting his rehab in Montreal.
That’s the kind of step that matters. Montembeault has been skating, but this was the first time he was seen testing himself against live shooters again, a clear move forward as he works back from a lower-body injury that has kept him on injured reserve all season.
There’s still a long road ahead before he’s back in a game, but the progress is real. Last week, Montembeault was already skating in Brossard while the Canadiens were in Toronto, and then came Darren Dreger’s report yesterday that Kent Hughes had spoken with teams interested in the goaltender.
His return could put Montreal in an interesting spot. Montembeault has 231 NHL games on his résumé, and with his contract set to expire at the end of the season, Hughes has a call to make if the trade interest continues to build.
At the same time, the Canadiens aren’t exactly scrambling for help in net. Montreal picked up another big win in Boston last night, with Jacob Fowler turning aside 30 of 32 shots to help seal the victory.
So when Montembeault is ready, Martin St-Louis may have a tougher choice than he did two weeks ago. That’s the kind of problem coaches usually don’t mind having.
There’s another injury situation fans are watching closely, too: Ivan Demidov. The young Russian winger has played only two games this season, but he made them count, posting a goal and an assist before going on injured reserve with an ankle injury.
He was seen skating with Montembeault and Mike Matheson in Brossard last week, which at least gives Montreal another encouraging sign on the health front.
With the Colorado Avalanche coming to town on Saturday, the focus stays on the Canadiens’ injured players and the roster decisions that could follow.
In Other News...
Canadiens Win Came With One Chris Kreider Concern Fans Feared
Chris Kreiders night against the Boston Bruins ended with an image Canadiens fans would rather not see. After a knee-on-knee collision with Michael Eyssimont, Kreider was in visible pain and had trouble walking off the ice, leaving Montreal to wait on word about how serious the injury might be and what it could mean for the stretch ahead.
For a Canadiens team that has leaned on Kreider as a major contributor this season, the timing matters as much as the concern itself. Even in a win, the uncertainty around his availability lingers over the next few games, with Montreal now hoping the initial scare does not turn into a longer absence. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens May Have Found A Pairing They Can Trust Most
Mike Mathesons return from a six-game absence gave the Canadiens something they have been missing, and it showed right away in a win over the Bruins. Montreal leaned on Matheson and Kaiden Guhle in the kind of minutes that reveal whether a pair can be trusted, and the two were matched heavily against Boston star David Pastrk while helping keep the danger level down.
For a team still sorting out its defensive structure, that matters. Matheson and Guhle have already flashed strong results in their limited time together this season, and the Bruins game only added to the case that they may be Montreals most dependable pairing when the matchups get tough. If that holds, it gives the Canadiens a clearer answer for how they want to handle elite opponents going forward. [Read more 🡒]
Ivan Demidov Update Leaves Canadiens Fans With More Concern Than Clarity
Ivan Demidovs status has become one of the quieter but more closely watched storylines around the Canadiens, especially with the young winger still on injured reserve after the ankle injury he suffered on Sept. 21. Montreal has kept the recovery process tight-lipped, giving the public very little access to his rehab work, and the timeline already points to a return no earlier than Nov. 14.
The latest update did little to clear the fog. Demidov reportedly skated once between Monday and Wednesday, but he is still wearing a walking boot, which only adds to the uncertainty around how far along he really is. With some speculation now drifting toward the possibility of surgery, the Canadiens are left with more questions than answers on a player whose development and availability are both worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]