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Montreal Canadiens: Veteran Laval Rocket Forwards Injured

By Ken MacMillan

Sep 30, 2023; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens center Lias Andersson (24) skates with a puck during warm-up before the game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 30, 2023; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens center Lias Andersson (24) skates with a puck during warm-up before the game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Montreal Canadiens have dealt with an incredible number of injuries in recent years. Their affilliate in the AHL, the Laval Rocket, have not been immune to the injury bug either.

While this season has seen the Habs deal with less long term injuries, at least so far, the Rocket have been stung with a few injuries in recent games. They were already without Emil Heineman who was injured earlier this season and has only played two games this season after almost making the NHL team out of training camp.

Three more veteran forwards have been dealing with injuries recently, and one of them will be off the ice long term.

Lias Andersson, who signed as a free agent with the Canadiens this summer, is going to miss the next 6-8 weeks. The team announced he has a lower body injury and he has not played since November 4. he won’t be back until the new year based on the latest update.

That is unfortunate for a player who was off to a solid start. He scored seven goals in the ten games he suited up for, which still puts him in a tie for the team lead with Joshua Roy. After being drafted 7th overall in 2017, Andersson failed to live up to his high expectations with the New York Rangers. He didn’t hang on with the Los Angeles Kings after being traded there either, and was looking for a fresh start with the Rocket.

He played great to begin the season, and was playing well enough that he may have earned a call up if the Canadiens needed center help at some point in the season. Now, he will have to sit and watch as he will be off the ice for up to two months. That’s disappointing timing for a player who had nine points in the ten games he was able to play.

The team also saw Philippe Maillet and Mitchell Stephens, a couple of veteran centers, leave last night’s game with injury and not return. There have been no updates since, but seeing three separate centers dealing with some kind of injury all at the same time is going to test the Rocket’s depth down the middle.

Next. Should Habs Swap Young Defense For Young Scoring Forward?. dark

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