Ivan Demidov is the latest Montreal Canadiens player to go down with an injury. The start of the 2026-27 season for the Canadiens looks similar to last year's. The Canadiens are only two games into the season, and the injury list keeps growing. Kaiden Guhle had offseason surgery and will miss the first couple of weeks. Oliver Kapanen was the next player to go down, getting injured in the team’s final preseason game. The Canadiens' defensive depth is being challenged as Alexandre Carrier went down in the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, but it does not appear that he will miss time. Now, Demidov joins them on the sidelines. The Canadiens will have an uphill battle to stay afloat while they wait for reinforcements and will need players to step up during their absence.
Kirby Dach
With all the noise surrounding Kirby Dach this offseason, this is his chance to prove he can still be an effective NHL player. He had moments in the Canadiens season opener, with his biggest coming in Josh Anderson’s goal. His second-chance effort to win the puck off Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Darren Raddysh started the play that set up the tying goal. With Demidov out, Dach will be taking his place on the second line. The second line has not gotten off to the hottest start to the season, but if Dach can be a catalyst, this could be his way of playing himself higher in the lineup. The Canadiens need Dach to perform now more than ever, and he will have to make the most of his opportunity.
Juraj Slafkovsky
Juraj Slafkovsky set career highs last season in goals (30), assists (43), and points (73), but has been held off the scoresheet in the Canadiens' first two games of the season. Habs fans have seen Slafkovsky look dominant at different points of his career. When Slafkovsky represents Slovakia internationally, he looks like a completely different player. He has shown he can carry the offensive workload, and that bled into his performances with the Canadiens last season. With Demidov out, Montreal needs that version of Slafkovsky. They need the player who can bring the puck into the offensive zone and create offence on his own. They need him to use his size to win battles while becoming more assertive with the puck. It is time for him to prove that last season was not just a hot streak, but the new version of Slafkovsky.
Zachary Bolduc
With Dach moving up in the Canadiens lineup due to the Demidov injury, Zachary Bolduc will take over the open spot on the third line. Bolduc scored his second straight season opener with the Canadiens and looked to have found chemistry alongside Anderson and Jake Evans on the team’s fourth line. Bolduc will now get his chance at playing higher up the lineup and will be taking Demidov’s spot on the team’s first power-play unit. Bolduc has shown the potential to be a legitimate goalscorer in the NHL, and he will now get a bigger opportunity to prove it. Dach will be getting the first chance to see if he can build chemistry on the Canadiens’ second line, but if they struggle, Bolduc could likely be the next player to get a chance with that unit.
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