Pair Of Promising Laval Rocket Players Dealt Tough Injury News

The Montreal Canadiens playoff chances have gone by the wayside this season, but their top affiliate is still in the hunt.

The Laval Rocket are in a battle for the final playoff spots in the North Division and it looks like it will go down to the wire as it is a tight race among five teams for three playoff spots. Unfortunately for the Rocket, they will have to push for the playoffs without a trio of key forwards.

One forward, Joshua Roy, is no longer with the team because he is simply playing too good in the NHL for the Canadiens to send him back down. If he sticks with the big club until the end of their regular season, he would be back for just the last two regular season games and with the way he is playing I wouldn't expect him back any sooner than that.

A couple of other young forwards were recently dealt some tough injury news.

Jared Davidson was ruled out of the lineup for the next six weeks with an upper body injury. Davidson is a rookie pro who took some time to adjust to the AHL level but was playing well lately. He scored 11 goals and 16 points in 38 games this season but that will be it for his regular season as he will not be back in time to play again unless the Rocket get into the playoffs.

Xavier Simoneau also will not play again this season. He will have shoulder surgery and is not going to be back no matter how far the Rocket go in the postseason. Simoneau is fourth on the Rocket in points with 37 and is among the team's top playmakers so he will be missed.

The Rocket will continue their playoff push, and have added Jacob Perreault and Arnaud Durandeau to the mix to help offset the loss of these forwards. If they end up falling just short, you won't be able to help but wonder whether they could have got in with Davidson and Simoneau in the lineup.