The Injury Effect
March 26, 2024
By Bob Trask
It’s easy to accept the notion that the Canadiens are a long way from contending for a playoff spot. After all they have shown little progress over last year as far as points in the standings go. The idea that they only need to fill a hole or two is dismissed as overly optimistic by many. But I will point to Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook … again. It would not be unreasonable to expect 18 to 20 goals from Dach along with 28 to 30 assists. That was his pace in the 2022-23 season. It is also not unreasonable to expect 24 or 25 goals and an equal number of assists from Alex Newhook. That is his pace over 82 games this season but injuries have limited him to 60% of the schedule so far. Given that these two could complement each other better than their previous or existing linemates, those expectations could be conservative. And their replacements have not come close to those numbers. Injuries have robbed the Canadiens of two key players and their opportunity to develop some chemistry together. Additionally, when you factor in their return to the lineup, everyone below them gets bumped into a role they are more suited to. Now if Kent Hughes can add a winger to complement this duo, the entire dynamic of the team changes. – Trask