(Washington) Kaiden Guhle had a rough night on the ice Thursday in Florida, and the consequences aren’t just felt on the scoresheet.
The defender was injured late in the game and the Canadian has confirmed that Guhle will miss Saturday’s duel against the Capitals.
The first-year defender’s left leg bent in a direction that several doctors were against, midway through the third period.
Guhle did not participate in Habs practice on Friday. However, he was seen leaving the Capital One Arena and he was very obviously limping.
He is an important player for us, he plays a lot of minutes and creates attack, even if he is very solid defensively. I hope he comes back soon, but it will be a big loss.
Joel Edmundson
Guhle had perhaps the toughest of his 36 NHL games on Thursday. He finished the duel with a -3 return. If we add the goals scored by the Panthers on the power play, Guhle was on the ice for five goals scored by the opponent.
That said, the tall blond already occupies a central role in the Montreal defense. His average playing time per game is 20 min 46 s. Only David Savard and Mike Matheson are ahead of him among CH defenders, but both are currently injured. He was therefore the de facto No. 1 defender of the team. At 20 years.
“He’s been put in one of the toughest positions and yet he’s expected to do the job. And he did. It’s special to say that about a young person, ”said Brendan Gallagher.
Chris Wideman should theoretically replace him in training, unless there is a surprise return from David Savard. The veteran, who has been out since December 3 with an upper body injury, took part in training but was the only one wearing a blue vest, suggesting he has yet to be given the go-ahead to suffer setbacks.
CH has an appointment with the Capitals on Saturday at 4 p.m. and will try to put an end to a four-game losing streak, its longest drought of the season. The players will play this match, and that of January 3 in Nashville, in front of their mothers, on the initiative of the team, which invited them to celebrate the New Year in the old cities of Martin Erat.
“I can’t wait to meet them because I watch my team, we have good guys and it starts from home,” noted Martin St-Louis. We have to tip our hats to the mothers. Mine died in 2014, but I know for all kids, especially guys, your first love is your mother. »
Workout training
Offensive
- Caufield-Suzuki-Dach
- Hoffman-Evans-Anderson
- Slafkovsky-Dvorak-Gallagher
- Dadonov-Drouin-Armia
Defense
- Edmundson-Kovacevic
- Harris Barron
- Xhekaj-Wideman