Kirby Dach will miss the remainder of the season for the Montreal Canadiens because of a torn ACL and MCL in his right knee.
The news was announced shortly after a 5-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild at Bell Centre in Montreal on Tuesday.
The 22-year-old forward sustained the injury in the first period of a 3-2 win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday, when defenseman Jarred Tinordi hit him into Chicago's bench.
"We don't play until Saturday (against the Washington Capitals), so we've got some time to come up for air and try to find the right solution, whatever that is," Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said after the loss Tuesday.
Dach, who was selected by Chicago with the No. 3 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, was traded to Montreal for a first- and third-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft on July 7, 2022. He had an NHL career-high 38 points (14 goals, 24 assists) in 58 games last season and opened this season with two assists in a 6-5 shootout loss at the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday.
“He does a lot,” St. Louis said. “He competes. He brings a physical aspect to the game, not running around and hitting guys, but winning pucks back. He’s a guy that wins a lot of pucks and battles and steals pucks, and obviously great in transition. He possesses (the puck). He’s got a very elite brain. You know, he can make plays. He has shown that he can do a lot on the ice.
“It’s not one player that makes up our team. The depth that we have and our play as a group will help us get through times like this. For me, it’s next man up and the strength of the group.”
Alex Newhook took Dach's place as center on the second line between Josh Anderson and Juraj Slafkovsky in the loss to the Wild on Tuesday. Newhook, who was acquired by Montreal in a trade with the Colorado Avalanche on June 27, said he is comfortable playing center or on the wing.
“That’s a big part of my game is versatility there and being able to slot in wherever I’m needed, and it looks like now it will be back in the middle,” Newhook said.
NHL.com columnist Nicholas J. Cotsonika and independent correspondent Sean Farrell contributed to this report
