Montreal Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle will be sidelined due to an upper-body injury sustained during Thursday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Guhle collided with Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov, leading to his early exit from the game. Despite his absence, the Canadiens will feel the impact of Guhle’s absence on their defense, given his significant contributions this season.
With Guhle out, Montreal’s defense unit will face challenges, especially considering their current standing in the Eastern Conference. However, with the team focusing on future prospects, Guhle’s absence may not heavily affect their position in the standings this season.
The Canadiens will miss Guhle’s presence against the Toronto Maple Leafs, alongside Arber Xhekaj, who is also sidelined due to an upper-body injury. In response, Montreal has called up Justin Barron from the AHL to reinforce their defensive lineup.
On the other hand, the Leafs are expecting a boost with Mitch Marner’s return from injury, providing a significant addition to their lineup for the anticipated rivalry showdown against the Canadiens.