Montreal Canadiens Defenseman Out Indefinitely With Concussion

Last night, Montreal Canadiens defenseman Sami Niku had to leave the game after receiving a hit from Ottawa Senators forward Josh Norris. Now, the team has announced that the 24-year-old will be out indefinitely with a concussion.

Dominique Ducharme indique que Sami Niku a subi une commotion cérébrale vendredi soir et sera tenu à l'écart du jeu un certain temps.

Dominique Ducharme confirms that Sami Niku suffered a concussion in Friday night's game, which will keep him out for a period of time.
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) October 2, 2021

This is horrible news for the defenseman. Niku recently had his contract terminated by the Winnipeg Jets and signed with Montreal. He was expected to fight for a spot on the NHL team during the preseason, but that opportunity is gone due to the severity of his injury. At least, that's the case for now.

Niku played just six games last season with the Jets and failed to record a point. He is remembered most for his dominant first season in the AHL with the Manitoba Moose. In it, he scored 16 goals and had 54 points in 76 games. He has been a consistent threat the AHL level since then, but has never blossomed into a full-time NHLer.

Here's to hoping Niku can get healthy soon and once again have a chance to battle for a spot in Montreal's top-six.