Montreal Canadiens Defenseman Out With Long-Term Injury

Montreal Canadiens defenseman David Savard is set to miss the next eight weeks due to a right ankle injury.

When it rains, it pours. The Canadiens have dealt with serious injury trouble all season, and now they have another notable player out for an extended amount of time. This has played a major role in their 8-28-7 record this campaign, as players like Carey Price and Joel haven't played a single game all season. The same can be said about Shea Weber, but it's already been stated that the 36-year-old will likely never play another NHL game.

Weber's likely permanent absence was a major reason why the Canadiens signed Savard to a four-year, $14 million contract. In 42 games this season, the 31-year-old has one goal, eight assists, and a minus-17 rating.

It will be interesting to see who the Canadiens use to replace Savard in the lineup. Perhaps this will open the door for Sami Niku to return to the NHL roster. The 25-year-old was placed on waivers earlier this week but went unclaimed. In 13 games this season, he has six assists and a plus-3 rating, so it wouldn't hurt giving him another go.