Canadiens rookie Juraj Slafkovsky won't play again this season

The Montreal Canadiens announced several injury updates on Wednesday morning and the biggest one being 2022 first overall pick Juraj Slafkovsky.

In their update, the Canadiens say that Slafkovsky will miss three months with a lower-body injury, but won't need surgery. Three months from today is April 18th, while the Canadiens' last game of the 2022-23 season is on April 13th against the Boston Bruins. This news means that Slafkovsky's rookie season has come to a close.

Slafkovsky, 18, likely didn't have the rookie campaign he envisioned. In 39 games, he had ten points (four goals, six assists), 33 penalty minutes and was a minus-13.

He had several games this season where he showed what he was capable of, but in the long run, it probably would've been a good idea to send Slafkovsky to the AHL's Laval Rocket. And who knows, that could've been Montreal's plan, had the Kosice native not suffered a lower-body injury.

Among the other injuries, Joel Armia (lower-body) and Jonathan Drouin (upper-body) are out until after the All-Star break. Jake Allen (upper-body) will miss at least one more week. While Jake Evans (lower-body) will miss the next eight-to-ten weeks.

Montreal will be back in action on Thursday night as they host the Florida Panthers at the Bell Centre, with puck drop set for 7 p.m. ET.

Juraj Slafkovsky - out three months with LBI.
Jonathan Drouin - out until All-Star break with UBI suffered on January 12 against Nashville.
Jake Allen - minimum one week with UBI.
Joel Armia - out until All-Star break with UBI
Jake Evans - eight to 10 weeks with LBI— Kenzie Lalonde (@KenzieTSN) January 18, 2023

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