More brutal news for the Montreal Canadiens as Juraj Slafkovsky left Martin St-Louis' practice early after taking a puck directly to the face.
The incident came just hours after Montreal learned that captain Nick Suzuki would be sidelined for two to four weeks, leaving the Canadiens facing another worrying situation.
According to Patrick Guillet of Dans les Coulisses, Slafkovsky was struck by a shot from teammate Cole Caufield during Thursday's practice.
The Slovak forward was bleeding from the mouth and headed straight to the locker room, visibly frustrated by what had just happened.
Practice was nearly finished when the incident occurred, but Slafkovsky still departed before his linemates. That immediately raised concerns about his availability.
There has been no confirmed injury diagnosis, and early indications suggest the situation may not be serious. Still, Montreal cannot afford another absence among its top forwards.
The timing couldn't be worse. With Suzuki already unavailable, St-Louis was preparing to adjust his top line by placing Oliver Kapanen alongside Caufield and Slafkovsky.
Now, even that potential combination carries uncertainty heading into Friday's game against the Chicago Blackhawks.
Slafkovsky has collected seven points through nine games this season, making him an important piece of Montreal's offensive attack.
Losing him would create another major headache for a coaching staff already dealing with several injuries, including Ivan Demidov, Florian Xhekaj and Samuel Montembeault.
There was at least one encouraging development. Slafkovsky spoke to reporters after practice, suggesting the incident may not prevent him from traveling with the team.
The Canadiens enter their upcoming four-game road trip with a 4-3-2 record, and their depth could face a serious examination if another regular becomes unavailable.
For now, Montreal awaits clarity on Slafkovsky's condition. What started as an unfortunate practice incident has added another layer of concern to an already difficult week for the Canadiens.
Update:
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Slafkovsky appears to be okay, fingers crossed.
Are the Montreal Canadiens in serious trouble if Juraj Slafkovsky also misses games?
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