Another injury could force a fourth NHL debut for Montreal in less than a week

The Montreal Canadiens have the most depleted roster in the entire National Hockey League between their injuries and players on the COVID-19 protocol list.

Here is a list of the injured players and players in the NHL's COVID-19 protocol.

Injured (8): Josh Anderson, Tyler Toffoli, Christian Dvorak, Joel Edmundson, Joel Armia, Mathieu Perreault, Carey Price, Paul Byron.

COVID-19 protocol (10): Jeff Petry, Mike Hoffman, Ben Chiarot, Jake Allen, Cayden Primeau, Chris Wideman, Laurent Dauphin, Gianni Fairbrother, Louie Belpedio, Brandon Baddock.

Forward Jonathan Drouin missed Thursday night's game with a non-COVID related illness and is expected to return to the lineup on Saturday. Meanwhile, Brendan Gallagher is listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury after leaving Thursday's game in Carolina.

Gallagher more than likely won't play on Saturday afternoon against the Florida Panthers, but will take the warm-up. If Gallagher can't go, 2019 66th overall pick Cameron Hillis will make his National Hockey League debut.

Hillis, 21, has played in both the AHL for Laval and ECHL for Trois-Rivieres this season before being called up to the Canadiens' taxi squad earlier this week following the NHL's extended holiday break.

Montreal's depleted roster has given the opportunity for a few to make their NHL debuts over the past week. On Tuesday against Tampa Bay, forward Rafael Harvey-Pinard and defenceman Corey Schueneman made their debut. Then last night, forward Brandon Baddock made his NHL debut but was placed in COVID protocol on Friday morning.

If Montreal continues to have COVID related issues and the NHL doesn't postpone their games, then they could use an emergency call up from the CHL, so they could bring up Jan Mysak from the Hamilton Bulldogs or Kaiden Guhle from the Edmonton Oil Kings.

The issues in Montreal is causing a trickle effect throughout their affiliates as well. The Laval Rocket (AHL) have been forced to call up players from Trois-Rivieres (ECHL), while Trois-Rivieres has needed to sign nine players in the last few days.

Montreal will take to the ice in Florida on Saturday afternoon at 1pm ET for their first game in 2022. Following that game, they will have an eleven-day break before facing the Boston Bruins on January 12th.

Dominique Ducharme said it is doubtful Brendan Gallagher will be able to play tomorrow. Which means Cameron Hillis, the No. 66 pick in the 2018 draft, would make his NHL debut in the same season he played six games in the ECHL and eight in the AHL. That is a unique season.— Arpon Basu (@ArponBasu) December 31, 2021

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