HIGHLIGHTS
- Noah Dobson will miss the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs after blocking a Zach Werenski slap shot with his left hand Saturday night
- The Canadiens recalled top prospect David Reinbacher from the AHL to fill the gap on defense
- See below for the team’s official update and what it means for Montreal’s playoff run
The Canadiens took a brutal hit to their blue line on Saturday. Defenseman Noah Dobson left the second period of Montreal’s 5-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets after blocking a Zach Werenski slap shot with his left hand. He did not return.
The team announced Sunday that Dobson will be re-evaluated in two weeks. That timeline puts him out for the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, which begin April 18.
The Canadiens posted the update on X:
Dobson leads the entire NHL with 188 blocked shots this season. That willingness to put his body on the line is exactly what makes this loss so painful. The 26-year-old has 47 points in 80 games and logs the third-most ice time on the team at 22:29 per night.
Montreal moved quickly to address the hole. The club recalled defenseman David Reinbacher from the AHL’s Laval Rocket on Sunday.
Reinbacher, the fifth overall pick in 2023, has five goals and 24 points in 57 AHL games this season. The 21-year-old is a right-shot blueliner who stands 6-foot-3. It’s a massive opportunity for a kid who has been waiting for his shot at the NHL level.
The timing could not be worse. Montreal clinched a playoff berth for the second straight season and sits tied for second in the Atlantic Division. Losing your top shot-blocking defenseman right before the postseason is the kind of thing that can shift a first-round matchup.
Dobson came to Montreal last summer in a sign-and-trade with the Islanders. The Canadiens gave up Emil Heineman and two first-round picks, then locked Dobson into an eight-year deal worth $9.5 million per season. He delivered on that investment all year long.
Now the question is whether the two-week re-evaluation window means Dobson could return during a first-round series. If the Canadiens can survive the opening games without him, there’s a chance he slots back in before things get really deep.
Until then, Reinbacher and the rest of Montreal’s defense corps will have to pick up the slack.
