Habs Daily: Top Line Gallagher, More Canadiens Injuries

All the latest Montreal Canadiens stories, news, events, and highlights.

Habs News

• The Montreal Canadiens announced Jordan Harris would be out indefinitely with a lower-body injury. The defenceman has been added to the injured reserve. They also updated Rafael Harvey-Pinard’s health status. [Canadiens Injury Woes And Best Laval Rocket Call-Up Options]
• The injury to Harris forced a call-up from the Laval Rocket. With Jayden Struble already in the mix and Logan Mailloux continuing his development, they decided to promote Mattias Norldiner.

Les Canadiens ont procédé au rappel du défenseur Mattias Norlinder du Rocket de Laval, plaçant du même coup Jordan Harris sur la liste des blessés.

The Canadiens have recalled defenseman Mattias Norlinder from the Laval Rocket and placed Jordan Harris on injured reserve.

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) November 21, 2023

• The Habs also updated Rafael Harvey-Pinard’s health status. He’ll miss up to two months with his own lower-body injury.

L’attaquant Rafaël Harvey-Pinard ratera de six à huit semaines d’activités en raison d’une blessure au bas du corps.

Forward Rafaël Harvey-Pinard will be sidelined for six to eight weeks with a lower-body injury.

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) November 21, 2023

• Martin St-Louis decided to switch things up ahead of the Canadiens’ match-up against the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday. Brendan Gallagher was placed on the top line alongside Nick Suzuki and Alex Newhook.

#Habs Martin St-Louis on putting Brendan Gallagher on the top line: "Gally will win battles, he'll do the dirty work – we haven't done that this year yet so we'll see what it looks like."

— Priyanta Emrith (@HabsInHighHeels) November 21, 2023

• It’s a questionable decision, but St-Louis is convinced Gallagher’s impressive work rate will work in the top line’s favour.

#Habs Martin St-Louis on putting Brendan Gallagher on the top line with 14 & 15: "you know where he's going to be, he's going to be hard on the forecheck, he's going to be in front of the net and I think that probably frees up Suzy and Newy to possess more in the o-zone"

— Priyanta Emrith (@HabsInHighHeels) November 21, 2023

• On the lighter side of things, Gallagher and Johnathan Kovacevic will have to work on their spatial awareness during practice.

Brendan Gallagher colliding awkwardly with Johnathan Kovacevic at practice today…

(Video: RDS) pic.twitter.com/dwHrSTlekz

— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) November 21, 2023

National Hockey Now Network

• Details from the arrest report for Boston Bruins winger Milan Lucic were published in the Boston Globe on Monday, with Lucic set to appear in Suffolk County Superior Court in Boston on Tuesday morning. [Boston Bruins]
• The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed defenseman Dmitri Samorukov to a one-year contract. Samorukov, 24, has three games of NHL experience — two with St. Louis in 2022-23 and one with Edmonton a year earlier — and had one goal and four assists in 15 games with the Penguins’ farm team in Wilkes-Barre this fall. [Pittsburgh Penguins]
• Just a few days after being mentioned as a team in the Patrick Kane sweepstakes, an NHL Insider has come out and stated that the Colorado Avalanche are after “depth scoring.” [Colorado Avalanche]
• Two events from recent days make it abundantly clear how dire the goaltending situation currently is for the Detroit Red Wings. [Detroit Red Wings]