Canadiens confirm the worst for Ivan Demidov and his return date is revealed

Ivan Demidov is out 2 to 4 weeks, handing Martin St-Louis a major lineup problem just as Montreal is trying to establish its early-season rhythm.

The Canadiens confirmed Tuesday that Demidov is dealing with a lower-body injury. Instead of a short absence measured in days, Montreal now knows it will be without him for multiple weeks.

That's a brutal development for a club counting on Demidov to drive offense, attack defenders with possession and give St-Louis another dangerous option inside his forward group.

The timeline also takes away any hope of simply managing Demidov through a brief setback. Montreal has to prepare its lineup without him and redistribute meaningful offensive minutes.

St-Louis now faces the immediate question of who moves up. Demidov's creativity can't be replaced by one player, so the Canadiens may need to adjust both their combinations and their approach with the puck.

Montreal made the announcement clear and direct: the injury is to Demidov's lower body, and the expected absence is 2 to 4 weeks.

Martin St-Louis has a real lineup problem

There's a major difference between losing a depth winger and losing a player capable of changing a shift with one controlled entry. Demidov gives Montreal an element that forces defenders to back off the blue line.

The Canadiens' announcement leaves no ambiguity about the immediate outcome. Demidov is unavailable, and St-Louis has to find offense elsewhere while keeping the rest of his lineup balanced.

The confirmation came through Montreal's official account Tuesday morning, turning what had been an injury concern into a defined absence with a substantial recovery window.

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The next decision belongs to St-Louis. He can elevate another winger, reshuffle his forward units or spread Demidov's offensive responsibilities across several lines rather than asking one replacement to carry the load.

That choice matters because losing Demidov changes more than one spot on the lineup card. It can affect matchups, puck possession, transition play and which forwards receive the most offensive-zone opportunities.

And the 2-to-4-week range creates uncertainty of its own. The best-case return still costs Montreal meaningful time, while the far end of the timeline would keep Demidov out for a much larger portion of the opening stretch.

For the Canadiens, this is the news they didn't want. Demidov is sidelined, St-Louis has an immediate hole to fill, and Montreal must move forward without one of its most dangerous young forwards.

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