No update on Ivan Demidov; the cases of Alex Newhook and David Reinbacher are still pending

What's going on with Ivan Demidov?

The Russian has been out for several weeks. Tomorrow will mark four weeks since the Canadiens announced that he would be out for two to four weeks.

But since he hasn't started skating again yet, we're not holding our breath for a return anytime soon, so to speak.

No update on Demidov

@TVASports

— Nicolas Cloutier (@NCloutierTVA) November 2, 2026

Obviously, this is bad news. It's taking longer than expected, and the fact that he hasn't started skating yet isn't a good sign.

We'll have to wait and see, I guess.

The Alex Newhook Situation

At today's practice, Kirby Dach was still out with an illness. But Nick Suzuki reclaimed his spot on the team's first line this morning.

The result? Since Jake Evans kept his spot on the second line (with Chris Kreider and Josh Anderson) and the French-speaking players were still grouped together, Alex Newhook was placed on the wing of the fourth line.

I understand that he's there by default and that the Habs didn't want to break up their lines. I also understand that Newhook will get shifts with other players during games, as needed.

But the fact remains that this is a slap in the face. Especially since Chris Kreider could have been moved down a line.

Newhook on the fourth line: I just don't get that one.

I feel bad for the guy who's always willing to give it his all on the ice. He's not the one who should be there.

I would have moved Kreider lower in the lineup instead of #15…

@DLCoulisses https://t.co/HXtdB2j04e

— Marc-Olivier Cook (@Cook_Marco) November 2, 2026

With Nick Suzuki and Kirby Dach likely to be options this week (barring a disaster), Owen Beck and Florian Xhekaj are going to have to fight for their spots.

Dach, too, for that matter…

David Reinbacher Still at the Bottom

When David Reinbacher played his first game of the season with the Habs, he wasn't perfect. He was subsequently left out of the lineup for the next game, but that was officially to give Adam Engstrom some ice time.

Then, Reinbacher was sent back to the AHL. We haven't seen him since.

The Canadiens clearly don't want to play him at the major-league level. Because even though Adam Engstrom and Arber Xhekaj have been playing well since the start of the season, they aren't indispensable.

The Canadiens didn't call up a defenseman following Mike Matheson's injury (while the Habs and the Rocket were out West), and that's perfectly fine too. But my point remains that it wouldn't have been surprising to see a call-up either.

Seeing Reinbacher in the minors sends a message: Engstrom is ahead of you, and we want to see more from you down there before we give you a real spot in the NHL.

Because if the management could play him up top, I think they'd want to test him out.