Ivan Demidov: Four weeks later, still no response

Ivan Demidov: Four weeks later, still no response
Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

We have a pretty good idea of where things stand with most of the Canadiens' injured (or absent) players.

Nick Suzuki won't play tonight, but he's getting closer to a return. Kirby Dach is no longer sick enough to have to stay home. Samuel Montembeault is now day-to-day.

Mike Matheson? It's less clear. He'll miss at least two weeks (as of last week), according to the Habs.

But the most mysterious case right now is clearly Ivan Demidov. The Russian was expected to miss two to four weeks… and today marks four weeks.

Yet the Canadiens have nothing to announce today.

Not only does the club have no medical update to announce publicly, but we know the forward still sometimes wears a boot to help him walk.

So things aren't looking good for a player who hasn't started skating again yet.

That said, it's important to note one key distinction: just because he's wearing a walking boot doesn't necessarily mean he's still a long way from returning to the ice.

After all, on Saturday, he was walking without the boot. So he may be wearing it as a precaution.

The day he can skate again may still be a long way off—we just don't know. But there is certainly a possibility that Demidov could start skating again soon.

However, let's be honest: the fact that the Habs refuse to provide an update doesn't make it easy to envision a return to the ice anytime soon. That's concerning.


In a Nutshell

– Note.

– Wow.

– Pressure is a privilege.

– Hmm…

– Today's trophies.

– Well done.

– Jets update.