The Montreal Canadiens are dealing with an unexpected loss to their lineup, as one of their rising stars has been sidelined — not by a play on the ice, but by a troubling incident off it.
On Tuesday morning, the team announced that rookie forward Emil Heineman was struck by a car as a pedestrian on Monday evening during Montreal's road trip to Salt Lake City.
As a result of the traffic accident, the Sweden native is expected to be out for the next three to four weeks with an upper-body injury. No further information on the incident was provided by the team.
Heineman, 23, joined the Canadiens back in 2022 as part of a trade with the Calgary Flames. Drafted 43rd overall by the Florida Panthers in 2020, the 6-foot-2 winger has developed into a dependable piece of the Habs' offensive lineup, netting 10 goals and 17 points over 41 games this season.
With one less skater at their disposal, the Canadiens will kick off their two-game Western Conference trip against the Utah Hockey Club on Tuesday night. Puck drop is set for 9 p.m. ET.
Riding an impressive 6-1-1 record over their last eight games, the Habs remain in the mix for a playoff spot.
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