The Montreal Canadiens announced on Thursday, September 19, that defenseman Kaiden Guhle had an emergency appendectomy and would undergo another evaluation in seven days. The 22-year-old defenseman, who will soon begin his third NHL season, underwent the procedure on Wednesday, raising doubts about his availability at the beginning of the league. “Defenseman Kaiden Guhle had his appendix removed yesterday and he will be reevaluated in seven days,” said the release. Guhle just finished a fantastic sophomore season in which he scored 22 points (6 goals, 16 assists) in 70 games during the regular season. At 20:51 minutes per game, he also had the third-highest average ice time of any Canadiens defenseman.
In the 2020 NHL Draft, the Habs selected Guhle with the sixteenth overall choice. Since then, in the midst of the Canadiens’ current rebuild, Guhle has rapidly established himself as a vital member of the team and its youthful core. Guhle’s July signing of a six-year, $33.3-million deal extension solidifies his position as a key player for the squad going forward. The Canadiens are getting ready for their preseason debut against the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday, September 23, while Guhle is getting better. The team’s regular season will begin on October 9 against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the beginning of next month. It’s unclear at this time whether Guhle will be prepared to make a comeback by then.
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