The Montreal Canadiens announced today that captain Max Pacioretty will be out for four-to-six weeks with a lower-body injury. They also announced that rookie defenceman Victor Mete is out for six weeks with a broken finger. The two players were both injured in Friday night’s 6-3 victory over the New York Islanders. With just six weeks left in the regular season, it seems likely that neither will play another game this season. In the case of Pacioretty, who has been the subject of trade rumours for quite some time, it is possible he has played his last game as a member of the Habs.
#Habs captain Max Pacioretty out 4-6 weeks with knee injury and Victor Mete out 6 weeks with fractured finger. #HabsIO
— Stu Cowan (@StuCowan1) March 5, 2018
Max Pacioretty and Victor Mete Could be Gone for the Year
Pacioretty has recorded 17 goals and 20 assists for 37 points in 64 games this year. Last season he had 35 goals and 32 assists for 67 points. His possession numbers are 53.0 percent Corsi, and a relative Corsi of +2.9. Over his 10-year NHL career he has played exclusively for the Montreal Canadiens. in the NHL he has 226 goals and 222 assists for 448 points in 626 Career games. He was originally drafted in the 1st round, 22nd overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2007 NHL Draft.
Mete has recorded 7 assists in 49 games so far in his rookie season. His possession numbers are 50.1 percent Corsi and a relative Corsi of -1.4. He has averaged 15:35 per game this season, but that number has been rising since his return from the He was originally drafted in the 4th round.
Charles Hudon also missed the Habs practice today, but there has not been any word on his status.
What this Means
The Pacioretty injury likely ensures that Nikita Scherbak will get a long look in the Habs top nine as they play out the string. It also brings with it the possibility of newly acquired (in the Tomas Plekanec deal) winger Kerby Rychel getting an audition before the season is over. The Mete injury likely gives Rinat Valiev, also acquired in the Plekanec trade, an opportunity to play down the stretch.