The Montreal Canadiens announced on Friday that forward Paul Byron would be out for the next five months. Byron underwent surgery on his hip earlier in the week. The injury is expected to keep Byron out for at least the first half of the 2021-22 NHL Season.
The operation was performed in New York at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) by Dr. Bryan Kelly.
Paul Byron underwent hip surgery this week and is expected to make a full recovery in five months.https://t.co/ujy0kjuEYr
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) July 30, 2021
Paul Byron Out Five Months After Hip Surgery
Last season Byron scored five goals and 11 assists for 16 points. He added 12 minutes in penalties in 46 games played. His possession numbers were 49.5 percent Corsi and a relative Corsi of -5.7. Byron also scored three goals and three assists for six points in 22 Stanley Cup Playoff games as he helped the Canadiens reach the Stanley Cup Final.
Over his 12-year NHL career, Byron has played for the Canadiens, Calgary Flames and Buffalo Sabres. He has 94 goals and 107 assists for 201 career points in 494 career games. Byron has also added five goals and six assists for 11 points in 38 career playoff games. He was originally drafted by the Sabres in the sixth round, 179th overall in the 2007 NHL Draft.
Byron leaves a hole at wing for the Habs, as he is an important part of their bottom-six and penalty kill. However, with the recent news that Jonathan Drouin was returning, Joel Armia has re-signed, along with new signings of Mike Hoffman, Cedric Paquette, and Mathieu Perreault, the Canadiens should have the depth to survive without Byron early in the season. It is clear that Marc Bergevin knew of this surgery and made sure that the Habs have plenty of depth on the wings.
Main Photo: MONTREAL, QC – APRIL 17: Montreal Canadiens left wing Paul Byron (41) skates rapidly towards the play during the Ottawa Senators versus the Montreal Canadiens game on April 17, 2021, at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
