Noah Dobson injury changes everything as Canadiens make big announcement before Islanders game
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Cimon Asselin
Apr 12, 2026 (4:34 PM)
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Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
Kaiden Guhle returns for Martin St-Louis tonight as the Canadiens hit Long Island needing a steadier blue line against the Islanders.
This isn't just a routine comeback.
Guhle steps back in after missing three games, and his absence exposed how thin Montreal can look when key minutes aren't covered cleanly.
He's expected to jump right back into a top-four role.
The Canadiens enter this matchup with a 47-23-10 record, but the grip on positioning has slipped after a tough loss to Columbus.
Now they face a structured Islanders team that sits at 43-32-5.
That's a real test on the road.
St-Louis leaned heavily on his core last game, and it showed. The defensive rotations got tighter, and the breakout struggled under pressure.
Guhle's return should clean that up quickly.
Canadiens get key boost as Kaiden Guhle returns for crucial Islanders matchup
Before the break, Guhle logged 19:20 of ice time per game over 37 outings, handling defensive-zone starts and penalty kill work.
That role doesn't change tonight.
Without him, Adam Engstrom was pushed into 17 minutes Saturday. He managed, but the matchup demands were higher than ideal.
With Guhle back, Engstrom can slide down the lineup.
That brings balance back across all three pairs.
There's also a bigger picture here. Lane Hutson leads this defense with 23:45 per game, and the workload has been heavy.
Guhle's presence helps spread those minutes before fatigue becomes a real issue.
Up front, the Canadiens still bring offense. Cole Caufield has 51 goals in 79 games, while Nick Suzuki sits at 99 points in 80 games.
But tonight isn't about scoring first.
The Islanders allow just 2.88 goals per game, and with Ilya Sorokin posting a .907 save percentage, chances will be limited.
Montreal's defensive structure has to hold.
And that's where Guhle matters most.
This is a swing game. The Canadiens are 8-2-0 in their last 10, but momentum can disappear quickly on a road stop like this.
A clean, composed effort changes everything.
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