Montreal Canadiens’ Noah Dobson (53) is hit by the puck while blocking a shot during second period NHL hockey action against the Columbus Blue Jackets’ in Montreal on Saturday.Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press
Montreal Canadiens defenceman Noah Dobson will be re-evaluated in two weeks after suffering an upper-body injury in Saturday’s 5-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, ruling him out for the beginning of the playoffs in a major blow to the blue line.
The Canadiens announced the news Sunday after Dobson exited in the second period and did not return from blocking a Zach Werenski slap shot with his left hand.
The 26-year-old from Summerside, P.E.I., has 12 goals and 35 assists in 80 games for the playoff-bound Canadiens this season, his first in Montreal after being acquired by the New York Islanders last summer.
Blue Jackets stay in playoff hunt with 5-2 win over Canadiens
The six-foot-four, 200-pound blueliner also leads the NHL with 188 blocked shots.
In a corresponding move, the Canadiens have recalled defenceman David Reinbacher from the American Hockey League’s Laval Rocket.
Playoff-bound Montreal sits third in the Atlantic Division with two games remaining in the regular season. The Stanley Cup playoffs are scheduled to begin next Saturday.