Canadiens' Dach out long term due to 'significant' injury

Montreal Canadiens forward Kirby Dach won't be back in the lineup any time soon.

Dach sustained a "significant injury" and is out long term, the Canadiens announced, according to Sportsnet's Eric Engels. He is still being evaluated and another update will either come later on Monday or over the next few days, the team added.

The center left Saturday's win over the Chicago Blackhawks in Montreal after opposing defenseman Jarred Tinordi checked him into the visitors' bench. The Canadiens called Dach's ailment a lower-body injury at the time.

Dach, who'll turn 23 in January, played only 4:40 before departing. His teammate, Juraj Slafkovsky, expressed his displeasure with the situation Monday.

"Absolutely f---ing terrible," the the 2022 first overall pick said, according to RDS' Patrick Friolet. "It's the worst thing that could happen two games into the season."

Dach was limited to 58 games in 2021-22 due to injury and has missed 92 contests since entering the league in 2019-2020.

The Blackhawks drafted him third overall in 2019 before trading him to the Canadiens for a pair of draft picks three years later.