The Montreal Canadiens are no strangers to drama, but this week, the tension in Quebec has reached a fever pitch.

With the season opener looming and fans anxiously tracking every update, whispers of injury and recovery have swirled around two of the team’s most talked-about players.

Behind closed doors, sources have hinted at surprising developments—some so unexpected that even seasoned journalists are scrambling for answers. From cryptic social media posts to late-night medical evaluations, the atmosphere surrounding the Canadiens’ camp is thick with speculation and hope.

Yet, while rumors fly and predictions clash, only a handful of insiders know the truth about what’s really happening with these key players. Are the Canadiens about to pull off a comeback that will stun the league?

Or is there more to the story than meets the eye? With conflicting reports and tantalizing hints, fans are left on edge, desperate for clarity and counting down the hours until the next big reveal.

As the clock ticks toward Saturday, the stakes couldn’t be higher. If you think you know what’s coming, think again—because the latest news out of Montreal might just change everything you thought you knew about this team.

Photo of Noah Dobson and Ivan Demidov

Photo credit: HabsFanatics/MHL

We have news regarding two injured Montreal Canadiens players.

The first is Noah Dobson.

The Canadiens’ new star defenseman announced, as reported by the excellent TVA Sports journalist Anthony Martineau, that he is feeling very well and should return to play as soon as this Saturday! We love it.

“Noah Dobson feels extremely well and should play Saturday.”

– Anthony Martineau

We can therefore already confirm that Dobson will indeed be in the lineup to start the 2025-2026 season for the Montreal Canadiens, which is obviously fantastic news.

Good news regarding Ivan Demidov as well

Following the dangerous slash delivered by Nick Cousins last night in Quebec..

We finally have an idea why Nick Cousins decided to slash Ivan Demidov.

We also have updates regarding Demidov’s injury and return to play.

It therefore looks like Demidov could also (technically) return to play as soon as this Saturday, but the Canadiens will likely rest him until the first game of the season, for obvious reasons and to keep him away from the Ottawa Senators for the moment.

“The expectation is that Ivan Demidov doesn’t have a serious injury, but the Habs will play it with caution.

Not likely to play Saturday and give his wrist time to heal in time for next week’s season opener against Toronto.

If he does play Saturday, then it’s gravy.”

– Marco D’Amico

So he will be in the lineup for the season opener next week against Toronto, barring a huge surprise.

“Even though Ivan Demidov did not finish the game yesterday after the nasty (or stupid, or useless) slash from Nick Cousins, everything indicates that it was more fear than harm.

The young forward should not miss any games and could possibly even participate in practice tomorrow in Quebec.”

– Luc Gélinas, RDS

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So both will be back in action very soon! Very good news!