It is unclear what will become of Jonathan Drouin, whose contract expires at the end of this season. But his six-season stint in the Canadian’s shirt was anything but a long, calm river.

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At the end of Tuesday night’s game, the Canadians announced that the 27-year-old forward would be out for four to six weeks due to a torso injury sustained against the Vegas Golden Knights on November 5.

As the Quebecer played the next three games in which he picked up two of his four points for the season, there was no evidence of such news.

Drouin, like Joel Armia, missed the team’s morning practice session to undergo treatment. It seems that the treatments weren’t enough for Drouin.

target ruined

It’s a giant tile that falls on the head of whoever Marc Bergevin acquired in June 2017 in exchange for Mikhail Sergachev and a 2nd round pick. Even before the start of the campaign, Drouin had reiterated that his main goal this season is to stay healthy.

“Playing all 82 games is my only goal of the season. Last year I didn’t have any problems with my playing style. It was another injury that ended my season,” he said during the annual Canadian golf tournament.

Bad tongues will say that goal took off the heat from the start of the season when it wasn’t considered in the first two games.

“In fact, in each of the last three, it was my health that kept me sidelined with injuries to both of my wrists,” he added.

Back to the holidays

If the Canadian medical team’s schedule is met, Drouin will be able to play again between Christmas and the New Year. Including Tuesday night’s game, Drouin will have missed 19 games.

Drouin has not played a full season in a Canadiens uniform since his 81 games in the winter of 2018-2019.

The following season, he missed 37 games due to wrist surgery and six more due to an ankle injury.

In April of the 2021 campaign, the Canadian placed him on the injured list to allow him to retire from his struggles with anxiety and insomnia. He missed the Habs’ last nine regular season games and all 22 playoff games.

In 2021/22 he had to sit out about a third of games because of an injury to his other wrist. Once again he had to go under the knife.