Andrew Shaw will likely miss the first part of the 2018-19 regular season after undergoing knee surgery in late April that was expected to keep him out six months, which would mean the end of October.
In a crowded Canadiens forward group, that could be either a blessing or a curse.
The injuries to Shaw and Paul Byron open up two spots in the lineup for players, with Nikita Scherbak, Matthew Peca, Jacob de la Rose, Nicolas Deslauriers, and others battling for spots. The fact that these players will get a shot to impress can be a double-edged sword for Shaw when he returns.