After a fight with New Jersey Devils forward Brandon Baddock in the first period, Nicolas Deslauriers has been ruled out for the remainder of the Montreal Canadiens’ first pre-season game.
L’attaquant Nicolas Deslauriers ne reviendra pas au jeu ce soir (haut du corps).
Forward Nicolas Deslauriers will not return tonight (upper body).
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) September 18, 2018
With the fight occurring near the end of the opening frame, Deslauriers was escorted to the room right away. However, he did not return to sit in the penalty box after the intermission.
Deslauriers is battling for a spot in the bottom six, and was likely attempting to make an impression with the fight. Unfortunately, he will have no way of further impressing the coaching staff in this game.
UPDATE: Deslauriers has been transported to hospital.
During his postgame press conference, head coach Claude Julien confirmed that Nicolas Deslauriers was taken to hospital for precautionary reasons and to undergo further medical examination.
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) September 18, 2018
UPDATE: Deslauriers had surgery to repair a facial fracture sustained in the fight, and will be out of the lineup indefinitely.
Nicolas Deslauriers sera absent pour une période indéterminée en raison d’une fracture au visage.
DÉTAILS ➡️ https://t.co/1OLV9KvhkV.
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) September 18, 2018
