Injuries: Jim Ramsay had a huge impact on the Habs in 2023-24

Last summer, the Habs decided it was time to do something about the injury problem in town. In the two seasons leading up to 2023-24, the club had had to deal with tons and tons of injuries, to the point where for two consecutive seasons, it ranked first in games missed by players due to injury.

And we’re not talking small numbers: in 2022-23, the club’s players had to miss 547 games due to injury.

Among the club’s actions was the hiring of Jim Ramsay, with whom Jeff Gorton had worked at Rangers. Ramsay was recognized as one of the best in his profession, so many wondered what his arrival would bring to the club.

According to NHLInjuryViz, a specialist in the field, Habs players missed 222 games due to injury this season.

That’s a far cry from the 547 games in 2022-23.

Jim Ramsay and Jim Ramsay alone reduced the Canadiens-Rangers injury gap from 547 MGL to 222 in a single year pic.twitter.com/vIJ5Nra7Z9

– NHLInjuryViz (@NHLInjuryViz) April 19, 2024

Having done the calculations, the 222 games don’t seem to include injuries to Kirby Dach (80 games), Chris Wideman (82 games) and Carey Price (82 games). That said, even if you include Dach’s 80 games (Wideman and Price were never going to play this season), it’s still a far cry from last season’s huge figure.

Obviously, injuries are part of the game, and some are unavoidable (for example, Dach’s knee injury or Joshua Roy’s thumb injury), but what we notice most is that the guys’ absences didn’t last forever.

And sometimes, they even came back faster than expected.

Maybe not Jim Ramsay alone, but he was a welcomed change in making sure that, after the proper diagnosis, the player would come back on schedule (and on occasion, beat the timeline).
You can’t always prevent injuries, but you can improve the process of dealing with them. https://t.co/Oo9NSm1BCj

– Marc Antoine Godin (@MAGodin) April 19, 2024

In 2022-23, only Nick Suzuki played all 82 games for the team. This season, he repeated the feat, but this time, four of his teammates followed suit: Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovský, Mike Matheson and Jake Evans all played 82 games.

And had he not been suspended, Brendan Gallagher would probably have achieved the same feat. The only five games he missed were due to suspension, not injury.

It hasn’t been perfect injury-wise this season, but it’s clearly a big step forward for a club that has been so plagued by injuries in recent years.

And this is also an important piece to consider in the team’s progression.

In bursts

– It’s understandable.

Paul Byron says he would’ve loved to play for Martin St. Louis.

“I’m a little jealous i’m not gonna lie“#GoHabsGo #Habs #thesickpodcast pic.twitter.com/ODhaPINvjf

– The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro (@thesickpodcasts) April 20, 2024

– Incredible.

NEW RECORD

With 21,105 fans, the April 20, 2024 game between Toronto and Montreal in the LPHF is the women’s hockey game with the largest attendance in history! pic.twitter.com/kzSKKJJvwF

– RDS (@RDSca) April 20, 2024

However, the Montreal team lost in overtime. Sarah Nurse gave Toronto the win.

Toronto beats Montreal 3-2 scoring only 13 seconds into OT at sold-out Bell Centre in PWHL action.

– Stu Cowan (@StuCowan1) April 20, 2024

– This is good news.

“He’s doing really well. He looks healthy, he looks happy. He wants to make a presence in Montreal, he loves coming here, he loves coming to the games, he loved being there the other night. Mentally he’s in a really good headspace…”

– Paul Byron on his good friend Carey Price pic.twitter.com/YZ12QliH78

– /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) April 20, 2024

– I love it.

I’ll say it again: the atmosphere at Hurricanes games is number 1 among all the places I’ve visited this season.

In the playoffs, it’s even better: beer pong, raised passes and pocket games at many fan gatherings. pic.twitter.com/FIusfJ3fMi

– Anthony Martineau (@Antho_Martineau) April 20, 2024

– Dwyane Wade is one of the owners of Utah’s new NHL team.

Fun note regarding Utah’s NHL ownership group (SEG): it includes NBA legend and Hall of Famer @DwyaneWade.

The same SEG members, including Wade, comprise of the Utah NHL ownership group.

– David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) April 20, 2024

– A family affair.

Ryan and Charlie Lindgren, a clash between the Rangers and Capitals, but also a clash between two brothers.