Alexander Romanov set for long absence after injury report

Alexander Romanov, a defenseman who previously played for the Montreal Canadiens, is reportedly facing an extended absence after being hit with an injury that is expected to keep him out for a long time. The news, reported Oct. 7 by Yahoo Sports, did not provide specific medical particulars in the public preview, but it clearly frames the situation as long-term rather than day-to-day.

For NHL rosters, a long absence from a defenseman is rarely a neutral event. Even when teams have depth options, they must rebalance minutes, pairings, and role assignments, and that adjustment can ripple into penalty-kill structures, breakouts, and matchup planning for the remainder of the season.

Romanov’s status matters beyond his own game-to-game availability, because a veteran-caliber defensive presence often anchors how a team handles transition defense and puck retrieval. When that anchor is removed, coaches typically compensate by shifting responsibilities to remaining blueliners, either by increasing workload for certain pairings or by giving expanded looks to less experienced options.

The report’s phrasing leaves open questions that fans will likely want answered as this plays out: how the injury occurred, what part of Romanov’s body is involved, and whether a return timeline is measured in weeks, months, or longer. Until an official update is released by the team or league, the only firmly supported point is that he is expected to be out “for a long time.”

The practical next step is information coming from the organization employing Romanov at the time of the report, including whether there is an official designation on his status and whether the team will announce a roster adjustment to cover the lost defensive minutes. In the meantime, NHL observers will be watching how his former organization and the teams around him manage depth at defense, especially during stretches where travel, back-to-backs, and matchup demands tighten.

For Montreal-area fans, Romanov’s situation is also a reminder of how quickly an NHL season can change for players who have already worn the Canadiens sweater. For the league at large, the storyline is straightforward but significant, an extended injury to a defenseman reshapes both the short-term rotations and the longer-term planning that teams rely on throughout the schedule.