The Montreal Canadiens have placed forward Brendan Gallagher on long-term injured reserve and the winger is expected to miss at least six weeks.
Gallagher suffered a fractured thumb in Monday's game against the Edmonton Oilers when he was hit by an Alexander Romanov slapshot. The 28-year-old has 14 goals and nine assists in 34 games this season.
By moving Gallagher to long-term injured reserve, the Canadiens now have the flexibility to add ahead of the NHL's trade deadline without having to shed salary.
The Canadiens have already been active on the trade market, adding Eric Staal in a deal with the Buffalo Sabres.