Montreal Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher will be out for a minimum of eight weeks with a fractured left hand after having surgery Thursday night in Montreal, the club announced Friday.

Gallagher was struck by teammate Shea Weber's shot in a win over the Dallas Stars on Wednesday night. He returned to Montreal to be evaluated after the game.

The winger missed six weeks last season after breaking two fingers in the same hand.

Gallagher's injury is obviously devastating for the Canadiens, and the announcement of his diagnosis comes one day after the club revealed both Alex Galchenyuk and Andrei Markov are nearing returns from their respective significant ailments.

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