New York. The worst thing that can happen to teams ready for the playoffs a week before the regular season ends is key players getting injured – and unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened in many cases last night.
Bland forces Swedish duo Joel Ericsson and Oscar Sundqvist to cancel Minnesota’s away game against Pittsburgh.
– We don’t have updates on how things are going, says coach Dean Evason.
There are still positions and field advantage to fight for, but for NHL teams that already have playoff tickets, during the final stretch of the now-beginning regular season, it’s primarily a matter of calibrating the game — and avoiding injuries are crucial pieces.
But on the last point, he broke just right for several teams last night.
Here are all the heavyweights who last night were forced off the ice in agony and never came back.
Tanner Ginott, Tampa Bay Lightning.
– The former Nashville forward who had the Bullets give up the last of his receivers at the trade deadline in early March sprained his foot or knee when he tackled guard Scott Mayfield in a road game against the New York Islanders.
Joel Erickson MIMinnesota Wild
– The Wild’s most complete double center was hit during the road game against Pittsburgh by taking a shot on an exposed portion of one foot and had to be assisted without being able to be backed up.
Oscar SundqvistMinnesota Wild
— “The Sunken,” which the Wild brought to him from Detroit, disappeared in the same game after Chris Letang checked the ribs three times in a row.
Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins
– The biggest star to appear for the Premier League leader in the second leg against Toronto collided with team mate Patrice Bergeron and immediately went to the locker room.
Mikael Granlund, Pittsburgh Penguins
– The Finn Penguins I brought from Nashville covered a hard disk with their foot just like Erickson Eck, and then they couldn’t use that foot anymore.
The worst seems to be with Guinot.
“His injury is really worrying,” Tampa coach John Cooper said shrugged.
On the Minnesota blue-yellow duo, Dean Evason has no update, but The Athletic’s Michael Russo reports Marcus Johansson looks grim when talking about teammate Ericsson Ike.
– Joel is hard to replace…he feels tough, says “Mojo”.
