At this point, just throw a rock at the Eastern Conference, and you’ll probably land on a team with a major player injured on offense.
Did I mention that it’s preseason?
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These aren’t minor injuries, either. The least major injury is Pavel Datsyuk, who’s sitting out the next three to four weeks with the Detroit Red Wings for a separated shoulder. From there, things are looking more and more grim as you go up the list…
There’s Derek Stepan, who’s currently looking like the New York Rangers’ number one center. Yeah, he’s out for a month or so with a fractured fibula. Doctors say he’ll be fine to play in 4-6 weeks, but you know how these things go. He’s coming off a broken jaw during the playoffs, too… has someone considered slipping this guy some calcium supplements?
That’s nothing, though, compared to the Carolina Hurricanes’ center, Jordan Staal. In a horrifying disaster that had Montreal player Josh Gorges claiming that he heard Staal scream, this team star will be out for the next three to four months with a broken leg. For a player who hasn’t missed a single game with the ‘Canes in two seasons, this could be devastating for a squad that did virtually nothing to improve their lineup this summer.
Then, of course, there’s the icing on the cake.
With the announcement that Nathan Horton’s back isn’t getting better any time soon, the Columbus Blue Jackets will be down a forward for the unforeseeable future.
Please, hockey gods, don’t spread this plague out West, too.