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NHL Playoffs: Pittsburgh Penguins’ Trevor Daley out for season with broken ankle

By Dave Stevenson

May 20, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; A trainer helps Penguins defenseman Trevor Daley (6) off of the ice after he hit the wall injuring his left leg during the second period in game four of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
May 20, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; A trainer helps Penguins defenseman Trevor Daley (6) off of the ice after he hit the wall injuring his left leg during the second period in game four of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /
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Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan has confirmed that defenseman Trevor Daley will miss the rest of the postseason with a broken ankle.

The Pittsburgh Penguins made arguably the best trade of the season when they traded defenseman Rob Scuderi to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for defenseman Trevor Daley. Many thought it was a change of scenery for two third pairing defensemen. Instead, Daley quickly became the Penguins’ second best defenseman, trailing only perennial Norris Trophy candidate Kris Letang. Daley was hurt in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals, and the team expected the worst. He will miss the rest of the postseason with a broken ankle.

This is a brutal loss for the Penguins. Daley has been extremely good for the Penguins in the postseason and played a ton of minutes for them. Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan trusted him a lot, with Daley playing over 20 minutes per game in the postseason. It’s not a coincidence that Daley’s arrival in Pittsburgh coincided with the team’s huge turnaround.

He had 22 points in 53 games during the regular season for the Penguins, averaging 20:27 of ice time per game. Daley has six points in 15 playoff games this postseason and has seen his average ice time per game rise to 22:08. He had been playing with Letang on the first pairing at times this postseason. Daley is a huge loss for the Penguins, and he might be one that the Penguins won’t be able to overcome.

It’s so sad that Daley got injured. He was an excellent feel-good story and he has been a star in the postseason for the Penguins. They’ll have to go the rest of the way without him.

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