Injuries can be crippling to every team, no matter how good. The 2018-19 NHL season hasn’t started yet but teams have already been bitten by the injury bug.
Training camp started today and there are already 10 NHL teams that have one or more roster players injured. Some big names include Henrik Zetterberg, Patrice Bergeron, Shea Weber, Cory Schneider, and Jake Allen.
Others include John Carlson and Lars Eller of the reigning Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals, as well as Ryan Reaves of the Vegas Golden Knights. However, their injuries aren’t serious and they’re viewed as day-to-day.
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Still, the injury bug is cruel and relentless. Here’s a look at the unlucky players who have been bitten by it thus far.
Henrik Zetterberg
The Detroit Red Wings captain has called it a career after 15 years in the NHL. He’s been struggling with a back problem for the past four years and it has forced him to stop playing. His departure will signal to Detroit and their fans a changing of the guard. It’s time for the Red Wings to fully commit to the youth movement in the NHL.
Patrice Bergeron
For almost the entire 2017-18 season, Patrice Bergeron was struggling with a nagging groin injury. After the Boston Bruins were eliminated in the playoffs, he underwent surgery to try and fix the problem. His surgery was successful, but the recovery process is taking longer than anticipated and now, he’s suffering from back spasms. He’s expected to play in the season opener October 3rd, but this kind of timeline is constantly changing.
Shea Weber
Back in July, the Montreal Canadiens announced that Shea Weber would undergo surgery to repair a tear he suffered in his knee. The surgery was successful, but he won’t be able to play until at least December. Without their star defenseman, it seems like the Canadiens are in for a long season.
Cory Schneider
Cory Schneider had a hip problem plague him the entire 2017-18 season and in May, he had surgery to get it repaired. It’s a surgery that requires a lot of rehabbing and it is unsure whether he will be ready to start the season for the New Jersey Devils. In his four playoff games with the Devils last season, he had a 1-2 record, and a save percentage of .950. New Jersey needs him healthy if they want to make another playoff run.
Jake Allen
With all the productive moves the St. Louis Blues made this offseason, it would be unfortunate to see their #1 goalie go down for a long period of time. Jake Allen has started to get back spasms which have sidelined him for the preseason. Luckily for the Blues, he is projected to return in time for the start of the season, but it is important that they don’t rush him back and worsen their situation.
The NHL season is always full of surprises and underdog stories. Will these injuries open a door for other teams? Will these injuries give the chance for up and coming rookies to prove themselves? I guess we will just have to sit back and watch.