New York Rangers forward Adam Sykora will be sidelined four to five months with a lower-body injury, the club confirmed this week, one of several notable status updates around the NHL as teams wind down training camp and preseason play.
The 22-year-old winger was hurt Monday when he was hit by New Jersey Devils defenceman Mikael Diotte in the corner and fell awkwardly into the boards during a 3-2 preseason loss, according to NHL.com. Sykora needed help getting off the ice and did not return. He had entered camp with a real shot at cracking the Rangers’ opening night roster after collecting four points in 11 games with New York late last season and 29 points in 62 games with AHL affiliate Hartford.
In Washington, Alex Ovechkin’s availability for the rest of the preseason is in question. The 41-year-old left wing left practice Wednesday after roughly 15 minutes with a lower-body injury and has been ruled day-to-day, NHL.com reported. Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said the team simply wants “to be cautious with him at this point,” and Ovechkin is considered unlikely to play in Washington’s remaining exhibition games, Friday against Boston and Saturday at Philadelphia.
There was better news out of Denver, where Colorado Avalanche defenceman Cale Makar looks on track for opening night. Makar, who missed the start of training camp with a lower-body injury, was a full participant in Tuesday’s practice and is expected to play Friday against Winnipeg, per NHL.com. “I’m in the best spot I’ve ever felt right now,” Makar said.
In Dallas, Tyler Seguin could make his preseason debut as soon as Friday against Minnesota as he continues his recovery from a torn right ACL that required December surgery. Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said Seguin “looks like he’s going to be on track to play” in the team’s exhibition finale. Teammate Matt Duchene has been given maintenance days as a precaution rather than for an injury and could also play Friday, while forward Colin Blackwell is dealing with a lower-body injury from Saturday’s practice and is considered a likely limited participant Thursday.
Elsewhere, Los Angeles Kings forward Corey Perry has been away from the team for personal reasons for several days, and winger Mats Zuccarello remains in a non-contact jersey with a shoulder injury suffered before camp opened, with the Kings offering no timeline yet for his return.
The injury notes land as several clubs wind down their exhibition schedules, Edmonton among them. The Oilers, coming off a 2-1 overtime win over the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday on Viljami Marjala’s extra-time goal, were in Vancouver for a preseason game against the Canucks this week, a preview of sorts before the two teams open the regular season Sept. 29 at Rogers Place, with the return match Oct. 1 in Vancouver.
Photo: generic NHL ice hockey action (Unsplash/Klim Musalimov), not a photo from any of the games or injuries described.
