Photo Credit: Jerome Miron/USA TODAY Sports
The Stanley Cup playoffs begin on Wednesday, and teams are still dealing with injuries going forward. Here is a look at the injuries plaguing the playoff teams.
Anaheim Ducks
Right winger David Perrone is expected to be sidelined for four-to-six weeks dating back to March 20th, when he initially separated his right shoulder. The timeline permits that Perrone would be sidelined until April 17th, but he insists he plans to beat the timeline and be ready for the start of the playoffs. The team’s first game is on April 15th.
Defenseman Kevin Bieksa has been sidelined since he sustained an upper-body injury in March and is on a day-to-day basis. Despite the injury, Bieksa has been skating and is expected to return to play soon.
Center Rickard Rakell was originally sidelined on March 29th due to a stomach flu, but upon a visit to the doctors it was discovered that Rakell also had appendicitis. Rakell has had his appendix removed but will still be sidelined until he has recovered and prepared himself for play.
Chicago Blackhawks
Right winger Andrew Shaw has been sidelined since April 1st when he sustained an upper-body injury in the team’s game against the Winnipeg Jets. While Shaw missed the final games of the Hawks’ regular season, he is expected to return in time for the team’s first playoff game on Wednesday.
Center Artem Anisimov was sidelined on April 5th due to an upper body injury. Anisimov missed the last two games of the Hawks’ season, mostly for precautionary reasons, but is also expected to return for game one.
D-man Viktor Svedberg, who suffered a lower-body injury in the Hawks’ season finale on Saturday, is also expected to return to the ice in time to play the first game.
Dallas Stars
Center Tyler Seguin is currently sidelined with an Achilles injury he received on March 17th, when he was sliced by an opponent’s skate. Seguin took the ice, for the first time since his injury, Monday morning in a no contact jersey to practice with his team. Though Seguin has skated, it is still too early to predict whether or not he will return in time for the first round of games.
Center Mattias Janmark was injured in the team’s game against the LA Kings on Saturday, April 2nd. It was unknown as to how exactly Janmark sustained the injury, but it is not believed to be too serious and he is expected to return to play soon.
D-man Patrik Nemeth was also recently sidelined due to illness, but is expected to take the ice for the Stars’ first playoff game this week.
Forward Brett Ritchie was sidelined day-to-day on March 27th after receiving a lower-body injury. The forward not played since then and will be re-evaluated before the playoffs to determine when he might return.
Detroit Red Wings
Detroit is still without right winger Johan Franzen who has been sidelined since October 12th due to concussion like symptoms.
Also sidelined still, due to knee surgery, is left winger Drew Miller who has been out since January 10th.
Florida Panthers
Center Vincent Trocheck has been sidelined since he was injured in the Panthers’ game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 29th, where he fractured a bone in his foot while trying to block a puck. He is currently on a week-to-week basis, and it is unknown when exactly he will return to play.
Defenseman Erik Gudbranson was sidelined after a non-penalized head hit that he received in the team’s game against the Maple Leafs on April 4th after he was exhibiting concussion-like symptoms. It is unknown how long the defenseman will be sidelined, but the team is optimistic that he will return soon.
Fellow defenseman Steven Kampfer has also been sidelined since April 9th after an injury to his ankle. There has been no information regarding a return time frame for the d-man so far.
Willie Mitchell also remains sidelined since sustaining a concussion on January 20th. Mitchell returned to the ice for practice, but did not skate for long once his concussion symptoms returned. The team hasn’t said whether or not Mitchell will return for the playoffs and says the decision is up to him, but as of now he is still exhibiting some symptoms.
Los Angeles Kings
Defenseman Alec Martinez was sidelined on April 3rd with, what the team has called, an undisclosed injury. No details regarding the d-man’s injury have surfaced, therefore there is no time frame set for Martinez’s return.
Center Jordan Nolan remains sidelined since Feb.19 as the result of a herniated disc. He hasn’t returned to play since his injury and it remains unclear whether or not he will return for any playoff play.
Forward Marian Gaborik is also still sidelined since a knee injury he sustained on Feb.12 and has yet to play. His status is still unknown and it is unclear whether he will return for the playoffs.
D-man Matt Greene also remains out due to shoulder surgery he underwent back in October. He has yet to return to play and it is unclear whether or not he will return for the playoffs.
Nashville Predators
Right winger Miikka Salomaki was sidelined on April 2nd and is day-to-day as the result of a lower body injury. It is unknown as to whether or not the forward will return in time for the playoffs.
New York Islanders
Isles goalie Jaroslav Halak is still sidelined from the groin injury he received on March 8th in the team’s game against the Penguins. It is still unknown when Halak will return and if he will be healthy in time for the playoffs.
Left winger Anders Lee is sidelined with a fractured left fibula since April 7th when the forward was hit with a shot from teammate Johnny Boychuk in the team’s game against the Rangers. Lee is expected to be sidelined for a while as he heals.
Travis Hamonic has been sidelined since March 31as the result of a knee injury. Though Hamonic missed the rest of the regular season due to his injury, the defenseman is doing all he can to be ready in time to return for the Isle’s first playoff game.
Center Mikhail Grabovski is also still sidelined, due to a concussion, and is expected to be sidelined for another few weeks. Though Grabovski returned to the ice briefly he stopped skating due to the return of some concussion-like symptoms. It is unknown as to when the forward will return to the ice.
New York Rangers
Defenseman Ryan McDonagh is still sidelined since a hand injury he received after blocking a shot in the team’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. McDonagh is listed as being sidelined indefinitely and it is unknown as to when the defenseman will return.
Fellow d-man Dan Girardi was also sidelined following a hard hit he received from Brian Boyle in the team’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Girardi has been sidelined since April 6th, but is expected to return in time for the Ranger’s first playoff game.
Forwards Viktor Stalberg and Mats Zuccarello, who were both sidelined on April 7th, due to lower-body injuries, are also expected to return for the team’s first playoff game on Wednesday.
Philadelphia Flyers
D-man Michael Del Zotto has been sidelined since Feb. 13th after undergoing wrist surgery. It is unclear whether or not the defenseman will make an appearance in the playoffs.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Center Evgeni Malkin is still out since being sidelined on March 11th due to an arm injury. Malkin has yet to return to play since being sidelined and is not expected to be available for the start of the playoffs.
Star goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, who was sidelined on April 1st due to a concussion, his second of the season, has returned to practice and is expected to join the team on the ice for game one of the playoffs.
D-man Olli Maatta, who was sidelined on March 24th with a lower-body injury, has also returned to practice and is expected to take the ice with the team upon the start of the playoffs.
Back-up goalie Matt Murray was sidelined on April 9th after a head injury he sustained in the team’s matchup against the Philadelphia Flyers. Whether or not the goalie has experienced any concussion symptoms is still unknown but he is not expected to be available upon the beginning of the playoffs.
Right winger Beau Bennett has been day-to-day since April 6th as the result of an undisclosed injury. While the nature of the forward’s injury has not been specified, it is not expected that he will be available when the playoffs begin.
Forward Bryan Rust is also still day-to-day as the result of a lower-body injury. It has not been specified whether or not Rust will be available for the start of the playoffs, but he has not yet returned to practice.
St. Louis Blues
Center David Backes, who was sidelined on April 3rd due to a lower-body injury, is determined to and has said that he will be available to start the playoffs with his team.
Goalie Jake Allen was sidelined on April 3rd with a lower-body injury and missed the final week of the regular season. It has yet to be determined whether or not the goaltender will return in time for the playoffs.
Center Steve Ott, who was originally sidelined in December due to hamstring surgery, was recently diagnosed with colitis. He recently rejoined his team in  practice. The Blues have said that Ott might only need another few weeks before he can return to play but first he needs to be re-evaluated.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Center Steven Stamkos was sidelined on April 1st upon his diagnosis with a blood clot in his arm. Stamkos is expected to be sidelined for 1-3 months as he recovers.
D-man Anton Stralman was sidelined on March 25th after he sustained a fractured fibula. Stralman is currently sidelined indefinitely as he recovers.
Forward Ryan Callahan, who was sidelined on April 4th as the result of a lower-body injury, has returned to practice and is expected to make a return for playoffs.
Center Tyler Johnson is day-to-day after a hit that gave him an upper-body injury on April 9th. It is unknown as to when the center will return to play in time for the playoffs.
Washington Capitals
Center Jay Beagle was sidelined on April 9th as the result of an lower-body injury after blocking a shot with his left ankle in the team’s game against the Blues. The Capitals have said that Beagle is expected to be ready to return for the start of the playoffs.
