Staal Injured In Monday's Practice
*UPDATE* It has been confirmed that Jordan Staal has broken his right hand and will now miss the next six weeks. Staal will undergo surgery on Tuesday to repair the damage.
I was very ready to write up a blog today talking about how all indications were pointing to Jordan Staal's return to the lineup Wednesday against Dallas. But it looks like that will not be the case.
Staal left about halfway through Monday's practice and did not return.
The team was running drills as normal, when out of the corner of my eye I saw Staal wince in pain. He immediately removed his glove and grimaced before opening the door to leave the ice. He slammed the door shut with a kind of "I can't believe this is happening" look of disgust, anger and pain on his face.
I didn't catch exactly what happened to him, whether it was a puck, stick, the boards or another player that got him. But he was hurting and left the ice within seconds, not even trying to play with the injured hand/wrist. It didn't look good.
Head coach Dan Bylsma updated Staal's status after practice, saying he had suffered an upper-body injury and was being evaluated..
This is a horrible run of luck for Staal. Just when he appears ready to return from rehabbing an infected foot which cost him his summer training and the first part of the 2010-11 season, this happens. It's possible that Staal could now be out several more weeks.
Handful of Other Injuries
Winger Evgeni Makin (knee) and defenseman Kris Letang (hand) both missed Monday's practice. Bylsma said that both players are day-to-day at this point.
Defenseman Alex Goligoski left practice early with an injury that Bylsma said has been bothering him lately. His status is day-to-day.
Defenseman Zbynek Michalek (shoulder) continues to participate in full practices with the team and I expect him back very soon.
Bylsma said it's possible that the team will call up players from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton if certain guys aren't ready to see game action on this upcoming road trip.
For what it's worth, these were the lines at Monday's practice before Staal's injury:
Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis
Comrie-Staal-Kennedy
Cooke-Letestu-Asham
Rupp-Adams-Talbot-Godard
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