Filip Zadina is out 6-8 weeks for the Detroit Red Wings with a lower-body injury.
“So obviously not positive,” Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde said Tuesday, “but it’s a little more optimistic than we originally thought.”
The forward was placed on injured reserve after a 3-0 win against the New York Islanders on Saturday. He was hit on the right leg by a shot with 5:19 left in the third period.
“Something’s broken. Lower body,” Lalonde said Sunday. “It’s going to be a week-to-week, month-to-month type thing, unfortunately.”
Zadina, the No. 6 pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, has no points and is minus-3 in nine games this season.
The Red Wings host the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; BSDET, TSN2, RDS, ESPN+, SN NOW). Injured forwards Tyler Bertuzzi (upper body), Robby Fabbri (knee) and Oskar Sundqvist (upper body), and defenseman Jake Walman (shoulder surgery) were on the ice for the morning skate.
Lalonde said the Red Wings are hoping Bertuzzi can return for their upcoming West Coast trip, which begins Saturday at the Los Angeles Kings and includes games at the Anaheim Ducks (Nov. 15) and San Jose Sharks (Nov. 17). Walman had offseason surgery and Bertuzzi has been out since the second game of the season.
Sundqvist is day to day and hoping to return against the Rangers on Thursday after one more full practice. Forward Jakub Vrana is in the NHL/NHLPA players assistance program.
Lalonde said Fabbri and defenseman Mark Pysyk (offseason shoulder surgery) are expected back around Jan. 1.
In New Jersey, the injury big hit the goaltending unit.
Mackenzie Blackwood and Ondrej Palat will each be out long term for the New Jersey Devils.
Blackwood, a goalie, will be out 3-6 weeks with a MCL sprain. He was injured in the second period after allowing two goals on 18 shots at the Edmonton Oilers on Nov. 3. Vitek Vanecek made 18 saves in relief in a 4-3 win.
Vanecek will make his second straight start when the Devils host the Calgary Flames on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN, SNW, ESPN+, SN NOW). Akira Schmid, recalled from Utica of the American Hockey League on Saturday, is expected to be the backup.
Goalie Jonathan Bernier (hip) hasn’t played this season and remains on injured reserve.
“Bernier continues to progress but he’s not ready to play right now, so right now our second goalie would be Akira Schmid,” Devils coach Lindy Ruff said.
The Avalanche lost one of their leading goal scorers.
Valeri Nichushkin is expected to be out a month for the Colorado Avalanche because of ankle surgery.
The forward has missed four games, last playing a 3-2 shootout victory at the New York Rangers on Oct. 25. Nichushkin, who signed an eight-year contract with the Avalanche on July 11, is tied for the team lead in goals (seven) and fourth with 12 points in seven games.
Defensemen Bowen Byram and Samuel Girard each sustained a lower-body injury during the recent road trip, which included back-to-back games against the Columbus Blue Jackets in Tampere, Finland, as part of the 2022 NHL Global Series.
Byram played Nov. 4 against Columbus but was out the following day. He has five points (two goals, three assists) in 10 games. Girard played both games and has four points (one goal, three assists) in 11 games.
“So Val is having surgery on his ankle. He’s going to miss approximately a month, give or take,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said following practice Tuesday. “Bo Byram has an injury and he’s week to week, lower body. Girard, same thing. He’s going to be day to day as well. … All three of them are new injuries.”
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