Injury notes from around the NHL this evening:
- Detroit Red Wings rookie Anthony Mantha suffered an upper body injury tonight in a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning and will not return, reports the Detroit Free Press’s Helene St. James. According to MLive’s Ansar Khan, Mantha was injured fighting Lightning defenseman Luke Witkowski in the first period. The Red Wings have not specified the extend of Mantha’s injury, but preliminary reports state that Mantha fractured his finger and may not return this season.
- New York Islanders defenseman Travis Hamonic suffered an upper body injury and will not return, reports Newsday’s Arthur Staple. Hamonic may have been injured in a fight tonight against Philadelphia Flyers forward Dale Weise. Losing Hamonic for any period of time is a big blow for the Islanders as they struggle for the East’s last wildcard playoff spot. Before tonight’s game the Isles were four points back of that wildcard spot with one game in hand.
- TSN’s Bob MacKenzie reported during the Toronto Maple Leafs – Nashville Predators first period intermission that the Maple Leafs are in talks with defenseman Nikita Zaitsev and are closing in on a seven-year deal. Zaitsev becomes a Restricted Free Agent after this season. The Russian defenseman has 4G and 30A in 76 games so far this season.