When the Anaheim Ducks recalled Korbinian Holzer this morning, something didn’t add up. They’ve explained the move now by announcing that Kevin Bieksa will undergo surgery to remove scar tissue from his left hand, and will be out two to five weeks. Though that leaves a little bit of room for him to return during the regular season, it likely means he won’t be available until the playoffs.
For a team that could claim the deepest defense corps in the league just a year ago, the Ducks now have razor thin margins on the blue line. After trading away Shea Theodore and Sami Vatanen, they’ve needed to rely on veterans like Bieksa and Francois Beauchemin more than expected. While their top-four remains as strong as any in the NHL, a single injury could bring trouble. Last year, Vatanen and Hampus Lindholm both played through shoulder injuries in the playoffs and required surgery as soon as the team was eliminated.
Bieksa isn’t the player he once was, but is still relied upon for valuable minutes and has a ton of playoff experience. Though this isn’t a crushing blow, it certainly weakens the team depth even further and puts them at risk for the first round of the playoffs.
Couldn’t happen to a nicer team. Bob “Drunk by noon” Murray REALLY knows what he’s doing.
“Though this isn’t a crushing blow, it certainly weakens the team depth even further and puts them at risk for the first round of the playoffs.” Getting the worst +/- off the blueline and forcing RC to play Pettersson is a blessing. Hope the scar tissue recovers just in time for him to announce his retirement.