The test results are in for Canucks defenseman Alex Edler and the team announced (via Twitter) that they will be without their top defender for three-to-six weeks due to an MCL sprain. Edler has had issues staying healthy in recent years as he hasn’t played a full season since 2010-11 and has missed at least a dozen games to injuries in four of the last five year, a streak that is likely to continue now. This will likely slow down the trade speculation for the 32-year-old after it was noted earlier this week that there has been an uptick in scouts watching him. The pending unrestricted free agent has a $5MM cap hit this season and a full no-trade clause.
Elsewhere around the league:
- While the Stars were missing Brett Ritchie for their game against the Red Wings due to an upper-body injury, they won’t be without him for long. Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas Morning News notes (Twitter link) that the winger is likely to return to the lineup on Tuesday versus Montreal. Ritchie had played in all nine games before today on the fourth line, collecting an assist and 17 hits while logging 9:31 per night.
- Islanders winger Cal Clutterbuck is dealing with an upper-body injury, reports Newsday’s Andrew Gross (Twitter link). He didn’t suit up earlier today against Carolina but he is expected to accompany New York on their road trip which opens up in Pittsburgh on Tuesday night. The veteran hasn’t contributed much offensively this season with just a single assist in nine games but as usual, he has been quite physical, contributing 22 hits in the early going.
- While Ducks winger Patrick Eaves has returned to practice, it doesn’t appear that a return is imminent. Eric Stephens of The Athletic reports (subscription required) that the veteran is still dealing with periodic setbacks with his shoulder and that while he’s being re-evaluated weekly, he doesn’t want to project when he might be able to return. Eaves hasn’t played in more than a calendar year due to this injury and the illness that cost him all but two games last season.