After being taken to hospital and getting 25-30 stitches following his injury earlier this week, Bryan Little has been placed on injured reserve. The Winnipeg Jets have recalled Joona Luoto in his place. Little was struck in the head by a puck on Tuesday night and removed from the game, though the team announced he was “alert at all times” during his hospital stay.
Little was just starting to find his legs again after an earlier stint on injured reserve kept him out for almost two weeks, but will now have to deal with another recovery period before he can help the Jets this season. The 31-year old has been a consistent offensive presence for more than a decade, scoring at least 41 points in all but one of his full seasons in the NHL.
Luoto meanwhile is just starting to make an impact on the organization after signing a three-year entry-level contract in June. Undrafted, the 22-year old forward has three points in his first nine games with the Manitoba Moose and is another huge body the team can put in the lineup.