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Preds put Fisher on IR after Hanzal hit, will miss next four games

Mike Fisher

Mike Fisher

John Russell

The Nashville Predators will be without one of their top centers for the next while.

On Wednesday, the club put Mike Fisher on injured reserve in the wake of a heavy Martin Hanzal hit during last night’s win over the Coyotes.

Fisher, who sits tied for the third on the team with five goals, is a pretty key cog in the Preds’ operation. He plays nearly 19 minutes a night, leads the team in faceoff wins and has pretty solid possession metrics. He’s also one of head coach Peter Laviolette’s more trusted veterans, and serves as one of the club’s three alternate captains.

Injuries have been an issue lately, however.

Last year, Fisher missed over 20 games with a ruptured Achilles, then missed half of the opening playoff round against Chicago with a lower-body ailment.

With Fisher out the next four games -- he’s set to be re-evaluated next week -- the Preds will be pretty thin down the middle with Mike Ribeiro, Calle Jarnkrok and Paul Gaustad next up on the depth chart. Cody Hodgson could be moved to center as a stopgap solution, or Colton Sissons could get a bigger role.