Some tough news for the Jets following last night’s dramatic comeback win over Carolina -- veteran center Bryan Little has been lost “long-term” with a lower-body injury, per head coach Paul Maurice.
Little appeared to go knee-on-knee with ‘Canes forward Bryan Bickell during the contest, and exited after playing just 2:48.
The club didn’t offer any specific timetable for return, only saying that Little is out indefinitely.
Losing the 28-year-old will hurt. Little opened the year as the club’s No. 2 center, on a line with Drew Stafford and Shawn Matthias, and was in on the club’s opening goal, setting up Matthias’ first-period marker.
It’s a tough blow for Little as well. He suffered a compression fractured vertebrae last season -- an injury that ended his campaign -- and, all told, suited up for just 57 of Winnipeg’s 82 games.
When healthy, he’s a productive contributor for the Jets. Little posted a career-high 64 points during the ’13-14 campaign, and a career-high 24 goals the season following. He’s also one of the club’s top faceoff men.
With him gone, Winnipeg looks as though they’ll insert Alex Burmistrov into the lineup, after he sat out against Carolina.
#NHLJets early rushes: Laine-Scheifele-Wheeler, Connor-Perreault-Stafford, Matthias-Burmistrov-Ehlers, Tanev-Lowry-Armia
— Ken Wiebe (@WiebesWorld) October 14, 2016