Hockey’s training camps and exhibition games share a lot of similarities, big-picture wise, with other sports.
As much as they’re all about evaluating players trying to make rosters and rule tweaks heading into each season, the “winners” of a pre-season may just be the teams that make it out without any significant injuries. The St. Louis Blues aren’t one of those winners.
The team announced unsettling injury updates for defenseman Jay Bouwmeester and forward Zach Sanford on Tuesday.
Sanford is expected to miss five-to-six months after undergoing shoulder surgery. That virtually wipes out an important season for a guy who was still trying to stake his claim to a full-time roster spot.
Bouwmeester’s situation is probably more troubling, potentially, as he’s already a key defenseman for the Blues (averaging more than 22 minutes last season, which was a slight decrease from recent work). The team announced that Bouwmeester suffered a fractured ankle and will be re-evaluated in three weeks.
As tormenting as day-to-day updates can be, “check back in three weeks” makes for even greater anxiety.
It does open up some opportunities for other players in the Blues organization, for whatever that’s worth.
If Blues weren't planning so already, Bouwmeester injury likely means Edmundson-Pietrangelo open together. Also opens door for Dunn/Walman.
— Jeremy Rutherford (@jprutherford) September 19, 2017
This news comes shortly after the Ottawa Senators announced that Colin White will miss multiple weeks with a broken wrist.
You almost wonder if we’ll start to see fewer practice updates like these:
Physical #mnwild battle practice has so far led to Devan Dubnyk being bigtime run twice and Jason Zucker bleeding from the mouth
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) September 19, 2017