Detroit d-man Ryan Sproul, who set career highs in games played and points this season, will be lost for the remainder of the year with an ACL injury, per the Detroit Free Press.
Sproul, 24, suffered the injury during the Red Wings’ loss to Edmonton on Saturday.
It’s a tough blow for the guy Detroit took 55th overall at the ’11 draft. Sproul’s ascension to the NHL has been slow -- prior to this year, he’d appeared in just one contest with the Wings -- but after years of seasoning in the AHL, the former Sault Ste. Marie standout looked like he might’ve earned a spot.
Sproul had seven points through 27 games this year, averaging just over 15 minutes per night. The Brendan Smith-to-New York trade opened up a spot on the Detroit blueline and, as just one of five defensemen under contract next year (Robbie Russo and Xavier Ouellet are pending RFAs), Sproul certainly appears to have a future in the Motor City.