The Blue Jackets announced on Thursday that goaltender Joonas Korpisalo will miss the rest of this season with a hip injury that will require surgery.
It was a little bit of a surprise that the 27-year-old Korpisalo wasn’t dealt before Monday’s NHL trade deadline, but now we know why. According to the team, the recovery period is expected to be six months.
“This is an injury that Joonas has been dealing with for some time and it has now gotten to the point where surgery is the best option,” said Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen. “We are disappointed for him as he has worked extremely hard to be able to play, but this is the best course of action.”
What comes next for Korpisalo is a big question. He will be an unrestricted free agent this summer and he should be ready to go some time during training camp in September. Hip injuries are always tricky for goaltenders, but there still should be a market for his services, whether back in Columbus or elsewhere.
Krug sidelined for Blues
An upper-body injury will keep Torey Krug off the Blues’ blue line for a bit. The defenseman is week-to-week after he was hurt during Tuesday’s win over the Capitals.
“It’s really tough,” said head coach Craig Berube. “Valuable player for us. It is what it is, but it’s a tough loss for sure.”
Marco Scandella took Krug’s place on the second pairing during Thursday’s morning skate. Nick Leddy, who was acquired from the Red Wings on Monday, was the defenseman on the top power play unit with Justin Faulk assuming that spot with the second group.
Robert Thomas (upper-body) and Vladimir Tarasenko (illness) were on the ice Thursday after missing their recent short road trip and will play against the Flyers.
Clutterbuck’s season over, Mayfield out a month
Fresh off signing a two-year extension, Cal Clutterbuck will miss the rest of the season with a shoulder injury that will require surgery. They’ll also be without defenseman Scott Mayfield for 4-6 weeks due to a lower-body injury.
Clutterbuck, a stalwart of their bottom six, signed the two-year, $3.5 million deal this week. He has six goals and 15 points in 59 games this season, his ninth with the Islanders. Head coach Barry Trotz said on Thursday that barring any hiccups the forward is expected to be ready for training camp.
If he returns in time, Mayfield can top his career high of 19 points. Through 61 games this season he has three goals and 18 points while averaging 19:47 of ice time per night.
Kieffer Bellows will take Clutterbuck’s spot in the lineup while a minor league call-up could help fill the hole left by Mayfield’s absence.
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Sean Leahy is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @Sean_Leahy.