With playoff season rapidly approaching, we can expect to see a rise in aggression in players desperate to get their chance at the Stanley Cup. This also means an increase in player injuries, whether avoidable or not. Unfortunately for one veteran on the ice, his season may be cut short after a big hit may have bigger consequences.
In today's game between the Rangers and the Canadiens, Montreal defenseman Jayden Struble managed to make a massive hit on New York right-winger Blake Wheeler against the boards. Unfortunately for Wheeler, this hit appears to have more devastating effects. What may initially appear to be a typical hit to the side, actually reveals his right leg getting caught under him, extending beyond the appropriate limits.
With an expiring NHL contract, this 37-year-old player may have just suffered a career-ending injury. He has 1,171 games under his belt. In these, he has scored 321 goals and 942 total points. This season he has 21 points in 53 games, but now had to be pulled off the ice.
