Kovalev has Torn ACL

Torn MCL, surgery ends season for Kovalev (via Kukla's Korner).

wow huge blow,

Damn, I was wrong.

Two years ago we lost Alfie and Fisher in the penultimate game of the season. I think next year we should just forfeit game #81.

Wait, I just checked KK. This was from a tweet by habsinsideout1. How reliable is that "source"?

I knew this would happen. As the temperature rose in that game versus Tampa, I kept thinking, 'this is not the time of year to play this kind of game, we have bigger and better things to worry about, and we don't need any big injuries going into the postseason.'

What a stupid waste.

wprager wrote:Wait, I just checked KK. This was from a tweet by habsinsideout1. How reliable is that "source"?

Sportsnet just confirmed.

Never mind, it's also been tweeted by Mendes, Brennan and others. Torn ACL and a bone bruise. From what? That hit didn't look bad at all.

One thing this confirms, tho', if it wasn't already patently obviously to everyone long ago: BM absolutely made the right moves bringing in an extra top 6er and top-4 D. With Kuba and Kovalev down going into the playoffs, we'd be in deep poo if we didn't have Sutton and Cullen as replacements.

As did TSN

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=317465

On another note, had breakfast with a person on the inside and they suggested Kovalev may opt to retire. There is a belief that while the team isn't announcing it, there is concern that the MCL may also be torn.

If anyone on here has a medical degree or has more knowledge then they can correct me, but of the two injuries the ACL tends to be worse because the blood supply to the knee and ligament come from within the ligament not around it as the MCL does.

The issue appears to surround the fact that Kovalev will not be able to train this summer as he'll have to wait the 3 to 4 months to recover from the surgery before training. As a result it will likely be mid August at best before he can start his off ice training, which means he won't be ready for the season.

Huh. That's interesting.

At first I thought, "neat, we'll spend that money on keeping Cullen and Sutton."

Then I realized, if Kovalev retires, we keep his cap hit.

This would doubly suck.

If he retires the cap hit remains! They'd be better off keeping him on the LTIR like the Flyers did (are doing?) with Hatcher and Rathje, and hope they can get cap relief.

Plus he could then become our March deadline "acquisition" next season.

I wasn't aware that we kept his cap hit...hopefully Murray is smart and keeps Kovalev from Retiring and puts him on LTIR.

Don't know how that would work..

Thank god Michalek's injury wasnt more serious...

This sucks