Canadian winger Carter Ashton, 33, was injured in the second period Tuesday while playing in the SHL for Rögle BK against Timrå IK and missed the rest of the game. While the club is not disclosing the exact nature of the injury, it did on Thursday announce that Ashton will miss the remainder of the season.
“It was difficult to give Carter the news yesterday,” said Rögle team doctor Christopher Alvengrip. “He is a very serious athlete, a person who wants to do everything for his team and contribute. Of course, we will do everything to support Carter in the best way possible going forward.”
Ashton signed with Rögle in October and had eight points and 18 penalty minutes in 22 games.
Carter, the son of well-travelled former NHLer Brent Ashton, was born in Winnipeg while his father played for the Jets and grew up in Saskatoon. After playing junior hockey for the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes and Regina Pats, Ashton was drafted in the first round, 29th overall, by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2009.
Ashton never played for the Lightning but he did play 54 NHL games for the Toronto Maple Leafs between 2011 and 2015, recording three assists and 32 penalty minutes. In 2014, he was suspended 20 games for violating the terms of the NHL and NHLPA's performance-enhancing substances program, which he said stemmed from accidentally ingesting a banned substance while using an inhaler to treat asthma.
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Ashton spent five seasons in the KHL from 2015 to 2020 and has played in the SHL ever since. In four seasons with Leksands IF, the 6-foot-4, 209-pound Ashton had 62 points and 74 penalty minutes in 155 regular-season and playoff games.
Rögle currently sits 10th in the 14-team SHL with 52 points in 38 games. The injury to Ashton is one of many the team is currently dealing with – veteran winger Daniel Zaar hasn’t played yet this season and Leon Bristedt has also missed the last couple of games, although he might return to the lineup after the upcoming international break.
The club has signed Danish winger and former San Jose Shark Joachim Blichfeld to fill the void.