Detroit coach Derek Lalonde provided an update on Ville Husso's lower body injury, noting that it will keep him out week-to-week. Here's how that affects the Red Wings.
Detroit coach Derek Lalonde provided an update on Ville Husso's lower body injury, noting that it will keep him out week-to-week. Here's how that affects the Red Wings.
Ville Husso’s lower body injury will keep him out week-to-week, according to Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde.
Husso injured himself trying to move laterally across the crease in the first period of Tuesday’s 8-4 loss to Edmonton. Husso was previously out with a lower body injury, but Lalonde said this is an entirely different one and not an aggravation of the previous hindrance.
As of publication, the Red Wings have not moved Husso to injured reserve, though that doesn’t preclude a move later on. When asked about roster moves, Lalonde noted that the information was still new and so no decision had been made yet. They’re fortunate to carry three goalies on the roster, with starter Alex Lyon and backup James Reimer also in the bullpen.
“We’ve been fortunate to have all three. It’s saved our season, carrying three goalies,” Lalonde said. “And here we are again, needing to lean on it again — that depth — and Reimer’s last time out was a quality win, so full confidence.”
Depth in net doesn’t mean that Husso’s injury is no big deal. He was Detroit’s starter coming into the season before Lyon supplanted him, and his return was likely to help lift some burden off Lyon’s shoulders. Now to create a stable net, either Reimer will have to step up at a greater level or Lyon will have to continue shouldering a high workload.
“With having to use Alex (Lyon) the other night, that’s 17 of the last 18 Alex has played. So I think 31 games left here, we’re gonna have to be smart in how we manage it.”
Lyon will start Thursday night against Vancouver, but Lalonde didn’t confirm whether Reimer will step in between the pipes on the last three legs of Detroit’s four-game road trip. He characterized the goalie decisions as a game to game decision.
Reading between the lines a little bit, it sounds like the plan is to use Lyon as much as possible to get much needed points, while using Reimer when that no longer stands as an option. Considering his high usage thus far this season, there is certainly a risk for Lyon. He has played a career high of 23 games this season, eight more and counting compared to his 15 with Florida last season.
In relief, Reimer's last start came against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Jan. 14, when he stopped 28 out of 30 shots in a 4-2 win at Scotiabank Arena. However, he is 4-6-2 this season with a 3.22 goals against average and .894 save percentage. Those are actually slightly better numbers than Husso has put up this season, but his underlying numbers are worse. He has a -0.491 goals saved above expected per 60 that ranks fourth worst among all goaltenders with 10 or more starts. Meanwhile Husso sits at 13th with -0.290 goals saved above expected per 60.
Husso's injury is unfortunate for him and the Red Wings, but all they can do is lean on other goalies to get them through this stretch. They already faced the reality of him being injured for more than a month when he was injured against Anaheim back in December, so this is more so returning to the old script than charting new territory.
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