Ryan Johansen was injured last night after being accidentally cut by the skate blade of Quinn Hughes and could potentially miss a significant amount of time. What would his absence from the lineup mean for the Nashville Predators as they continue to chase a playoff wildcard spot?
Last night the Nashville Predators defeated the Vancouver Canucks in a 5-4 shootout win, but perhaps the bigger story of the night was the loss of Ryan Johansen partway through the second period. Johansen appeared to have been cut around his ankle or lower leg by the skate blade of Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes in an innocent tangle up. Johansen had to be helped down the tunnel and did not return to the game.
Head coach John Hynes did not have a definitive report in last night's post game, but Teresa Walker reported Johansen leaving the arena in a boot and on crutches with no weight bearing on his right leg. This morning Elliot Friedman reported that Johansen will have surgery.
This injury comes at a critical time for the Nashville Predators who are clinging to hope that they can collect points and re-enter the wildcard conversation. Johansen averages 15:46 of ice time this season and was playing with top liners Michael Granlund and Matt Duchene last night. He also leads the team in face off percentage with 59.2%.
While we don't yet know how long Johansen is expected to be out, his absence will certainly affect the next handful of games the Predators are needing to win. His injury also may change the trade deadline landscape for the Preds as well. On today's Locked On Predators podcast, we take a closer look at how Johansen's injury affects the team at this critical point in the season.
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