Last night in the Utah Mammoth game against the Colorado Avalanche, forward Jack McBain took an awkward fall and crashed into the boards, which resulted in him leaving the game and not returning.
After the game, he was listed as “questionable” and was being evaluated for an upper-body injury.
If he’s out for some time, it will be a big blow to a Mammoth team that relies on McBain to get the energy going. Whether it’s a huge hit, a fight, or just a hard, physical shift, he has a way of getting the fans and his teammates involved in the game.
Without him, they’ll have to turn to others like Brandon Tanev or Liam O’Brien to bring that spark.
At this time, there hasn’t been any official update. But it didn’t look too good last night when he was slow to get up and left the game. The impact appeared to be to his head or neck area, so he’ll likely undergo concussion protocol before he’s able to resume any on-ice activities.
The question now is, if he’s out, do the Mammoth decide to give Daniil But a chance at the NHL level? He had a strong preseason, and through four games with the Tucson Roadrunners in the AHL, he’s recorded a goal and two assists.
Obviously, you never want to see a player get hurt, but injuries often open the door for someone else. And in this case, that opportunity could belong to But.
