At this point, it might be safer for NHL players to be on the ice than off of it.
This past weekend, St. Louis Blues forward Alexey Toropchenko became the latest NHL player to suffer a freak off-ice injury that will keep him off the ice for weeks.
Toropchenko suffered burns to his legs in what the team called a home accident.
The Blues announced the injury on their website, saying that Toropchenko is listed as week-to-week after he “sustained scalding burns to his legs in a home accident.”
“I just know it was a home accident, so we’re going to leave it at that,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery told reporters after the team’s morning skate Monday, without getting into further detail.
Toropchenko is in his fifth season with the Blues after being selected in the fourth round of the 2017 NHL draft. He has played 17 games this season, scoring one goal and one assist while contributing in a bottom-six forward role.
Jack Hughes cuts hand at team dinner
He becomes the latest NHLer in just the past few weeks to suffer a freak off-ice injury.
Devils star Jack Hughes required finger surgery last month following what the team described as a “fluke accident.”
The New Jersey Devils forward suffered a hand injury at a team dinner at a Chicago steakhouse on Nov. 13 and the centre underwent a successful procedure on his finger. He was expected to miss about eight weeks, possibly returning to game action in January.
Hughes, a 24-year-old who was the first overall pick in 2019, rocketed out of the starting gate this season with 10 goals and 20 points in 17 games for the Devils before the injury.
While the team and Hughes haven’t divulged which finger was injured in the incident, the forward was spotted out for dinner in New York City with Canadian popstar Tate McRae last week while he sported a bandage on his right hand.
BBQ mishap
The reigning champion Florida Panthers have been without Eetu Luostarinen since mid-November after the Finnish forward was injured in an incident involving his barbecue.
Panthers coach Paul Maurice announced the injury on Nov. 19, saying that Luostarinen was out because of “a barbequing mishap.”
Luostarinen was listed as week to week and hasn’t suited up since a Nov. 15 game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The team has not announced the severity or manner of his injury, nor provided a timeline for when Luostarinen might return to action.