ANAHEIM, Calif. — Simply when Trevor Zegras gave the impression to be turning the nook on changing into a real two-way NHL participant, the Anaheim Geese ahead went down with one other damage.
The Geese can solely hope his newest setback is not severe sufficient to interrupt Zegras’ promising begin to the season.
Zegras left Anaheim’s 4-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights with a lower-body damage Wednesday night time, apparently unable to place weight on his injured leg when he left the ice early within the second interval.
Coach Greg Cronin had no postgame replace on Zegras, who will bear additional checks Thursday.
“It is disappointing,” Geese defenseman Cam Fowler stated. “Seeing any of your guys go down is difficult as a teammate. We’re a household in right here, so we’re all interested by one another. ‘Z’ is a giant a part of the staff. Hoping that he is OK, however any time you see someone go down, your coronary heart goes out to him.”
The reason for Zegras’ damage wasn’t clear, nevertheless it wasn’t a collision. After taking a faceoff in Anaheim’s defensive zone, he spun and fell awkwardly when he and William Karlsson briefly obtained their stick blades and skates tangled. Zegras instantly waved to Anaheim’s bench, and he wanted assist to get off the ice.
Zegras, 23, is greatest recognized for his puck-handling creativity and for scoring “Michigan” lacrosse-style objectives, however this could possibly be his third main damage in simply over a 12 months. He was restricted to 31 video games final season by two accidents, together with a damaged ankle that required surgical procedure.
“Hopefully long run, he’ll be OK,” stated Fowler, who returned Wednesday from his personal 11-game damage absence.
Zegras had performed in all 23 video games for Anaheim this season, recording 4 objectives and 6 assists. Extra importantly, he had proven important progress in embracing his defensive tasks and in his general offensive method after struggling for years to play a constant two-way sport between his bursts of offensive creativity.
Zegras was the ninth general choose within the 2019 draft. He has 59 objectives in 235 video games over the previous 5 seasons in Anaheim.
Zegras’ departure left Anaheim with out two of its most proficient younger offensive gamers as a result of damage.
Leo Carlsson, the Geese’ teenage playmaker, additionally missed his fourth consecutive sport with a lower-body damage. Earlier Wednesday, Carlsson was the youngest participant named to Sweden’s staff for the 4 Nations Face-Off in February.
“If you lose any participant, it disrupts the circulate,” Cronin stated. “We’re not giving any completely different instructions whether or not ‘Z’ is in or out, or whether or not Leo is in or out. [We] attempt to play the identical means. The simplification is absolutely what we’re attempting to comply with.”
