The injury trail continues for the Jackets, as head coach Todd Richards has announced that Curtis Sanford has a “torn muscle” in his leg (almost certainly his quad) that will end his season. Allen York has, not surprisingly, been recalled once again. Look for him to get at least one or two starts as we stare down the final ten games of the regular season.
The injury could be a major blow to Columbus’ Masterton Trophy nominee – not only does it end this season, but a long and difficult rehab (very similar to the process Kristian Huselius went through for his torn pectoral) could put him on the shelf well into next season, making a new contract unlikely for the pending UFA. Add to that increasing risk of re-injury, his back issues, and the fact that he’s closer to 40 than 30, and you begin to wonder if this might be the end of the road for the Sandman.
Meanwhile, there’s good and bad news for James Wisniewski – the d-man avoided any more fractured bones when he was struck in the face by a puck Sunday night, but began experiencing “concussion like” symptoms. He will not play tonight but has not been officially placed on the IR. David Savard has been recalled, and is likely to take his place in the lineup until Wiz is cleared to play or April 8th, whichever comes first.
I totally get the team wanting to avoid the “C” word, but let’s face it – after taking a shot to the face, it wouldn’t be shocking for him to be suffering from a concussion, and though Wiz is a warrior, perhaps it’s time to consider shutting him down after this injury plagued season. It’s time to start protecting what assets we can with thoughts of next year. I respect his desire to play, but that heart and drive is EXACTLY why we need 82 games of healthy production, and there’s no reason to take risks over the next few weeks that might jeopardize that.