The Medicine Hat Tigers will be without their captain and top draft-eligible prospect Hunter Shinkaruk for at least one week due to a lower-body injury suffered on Saturday in a loss to the Portland Winterhawks.
The Tigers' public relations department confirmed for NHL.com that Shinkaruk "will miss one week" via email.
According to published reports, Shinkaruk, who ranks sixth in the Western Hockey League with 35 points in 24 games, suffered a skate cut that required 14 stitches in the first period on Saturday. The 5-foot-10.25, 181-pound center took a hit from Portland defenseman Seth Jones, who will also be considered very high on every draft board, less than a minute into the game.
Shinkaruk, who was ranked No. 2 among WHL skaters on NHL Central Scouting's preliminary rankings release on Tuesday, wasn't in the lineup for his team's 2-1 loss to the Everett Silvertips on Sunday. Jones, meanwhile, is ranked No. 1 on the WHL list.
Follow Mike Morreale on Twitter at: @mike_morreale
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