Hartman persevered in unlucky season of injuries

TORONTO -- Ryan Hartman is right-handed, but that arm hasn't done much for him this season.

The Plymouth Whalers forward sustained a nasty skate cut to his right wrist during an Ontario Hockey League playoff game April 9 that needed surgery to repair and sidelined him for two weeks.

That came after he sustained a torn labrum in his right shoulder in late December, an injury he was able to play through. He finally had surgery two weeks ago.

Despite the injury, Hartman had 23 goals and 60 points in 56 regular-season games and four goals and two assists in nine playoff games. He also had two goals in seven games to help the United States win the gold medal at the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championship.

"It [shoulder injury] happened the first game after Christmas in Saginaw," Hartman told NHL.com. "I was driving the net, got hit from behind, run in to the crossbar. It happened three times throughout the year. Just something … it was definitely an injury you could play with, but something I wanted to get fixed at the end of the year."

Hartman said he'll be in a bulky brace that runs the length of his arm, from wrist to shoulder, for six more weeks.

"Bad arm," Hartman told NHL.com. "Unlucky arm. And I'm a righty too."

Hartman said he expects to be back on the ice in early August and cleared for contact before NHL training camps open in September. Though he won't be able to take part in any of the fitness testing at this week's NHL Scouting Combine, teams are taking full advantage of getting to know the 5-foot-11, 181-pound forward, who is No. 16 in NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters for the 2013 NHL Draft.

He said he has interviews scheduled with 27 teams while he's in Toronto.

"I've been busy," he said. "Lots of teams show interest, some teams don't."

With a lengthy rehabilitation ahead of him, Hartman said he's allowed himself to think about what might happen June 30, when the draft is held at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

"It's exciting to think about," he said. "It's going to be where you're playing for the rest of your life, maybe. It's your future. It's exciting to think about, but you can't really think about it too much. Whatever happens, happens."

Contact Adam Kimelman at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @NHLAdamK