RALEIGH, N.C. - A season filled with injuries has added another victim, as the Carolina Hurricanes will now be without forward Eric Robinson for the foreseeable future.
Rammed by Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin during the first period of Monday's victory, the 30-year-old left the ice with Canes medical staff, holding his arm. He did not return and was ruled out shortly afterward.
Following an off day on Tuesday, Rod Brind'Amour told reporters today that the team will be without him "for an extended period (of time)."
"Not good news there, but it is what it is," the head coach disappointingly added.
Joining Shayne Gostisbehere (lower-body, day-to-day), Juha Jaaska (lower-body, has not played yet this season), Pyotr Kochetkov (hip surgery, likely out for the season), Charles Alexis Legault (hand injury, out since Nov. 9), and Noah Philp (concussion protocol, out since Jan. 6), the Canes have already amassed 226 man games lost to injury, among the most in the league.
The silver lining has been that it's allowed opportunities for players, notably Joel Nystrom, to seize the unexpected moment.
"We've had injuries all year, and guys have stepped up. Whenever we've asked guys to do a little more than maybe we originally thought they'd have to do, they're doing whatever's asked of them. That's what has to happen," Brind'Amour continued.
Robinson had played in 44 of the team's 50 games this season, missing six from Oct. 25 to Nov. 6 with an upper-body injury suffered on Oct. 23 in Colorado. Contributing 10 goals in those 44 games, he's been well on pace to set a new career-best for a second consecutive season, with last year's 14 goals and 32 points setting new bars for him.
With the New Jersey-born product out of the lineup, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who had been the team's healthy extra up front, slotted back in next to Mark Jankowski and William Carrier at Wednesday's practice. Robinson looked on with his arm in a sling.
