Not only will the Kraken’s winning ways be tested this weekend with a back-to-back against two current postseason contenders, but they’ll face another hurdle in doing so without their captain.
At practice Friday morning, head coach Dan Bylsma confirmed Jordan Eberle would miss the entirety of the two-game set after sustaining an injury during the second period of Thursday night’s game. “Further evaluation” is still needed on whether his absence will last much longer.
A nasty collision between Eberle and Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy sent the two careening into the end boards, and left the 34-year-old Kraken winger slow to his feet. Hunched over, he made his way to the bench with the assistance of a trainer and took a long pause off the ice before heading down the tunnel at Climate Pledge Arena.
Ahead of the end of the period, the team announced he was “unlikely to return” while undergoing evaluation for what was assessed as a lower-body injury. No updates were available on his status following the game.
“He essentially had a major traumatic crash into the boards,” Bylsma elaborated Friday. “And so there’s a lot of reaction going on in his mid-body right now, and it’s calmed down a little bit today and there’s hope that it calms down even greater as the days go on. Still need to have some more tests, looking at MRI and scans and whatnot. There’s still more evaluation to have as he kind of gets a little bit better here in the next couple days.”
Bylsma confirmed a recall from the Coachella Valley Firebirds could be expected ahead of Saturday’s game against the New York Islanders. Eberle has 11 points in 17 games this season as a mainstay on the first line alongside Jared McCann and Matty Beniers. Practice line rushes indicate André Burakovsky will take Eberle’s spot.
Eberle’s absence precedes the return of Vince Dunn, still on LTIR despite technically being eligible to return to the team Tuesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets.