March presents an exciting and fast-paced time of life for NHL players and fans. The games feel like they're more important, and any time a player goes down hurt, we all hold our breath. The injuries are starting to pile up, and for some teams it could be the difference between playoffs and and early summer vacation.
Here are a few of the teams that could be most impacted by injuries:
1. Boston Bruins
So far in the 2018-2019 season, the Bruins have had their fair share of ups and downs. After dealing with a rough start last fall, they've had multiple players down with injuries. Some are still currently not on the ice. While players need time to heal before getting back to their positions, it can take a critical hit on the seasonal future of the team.
Marcus Johansson was injured in early March with a lung contusion. Sean Kuraly was injured in late February with a concussion, keeping him out of future games for an undetermined length of time. Kevan Miller was also injured in late February, but with an upper-body injury. David Pastrnak injured his left thumb and will be out for an extended time due to the repair surgery. These injuries came in quick succession and have kept the Bruins behind in the Eastern Conference. They're likely going to face the Leafs in the playoffs, but they'll want to get healthier if they have any chance of moving past the second round.
2. Arizona Coyotes
No hockey team escapes a season without injuries, and the Arizona Coyotes are no different. Michael Grabnergot injured his left eye in December. While this may sound like an out-of-the-ordinary injury, head injuries are one of the most common hockey injuries players can get. Jordan Oesterle and Derek Stepan were also injured in early March due to upper and lower body injuries.
These players being out of the game may keep the Coyotes from the playoffs. They sit at 71 points, just 3 behind the last wild car spot in the West. They've had an impressive run as of late, but their injuries might be too much to come back from.
3. Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguin players who have been injured this season may not be keeping their team back from winning the Eastern Conference. Chad Ruhwedel received a right arm injury in late February, while Kris Letang and Olli Maatta both got upper-body injuries within weeks of each other. Bryan Rust received a lower-body injury in February, as well, and it's currently undetermined when he will return to the ice.
Losing these players won't be easy for the team to cope with, but they still have a relatively successful standing. A win last night sent them into third in the Metro, but that also means they're only three points up from not being in the playoffs at all. In the Metro, it will likely come down to one or two points between playoffs and disappointment, and a player like Letang or Maatta could be that difference.
4. Tampa Bay Lightning
Injuries may set hockey teams back, but the Tampa Bay Lightning doesn't show it. While they lost Andrei Vasilevskiy to a foot fracture, Ondrej Palat to a lower-body injury, and Anton Stralman to an upper-body injury, they're in first place in the NHL by a mile. According to the Bovada odds, they'll become the most dominant team in the last two decades if they go on to win the cup.
So why are they on this list? Because the NHL is a finicky league, and all it takes is one injury for them to lose some chemistry and mojo. They're fine for now, the President's Trophy winner almost never wins the Cup, and they'll want to stay healthy if they want to break that curse.
The Stanley Cup can still pretty much go to anyone at this point. While some teams likely won't recover from the injury toll this season, these standings prove that while even the most valued players can get injured, it's a mixture of skill and strategy that will get the final two teams to the Stanley Cup. And, of course, a little bit of luck.
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