Carolina Hurricanes injury update: GM delivers news on banged up defensemen, forward
The Carolina Hurricanes could soon be back to full strength on the defensive side, team president and general manager Don Waddell said Wednesday,
Waddell, on a media call, said injured defenseman Brett Pesce was out of a walking boot and could return at some point in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs against the New York Rangers.
“If everything goes as expected, he will play games in this round, Maybe not right away,” Waddell said.
Waddell said defenseman Tony DeAngelo, who was slashed on the arm in Tuesday’s playoff game against the New York Islanders, was not seriously injured. DeAngelo was X-rayed after the game and Waddell said X-rays were negative.
“He’s feeling better today. That shouldn’t be an issue at all,” Waddell said.
DeAngelo, a healthy scratch much of the regular season, was needed in the first round when Pesce suffered a non-contact injury in Game 2. DeAngelo moved into Pesce’s spot in the second defensive pairing with Brady Skjei.
The Canes closed out the best-of-seven first-round in Game 5 on Tuesday, surging in the final period for a 6-3 victory.
One player who will continue to be sidelined indefinitely is forward Jesper Fast, who suffered a neck injury in the final regular-season game at Columbus after tumbling into the boards. Waddell said Fast has a strained muscle in his neck and will remain in neck brace for the next two weeks.
“It’s a matter of the doctors getting comfortable,” Waddell said.
The Rangers, who held off the Canes to win the Metropolitan Division this season, will host the first two games of the series with the Hurricanes.
The NHL has not yet released a schedule for the second round.
