Here's how long the Detroit Red Wings expect to be without their most important player
The Detroit Red Wings consider Jonathan Bernier day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
That sounds relatively optimistic given he left the ice needing help from two teammates. He didn’t practice Friday, and coach Jeff Blashill said “my gut is yes” when asked if Bernier will at the very least miss Saturday’s game against the Dallas Stars at Little Caesars Arena.
“Right now it’s day to day,” Blashill said. “I don’t know if that stretches into a week or weeks. It’s all based on the healing process. I can’t tell you how long that is going to be.
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“He’s been evaluated and I would just say it’s one of those injuries that could heal quickly, could take longer. We’re just not sure.”
Thomas Greiss earned his second victory in 18 games when he finished Thursday’s 3-2 victory over the Stars. Bernier was hurt late in the second period. He was reaching for a puck when teammate Patrik Nemeth came crashing in. Bernier was helped off flanked by Dylan Larkin and Vladislav Namestnikov.
“To see a goalie stay down in discomfort — they are in such vulnerable position when they are down and somebody falls on top of them,” Larkin said. “You never want to see that happen. He has been such an important player for us, our best player the past couple seasons. He means a lot to us.
“We are hoping he’s OK. We still don’t know.”
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The Wings went 1-5-1 when Bernier missed two weeks with an upper-body injury after being run over by Anthony Mantha on Jan. 28, also against the Stars. Bernier has been the Wings’ MVP, posting a .918 save percentage and 2.78 goals-against average with an 8–6–0 record in 16 starts/17 appearances. Greiss has struggled, recording a .883 save percentage and 3.46 GAA and 2-11-4 record.
Calvin Pickard is on the taxi squad. He has subbed into one game, Feb. 3 against the Lightning, in which he allowed two goals on 21 shots in 54:08. Greiss was pulled from that game after allowing three goals on six shots in 5:36.
Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter. Her book, The Big 50: The Detroit Red Wings is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Red Wings unsure how long Jonathan Bernier is out with injury
