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Details coming out of New York Islanders practice Wednesday point to Adam Pelech's injury being even more serious than previously understood.
The "freak" injury to the young defenseman who'd shown promise in his recent callup is likely season-ending according to Arthur Staple, the Isles beatwriter for Newsday.
Been told that Pelech's injury is almost surely season-ending.
— Arthur Staple (@StapeNewsday) January 20, 2016
Capuano: Pelech still undergoing tests, called it a "freak thing."
— Arthur Staple (@StapeNewsday) January 20, 2016
We previously understood Pelech to have been a "gametime" decision for Sunday afternoon's game against the Canucks, but it now looks like Pelech was expected to be a go for that game all along before the freak injury happened. It was Marek Zidlicky, dealing with illness, who was the game-time decision, per Dan Savarino of Isles Insight:
Cappy admitted it was Zidlicky who was feeling ill before Sunday's game. Then the Pelech situation came up #Isles
— Dan Savarino (@DanSavarino) January 20, 2016
No doubt a few more details about what happened will come out through those outlets -- especially if the injury is indeed season-ending, removing the normal cause for secrecy.
Pelech has appeared in seven games across two callups from AHL Bridgeport this season, impressing both with the Sound Tigers to earn the callups and in his duties thus far with the big club.
The Islanders were already without Johnny Boychuk and Travis Hamonic, whose injuries are the chief reason Pelech was recalled. If there is any good news, it's that both are now skating this week with the team, and Hamonic increasingly sounds like he'll be in the lineup this weekend.
Capuano: "Good skate for Travis today. If he feels that he can go, there's no reason I won't put him in the lineup." pic.twitter.com/kR79UNE9qH
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) January 20, 2016