Vancouver Canucks' defenseman Kevin Bieksa suffered a very strange injury during last night's game against the Nashville Predators, but fears that he may be out an extended period of time are apparently unfounded, according to Elliott Pap of the Vancouver Sun.
Canucks' general manager Jim Benning told reporters that Bieksa's injury was not as severe as some thought.
"I don't think it's as serious as what people think it is," Benning said.
Bieksa will apparently travel with the team on their impending four-game road trip, but will be questionable for their next game, Tuesday, against the Colorado Avalanche, according to a report from Dan Murphy of Sportsnet.
Bieksa appeared to suffer the right-eye injury after colliding with Nashville's Craig Smith in the first period of last night's action.
You can see a couple angles of the hit here.
The puck is driven into the Canucks' zone from the red line, where a group of players converge on it behind the net. Bieksa, facing towards the boards, is there first. He is somewhat sandwiched between two Predators, one behind him and one, Smith, coming at him from the front side. The player behind Bieksa pushes him into the boards and Smith collides with him immediately thereafter.
It's hard to tell what exactly happens to cause Bieksa's injury, but it seems like Smith's helmet may have hit him in the face/eye area.
Canucks fans will be wary as they've apparently dealt with troublesome eye injures in the past, according to Jason Brough of NBCSports' ProHockeyTalk.com.
"You'll forgive Canucks fans for fearing the worst. This is an organization, after all, that's had to deal with two serious eye injuries, to Mattias Ohlund in 1999 and to Manny Malhotra in 2011."
Ryan Stanton will reportedly take Bieksa's spot in the lineup if he is unable to go.
