Concern over Buff’s bum leg

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This article was published 29/12/2018 (2443 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

No news on Dustin Byfuglien’s injury might well be some very bad news.

Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice chose to divulge nothing during his post-game media conference on the status of the team’s star defenceman, who needed help leaving the ice midway through the third period Saturday.

Byfuglien came up with a bum leg — either the high ankle or knee appeared to be the area of concern — after a fairly innocuous collision in the corner with Minnesota forward Luke Kunin.

Replays, however, showed his left leg buckle slightly on impact.

“I’ll have something for you (today),” Maurice, whose team fell 3-1 to the visiting Wild, replied when asked for an update on Byfuglien’s condition.

An ominous tell, perhaps, from the Winnipeg bench boss. Read into it what you will. The Jets are slated to practise today at 11 a.m. at the Iceplex.

Byfuglien struggled to get from the corner to the goalie Connor Hellebuyck’s crease and appeared to say something to a referee in the vicinity — presumably about his lack of mobility — prompting a whistle.

Just over two minutes before he got hurt, the hulking blue liner orchestrated the Jets’ only goal, sending a quick pass to Blake Wheeler who fed Patrik Laine for the club’s first power-play goal in five games.

Losing Byfuglien and his cannon from the right point only heightened the degree of difficulty for a Winnipeg comeback against Wild head coach Bruce Boudreau’s tight-checking squad.

“Obviously, it’s tough to lose Buff at any time. He’s having an unbelievable season; he might be playing the best hockey he ever has for us and in the NHL,” defenceman Josh Morrissey said.

“(It’s) tough to see him go down, especially, obviously, when we’re trying to make a comeback in the game.

“We could have definitely used him out there. It isn’t a good sight to see.”

Byfuglien has been an offensive driver all season long, leading the back end with four goals and 25 assists in 32 games. In his past 10 games, he’s scored twice and chipped in 10 helpers.

Twice this season, he’s been shelved with short-term injuries. In mid-October, he missed a pair of games with an upper-body injury and then suffered a concussion in late November that kept him out of the lineup for four contests.

In his absence, the Jets posted five victories and an overtime loss in six games.

Joe Morrow is a healthy option, although that would require some juggling as he plays the left side.

On the farm, Tucker Poolman is hurt for the Manitoba Moose, leaving Nelson Nogier, Sami Niku and Cam Schilling as possible recall options.

Veteran defenceman Tyler Myers said the group will need the same response if Byfuglien is out for any duration.

“It never feels good when you see your guy go down and leave the game like that. I hope he’s all right. I haven’t seen him yet. We’ll see in the next day or so what the situation is,” Myers said.

jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPJasonBell