Hurricanes defenseman Brady Skjei in concussion protocol. How long will he be out?
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brady Skjei remains in the concussion protocol, Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said Thursday.
Skjei, injured Tuesday against Tampa Bay, will be sidelined indefinitely. The Canes play the Florida Panthers on Thursday in the first of two games between the two Central Division leaders.
Brind’Amour said Skjei likely will be replaced in the lineup Thursday by Joakim Ryan, who has 141 games of NHL experience but is in his first season with the Canes and has not been in a game.
Skjei was hit from behind by Tampa Bay’s Blake Coleman late in the first period of the Canes’ 4-1 victory at Amalie Arena. He played one more shift before leaving the game and was placed in the concussion protocol.
Brind’Amour said after the game he did not like the hit by Coleman, who was not penalized on the play.
Skjei has spent much of the season playing with Brett Pesce on the Canes’ second defensive pairing. In 45 games, he has two goals and six assists and a plus-6 plus/minus rating.
The Canes have played much of the season without forward Teuvo Teravainen, who has dealt with COVID and then concussion issues. Teravainen, who suffered a concussion Feb. 19 against Chicago, skated with the team again Thursday morning but will not play in Thursday’s game, Brind’Amour said.
Brind’Amour said Alex Nedeljkovic will be the starting goalie Thursday as the Canes (30-10-5) play their seventh game of the season against the Panthers (30-12-5). Nedeljkovic, the winner in Tuesday’s game, will be making consecutive starts for the second time this season.
This story was originally published April 22, 2021 at 12:47 PM.
