Injury updates on Otters’ Matthew Schaefer, Silvertips’ Landon DuPont
Two of the most prominent players in major-junior hockey are trying to return from injury for their second-round playoff series. Erie Otters defenceman Matthew Schaefer, projected by many to be the first-overall pick in this year’s NHL Draft, has been out since suffering a broken collarbone playing for Canada at the world junior championship in late December in Ottawa. An Otters spokesperson said Schaefer has been skating with the team but offered no further update. Otters general manager Dave Brown told the London Free Press that the team wasn’t sure if Schaefer would be available at any point in a second-round OHL playoff series against the league-leading London Knights, which starts Thursday. NHL.com reported in early January that Schaefer, 17, was expected to miss at least three months. Meanwhile, Everett Silvertips star defenceman Landon DuPont, 15, missed the last three games of his team’s WHL first-round series against the Seattle Thunderbirds with an upper-body injury. A team spokesperson said the rookie is day-to-day and there is “optimism he won’t be kept out for too much longer.” The Silvertips open a second-round series against the Portland Winterhawks on Friday. DuPont, allowed to play a full year in the WHL a year early after gaining exceptional-player status, led all rookies in scoring with 17 goals and 43 assists for 60 points in 64 games. DuPont became the first rookie defenceman to hit the 50-point marker in the WHL since Scott Niedermayer in 1989-90.
Two of the most prominent players in major-junior hockey are trying to return from injury for their second-round playoff series.
Erie Otters defenceman Matthew Schaefer, projected by many to be the first-overall pick in this year’s NHL Draft, has been out since suffering a broken collarbone playing for Canada at the world junior championship in late December in Ottawa.
An Otters spokesperson said Schaefer has been skating with the team but offered no further update. Otters general manager Dave Brown told the London Free Press that the team wasn’t sure if Schaefer would be available at any point in a second-round OHL playoff series against the league-leading London Knights, which starts Thursday.
NHL.com reported in early January that Schaefer, 17, was expected to miss at least three months.
Meanwhile, Everett Silvertips star defenceman Landon DuPont, 15, missed the last three games of his team’s WHL first-round series against the Seattle Thunderbirds with an upper-body injury.
A team spokesperson said the rookie is day-to-day and there is “optimism he won’t be kept out for too much longer.” The Silvertips open a second-round series against the Portland Winterhawks on Friday.
DuPont, allowed to play a full year in the WHL a year early after gaining exceptional-player status, led all rookies in scoring with 17 goals and 43 assists for 60 points in 64 games.
DuPont became the first rookie defenceman to hit the 50-point marker in the WHL since Scott Niedermayer in 1989-90.
