Winnipeg Jets Head Coach Paul Maurice would not specify the exact nature of the injury Mark Scheifele suffered during the second period of Wednesday Night’s 4-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers following the team’s practice on Thursday.
But Maurice did confirm an upper body injury will keep his #1 center out of the lineup for up to two months.
Scheifele slid right shoulder-first into the boards following a body check from Edmonton defenceman Brandon Davidson and appeared to be in a lot of pain while being attended to by the team’s training staff.
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During Scheifele’s absence, the plan is for Captain Blake Wheeler to move to center with Patrik Laine taking over the right wing duties on the number one line. And Mathieu Perreault will get promoted from the fourth to the second line where he’ll take Laine’s spot along side Bryan Little and Nikolaj Ehlers.
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Maurice said either Shawn Matthias or Marko Dano, who have been healthy scratches for much of the season, will fill in for Perreault. For the time being there is no plan to recall a forward from the AHL Manitoba Moose, who are just coming off an extended Christmas break.
This is the second serious injury of Scheifele’s young career as he suffered a sprained MCL to his right knee in early March of 2014 and missed the final 19 games of that season.
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