Downplaying the severity of injuries is basically an unwritten rule in NHL locker rooms — especially during the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Ottawa Senators defenseman Marc Methot is no different, and he barely has a pinky finger.
Methot returned to the Senators' lineup Saturday for the first time since he nearly lost his pinky when he was slashed by Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby on March 23.
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After Sunday's morning skate, Methot downplayed the injury to Sportsnet's Kristina Rutherford, saying that "everyone's playing beat up."
“It held up well enough,” Methot said of his pinky. “Everyone’s playing beat up and bruised and all that kinda stuff, and it certainly doesn’t always feel great out there.”
Dude, part of your pinky was severed. That's a little bit more serious than some bumps and bruises
Sidney Crosby basically hacked off Marc Methot’s finger (Video) https://t.co/o4vQ4aQhfo #hockey 🏒 pic.twitter.com/9Si4GDyaF4
— Prime Chophouse & WB (@prime_chop) April 1, 2017
Senators teammate Clark MacArthur offered up an idea on what Methot's finger looks like. Hint: it's not too pretty.
“It kinda looks like he stuck it in a car lighter,” MacArthur said.
MacArthur did say that it has "come a long way” since the night it happened, when Methot’s fingertip was dangling from his hand.
“It was pretty disgusting,” MacArthur said. “It’s nice that they were able to stitch that back up. It’s coming around. Still, I don’t want to see that when I’m eating.”
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Methot saw 18:12 of ice time in Senators' 4-3 overtime win over the Bruins.
“To be honest with you, I was just happy that I was able to make it through that game,” Methot said. “I know there was a good chance that I could, but there’s so many unknowns out there in a hockey game with sticks everywhere and all that physicality… I had my moments where it hurt a little bit, but otherwise, it was pretty good.”