It’s been an unlucky few weeks when it comes to health for goalies named to the 2014-15 All Star game. It’s been a terrible year when it comes to health for the Blue Jackets. So if you’re the superstitious sort, putting two and two together meant bad things for Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.
Wednesday night the worst happened for both Bobrovsky and the Blue Jackets. The goalie picked up a lower-body injury in the second period of Columbus’ 4-0 loss to the Jets. He was helped off the ice, and though a MRI is not expected until Thursday afternoon, it seems unlikely he will be able to suit up for the All-Star game at his home arena Sunday, or that the Blue Jackets will want him to.
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Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen did not sound optimistic afterwards. From The Columbus Dispatch:
“There is not much I can do about it,” Kekalainen said. “The good thing is that we have an All-Star goaltender in the American (Hockey) League, Anton Forsberg, and if Sergei can’t play, he’ll be coming up and getting an opportunity with Curtis (McElhinney) to show what they have. Forsberg has been unbelievable for a team that has been in first place, so we’ll see how he does at this level again.”
It is the second time Bobrovsky has gone down the season, having missed eight games with a broken finger.
The Blue Jackets have suffered through numerous injuries this year and currently have Ryan Murray and Artem Anisimov on injured reserve, while Boone Jenner is not expected back until late February with a back injury. And Nathan Horton’s career is expected to be over due to a back injury that has left him unable to play at all this season.
Provided Bobrovsky is sidelined, then a replacement will have to be selected, and soon, since the All-Star captains select their teams Friday. It would appear the most likely candidates based on the numbers would be Henrik Lundqvist, Braden Holtby and Craig Anderson.
Update: Bobrovsky is indeed out the of the festitives.
Puck-rakers: #CBJ G Sergei Bobrovsky officially ruled out of #NHL All-Star Game http://t.co/Z1gPrqyrOw
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) January 22, 2015
Neither of the three potential replacements listed here are going however, as Brian Elliott, who leads the NHL in goals against average. Elliott has been excellent, but injury cost him time and he's only suited up for 22 games this season, where as Holtby has played in 40, Lundqvist 35 and Anderson 31.