Ryan Getzlaf Injury: Updates on Ducks Star's Status and Return

Updates from Friday, April 25

TSN's Sara Orlesky reports that Getzlaf will play:

Follow Getzlaf updates from throughout the day:

Elliott Teaford of the Los Angeles News Group has the latest on Getzlaf:

Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News has more insight on the Ducks star

Updates from Thursday, April 24

Ducks color commentator Dan Wood reports that Getzlaf hopes to play Game 5

However, the Ducks' official feed reports that his status is still in doubt for Friday's game

Getzlaf talked about his injury via the Ducks' official website:

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"I'm not really going to discuss what exactly is going on," Getzlaf told the Ducks website Thursday. "That's what we've always done here during the playoffs. I wish I could give you insight on it, but I'm just not allowed to. I do know that it's questionable for tomorrow. We're going through different things today and doing our process to get ready for tomorrow. It's just a matter of rallying around each other right now and making sure we put our best foot forward."

[...]

That’s a big thing that obviously sucks. I don’t think I’ve missed a playoff game in my career, so it was a tough thing to watch last night and not be a part of it. But that’s the way it is. It’s not in my nature at all to step away from the game unless someone forces me to. It’s been tough and not easy to deal with. 

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Read the full interview here.

Original Text

The Anaheim Ducks will be without their captain in center Ryan Getzlaf for Wednesday's Game 4 clash with the Dallas Stars.     

Getzlaf has an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day, according to the Ducks' official Twitter account:

Wes Gilbertson of the Calgary Sun noted that veteran Teemu Selanne will not be in the lineup, either, and that Getzlaf and Selanne would be replaced by Emerson Etem and Rickard Rakell:

After the game, Orange County Register reporter Eric Stephens had more on Getzlaf's injury:

Anaheim led the NHL in scoring during the 2013-14 season, averaging better than three goals per contest. That firepower was on display when it scored seven goals in winning the first two games of this Western Conference opening-round series. However, the Ducks were shut out 3-0 by Dallas in Game 3, which cut the Stars' series deficit to 2-1.

Ducks forward Andrew Cogliano spoke about the importance of Getzlaf's leadership after Anaheim won Game 2.

"He's an unbelievable player, and he's a great captain," Cogliano told reporters. "He's pretty easy to follow."

Already with four points in just three playoff games, Getzlaf is a big loss for the Ducks. Anaheim has to hope Etem and Rakell can step up as it looks to take a commanding lead in the series by stealing a win at American Airlines Center. Getzlaf led the team with 87 points in the regular season, though, so replacing his production will be essentially impossible.

The Anaheim faithful and its players may not be able to follow Getzlaf's steady lead on Wednesday, but perhaps they can rally behind him in his absence.

Since he's only day-to-day, it's likely that Getzlaf will be back on the ice when the Ducks return home on Friday. They should have enough explosiveness on the ice to give themselves a chance at playing like the West's No. 1 overall seed and get a win in Game 4.