NHL Injuries and The Hurt Factor: Key Injuries Already Putting The Hurt on Teams
In a sport as fast, aggressive and dangerous as hockey, injuries are simply a part of the game.
Like slap shots, power-plays and hip checks, injuries are one of the things that makes hockey the game that it is.
When a key player goes down, an opportunity for another player to step up and prove himself emerges, and as a result, a new hockey star might be born.
In some cases, injuries can be a rallying point around which the team finds motivation to excel in the face of adversity. Stanley Cups have been won with such motivation.
In short, injuries can, in a way, be a good thing.
But, more often than not, injuries to key players benefit only that team's opposition.
No one would openly admit it, but, when you look at the roster of your opponent and you don't see their leading scorer or No. 1 defenseman on it, you breathe a little easier knowing that, at least tonight, a 'W' might be easier to skate away with.
Since the league has become faster and the players stronger, injuries come along at a fairly even clip nowadays in the NHL.
Indeed, just two weeks into this season, we find that several teams are missing players that aren't just hard, but nearly impossible to replace.
While every team in the league has at least one player out due to injury (that's right, every team) there are some that are decidedly bigger losses than others.
What follows is a list of some of the more prominent players that are already sidelined this season and whose absence will or has already proved injurious to their team.
Just how injurious is their absence? Well, Bleacher Report has attempted to answer this by assigning a "hurt factor" to each of these players.
Each player's Hurt Factor will be ranked on a 1 to 5 scale, taking into account their role on the team and the expected length of their absence.
Bear in mind that these players were hurt in the preseason or early in the regular season this year.
So, for example, Marc Savard is a huge loss for Boston, but as his concussion occurred in the 2009-10 season, he is not listed here.
While most fans look at lists and hope to see their team represented, in this case, if you don't see your team on here, be glad!
Then again, you may feel otherwise, in which case, go ahead and voice how much you're injured by my callous exclusion in a post.
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Jason Pominville: Buffalo Sabres
1 of 10
Though it fell just short of going down in history as the first violation of Rule 48 (the new "hit to the head" rule), Chicago defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson's blind-side hit on Buffalo's Jason Pominville did buy the 'Hawks rearguard a two-game suspension.
It's also brought on a world of hurt for Buffalo.
Pominville suffered a concussion as the result of the hit and is out indefinitely. As is typically the case with such injuries "indefinitely" could mean two weeks or two months. Only time will tell.
Losing one of their top scoring forwards is not going to be an easy thing to overcome for a team not known for winning games by lighting the lamp in the first place.
Hurt Factor - 4
Brian Campbell: Chicago Blackhawks
2 of 10
As if the Blackhawks didn't lose enough players off their championship roster due to cap constraints, the Hockey Gods saw fit to deprive them of Brian Campbell before the regular season even began.
Campbell suffered a badly sprained knee during the preseason and isn't likely to return to the 'Hawks line-up until early November.
Though Campbell's defensive prowess isn't as impressive as teammates Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook, his ability to drive the offensive with both speed, passing skills and a laser-beam shot from the point will make him impossible to replace adequately on the power-play.
Chicago has been doing fine in that department so far, connecting about 27 percent of the time.
However, Campbell's loss is going to be felt to a greater degree as the team continues the start of their Stanley Cup defense without him.
Hurt Factor - 3
Brian Rafalski: Detroit Red Wings
3 of 10Just five games into their season, Detroit may already be feeling a sense of deja-vu as a handful of players have already succumbed to various injuries this season.
Though Johan Franzen's self-diagnosed "concussion" has already seen him miss one game, he's not likely to be out much longer than that.
Not so with Brian Rafalski.
The 37-year-old blue-liner nursed a nagging knee injury all through last season and, as the puck dropped in Game 1 of this season, he knew he couldn't go on much longer as is.
Detroit's No. 2 defender is out for another few weeks after arthroscopic surgery that removed broken cartilage from his knee.
He's most likely going to feel a lot better once he resumes skating, but his loss is already causing serious pain for his Red Wing brethren.
His defensive skills and offensive power are going to be tough to live without.
Hurt Factor - 4
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Daymond Langkow: Calgary Flames
4 of 10
Though a historically streaky-scorer, Daymond Langkow can be a difference maker on the score sheet for prolonged stretches of time.
That's just the kind of player Calgary needs as they've started the season with an anemic offense.
Though the Olli Jokinen/Jerome Iginla experiment is going through it's second trial, Langkow has centered Iginla with some success in the past.
But, as Langkow is sidelined with a broken neck of all things, when, and perhaps, if, he'll return to Calgary this season is a mystery.
His absence means that coach Brent Sutter is going to have one less option when trying to get Iginla scoring when he needs to.
Hurt Factor - 3
Mark Streit: New York Islanders
5 of 10
Take a good look at that picture, because that's just about every Islanders fan's reaction when they found out that their No. 1 defenseman was going to be out of the line-up for a large chunk of the season.
After suffering a left shoulder injury in the preseason that required immediate surgery, the rebuilding project on Long Island is going to have to move forward without a key piece of equipment.
Streit played all 82 games last season, his first as an Islander and, with the continued development of John Tavares, the return of Rick DiPietro, and the excitement that has accompanied 2010 first-rounder Nino Niederreiter, 2010-11 was shaping up to be a hopeful one for the Islanders.
Now, with Streit out indefinitely as he rehabilitates, all may not be lost for the Isles, but, losses are going to come with greater frequency than they would with Streit in the line-up.
Hurt Factor - 5
Kyle Okposo: New York Islanders
6 of 10Ouch! Talk about Hurt Factor, the Isles have the dubious distinction of landing two players on this list.
When hearing about the good things going for the Islanders, the first name you'll here is 'John Tavares,' however, frequently 'Kyle Okposo' follows right behind that.
The young, gritty winger went down with a right shoulder injury just 24 hours after the aforementioned Streit went to the sick bay with a left shoulder injury.
Okposo's size and scoring ability aren't readily replaceable components for the Islanders leaving them not only without the contributions of their No. 1 d-man, but handicapped by the expected three-month absence of their promising power forward.
Hurt Factor - 4
Marian Gaborik: New York Rangers
7 of 10
I don't know what 'Gaborik' means in Slovak, but, if you were to tell me it translated to 'glass,' I'd believe you.
There's no doubt that Marian Gaborik is one of the fastest, most offensively talented players in the NHL. But, as famous as his offensive prowess has made him, so has his notorious injury history.
This time, the Rangers' top offensive weapon is sidelined with a separated left shoulder and could miss as much as a month.
As he is very much the engine that drives the Rangers' offensive machine, such as it is, expect that to continue to stall for prolonged periods of time until Gaborik returns.
Not that he was lighting it up much in the three games he's played to date, but, when Sean Avery is your leading scorer, losing Marian Gaborik isn't something you can afford and expect to win more hockey games than you lose.
Hurt Factor - 4
Jordan Staal: Pittsburgh Penguins
8 of 10
So, would this be considered a case of adding insult to injury, or just infection to injury?
After suffering a foot laceration in last year's playoffs, Jordan Staal had to undergo surgery to repair it. While recuperating during training camp, the wound became infected and thus, further delayed the 2010-11 debut of Pittsburgh's 2010 Selke Trophy nominee.
Pittsburgh has stumbled out of the gate so far this season, but, have began rounding into form in front of veteran back-up Brent Johnson.
Having Staal out of the line-up to start the season has certainly put a cramp in the Pens game to date, but, with Staal scheduled to return as early as the end of the month, things should start rolling along nicely again in Crosby-land.
Hurt Factor - 2
Michael Leighton: Philadelphia Flyers
9 of 10
At best, Leighton would be classified as a No. 1A goal-tender to Brian Boucher's No. 1B status in Philly.
Then again, some might randomly assign both as No. 2A and No. 2B.
Whatever Michael Leighton's true worth to the Flyers may be following his stellar performance in the playoffs last season, the world will wait to find out as Leighton recovers from back surgery.
Signed to a two-year extension over the summer, Philadelphia definitely saw Leighton as an important factor in their plans for making a return trip to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2011.
Still, rookie Sergei Bobrovsky is proving to be an able replacement in Leighton's stead.
So, while Leighton isn't expected back until December, the Flyers should be able to stay largely on track in his absence.
Hurt Factor - 1
Alex Burrows: Vancouver Canucks
10 of 10After a stellar career year last season that saw Alex Burrows contribute 35 goals, 67 points and a plus-34 rating in 82 games, there were high hopes that the shifty speedster would build upon his exploits this season as Vancouver races towards a chance to play for Lord Stanley's Cup.
Burrows may yet prove to be a top player for the Canucks this year, however, when he might do so is very much up in the air.
After undergoing shoulder surgery during the preseason, there is no timetable set for Burrows' return to the line-up.
That's got to be frustrating, as just one more day would be too long for a Vancouver squad that was an offensive machine last season but has sputtered early on this season, scoring just seven goals in four games.
There's no doubt that the Sedin twins and Mikael Samuelsson will heat up soon, but, without Burrows in the line-up, the offensive depth that benefited them so much last season will remain too shallow for comfort.
Hurt Factor - 3
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