Carolina Hurricanes: Jeff Skinner out Indefinitely with Concussion

There is a saying that goes, "when it rains it pours." That is exactly what is occurring as it appears that CaroIina Hurricanes sophomore sensation Jeff Skinner has a concussion after being legally checked by Edmonton's Andy Sutton. 

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Mark Spector Sports@SportsnetSpec

Crosby and Giroux concussed after collisions with teammates. Skinner likely concussed on clean body check by Sutton. Tough week in #NHL

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This has been a terrible week for the NHL with concussions. Two cases of bad luck for Claude Giroux and Sidney Crosby, and Skinner was just on the receiving end of a hard legal check.

It is never good when the league loses three young stars to injuries, especially injuries that have no clear-cut timetable. Each player could be out a week, a month or even a year depending on the severity of the concussion.

Each team will definitely use the utmost care and precaution when dealing with treatment. There is no sense attempting to rush players back on the ice with the severity of such an injury. The recent string of concussions is going to generate some negativity publicity, and the league may be pressured to make some changes.

Hockey is a physical sport, and there is an inherent risk when you play in the NHL, but it is hard to say that these concussions illegal or malicious in anyway. Hopefully each player can make a full recovery as soon as possible. It would be terrible for the league to lose these players.

Here is just a list of top players who have had concussions recently and were or are still sidelined.

• - Sidney Crosby 
• - Claude Giroux 
• - Kris Letang
• - Andy McDonald
• - Milan Michalek 
• - David Perron 
• - Joni Pitkanen
• - Mike Richards
• - Marc Savard 
• - Marc Staal

Hopefully this trend subsides soon because the league needs all of it's players healthy.

Tom Urtz is an NHL Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.