Jamie Drysdale Out 4-6 Months With Shoulder Injury
Via clutchpoints.com
Anaheim Ducks defenseman Jamie Drysdale has a torn labrum in his left shoulder, and is expected to miss at least four to six months following surgery to repair it. The injury occurred last Friday when the Ducks traveled to Vegas to take on the Golden Knights. Anaheim went on to lose the game 4-0, which was their seventh loss in a row.
Drysdale was selected by the Anaheim Ducks as the sixth overall pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. He received high praise from many scouts stating that he was gifted and smart at puck moving and is able to beat players with his vision. It was also said that he was very quick and had a lot of hockey sense. The Ducks signed him to a three-year entry-level contract not that long after the draft. He made his debut on March 18th, 2021, in a game against the Arizona Coyotes. He scored his first career NHL goal in that game, as did his teammate Trevor Zegras. He finished the 2021 season with three goals and five assists for eight points in just 24 games. 2021-2022 was his first full NHL season and he played in 81 out of the 82 games. He finished his rookie season with four goals and 28 assists, for a total of 32 points.
With this being just Drysdale’s second full season in the NHL, an injury is very scary to see, especially one that is putting him out for so long. With a timetable of four to six months for recovery, he could potentially be out for the rest of the season since there are only five months left. It could mess with his development to miss most or all of a season, but through a lot of hard work, he will be able to make a full recovery and get back to his old self.
His absence will have a huge impact on the Ducks as a team, though, since he is one of their top defensemen. The Ducks are a young and upcoming team with a very bright future, but defense is their biggest question mark. With Drysdale being their best young defenseman, it puts Anaheim in an interesting position. Will they bring in another young defender, or let this season play out with what they have left?
The Ducks have won both of their games since his injury, beating the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 in overtime, and beating the San Jose Sharks 6-5 in a shootout.
